Three suited criminals walking through tall grass toward a crashed private jet in GTA V
GTA 5's story follows three very different criminals across Los Santos, Rockstar's take on Los Angeles. Image: Rockstar Games.
GTA V · Guides

GTA 5 story mode guide: characters, every heist, endings, and 100% completion

Everything you need for the GTA 5 single-player campaign: who the three main characters are, all six story heists, the three endings, and how to reach 100%.

  • By the X6RR team
  • Published
  • Updated
  • 2 min read

GTA 5's story follows three criminals whose lives collide in Los Santos. You can switch between them almost anytime. The campaign has 69 story missions, six heists, and three possible endings.

Story mode at a glance

Story missions
69
Heists
6, including The Big Score
Endings
3 (A, B, and C)
Main story length
About 30–35 hours
100% completion
About 80 hours
Playable characters
3

The three main characters

GTA 5 protagonists and their special abilities
CharacterBackgroundSpecial ability
Michael De SantaRetired bank robber in witness protectionBullet time when shooting
Franklin ClintonYoung repo man from South Los SantosSlows time while driving
Trevor PhilipsMichael's old partner, living in Sandy ShoresRed Mist: takes less damage, deals more
A muscle car fleeing a line of police cruisers at dusk in GTA V
Franklin's driving ability makes him the best choice for getaway missions. Image: Rockstar Games.

Every story heist in order

  1. Heist 1Michael & FranklinThe Jewel Store JobRob Vangelico jewelry store. Choose a loud or smart approach.
    • Smart approach uses BZ gas and disguises.
    • Loud approach crashes in through the roof.
  2. Heist 2ChoiceThe Merryweather HeistSteal from a Merryweather ship, by sea or by freighter.
  3. Heist 3Armored truckBlitz PlayHit an armored truck carrying bonds downtown.
  4. Heist 4BankThe Paleto ScoreRob the bank in Paleto Bay with the Juggernaut suits.
  5. Heist 5ChoiceThe Bureau RaidBreak into the FIB building, as firefighters or from the roof.
  6. Heist 6FinaleThe Big ScoreSteal gold from the Union Depository, the biggest heist in the game.
    • Subtle approach uses armored trucks.
    • Obvious approach uses a train and helicopters.
    • Crew choices affect your final cut.

The three endings

GTA 5's three endings
EndingChoiceResult
A: Something SensibleKill TrevorTrevor dies; Michael and Franklin survive
B: The Time's ComeKill MichaelMichael dies; Franklin and Trevor survive
C: The Third WayDeathwishAll three survive; widely seen as the best ending

Make money with the stock market

Lester's assassination missions let you profit by buying stock before a hit. Save most of these missions until after The Big Score, when all three characters have cash to invest.

  • The Hotel Assassination: buy Betta Pharmaceuticals (BET) before the mission.
  • The Multi Target Assassination: buy Debonaire (DEB) after the mission.
  • The Vice Assassination: buy Fruit (FRT) after the mission.
  • The Bus Assassination: buy Vapid (VAP) before the mission.
  • The Construction Assassination: buy GoldCoast (GCD) after the mission.

100% completion checklist

  • All 69 story missions.
  • Strangers and Freaks missions.
  • Random Events and hobbies like golf, tennis, and darts.
  • Flight School gold or silver medals.
  • Collectibles: 50 Spaceship Parts and 50 Letter Scraps.
  • Under the Bridge and Knife Flight stunt challenges.

Want to have fun once you finish? See our full GTA 5 cheat codes list.

Frequently asked questions

5 questions · tap one to expand

The main story takes about 30–35 hours. Reaching 100% completion takes around 80 hours.

Ending C, The Third Way (Deathwish), is usually seen as the best because all three main characters survive.

There are 69 story missions, plus Strangers and Freaks side missions.

Yes. Story mode can be played offline on every platform.

Yes. Using cheats disables trophies and achievements until you load a save. They cannot be used in GTA Online.

Article update log

  1. Added stock market tips and the 100% completion checklist.

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