GTA Online DLCs Tier List in 2026

GTA Online DLCs Tier List in 2026 TL;DR

• After more than 10 years of GTA Online's lifespan, a lot of DLCs and updates have been added to the game.

• Not all GTA Online DLCs are actually good. Some of them are even removing content from the game.

• Some GTA Online updates seem insignificant at first, but when you dig deeper, they actually dramatically change the game for the better. Which DLC am I talking about? Find out in this guide!

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GTA Online DLCs Tier List in 2026

With GTA 6 approaching its release, I think it’s time to look back at all GTA Online DLCs we had and decide which ones really did something good for the game, which ones are just mediocre, and which are straight up bad. Keep in mind that GTA 5 is almost 13 years old at this point, and we have come a long way since 2013. Some veterans even remember how cool it was in 2014 to have an apartment and the garage full of Zentornos and how they had to grind money on Coveted and Fly School missions over and over again. Those were the good old days. But today, let’s take a nostalgic trip and rank all GTA Online DLC in the tier list!

D Tier GTA Online DLCs

San Andreas Mercenaries

San Andreas Mercenaries update came out on 13 June 2023, and this is one of the prime examples that did more harm to GTA Online than good. Sure, this DLC brought some good vehicles like Buffalo EVX, MonstroCiti, Stinger TT, and Mammoth F-160 Raiju, but in return, we lost a whopping 188 vehicles that were removed from the in-game website. On top of that, Project Overthrow missions weren’t that good in my opinion. Lowest of the low.

Arena War

Imagine this: a Mad Max-inspired DLC that brought the carnage and chaos to the game, as well as weaponized deadly vehicles that you could customize however you want. You’re probably thinking: “It sounds so good, but why is it in the D tier?” The thing is, nobody plays Arena War these days because it’s solely a PvP experience without co-op or solo lobby. Even if you manage to find a lobby with some players, the payouts are awful, and honestly, many Arena modes are not even fun to play. It’s just a wasted potential combined with poor game design.

C Tier GTA Online DLCs

Free Mode Events Update

Free Mode Events DLC was introduced in September 2015 and encouraged more players to do open-world activities more often. It added lots of cool activities and events. In other words, it did what it meant to do back then. But in 2026, all this stuff is mostly for new players trying to figure out how to make money, or just a side distraction that most players do to waste time. As a fun fact, it was the first DLC that dropped Xbox 360 and PS3 support, and since then, new updates have been released only on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Cunning Stunts

Similarly to Free Mode Events, Cunning Stunts DLC was released on July 12, 2016, and was amazing at the time. But in 2026, nobody really does stunt races anymore, and the only thing that saves this DLC to this day is the editor. That’s right, players can create their own stunt races and make lobbies to let other players participate. It’s the only reason I’m putting this update in C tier because community-made stunt races are very cool.

B Tier GTA Online DLCs

Smuggler’s Run

Smuggler’s Run is the prime example of mid DLC. Even in retrospect, it wasn’t that good when it came out in 2017, thanks to those awful air source and air sell missions. The hangar business is very mediocre, and the only positive side of this update was the addition of some cool aircraft and vehicles. To be fair, developers tried to update Hangars to make them better, and this is the only reason I’m putting this DLC in B tier. But you know something is wrong when even Rockstar goes back to improve the content from the past update, and they do it very rarely.

The Diamond Casino & Resort (not the heist)

The Diamond Casino & Resort was released on July 23rd, 2019, and many players (including myself) were excited for this. For years, the GTA 5 community has asked for a casino to be added, especially when we already had one in the game that was closed with a “Opening Soon” sign. It’s almost like Rockstar was teasing us. When it finally happened, we got a brand new building with a gorgeous interior, new gambling mini games, and a lucky wheel. But that was pretty much it. If you like gambling games like blackjack, you would probably place it higher, but keep in mind that players from 55 countries can’t even access the casino or spin the lucky wheel because of the laws. For them, it’s like this DLC never happened.

Doomsday Heist

Doomsday Heist update was released on December 12, 2017, and it introduced the longest and most complex heist in the entire game. That’s on the positive side. On the contrary, there are too many setup missions, they’re boring, and the heist itself is not solo-friendly and one of the hardest in the entire game. There’s almost no way you can complete Doomsday heist with randoms. Also, let’s not forget that this DLC introduced the first crazy flying and underwater vehicles, foreshadowing the addition of Oppressor Mk 2 in the future. Obviously, developers reused a lot of content from the cancelled single-player DLC, but in my opinion, some of the additions from this update turned GTA Online in the wrong direction.

Further Adventures in Finance and Felony

Further Adventures in Finance and Felony was released on June 7, 2016, and looking back now, it was a key DLC that turned GTA Online into the business-centered game we know today. It introduced a CEO Office, warehouses, and sell missions. But by today’s standards, cargo grind falls short. Further Adventures in Finance and Felony built a foundation for further updates that turned businesses into a great money-making method. In other words, this DLC walked, so other businesses could run in the future. B tier.

Executives and Other Criminals

Executives and Other Criminals was sort of a prequel to Further Adventures in Finance and Felony, and it shows. It added:

1. Introduced VIP and CEO work, such as Asset Recovery and Executive Deathmatch. 

2. Added customizable penthouse apartments as well as stilt apartments in Vinewood Hills.

3. Galaxy Super Yacht, which costs from $6,000,000 to $8,000,000.

4. A bunch of expensive vehicles and helicopters.

At the time, it required an astonishing amount of money to buy it all, and keep in mind, we didn’t have Cayo Periko, Nightclub, or any businesses to grind money fast.

Bikers DLC

When Bikers DLC came out on October 4, 2016, we had nothing like it. Many players asked for motorcycle clubs or gangs for years, and Rockstar finally added it. But was MC actually that good? Not really. Players quickly realized how tedious missions are, and the payout wasn’t that good either. Don’t get me wrong, most players enjoyed it back in the day, and some probably still are today, but in 2026, we have more exciting and rewarding content than this.

Bottom Dollar Bounties

Bottom Dollar Bounties is another example of wasted potential. Released on 25 June 2024, this DLC lacks mission variety, cooldowns on most wanted targets are too long, and the van you are forced to use (even if you have a better vehicle) is awful. The lack of usage for newly added police cars is probably the most wasted potential ever. Players asked for cops vs crooks for years, but unfortunately, this update fails to deliver what we all wanted.

Lowriders: Custom Classics

This update was released on March 15, 2016, and it gave so much content for car enthusiasts at the time by adding a bunch of cool lowriders and lots of new customization options. It also added Benny’s Original Motorworks, a place where you could install hydraulics, customize vehicle interiors, and upgrade engines to a selected range of cars. Just like with many older updates, it had its time to shine, and in 2026, Tuners DLC outshines Lowriders in every way, but more about it later.

A Tier GTA Online DLCs

Content Creator Update

Many players today take GTA Online’s popularity as granted, but the Content Creator Update did a heave-lifting back in the day. Many players spent hours upon hours on custom deathmatch games like Inside Franklin's / Michael's House, Avalanche, RPG vs Insurgents, Parkour, as well as custom races. Community-made content was far more interesting than official one back in the day. And let’s not forget about Rockstar Editor, which led to the creation of many cool machinima-style videos at the time. All of this kept the game alive for a long time.

Heists Update

The legendary GTA Online Heists Update was released on March 10, 2015. It’s the first major update that even got released on PS3 and Xbox 360, and the content is actually good even by today’s standards. It added new weapons, vehicles, activities, but most importantly, 5 brand new heists:

1. The Fleeca Job

2. The Prison Break

3. The Humane Labs Raid

4. Series A Funding

5. The Pacific Standard

OG GTA Online players anticipated this update since its release, and when it finally happened, they were all excited. Not only that, but it also brought many new players into the game. Even though heists feel outdated, they are still worth playing even today.

Import/Export DLC

Import/Export update was released on December 13, 2016, and it added new business activity for CEO Organizations to steal and export high-end vehicles, aka the best money maker for players for many years. Even today, with all other ways to make money, vehicle cargo is still very good. What’s better is that it all stays to the roots of GTA 5, without flying bikes, nuclear submarines, or other high-tech nonsense involved (though you will probably have to deal with one or two Opressor Mk2 owners while stealing cars).

The Criminal Enterprises

The Criminal Enterprises DLC was a landmark moment for GTA Online for several reasons. It boosted payouts of many OG heists and races, added new events as well as many quality of life changes. But most importantly, the Criminal Enterprises DLC added the ability to do sell missions in an invite-only lobby. Such player-friendly updates are very rare, which is why it’s so high up on the tier list.

Gunrunning

Gunrunning update came out on June 13, 2017, and it added bunkers, Mk2 weapons, as well as many new awesome vehicles. The bunker is the main highlight of this update because it’s one of the best and solo-friendly moneymakers to this day. The only downside is research upgrades, which are just annoying to unlock and cost more than the bunker itself. Other than that, a great DLC.

After Hours

After Hours was released on July 24th, 2018, and added one of the staples of GTA - nightclubs. Not only that, but it also brought amazing DJs you can invite to your club, as well as Terrorbyte. Nightclubs are fully customizable, and to this day, they are one of the best passive money makers. It was an excellent update that I would personally put in S tier if it wasn’t for one thing. Oppressor Mk2. Yes, this update also added the notorious Oppressor Mk2 - the flying bike that ruined the experience for many players (but also improved for others, but for the wrong reasons). I think Oppressor Mk2 doesn’t belong to GTA Online, and for this reason alone, I’m putting After Hours in A tier instead of S.

Agents of Sabotage

Agents of Sabotage DLC was released on 10 December 2024, and it added some good content. The FIB Files is a good way to make money, and it’s fun to play. Oscar Guzman Flies Again missions are also good and, in my opinion, are underrated. It also added new cool police vehicles like Canis Terminus Patrol, Invetero Coquette D10 Pursuit, and Willard Outreach Faction. Overall, a good update that belongs to A tier.

Money Fronts

Money Fronts DLC came out on 17 June 2025 and added not one, but actually 3 businesses to the game:

1. Car Wash

2. Higgins Helitours

3. Smoke on the Water Weed Delivery

Car Wash, being the main one, is a great source of passive as well as active income. The missions are also fun to play and quick to complete. Not to mention that all of them provide bonuses to your other businesses. For example, Hands On Car Wash increases Counterfeit Cash product value by 35%, Smoke on the Water increases Weed Farm product value by 35%, and Higgins Helitours increases your Air Freight Cargo value by 10%. Not only is Money Fronts DLC good on its own, but it also makes older content better.

Los Santos Tunners

Los Santos Tunners was released on July 20, 2021, and introduced the Auto Shop. As I said earlier, it outdid the Lowriders update and actually revived the car modding scene by giving players their own shop that unlocks all car upgrades regardless of rank. It also introduced LSS car meet alongside new races and cool vehicles. 

The Diamond Casino Heist

This update came out much later and made the Diamond Casino relevant. It was the first-ever content that gave players multiple choices of how to approach the heist. Another reason why it’s so good is the great payout and insane replayability on top of that, which makes players come back to it. It’s also solo-friendly, although you need a duo for the finale. A solid A-tier DLC.

S Tier GTA Online DLCs

Los Santos Drug Wars

Los Santos Drug Wars was released on 13 December 2022, and it’s a perfect example of how to do DLC right. A variety of interesting story missions with satisfying conclusion, a profitable business that’s easy to get and manage, and solid rewards like free Ocelot Virtue that’s normally worth more than $2,000,000. All of this makes this update so good. S tier for sure.

The Chop Shop

The Chop Shop is another S-tier DLC because it added a Salvage Yard - another good active and passive money maker. Another spotlight is the Clucking Bell heist, which is excellent and also offers different ways to approach it. We also got new police vehicles and good content overall. By the way, if you’re interested, I gave some in-depth details of the Clucking Bell Heist walkthrough in my GTA Online Beginner’s Guide. Check it out!

Safehouse in the Hills

One of the latest GTA Online DLCs that was released on December 10, 2025. It brought back Michael and Amanda De Santa from single-player GTA 5 (something that The Contract DLC did with Franklin, Lamar, and Chop), added mansions, as well as KnoWay Out missions. Missions are good, and overall the content is solid, but mansions are the main highlight. We've all been asking for mansions since the very early days of GTA Online, and we finally got them. They are expensive and very useful. You can literally make your mansion a managing hub from which you can access all your businesses and boost production. Overall, it’s a very solid DLC that feels like an endgame for GTA Online players.

Cayo Perico

GTA Online Cayo Perico update was released on December 15th, 2020, and it gave us one of the best and most profitable heists in the entire game. Even after some changes and nerfs, it’s still one of the fastest ways to make a million in under an hour. Rockstar was clearly working on their choice-based approach for heist, and Cayo Perico offers the most replayability out of all. You can even disguise yourself and complete the heist undercover, which is insane. What’s even better is that it’s all completely doable solo. On top of all that, Cayo Perico DLC added the game’s first and only map expansion, allowing you to explore a new region. Overall, Cayo Perico is one of the best content updates that was ever added to the game. 

The Contract

It was a tough decision between Cayo Perico, but The Contract update that came out on December 15, 2021, is the best GTA Online DLC in my opinion. It introduced a new business that offers a great value - the Agency. On top of that, it also added Amani Tech, so you can counter free-roam griefers, Armory where you can upgrade weapons to Mk2. But the two most important things that make this DLC stand out are the comeback of older single player GTA 5 characters - Franklin, Lamar, and Chop, and the second one is the introduction of Dr Dre in GTA. This DLC brings exceptionally interesting and rewarding content, which makes it the best one out of all.

GTA Online DLCs Tier List Summary

That was a lot of updates to take on, so here’s a full tier list summary of the best GTA Online DLCs:

With that, let’s wrap up this GTA Online DLCs Tier List of 2026. I hope you enjoyed this nostalgic trip back. Stay tuned for more content and guides on my blog!

Also, check out other GTA Online guides:

• Best Businesses in GTA Online Tier List

• GTA Online Beginner’s Guide

• Best Vehicles in GTA Online