OSRS Herb Runs Optimizer Guide
Master the art of efficient herb farming in Old School RuneScape. Learn optimal routes, profitable herbs, gear setups, and strategies to maximize your GP per run. Herb runs are one of the most consistent passive money makers in OSRS, earning 200-600K+ GP every 80 minutes.
200-600K GP/Run5-10 MinutesEvery 80 Minutes32+ Farming Required
Quick Summary: Herb runs take 5-10 minutes and can be done every 80 minutes (herbs growth time). With 9 patches and optimal herbs like Ranarr or Snapdragon, expect 200-600K+ GP per run. Use our interactive calculator below to see your exact profit based on your setup and current GE prices.
Interactive Herb Run Profit Calculator
Calculate your exact profit based on your setup and current GE prices
Maximum 9 patches available in OSRS
Herbs grow every 80 minutes (~18 runs max per day)
Estimated Profit Per Run
202,770 GP
Per Patch
22,530 GP
Per Day
2,027,700 GP
Avg Yield
9.4 herbs
Success Rate
90%
Breakdown: 9.4 herbs × 8,000 GP × 90% success = 67,680 GP revenue
Cost: 45,000 GP seed + 150 GP ultracompost = 45,150 GP
Net profit per patch: 22,530 GP × 9 patches = 202,770 GP per run
Cost: 45,000 GP seed + 150 GP ultracompost = 45,150 GP
Net profit per patch: 22,530 GP × 9 patches = 202,770 GP per run
Herb Patch Unlock Tracker
Track which herb patches you've unlocked • 3/9 patches (33%)
Start with the 4 easy patches (no requirements). Add more as you complete quests and level up. Each additional patch increases your GP/run by ~20-50K!
easy⚡ Fast
Location: North of Ardougne market
Teleport: Ardougne cloak / Ardougne teleport
Fairy ring: d•j•p (south)
Requirement: None
easy⚡ Fast
Location: South of Falador park
Teleport: Falador teleport / Explorer's ring
Fairy ring: b•l•p (east)
Requirement: None
easy
Location: North of Catherby
Teleport: Camelot teleport / Catherby teleport tablet
Fairy ring: b•l•r (south)
Requirement: None
easy⚡ Fast
Location: Inside Port Phasmatys
Teleport: Ectophial (fastest patch teleport!)
Fairy ring: a•l•q (south)
Requirement: Ghosts Ahoy quest
Quest: Ghosts Ahoy
medium⚡ Fast
Location: Hosidius farming area
Teleport: Xeric's talisman / Skills necklace
Fairy ring: a•k•r (south)
Requirement: 50% Hosidius favor (or 100% any Kourend house)
medium⚡ Fast
Location: Farming Guild (60% unlock) or Guild (85% unlock)
Teleport: Farming cape / Skills necklace / Farming Guild teleport
Fairy ring: c•i•r (west)
Requirement: 60 or 85 Farming + access to Farming Guild
Quest: None (level only)
hard
Location: Troll Stronghold roof
Teleport: Stony basalt / Trollheim teleport + climb
Fairy ring: a•j•r (far north)
Requirement: My Arm's Big Adventure quest
Quest: My Arm's Big Adventure
hard
Location: Weiss (Troll city)
Teleport: Icy basalt
Fairy ring: d•k•s (far north)
Requirement: Making Friends with My Arm quest
Quest: Making Friends with My Arm
hard
Location: Harmony Island
Teleport: Morytania legs 4 teleport
Fairy ring: a•l•q + boat
Requirement: Elite Morytania Diary
Quest: Great Brain Robbery + Elite Diary
3
Patches Unlocked
6
Remaining
33%
Complete
Requirements for Herb Runs
What you need to start profitable herb farming
Minimum Requirements:
- 32 Farming (for Ranarr Weeds)
- Access to at least 5 herb patches
- Seed dibber, rake, and secateurs
- Ultracompost or supercompost
- Seed capital (50-200K GP initial investment)
Recommended for Maximum Profit:
- 62 Farming (for Snapdragon seeds - highest profit)
- Magic secateurs from Fairytale I (10% increased yield)
- All 9 herb patches unlocked
- Farming cape (teleports + unlimited payment for patches)
- Ultracompost (significantly reduces disease chance)
- Resurrect crops spell from Arceuus spellbook (saves diseased patches)
All 9 Herb Patch Locations
Unlock and use these patches for maximum profit
Ardougne
Teleport: Ardougne cloak / Ardougne teleport d•j•p
None
Falador
Teleport: Falador teleport / Explorer's ring (no nearby fairy ring)
None
Port Phasmatys
Teleport: Ectophial a•l•q
Ghosts Ahoy quest
Catherby
Teleport: Camelot teleport / Catherby teleport b•l•r
None
Hosidius
Teleport: Xeric's talisman / Skills necklace a•k•r
50% Hosidius favor
Farming Guild
Teleport: Farming cape / Skills necklace c•i•r
60 or 85 Farming
Troll Stronghold
Teleport: Stony basalt teleport / Trollheim teleport a•j•r
My Arm's Big Adventure
Weiss
Teleport: Icy basalt teleport d•k•s
Making Friends with My Arm
Harmony Island
Teleport: Morytania legs 4 a•l•q
Elite Morytania Diary (optional but valuable)
Most Profitable Herbs Analysis (2026)
Compare all herbs to find the best profit for your level
Use the calculator above for real-time profit calculations! These are baseline estimates. GE prices fluctuate daily - always check current prices before investing your GP. Pro tip: Buy seeds when prices dip and sell herbs during peak hours (evening/weekends).
Ranarr ⭐ Best Overall
Level 32 Farming Required
Seed Cost: ~45K
Herb Value: ~8K
Avg Yield: 7.5 herbs
Profit/Patch: ~15-18K
Most consistent profit. High demand for prayer potions = stable prices.
Snapdragon ⚡ High Level
Level 62 Farming Required
Seed Cost: ~55K
Herb Value: ~8.5K
Avg Yield: 7.5 herbs
Profit/Patch: ~12-15K
Requires 62 Farming. Good for super restores. Volatile seed prices.
Toadflax 💰 Budget Option
Level 38 Farming Required
Seed Cost: ~1.5K
Herb Value: ~1.9K
Avg Yield: 7.5 herbs
Profit/Patch: ~12-13K
Excellent profit for low investment. Perfect for ironmen and new players.
Torstol 🏆 Endgame
Level 85 Farming Required
Seed Cost: ~58K
Herb Value: ~7.5K
Avg Yield: 7.5 herbs
Profit/Patch: ~3-6K
Lower profit but needed for overloads in PvM. Grows slowly.
Avantoe 🔧 Niche Pick
Level 50 Farming Required
Seed Cost: ~250
Herb Value: ~1.5K
Avg Yield: 7.5 herbs
Profit/Patch: ~10-11K
Super cheap seeds, decent profit. Good when Ranarr prices crash.
Lantadyme 📈 Rising Star
Level 73 Farming Required
Seed Cost: ~1.8K
Herb Value: ~2K
Avg Yield: 7.5 herbs
Profit/Patch: ~13K
Used for antifire and magic potions. Growing demand from PvM community.
💡 Pro Farming Tips:
- Magic secateurs = +10% yield - Always use them! That's ~0.7 extra herbs per patch = +5K profit per run
- Ultracompost = 90% survival - Losing even 1 patch costs 50K+. Always use it.
- Watch GE margins - Ranarr can be more profitable than Snapdragon depending on market conditions
- Ironman meta: Toadflax early game → Ranarr mid-game → Snapdragon endgame
- Buy seeds in bulk during updates/events when prices drop 10-20%
Optimal Herb Run Route
Most efficient teleport order for fastest completion
1
Farming Guild
Bank here, grab supplies
~45 seconds
2
Weiss
Northern route first
~40 seconds
3
Troll Stronghold
Nearby, minimize travel
~50 seconds
4
Catherby
South to Catherby
~35 seconds
5
Ardougne
Western route
~40 seconds
6
Port Phasmatys
Fastest with Ectophial
~35 seconds
7
Harmony Island
Optional, diary reward
~60 seconds
8
Hosidius
Near bank
~40 seconds
9
Falador
Final patch, bank at Falador
~40 seconds
Total Time: Approximately 6-8 minutes for all 9 patches with good teleports and efficiency.
Complete Gear & Inventory Optimization Guide
Every piece of gear that matters for herb runs
💎 Must-Have Equipment (Massive Impact):
Magic Secateurs +10% Yield
From Fairytale I quest. Adds ~0.75 herbs per patch = +5-6K profit per patch = +45-54K per run!Must be worn or in inventory. Non-negotiable for serious farming.
Farming Cape (99 Farming) Teleport + Protection
Unlimited teleport to Farming Guild. Can use cape to pay farmers (infinite payment). Reduces run time by 30-40 seconds.
Graceful Outfit Run Energy
30% faster energy restoration. Critical for 9-patch routes with lots of running. Alternative: Weight-reducing gear (Boots of lightness, Spottier cape, etc.)
🎯 Highly Recommended (Save Time & Money):
Bottomless Compost Bucket - Hold 10,000 compost charges. No need to carry compost in inventory!
Ectophial - Fastest teleport in the game. Port Phasmatys patch in 2 clicks (Ghosts Ahoy reward).
Xeric's Talisman - Infinite Hosidius teleports. Charge with lizardman fangs (1 charge = 1 teleport).
Ardougne Cloak 2+ - Unlimited Ardougne farm teleports. Easy diary requirement (Medium+).
Explorer's Ring 3+ - Unlimited Falador teleports. Run energy restoration useful too.
Icy/Stony Basalt - Teleport to Weiss/Trollheim. Buy from Stonemason (2500 coins each).
Construction Cape (99) - Unlimited teleports to any POH portal for quick banking.
Fairy Ring Access - Requires Fairy Tale II started. Dramen/Lunar staff needed unless completed.
🧰 Required Tools (Basic Necessities):
Seed DibberRakeMagic SecateursSpade (optional - clear dead patches)Note: Tools can be stored in Tool Leprechaun!
📦 Optimal Inventory Layout:
Magic Secateurs
9× Seeds
↑
↑
Ectophial
Xeric's Talisman
Stony Basalt
Icy Basalt
Teleport Tabs
Or Runes
Stamina (1)
Empty
Rake & Dibber stored at Tool Leprechaun • Compost from Bottomless Bucket
Pro Inventory Trick: Pre-treat all patches with ultracompost on your PREVIOUS run. This way your next run you only need seeds + teleports. Saves 9 inventory slots and 30+ seconds!
🗺️ Teleport Gear Priority (Budget → Endgame):
Free Tier (F2P Friendly):
Use teleport tablets bought from GE. Camelot, Falador, Ardougne tabs. Cost ~1-2K per run.
Mid Tier (Diary Unlocks):
Ardougne cloak, Explorer's ring, Ectophial. Medium diary requirements. Free teleports.
High Tier (Quest/Item Unlocks):
Xeric's talisman, Icy/Stony basalt, Fairy rings (after quests). Costs ~5K per run in charges.
Endgame Tier (99 Capes + Elite Diaries):
Farming cape, Construction cape, Max cape, Morytania legs 4. Completely free infinite teleports.
🧠 Advanced Strategies & Secret Optimizations
Expert-level techniques that 95% of players don't know
⏱️Perfect Timing Strategy - The 80-Minute Cycle
Herbs take exactly 80 minutes to grow. Set timers and integrate runs into other activities:
- Do herb run → 80min of Slayer/Bossing → herb run again
- Use Runelite farm timer plugin to get notifications when patches are ready
- Best times: 6am, 7:20am, 8:40am, 10am... (80min intervals from wakeup)
- Weekend farming: Can squeeze 12-15 runs per day = 2.4-7.5M GP passive income
🔮Resurrect Crops Spell - The Game Changer
Requires: 78 Magic + Arceuus spellbook + 8 Soul runes + 8 Blood runes + 25 Nature runes
- Revive diseased herbs BEFORE they die (when they turn brown)
- Costs ~5K in runes vs losing 40-50K seed + potential 60K herb yield
- With 90% ultracompost protection, 10% of 9 patches = ~1 disease per run
- Carry a Arceuus spellbook swap tablet + law runes in inventory
- Expected value: Saves 200-300K per day from prevented losses
💹GE Price Manipulation & Market Timing
Smart farmers don't just plant - they trade the market:
- Buy seeds during game updates/events when panic sellers flood market (-10-20% price)
- Sell herbs during peak hours: 6-10pm UK time (highest demand from PvMers)
- Track seed/herb price ratio on our GE Tracker
- Ranarr profit threshold: Only plant if (Herb price × 7.5) - Seed price > 10K
- Stock up on 200-300 seeds when ratio is good, farm for weeks with guaranteed profit
- Watch for bot bans: Herb prices spike 20-30% after major bot purges
🎯Route Optimization - The 6-Minute Run
Advanced players complete all 9 patches in under 7 minutes. Here's how:
- Pre-compost strategy: Apply compost on previous run = saves 45 seconds
- Banking route: Start at Farming Guild bank, end at Falador/Hosidius to bank herbs
- Circular path: Guild → Weiss → Troll → Catherby → Ardougne → Port Phas → Hosidius → Falador (minimizes backtracking)
- Stamina potion timing: Drink at patch #3 (Troll) for maximum efficiency
- Menu swapper plugin: Left-click = "Check-health" to instantly see if herbs are done
- Skip Harmony Island if under 8 minutes - 60sec travel not worth 50K for time-efficient players
🌳Combo Runs - Stack Your Farming Activities
Why do JUST herb runs when you can multiply your profit?
- Herb + Tree run: Check Palm trees (16hr) and Magic trees (8hr) same trip (+100K profit, +2 mins)
- Herb + Birdhouse: Do birdhouse runs every 50 minutes while doing herb runs (+40K/hr, +1 min)
- Herb + Seaweed: Ultra compost from Giant Seaweed is free - collect underwater weekly
- Herb + Berry bushes: White berries/Poison ivy respawn every 20 mins (near herb patches)
- Total combo run: 8-12 minutes, 250-600K profit depending on patches unlocked
📊Track Your Progress - Data-Driven Farming
Elite farmers track metrics to optimize profit:
- Log every run: Seeds planted, herbs harvested, disease rate, time taken
- Calculate your ACTUAL average yield - magic secateurs + your farming level
- Track GP/hour over 100+ runs to find your true profit (accounts for diseases, GE variance)
- A/B test protection methods: Ultracompost vs Pay Farmer - which is more profitable for YOUR setup?
- Spreadsheet template: Date | Herb | Patches | Yield | Profit | Time | Notes
- After 50 runs you'll have perfect data on which herbs are best for YOUR account
🏆Farming Guild Contracts - Hidden Profit Boost
Requires: 45 Farming (Easy), 65 (Medium), 85 (Hard)
- Do farming contracts WHILE doing herb runs (same patches, stack rewards)
- Hard contracts average 30K loot + Seed pack + 15K farming XP
- Takes 30-60 seconds extra per run, but adds 180-300K value per day
- Farming contracts give extra ultracompost, seeds, and bird nest rewards
- Pro strat: Complete contract on previous run, collect reward + new contract on next run
💰Ironman-Specific Strategies
Ironmen can't buy seeds from GE - here's the optimal path:
- Early game (32-50 Farming): Toadflax seeds from Master Farmers (Ardougne) or Slayer
- Mid game (50-62): Ranarr seeds from Slayer + Kingdom of Miscellania (herb mode)
- Late game (62+): Snapdragon seeds from Birdhouses + high-level PvM (Cerberus, CoX, etc.)
- Seed sources ranked: Birdhouses > Kingdom > Slayer > Farming Contracts > Master Farmers
- Never pick allotments/flowers - herb patches only for maximum efficiency
- Compost source: Giant seaweed + volcanic ash at Fossils Island = infinite ultracompost
Expected Profit Per Day
Calculate your potential daily earnings from herb runs
If you do 10 herb runs per day (every ~2.5 hours)
2-5M GP/Day
With 9 patches and Ranarr/Snapdragon herbs
Time Investment
60-100 mins/day
GP per Hour
2-3M GP/hr
Runs per Day
8-12 runs
Profit per Run
200-500K GP
Frequently Asked Questions
What farming level should I start herb runs?
You can start at level 32 Farming with Ranarr seeds for solid profit. However, 62 Farming for Snapdragons opens up even more options. Even lower-level herbs like Toadflax (38 Farming) can be profitable.
Do I need all 9 patches?
No! You can start with just 4-5 patches (Falador, Ardougne, Catherby, Port Phasmatys) and still make 100-200K per run. More patches = more profit, but it's not required to start.
Should I use ultracompost or pay farmers?
For expensive seeds like Snapdragon, paying farmers gives 100% disease protection and is usually worth it. For cheaper seeds like Ranarr, ultracompost (90% protection) is more cost-effective.
Can I make money with herb runs as F2P?
No, all herb patches require membership. F2P players can only farm allotments, which are significantly less profitable.
How do I maximize my yield?
Always use magic secateurs (10% yield boost), ultracompost for disease protection, and consider the Farming cape perk if you're 99 Farming. These combine to dramatically increase average herbs per patch.