Best App To Earn Money By Playing Games

• Free Games Earn Money
• Best App To Earn Money By Playing Games To Play

Want to play games AND make real money? Here are 10 apps that pay you to play games online.

Swagbucks is again a free mobile app that pays you money for performing various tasks online like watching videos and playing games. Each point you earn in SwagBucks is called ‘Swag Buck’ or SB in short. To get started, simply download the Swagbucks app for your device and create your account.

1. Best Game Apps to Win Money. There are lots of apps that can earn you money just for using them. If you find you’re spending many hours mindlessly playing Candy Crush or Two Dots, try switching to one of the options below. This way, you’ll actually make money and have some mindless fun while you play.
2. The Givling App is unique in that you get the chance to earn money, but you also help others in the process. With the Givling app, you play trivia games. When you initiate play, you join a three-person team. You answer statements with either true or false until you strike out or reach the statement limit.

Sometimes you just want to play. But your wallet and your friends are telling you that you've got to hustle.

It can start feel like life is all about money.

Good news is, fun time doesn't have to be wasted time.

While there are scams out there, and some games that pay so little as to not be worth your time, we've found the ones that will give you the most bang for your buck. Here's a list of the best online games that pay you to play.

• Swagbucks - Best Online Games
  
• Inboxdollars - Earn with Paypal
  
• Mistplay - On Android Only
  
• Long Game - iOS Games
  
• Lucktastic - Play Free
  
• Bingo Mania - Play on PC
  
• Swagbucks Live - Mobile Play
  
• Brain Battle - Google Play and iTunes Store Games
  
• Bananatic - For STEAM Gamers
  
• GSN Cash Games - Play On Your Phone

1. Swagbucks - Best Online Games

Earn Swagbucks for things you already do: shopping, watching videos, answering surveys—and, of course, games.

You can buy tokens to play lots of well-known titles like Angry Birds, Bejeweled, and Scrabble Cubes.

Redeem your earnings in gift cards to well-known retailers or cash. Games aren't the highest paying activity on Swagbucks, but if you were going to play anyway, you might as well get paid for it.

Swagbucks is free to play, and open to anyone age 13 and up, which makes it a great option for teens to make money online. Plus, there's a good chance that you can play even if you live outside of North America. Earn an easy bonus Swagbuck each day by answering their daily poll.

What You Can Earn

• Earnings average out around $1 per hour.
  
• Payout: Paypal, Gift Cards, and e-Gift Cards

2. Inboxdollars - Earn with Paypal

Want your earnings deposited directly into your checking or savings? Check out Inboxdollars. They've got over 30 free arcade games, like solitaire and sudoku, which you were already doing when your boss's back was turned.

They're connected to the GSN (Game Show Network) as well, which means you can play in tournaments and get cash back through your Inboxdollars account.

You must be at least 18 years old and have a valid email address to use Inboxdollars. While it does have a relatively high minimum to request payment at $30, the company has an A Rating from the Better Business Bureau, so you can be confident that your money and your time are in good hands.

What You Can Earn

• Earn $10 a day to start, or between 25 cents and $5 per activity.
  
• Payouts: Paypal or Check

Learn More: Review of Inboxdollars

3. Mistplay - On Android Only

Play games and chat with friends on your Android with Mistplay. They have super popular titles like Rise of Kingdoms and Coin Master.

Get paid in gift cards for Amazon, Visa, or the Google Play Store, among others, and enter to win larger prizes like legit game consoles.

Sadly, Mistplay isn't available in the iOS App Store just yet, but you can sign the waitlist on their website.

Anyone over 18 years old can use Mistplay, but if they find out you're younger and have lied about your age, your rewards will be rescinded.

What You Can Earn

• Between $10-$20 per week
  
• Payouts: Gift Cards, Google Play Store Credit, iTunes Credit

4. Long Game - iOS Games

This innovative app is designed to reward you for saving money. As it says on their site: 'Save more to play more.'

Connect your bank account to the app, deposit funds into your savings, and earn tokens to play games like Spin to Win, Lucky Slots, and Scratchers, where you can earn real money.

Earn coins by meeting savings goals and use them to enter for prizes in cash, crypto, and free game play. What's more, your Long Game savings earn interest at 0.1% APY.

Like a real savings account, Long Game funds are FDIC insured, so you can feel safe about using the app. Due to the direct deposits, you'll need an active bank account to sign up.

What You Can Earn

• The 0.1% return on savings that the App offers is better than many traditional savings accounts
  
• Payouts: Bank Deposits

5. Lucktastic - Play Free

Used all your quarters for laundry, but still want to scratch-and-win? Lucktastic has you covered. Win gift cards, cash, and other prizes, up to $1 Million. Lucktastic is free to play, with no in-app purchases.

Like the name suggests, Lucktastic is all about luck. Your chances of winning depend on how many other people are playing or entering contests. But since it costs nothing, there's no harm in trying your luck.

Lucktastic is mobile only, which means you'll need an Apple or Android device to play. Users must be US citizens of at least 13 years of age, with GPS location services enabled on their phone or tablet.

What You Can Earn

• $5 - $10 a month
  
• Payouts: Cash, Gift Card, or Check

Learn More: Review of Lucktastic

7. Bingo Mania - Play on PC

Bingo Mania is one of the first real money Bingo sites on the net.

They've got slots, video poker, table games, lottery games too. The site, available on desktop and mobile, offers card prices from $.01 to $5, with reported winnings as high as $27,000.

Their games aren't free to play, but as of writing they offer a $100 sign up bonus.

Remember: this is gambling, so you must be over 18, and you should never risk more than you can afford.

What You Can Earn

• Payouts start at a minimum of $100 and go up to $2500 a week, but your actual winnings are up to chance
  
• Payouts: Check

8. Swagbucks LIVE - Mobile Play

Formerly known as Swag IQ, Swagbucks LIVE is another gameshow-style app. Take advantage of your knowledge of trivia to earn real money rewards. You have 10 seconds each to answer 10 multiple choice questions.

Compete for prizes of (typically) $500-$1,000, but sometimes more, and earn Swagbucks in the process. It's worth noting that even if you win, the prize is split between all of the other winners, too.

What You Can Earn

• Earn around 5 Swagbucks per game, in addition to your cut of the prize money if you win.
  
• Payouts: Gift Cards and Paypal Cash

9. Brain Battle - Google Play and iTunes Store Games

Lots of free-to-play games make their money in advertising. Play Brain Battle and you have a chance to take a cut. (You don't even have to win.)

All you have to do is play any of their free games to earn tickets, which you can enter into drawings for cash prizes.

Just download their app on the Google Play Store or the iOS App Store, play, and enter to win.

What You Can Earn

• 10k are worth 10 cents, as well as entering for cash prizes, which can go as high as $10,000
  
• Payouts: Paypal

10. Bananatic - For STEAM Gamers

Get access to new games before anyone else with Bananatic. Play, and provide helpful feedback to developers who then use your insights to make their games better.

Earn 'Bananas' as you play and exchange them for game keys on STEAM, game hardware, gift cards, and more.

The range of games available is quite impressive, with dozens, if not hundreds of titles to choose from, many of which you've heard of.

What You Can Earn

• Most activities will earn you 100 bananas. A $5 Amazon gift card costs 2500
  
• Payouts: Paypal, Gift Cards, STEAM Wallet

11. GSN Cash Games - Play On Your Phone

With GSN Cash Games, play games against other players to win real money.

Now, these games aren't free to play, but when you make a deposit you can earn Bonus Bucks (not redeemable for cash), which can be used to enter into cash tournaments.

Thanks to their 'matchmaking' algorithm, you're matched against players of comparable skill, so you always have a chance of winning. Choose from games like Solitaire Rush, Bejeweled 2, and Wheel of Fortune, to name a few.

What You Can Earn

• Don't expect any sort of consistent income from GSN Cash Games. There's always the chance you'll win a large prize, but as with all gambling, you'll probably lose more often than you win.
  
• Payouts: Bank Deposit

Other Gaming Apps to Consider

If even this extensive list wasn't enough to quench your thirst for games that pay to play, here are some other fun options to try.

• Twitch
  Become a Twitch affiliate to live stream your gameplay with fans and subscribers. Once you build a successful channel with a reliable audience, you can turn this hobby into ad revenue.
• Pogo
  Earn pre-paid credit cards and merchandise prizes while playing over 50 casual games like Solitaire and Monopoly. Pogo used to offer Jackpot prizes, but the practice was discontinued.
• Gamesville
  Play a variety of Bingo, card games, and more on Gamesville, one of the longest running gaming sites online. Earn gift cards or cash prizes ranging from $5 - $100.
• Paid Game Player
  Paid Game Player offers puzzles, arcade, word & trivia, and casino-style games. It's unlikely you'll make a lot of money playing here, but you can earn for taking surveys, completing offers, or clicking on ads.
• Second Life
  Second Life is more of an online sandbox than a game. There is no specific goal, other than to have fun. It's not the first place you should look if you want to make money playing games, but it is possible to turn your creativity into real money.
• Big Time Cash
  Play from over 600 games and earn tickets to enter drawings for cash prizes. The more tickets you get, the more chances you have to win.
• Clip2Play
  Take part in daily tournaments where the winners earn prizes at the end of the day. You can also earn points by referring friends. Get enough and you can exchange them for cash.

What apps should you avoid?

Not all promises that you can earn money playing games are legitimate, and some apps and games are actual scams that you ought to avoid. Here's a list of apps and games that you might want to give a wide berth.

Givling
While Givling, another rapid-fire trivia game, appears to be a legitimate place to win money on first glance, the path to success may be more costly than the developers would have you believe.

Winning with Givling requires being at the top of their queue every two weeks when the jackpot is awarded, and while there are free ways to move up--like playing games and watching ads--it seems that much of your chances depend on spending money on the app or with Givling's sponsors, sometimes to the tune of thousands of dollars, and even that's no guarantee.

Any app that incentivizes you to pay to win is gambling at best, and should not be considered a viable way to earn money.

Lucky Day
While Lucky Day appears popular when you search online, the app appears to be employing suspicious practices in order to prevent users from reaching the $10 minimum required to cash out.

Some users have reported getting stuck at the $9.90 mark with no way to advance, and even asked to spend money in order to increase their chances of earning. Further, according to reviews, users who do manage to achieve the $10 minimum may suddenly find all of the gift cards out of stock in the online store.

When in doubt, follow the reviews of other users. If they are overly rosy, but seem like they weren't written by real people, or all five-star, but full of criticism, it is likely because the apps are attempting to cheat the system. And remember, any game that asks you to pay to win is either a casino in disguise, or an outright scam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your questions answered about earning money playing games online. Not all games are the same, and not all are transparent about their policies, but based on some common metrics and best practices, you should be able to judge for yourself whether a game is worth your valuable time.

How long does it take to get paid?

• Swagbucks - 10 Days
  
• Inboxdollars - 10 Days
  
• Mistplay - 48 Hours
  
• Long Game - 3-5 Business Days
  
• Lucktastic - 2-4 Weeks
  
• Bingo Mania - Payouts are processed every Monday

How do I know if a game is legit?

If you're wondering whether a game or site is legit, there are a number of clues to look for.

Do reviews sound like they were written by real people?
Positive reviews on the App Store, the Google Play Store, or the product website are obviously a good sign, but make sure they sound like they were written by actual users—and be sure to check the text. Some sites will incentivize their users to give 5-star ratings, but the reviews themselves may be negative.

How many downloads are there?
If the number of downloads is very low, there's a good chance that the game isn't legit. When in doubt, trust your peers. If other people are staying away from a site, you should too.

Are there complaints about payment?
Some sites seem legit, but make it difficult to receive the money you've earned. For example, if the payout minimum is $10, but you hit a mysterious run of bad luck once you've earned $9.90, there's a good chance the game is a scam.

Are there high payout minimums?
If the most you can earn in a day is a couple of dollars, but the minimum payout requirement is excessively high, there is a good chance the site is trying to get your time for free. Their hope may be that you play long enough to earn twenty or thirty dollars, but not enough to cash out—which would mean they get your time and effort at no cost.

Are there hidden subscription costs?
Some apps are free to start, with frequent or expensive subscription fees that you are intended not to notice on download. Pay attention to your monthly bills from Apple and Google for unexpected charges, and look carefully at the pricing, even when an app purports to be free.

Are paid games worth it?

That entirely depends on what your goals are. The truth is, if you're just looking to supplement your income or get a little spending money in your free time, paid games are a fun way to do it. But if when it comes to replacing a proper job, the chances that you are going to be able to earn even close to a livable income are exceedingly small.

Bottom Line

Who doesn't want to earn money while doing something fun? Regardless of what games you're into, there's bound to be something on this list that will help you feel a little better about that downtime everybody says you're wasting.

Whether you want to earn bit by bit with Swagbucks or Inboxdollars, or try to go big with Lucktastic or Bingo Mania, there's something for everyone. Give the games a try, and then use the money to treat yourself.

After all, you've earned it.

Write to Jeremy H at jeremy.harshman@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.

Note: This website is made possible through financial relationships with some of the products and services mentioned on this site. We may receive compensation if you shop through links in our content. You do not have to use our links, but you help support CreditDonkey if you do.

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When you’ve got some free time on your hands, it’s easy to pull out your phone and scroll social media or play a video game. Well, why not try out some legit game apps to win money?

Yes, these apps do exist, and there’s a wide variety of them out there so you won’t get bored. You may want to try a daily scratch-off ticket, or perhaps you’re interested in a trivia game. You could earn cash and rewards by giving your opinion on new games, or maybe you just want to play solitaire. All those options are available!

Top Game Apps to Win Money

Have a little fun and put some cash in your pocket with these legit game apps to win money. You probably won’t make a ton of money with these apps, but you’ll still have some fun. And yes, we tried them all out first!

1. Lucktastic

If you like scratch-off lottery tickets, you’ll want to check out Lucktastic. It’s a scratch and win gaming app that is 100% free. Just pick the theme of your card, swipe to scratch, and test your luck!

Scratch cards are updated daily with new themes, and you can win daily, too! Enable push notifications to receive special limited cards in addition to your normal daily cards.

Even if you don’t win, you’ll earn tokens that can be redeemed for gift cards from over 30 major brands and retailers. You can also use your tokens for entries into any of their contests like Gas for a Month, Groceries for a Month, and prizes from Amazon. Refer your friends to earn 1,000 additional in-game tokens!

Lucktastic is 100% free and has no in-app purchases, but plenty of ads (as I’m sure you can imagine). It has a 3.9-star rating from 300,000+ customer reviews on Google Play.

Download Lucktastic:Android

2. HQ Trivia

If you’ve always dreamed of being on a game show, HQ Trivia is your chance to do just that! You can win real cash prizes for free on this live game show app.

To win, tune in each day to answer trivia questions and solve word puzzles. Be sure to turn on push notifications so you don’t miss the live shows. You only have ten seconds to answer each question, so there’s no time for Googling! If you get all the questions correct, you’ll split the grand prize with the other winners.

Earn coins by playing the Daily Challenge before each live show. Coins can be redeemed for extra lives and “erasers” that eliminate incorrect answers. You’ll get extra lives when you invite your friends to join the fun, too.

As you can imagine, there are some ads. You can also purchase coins to help in your gameplay. This app has a 3.6-star average rating from 160,000+ customer reviews.

Download HQ Trivia:Android iPhone

3. Swagbucks LIVE

Formerly known as Swag IQ, SwagbucksLIVE is another free live trivia game show. It works very similarly to HQ Trivia in that you tune in to the live show and answer multiple-choice questions. If you answer all the questions correctly, you’ll split the grand prize with the other winners.

Even if you slip up and answer incorrectly, keep going as you’ll continue to earn Swagbucks LIVE’s digital currency for all questions you answer correctly. You can then use this currency for a second chance to win or redeem it for cash or free gift cards. Invite your friends to play to get free rejoins, too.

The digital currency for Swagbucks is, well, Swagbucks (they’re listed as SB on the app). If you’re familiar with Swagbucks, you know that you can cash these in for gift cards like Amazon and Walmart or cold hard cash via PayPal.

This app has an average 4.7-star rating from 22,000+ customer reviews.

Download Swagbucks LIVE: Android iPhone

RELATED: 13 Legit Ways to Get Free Gift Cards (Amazon, Apple & More!)

4. Long Game Savings

Long Game Savings is a unique app that incentivizes saving money by offering interest on your savings and the opportunity to win cash prizes.

You’ll need to create an account and securely link your bank to get started with the app. Deposit money into your new Long Game account, then use your Long Game card for everyday spending to earn interest and get chances to play games and earn cash or cryptocurrency.

You’re also encouraged to set a savings goal and add money to your account to reach those goals. That’s another way to earn coins to play games.

Note that the app is only completely free if you enable automatic savings and use your debit card frequently; otherwise, it’s $3/month. (There is a 30-day free trial.) All your money can be withdrawn at any time. And yes, it is FDIC-insured.

A similar app to Long Game Savings is Acorns, which invests your spare change automatically. You won’t get to play games with this app, but you will earn by “rounding up” your purchases into a virtual change jar.

This app has a 3.8-star average rating from 4,000+ customer reviews.

Download Long Game Savings:Android iPhone

5. Mistplay

Mistplay is a loyalty program for mobile game players that gives you rewards – including money! – just for playing.

To get started, just download the app, discover new games, choose a game, and start earning points. The more you play, the more you earn! Points can be redeemed for gift cards or cash rewards.

If you have friends who love mobile gaming, you’ll want to invite them to join as you’ll earn points for referrals and can chat and play with them.

Mistplay takes your gaming preferences and habits into account when choosing which games to show you. This is helpful on both ends as you’re more likely to play games you enjoy!

This app has a 4.1-star rating from 100,000+ customer reviews. It’s currently only available for Android, but you can sign up for the iPhone waitlist.

Download Mistplay:Android iPhone (waitlist)

6. Lucky Day

Test your luck each day with the Lucky Day app. It’s a free sweepstakes app that allows users to win money and prizes.

Games include scratcher, lotto, and raffle games with the opportunity to win cash and earn rewards. There are no in-app purchases or deposits. Rewards can be spent on gift cards to Amazon, Walmart, Target, and more.

This app has a 4.1-star rating from 900,000+ customer reviews. Note that it’s currently only available for Android.

Download Lucky Day: Android

7. Boodle

Boodle is a free app that gives you rewards in the form of coins by playing mobile games and engaging in other activities like completing offers and answer daily polls.

Coins can be redeemed for gift cards to Amazon, Visa, Chipotle, and lots more. You’ll discover new apps and games and earn coins just for trying them out, and you can refer your friends and family to earn bonus coins.

This app has a 3.8-star rating from 700+ customer reviews. Note that it’s currently only available for Android.

Download Boodle: Android

8. The PCH App

Free Games Earn Money

You’ve heard of Publishers Clearing House with the giant checks showing up at people’s front doors, right? Well, they also run an app called The PCH App.

This free sweepstakes app awards instant win prizes to users when you play simple games and scratch-off cards. Use your entry wins to enter the big sweepstakes of your choosing.

You’ll also earn tokens when you play each game that can be traded in for rewards. Tokens can be redeemed for entries into smaller giveaways like for gift cards, microwave ovens, and even trucks. So, everything’s a giveaway and there’s no guarantee you’ll win anything, but it’s still a fun and simple sweepstakes app to try out.

This app has a 3.9-star average rating from 350,000+ customer reviews.

Download The PCH App:Android iPhone

9. Bananatic

Bananatic is a website and app that rewards users for trying out free online games, playing and testing them, and writing game reviews. It’s a fun way to try out new games and give developers some feedback.

As you play, you’ll be rewarded with Bananas for completing simple in-game quests and writing reviews. Bananas can be exchanged for real prizes like additional games, Amazon gift cards, and digital gift cards to gaming platforms.

This app has a 3.2-star rating from 4,000+ customer reviews. Note that it’s currently only available for Android.

Best App To Earn Money By Playing Games To Play

Download BananApp:Android

10. Brain Battle

Math whiz? Try out the free Brain Battle app and test your math skills by quickly answering simple math questions of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

As you play, you’ll collect tickets that you can then use to enter the regular cash prize draws. The more tickets you collect, the better your chances of winning the cash prize which is paid out via PayPal.

You can also earn tickets by completing occasional special offers and connecting to their social media accounts.

Brain Battle is a free app, but there are ads. However, there are no in-app purchases and you don’t have to pay anything to win.

This app has a 4.5-star average rating from 26,000+ customer reviews.

Download Brain Battle:Android iPhone

11. Solitaire Cube

Raise your hand if you love solitaire! If that’s you, did you know that you can earn money by playing Solitaire Cube?

The gameplay is just like regular draw-3 Klondike Solitaire. You have 5 minutes to play each round, but you can end at any time to get bonus points for finishing early. You earn points even if you don’t fully complete each round.

Their Skillz platform matches you with other players who have a similar skill level, and then you’ll play the same deck head-to-head with another player. If you earn more points than them, you win.

I didn’t see any ads, and you can play for free. However, the only way to win money is to enter their tournaments and competitions. To do that, you’ll need to pay actual money as an entry fee. However, the prizes are also cold hard cash. So, think about your skill level before you enter!

This app has a 4.6-star rating from 58,000+ customer reviews. Please note that it’s currently only available for iPhone.

Download Solitaire Cube:iPhone

12. Givling

The main focus of Givling is crowdsourcing funding to pay off the student loan and mortgage debt of its users. However, even if you don’t have student loans or mortgage debt, you can still play.

Givling offers a free trivia game that teams you up randomly with two other users. Earn points by answering questions correctly to bring your team to the top of the leaderboard and split the weekly prize.

Another way to get money is to join the funding queue by earning points for completing offers and shopping through the Givling app. The top user on the queue becomes the next person that receives funding toward their student loan or mortgage debt. Note that it is extremely time-consuming and potentially expensive to earn enough points to get to the top of the queue.

This app has a 4.6-star average rating from 1,700+ customer reviews.

Download Givling: Android iPhone

13. Lottery – Play the Powerball

Play the lottery from your phone with the Lottery app. The app itself is free, but you’ll need to buy the actual lottery tickets (just like you would at the gas station or grocery store).

Different locations will have different lottery games available, but I was able to buy tickets for Powerball, Mega Millions, Daily 3, and lots more from my phone.

There is a service fee, but the app does save you the trip of buying lottery tickets at the store. You can also cash out right from your phone and collect 100% of your winnings.

I don’t play the lottery, so this wouldn’t be an app I would use, but if buying lottery tickets is already a part of your routine, you may be interested in streamlining this process with the Lottery app.

This app has a 4.5-star average rating from 15,000+ customer reviews.

Download Lottery:iPhone

Summary

When you’ve got some time to kill and are looking to put a little cash in your pocket, try out one or more of these legit game apps to win money and have a little fun. Good luck!

Have you won money with any of these legit game apps? Please comment below to share your experience!