Unlocking membership in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) as a free-to-play (F2P) player can be a daunting task, but with the right strategies, you can quickly earn a bond and access the full world of Gielinor. This guide outlines an efficient path to your first bond, utilizing proven money-making methods to maximize your profits.
Step 1: Initial Cash Boost – The Stronghold of Security
Starting from Tutorial Island, make your way to the Grand Exchange (GE). Sell all the items you received from the tutorial, then purchase a few jugs of wine for healing. Head west to the Barbarian Village and descend into the Stronghold of Security. Carefully navigate through the floors, avoiding unnecessary monster damage. Each level rewards you with cash, and by the end, you’ll have 10,000 GP—completely free! Be sure to answer the security questions correctly and use your wine to heal if needed.
Step 2: Turning 10k into 100k – Jug Filling
Invest your newfound 10,000 GP in jug packs. Buy these packs for 140 GP each from general stores, which gives you 500 jugs per pack for under 1,000 GP. Hop between worlds to purchase up to 70 packs, then head to the water pump west of Varrock’s bank and fill the jugs to make jugs of water. These sell for 40-50 GP each at the GE.
By repeating this method, you can turn your initial 10k into over 100k GP. With persistence, extending this method to earn 500k GP is highly recommended.
Step 3: Alternative F2P Methods for Growth
Toy Horses and Teleport Cards
Switch things up by purchasing toy horses in Draynor Village or teleport cards from Diango. Both offer solid profit margins with minimal effort. Teleport cards, for example, cost 150 GP each and can be flipped for a steady return. These methods provide variety and help sustain momentum in your grind.
Feather Packs
With a 500k GP starting investment, buying feather packs at Gerrant’s Fishing Shop in Port Sarim becomes a lucrative option. Purchase 10 packs at a time and keep the stock above 90 to maintain maximum profit margins. This method offers up to 250k GP per hour.
Step 4: Mid-Level Methods for Higher GP/Hour
Anchovy Pizzas
If you’ve reached 55 Cooking, consider making anchovy pizzas. As the highest-healing F2P food, they have consistent demand and can generate up to 280k GP per hour. Reaching 55 Cooking is quick and inexpensive, making this method highly accessible.
Chocolate Bars to Dust
Turn chocolate bars into chocolate dust using a pestle and mortar or a knife. Manually click each chocolate bar to bypass the auto-grind timer and quadruple your output. This method can yield around 230k GP per hour, with minimal upfront costs.
Steel Platebody Alking
High alching steel platebodies in the Wilderness are both profitable and adventurous. You’ll need 55 Magic, a fire staff, nature runes, and emergency food. Steel platebodies alch for 1,200 GP each, with nature rune costs at roughly 100 GP. Collecting and alching them can net over 250k GP per hour.
Iron Ore Reselling
At 60 Mining, you can take advantage of the Mining Guild shop in Falador. Players often sell iron ore in bulk, and Hendror’s shop stock can reach 500 to 1,000 ores priced at just 1 GP each. Reselling these ores can yield up to 300k GP per hour when the shop is stocked.
Step 5: Advanced Methods for Big Profits
Amulet Stringing
Stringing amulets is a reliable method once you’ve accumulated around 1.1 million GP. Focus on ruby amulets for optimal profits of 290k GP per hour. This method is scalable and transitions seamlessly into members’ worlds, where dragonstone amulets can generate over 1 million GP per hour.
High-Alching Rune Items
Market fluctuations often cause rune items to drop below their high-alch value. With careful price checks, you can alch rune items for 300-500k GP per hour while leveling Magic. This method is especially profitable during market dips.
Flipping and Merchandising
Utilize the GE for overnight flips. Bulk items like runes, swordfish, and pizzas are great starting points, while higher-value items like Zamorak armor sets or hill giant clubs offer larger margins. Experiment to find what works best for you.
Brian’s Archery Supply Manipulation
Located in Remington, Brian’s Archery Supply sells F2P ranged items at significantly lower prices than their GE buyback value. With proper execution, this shop-based method can earn over 700k GP per hour. Check multiple worlds for optimal stock.
Final Thoughts
Earning your first bond in OSRS as a free-to-play player is a rewarding challenge. Whether you’re grinding jugs of water, crafting anchovy pizzas, or flipping items at the GE, every OSRS gold earned brings you closer to unlocking the vast world of membership. With these strategies in your arsenal, you’re well-equipped to crush the bond grind and begin your adventures as a member.
