Making money in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is key to advancing your character, especially when you’re a free-to-play (F2P) player and want to earn enough OSRS gold to buy a membership bond. In this guide, we’ll walk you through some of the fastest and most efficient ways to earn money in free-to-play, allowing you to work toward your first bond and start enjoying the benefits of membership. These methods are perfect for those who don’t want to grind endlessly but still want to make consistent profits.
1. Bronze Bolts Flipping
A quick and simple way to start earning some cash in OSRS F2P is by flipping bronze bolts. Here’s how it works:
- Step 1: Buy Bronze Bolts – Head over to a shop that sells bronze bolts, and you’ll notice they sell for 1 GP each.
- Step 2: Sell on the Grand Exchange (GE) – These bolts typically sell for 2-3 GP each on the Grand Exchange. Depending on market demand, you can double or even triple your investment.
- Menu Entry Swapper for Speed – To speed things up, you can use the Menu Entry Swapper plugin on RuneLite. This allows you to shift-click and buy 50 bolts in one go, instead of manually selecting “Buy 50” over and over.
Using this method:
- Profit Potential: If you invest 1 million GP into bronze bolts, you can potentially turn that into 2-3 million GP by selling them at the GE.
- Time Efficiency: World hopping is a key strategy. Buy the bolts in one world, then hop to the next world and repeat. This keeps your buying process efficient, and with Menu Entry Swapper, you’ll fly through purchases.
2. Rune Shop Method (Aubury’s Shop in Varrock)
Another solid money-making method involves buying runes from rune shops and selling them on the GE. Aubury’s Rune Shop in Varrock is a good place to start.
- Step 1: Check Rune Prices – Before buying, examine the runes with RuneLite to see what they sell for on the GE. For instance, you can buy mind runes for 4 GP each, and they often sell for 5 GP on the GE.
- Step 2: World Hop & Buy – Buy down to 4750 runes per world, as this is when the price increases. The trick is to focus on world hopping to collect runes efficiently.
While the profit per rune might seem small (1-2 GP), the ability to buy hundreds of runes at once means the money can add up quickly. You can make thousands of gold in a matter of minutes, but selling them on the GE can take time.
- Longevity Tip: Since you’re limited to three GE slots in free-to-play, selling runes can be slower. It’s best to have extra gold to keep buying while you wait for your runes to sell.
3. General Store Flipping (Chisels, Hammers, and Tools)
Though this isn’t the fastest money maker, it’s worth mentioning as an easy, low-risk option.
- Step 1: Visit a General Store – Items like hammers, chisels, and tinderboxes can often be bought from general stores for 1 GP each.
- Step 2: Sell on the GE – These items can then be sold for 68 GP (hammers) or 94 GP (chisels), making this a quick way to make a few thousand gold with minimal effort.
One downside of this method is that free-to-play players lack agility levels and don’t have access to graceful outfits, meaning your running energy can run out quickly. However, if you’re near a bank, this method can still provide a steady income.
4. Betty’s Magic Emporium (Port Sarim)
This method involves flipping certain magic items like wizard hats from Betty’s Magic Emporium in Port Sarim.
- Step 1: Buy Wizard Hats – The blue wizard hat costs 2 GP from Betty’s shop and can sell for as much as 250-560 GP on the GE.
- Step 2: Sell the Hats on the GE – By buying hats and hopping worlds, you can quickly gather a large amount of inventory and sell for a huge markup.
Just like with runes, you can also buy and flip runes here. However, wizard hats tend to be a quicker and more profitable item to flip.
5. Fishing Shop in Port Sarim
Fishing bait from the Port Sarim Fishing Shop is another great item for flipping.
- Step 1: Buy Fishing Bait – Buy fishing bait from the shop for 3 GP each.
- Step 2: Sell on GE – Fishing bait usually sells for 5 GP on the GE, making you a 2 GP profit per bait.
Fishing bait restocks fairly quickly, allowing you to fill your inventory, world hop, and repeat the process for fast profits. This is one of the easiest and least competitive methods of making money, but remember that while fishing bait does sell, it may not do so immediately.
6. Waterfall Quest (RuneScape Vault)
While this isn’t your traditional money-making method, the Waterfall Quest can yield great rewards, particularly ruby rings, which are valued at over 1,000 GP each.
- Step 1: Complete the Waterfall Quest – The quest takes you to the Waterfall Dungeon, where you can loot chests that contain ruby rings and pieces of rune armor.
- Step 2: World Hop and Collect – After collecting the items, World Hop to continue gathering ruby rings. With 28 inventory slots filled, this method can net you 28,000 GP each trip.
While it takes a bit more setup than the other methods, this is a consistent, high-profit money maker for free-to-play players.
7. Chocolate Bar Flipping
The last method we’ll cover is flipping chocolate bars, which can be turned into chocolate dust.
- Step 1: Buy Chocolate Bars – Chocolate bars can be bought for 131 GP.
- Step 2: Grind into Chocolate Dust – Use a pestle and mortar to grind the chocolate bars into dust. Chocolate dust typically sells for 162 GP, giving you a 30 GP profit per bar.
This method is straightforward, quick, and doesn’t require a large investment. You can process entire inventories of chocolate bars in a few minutes and turn them into a respectable profit.
Conclusion
Earning money in free-to-play OSRS doesn’t have to be a grind. With these methods, you can start making serious RuneScape gold, whether you’re flipping bronze bolts, buying runes, or grinding chocolate bars into dust. Each method has its strengths, and depending on how much time and gold you have, you can mix and match to suit your style. Before long, you’ll be able to afford that bond, unlock membership, and explore even more ways to make money in OSRS.
Good luck, and happy money making!
