Cayo Perico Heist: guide and tips (solo)

The Cayo Perico Heist has become a GTA Online staple: solo-friendly, fast once mastered, and very profitable. Here's how to run it cleanly.

Why Cayo Perico?

It's the only major heist you can do entirely alone, for over a million $ per run. No teammates or coordination needed: it's the income backbone for most players. (See also our guide to getting started in GTA Online.)

What you need

The Kosatka submarine, your base for launching the heist. It's an investment that pays for itself in a few runs.

The steps

1. Scope the island: explore Cayo Perico to mark the primary target, the secondary loot (gold, cash, art, cocaine, weed), the entry points and the equipment (cutters, diving gear, etc.).
2. Preps: gather the equipment you scoped and set up your approach.
3. The finale: infiltrate the island, empty the primary target + as much secondary loot as possible, then exfiltrate.

The loot

• Primary target: its value varies based on what Rockstar offers (the rarest pays most).
• Secondary loot: this is what makes the difference. Gold has the best value-per-space, so fill your bag with it first.

Our tips

• Mark as much secondary loot as possible before starting the finale: it's free and hugely boosts the take.
• Prioritize gold to fill your bag (best value per unit).
• Learn a quiet infiltration route to save time run after run.
• Respect the cooldown between solo runs (otherwise the primary target's value is reduced).

Go further

• All heists ranked by profitability
• Diamond Casino Heist
• Getting started in GTA Online
• How to make money in GTA Online
• Best businesses

FAQ

Is Cayo Perico solo-friendly?

Yes, it's the only major heist fully playable solo, hence its popularity.

How much does it pay?

Over a million GTA$ per run on average, depending on the primary target and secondary loot. A cooldown applies between solo runs.