OSRS F2P Woodcutting Guide: Fastest Ways From 1-99

Woodcutting is a free-to-play skill and can be trained to 99 without having to pay for a membership. It is really simple and requires only an axe to start training. This guide covers the quickest and most profitable methods of training to 99 woodcutting in F2P. To improve experience rates of the methods below, players should drop the logs instead of banking; this will save the time required to make trips to the bank, since banks are usually far from tree spots. We will also explain a method that will increase your experience rates by up to 25% compared to normal training. This is a guide for users who want to reach 99 woodcutting as quickly as possible. If you want a more AFK method, you can find more information in the OSRS AFK Woodcutting Training Guide. 

Requirements

There are no quest requirements for Woodcutting in free-to-play. You simply need an axe and a tree.

However, it’s crucial to upgrade your axe as you level up since higher-tier axes chop trees faster, resulting in significantly more XP per hour.

Start Inventory

Woodcutting Level Requirements for Axes:

•   Bronze/Iron Axe: Level 1
•   Steel Axe: Level 6
•   Black Axe: Level 11
•   Mithril Axe: Level 21 
•   Adamant Axe: Level 31 
•   Rune Axe: Level 41 

1–15 Woodcutting

Tree Type: Normal Trees
Best Location: Between Lumbridge and Draynor Village (northwest area above the pig pen)

Start with an iron axe and begin chopping normal trees near the Draynor Village bank. This area has a lot of trees clustered together, making it a great starting point. 

• EXP/Log: 25
• Logs needed: ~97
• XP per hour: ~8,000–10,000 XP/hour
• Tips:
  
  • Bank your logs or burn them using a tinderbox for Firemaking XP.
  • Burn logs as you cut since you can’t bank.
  • Upgrade to a steel axe at level 6 and a black axe (if you have one) at level 11.
    

15–30 Woodcutting

Tree Type: Oak Trees
Best Locations:

East of Draynor Village Bank

East Rimmington

At level 15, move slightly east to the single oak tree near the Draynor bank. It respawns fast enough that running between trees isn’t needed. Make sure to equip a black axe and change to mithril at level 21 woodcutting.

• • EXP/Log: 37
  • Logs needed: ~65
  • XP per hour: ~20,000–25,000 XP/hour

Tips:

Equip your mithril axe at level 21.

Continue banking or firemaking your logs for efficiency.

30–99 Woodcutting

Tree Type: Willow Trees
Best Locations:

• Draynor Village: Southwest of the bank (most popular spot)

• Rimmington: South of the village by the shore (quiet, ideal for Ironmen)

From level 30 onward, willows offer the fastest XP rates in F2P. The trees respawn quickly and are located near convenient banks. From this point onwards, you have to keep changing the axes. At level 31, change to an adamant and at level 41, change to a rune axe until level 99.

• EXP/Log: 68
• Logs needed to 99: ~191,454
• XP per hour: 35,000–50,000 XP/hour (normal clicking)
• XP per hour with Tick Manipulation: 60,000–70,000 XP/hour
  
  

Tips for Maximum Efficiency

• Make sure you're using the best axe you can for your level and not a lower-level one, as you'll get less EXP per hour.
• For Ultimate Ironmen, always cut and burn logs on-site.
• Set your NPC attack option to “Hidden” to avoid targeting the nearby Dark Wizards in Draynor or anywhere there are tedious NPCs around or random events.
  
  
  

Advanced Technique: Tick Manipulation

(Optional but highly effective)

Using tick manipulation drastically increases XP rates by cutting down the waiting time between logs.

You’ll need a Snow Globe, obtainable during the annual Christmas event. Once you have one:

1. Right-click your snow globe and select “Snow.”
   
2. Alternate clicking between the snow pile and the willow tree seven times.
   
3. Right-click your globe again and repeat the process.
   

When done correctly, no snowballs will appear in your inventory, and you’ll be chopping logs much faster.

It takes practice to master, but at high levels, you can earn 20–25% more XP per hour using this technique.

XP Per Hour Breakdown

Conclusion

Training Woodcutting 1–99 in F2P is simple, relaxing, and profitable if you bank all logs. It's also recommended to drop them for faster EXP rates if you don't mind intese clicking. As said before, while the skill doesn’t require many resources, upgrading your axe regularly and mastering tick manipulation will make your journey much faster.

Stick to willows from level 30 onward, stay consistent, and I promise you'll be the first of your friends to get this skill to 99. Good luck on your grind.