PlayoutApps that pay you to play games: 6 kinds to try
Apps that pay you to play games come in a few kinds: reward apps for casual games, milestone apps, skill matches, trivia apps, all-in-one earning apps and crypto games. For relaxed play with PayPal and gift-card payouts, a casual-game reward app like Playout is the easiest place to start.
Key facts
- Easiest kind
- A reward app for casual games: play, collect coins, cash out to PayPal or gift cards.
- Our pick
- Playout: free on Google Play, coins for every finished level, no sign-up form.
- How to choose
- Pick by how you like to play: relaxed, goal-driven, competitive or quiz-style.
- What to expect
- A fun bonus for time you’d spend playing anyway, not a second income.
Apps that pay you to play games all share one idea: your playtime earns something you can actually use. How they do it differs a lot. Some reward every level you finish, some pay when you hit a goal, and some turn games into a competition.
Here are six kinds of apps that pay you to play games, what each one feels like, and who it suits best. We’ll start with the one we know best.
1. Casual-game reward apps (our pick: Playout)
A casual-game reward app pays you for playing ordinary mobile games: puzzles, sorting, tile matching and merging. You don’t change how you play. You finish levels, your coins pile up, and you cash them out.
Playout works like this:
- Every finished level adds coins in any game from the Playout shelf.
- Every four hours, your coins turn into real money in your balance, which stacks until you cash out.
- You cash out to PayPal, an Amazon gift card, a Google Play gift card or another gift card, from a low minimum.
- Daily bonuses make regular play pay a little more: a daily streak, daily challenges, a daily quiz and a weekly Live Event.
There’s no sign-up form, because your account is tied to your phone, and nothing to buy. The shelf has 12 hand-picked games right now, from the calm Mahjong Smart to the quick Crown Crush.
Best for: anyone who already plays casual games and would like a little something back for that time.
2. Milestone apps
Milestone apps pay you for reaching specific goals in games you install, such as getting to a certain level by a deadline. You get a list of games and goals, and each goal comes with its own reward.
Best for: people who enjoy a clear target and like trying lots of new games.
The fun part is the checklist feeling. If you’d rather earn from every level instead of waiting for a single goal, a reward app like Playout is the more relaxed fit.
3. Skill match apps
Skill match apps turn games into competitions. You play a round of a puzzle, card or arcade game, and your score is compared with other players. The best scores win prizes.
Best for: competitive players who enjoy improving their high score and like the thrill of a match.
Playout has a taste of this too: the Arcade tab hosts a short skill game every day, with a prize for reaching the day’s goal and coins for every run, and you can challenge a friend to beat your score.
4. Trivia and quiz apps
Trivia apps reward you for knowing things. You answer questions, often in timed rounds, and earn points or prizes for correct answers.
Best for: quiz lovers and anyone who enjoys a quick brain workout.
If that’s you, you’ll like Playout’s daily quiz: one question a day, coins for a correct answer and a prize for every answer.
5. All-in-one earning apps
Some apps bundle many ways to earn in one place: games, short surveys, small tasks and offers. Their games section usually works like a milestone app. We explain this kind of app in what is a get-paid-to app.
Best for: people who like variety and enjoy switching between different small tasks.
6. Play-to-earn crypto games
Crypto games pay in tokens or digital items you keep in a crypto wallet. They suit people who already enjoy the crypto world. If you’d rather earn plain money without wallets or tokens, read play to earn without crypto.
Best for: players who are already comfortable with crypto wallets.
How to choose the right app for you
Start with how you like to play:
| You like… | Try… |
|---|---|
| Relaxed play, a few levels at a time | A casual-game reward app like Playout |
| A checklist of goals | A milestone app |
| Beating other players | A skill match app |
| Answering questions | A trivia app |
| Mixing games with surveys and tasks | An all-in-one earning app |
Then look at the rewards. If PayPal cash or gift cards for stores you already use sound good, Playout has both. Our guide to whether apps that pay you to play are legit walks through what great reward apps have in common.
Getting the most from a game reward app
A few habits make any reward app more rewarding, and they’re built right into Playout:
- Play a little every day. Finish five levels in any game to grow your daily streak. Your best streak sets a coin boost that stays with you.
- Mix your games. The weekly Live Event gives each game its own ladder of items, so variety collects items faster.
- Tap Claim. Challenge rewards, Live Event items and friend rewards are collected with one tap.
- Cash out early. Enjoy your first reward as soon as you reach the minimum.
What to expect
Apps that pay you to play games are a fun bonus for time you’d spend gaming anyway, not a second income. What you earn grows with how much and how regularly you play. Read how much you can earn playing games for the details.
Start with Playout
Playout is available worldwide on Google Play for Android. Install it, pick a game from the shelf, and your first coins arrive with your first finished level.
