Thrive

Thrive is an economy Power. For the rest of the round you use it in and the whole of the next round, it increases the cash you earn from popping Bloons and from income towers by 25%. It costs 70 Monkey Money and is used up when you drop it.

What Thrive does

• Raises cash from Bloon pops by 25% (30% with Supa-Thrive).
• Raises income from cash-generating towers by the same amount, for example Banana Farms and the Merchantman.
• Lasts for the rest of the current round and the entire following round.
• Does not increase the flat end-of-round bonus.
• Cannot be used in the break between rounds. It has to be dropped while a round is running.
• Since version 28.2 it can no longer be sapped by the Lych.

Pop cash was added in version 25.0. Before that Thrive only boosted farms, which is why older advice calls it a weak Power. Today it is a solid economy tool when used on the right rounds.

How much cash Thrive actually earns

Thrive only multiplies what you were going to earn anyway, so the round matters. Bonus cash from pops alone on Standard rounds:

• Rounds 26 and 27: about $186 ($223 with Supa-Thrive). Barely worth it.
• Rounds 38 and 39: about $690 ($828).
• Rounds 49 and 50: about $1,869 ($2,243).
• Rounds 78 and 79: about $2,804 ($3,364).
• Rounds 83 and 84: about $2,857 ($3,428).
• Rounds 95 and 96: about $3,321 ($3,985).

On top of that comes 25% of your farm income over the two rounds. With a large Banana Farm setup, the farm part can easily be bigger than the pop part.

How to get Thrive

Buy it for 70 Monkey Money, or collect it from:

• Achievements such as Decorated Hero (2 Thrive plus 250 Monkey Money), Knowledgeable Primate (1) and Moving House (1).
• Quests, including the Obyn Greenfoot, Geraldo and Gwendolin tutorials.
• The More Money Pack in the shop, plus daily rewards and event rewards.

Best times to use it

• Rounds 49 and 50. The best early pair. Round 49 is a big mixed wave and round 50 brings Ceramics and two MOABs, so you get almost $1,900 in pop bonus alone at the point where extra cash buys your key tier 4 upgrades.
• Right after a big farm investment. If you just bought Banana Plantations or Banana Research Facilities, Thrive multiplies their income for two rounds.
• Late-game pairs like 78 and 79 or 95 and 96 when you are saving for a Paragon or an expensive tier 5 in a long game.
• At the very start of a round. Use it as soon as the round begins. Turn off fast forward near the end of the previous round and keep Auto Start off, so you are ready to drop it the moment the next round starts. Any pops before you use it do not get the bonus.

Best combos

• Banana Farms. Path 1 farms (Banana Plantation, Banana Research Facility) and Monkey Banks all generate income that Thrive multiplies.
• Merchantman and Favored Trades. Buccaneer income is boosted as well.
• Benjamin. His cash generation makes economy turns stronger, and Thrive on top speeds up the snowball.
• Cash Drop early, Thrive later. Cash Drop is better in the first rounds when $2,500 is a lot of money; Thrive becomes better once your income and pop cash are large.
• Banana Farmer. Collects all those bananas for you so none expire.

Where you can't use it

• Disabled in CHIMPS, Races and ranked Boss Events.
• Disabled in challenges and Quests that turn Powers off, and in the editors' test mode.
• In Contested Territory the Thrive Relic gives two Thrives per game. That is the main place where choosing the right round pair really matters.
• In Odyssey and Rogue Legends only equipped Powers can be used.

Is it worth the Monkey Money?

It depends on when you use it. On rounds 1 to 30 Thrive returns only a few hundred dollars, and a Cash Drop is far better. From round 49 onwards, and especially in farm-heavy games, Thrive can return several thousand dollars for 70 Monkey Money, which is better value than a Cash Drop.

You never need Thrive to beat a map. Use free copies on long games where you are saving for something big, and buy it only if you play a lot of freeplay or Contested Territory. Supa-Thrive adds a fifth to every Thrive, so it is worth a knowledge point if you use them.

Frequently asked questions

What does Thrive do in BTD6?

It increases cash from Bloon pops and income towers by 25% (30% with Supa-Thrive) for the rest of the round and the next round.

Does Thrive work on Banana Farms?

Yes. It boosts income from Banana Farms, Monkey Banks and other cash towers like the Merchantman.

What is the best round to use Thrive?

Rounds 49 and 50 are the best early pair. Later, rounds 78 and 79, 83 and 84, or 95 and 96 give the biggest pop bonus.

Is Thrive better than Cash Drop?

Early on, no: Cash Drop gives $2,500 instantly. In the mid and late game, Thrive usually earns more for less Monkey Money.

Can you use Thrive between rounds?

No. Thrive must be used while a round is running, so drop it as soon as the round starts.

Does Thrive increase the end-of-round bonus?

No. Only pop cash and income from towers are increased.