Phone Gamer

Broadly speaking, there are two types of mobile gaming apps that pay money:

1. Free apps that pay you to download and test games
2. Gambling and tournament-based games

Here’s how both of these work.

1. Free gaming apps that pay you to play

You might already know that there are websites and apps that will pay you cash to complete small jobs, known as “microtasks.” Often, these consist of taking surveys or watching ads, but some microtasking or “get-paid-to” (GPT) apps will also pay you to try out games.

How to earn cash by playing games on GPT apps

Usually, you can earn money on these platforms by downloading games to your phone or tablet and playing for a certain number of hours or until you reach a certain in-game milestone, at which point you’ll receive a payout.

Microtasking apps like this are free to use and won’t try to trick you into spending anything, which is a big advantage. The catch (and, unfortunately, there is a catch) is that the rates they pay are quite low. We’ll look at how much you can make in more detail later, but in general, you’ll be able to earn just a few dollars per hour, and sometimes not even that much.

This means that testing games on microtasking apps isn’t a practical way to significantly boost your income. If you’re already an avid phone gamer, it can still be a worthwhile way to monetize your hobby, but keep your expectations modest—the money you receive will be a nice bonus, but it won’t change your life.

2. Gaming apps with cash tournaments

Other mobile games give players the opportunity to compete in tournaments for cash prizes. These usually have entry fees, meaning you’ll have to fork over some of your own money to compete in them. This, in turn, means that playing these games is essentially a form of gambling.

These games are sometimes referred to as skill-based games, which is a legal designation. Many US states prohibit betting on games of chance, but allow it on games of skill. App creators are careful to advertise their games as “skill-based” so that they stay on the right side of the law (as well as the companies that run app stores, such as Apple and Google, which are reluctant to allow gambling games on their platforms).

Despite this classification, many apps that are marketed as skill-based still feature a heavy element of luck.

How skill-based (gambling) apps work

When you compete in cash tournaments on games like this, the app will pair you up with other players. If you do better than them (by scoring more points, achieving an objective faster, etc.), you’ll win money.

Again, entering tournaments isn’t free. You’ll generally have to part with your own cash, which you’ll deposit into the app via a debit card, your PayPal account, or another electronic payment method.

Some apps disguise the need to pay by using a credit-based system wherein you pay entry fees with “gems,” “tickets,” or another type of in-app credit. It’s sometimes possible to earn a small number of credits without spending anything (e.g., by watching ads or playing minigames), but this is usually a slow and tedious process. In practice, to acquire enough credits to enter tournaments, you’ll still probably have to pay.

Common types of skill-based games

Many skill-based mobile games are variations on classic board and card games, such as:

• Bingo
• Blackjack
• Dominoes
• Pool/billiards
• Mahjong
• Solitaire

Others are based on arcade games—often matching games, where you have to pair bubbles, gems, or tiles of the same color to clear your screen and win.

As mentioned, playing phone games for money isn’t a very lucrative side hustle. Most of the time, you won’t be able to earn as much from it as you could from a more conventional gig.

Here’s approximately how much you can expect to make from each type of game:

Potential earnings from testing mobile games for free

We’ve extensively tested most of the popular GPT platforms that offer games and usually were able to earn between $1–$5 per hour.

In the long run, that might not be sustainable, as many of these apps start out by giving you enticing bonuses and then taper your earnings off over time. Even if yours remain on the higher end of that range, you’ll be making well under minimum wage.

These platforms are fun to play around with, and they’re decent tools if you want to monetize your down time in a relatively modest way, but any sites that claim you can make big bucks from them are misleading you.

Potential earnings from playing in cash tournaments

Competing in skill-based games isn’t any more lucrative than playing games on GPT apps. In fact, there’s a very real possibility you’ll lose more than you win.

We’ve also tested many of these games, and we frequently ended up either losing money outright or earning a relatively poor return ($1–$2 for a few hours of play).

If you’re a particularly talented gamer, you might have more success—but again, even though these are called skill-based games, winning or losing on many of them essentially boils down to luck. In fact, on some, the odds may actually be stacked against you. At least one major game studio is currently involved in a class action lawsuit alleging that they regularly pit their apps’ users against bots, making it nearly impossible to consistently win.

That isn’t to say that nobody should play these games. Some of them are genuinely fun, and if the idea of betting on tournaments and earning cash prizes appeals to you, that’s fine. The key is to just make sure you’re entering into this side hustle with realistic expectations.

How to cash out your earnings from mobile games

Phone games that pay money offer various ways to cash out. Many will let you withdraw via PayPal, Venmo, or another electronic payment system. Quite a few will also let you trade your earnings in for gift cards to popular retailers, such as Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and so on.

More rarely, you may be able to opt for a paper check (which will be mailed to your address), or even a payment in cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin.

Notably, on gambling apps, if you lose more than you win and decide to cut your losses and withdraw what you have left, you’ll often receive the money as a reimbursement via whatever payment method you originally used to make your deposit.

To earn money as a phone gamer, you usually need to be at least 18 years old. Some (non-gambling) platforms allow younger teens, but if you aren’t a legal adult, you might need parental approval to sign up.

You’ll also need a smartphone or tablet running a relatively up-to-date version of iOS or Android.

Beyond that, you don’t need to meet any special criteria to earn money as a phone gamer. This is a very accessible side hustle that almost anyone can try their hand at.

Special restrictions on gambling apps

Many tournament-based apps are location-restricted. That’s because some states have stricter prohibitions on online gambling than others, which means that they prohibit games of skill as well as chance.

You won’t get in trouble for playing skill-based games regardless of where you are, but if you live in a state that bans them, you won’t be allowed to enter cash tournaments. Check each game’s FAQ page before you download it to see if it allows people from your state to play for (and withdraw) money.

If you’re interested in making money from mobile games, consider starting with one of these. We’ve separated them into three categories:

• Free get-paid-to apps that specialize in games
• Other get-paid-to apps that mainly focus on surveys, but also offer games
• Gambling/skill-based games with cash prizes

The lists below aren’t exhaustive, but we’ve included many of the biggest-name games and platforms, so this is a decent jumping-off point if you want to take phone gaming from a hobby to a small-time side hustle.

5 free gaming-centric GPT apps

These are dedicated gaming platforms that will pay you to play. All of them are legitimate and there are no real risks to using them—there are other ways to make money more quickly, but the only thing at stake with these is your time.

Currently, all of these gaming platforms are solely available for Android devices, not iOS (Apple) devices. If you want to earn money by playing games on an iPhone or iPad, skip down to the next list.

• Mistplay: This is an app that offers free games in a very wide variety of genres, ranging from arcade games to role-playing games (RPGs). You can cash out (via PayPal or by getting a prepaid Mastercard or Visa card) after earning $3, and will receive your earnings in no more than 48 hours.
• Scrambly: Like Mistplay, Scrambly offers mobile games in many genres. Its biggest perk is that it offers instant payouts via various methods, including prepaid cards, PayPal credit, and gift cards. You can cash out after earning just $1.
• Money Well: Money Well is one of Mistplay and Scrambly’s lesser-known competitors. It claims that it will pay you within 2 days of you initiating a withdrawal, which you can do with just $0.50. You can cash out via PayPal or opt for a gift card.
• Freecash: This platform is globally available, and—like Scrambly—offers instant redemption. You can withdraw money after earning $2. Many withdrawal methods are available, including cryptocurrency payments. Like the other platforms in this list, Freecash is only available for Android mobile devices, but there’s an in-browser version you can use on your computer.
• Gamehag: This memorably named gaming platform pays within a few days, and reportedly allows you to redeem your earnings with just $0.05. Like Freecash, it’s available on PCs, as well as Android phones. It offers many redemption options and even lets you transfer your earnings to your Steam Wallet (a great option for gaming enthusiasts).

3 other free GPT apps that offer games

These platforms aren’t as laser-focused on gaming as the first few we listed. They’re mainly known for their paid surveys, which means they might pay you less for testing games, since on them, that’s a sideshow, not the main attraction.

However, they come with a significant advantage: all of them work on both iOS and Android, making them available to a much wider swath of people.

• Swagbucks: This is one of the most popular microtasking platforms in the world. It will pay you to download and try out free games (some of which are gambling games, but you don’t need to actually spend anything on them to get your payout from Swagbucks). You can redeem your rewards via PayPal or as a prepaid card or gift card. The first time you do this, you’ll need to cash out at least $15, but the withdrawal threshold will drop after that (at least to $10, and possibly as low as $1).
• InboxDollars: This platform is run by the same company that operates Swagbucks, and it functions nearly identically—for instance, it features the same withdrawal minimum and payment options. You can get paid to download games to your phone, as well as play them on InboxDollars itself. Here again, be sure to watch out for gambling apps.
• MyPoints: If Swagbucks and InboxDollars aren’t to your tastes, MyPoints is yet another GPT platform that will pay you real cash to test out phone games in various genres. You can withdraw with $15 and receive your money as PayPal credit, a prepaid card, or a gift card for a partnered retailer.

3 platforms with skill-based/gambling games

Lastly, here are several popular platforms that let you bet your own money and enter cash tournaments. Each features multiple games. We’ve tested many of them, and we generally lost more than we made, but if you want to try your own hand at them, your options include:

• Skillz: The Skillz platform features virtual versions of pool, solitaire, blackjack, bingo, and other popular games. You can buy (or earn) credits, called “Ticketz” and “Bonus Cash,” which are transferable from one Skillz game to another.
• Papaya: One of Skillz’s main competitors, Papaya offers a similar selection of games, as well as bubble-matching arcade games. Papaya’s apps are available for Apple and Samsung Galaxy phones, but not other Android devices.
• Pocket7Games: This platform also offers largely the same types of games as Skillz and Papaya, including bingo, solitaire, and pool.

Tournament-based mobile games tend to be quite similar to each other, and all three of these platforms are more alike than they are different. All of them strongly encourage users to deposit money, although it’s sometimes possible to play without doing that. We’ll offer a few tips on how to avoid losing money with a phone gaming side hustle in the selection below.

If you decide to try your luck at playing phone games with cash prizes, bear these tips in mind:

1. Focus on downloading and testing free games

Again, there are two types of games that pay cash: those that are completely free, and those that encourage or require you to gamble.

If your main goal with this side hustle is to make money (rather than to just have fun), focus on the former category. Although they don’t pay very much in absolute terms, the money on them is reliable and consistent. In contrast, when you play skill-based games, you aren’t guaranteed to make anything.

2. If you play skill-based games, avoid betting real money

As we’ve seen, many skill-based games feature “credit” systems, and—although their makers don’t always advertise it—it’s often technically possible to earn credits without spending anything.

Look for games that will reward you with credits for performing small tasks in the app, such as watching ad clips or logging in for a certain number of days in a row.

Earning enough credits to play without spending anything will be difficult and time-consuming, but it’s the best strategy if you want to ensure that you’ll come out ahead.

3. Always read a game’s online reviews before playing it

Some games and platforms are more legitimate than others. The best apps take pains to be transparent about how much you’re making, and pay out quickly and as promised. Others feature confusing rewards and redemption systems and are generally more trouble than they’re worth.

This is especially true with skill-based (gambling) apps. With some, you can realistically hope to make money if you’re talented and just a little bit lucky. With others, virtually all players seem to lose more than they earn.

Check out each game’s reviews on its App Store and Google Play pages before you spend time or money on it. Pay particular attention to whether people are claiming that you’ll mostly play against bots instead of other humans. Games that pit real players against each other are less likely to be rigged than those that make heavy use of bots.

4. Avoid games that make unrealistic claims

Relatedly, if a game’s marketing materials make outlandish claims about how lucrative it is (e.g., “earn $1,000 per month!”), that’s a bad sign. The unfortunate truth is that there just aren’t any mobile games that are that lucrative, and if one claims otherwise, that indicates that the app’s makers are less-than-honest.

Mobile gaming isn’t a very well-covered space, and when you evaluate each app, you’ll often have to judge it based on limited information. If you see anything that looks like a red flag, pay attention to it. There’s no shortage of other games out there that you can spend your time (and money) on.

5. Don’t bet anything you aren’t prepared to lose

If and when you deposit cash on a skill-based game, try to mentally classify it as money that you spent on a hobby, not money that you expect to ever see again. If you do win it back, that’s great—but ultimately, no matter how savvy and skilled you are, there’s no guarantee that you’ll win any given tournament. At best, you can boost your odds.

Be aware that many games will encourage you to spend more money than you were planning to by offering special incentives (e.g., promising you bonuses of credits when you reach a certain spending threshold). Do your best to stick to your budget and avoid getting carried away.