Herb Runs OSRS Profit Guide for Maximum Gold in 2025

Herb runs in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) are one of the most efficient and passive money-making methods, offering players a way to earn substantial gold with minimal effort. Taking just 5–10 minutes every 80 minutes, herb runs can yield hundreds of thousands of GP per run, making them ideal for both new and veteran players. This guide dives into how to maximize your herb run profits in 2025, covering patch locations, profitable herbs, essential items, and optimization strategies.

Farming herbs in OSRS strikes a perfect balance between profitability and passivity. Unlike active money-making methods like bossing, herb runs require only a short time commitment, allowing you to multitask or log off while crops grow. With the right setup, you can earn up to 360k GP per run or over 3M GP daily by completing multiple runs. The addition of new patches, like the Varlamore herb patch, has further boosted profitability. OSRS Wiki highlights that herb runs are the most effective way to gain Farming experience while generating significant income.

Key Benefits of Herb Runs

• Low Time Commitment: Each run takes 5–10 minutes, with crops growing in 80 minutes.
• Passive Income: Crops grow even when you’re offline, making it ideal for busy players.
• Scalable Profits: Unlocking more patches and boosts increases your earnings.
• Herblore Support: Herbs are essential for training Herblore, especially for Ironmen.

Understanding Herb Run Mechanics

Herb runs involve planting herb seeds in designated patches, waiting for them to grow, and harvesting the herbs for profit. Herbs take 80 minutes to grow, divided into four 20-minute cycles, during which they can become diseased. Using ultracompost and disease-free patches minimizes this risk. The number of herbs per patch depends on your Farming level, compost type, and yield-boosting items like magic secateurs.

How Herb Yield Works

The game calculates herb yield based on “harvest lives,” which determine how many herbs you pick before the patch is depleted. Ultracompost guarantees at least 6 herbs per patch, while boosts like magic secateurs (+10% yield) and diary completions increase this further. For example, at 99 Farming with ultracompost, magic secateurs, and diary boosts, you can expect an average of 7–9 herbs per patch.

Factors Affecting Profit

• Herb Type: High-demand herbs like Ranarr and Snapdragon yield the most profit.
• Patch Survival: Disease-free patches ensure no crop deaths.
• Boosts: Items and diary completions increase herb yield.
• Market Prices: Grand Exchange prices for seeds and herbs fluctuate, so check daily.

Setting Up for the Perfect Herb Run

To maximize profits, you need the right gear, teleports, and patch unlocks. There are 10 herb patches in OSRS, though some require quests or diaries. Below is a breakdown of essential requirements and recommended items for an efficient herb run.

Herb Patch Locations and Requirements

Patch Location	Requirements	Closest Teleport	Disease-Free?
Catherby	None	Catherby Teleport Tablet	No (Kandarin Diary boosts yield)
Ardougne	None	Ardougne Cloak 2/3/4	No
Falador	None	Explorer’s Ring 2/3/4	No
Hosidius	50% Hosidius Favour	Xeric’s Talisman	Yes (Kourend Diary boosts yield)
Morytania (Canifis)	Priest in Peril	Ectophial (Ghosts Ahoy)	No
Farming Guild	Level 65 Farming	Skills Necklace	No (Kourend Diary boosts yield)
Troll Stronghold	My Arm’s Big Adventure	Stony Basalt	Yes
Weiss	Making Friends with My Arm	Icy Basalt	Yes
Varlamore	Children of the Sun	Quetzal Whistle	No (Disease-free with 16,000 Glory)
Harmony Island	Elite Morytania Diary	Harmony Island Teleport Tablet	No

Essential Items for Herb Runs

• Magic Secateurs: Obtained from Fairytale I – Growing Pains, increases yield by 10%. Must be equipped.
• Ultracompost: Guarantees at least 6 herbs per patch. Use a bottomless compost bucket to save inventory space.
• Herb Seeds: 10 seeds (one per patch). Ranarr, Snapdragon, or Toadflax are top choices.
• Teleports: Items like Ectophial, Xeric’s Talisman, and Explorer’s Ring for quick travel.
• Tools: Rake, spade, seed dibber (stored at Tool Leprechauns).
• Optional: Herb sack (saves inventory space), rune pouch (for teleport runes), Farming cape (+5% yield).

Choosing the Most Profitable Herbs

The profitability of herb runs depends on seed costs, herb prices, and your Farming level. As of April 2025, Ranarr, Snapdragon, and Toadflax are typically the most profitable due to their high demand for potions like Prayer Potions and Super Restores. Always check the OSRS Herb Farming Calculator for real-time profit estimates.

Top Herbs for Profit in 2025

Herb	Farming Level	Average Profit per Patch (GP)	Notes
Ranarr	32	50,000+	Most profitable with disease-free patches and diary boosts.
Snapdragon	62	40,000–60,000	High demand for Super Restores.
Toadflax	38	20,000–30,000	Cheaper seeds, good for lower levels.
Avantoe	50	15,000–25,000	Profitable on regular patches.
Torstol	85	10,000–20,000	Best XP, but lower profit than Ranarr.

Tips for Choosing Herbs

• Low Levels (32–50): Start with Toadflax or Ranarr (use Garden Pie for +3 Farming boost).
• Mid Levels (50–80): Switch to Avantoe or Snapdragon for better profits.
• High Levels (80+): Prioritize Ranarr on disease-free patches and Torstol for XP.
• Market Check: Use the Grand Exchange or herb calculators to confirm profitability daily.

Step-by-Step Guide to the Perfect Herb Run

Follow this optimized route to harvest all 10 patches efficiently. This assumes you’ve unlocked all patches and have the recommended teleports. If you’re missing some, skip those patches and adapt the route.

Optimized Herb Run Route

1. Catherby: Teleport with Catherby Teleport Tablet, run northeast to the patch. Harvest, note herbs at the Tool Leprechaun, plant a new seed, and apply ultracompost.
2. Ardougne: Use Ardougne Cloak 2/3/4, run northeast to the patch. Repeat the harvest-plant-compost routine.
3. Falador: Teleport with Explorer’s Ring 2/3/4, run north to the patch. Repeat routine.
4. Hosidius: Use Xeric’s Talisman, run southwest to the patch. Repeat routine.
5. Morytania (Canifis): Use Ectophial, run west to the patch. Repeat routine.
6. Farming Guild: Teleport with Skills Necklace, go to the western wing. Repeat routine.
7. Troll Stronghold: Use Stony Basalt, navigate to the rooftop patch. Repeat routine.
8. Weiss: Use Icy Basalt, harvest the patch. Repeat routine.
9. Varlamore: Use Quetzal Whistle, run to the patch. Repeat routine.
10. Harmony Island: Use Harmony Island Teleport Tablet, run south. Repeat routine.

Pro Tips for Efficiency

• Spam-Click Harvesting: Click the patch rapidly for 3 seconds to double herb-picking speed.
• Log Out at Patches: Log out at Trollheim or Canifis patches to start your next run instantly.
• Use RuneLite: The Time Tracking plugin notifies you when patches are ready.
• Resurrect Crops: Use the Arceuus spell (78 Magic) to revive dead patches with a 50–75% success rate.

Maximizing Profits and Scaling Up

To push your herb run profits beyond the basics, focus on unlocking disease-free patches, completing diaries, and scaling your runs. A fully optimized setup with 10 patches, Ranarr seeds, and all boosts can yield 2.5–3M GP per hour if done consistently.

Scaling Your Herb Runs

• Multiple Runs Daily: Do 3–5 runs every 80 minutes for maximum profit.
• Diary Boosts: Complete Kandarin, Kourend, and Morytania diaries for yield increases.
• Disease-Free Patches: Prioritize Troll Stronghold, Weiss, and Hosidius for Ranarr planting.
• Inventory Management: Use a herb sack and rune pouch to free up space.

Example Profit Calculation

Assuming 10 patches of Ranarr, 8.8 herbs per patch, and current prices (~7,000 GP per herb, 30,000 GP per seed, 1,000 GP per ultracompost):

• Total Cost: (30,000 × 10) + (1,000 × 10) = 310,000 GP
• Total Revenue: 8.8 × 10 × 7,000 = 616,000 GP
• Profit: 616,000 – 310,000 = 306,000 GP per run

Herb runs are a cornerstone of OSRS money-making, offering low-effort, high-reward opportunities. By unlocking all patches, using the right boosts, and following an efficient route, you can turn a few minutes of work into millions of gold daily. Start small, scale up, and watch your bank grow!