5 GTA 5 story mode features missing in GTA Online

Even though GTA Online is an extension to GTA 5, there are various things Rockstar Games keeps exclusive to the campaign mode. The studio is known for providing the best gameplay experience in its single-player titles, and Grand Theft Auto 5 is no exception. While it is true that GTA Online allows you to do more things, the activities in story mode make the game enjoyable as well.

This article lists five things you can do in GTA 5 but not in GTA Online.

Note: Aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the writer’s opinions.

5 things Rockstar allows you to do in GTA 5 but not in GTA Online

1) Sleep to skip time

Story mode allows you to skip time with a simple trick (Image via Rockstar Games)

Michael, Franklin, and Trevor can sleep in their safehouses to advance in-game time. Each GTA protagonist sleeps for different amounts of time, and the in-game period advancing varies for all.

While you can also sleep in GTA Online, it does not do anything. The multiplayer game has a common time, and every player has to keep up with it.

2) Use the stock market

While Rockstar allows you to trade in the stock market in GTA 5, you cannot do so in GTA Online. The stock market is one of the best ways to make money in story mode. However, the multiplayer compels you to use other methods to earn cash.

This is a bummer, considering the story mode protagonists can become billionaires if you grind the stock market properly. However, you must use the best money-making methods to become a billionaire in GTA Online.

3) Use cheat codes

Rockstar Games offers 34 codes that you can use in the story mode. However, none of the GTA 5 cheats work in Grand Theft Auto Online. The cheat codes allow you to become temporarily invincible, remove wanted levels, spawn vehicles, run faster, slow down time, get drunk, and do many other things.

While you can perform some of the functions (in Grand Theft Auto Online) offered by the cheat codes, you must do them as per the gameplay rules.

4) Hang out with NPCs

The story mode of GTA 5 allows you to hang out with various NPCs from time to time. This allows you to visit locations that are inaccessible in freeroam, and also know various hidden details about their lives and activities.

However, the hangout option is not available in GTA Online. Even though the game has various interactable characters, you cannot ask them out like in story mode. You can only hang out with other live players in Grand Theft Auto Online.

Also read: 5 most useful purchases in GTA Online in 2025

5) Use mods

Modding GTA Online is completely prohibited by Rockstar (Image via Rockstar Games)

Rockstar Games allows you to use various GTA 5 mods on the PC version. You can import new vehicles, change character skins, add new gameplay elements, and do many other crazy things. Modding is one of the reasons why the game is still popular in 2025.

However, the feature is completely banned in GTA Online. Since it is a live-service game, every player must follow Rockstar’s rules. If you get caught using mods in the multiplayer mode, the studio may take strict action.

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About the author

Mridul completed his post-graduation in Mass Communication, Journalism, and Media Studies. His career as a journalist began at Sportskeeda, and he has been associated with the Esports & Gaming division for over 1.5 years. He has produced 1600+ articles on Grand Theft Auto, his favorite gaming franchise of all time.

Mridul writes detailed and well-researched articles, relying solely on official sources and reputable insiders for credible information. His immense love for the GTA series shines through in his work, which resonates with readers, with five of his articles having crossed the 100,000 reads mark each. Overall, his reads count stands at close to 8 million.

GTA: Vice City served as Mridul's introduction to Rockstar Games, and he has dedicatedly made his way through the publisher's catalog since then. If given a chance, he would love to drop into the world of Bully and relive his school days. However, he would like to recommend Grand Theft Auto 4 to beginners due to the depth of its narrative and in-game mechanics.

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Edited by Ripunjay Gaba