Phasmophobia allows players to dive as deeply into terror and difficulty as they would like, and they do so with varying difficulty levels that the player, or party leader, can select while setting up a mission. The true name of the game is climbing the difficulty as high as possible to ensure the best possible payouts, while not meeting an untimely demise at the hands of some otherworldly spirit. Higher difficulties increase the risk, but the reward as well, so what difficulty level is ideal?

A note on maps

There are differing map sizes within Phasmophobia, and this size is taken into account when determining the payout for the primary objective, which is discovering which type of ghost is haunting the location. This is then multiplied based on the difficulty level.

  • Small — $10Medium — $30Large — $50

Amateur difficulty in Phasmophobia

Amateur is where players will likely begin their ghost-hunting adventures, as it gives ample time for new investigators to discover how certain systems and mechanics, such as sanity levels in Phasmophobia, operate with players and the spirits. It also offers the lowest payouts available, although, at this stage, any amount of income is welcome.

  • No multiplier for Objective 1Cash rewards value $10 per objective on 2, 3, and 4Five minutes of setup time where the ghost cannot enter a hunt unless a cursed possession is usedShortest hunt period, with a long post-hunt cooldownSanity pills restore 40 points of sanity per useInsurance offers 50% value of lost items (all items brought on the truck by a deceased member)

Intermediate difficulty

This difficulty eases players towards the next difficulty and is a decent halfway step while players rank to level 15 to unlock Professional mode. Reward multipliers are in effect starting with this difficulty level, but certain mechanics such as a setup time are available for players.

  • Doubled cash rewards on all 4 objectivesTwo and a half minutes of setup time where the ghost cannot enter a hunt unless a cursed possession is usedSlightly longer hunt time, more active ghost activitySanity consumed 50% faster, pills return 35 points per use25% insurance valueThe fuse box starts in the off position, and must be turned on by investigators — this remains true for all advancing difficulties

Professional difficulty

Professional difficulty unlocks at level 15, and both strategies and knowledge of mechanics are necessary to succeed here. The offered value, however, it’s difficult to beat if you can live through it. It’s recommended for players looking to earn cash quickly in Phasmophobia to operate at this difficulty level.

  • Tripled cash rewards on all objectivesDoubled experience gained for completing objectivesNo setup time — the game begins once the front door is unlockedDoubled sanity consumption, and 30 points restored per sanity pill usedGhosts may wander between rooms, and the objective board will not specify how best to reach the spiritMany hiding spots will be blockedInsurance is disabled

Nightmare difficulty

Nightmare is a brutal challenge for even the most experienced ghost hunters. Ghosts will hide one type of evidence randomly, making it difficult to determine what ghost type it is without analyzing behavioral patterns. Further, the two bottom screens within the truck are broken, making it difficult to figure out where your level is and the activity level of the spirit. If you can reliably manage it, however, the payout is worth the extra brain power necessary.

  • Quadrupled (4x) all cash rewards250% experience gainedDoubled sanity consumption with 25 points returned per pillThe ghost is more likely to wander from its starting roomHiding spots are almost all disabledLongest hunting phase, with hunting phase extended per kill the spirit can achieve