GTA 5 missions: all 69 story missions by character and stage

GTA 5 has 69 story missions according to the game's stats and the Rockstar Games Social Club. But the number depends on how you count. During heists you choose an approach, and that decides which setup missions you play. That is why player wikis count 79 story missions, and GTABase, including Lester's optional contracts, counts 83, of which you can realistically see about 74 in one playthrough.

The story campaign takes several dozen hours. Some missions are available in parallel: while one lead waits for a call, another can already get on with his own job. The order in the table below is approximate, by story section.

Names are as they appear in the game. Heist setup tasks (Carbine Rifles, BZ Gas Grenades, Minisub, Cargobob, Fire Truck, Stingers, Driller, Gauntlet and so on) and family missions are listed separately below.

• Heist setups. Before each big job you have to get equipment or vehicles. What exactly depends on the approach you picked: for the jewel store, for example, Carbine Rifles or BZ Gas Grenades and Bugstars Equipment; for the final job, Stingers, Sidetracked, Driller or Gauntlet. More on the GTA 5 heists page.
• Michael's family missions (The Good Husband, Doting Dad, Parenting 101) are optional.
• Lester's contracts: The Hotel Assassination (required), The Multi Target Assassination, The Vice Assassination, The Bus Assassination, The Construction Assassination.
• Strangers and Freaks are side stories with the odd residents of Los Santos and Blaine County that do not affect the main story.

Franklin carries out Lester's assassination contracts to crash one company's stock and push up another's. Before the mission, players buy shares in the "right" company on the in-game stock market (BAWSAQ or LCN) and sell them afterward. The pair mentioned most often is the first one: before The Hotel Assassination you buy Betta Pharmaceuticals, and after the hit, Bilkington Research.

The GTABase, GTABoom and Sportskeeda guides advise putting off the other four contracts until the main story is finished: after the last heist the leads have far more money, and the stock market profit is many times bigger. The growth percentages differ between guides, so treat them as a rough guide.

Near the end, Franklin has to make a choice that decides which of the three final missions you get: Something Sensible (ending A), The Time's Come (ending B) or The Third Way (ending C). We are not revealing what happens in each. Just one tip: save to a separate slot before the final decision if you want to see every option. After the finale the game continues in free roam.

The leads you will have to choose between are covered on the GTA 5 characters page. If a mission is giving you trouble, cheat codes can make it easier in Story Mode, although with them your mission medal will be no higher than bronze.