RDO Best Ways to Make Money in 2022 [Top 7 Ways]

Updated:

25 Mar 2022

Let's make money in the Wild West!

Red Dead Online can overwhelm you very fast and it’s fun to go with the flow, too. That does not mean you gotta spend all your money before you learn how to earn it. So, here’s our top 7 list on how to make money.

Survival is tough and expensive in the wild west. Money, on the other hand, is hard to come by and you must use it wisely. Unfortunately, some activities in Red Dead Online just don't pay all that much, and sometimes players will need to save up for a while to get what they really want.

7. Fences

Ah! what have you got?

If you take the time to loot fallen enemies after Red Dead Online's many, many shootouts, you will quickly amass a rather sizable collection of trinkets and valuables. If you take the time to actually seek out a fence and sell those items though, you could be looking at a significant amount of cash.

Fences can be found in Emerald Ranch, Rhodes, Saint-Denis, Thieves Landing, and Van Horn Trading Post. As such, players looking to cash in on their ill-gotten gains will need to make their way to one of these shady vendors to offload their valuables in exchange for money.

Perks

It’s just free money
Nothing can go wrong with this

6. Hunting and Fishing

A great catch!

Hunting and fishing can provide a slow and steady source of income for any outlaw. Animals can sometimes be hard to come by while out in the open world, but those who know where to look shouldn't have any trouble finding a few deer at the very least.

Animals tend to spawn frequently just outside of Blackwater and Valentine, so these are often the best places to start. As you begin to learn the lie of the land, however, they'll be able to go after larger and more valuable games. This does bring with it a certain level of risk, although the rewards are definitely worth it.

Perks

Let’s you get acquainted with animal spawn locations
Hunting is fun
You get to know the value of each animal and their parts

5. Story missions and daily missions

You don't wanna mess with them!

Red Dead Online features an honor system. Your honor determines whether or not you are honorable and can sometimes determine which missions are available for you to play. Both sets of missions have their advantages. However, if I were you who’s just starting out, I’d complete the dishonorable missions first.

It will not only provide you with a quick influx of cash, but it will also mean that you'll only need to flip your honor once if you also want to complete some of the honorable missions as well.

Daily missions will be your source of gold at the early stages of the game. Make sure to keep your streak intact if you want better rewards. You can also complete stranger missions for small rewards which can be very helpful early in the game.

Perks

No training or experience is necessary
Easy jobs (at least to begin with)
Lets you get acquainted with the game and all

4. Treasure Hunt

Bingo!

“There be gold in them hills” in this game, and quite literally. You’ll be awarded a treasure map every five levels here. You can also find treasure maps by looting dead bodies. So, don’t forget to take everything your foes had in their pockets.

Treasure chests are filled with great amounts of both gold and money. The chest can spot at multiple locations in a search area. So, keep searching, or look online. You can’t really depend only on treasure maps for gold and money as they are hard to come by, but you’ll definitely make a grin when you find one at the early stages.

Perks

There’s nothing to lose
Fun activity when you’re bored
Requires no skill

3. Free Roam Events

Start with a tip, end with a bang!

Free Roam Events take place in Red Dead Online every fifteen minutes. They should reward you with lots of cash and gold for very little effort. These events are very easy to take part in, as one usually starts up just as another one ends. These are some of Red Dead Online's most entertaining competitive modes, and they're one of the most enjoyable methods of making money.

Winning in some of the larger Free Roam Events will reward you with huge amounts of money, especially in modes like King of the Castle, Manhunt and Railroad Baron. You should be on the lookout for the more lucrative Free Roam Events and never miss out on an opportunity to join one, especially if it's one in which you know that you can do well.

Perks

A chance to show people who’s boss
A great way to showcase your skillset
PvP is always fun

2. Take on a Role

Honest living!

If you’ve been playing Red Dead for a while, you should have 15 gold bars in your satchel by now. The next thing you should do is to take on a role. Trader, Bounty Hunter, and Collector are the primary 3 roles and they cost 15 gold bars each. This can be your secure source of money and gold from now on.

If you want to get rich quickly, the Trader role is the best one for you. However, it won’t give you any gold. You’ll get more money if you deliver larger amounts of goods at a time and you should always choose distant deliveries; never deliver locally. The Bounty Hunter role pays you with both money and gold bars. Be sure to take your time when hunting for a bounty because the more time you spend on it, the better rewards you’ll get. The collector role shouldn’t be your first choice for now.

Perks

New sets of daily challenges and rewards
Role XP and ranks
You get to wear the best attires
You can help your friends make money, too

Guide:

Trader - Red Dead Online Ultimate Trader Guide How To Make Money With The Trader
Bounty Hunter - Red Dead Online Ultimate Bounty Hunter Guide, How To Make Money With The Bounty Hunter

1. Become a Moonshiner

Shine bright like a diamond!

This role costs you 25 gold bars. You should take on this role quite late in the game when you have a good supply of money, gold, and of course, guns! This is a kind of role that’ll test how mature you’ve become as a cowboy. You gotta know when to stay calm and when to go in with guns blazing. It’ll also test you on your driving skills.

Like the trader’s camp, the moonshine shack produces the moonshine in the background. All you gotta do is to stock up on supplies and choose which moonshine to produce. The prices reset every couple of days in the game meaning every 48 minutes in real life. You might also need to take care of rival gangs often so that they don’t bother you when you make the delivery.

Perks