The Kosatka is the strongest active solo purchase, while the Nightclub and Bunker are better background earners. The Agency is the safest first large business for players who want varied solo work. Every hourly figure below is a community estimate, not an in-game constant.
Best GTA Online businesses at a glance
Business | Base buy-in | Community estimate/hour | Simple break-even |
|---|---|---|---|
GTA$2,200,000 | GTA$800,000 | 2.75 hours | |
GTA$2,010,000 | GTA$350,000 | 5.74 hours | |
GTA$1,670,000 | GTA$250,000 | 6.68 hours | |
Special Cargo Warehouse | GTA$1,500,000 | GTA$200,000 | 7.5 hours |
Acid Lab | GTA$750,000 | GTA$60,000 | 12.5 hours |
GTA$1,165,000 | GTA$55,000 | 21.18 hours | |
GTA$1,080,000 | GTA$50,000 | 21.6 hours |
Break-even is buy-in / estimated hourly income. It ignores upgrades, supply purchases, prerequisite businesses, staff, vehicles, and the value of time spent unlocking the property.
Best active business: Kosatka
The Kosatka provides access to the Cayo Perico Heist, the only major heist in this comparison built for a full solo finale. Our default model uses GTA$800,000 per hour across repeated active play. That is not a guaranteed payout from one run. Primary target, secondary loot, fees, cooldown, prep speed, and failed attempts change the rate.
Read the Cayo Perico solo guide before buying around this assumption.
Best first large business: Agency
The cheapest Agency in the model costs GTA$2.01 million. The GTA$350,000 hourly default combines active Security Contract and Dr. Dre work rather than passive stock generation. The Agency gives a new account more variety than repeating one heist and does not need a chain of feeder businesses.
Best passive network: Nightclub
A Nightclub becomes strong after the account already owns useful feeder businesses and hires technicians. Buying one early because its base price looks low creates a property with much of its warehouse value missing.
The GTA$50,000 hourly default assumes five technicians plus safe income in a mature setup. The simple 21.6-hour break-even therefore understates the real capital required.
Bunker or Acid Lab?
The Acid Lab has the lower entry price and a smaller supply chain. Its GTA$60,000 hourly default slightly exceeds the upgraded Bunker default of GTA$55,000. The Bunker has research and a different sale rhythm, so it can still be the better account purchase even when the simple income row loses.
Businesses we would not buy first
Cocaine, Meth, and Counterfeit Cash show simple break-even times of about 27.86, 32.5, and 35.21 hours using upgraded community estimates. They can feed a Nightclub, but that is a later network decision. Buying all three before establishing an active earner ties up cash and adds sale work.