Story Mode heists are multi-part robberies built from scouting, setup missions, and one finale. Lester plans most of them, some offer two approaches, and hired drivers, gunmen, and hackers trade skill against their cut. Comparing plans before you commit is how you avoid the costly crew mistake.
Story arc
Opening Scores
The early jobs teach the loop of casing, approach choice, setups, and hired crew. One jewelry score introduces paid crew seats, while one device theft ends with the prize handed back.
The Jewel Store Job
Two-approach Vangelico jewelry job for Michael and Franklin with a hired driver, gunman, and hacker.
- Approaches
- Loud; Smart
- Possible take
- Up to about $4.95 million gross
- Crew roles
- Driver, Gunman, Hacker
- Protagonists
- Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton
- Target
- Vangelico jewelry, Rockford Hills
- Unlock point
- After Friend Request and Casing the Jewel Store, then the chosen approach setups.
The Merryweather Heist
Two-approach Merryweather device steal with all three protagonists, no hired crew, and no cash take.
- Approaches
- Freighter; Offshore
- Possible take
- No cash take
- Crew roles
- None hired
- Protagonists
- Trevor Philips, Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton
- Target
- Merryweather experimental device, Port of LS or offshore test site
- Unlock point
- After By the Book and Minisub; Cargobob only if Offshore was chosen. Can be completed before or after Blitz Play depending on other story flags and platform.
Story arc
FIB Jobs
These are jobs you run because the FIB makes you, so the plan is sometimes fixed and the payout rules differ from a straight bank score. Blitz Play still counts as a heist even with one scripted plan.
Blitz Play
Single-plan FIB armored-car hit with all three protagonists and no player cash take.
- Possible take
- No cash take
- Crew roles
- None hired
- Protagonists
- Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton, Trevor Philips
- Target
- IAA Gruppe Sechs Securicar carrying bearer bonds, Cypress Flats
- Unlock point
- After the intro meeting plus the listed setups, The Hotel Assassination, Did Somebody Say Yoga?, and Hood Safari. Enhanced and PC also list The Merryweather Heist as a prerequisite; some Xbox Series reports can trigger Blitz Play first.
The Paleto Score
Single loud Paleto Bay bank job with a hired gunman; the FIB keeps most of the take.
- Possible take
- About $8.02 million gross
- Crew roles
- Gunman
- Protagonists
- Michael De Santa, Trevor Philips, Franklin Clinton
- Target
- Blaine County Savings Bank, Paleto Bay
- Unlock point
- After Paleto Score Setup, Predator, and Military Hardware.
The Bureau Raid
Two-approach FIB Headquarters evidence raid for Michael and Franklin, with crew roles that change by approach.
- Approaches
- Fire Crew; Roof Entry
- Possible take
- About $332,000 FIB budget
- Crew roles
- Fire Crew: two Gunmen. Roof Entry: Driver, Gunman, Hacker
- Protagonists
- Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton
- Target
- Incriminating FIB files / containment drive, FIB Headquarters
- Unlock point
- After Architect's Plans, plus Fire Crew setups if that approach was chosen.
Story arc
Union Depository
The closing gold job offers two full crew plans with different seats and prep chains. The bullion is stored first, so the final split settles after the story ends.
The Big Score
Final Story Mode heist: two approaches on Union Depository gold, paid only after the story ends.
- Approaches
- Subtle; Obvious
- Possible take
- About $201.3–$201.6 million gross
- Crew roles
- Subtle: two Drivers, two Gunmen, Hacker. Obvious: two Drivers, two Gunmen
- Protagonists
- Michael De Santa, Franklin Clinton, Trevor Philips
- Target
- Gold bullion, Union Depository
- Unlock point
- After Planning the Big Score and the chosen approach setups. Unlocks the final story choice.
How Story Mode heists unlock and progress
You unlock each heist by playing the story, not by opening a heist board. Most jobs follow the same chain: scout or plan with Lester, run setup missions to gather gear and vehicles, then attempt one finale. When a job offers two plans, your pick decides which setups appear.
Original, Enhanced, and Expanded and Enhanced share the same Story Mode jobs. The order of two middle jobs can swap with story flags and platform, so treat the story order shown here as the usual path rather than a strict gate on every system.
Approaches, setups, and crew
Four finales offer a real choice: Loud or Smart, Freighter or Offshore, Fire Crew or Roof Entry, and Subtle or Obvious. Two jobs have a single scripted plan, which still needs its setups and still pays by its own rules.
Lester plans most of the jobs and takes his own cut where one applies. Some jobs are forced by an FIB contact, and those behave more like errands with guns than free scores. Read the planner and target together before you judge how much freedom you have.
Hired seats are driver, gunman, and hacker. Cheaper hires take a smaller cut but fumble more loot, drive worse escapes, or miss time windows. Hires who survive can gain experience for later jobs without raising their cut, so a rookie who lives can be a bargain on the next finale.
Takes are ranges, not fixed paydays
Treat every take as a range. Loot dropped in the store, bags damaged in a shootout, gold lost on the move, crew cuts, planner shares, bribes, and upgrade costs all pull the gross down before each protagonist is paid.
That is why two runs of the same finale can leave very different cuts. Compare the low and high ends of each approach, pick crew for survival as well as price, and expect the final gold job to swing the most.
Common mistakes
- Mixing GTA Online heist unlocks, ranks, or property rules into Story Mode planning.
- Skipping a single-plan job because it offers no approach choice.
- Picking the cheapest crew on every seat without checking who tends to survive.
- Reading a high gross take as the amount each protagonist keeps.
FAQ
How do Story Mode heists unlock?
Through the story. Each finale appears after its intel and setup missions, and jobs with two plans unlock only the setups for the approach you pick. Original, Enhanced, and Expanded and Enhanced share the same Story Mode jobs.
What changes between approach A and approach B?
Each approach changes the setups, the crew seats, and how the finale plays. One plan may need fewer setups or cheaper hires, while the other may suit better drivers, steadier gunmen, or faster hackers. Compare the approach takes, crew roles, and setup chains before you lock in a plan.
Who should I hire for driver, gunman, and hacker seats?
Balance cut against survival. Cheap hires cost less but drop loot, crash escapes, or die and add casualty costs. Survivors can gain experience without raising their cut, so keeping a hire alive early can pay off on the final gold job.
Can I replay a heist with a different approach?
Yes. You can replay finales to try the other approach or a different crew. Replays are for practice, medals, and comparison, so your first-plan choice still shapes the story run.
Does this include GTA Online heists?
No. This covers Story Mode jobs only. Fleeca, Prison Break, Humane Labs, Series A, Pacific Standard, Doomsday, Cayo Perico, Diamond Casino, and later Online robberies use a different unlock and payout system.