Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a nostalgic trip for many and a brand-new adventure for others. Whether you’re returning after years away or just starting your first account, one of the biggest hurdles early on is figuring out how to make decent money, especially if you’re playing on a free-to-play (F2P) account.
In this guide, we’ll break down how to make good OSRS gold quickly and easily, with no membership required. These tips will also work for members, but the focus here is on brand new accounts, even those with the Grand Exchange trading restriction still in place. If you’re struggling to get a little starting cash to buy armor, weapons, or food, this is for you.
Understanding OSRS’s New Account Restrictions
First off, if you just made a brand new account, you may notice that you can’t trade with other players or sell items on the Grand Exchange (GE) right away. This is because Jagex implemented anti-bot and anti-real-world trading measures to prevent abuse.
To remove the GE and trading restrictions, your account must meet three criteria:
- Complete 10 quest points
- Reach a total skill level of 100
- Accumulate 20 hours of in-game time
Important: The 20 hours must be active playtime, not just logging in and going AFK. You must be actively performing actions in the game.
Step 1: Complete Your 10 Quest Points (Quick & Easy)
Before we dive into the money-making method, take a little time to knock out some beginner quests. They’re not only fast, but some even give you starting items and XP.
Here are a few of the quickest quests to get you to 10 quest points:
- Cook’s Assistant – 1 Quest Point
- Romeo & Juliet – 5 Quest Points
- Sheep Shearer – 1 Quest Point
- Ernest the Chicken – 4 Quest Points
That’s 11 Quest Points in under an hour if you follow a guide or use the in-game Activity Advisor.
Now you’ve completed one-third of the requirements!
Step 2: Level Up to Total Skill Level 100
Now let’s talk about leveling. While you’re working toward your 20-hour mark, you’ll naturally gain skill levels, but here are a few ideas to get you to 100 total skills quickly.
Easy Skills to Train:
- Woodcutting – Chop trees around Lumbridge or the Grand Exchange. Great for profit too (more on this shortly).
- Firemaking – Burn the logs you cut for fast levels.
- Fishing + Cooking – Fish at the Lumbridge swamp, then cook your catches in the nearby range.
- Attack, Strength, Defense – Kill goblins, cows, or chickens to train combat.
- Mining + Smithing – Mine copper and tin in the South Lumbridge mine and smelt them in Varrock.
You only need an average of 5-10 levels in each of 10 skills to hit 100 total, and you can easily get that in just a few hours.
Step 3: The 20-Hour Timer (Make Money While You Wait)
Now that you’ve hit 10 quest points and 100 total skill, all that’s left is the 20 hours of playtime. This is where we shift our focus to money-making.
While you’re waiting for the restriction to lift, you might as well make money. Here’s one of the best methods for both leveling and earning GP as a new F2P player:
Woodcutting Logs Near the Grand Exchange
Why This Method Works:
- No combat required
- Easy for level 3 accounts
- Doesn’t need high starting stats
- Logs sell fast on the Grand Exchange
- You can AFK a bit while cutting
What You Need:
- A bronze axe (free from Lumbridge or any general store)
- A free-to-play world
- Location: Grand Exchange (Varrock)
Step-by-Step Guide to Woodcutting for Profit
1. Start with Regular Trees
Head to the Grand Exchange (GE) in Varrock. Just north and west of the GE are plenty of normal trees that respawn quickly. This area is perfect because:
- Trees are very close together
- Logs sell soon on the GE
- You can rotate around the trees in a circuit
2. Upgrade Your Axe
As your Woodcutting level increases, you can use better axes, which drastically speed up your chopping rate.
Axe Type Level Required
Bronze 1
Iron 1
Steel 6
Black 11
Mithril 21
Adamant 31
Rune 41
If you can afford it (or once your restrictions lift), grab a steel axe or better as soon as possible.
3. Sell Your Logs (Once Trading Is Unlocked)
Right now, regular logs sell for around 110–120 GP each on the GE. That means:
- 1 inventory of 28 logs = ~3,000 GP
- Cut and bank 6–7 inventories = ~20K GP in less than 30 minutes
Once your trading restriction lifts, you can unload hundreds or thousands of logs for easy early cash.
Bonus Tip: Burn the Logs for Firemaking XP
Don’t need the money right away? Burn the logs for Firemaking XP. It’s one of the fastest skills to train in the game, and lighting fires right outside the GE is a common sight.
How Much Can You Earn?
With a Woodcutting level of 15–30 and a steel or mithril axe, you can make 30,000–60,000 GP per hour just cutting and selling regular logs in F2P.
Here’s a breakdown:
Time Played Logs Cut GP Earned (Est.)
30 minutes 140–160 16K–19K GP
1 hour 300–350 33K–40K GP
2 hours 600–700 66K–80K GP
Over 20 hours (if you stick with this method), that’s upwards of 800K–1M GP—plenty to start buying armor, food, and even saving for a Bond to go member.
What To Spend Your Gold On
Once you’ve built up some cash, here are some smart purchases:
- Black or Mithril Armor – For training melee stats
- Better Axes or Pickaxes – For more efficient skilling
- Food (like trout or salmon) – For training in combat
- Teleport Tabs – For faster travel
- Ranged or Magic Gear – If training those combat styles
- Saving for a Bond – Eventually go a member without paying real money
Going Beyond Logs: Other F2P Money Makers
Once you’re done cutting logs or want to try something else, here are other good methods for F2P money:
- Mining Iron Ore
At level 15 Mining, you can mine Iron Ore in the Al Kharid or Varrock South-East mine and bank it for a steady 30–50K GP/hr.
- Fishing & Cooking Lobsters
At level 40 Fishing, you can catch lobsters in Karamja and cook/sell them in F2P. Great for skill training and profit.
- Killing Hill Giants
Hill Giants in Edgeville Dungeon drop big bones and limpwurt roots, both worth good GP.
- Crafting Rune Essence into Air Runes
If you complete “Rune Mysteries,” you can mine rune essence and craft air runes at the altar for low-effort money.
Final Thoughts
If you’re new to OSRS or returning after a long break, making money without membership can feel limiting. But methods like woodcutting logs at the Grand Exchange offer a perfect blend of simplicity, XP, and profit.
While you wait out the 20-hour timer to unlock GE trading, you’re still building valuable stats and stacking up logs that will translate into big profits once your account is unrestricted. Once you hit that point, you’re no longer broke, and you’ll have the tools to take your account to the next level.
Thanks for reading! More OSRS money-making strategies, leveling tips, and free-to-play guides are coming soon at RSorder!