Meshless methods (MMs) have become interesting and promising methods in solving partial differential equations, because of their flexibility in practical applications when compared with the standard finite-element method (e.g. crack propagation, large deformations, and so on). Implementation of these methods requires a good understanding of the influence of some specific selectable parameters. In this article, those parameters are analysed for one of the most popular MMs, the element-free Galerkin method, considering both accuracy and computational cost. Thus, the dependence of the solutions on grid irregularity, order of the polynomial basis, type of weight function, and the support size is investigated, and conclusions are drawn with respect to recommended or ‘optimal’ values for one-dimensional bar problems with applied axial loads.