Hay Day is one of the most popular farming simulator games available on mobile devices. In Hay Day, you start with an empty farm and slowly build it up by harvesting crops, raising animals, and completing tasks. As your farm grows, you gain experience points (XP) and level up. Reaching new levels unlocks important items like machines and decoration, so leveling up faster can give you a big advantage.
In this comprehensive guide, we will cover all the best tips, tricks, and strategies for leveling up your Hay Day farm super fast. Whether you are just starting out or looking to power-level a high-level farm, you’ll find plenty of actionable advice to help you gain XP and rank quicker in Hay Day.
How Leveling Works in Hay Day
Before diving into leveling tactics, it’s important to understand precisely how the Hay Day leveling system works.
XP is earned by completing almost any activity on your farm – harvesting crops, collecting animal products, filling boat orders, building structures, completing achievements, and more. Each action awards a certain amount of XP, which accumulates to eventually level you up.
The amount of total XP required to reach each new level increases as you progress. The first 15 levels can fly by quickly, but the XP requirements slowly ramp up so higher levels take longer to attain.
Your current level is displayed prominently in the top left corner of the screen. You’ll also see a progress bar showing how close you are to reaching the next level.
Some key facts about gaining XP and levels:
- XP carries over even if you don’t reach the next level before logging off.
- There is no level cap – you can reach level 100+ with enough grinding.
- Higher-level players earn XP at the same rate as new players.
- The maximum rate you can gain XP is about 70,000 per day.
Now that you understand how the leveling system works, let’s get into the best ways to earn XP quickly and power through levels.
1. Plant and Harvest Wheat
One of the simplest go-to strategies for gaining XP fast is to plant and harvest wheat repeatedly. Here’s why wheat is an efficient way to farm XP:
- Wheat crops grow quickly, ready to harvest in only 1 minute.
- Each wheat crop awards 25 XP when harvested.
- Wheat sells for a small amount of coins, so you earn money while gaining XP.
- No machines are needed to plant or harvest wheat.
To start your wheat XP farming:
- Plant as much wheat as you can fit on your farm, using all available plots.
- Set a timer for 1 minute then return and harvest all the grown wheat.
- Replant wheat on all the same plots immediately.
- Repeat the process continuously!
Tip: Plant wheat in long rows with 1 empty square between each pair of rows. This makes harvesting quicker since you don’t have to tap each individual crop.
If you plant on 20 plots, you can harvest about 480 wheat crops per hour. That’s 12,000 XP per hour just from wheat! Combine this with other activities like filling boat orders and you can power through early levels.
Later on, you can scale up wheat production by purchasing more land and hiring farm hands to harvest. With enough plots and helpers, you can potentially farm over 70,000 XP per day using just wheat.
2. Always Have Town Orders Queued Up
Fulfilling orders for town visitors is another reliable way to earn XP steadily. Each town order completed awards XP based on the difficulty, from around 100 XP for small orders to 400+ XP for large boat orders.
To optimize town order XP:
- Check town frequently for new orders and accept them immediately.
- Keep multiple orders queued up so you always have some close to completion.
- Fulfill boat orders as soon as you can for the biggest XP payouts.
- Use Tom to refresh order boards for fast order turnover.
Having a constant stream of town orders finishing will earn you thousands of XP daily. Make supplying the town a top priority along with your other farming activities.
Pro Tip: Town visitors sometimes request specific crops like corn or carrots. Always plant a few of each crop type before logging off so you can immediately serve orders requesting them.
3. Knock Out Achievements
Completing achievements is a simple way to grab big chunks of XP quickly. Most achievements award hundreds or thousands of XP the first time you complete them.
Some good starter achievements to target:
- Plow 10 fields – 200 XP
- Harvest 50 wheat – 300 XP
- Collect from 20 fruit trees – 800 XP
- Complete 10 boat orders – 2,000 XP
- Own 5 farm animals – 1,500 XP
Check the full achievement list frequently and actively work toward completing ones that offer large XP rewards. Many can be combined with your regular farming routine.
Achievements are also recurring – once you complete one, you can complete it again for more XP. Build production buildings like bakeries and dairies to unlock their recurring achievement lines.
4. Invest in XP Boosting Buildings
Certain buildings in Hay Day directly boost how much XP you earn from different actions. Prioritizing these buildings can help accelerate your leveling:
Lure Shop
- Awards bonus XP for fishing.
- Up to 20% XP boost at max level.
Cinema
- Awards bonus XP for boat orders.
- Up to 30% XP boost at max level.
Jeweler
- Awards bonus XP for mining.
- Up to 25% XP boost at max level.
Having all 3 buildings fully upgraded makes a significant impact on your XP rates. Rush to build and upgrade them as soon as possible.
For maximum effect, use diamonds to instantly finish upgrade times. This allows you to start benefiting from the XP bonuses faster.
5. Plant and Harvest Cotton
Once you unlock cotton, it becomes one of the most efficient crops for farming XP:
- Mature cotton awards 110 XP when harvested.
- Cotton regrows after harvesting for unlimited harvesting.
- No replanting is required like wheat.
To take advantage of cotton:
- Plant cotton on all fields during early levels when space is limited.
- Upgrade cotton fields to split them into more harvestable plants.
- Eventually, fill all expansion areas with max-level cotton.
With enough cotton fields, you can get over 50,000 XP per day just from harvesting repeatedly!
Combine your cotton harvesting with checking on animals, fulfilling orders, and crafting items to maintain rapid leveling in the mid and late-game.
6. Fulfill Requests in Paper
The newspaper is a great source of extra XP that many players overlook. You can gain thousands of XP per day just by fulfilling requests:
- Browse the paper and help neighbors with requests like materials and tools.
- Complete truck orders posted in the paper that award big XP payouts.
- Check the paper frequently for new requests.
Helping with requests builds your reputation score too, unlocking more XP opportunities. Prioritize requests that reward the most XP to maximize your leveling.
Tip: Don’t overlook the small ads either. You can exchange materials you have for ones you need, earning up to 200 XP with each trade.
7. Manufacture and Sell Items
Another Background XP farming method is producing and selling items from your production buildings. Here’s how it works:
- Build production buildings like the bakery, dairy, sugar mill, etc.
- Continuously make items and sell the products.
- Each item crafted and sold earns XP.
Scale up production with more buildings and machines to process a high volume of items. Items like apple pies and cheese are fast to make and sell reliably.
For maximum earnings, keep queues full, collect frequently, and sell immediately. This production loop takes some effort but awards solid XP over time.
8. Activate XP Boosters
XP boosters are consumable items you can use to increase XP earned from all actions for a limited time. Using boosters effectively can really accelerate leveling up:
10% XP Boosters
- Last 1 hour real-time.
- Awarded from daily login rewards.
- Ideal for big harvesting or order completion sessions.
50% XP Boosters
- Last 1 hour real-time.
- Rarely awarded from Mystery Nest boxes.
- Extremely powerful – ideal for pushing through tough levels.
Activate an XP booster right before you plan to play actively for an hour. Schedule big harvests, boat order turn-ins, and other high XP activities during booster time to maximize the bonus.
You can also purchase 1-hour 50% XP boosters with diamonds in the newspaper. Use them wisely when you need to power through levels.
9. Expand Your Land
A great way to scale up your ability to gain XP is by expanding your farm with more land. More land allows you to:
- Plant more wheat and cotton.
- House more farm animals.
- Build additional production facilities.
Focus on clearing land expansion areas as soon as you can afford them. Fill the new plots with XP-boosting crops and buildings.
Wheat and cotton are inexpensive crops to plant on new plots for quick returns. You can also move existing crops over from your starter farm.
Expanding land takes time and coins, but the long-term XP gains make it well worth the investment. More land means faster leveling up!
10. Upgrade Machines and Hire Helpers
Upgrading machines and hiring farm hands are two more ways to drastically increase your ability to gain XP:
Upgrade Machines
- Faster production = more items crafted and sold.
- Splurge on instant upgrades with diamonds.
- Prioritize bakery, dairy, sugar mill, etc.
Hire Farm Hands
- Automate harvesting and production activities.
- Each helper boosts your effective XP per hour.
- Save time by having them work as you play.
Again, spend diamonds to instantly hire farm hands if you really need to power level. The time savings add up to thousands more XP per day.
11. Host Visitors for Big Orders
When a visitor arrives at your farm, you can tap on them to serve a special order. These orders award very high XP – often 4,000+ XP per order!
Visitors spawn more frequently as you level up. To take advantage:
- Check your farm for visitors frequently.
- Maintain sufficient stock to fulfill large orders.
- Refresh visitors with diamonds to generate more orders.
Visitor orders give giant boosts of XP but can take some time to complete. They are worth the investment if you want to level up your farm faster!
12. Fish for XP
Fishing is a relaxing activity in Hay Day, but it also rewards decent XP if you invest some time:
- Fishing hauls award XP for each fish caught.
- Use Tom to refresh fishing spots for faster fishing.
- Bigger hauls at higher fishing levels.
Combine fishing with other activities by setting up fishing rods harvesting, crafting, etc. Collect hauls whenever rods finish.
As your fishing level increases, upgrade to better rods and lures to improve haul sizes. The lure shop boosts fishing XP gains as well.
13. Play Consistently
The key to rapid leveling is playing actively and frequently. More time invested means more XP earned:
- Check-in throughout the day to harvest and replant crops.
- Log in first thing in the morning and before bed to start production.
- Fulfill a steady stream of orders for passive XP.
Avoid long gaps where your farm sits idle. Have crops, machines, and farm hands continually generating XP.
Set reminders to collect items if you can’t check in consistently. Maintain an efficient system.
With a bit of dedication, you can easily exceed 50,000 XP per day. Play regularly and your levels will skyrocket!
14. Use Diamonds Strategically
While Hay Day is enjoyable as a free player, using real money can give your leveling a boost:
- Spend diamonds to instantly finish upgrades and building.
- Use diamonds to hire farm hands right away.
- Refresh town visitors with diamonds for more orders.
With enough diamonds, you can shave hours or even days off your leveling time. Use them wisely on upgrades that award the most XP.
Of course, you can level up steadily for free as well. But judicious use of diamonds can accelerate the grind significantly.
15. Develop Planning and Strategy
Efficient farming requires planning your activities and resources. Prepare strategies to maximize XP:
- Know which orders award the most XP and prioritize them.
- Only grow crops useful for orders or with good XP returns.
- Focus expansions and upgrades on XP-boosting buildings first.
Study the XP yields of different activities and make plans to push your earnings higher. Avoid wasting time on non-essential tasks.
Think strategically about what you need to unlock at your next level and take targeted steps to get there quicker. Consistent planning ensures rapid progress.
Top Tips for Power Leveling in Hay Day
Here are some final tips to help you optimize your XP gains and achieve the fastest leveling possible:
Plant in Quantity
Fill every plot with wheat or other fast XP crops. Scale up as you expand. More crops = more harvesting XP.
Use All Resources
Plant on the entire farm, make items in all machines and fulfill orders with all townsfolk simultaneously for compounding XP.
Pre-Plan Upgrades
Map out expensive upgrades required to unlock key buildings and save up accordingly. Construction time does not block XP gains.
Destroy Obstacles Early
Clear stones, trunks, and weeds as soon as possible. The XP adds up and makes room for more crops sooner.
Don’t Ignore Small Gains
Even feeding animals and collecting pet houses award a bit of XP. It all contributes to leveling up faster!
With dozens of ways to earn XP, you have countless options to design a power leveling plan in Hay Day tailored to your playstyle. Use these tips to create an optimal mix of activities that maximize your XP rates.
Monitor your XP progress, stay consistent with farming and orders, and utilize every booster available. Combining these best practices will have you climbing the levels faster than you ever thought possible in Hay Day!
Common Roadblocks to Fast Leveling
While utilizing the tips in this guide will accelerate your leveling dramatically, you may encounter some common roadblocks that slow down progress:
Running Low on Coins
Purchasing land expansions, upgrades, and resources to fulfill town orders can quickly drain your coins. Make sure to balance XP-earning activities with coin-generating tasks:
- Plant wheat and sugarcane to profit while gaining XP from harvesting.
- Prioritize orders for town visitors that pay well.
- Check the newspaper for material trading opportunities.
Place a few product machines like bakeries in expansion areas – their output sells for good coin. Selling spare materials and fruit also provides income.
Waiting on Crop Growth Times
Crops like carrots and potatoes have long growth times, limiting how fast they can be harvested. Use the following tips to overcome growth delays:
- Only plant crops with 1-2 minute growth times like wheat and cotton.
- Use diamonds to instantly finish crop growth when you need a boost.
- Queue up town orders that require longer growth crops in advance.
Avoid tying up farm space in slow-growing crops. Stick to quick harvests for rapid XP.
Running Out of Materials for Town Orders
Fulfilling boat orders awards lots of XP but uses up materials quickly. Avoid depletion by:
- Planting materials like corn and sugarcane in advance.
- Checking the paper to replenish low materials with trades.
- Using diamonds and Tom to refresh order boards for easier orders.
Make sure your production plan supports a balance of selling crops and fulfilling town orders simultaneously.
Low Energy and Diamonds
Activities like harvesting crops and fulfilling boat orders drain energy. Diamonds are used up quickly on speed boosts. Replenish your supplies using:
- The daily free energy and diamonds from spinning the wheel.
- Free diamonds from completing achievements.
- Special event rewards that provide diamonds.
Be selective in spending diamonds only on big XP boosts. Space out boosts to avoid energy drain. Patience pays off!
With some strategic planning, you can overcome these roadblocks and keep your leveling speed high. Monitor your coin income, crop queues, material stocks, and diamond spending to level up smoothly.
Maintaining Rapid Leveling in the Long Term
The early levels fly by quickly, but how do you maintain swift leveling into the later high levels? Follow these tips:
Expand Your Land
Keep purchasing additional expansion areas whenever possible to grow your farm size. Scale up your crop production and factories to match.
Automate Harvesting and Production
Use farmhands, machines, and smart planning to automate harvesting on many crops simultaneously.
Balance Coins and XP
Ensure your level push has enough income from town orders and sales to sustain itself. Avoid overcommitting to XP activities.
Upgrade Key Buildings First
Maximize XP boosts by focusing upgrades on your lure shop, cinema, and jeweler. Discount other buildings initially.
Take Advantage of Events
Limited-time events will bonus XP on certain activities – adjust your strategy to capitalize during each event.
Monitor XP Per Hour
Calculate your hourly XP rates to see the impact of new methods. Tweak activities to increase this rate.
With the right balance of preparation, resource management, and strategic activity choices you can maintain rapid leveling well into the triple digits.
Use these tips and tricks to create an optimized leveling plan tailored to your playstyle and available time. With the knowledge from this guide, you are well-equipped to power through levels faster than ever. Soon you’ll have an elite high-level farm and unlock all the best content Hay Day has to offer. Happy farming!