The Heists Challenge Guide

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David Coulson

Beginning his gaming journey in 1993 SNES as an avid Super Mario World fan, his passion for games led him into journalism in 2019. When he's not cranking 90s in Pleasant Park, he can often be found playing the latest releases including Resident Evil, The Legend of Zelda, and Grand Theft Auto.

Latest posts by David Coulson (see all)

• The Heists Challenge Guide - April 24, 2023
• How to Increase Strength in GTA 5 Online - April 16, 2023
• How Old is Franklin in GTA 5 - April 2, 2023

Introduction

The GTA 5 story was heavily focused on pulling off Heists. This was brought to GTA Online when the first Heists update was added in 2015. Since then, numerous Heists updates have added more storylines and missions to complete to receive large payouts, often in the 7-figures.

Heists are a great way to earn rewards and help build a strong team. This The Heists Challenge guide has everything you need to know about Rockstar Games’ Heists Challenge, which takes place periodically, and how to complete the Heists in GTA Online to reach the target amount required to complete the challenge.

What are Heists?

Heists are incredibly lucrative and a great way to earn plenty of cash to purchase all the businesses, property, and vehicles you will need to dominate in GTA Online. Much like the GTA 5 story, which sees Michael, Trevor, and Franklin pull off numerous robberies, GTA Online allows you to do the same in brand-new scenarios.

You will need to plan your Heist as you do in GTA 5, build your team, and then take action and try to escape with your newfound riches.

This guide will outline each Heist and the challenges you can complete to earn the maximum rewards possible, as well as some tips and tricks to try and make them as easy as possible so you can take home the big bucks.

How to Unlock Heists

To unlock Heists you must reach rank 12 and also own a high-end apartment with a Heist planning room. The apartment that is part of the Criminal Enterprises Starter Pack has one if you’re considering purchasing that.

Once you have met these two requirements, you receive a text from Lester to invite you to his factory. Going there will immediately begin the tutorial Heist mission, The Fleeca Job.

The Original Heists Missions

The Fleeca Job

• Setup Cost – $11,500 (Free during the tutorial)
• Payout – $100,625 (Easy), $201,250 (Normal), $251,562 (Hard)
• Unlockable Rewards – Kuruma and armored Kuruma
• Elite Challenges – Finish in less than 5:20, nobody gets Wasted, the car takes less than 6% damage, do not restart
• Elite Rewards – $50,000

Objective 1 – Drive Lester to the bank to scope it out ahead of the Heist.

Objective 2 – Steal a Kuruma and take it back to the Warehouse to use as a getaway vehicle.

The Prison Break

• Setup Cost – $25,000
• Payout – $350,000 (Easy), $700,000 (Normal), $875,000 (Hard)
• Unlockable Rewards – Lampadati Casco and Principe Lectro
• Elite Challenges – Complete in less than 4:40, Rashkovsky takes less than 1% damage, and no team member gets wasted
• Elite Rewards – $100,000

Objective 1 – Take out the Vagos at the airport while a player steals a Velum.

Objective 2 – Steal a Prison Bus.

Objective 3 – Steal a police car, then break into the police station, steal the prison transfer schedule, then head back to your apartment.

Objective 4 -Other team members must drop off Rashkovsky’s Casco.

Objective 5 – Kill the lawyers and take the deposition.

The Humane Labs Raid

• Setup Cost – $25,000
• Payout – $472,500 (Easy), $945,000 (Normal), $1,181,250 (Hard)
• Unlockable Rewards – Mammoth Hydra, Buckingham Valkyrie, HVY Insurgent, armored HVY Insurgent, Nagasaki Dinghy, Night Vision mask, and Rebreather mask.
• Elite Challenges – Finish in less than 11:00, and the vehicle take less than 2% damage.
• Elite Rewards – $100,000

Objective 1 – For this Heist, there will be three teams, a pilot, a gunner, and a ground team. All get into the helicopter and go to the drop zone.

Objective 2 – The ground team will parachute into the Human Laboratory and blow up the control panel to access the facility. The pilot and gunner hold off the security to allow the ground team to complete the Heist.

Objective 3 – The ground team must use keycards to access a room to use a USB to steal data from a computer. Once this is done, leave through the cooling tunnels and swim to the beach.

Objective 4 – Once this is done, use the Flare Gun to alert the pilot and gunner, who will collect the ground team and escape.

Series A Funding

• Setup Cost – $25,00
• Payout – $100,625 (Easy), $201,250 (Normal), $251,562 (Hard)
• Unlockable Rewards – Karin Technical
• Elite Challenges – Finish in less than 6:30, kill 75 enemies, and don’t get Wasted.
• Elite Rewards – $100,000

Objective 1 – Trevor is at a warehouse full of stolen drugs and needs help fending off his enemies. Head to the Warehouse and get into one of two positions, either at the north or south end of the Warehouse, and wait for the enemies to show up.

Objective 2 – Take out all the enemies until it is safe to leave.

Objective 3 – Once safe, take the vehicles to the drop-off points while defending them from the Ballas, The Lost, and the frat boys.

The Pacific Standard

• Setup Cost – $25,000
• Payout – $750,000 (Easy), $1,500,000 (Normal), $1,875,000 (Hard)
• Unlockable Rewards – Gang Burrito Van, Principe Lectro, and Savage
• Elite Challenges – Finish in less than 10:15, NOOSE isn’t called, don’t get Wasted
• Elite Rewards – $100,000

Objective 1 – Drive to the Pacific Standard Bank and enter it to begin the Heist.

Objective 2 – The team will be divided into three groups, Crowd Control, Hacker, and Demolition. After taking out the security guards, the Demolition team will need to place a thermal charge on the teller’s gate to access the vault.

Objective 3 – The Hacker team will hack the control panel to open the vault. Then both teams will grab all the cash inside while the Crowd Control team keeps all the civilians in check.

Objective 4 – All players must leave the bank and follow the getaway route to the stored bikes. Follow the route until you jump off the cliff and use the parachutes.

Objective 5 – All players must get in the Dinghy and then drive out to sea to escape and complete the Heist.

Heist Bonuses

In addition to all of the payouts you receive, while playing the Heists, there are extra bonuses you can earn once per character.

First Time – Complete each Heist for the first time for a $100,000 bonus.

First Person – Complete all the Heist setups and finales in first-person mode to earn $100,000

All in Order – Complete all the Heists and their setup missions for a $1,000,000 bonus.

Loyalty – Complete all of the Heists and their setup missions with the same team for a $1,000,000 bonus.

Criminal Mastermind – Complete all of the Heists and their setup missions on Hard, in order, with the same team, without any players getting Wasted to earn $10,000,000.

The Doomsday Heist

The Doomsday Heist is a three-act Heist that has become the most popular among the community due to its ability to exploit glitches for high payouts. You will need to own a Facility and be able to be the CEO/VIP of an organization or the President of a Motorcycle Club by buying either an Office or a Clubhouse.

Like the Blitz Play Heist from the GTA 5 story mode, The Doomsday Heists allow you to prepare during Freemode rather than stealing the necessary equipment being done in setup missions. You can choose to buy it for $94,500 or even steal it from other players trying to do their preparations for The Doomsday Heist.

The Data Breaches

• Setup Cost – $25,000
• Payout – $975,000 (Normal), $1,218,750 (Hard)
• Elite Challenges – Finish in less than 5:30, kill 78 enemies, and don’t get Wasted
• Elite Rewards – $50,000

Setup Equipment

• Akula – You must break into the control tower at For Zancudo to download the data needed to steal an Akula helicopter.
• Ambulance – You must steal an Ambulance to infiltrate the Coroner’s Office.
• Deluxos – You must steal four Deluxo cars to be used in the Heist.

Objective 1 – Drive to the Pacific Standard Bank and enter it to begin the Heist.

Objective 2 – The team will be divided into three groups, Crowd Control, Hacker, and Demolition. After taking out the security guards, the Demolition team will need to place a thermal charge on the teller’s gate to access the vault.

Objective 3 – The Hacker team will hack the control panel to open the vault. Then both teams will grab all the cash inside while the Crowd Control team keeps all the civilians in check.

Objective 4 – All players must leave the bank and follow the getaway route to the stored bikes. Follow the route until you jump off the cliff and use the parachutes.

Objective 5 – All players must get in the Dinghy and then drive out to sea to escape and complete the Heist.

The Bogdan Problem

• Setup Cost – $25,000
• Payout – $975,000 (Normal), $1,218,750 (Hard)
• Elite Challenges – Finish in less than 5:30, kill 78 enemies, and don’t get Wasted
• Elite Rewards – $50,000

Setup Equipment

• Keycards- You must steal a Police Riot Van from a NOOSE team while they are responding to a robbery. These keycards will be used to access the LSIA hangar during the Heist.
• Riot Control Van – Head to a protest and start a riot so the riot squad responds, then steal their van.
• Strombergs – You must steal four trucks carrying Stromberg cars that will be used in the Heist.
• Torpedo ECU – You must steal two Torpedo RCUs from arms dealers to fit them on the Strombergs.
• ULP Intel – Locate a kidnapped ULP Agent and take out his kidnappers to gain the information needed for the Heist.

Objective 1 – Head to the IAA base and take out the Mayweather Security agents attacking the base.

Objective 2 – Move through the base and take out any enemies inside until you reach the War Room.

Objective 3 – Take control of the turrets and take out any enemies that attack you. Once you have taken out all of the enemies, the mission will end.

The Doomsday Scenario

• Setup Cost – $25,000
• Payout – $1,800,000 (Normal), $2,250,000 (Hard)
• Elite Challenges – Finish in less than 30:00, get 150 headshots, no failed hacks, and don’t get Wasted
• Elite Rewards – $50,000

Setup Equipment

• Chernobog – You must steal a Chernobog missile truck from Mayweather Security.
• Flight Path – You must steal information regarding a Barrage ATV from an arms dealer.
• Marked Cash – You must steal a bag of money from the FIB.
• Onboard Computer – Head to a Hydra Jet that has crashed and steal the frequency module.
• Recon – Take photographs of the Pacific Allied Shipyard.
• Test Site Intel – Steal a laptop that has information on where a TM-02 Khanjali Tank is.

Objective 1 – Go to Grapseed and choose whether to use the Barrage ATV or TM-02 Khanjali Tank during the Heist.

Objective 2 – Head to the secret entrance for a tunnel in Mount Chiliad and wait for Lester to hack the door.

Objective 3 – Go through the tunnel and take out the many enemies that will attack you.

Objective 4 –Destroy five supply boxes and go to the control room after a missile has been armed.

Objective 5 – Hack four terminal consoles by completing the minigames to prevent the missile from being launched.

Objective 6 – Head to the Orbital Cannon controls and destroy the four mobile cloud servers.

Objective 7 – Go to the silo, kill Avon, and then escape to the Observatory to end the mission.

The Diamond Casino Heist

The Diamond Casino and Resort is one of the biggest additions to GTA Online compared to GTA 5. Players can gamble, purchase a luxury penthouse, and participate in The Diamond Casino Heist.

You must own an Office or Clubhouse to become a CEO/VIP or MC President to participate in The Casino Heist, and you must own an Arcade.

The biggest change from previous Heists is that The Diamond Casino Heist is one huge gameplay-packed operation with a multiple-path approach to keep things fresh.

There will also be three different approaches you can take, altering how you progress through The Diamond Casino Heist storyline and the setups you will need to do. These approaches are:

• Silent & Sneaky
• The Big Con
• Aggressive

Setup and Preparations

First, you must scope out the casino and take pictures of its security for Lester to analyze. These will be the security guards, security cameras, and the keypad for the door. You can also scope out six different access points to determine the best approach.

Next, you must go into the casino and hack the security cameras to view the vault’s contents. You can also purchase extra setup preparations to help you perform the Heist, which will give you more knowledge of the casino model, door security, and the vault door.

Silent & Sneaky

• Setup Cost – $25,000
• Elite Challenges – Finish in less than 15:00, no failed hacks, don’t get detected, don’t get Wasted
• Elite Rewards – $50,000 for Normal difficulty, $100,000 for Hard difficulty

This approach will be more stealth orientated, choosing to silently sneak through the casino and take out the guards and security systems rather than going in all guns blazing. If you get caught, you will be forced to run and gun but will have less time to complete the Heist.

Players will have a Stun Gun to disable security cameras and metal detectors. You will also be able to use Nano Drones to take out guards. There are also optional EMP Devices and Infiltration Suits that you can gain to help with this approach.

Objective 1 – You must go through one of three entry points, the helipad, roof, staff lobby, or waste disposal, disabling security cameras and killing the guards to infiltrate the vault.

Objective 2 – Once you get to the point, you will need to use laser drills to drill through both sides of the door, allowing you to get the loot before the police are alerted and a nerve agent is released.

Objective 3 – After looting the vault, you will escape through the entry point you used. If you choose the helipad or roof, you will use Parachutes to get off the building, which is now surrounded by police. Evade law enforcement and lose the wanted level in the getaway vehicles to complete the Heist.

The Big Con

• Setup Cost – $25,000
• Elite Challenges – Finish in less than 15:00, don’t get detected, don’t get Wasted
• Elite Rewards – $50,000 for Normal difficulty, $100,000 for Hard difficulty

Like Silent & Sneaky, The Big Con will focus on stealth, except you will be walking in plain sight using disguises. You will need to use disguises that you collect during the preparations to gain access to the casino’s basement undetected. These disguises are:

• Bugstars
• Gruppe Sechs
• Maintenance
• Yung Ancestor

Whichever disguise you choose will not impact how the mission plays out, just its setup. You will also have a Ceramic Pistol to go through the metal detectors without fail. If you lose your disguise and are spotted, you will be forced to fight out of the situation.

Objective 1 – Once you get to the vault, you will open it using laser drills to loot it before law enforcement arrives. However, use the Gruppe Sechs disguise and get to the vault undetected. A guard at the vault will open it for you before being knocked out by one of the crew members.

Objective 2 – Once the vault has been looted, you must escape through one of the five entry points detailed in Silent & Sneaky. If you are still undetected, you can go to the laundry room to put on a NOOSE or firefighter uniform if you collected them during the setup. You can also wear the High Roller set if you have collected the 54 Playing Cards across Los Santos before doing this mission. Any of these will allow you to leave the casino undetected.

Objective 3 – After leaving the casino, you must escape the LSPD and NOOSE officers. If you’re undetected, this should be easy to do, but if you have been spotted, you must fight your way through and escape. Once you lose the Wanted level, you can meet the buyer and end the mission.

Aggressive

• Setup Cost – $25,000
• Elite Challenges – Finish in less than 15:00, get 80 headshots, and don’t get Wasted
• Elite Rewards – $50,000 for Normal difficulty, $100,000 for Hard difficulty

If you’re like me and enjoy running and gunning through situations, then the Aggressive approach could be for you.

Objective 1 – Once you get to the vault after taking out the guards, you will need to plant five explosives to blow up the vault door. As with previous approaches, the LSPD and NOOSE will surround the casino. You must fight your way out, get to the getaway vehicles, and lose your Wanted Levels to complete the mission.

Rewards

Unlike the previous Heists, where a set payout is tied to the mission, with The Diamond Casino Heist, it will also depend on what you stole from the vault, except this is randomized.

For each Heist, it will randomly choose whether you loot cash, artwork, gold, or diamonds, with the payouts and rarity increasing in that order. Here are the possible payouts for The Diamond Casino Heist:

• Cash – $2,115,000 (Normal), $2,326,500 (Hard)
• Artwork – $2,350,000 (Normal), $2,585,000 (Hard)
• Gold – $2,585,000 (Normal), $2,843,500 (Hard)
• Diamonds – $3,290,000 (Normal), $3,619,000 (Hard)

The setup cost will remain at $25,000 regardless of the approach and loot.

The Cayo Perico Heist

The Cayo Perico Heist is the latest Heist update to be released at the time of writing. Like previous Heist updates, you must own an Office and Clubhouse to become a CEO/VIP or an MC President. This time, you must buy a Submarine to travel to the island.

Setup and Preparations

You must gather intel by scoping out the island to set up for the Cayo Perico Heist. Then you need to complete various prep missions to acquire the necessary vehicles, weapons, and tools that you will need to complete the Cayo Perico Heist; this is very similar to all of the previous Heists.

The Cayo Perico Heist Finale

• Setup Cost – $25,000
• Elite Challenges – Finish in less than 15:00, no failed hacks, don’t get detected, don’t get Wasted, full loot bags
• Elite Rewards – $50,000 for Normal difficulty, $100,000 for Hard difficulty

During the prep for the Cayo Perico Heist, you will have gathered intel on a primary target to steal, affecting the Heist and possible payout. The choices are:

• Bearer Bonds
• Madrazo Files
• Panther Statue
• Pink Diamond
• Ruby Necklace
• Sinsimito Tequila

You will then need to select secondary targets to increase the loot you can steal. These are:

• Artwork
• Cash
• Cocaine
• Gold
• Weed

Once you begin the Heist, you and your team must take your chosen vehicle and head to the waypoint. You must take down the defenses to gain entry into the compound.

This is done by hacking the analog circuits at the Control Tower to disable the air defenses and then break into the Cayo Perico Power Station to cut the power to disable the CCTV cameras. 

Silent & Sneaky

Steal the keypad codes from a guard to access the side gates on the north and sound of the compound. You can also use a Grappling Hook to scale and climb over the wall. And finally, you can use the Cutting Torch to cut through the grill in the drainage tunnel and access it from the water.

Big Con

For this method, you will hide in plain sight by stealing a Supply Truck and Guard Uniforms to gain access to the compound by disguising yourself. These will have been gathered during the preparations.

Aggressive

If you want to go in all guns blazing, you will use Demolition Chargers to blow up the main gate and then fight through the guards to gain access to the next area.

The Heist

Objective 1 – You need to gain access to the basement by completing various tasks depending on how you accessed the compound. Once you access the basement, you must steal the loot from the safe or display case, depending on the loot.

Objective 2 – Choose whether to steal any of the secondary targets you want. However, you only have limited space in your loot bag, so pick carefully.

Objective 3 – Either through the main gate, the north and south side gates, or the wall. Now you will need to escape all of the guards and enemies looking to stop you and leave the island either by going to the dock and escaping by boat or the airstrip and escaping by aircraft.

Rewards

Like The Diamond Casino Heist, each of the target items you steal will have different payouts, so it could be smart to choose the most lucrative ones to maximize your return for your time to complete the Heist.

Primary Targets

• Bearer Bonds – $1,100,000 (Normal), $1,210,000 (Hard)
• Madrazo Files – $1,100,000 (Normal)
• Panther Statue – $1,900,000 (Normal), $2,090,000 (Hard)
• Pink Diamond – $1,900,000 (Normal), $2,090,000 (Hard)
• Ruby Necklace – $1,000,000 (Normal), $1,100,000 (Hard)
• Sinsimito Tequila – $900,000 (Normal), $990,000 (Hard)

Secondary Targets

• Artwork – $176,200-$199,700 per painting (You can carry two)
• Cash – $78,480-$89,420 per cash stack (You can carry four)
• Cocaine – $220,500-$225,000 per brick (You can carry two)
• Gold – $328,584-$333,192 per Gold bar (You can carry 1.5)
• Weed – $145,980-$149,265 per brick (You can carry 2.66)

The Heists Challenge

In 2020, Rockstar Games challenged players of GTA Online to collectively earn $100 billion in rewards from Heist finale missions. Players stepped up to the mark and smashed the goal by earning $1 trillion in the game.

Two years later, Rockstar Games once again issued the challenge, but this time they upped the goal to $2 trillion to be earned, and again players were able to reach the goal.

We estimate the next Heists Challenge will happen in either November 2023 or 2024, depending on whether Rockstar Games wants to make it a yearly or bi-yearly event, as well as depending on when GTA 6 will be released.

Tips for Playing Heists

Learn the Heist and Map

If this is your first time playing the Heist then it isn’t likely that you will know everything there is about the Heist and the map, but you can still do some research and get prepared.

With excellent videos on YouTube of the Heists being readily available, you have the ability to watch through them and make notes if you have to so you can make your first playthrough as optimal as possible.

If you’re playing with more experienced players they will likely also have their own preferred routes and ways to complete the Heists so that should help you to learn them faster.

Make Sure You Get a Competent Team

It goes without saying, but having a good team to play with will make your time playing Heists much more enjoyable and give you a greater chance of succeeding and taking home the maximum amount of profit. If you have even one bad player on the team it can drag the rest down and make it much harder to complete the Heist.

It can be difficult to find people to play the Heists with if you don’t already have 1 a group of friends to play with. But, there are ways to find people to play with, such as on social media, but always be aware of scammers and hackers when playing with strangers and take relative safety precautions.

Use the Armored Kuruma

Many of the Heist missions end up with your team being chased by the police which results in a lot of gunfire to try and take you down. This means having a vehicle that can withstand a lot of punishment is essential and the Armored Kuruma is one of the best options.

You unlock the vehicle after completing the Fleeca Job tutorial so you will have access to it once you start playing Heists. Make sure this is the vehicle you’re using if the setup or finale is going to result in a police chase.

Stock Up on Items

When playing a Heist in GTA Online, your team only has a small number of lives it can use before failing the Heist, sometimes as low as one extra life for the whole team, meaning everyone must try and survive as there is little room for error.

This makes it incredibly important to stay stocked up on items such as body armor, ammo, and snacks.

The body armor will allow you to take more damage from the enemies, the ammo will keep you in the fight and allow you to take out anyone that stands in your way, and snacks from the convenience stores are a great way to restore health while doing a Heist.

FAQ

Conclusion

If you want to make large amounts of money in GTA Online, Heists are the best way. They do require a lot of money to get started. But, once you’ve saved up that initial investment to buy the required business, it shouldn’t take too long until you begin making a profit.