There are many different ways to make money in Melvor Idle, below are some methods that provide the highest rates of GP gain. Please refer to each section to see if that method has been updated for the current game version or not.
For the game version 1.0, the methods below are still viable and have roughly the same power. That means that the most profitable method remains on top, but it could yield a different amount of money compared to what is written there.
Beginners are advised to start with Fishing because it doesn't require any additional skills to level, gives viable GP yields, and is the only source of Ancient Ring of Mastery and Ancient Ring of Skills that are very helpful in the long run.
The mastery in the tables below assume that every item has that mastery level. Note that the time to gather the ingredients for and make Perfect Swing Potions has not been included in the calculation due to it being negligible. It is also assumed that the Barrentoe Herbs for creating Diamond Luck Potions is grown concurrently during the money-making method, and do not add additional time.
Equipment
Gloves
Mining
Gem
Mining
Gem
Gem
Gem
Gem
Signet Ring
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Make Diamond Luck
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Perfect Swing
No
No
No
No
No
No
Tier 4
Mastery
GP Per Hour
1
35,053
92,850
61,748
109,548
143,643
168,705
470,490
10
99,836
203,815
157,843
240,733
303,798
355,771
700,881
20
185,162
308,001
272,655
364,947
450,083
526,414
853,812
30
277,900
404,524
393,769
481,140
572,598
670,720
979,278
40
405,089
513,805
553,085
614,290
718,743
842,954
1,137,911
50
526,119
617,919
705,407
741,425
839,503
987,252
1,270,966
60
717,626
767,405
938,896
924,779
992,359
1,172,130
1,442,452
70
874,577
894,775
1,132,811
1,080,840
1,156,265
1,366,490
1,637,861
80
1,165,196
1,122,613
1,480,715
1,358,751
1,375,280
1,631,844
1,895,516
90
1,368,183
1,286,852
1,727,857
1,559,149
1,545,851
1,837,532
2,099,939
99
1,382,560
1,306,346
1,744,793
1,581,345
1,577,716
1,872,574
2,117,292
Calculating the GP Rate
The GP rate can be calculated by finding the profit of completing a single platebody action and dividing by the time to complete the action and gather/craft all sub-components.
Increases the chance of doubling the number of fish caught by 12%. (requires Level 40)
NOTE: The Fishing Skillcape and Level 99 Mastery bonuses will stack, causing at least four fish to be caught each time. The Signet Ring, pet bonus and Fishermans Potion and the 50% Mastery Pool Checkpoint will provide a 32% chance of catching eight fish.
Method
Equip Fishing gear and fish for Magic Fish. Each piece of equipment will give a substantial boost to profit per hour. Fishing is the most profitable single-skill money making method, though it gets outclassed by the multiplicative benefits of the combinations above. This method does not include extra gold gained from special chances which would boost profit per hour marginally. Maximum gp/hr rates assume all improvements to GP rate are obtained and in use.
Alternative Fish
Players who do not yet have level 80 fishing may also choose to consider the following options: (Note that the numbers below include the boost from the Fishing Skillcape, and as such the actual profit per hour will be substantially lower for players who do not have it)
By utilizing the output doubling of the Fletching Skillcape, the value of magic logs can be more than quadrupled; it is doubled once making unstrung bows, and another time making strung bows. Profits can be further increased by using Skilled Fletching Potion IV and Aorpheats Signet Ring. To calculate the maximum GP per hour, 99 mastery level will be assumed. The entire process is as follows:
Actively switching to the highest tier ore yields higher GP rates
Method
This method relies on Gem Gloves increasing the gem chance to 100% when mining (excluding Rune Essence). The average value of a Gem is 381.25, while a single charge of the Gem Gloves costs only 250. Thus 131.25 of profit is earned per mining action from gems. It is recommended to use this method while gathering the large quantities of ore required to train the Smithing skill.
With the Dragon Pickaxe, Master of Nature, Level 99, and Perfect Swing Potion IVs, and the Mining Skillcape, an average of 2,423 Dragonite Ore mining actions can be done per hour. Between the ore, extra ore from the pickaxe and mastery double ore chance, the gems from the gloves, and the coal, 279 profit is earned per action on average, for a total of 728,960 profit per hour.
With the Dragon Pickaxe and Level 50, an average of 2,117 Adamantite Ore mining actions can be done per hour. Between the ore, extra ore from the pickaxe and mastery double ore chance, and the gems from the gloves, 219 profit is earned per action on average, for a total of 486,114 profit per hour.
Woodcutting
This strategy was calculated for v0.18.2 and may have changed in newer updates.
Improves GP Rate
Higher tier axes increase the rate that trees are chopped
Cut down Normal Logs and your chosen secondary log (if the Multi-Tree upgrade has been purchased) and sell the logs and Bird Nest for profit. A portion of the nests can be opened for Potato Seeds to make more potions.
This strategy was calculated for v0.18 and may have changed in newer updates.
Combat can yield some of the highest GP rates in the game. Magic is the most profitable, but it can differ based on the gear and skills in your possession. In general, you need a best-in-slot setup of Melee or Ranged and have 99 in relevant combat skills to be on par with level 85 Magic in God Armor.
Calculating the specific GP/hr depends on your stats and gear.
The Combat Simulator in Scripting and Extensions can help you to calculate the gains for your build.
One of the most profitable dungeons is the Infernal Stronghold because it drops a lot of pure GP that gets doubled with the Aorpheat's Signet Ring. The pure GP gain with the ring is 250,000 per clear.
For one clear Infernal Stronghold will yield a total of 250,000 + 402,400 = 652,400 GP per clear.
Some of the setups are listed below, but it is advised to use The Combat Simulator to check your build. By default, all of the listed setups have Aorpheat's Signet Ring in the ring slot with no passive slot, Prayer, or Potions.
The time required to mine and craft runes was not accounted in the calculations above. For instance, the build above uses 10,380 runes. At maxed-out Mining and Runecrafting, it will take around five minutes of mining essence and fifteen minutes of runecrafting. The overall GP rate is then adjusted to 9,5 million gp/hr.