Free-to-Play Money-Making Guide: Get Rich Quick in RuneScape3
Hey scapers! 💰 So you want to stack GP in free-to-play without spending hours staring at cows or begging at the Grand Exchange? Good news: there are plenty of quick and reliable ways to make money even if you’re not a member. Today we’re diving into some of the best methods to fill your coin pouch fast — starting with the classic rune essence grind.
⛏️ Mining Rune Essence (Low Requirements)
One of the OG money-makers for F2P players is mining rune essence. After completing the quest Rune Mysteries, you can mine essence by talking to Aubury in Varrock (or other teleport NPCs like Sedridor).
Pros: Easy, steady cash, and you’ll train Mining at the same time.
Cons: Not the best GP/hour compared to higher-level methods.
Pro tip: Sell your rune essence at the Grand Exchange — it’s always in demand for aspiring mages.
🪓 Woodcutting & Firemaking Combo
Chop willows in Draynor or yews near Varrock Palace or Edgeville. Willows sell quickly, but yews are the real money-makers (though a bit slower XP).
Willows: Faster XP, lower profit.
Yews: Slower XP, higher profit.
Bank your logs and watch the GP pile up. Plus, you can train Firemaking if you’d rather burn them on the spot.
🎣 Fishing for Profit
Fishing is another easy money-maker:
Lobsters: Catch them on Karamja, then sell at the Grand Exchange.
Swordfish & Tuna: Same spot, better money if your Fishing level is higher.
Bring some coins for the boat trip, but the investment is tiny compared to the profits.
⚒️ Smithing Steel Bars
Got some Mining levels? Smelt iron + coal into steel bars and sell them. Players are always buying steel bars to train Smithing. While coal takes more effort to mine, the payoff can be solid.
🧟 Killing Hill Giants for Bones & Drops
With a brass key you can access the Hill Giants’ lair in Edgeville Dungeon. They drop big bones (perfect for selling to players training Prayer) and other useful loot. Big bones alone can be a steady income.
🕷️ Spider Silk, Red Spiders’ Eggs & Other Odd Drops
The Varrock Sewers and Edgeville Dungeon have valuable drops like red spiders’ eggs, which alchemists and herblorists love to buy. Collecting and banking these can make you more GP than you’d expect.
🏦 Flipping at the Grand Exchange
If you’ve got some starting cash, you can try your hand at flipping items. Buy low, sell high. Classic items to flip include ores, bars, and commonly used runes. Riskier, but potentially big profits if you know the market.
Final Thoughts
Being free-to-play doesn’t mean being broke. Whether you’re chopping yews, mining rune essence, or farming Hill Giants, there are plenty of ways to build your bank. Mix in a few of these methods, and you’ll be sporting that rune armor in no time.
So grab your pickaxe, axe, or fishing rod, and get out there — the GP isn’t going to make itself. Happy scaping, and happy stacking! 💰
