Don't see anything like this in here. So I've decided to dive the Wiki, and break down the list of player companies by their use cases. Each segment will have a brief explanation, and be in order of start up cost, starting at the low end such as Candle shop. This guide will be edited with new additions over time, so if you're seeing this fresh, it won't remain small for long.
NOOB WORK STAT BOOSTING
There are plenty of companies with both a manger role to boost efficiency of low WS employees, and therefore acting as an indirect trainer, and a trainer role to haisten direct trains, but only TWO selections also have a third factor of using personal job points for work stats, therefore making these two the best at this aim. Also helps that they unlock at 1 star and 3 star respectively.
Clothing store
Lingerie store
CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES
This section will be far larger than just two options, as so many comps offer nerve or skill in some way.
Candle shop
5* plus 2 nerve for 1 point. Only one option for this, but highly spamable.
Fireworks
Same option as Candle, but is a 1* unlock.
Restaurant
At 10* You can use more boosters. More alcohol, more nerve, more crime. (Thank you Wiscacho [3322399] for catching a miss here)
Game shop
Virus code speed at 1* and a mixed bag bonus of nerve/happy/energy at 10
Pub (Arguably the best crime corp at high level)
Only true after 5 stars, but a high NNB account in a nerve faction can have that 25 point full nerve refill be more valuable than the above bonuses. This threshold is 50 total nerve. Below this, candle, firework, and amusement park are more economical. At higher star values you also have stronger alcohol and more max nerve.
Grocery store
5* points for beer.
7* boosted effectiveness of boosters, beer included
Furniture store
5* offers theft specific exp boost. Know what else offers faster crime levels across everything? More nerve. It exists, but... no
Cyber Cafe
Faster coding again. Free viruses, cutting other people's viruses. Honestly a really buggy option 🥁
Law Firm
Bust and bail people from jail. Do OCs that should be more difficult than they are.
Meat Warehouse
Crime options similar to Pub, but unlocks earlier and are weaker. In my opinion, this is where you go if you're not strong enough to get a powerful pub job. A stepping stone. Much easier to join a 5 star of one of these than a 10 star of literally anything.
Car dealership
Fraud EXP. Late 7* unlock too. That is all. Moving on
Software Corporation
Faster viruses and virus attacking again from Cyber Cafe at a much higher start up price.
Nightclub
Isn't illicit service a crime 1.0 thing? Is this single crime bonus obsolete? Even if it's not, that's all this has for crime. Drugs on the other hand? That's for another segment.
Theater
Counterfeit EXP. Moving on
Amusement park
Another +2 nerve that Pub beats after 50 total max, but also grows max nerve itself and if 10* boosts the EXP of everything in the crime tab. Not the strongest pure crime corp, but is up there while also offering a highly sought after service.
Mining corp
Alcohol has lesser impact on booster CD
MONEY MAKING MACHINES
Flower shop
At 7 stars. More flowers, more money. 1 star without flying.
Hair Salon.
Can spy on carried money to mug without waisting energy on guess work at 3 stars.
Property Broker
From top to bottom, almost every perk is money. 1 star is money now. 5 stars removes reason not to anonymously use the item market. 7 stars is basically playing property lottery, and 10 stars decreases build cost of making homes.
Clothing store.
7* mug shield. Not the main attraction like earlier, but is money related.
Restaurant
5* Can sell flame throwers.
Sweet shop
7* can sell E cans
Game shop
3* Is literally a money button
Adult Novelties
1* is a money button, and can sell EDVDs at 3
Lingerie Store.
The real money power is at 10 stars. Fastest flying for free. Getting a small carry boost early, and waived property upkeep later is also powerful. That 10* perk can be used a lot of ways. Simplest is just faster buy flying. Can also team with people in 3* Hair salon to catch people to mug because you are faster than everyone else if you are a 10.
Grocery Store
Can sell consumables of many types.
Toy shop.
No fly plushies, and more fly plushies. Maybe can sell plushy fly intelligence.
Gun shop.
Cheaper ammo. Can choose to sell comp seats to bullet merit hunters. Free guns at 10*
Cyber Cafe
Faster viruses. Instant viruses. Sell them.
Mechanic shop.
Can sell seats to race merit hunters. No crash cost. Selling random cars.
Law firm.
People pay for this kind of spying. Army city job too.
Doing harder OCs means more money paid by faction.
Farm.
More hunt money. Selling Ketamine. Most E to mug at 10*. (Or war)
Car dealership
Sell seats to racers. Cheaper car upgrades. Always item market anonymous.
Software Corporation
Faster viruses to sell. Can steal from a corp who's director cheaped out on stocks.
Fitness center.
Sell seats for faster education and gym power. Nothing to sell or gain directly
Theater
10* blocks what I mentioned about Lingerie/ hair Salon combo. Can't chase what you can't see. Earlier stars hide your stats from muggers.
Amusement park.
The only comp in the game that can sell happy jumps without CD or selling a seat as early as 3*
Cruise line
🎶 watch you fly away. Freeeee bird ya! 🎸 (fly capacity)
Also allows extended gambling with a side of not needing Switzerland unless you OD.
Zoo
Hunting money, Ketamine, and city finds.
Private security firm
Selling random guns. Admittedly at a slow rate of needing 75 points.
Logistics Management.
At 10* You have every other company as a potential customer for buffs to themselves. At 7 you can get bulk items to sell
Mining corp
Selling various OC gear
TV network
Maybe a faction will buy that 1* bonus. Cheaper ads, better spying than Army or hair Salon. Remember Lingerie store? Better partner here because these guys tell you of money AND if they'll kick your ass for trying anything.
Oil rig
Seriously? Why are you reading this? It's a rig.
Everyone knows what they do. Unless of course you're brand new. These guys quazi-own TORN with their massive bank accounts and ability to cripple your progress with happy bombs.
COMBAT CORPS
Candle shop
Energy bump at 7*. Ability to read held levels at 10
Firework stand
Bonus flame thrower stats at 5*. Everything with a trigger and bullets becomes a flame thrower at 10.
Hair salon.
Free EXP early. Slasher melee damage at 10*
Clothing store
Wouldn't be surprised if war faction corps exist here.
Free EXP early. Bonus Dex at 5* and armor boost at 10 (and lets not forget training noobs)
Restaurant
Early, but weak E buff. Melee damage. Free Flamethrowers. Faster hp regen. E cans count as boosters, so more of that if affordable after 10*
Sweet shop
The king of happy jumps is also by extention a vary powerful gym booster. Just out stat everybody and watch as accounts older than yours get smashed under your sugar coated boot. Most true at 10* where you can get E cans and happy spike yourself to the best extent.
Game shop
Console happiness costs E, which can only be fixed at 10* with that mixed bonus. You're not here for combat, but you aren't without something.
Pub
The king of criminality is also minor combat corp with early, but weak E and slasher melee damage. This minor specialization happens before any criminality is possible.
Music store
Happy jumps, early unlocks of bigger gyms. Not getting anonymously attacked, ability to anonymously attack others at 7* with boosted combat stats of 15% across the board at 10
Adult Novelties
If the Sweet Shop is king of happy jumps, then this is his queen. EDVDs to boost stats, especially at 10* where they're worth double. Having enemies miss you with reduced speed at 7 stars also shouldn't be underestimated, especially if you have bachelor's in medicine to boost your own DEX to maximize that perk.
(Question here. Does the 7* perk stack in a group attacks? 🤔 )
Lingerie Store
Best, and most risky stat buff in the game. A whopping 50% boost to speed and dex, if unarmored. Likely you'll die in one hit, if that hit can land that is. 5* starts the gamble!
Grocery store
More, and stronger boosters allows this corp to do anything they want. At 10* you have E cans for free that are already boosted twice at 7 and 3 to ether fight, train, or revive with.
Toy shop.
A happy jump option after 5* making this a money machine/combat hybrid corp with those plushies.
Furniture store
Early, weak E perk. Points for strength that gets boosted later. Attacking bare handed at 10* seems silly though, right? Aside from missions that forbid weapons, why do this?
Gun shop
Cheaper bullets to make OP bullet hoses less scary to use.
Steady supply of enhanced bullets at 3. See target's equipment and bullets at 5. Bring more bullets at 7. Free weapons that use bullets at 10
Did I forget to mention this corp loves bullets?
Meat Warehouse
Faster healing at 10*. This is probably not why you're here. You're looking for a pub later, aren't you, you crime boss? Seriously though. Both a pub and meat warehouse enhance the same play styles, and pub is better at the major, and minor rolls they fill.
Gents strip club
Can't touch me! DEX is everywhere. Bachelor's in medicine required
Ladies strip club
Was that supposed to hurt me? DEF is everywhere. Bachelor's in medicine required
Farm
The only +7E in the game. If you can get to 10* you have the best no $ E possible. Small happy jumps early.
Nightclub
King of drugs. OD? Never heard of it. Addiction? What's that? Xanax spam the entire game to dust!
Fitness center
Gym bros unite! Free strength and all gains boosted twice at 10* Also going to count that EDU speed because an entire section is just killing things. Why here, and not hair salon? Because there, it's a 7* perk, and you probably already have the thing.
Gas Station
Free molitovs, a pretty big speed boost. Healing mid battle! Reduced burn damage to self and more burn damage given. Thank you ThaWh1teSki7tle [2201418]
I do not know how I skipped this.
Zoo.
Weak happy jumps, and a flat accuracy boost at 10*
Cruise line
Addiction lowers stats. This corp is one that stops it, but let's be real. You're here for fly money
Private security firm
Throwing flash! Free weapons, and a set armor boost at 7* Mission creds at 10 for exclusive options more frequently.
Wonder which protection is better. This, or lady strip club?
Logistics Management
Speed early on before you unlock what you're actually looking for. More missions only matters if you're inactive.
Mining corp
Only at all combat oriented after 5*, but those buffs... defense training and boosted life twice at 10.
WHEEEEW! 🥳
All three major categories are DONE!
If I missed anything let me know.
COMPANY SUMMERIES
Oh? You thought I was done here? Nah fam. There's been a few glimpses into doing this already, but under here will be every company and why/when you want in. Just not now.
Adult novelties
You're wanting to ether use or sell happy jumps with a side of combat assistance
Amusement park
You're looking for money out of higher stakes crimes as well as selling unique, no CD happy jumps
Candle shop
You're probably new to Torn. Super low entry that gives light (pun intended) bonuses to anything you can do in game.
Car dealership
You're tired of losing races, and getting mugged for selling things.
Clothing store
Reason changes depending where your progress lies. Newer players flock to that WS train, older players ether provide that or are after those combat perks.
Cruise line
You're as much a fly addict as frogs. Ironic, as you're also fixing your drug problems.
Cyber Cafe
In for the long haul for making money. This is slow, but each hit is powerful.
Detective agency
Playing the cop in a crime game. Vetting people, likely for a price, and screwing up people's flights, also likely for a price or a war. You're here likely looking for merits only possible at this corp. Isn't that 10* ability just page 1 of bounties?
Farm
Lower levels are geared towards training and hunting, while later levels send you to the market or into people's pockets for a nasty surprise.
7E clicks are powerful, but 10* is highly competitive. You're here because you ether don't want to specify a game plan early, or are a veteran trying to fight for maximum energy.
Firework stand
You want to do crime, and fight while being unwilling to fully commit to ether one. A great hybrid until 10* where everything is a Flamethrower
Fitness center
Honestly one of the simplest corps to understand. Everything is about gym gains besides the auto heal and education. You're here to ether boost EDU as a noob or run past your peers in battle stats.
Flower shop
You're here for simple cash, but have to memorize which countries have good flowers. The ability to freely spam drugs without nerfing yourself keeps for from dying to easy fights.
Furniture store
Good for combat as you get free E, strength twice, and weaponless attack damage at 10* for when a high dex/def targets empty your weapons and live. Or just for scoring 1000 punch and kick kills for the honor bar of 1000 kills of every weapon class. (War machine)
Game shop
Almost purely a money corp, with a side of happy jumping.
Gas station
Purely a fighting corp. Fire bombing everything better than anyone else, and being more accurate on turns in general while refusing to die as you heal mid fight. Probably need good armors to use that last bit though.
Gents strip club.
You want to fight, and make your enemies waist their ammo. The best combat corp at making you win via being healthier when weapons run dry as your DEX is unrivaled. Ofc, corps with speed boosts, or more ammo counter this.
Grocery store
You don't really have a direction, so you choose to boost every aspect of TORN at once. More, and stronger boosts to happy, nerve, and energy to do more in basically every direction.
Gun shop
Maybe you're only merit hunting those special bullet honor bars. Maybe you want to stay long term to have a leg up on everyone else by having the biggest bullet.
Hair salon
You probably want faster leveling and accurate mugging to fuel your hastened EDUs
Lady strip club
Only one reason to be here. Become a wall and refuse death
Law firm
You're getting paid to break the jail and help people kill each other.
Lingerie store
You're riskinh no defense in order to finish battles quickly while rushing your END stat and flying like nobody else can (at 10*)
Logistics Management
Even if you're not a 10* to provide that comp boost any director would buy, you're still speed amping and avoiding lost time in a foreign hospital.
Currently out of time. TO BE CONTINUED