Let's Build A Zoo Money Making Guide

As with any good management and simulation game, Let's Build a Zoo requires you to make oodles of cash, partly to progress the story and partly just because, well, that's what zoos are for. Starting out it can be a little tricky to get the hang of, but with the wisdom of an owl and the heart of a lion, we've gone through and have mapped out the easiest ways to get you started.

How to Make Money in Let's Build a Zoo

Attract Visitors First and Foremost

First and probably most important thing is, of course, getting lots of visitors. More visitors = more cash, and for that we have a visitor attraction guide! Of course, once you have the visitors, how do you squeeze all their hard earned cash out of them like blood from a stone shaped like Mickey Mouse's head?

One option that you have is to take out a loan from the bank, but that should only be used as a last resort. Yeah, you'll get lots of money quickly but you'll also have to pay that back, and if your zoo is suffering from structural issues or money mismanagement, a loan will only make that worse. If you do need a loan, however, to get back on your feet, take it but be careful.

Complete Tasks for Quick Cash in Let's Build a Zoo

When you're starting out, Tasks are a great way to earn cash quickly. You can get hundreds or even thousands of dollars just for completing relatively simple tasks that in themselves will improve your zoo. So if you're feeling like heading off the beaten path and doing things your own way, we recommend against it. The quick cash provided by Tasks will keep you afloat when your zoo is just starting out and will negate the need for a loan early on.

Breeding and Splicing Is Lucrative

Trading and breeding animals is, in the long run, the more lucrative option, no matter how many animals you want to save from Florida. Investing in your breeding program will get you animals to trade and will keep your zoo stocked even when some die and reach the end of their lifespans. Yes, you do have to feed all these animals, but it's a better investment to keep your zoo diversity up and more easily trade, which will pay off in the long run. Breeding can also unlock animal variants which lead to different animal splicing options in the CRISPR. For more tips, see our Let's Build a Zoo Breeding and Splicing guide!

Food and Drink Stands Can Make Money Too!

Like with real zoos, food and drink shops, as well as gift shops, will make you tons of money. Have food and drink shops easily accessible all over your park and put the research points into unlocking different varieties to tempt your guests with. You can also click on a food or drink stand and adjust the prices of it. Depending on what morality you're playing as, you can rip off your customers, price gouge them or use good quality products and pay your sales staff well. The choice is yours! See what works and what doesn't for your visitors and you can always readjust the settings at any time. I recommend tweaking the food to make people just a bit thirstier so they have to buy more drinks, but not enough to actually cause your guests to get angry, or for your morality meter to drop too significantly.

The research grid is ultimately your best friend for making money, as the more you research the more options you unlock. In addition to turbines and electricity siphoning you can get upgrades like recycling, to cut down on your trash bill, or sewage recirculation, which I have been too scared to look at the definition of. As mentioned above you can also unlock several different kinds of shops to temp your visitors, as well as ATM machines.

Manage Your Morality in Let's Build a Zoo

Speaking of the morality meter, it's easier to make money if you choose the good or evil morality. Staying neutral has no benefits and flip flopping between the two is a waste of time. Both the good and evil paths have unlockable research nodes that will save you money, and there's usually one for each. For example, under the good morality you can unlock wind turbines which will save you money on your energy bill and can even earn you money if you put in enough investment. On the other hand, for the evil morality you can unlock electricity siphons where you mooch off the local power grid (illegally) and will likewise reduce your electricity bill.

For more guides for Let's Build A Zoo, check below!