This F2P tier list ranks every free drill in Dig a Garden. If you do not want to spend Robux, this guide shows you the best path to end-game content entirely through free gameplay. Free-to-play progression in Dig a Garden is not only viable — it is the intended experience for the majority of players. With offline earnings, group perks, and a clear upgrade ladder, F2P players can compete with spenders on Diglets per hour. The key is understanding which drills to prioritize, when to upgrade, and how to avoid common pitfalls like inventory caps and wasted Diglets on intermediate drills you will quickly outgrow.
F2P Drill Tier List
S-Tier F2P
| Drill | How to Get | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| Mega Borer | ~100K Diglets | Max Diglets/Hour |
The Mega Borer is the only S-tier F2P drill, and it is competitive with the premium Galaxy Drill for Diglets earnings. At roughly 100,000 Diglets, it represents the ultimate F2P goal. Once you fill your plot with Mega Borers, your Diglets income reaches a point where further upgrades are marginal rather than transformative. The Mega Borer excels at raw output — it digs faster, hits deeper soil layers where higher-value items spawn, and generates more Diglets per cycle than any other free drill. Its only weakness is that it lacks the legendary discovery bonus of the Galaxy Drill, but for pure Diglets farming, the gap is negligible.
A-Tier F2P
| Drill | How to Get | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| Deep Piercer | ~50K Diglets | Rare Item Discovery |
| Turbo Digger | ~20K Diglets | Fast Dig Speed |
| Group Drill | Free (join group) | Free Group Perk |
All three A-tier F2P drills are excellent. The Group Drill stands out as free and A-tier — the best value in the entire game. Simply join The Heap group on Roblox and claim your drill at no cost. The Deep Piercer is worth the 50K investment because it reaches soil layers where Scarce and Legendary items appear more frequently, making it the best F2P option for collectors hunting rare finds. The Turbo Digger sacrifices some depth for raw speed, making it ideal for players who check in frequently and want fast inventory fills.
B-Tier F2P
| Drill | How to Get | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Borer | ~5K Diglets | Reliable Mid-Game |
The Standard Borer is your workhorse through the mid-game. It provides a noticeable upgrade over the Starter Drill in both speed and depth, and at 5,000 Diglets it is affordable within your first few days. However, do not over-invest in Standard Borers. Buying more than two or three delays your progress toward Turbo Diggers and Deep Piercers. Treat the Standard Borer as a bridge, not a destination.
C-Tier F2P
| Drill | How to Get | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| Starter Drill | Free | Starting Out |
The Starter Drill is given to every player at the beginning. It is slow, shallow, and quickly outclassed. Replace it with the Group Drill as soon as possible — there is no reason to keep using the Starter Drill once you have joined The Heap group. If you have leftover plot space after placing your Group Drill, a Starter Drill is better than nothing, but prioritize replacing it within your first play session.
Detailed F2P Drill Stats Comparison
Understanding the raw numbers behind each drill helps you make informed upgrade decisions. The table below compares every F2P drill across key performance metrics.
| Drill | Cost (Diglets) | Dig Speed | Max Depth | Items/Cycle | Est. Diglets/Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter Drill | 0 | Slow | Shallow | 1-2 | ~200 |
| Standard Borer | 5,000 | Moderate | Medium | 2-3 | ~800 |
| Group Drill | 0 (group) | Moderate | Medium | 2-3 | ~750 |
| Turbo Digger | 20,000 | Fast | Medium | 2-4 | ~1,500 |
| Deep Piercer | 50,000 | Moderate | Deep | 3-5 | ~2,200 |
| Mega Borer | 100,000 | Fast | Deep | 4-6 | ~4,000 |
How to read this table: Dig Speed determines how quickly a drill completes one cycle. Max Depth indicates the soil layers the drill can reach — deeper layers contain higher-rarity items. Items/Cycle is the average number of items pulled per dig animation. Est. Diglets/Hour assumes you sell items immediately and do not hit inventory caps. Actual earnings vary based on item rarity rolls and how often you empty your inventory.
F2P vs Premium Comparison
A common concern for free-to-play players is whether they are permanently behind spenders. The short answer: not by much. The table below shows how F2P drills stack up against premium options.
| Category | Best F2P Option | Best Premium Option | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diglets/Hour | Mega Borer (~4,000) | Galaxy Drill (~4,500) | ~11% |
| Rare Item Rate | Deep Piercer | Galaxy Drill | Moderate |
| Legendary Find Rate | Deep Piercer (low) | Galaxy Drill (high) | Significant |
| Early Game Power | Group Drill (free) | Any purchased drill | None (F2P wins on value) |
| Offline Earnings | Same system | Same system | None |
The Galaxy Drill's main advantage is legendary item hunting. If your goal is pure Diglets income, the Mega Borer closes most of the gap. For a full breakdown of all drills including premium, see our Complete Drill Tier List.
How to Maximize F2P Earnings
Free-to-play players cannot buy their way past grind walls, so optimizing every Diglet matters. These strategies will accelerate your progression without spending a single Robux.
Claim the Group Drill Immediately
Before you dig your first item, open the Roblox group page for The Heap, join the group, and return to the game to claim your free Group Drill. This single action doubles your early-game earning potential. Place it on your plot right next to your Starter Drill and you will notice the difference within minutes.
Manage Your Inventory Cap
Inventory caps are the silent killer of F2P earnings. When your inventory fills, your drills stop producing — even offline. Check the table below for cap thresholds and recommended sell intervals.
| Drill Setup | Inventory Fill Time | Recommended Check-In |
|---|---|---|
| Starter + Group | ~30 min | Every 20-30 min |
| 2x Standard Borers | ~45 min | Every 30-45 min |
| 2x Turbo Diggers | ~25 min | Every 20 min |
| 2x Deep Piercers | ~35 min | Every 30 min |
| Full Mega Borers | ~40 min | Every 30-40 min |
| Mixed A-tier setup | ~30 min | Every 25-30 min |
If you cannot check in frequently, sell items before going offline and accept that your drills will idle once the inventory fills. For a deeper dive on this mechanic, read our Inventory Cap Guide.
Avoid Over-Investing in Mid-Tier Drills
Every Diglet you spend on a Standard Borer or Turbo Digger is a Diglet delayed from your Mega Borer fund. Use this simple rule: buy the minimum number of mid-tier drills needed to maintain reasonable earnings, then save aggressively for the next tier. Two Standard Borers are enough to carry you to Turbo Diggers. Two Turbo Diggers are enough to carry you to Deep Piercers. Skipping the "fill your plot with mid-tier" temptation saves you thousands of Diglets over the long run.
Leverage Offline Progression
Dig a Garden's offline progression is generous — your drills continue digging while you are away. However, this only works if your inventory has space when you log off. Always sell your items before closing the game. If you know you will be away for 8 hours (school, sleep), your inventory will fill quickly and then your drills go idle. There is no workaround for this as a F2P player besides logging in to sell. Set a reminder on your phone if possible.
The F2P Progression Path
This step-by-step walkthrough covers the optimal upgrade path from your first dig to a full plot of Mega Borers.
| Stage | Drills to Use | Time to Reach | Cumulative Diglets Spent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Group Drill + Starter | Immediate | 0 |
| Week 1 | Add Standard Borers | 1-2 days | ~10K |
| Week 2 | Replace with Turbo Diggers | 3-5 days | ~50K |
| Week 3 | Add Deep Piercers | 5-7 days | ~150K |
| Month 1 | Full plot of Mega Borers | 10-14 days | ~600K+ |
Stage 1: Day 1 — Getting Started
Log in, join The Heap group, claim your Group Drill, and place it immediately. Run both the Starter Drill and Group Drill simultaneously. Sell items every 20-30 minutes. Your goal is to reach 5,000 Diglets for your first Standard Borer. This typically takes 2-3 hours of active play or a full day with offline check-ins.
Stage 2: Week 1 — Building Momentum
Purchase two Standard Borers and retire the Starter Drill. Your plot should now have one Group Drill and two Standard Borers. This triple-drill setup generates roughly 2,350 Diglets per hour. Save toward your first Turbo Digger at 20,000 Diglets. During this stage, log in every 30-45 minutes to sell items and keep your drills running.
Stage 3: Week 2 — The Speed Upgrade
Replace both Standard Borers with Turbo Diggers. Your plot now has one Group Drill and two Turbo Diggers, generating approximately 3,750 Diglets per hour. The faster dig speed means more frequent inventory fills, so increase your check-in frequency to every 20-25 minutes. Start saving for the Deep Piercer at 50,000 Diglets.
Stage 4: Week 3 — Going Deep
Add your first Deep Piercer. You now have access to deeper soil layers where Scarce and Legendary items spawn. Your plot should have one Group Drill, one Turbo Digger, and one Deep Piercer for balanced coverage. Earnings jump to approximately 4,450 Diglets per hour. Continue saving toward the Mega Borer.
Stage 5: Month 1 — The F2P Endgame
Purchase your first Mega Borer and place it on your plot. The difference is immediately noticeable — faster cycles, deeper reaches, and more items per dig. Begin replacing your other drills with Mega Borers one at a time. A full plot of Mega Borers generates approximately 4,000 Diglets per hour per drill, making this the peak of F2P earnings. For help planning your plot layout, see our Plot Optimization Guide.
F2P Item Rarity and Earnings Breakdown
Different drills access different soil layers, and deeper layers contain rarer items. Understanding item rarity helps you decide which drill to prioritize.
| Rarity | Sell Value | Commonly Found By | F2P Drill to Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common | Low | All drills | Any |
| Unusual | Moderate | Standard Borer+ | Standard Borer |
| Scarce | High | Turbo Digger+ | Deep Piercer |
| Legendary | Massive | Deep Piercer+ (rare) | Deep Piercer (best F2P) |
The Deep Piercer is your best F2P tool for rare item hunting. While the Mega Borer earns more raw Diglets per hour, the Deep Piercer's depth advantage means it encounters Scarce and Legendary items more frequently. If you are chasing specific rare items for your collection, keep at least one Deep Piercer on your plot even after upgrading to Mega Borers. For a full rarity breakdown, check our Item Rarity Guide.
Common F2P Mistakes to Avoid
Even experienced players make errors that slow their F2P progression. Here are the most common pitfalls and how to avoid them.
Mistake 1: Filling your plot with Standard Borers. It is tempting to buy five Standard Borers because they feel like a big upgrade over the Starter Drill. However, five Standard Borers cost 25,000 Diglets — more than a Turbo Digger — and produce less total income than two Turbo Diggers plus a Group Drill. Buy two Standard Borers maximum and save the rest.
Mistake 2: Ignoring inventory caps before going offline. If you log off with a nearly full inventory, your drills will stop producing within minutes. Always sell before logging out, even if it feels inconvenient.
Mistake 3: Skipping the Group Drill. Some players do not realize the Group Drill is free and A-tier. If you skip it, you are playing the early game with one drill instead of two, effectively halving your starting income.
Mistake 4: Selling rare items too early. Some rare items have collection value or future quest relevance. Before mass-selling everything, check whether an item is needed for achievements or unlocks. Common and Unusual items are safe to sell immediately.
Mistake 5: Not checking in during offline sessions. The difference between checking in every 2 hours versus every 8 hours is massive. Over a week, frequent check-ins can double your total Diglets earned compared to once-daily logins.
FAQ
Q: Can F2P players reach end-game? A: Absolutely. The Mega Borer is S-tier and free. F2P players can match premium players in Diglets earnings. The only area where F2P falls noticeably behind is legendary item hunting, where the Galaxy Drill's bonus gives premium players an edge.
Q: Is the Galaxy Gamepass needed for end-game? A: No. The Mega Borer provides S-tier performance without spending Robux. The only advantage of the Galaxy Drill is legendary hunting. For pure Diglets income, the Mega Borer is sufficient.
Q: What is the most important F2P drill? A: The Group Drill (free, A-tier) is the most impactful early game. The Mega Borer (S-tier) is the most important late game. If you can only focus on one goal at a time, prioritize the Group Drill first, then save for the Mega Borer.
Q: How long to reach S-tier F2P? A: With consistent check-ins every 2-3 hours, most players reach a full plot of Mega Borers within 1-2 weeks. Casual players who check in twice daily may take 3-4 weeks.
Q: Should I keep a Deep Piercer after getting Mega Borers? A: Yes, consider keeping one Deep Piercer on your plot even after upgrading. The Deep Piercer's rare item discovery rate complements the Mega Borer's raw Diglets output. A mixed plot of one Deep Piercer and the rest Mega Borers gives you the best of both worlds.
Q: What happens if I do not join The Heap group? A: You miss out on the free Group Drill, which is A-tier and costs zero Diglets. This is the single best value in the game for F2P players. Joining the group takes seconds and has no downside — there is no reason to skip it.
Q: Can I reset my plot and get refunds on drills? A: No, drill purchases are final. This is why over-investing in mid-tier drills is dangerous — those Diglets are gone permanently. Plan your upgrades carefully and avoid filling your plot with drills you will replace in a few days.