Realistic Economy (Hard Mode): a realistic, tougher economy for American Truck Simulator
ptr1ck slashes job pay, raises fines and changes the bank and XP so you start as a driver and earn your own truck. Updated May 14, 2026.
Download Realistic Economy (Hard Mode): a realistic, tougher economy
More screenshots on Steam Workshop ↗
What this mod does
Realistic Economy (Hard Mode) is a mod by ptr1ck that makes the American Truck Simulator economy more realistic and much tougher. It’s built for slow-paced saves where you start out as a driver and work your way up to your own truck. It has almost 38,000 subscribers.
What changes
- Pay per mile drops from $21.73 to $2.05 on freight and from $24.14 to $2.29 on cargo; the fixed base drops to $300.
- Your drivers earn much less, but hiring them costs $500 instead of $1,500.
- Fixed fines: speeding from $100, skipping a weigh station $300 and avoiding an inspection $500. They no longer double when police are nearby.
- One XP point per mile and no XP for free driving.
- Bank interest 3 to 6 times lower, and a credit limit that starts at 0 and grows with your level up to 150 million.
The values are based on the game’s 1.50 values, and it doesn’t touch the value of each cargo.
Version
The file was updated on May 14, 2026. In the comments, the author replies about a game crash on 1.58 that doesn’t happen on 1.59. It’s about 37 KB.
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User rating
Our rating
0.0 / 5- A much more demanding, realistic save
- Changes pay, fines, the bank and XP
- Very lightweight file
- Latest game version confirmed by the author: 1.59. It may cause errors on 1.61; Holyfix will warn you if so.
- Single-player only: don't use it on TruckersMP or Convoy (multiplayer)
- Back up your profile before using it
- It may conflict with other economy mods: use only one
- XP goes up much more slowly
Requirements
- American Truck Simulator (the author mentions 1.59)
- Steam account to subscribe on the Workshop
- No DLC or other mods required
How to install it
- Open the “Realistic Economy (Hard Mode)” page on Steam Workshop and click “Subscribe”.
- Launch American Truck Simulator and wait for Steam to finish the download.
- Open your profile's Mod Manager and enable the mod.
- It's best to start a new profile: the mod is designed for progressing from driver.
Common problems
How much do you earn with the mod?
Much less: per-mile freight pay goes from $21.73 to $2.05.
Does it change fines?
Yes, they're fixed: for example, $100 plus about $8 for every mph over the limit.
Can I take out loans from the start?
No: at level 0 the credit limit is 0 and it rises with your level.
More mods for ATS
ATS 1.60Requires DLC 
Requires DLCMultiplayer 
ATS 1.58 
ATS 1.58 
ATS 1.59