If you never got to play GTA Online, and you’re willing to jump into the world of Los Santos in 2025, it can get a bit daunting. Since there are just so many updates released for the game, it gets challenging for new players! But worry not, as today we’ll be taking a look at a complete Beginner’s Guide for GTA Online, which will help out a lot of new players! Without wasting much time, let’s get right into it.
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Stepping Into The World Of GTA Online
Whether you had a blast playing the story mode of GTA 5, or you’re still playing it, it doesn’t matter. You can get into the world right after you complete the Prologue mission of GTA 5. Accessing the online mode is very easy; you can either do so by entering it when you boot the game itself, or, if you’re already on the story mode, then you can switch to the online mode by going into the pause menu.
Rockstar has made it very easy for new players to start the game, too! As soon as you start a new online profile, you can get $4,000,000 in-game currency for free! Trust me, that’s a big amount, and it is enough to get a good head start in the Online world. Although we will be discussing a lot of ways on how you can earn even more money, because money is an essential part of GTA Online!
Choosing a Career Path
Right after you start, you’ll get the option to choose your first Criminal Career path! You can choose options from an Executive, Gunrunner, Nightclub Owner and a Biker. There are a few differences among all the options; however, if you ask me, this is something that you should consider after seeing the description of each of the career paths.
I prefer the Biker career path because it feels the most balanced option out there. Executive and Gunrunner are good options too if you want to maximise profits, however, the option that should be avoided is a Nightclub owner. Since owning a nightclub isn’t the best idea in the city. Nightclub should be viewed as a business option after you’ve set up a few businesses on your end.
Setting Up Your Character
Once you choose a career path, it is very important to set up your character properly. Based on the Career path you choose, you’ll have to spend the money on the required items and properties. For example, I got the option to choose between different clubhouses for my character because I chose to go with the Biker career path. Although the vehicles and weapon options would remain the same in any given career option.
Out of the $4,000,000 you receive for free, it is mandatory to spend a minimum of $3,000,000 while setting up your character. While it may sound like a lot of money, there is a high chance that you’d end up wasting a lot of it! So, to properly utilise the money and get the most out of it, follow some simple rules.
First up, for the clubhouse. This is where most people end up making a mistake, you’d think you should get the most expensive one. However, in reality, even a cheaper clubhouse would be fine, because you can upgrade the clubhouse later on in the game. So it is highly recommended not to spend a lot of money on the clubhouse.
Next up, your business, now this is an important one cause it’s going to be one of your sources of income! We recommend picking up a balanced business option, based on the several listings that the game would offer you. I like the Terminal Meth Lab option, because you can make a good amount of money with that business, and the production rate of the business isn’t bad at all. Make sure to check out all the options before choosing any one!
As for the Vehicles, you have a ton of options to choose from, as there are a bunch of vehicles. However, the one that stands out the most has to be the Armoured Karin Kuruma! The vehicle is a 4-seater just like the regular Kuruma, however, it is fitted with bulletproof armor panels as well as bullet-resistant windows. Given all the heist missions you’d end up doing in the game, it’s the best option out there!
For weapons, it is important to pick the ones you like the most! By that, I mean the weapons that you’ve used the most in the game. Starting weapons are pretty essential, as doing the early missions becomes a lot easier. It is a good thing to carry a few weapons, because having a range of options is very useful, especially while you’re in an intensive gun fight!
Choosing Your First Heist
Now that you’ve set up your character and you’re finally in the world of GTA Online, you might be wondering, What am I supposed to even do? Well, here’s where things get a bit challenging! With so many updates to the game since its release, there have been a ton of additions to the game. Any new player is bound to get confused by all the options.
That’s why, for your first heist, it is recommended to choose the Cluckin’ Bell Farm Raid! It is essentially a series of missions, which was released not too long ago! The update came out in 2024, and it has become very popular among new players ever since! Mainly because no prior investments are required to start the heist, unlike all the other heist options that are available in the game.
Right after you start your Online profile and explore the world, you will get the option to visit a symbol of ‘V’ marked in the colour orange. In this heist, ‘V’ stands for Vincent Effenburger, who works along with you to disrupt a major drug manufacturing and trafficking operation by a group known as the ‘cartel’. It has a total of 6 missions, and the amount of money that can be made after completing them is a lot!
As fun as the description sounds, trust me, the actual heist gets even better! It’s a blast to play and a fun way to kickstart your Online journey. We recommend starting with the heist so that you can understand the other mechanics of the game. After you complete it, you will get $500,000 for completing it, with an additional $250,000 bonus for doing it the first time.
If you’re willing to make a lot of money, then this heist is the best one. We recommend grinding a lot on this heist, just because of the amount of money you’d be able to make by completing it a few times. It’s not that hard either, just needs a little bit of practice, that’s all!
Miscellaneous Stuff
After you get your basics right and start making money by completing missions. It is highly recommended to engage in other activities that the game offers. A few basic things that should be done right after you start are listed here.
Keeping Up With Your Health
As someone who has died a bunch of times while completing missions in the game, I would highly suggest that you keep a check on your health and armour at all times. Unlike GTA 5, the Online mode is a lot harder to play with! Keeping a stash of snacks and armor comes in handy. Snacks can be purchased from the convenience stores in the game, and the Armor can be purchased from the Ammu-Nation shops.
Diamond Casino Lucky Wheel
By far, the best thing in the game has to be the inclusion of the Diamond Casino Lucky Wheel. Located in East Vinewood, trust me, it’s the first thing you should get after you start your game! The lucky wheel can only be played if you have a membership, which costs $500! You can use the wheel once per day, and the rewards it offers are valuable. Whenever you play the game, make sure to spin it every time, as it’s very helpful, especially when you’re just starting!
Watch Out For Weekly Updates
As I told you before, GTA Online gets a lot of updates! The biggest thing that changes with every update is the bonuses and rewards, along with the discount rates on a lot of things. It is highly recommended to keep track of all the updates that get released for the game, as if you’re just starting, then you will be able to utilise all the benefits. There are usually limited-time 2x rewards on both Money and RP, which change every week. You can head on over to the GTA Online tab on our website to keep a check of all the updates released for the game.
Also Read: Best GTA-Like Games To Look Out For While You Wait For GTA 6
With that said, that was our GTA Online Beginner’s Guide! We hope that it was helpful for all the new players starting the game in 2025. We do hope that Rockstar does ease up a bit when it releases an online mode for their upcoming game, GTA 6.
