Customize Your Alching Session
Assuming you already have the Nature runes
Note: This calculation assumes you'll purchase a single item type from the Grand Exchange, up to your specified bankroll and within the item's buy limit. It then estimates your potential profit if you were to alchemize these items consistently for the duration you've set.
Please note that due to the live nature of the OSRS market, the prices and quantities shown may not be available by the time you place your offer in the Grand Exchange. Market conditions can change rapidly.
High Alchemy Profits
Low Alchemy Profits
How does Alchemy in OSRS work?
In Old School RuneScape (OSRS), Alchemy is a magic spell that converts items into gold coins. It's a popular method for money making while also training the Magic skill. There are two types of Alchemy spells:
- Low Level Alchemy (Low Alch): Converts an item to coins at 40% of its base value.
- Requires 1 Nature Rune and 3 Fire Runes
- Requires Magic level 21
- High Level Alchemy (High Alch): Converts an item to coins at 60% of its base value.
- Requires 1 Nature Rune and 5 Fire Runes
- Requires Magic level 55
Note: Wielding a Staff of Fire will waive the requirement of fire runes, saving you 20-30gp per cast.
The Grand Exchange (GE) is OSRS's marketplace where players can buy and sell items. By purchasing items from the GE and casting Alchemy on them, players can gain Magic experience and potentially make a profit.
What Items Are Best For Alchemy?
This calculator helps you find items that are profitable to alchemize based on current Grand Exchange prices. It takes into account the cost of nature runes required for casting the spell.
When choosing items for alchemy, there are three main factors to consider:
- Highest Profit: These items give you the most gold per cast, allowing you to make money quickly. However, they often have low overall returns and limited buy limits.
- Highest Return: Items with the highest percentage return are the most efficient use of your capital, especially if you're starting with a low bankroll. They may not yield the highest raw profit but offer the best gold efficiency.
- High Limit: Items with high buy limits are ideal for background alching or long alching sessions, as you can purchase large quantities without hitting GE restrictions.
A balanced approach considering all three factors often yields the best results. This is why our table is initially sorted by a composite score that takes into account profitability, efficiency, and convenience. The table dynamically adjusts based on your input bankroll and available time. By factoring in your specific bankroll and time constraints, we provide personalized recommendations tailored to your alching session, helping you maximize your profits within your given parameters.
Alchemy Tips & Strategies
Whether you're a beginner or an experienced player, these tips will help you maximize your alchemy profits and efficiency:
Equipment Setup
- Always use a Staff of Fire: This eliminates the need for fire runes entirely, saving you 20-30gp per cast. A basic Staff of Fire costs very little and pays for itself within minutes.
- Consider a Tome of Fire: If you're using a different staff (like Bryophyta's Staff for its nature rune saving effect), a Tome of Fire can provide unlimited fire runes.
- Explorer's Ring for free alchs: The Explorer's Ring 4 from the Lumbridge & Draynor Diary provides 30 free High Alchs per day!
Alching While Training Other Skills
One of the best aspects of alchemy is that you can do it while training other skills. Here are popular combinations:
- Alching + Agility: Cast High Alch between obstacle completions on rooftop courses. This is one of the most popular methods as agility already requires constant clicking.
Buy Limit Strategies
- Rotate between items: If you're doing extended alching sessions, buy multiple profitable items to avoid hitting the 4-hour buy limit on any single item.
- Buy overnight: Place GE offers before logging off so items are ready when you return.
- Use instant buy prices: Our calculator shows both instant buy (high) and instant sell (low) prices. For quick purchases, expect to pay closer to the instant buy price.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not accounting for nature rune costs: Always factor in the ~90-100gp cost of nature runes when calculating profit. Our calculator does this automatically.
- Ignoring buy limits: An item might be highly profitable but if the buy limit is only 70 per 4 hours, you won't be able to alch for very long.
- Forgetting to refresh prices: Market prices change constantly. Refresh this calculator before each session to ensure you're using current data.
Magic XP & Training Rates
Alchemy is not just about making money - it's also a reliable way to train Magic. Here's what you need to know about XP rates:
High Level Alchemy
- XP per cast: 65 Magic XP
- Casts per hour: ~1,200 (focused)
- XP per hour: ~78,000 Magic XP
- Required level: 55 Magic
Low Level Alchemy
- XP per cast: 31 Magic XP
- Casts per hour: ~2,000 (faster cast time)
- XP per hour: ~62,000 Magic XP
- Required level: 21 Magic
Alchemy vs Other Magic Training Methods
How does alchemy compare to other popular Magic training methods?
| Method | XP/Hour | Cost | Attention |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Alchemy | ~78k | Profit! | Low-Medium |
| Splashing | ~13k | ~30k gp/hr | Very Low (AFK) |
| Bursting/Barraging | ~200-400k | ~500k+ gp/hr | High |
| Enchanting Bolts | ~100k | Varies | Medium |
High Alchemy stands out as the only Magic training method that can actually make you money while training. While the XP rates aren't as high as bursting/barraging, the fact that you're profiting instead of spending makes it an excellent choice for players building their bank.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best item to alch right now?
The best item changes constantly based on Grand Exchange prices. Check the tables above - they're sorted by a composite score that balances profit, margin, and buy limit. Generally, items like Yew longbows, Rune items, and Dragonhide bodies are consistently good choices due to their high buy limits and stable prices.
How much GP per hour can I make alching?
This varies greatly depending on current prices and which items you choose. With focused alching (~1,200 casts/hour) and good item selection, you can typically make 100,000-300,000 GP per hour profit. Some items offer higher per-alch profit but have low buy limits, while others have smaller margins but can be alched indefinitely.
Should I use High Alchemy or Low Alchemy?
Almost always High Alchemy. Low Alchemy returns only 40% of an item's value compared to High Alchemy's 60%, making it rarely profitable. Low Alch is mainly useful for players below level 55 Magic or for niche situations. Once you have 55 Magic, stick with High Alch.
Where can I get Nature Runes cheaply?
The Grand Exchange is the easiest source - nature runes typically cost 90-110gp each. You can also buy them from magic shops in Varrock, Port Sarim, or the Mage Arena in the Wilderness. For Ironmen, runecrafting or the Abyss are the main methods to obtain nature runes.
Can I alch while doing other activities?
Yes! Alching is great for multitasking. Popular combinations include alching while training Agility on rooftop courses, while waiting for monsters to respawn, or while walking across Gielnor. Any activity with short idle periods works well with alchemy.
Why are some items showing negative profit?
Items show negative profit when their GE buy price plus nature rune cost exceeds their alchemy value. This can happen due to market fluctuations, items being in high demand, or simply items that were never meant to be profitable for alching. Avoid these items unless you're desperate to train Magic quickly.
How often does the price data update?
Our calculator fetches real-time data from the official OSRS Wiki prices API, which tracks Grand Exchange transactions continuously. Prices shown represent the most recent instant buy and sell prices. We recommend refreshing the page before each alching session for the most accurate data.
What's the difference between between the two prices shown?
The two prices shown are the instant buy price and the instant sell price. The instant buy price is the highest price someone paid to buy instantly. The instant sell price is the lowest price someone sold for instantly. The profit calculation uses the buy price since that's what you'll spend.
What's the difference between Profit and Margin?
Profit is the raw GP you earn per alch (Alch Value - Item Cost - Nature Rune Cost). Margin (or ROI) is the percentage return on your investment. An item with 100gp profit on a 500gp investment has a 20% margin. High margin items are better for small bankrolls; high profit items are better if you have capital to invest.
Can I use an autoclicker to alch?
You should not use an autoclicker to alch. It's not worth the risk of getting banned.