GTA Online has been around for ten years, and with countless updates and content packs added in that time, it has evolved into an almost entirely different game. Players can now mastermind heists, start criminal organizations, conduct research in bunkers, and run their own illicit businesses.
Alongside these new features comes an absolute ton of different things players can spend their hard-earned money on, ranging from supercars and heavily armored vehicles to casinos and secretive facilities. Naturally, all these items come with a hefty price tag, and while most are worth it for one reason or another, players are basically throwing money away by buying some of these items. Here are the most wasteful purchases in GTA Online.
8 Expensive Clothes
Compared to other purchases in the game, most clothes are reasonably priced, ranging from a couple of hundred dollars to twenty or thirty thousand. However, there are some clothing items (mainly outfits) that are outrageously expensive, going as high as $300,000 or $400,000.
It might make sense if these clothes were exclusive and looked more elegant or dazzling than the ordinary fare sold in shops, but most of these outfits are alien costumes or neon bodysuits. While they may stand out, they certainly aren’t worth the egregious asking price.
7 Cosmetic Upgrades
Players can buy various real estate across Los Santos, including penthouses, offices, and businesses. While some of these properties can return a nice profit to their owner, many of them encourage the purchasing of optional cosmetic upgrades to improve the interior of the building.
These can get quite expensive, sometimes even approaching a million, and offer little in the way of utility. Staff and equipment upgrades at least improve how the building functions, but cosmetic changes are purely for the aesthetic look and are ridiculously overpriced for what players end up getting.
6 Boats
When players think of GTA Online, the chances are that piloting a speedboat doesn’t exactly spring to mind. Boats, such as jet skis, dinghies, or even tugboats, can be purchased for a substantial sum, and while they aren’t actively bad, there’s simply no need to own one.
Players will very rarely use boats, and if a situation arises that they need a water-borne craft, they’ll usually be provided with one in the mission or able to steal something from a nearby dock. As a result, there are far better items that players should spend their finite GTA dollars on than a boat.
5 Super Cars
Speedy and agile, supercars are a popular choice for players traversing the map in a hurry. Their price tag reflects that, with most models costing somewhere in the $2 to $3 million range. It isn’t a bad idea to own one or two, but going overboard with these expensive automobiles is where players go wrong.
The sheer momentum of supercars means they are prone to horrific high-speed crashes, and their lack of armor makes them vulnerable to hostile players, both of which can result in an untimely death. For this reason, players should avoid buying every supercar and instead diversify their car collection to have something at their disposal for every circumstance.
4 Arena War Vehicles
The Arena War update was an expensive one, and the specialist vehicles that came with it were no exception. These destructive roadsters are priced in the millions, which isn’t too obnoxious, but many of their upgrades are highly expensive, requiring players to dump another few million into making their purchase worthwhile.
After all that, the upgraded vehicles aren’t even that good. Modifications like a front-loaded ram are underwhelming, while the cars themselves are relatively slow and easy to destroy. The discounted trade prices are not easy to unlock either. Overall, these vehicles aren’t worth the money.
3 Orbital Cannon
If the player ever wanted to blast their enemies from space with deadly precision, this is the tool for them. Unfortunately, it’s got a steep price tag. Players must first purchase an orbital cannon, which is an extra $900,000 on top of the cost of a facility. Then, to shoot the cannon, players must pay $500,000 for a manual shot or $700,000 for an automatic, homing shot.
These prices are obviously extortionate, most likely designed that way to prevent the orbital cannon from becoming overpowered. While this is a welcome balance change, the result is that using an orbital cannon is nowhere near worth the cost. Players are better off investing in conventional weaponry to get the job done.
2 Luxor & Swift Deluxe
Added to the game for those who have money to burn, the Luxor Deluxe and Swift Deluxe are simply gold-plated reskins of their standard variants. There are no changes to performance, agility, armor, or even size. The only modification is a slightly altered interior, which is mainly cosmetic anyway.
These luxurious aircraft come in at a whopping $10 million for the Luxor, over 5 times the cost of the original, and $5.15 million for the Swift, over 3 times the cost of its original. They are vanity purchases and are used to boast in the lobby, and should probably be avoided by players unless they are positively smothered in money.
1 Yacht
Simultaneously the most elegant and useless thing in GTA Online, Yachts have a starting price of $7 million, and it only goes up from there. Different models increase the cost, as well as various upgrades, paint schemes, and furnishings. There is even an option to have the captain move the yacht across Los Santos for a fee.
Players might be wondering what exactly they get for such a massive investment. The answer is not a lot – yachts are essentially one giant cosmetic, with players unable to drive them or even interact with them much. It’s a space for players who want to quickly grab a drink and hang out in their hot tub overlooking their majestic ship. If that doesn’t sound too appealing, players would be wise to spend their money elsewhere.
GTA Online is available for PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows.