Can You Make Good Gold in OSRS F2P?

Absolutely. While Free-to-Play has fewer methods than members, there are still excellent ways to earn gold in OSRS as an F2P player in 2026. The key is knowing which methods give the best GP/hour for your skill levels and how to efficiently flip them into decent starter cash for your account — or your first bond.

This guide ranks the top F2P money making methods by profit, requirements, and effort level.

Why F2P Money Making Matters

For new players or those on a budget, F2P gold is your gateway to:

Buying your first OSRS Bond (currently worth ~6–7M GP) for membership
Funding early gear upgrades (Rune armour, Maple shortbow, etc.)
Stacking up GP before transitioning to members' content
Progressing on pure or iron-type F2P accounts

Method 1: Rune Essence Mining

Profit per hour: ~30,000–50,000 GP/hr
Requirements: Completion of Rune Mysteries quest (free), any Mining level
Effort: Low

Rune Essence is always in demand because it's used to craft the most basic runes. While the profit isn't huge, it's completely AFK-friendly and great for newer players.

How to do it:

Complete Rune Mysteries quest to unlock essence mining
Teleport to the Rune Essence mine via the mage in Varrock
Fill your inventory and bank at the Grand Exchange
Repeat — zero combat, pure AFK skilling

Method 2: Crafting Air Runes (Runecrafting)

Profit per hour: ~50,000–100,000 GP/hr
Requirements: Level 1 Runecrafting, completion of Rune Mysteries
Effort: Medium (click-intensive)

Air runes are the most traded rune in the game. Crafting them using Rune Essence and the Air altar near Varrock gives consistent gold with no special requirements.

How to do it:

Mine or buy Rune Essence from the Grand Exchange
Travel to the Air Altar (west of Varrock)
Use the altar to craft Air Runes
Sell at the Grand Exchange for consistent profit

Tip: Higher Runecrafting level = more runes per essence = better GP/hr.

Method 3: Killing Chickens → Cowhides (Early Game)

Profit per hour: ~20,000–40,000 GP/hr
Requirements: Any combat level
Effort: Low

For brand new accounts, killing chickens and cows at Lumbridge is the classic starter method. Raw chicken and cowhides both sell reliably at the Grand Exchange.

Cowhides: Tan them in Al Kharid (1 coin each) → sell as Soft Leather for extra profit
Raw chicken: Good XP and gold for early accounts

Method 4: Killing Hill Giants (Limpwurt Roots)

Profit per hour: ~100,000–150,000 GP/hr
Requirements: ~40+ Combat stats, big b XP too
Effort: Medium

Hill Giants in Edgeville Dungeon are one of the most popular F2P money making spots. They drop:

Limpwurt Roots — consistently worth 1,000+ GP each
Big Bones — great for Prayer training or selling
Rune items (rare) — huge windfall when they drop

Tips for Hill Giants:

Use a Brass Key to access the Edgeville Dungeon shortcut (buy from GE for ~100 GP)
Bring food if your combat level is below 60
Bank in Edgeville for fast, efficient trips

Method 5: Killing Lesser Demons (Rune Med Helms)

Profit per hour: ~150,000–200,000 GP/hr
Requirements: 60+ Combat recommended, Karamja or Crandor access
Effort: High

Lesser Demons are the best F2P combat money making method for higher-level players. Their notable drops include:

Rune Med Helm — ~11,000 GP each
Rune 2H Sword — ~37,000 GP each (rare)
Chaos Runes, Death Runes, and other supplies

The Karamja Volcano (south of the ship docks) has a large concentration of Lesser Demons accessible to F2P players who have completed Dragon Slayer I.

Method 6: Telegrabbing Wines of Zamorak

Profit per hour: ~200,000–250,000 GP/hr
Requirements: Level 33 Magic, Law Runes + Air Runes
Effort: High (click-intensive)

This is considered one of the best F2P money makers at higher Magic levels. Wines of Zamorak are used in Herblore (members) making them consistently valuable.

How it works:

Go to Asgarnia's Ice Dungeon basement (near Falador)
Use Telekinetic Grab (level 33 Magic) on the Wine of Zamorak on the table
Grab and bank repeatedly — each wine is worth ~2,500–3,000 GP
Can earn 80–100 wines per hour at peak efficiency

Warning: Grabbing the wine aggros nearby Monks — stay behind the barrier to avoid combat.

Method 7: Crafting Gold/Silver Jewellery

Profit per hour: ~50,000–120,000 GP/hr (varies by item)
Requirements: Level 5+ Crafting, Furnace access
Effort: Medium

Buying Gold Bars from the Grand Exchange and crafting them into Gold Rings or Gold Necklaces can be profitable depending on the GE spread. Always check live prices before starting, as margins shift.

Use the Edgeville furnace (closest to a bank in F2P)
Gold Bracelet, Silver Bracelet, and Gold Necklace are often the most profitable options
Great for Crafting XP alongside the gold

Method 8: Spinning Flax (Crafting)

Profit per hour: ~60,000–80,000 GP/hr
Requirements: Level 10 Crafting
Effort: High (click-intensive)

Buy Flax from the Grand Exchange, spin it into Bowstring at Lumbridge Castle's spinning wheel (2nd floor), and sell the Bowstrings back. Bowstrings are always needed for Fletching training.

F2P Money Making — Ranked Summary

Best for beginners: Rune Essence mining, Cowhides
Best mid-game F2P: Hill Giants, Air Rune crafting
Best high-level F2P: Telegrabbing Wine of Zamorak, Lesser Demons
Best AFK method: Rune Essence mining
Best combat method: Hill Giants → Lesser Demons

Ready to Go Members? Use Your Gold for a Bond

Once you've saved up enough GP, buying a Bond from the Grand Exchange (around 6–7M GP in 2026) is the most cost-effective way to get members without spending real money. Members unlocks massively better money making methods, more quests, and the full OSRS experience.

Save Up to 6% on MyPvM Services with Membership

If you're already a members player looking to level up your gold making or simply want to skip the grind, MyPvM has you covered. Our professional OSRS boosting services include PvM carries, skilling services, and quest completions — all designed to help you progress faster.

And the best part? MyPvM members save up to 6% on all orders. Whether you're buying a one-off boost or regularly using our services, our membership tiers pay for themselves quickly.

👉 Browse all available OSRS services on MyPvM — from gold farming assistance to full account progression boosts.

💬 Join our Discord to chat with our team, ask about custom services, or get advice on the best money making path for your account.

Final Tips for F2P Money Making

Always check Grand Exchange prices before committing to a method — margins change frequently
Stack skilling XP alongside gold — methods like Runecrafting and Crafting level your skills while making money
Don't overlook early quests — many unlock shortcuts, better gear, and better money making locations
Flip items on the Grand Exchange — even in F2P, buy-low sell-high flipping can multiply your wealth passively
Target your first Bond — members content multiplies your earning potential by 10x or more