OSRS F2P Woodcutting Money Making Guide

OSRS F2P Woodcutting Money Making Guide

Woodcutting in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) free-to-play (F2P) is a relaxing, accessible skill that can generate steady profits. While not as lucrative as pay-to-play (P2P) methods, F2P woodcutting offers low-effort, AFK-friendly ways to earn gold pieces (GP). This guide explores the best F2P woodcutting money-making methods, optimal locations, and strategies to maximize profits, tailored for both new and veteran players.

Woodcutting is one of the “Big Three” gathering skills in OSRS, alongside Fishing and Mining, known for consistent money-making potential. In F2P, it requires minimal investment—just an axe—and can be done AFK, making it ideal for players looking to earn GP while multitasking. The demand for logs, especially oak and yew, remains high due to their use in Firemaking, Fletching, and trading.

Key Benefits of F2P Woodcutting

  • Low Requirements: Start with a bronze axe at level 1 Woodcutting.
  • AFK-Friendly: Trees like yew require less frequent clicking, perfect for passive play.
  • Steady Income: Logs sell reliably on the Grand Exchange.
  • Skill Progression: Earn XP while making GP, working toward level 99.

Best Trees for F2P Woodcutting Profits

199 Woodcutting Guide F2P and P2P RuneNation An OSRS PvM Clan

In F2P, only five tree types are available: regular, oak, willow, maple, and yew. For money making, oak and yew logs are the most profitable due to their market demand and value. Below, we break down the best trees to chop for GP.

Oak Trees (Level 15+)

Oak logs are a great early-game money maker due to their accessibility and demand for Firemaking and Construction (in P2P). At approximately 66 GP per log, players can earn decent profits with minimal effort.

  • XP per Log: 37.5
  • Profit per Log: ~66 GP
  • Logs per Hour: 800 (with rune axe at level 41)
  • Estimated Profit: 52,800 GP/hour

Yew Trees (Level 60+)

Yew logs are the most valuable in F2P, fetching around 260 GP each. They’re ideal for players with higher Woodcutting levels, offering a balance of profit and AFK-ability, as yew trees last about 114 seconds before depleting.

  • XP per Log: 175
  • Profit per Log: ~260 GP
  • Logs per Hour: 150–200
  • Estimated Profit: 39,000–52,000 GP/hour

Why Skip Regular, Willow, and Maple?

Regular logs (25 XP, ~40 GP) and willow logs (67.5 XP, ~80 GP) have low market value, making them less profitable. Maple logs (100 XP, ~10 GP) are even worse, as their price is negligible, and the Corsair Cove Resource Area, the only F2P maple location, is far from a bank, requiring completion of Dragon Slayer I and The Corsair Curse. For money making, focus on oak and yew.

Optimal Locations for Chopping Logs

Location is critical for maximizing profits, as proximity to a bank reduces travel time. Here are the best spots for oak and yew trees in F2P, based on convenience and tree availability.

Best Oak Tree Locations

Location Details Pros Cons
Draynor Village Oak tree east of the bank Very close to bank, fast respawn Can be crowded
Falador North Oaks near Falador bank Multiple trees, less crowded Slightly farther from bank
Varrock West Oaks near west bank Decent bank proximity Moderate competition

Best Yew Tree Locations

Location Details Pros Cons
Edgeville Yews near bank Closest to bank, ideal for banking logs Highly competitive
Lumbridge Market Yews near market Less crowded, decent bank access Slightly farther from bank
Varrock Palace Yews behind palace Multiple trees, moderate competition Longer walk to bank

Equipment and Setup for Maximum Efficiency

To optimize your woodcutting profits, use the best axe available and consider additional tools to save inventory space. Here’s how to set up for success.

Choosing the Right Axe

Higher-tier axes increase chopping speed, directly boosting logs and GP per hour. Always use the best axe your Woodcutting and Attack levels allow.

Add your axe to the tool belt to free up inventory space, as it’s automatically used when chopping. Rune axes are affordable (~7,000 GP on the Grand Exchange) and significantly improve efficiency.

Using Wood Boxes and Urns

Wood boxes and urns enhance efficiency by reducing banking trips and boosting XP.

  • Acadia Wood Box: Holds 120–230 logs (up to acadia logs), scales with Woodcutting level. Fill it while chopping to save bank trips.
  • Woodcutting Urns: Fill with logs to gain 20% extra XP when teleported. Add an earth rune to activate; only base XP counts toward filling.

Advanced Tips and Strategies

To push your profits and efficiency further, consider these advanced techniques and strategies tailored for F2P woodcutting.

Forestry Events for Extra Profits

Forestry, introduced in 2023, adds group woodcutting events that yield anima-infused bark, which can be traded for rewards like felling axe handles (~2.6M GP). In F2P, events like Struggling Sapling, Rising Roots, and Friendly Ent spawn on Forestry worlds (e.g., World 301). Chop high-level trees (like yews) with multiple players to increase event spawn rates.

  • Profit Potential: 500 anima-infused bark (1–2 hours) trades for a felling axe handle, adding ~97,000 GP/hour to yew log profits.
  • Best Spot: Draynor Village oaks on World 301 for event spawns.

Shift-Dropping vs. Banking

For XP-focused training, shift-drop logs to save time (enable “Shift click to drop” in the Controls menu). For money making, bank logs to sell on the Grand Exchange. Draynor and Edgeville are ideal due to nearby banks. If banking, use the acadia wood box to carry more logs per trip.

Arrow Shaft Crafting for Extra GP

For added profit, craft regular or oak logs into arrow shafts using a knife. Each log produces 15 arrow shafts, which sell for ~10 GP each. This is time-intensive but can boost profits when log prices are low.

  • Regular Logs: ~150 GP per log (15 shafts x 10 GP).
  • Requirement: Level 1 Fletching.

Avoiding Competition

Popular spots like Edgeville yews can be crowded, slowing you down. Try less busy locations like Lumbridge Market or hop to low-population worlds. Forestry worlds may have more players but offer event rewards, balancing the trade-off.

Profit Expectations and Long-Term Goals

F2P woodcutting profits are modest compared to P2P methods like magic or redwood logs, but they’re reliable. Here’s what to expect and how to plan for the long term.

Hourly Profit Breakdown

  • Oak Logs: 52,800 GP/hour at 800 logs/hour.
  • Yew Logs: 39,000–52,000 GP/hour at 150–200 logs/hour.
  • With Forestry: Up to 141,000 GP/hour (yew logs + felling axe handle).

Path to 99 Woodcutting

Chopping yews to 99 Woodcutting takes ~300 hours, yielding ~72,919 yew logs (19.5M GP) and ~30 felling axe handles (78M GP) with Forestry, totaling ~95M GP. This makes woodcutting a viable long-term money maker while earning the skill cape.

Combining with Other Skills

Train Firemaking by burning logs (until level 45) or Fletching by crafting arrow shafts to diversify XP gains. Banking logs for profit remains the priority, but these options add flexibility.

By focusing on oak and yew logs, leveraging Forestry events, and optimizing your setup, F2P woodcutting can be a rewarding way to earn GP in OSRS. Happy chopping!