It is better than earning money by playing online poker or trying to earn a living by adopting a trading system. It makes more sense to earn money through idle processing mining for bitcoin than gambling away your opportunities. Work in midnight, evening, every minute of every day or on more than one occasion in seven days. Whenever as you need. The best way to create an app and make money will depend on the type of app you create. Games often do well with in-app purchases. On the other hand, many software as a service apps earn a lot of money through subscription programs. It’s also possible to use adverts to monetize your app. Apart from game participation, some other interesting ways to earn money on this website are to take surveys, review games and try different products. Earning money while playing online games is definitely a win-win situation. The above-mentioned games will not only entertain you but also help you earn a handsome amount of money.

1. Free Games Earn Money
2. Which Game App Is Best For Earning Money
3. Earn Real Money Game Apps
4. Play Free Online Games To Earn Money App
5. Online Earn Money App Games
6. Games To Earn Money

This app offers free scratch and win games that let you earn points or even real money. You can redeem tickets you win for sweepstakes entries, magazine subscriptions, gift cards, and more.

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

Free Games Earn Money

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

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.

Download BananApp:Android

Which Game App Is Best For Earning Money

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.

Earn Real Money Game Apps

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!

Do you have an idea for a free mobile application but you doubt whether it's worth investing? How do free apps make money?

Your doubts are quite clear: the development of a top-notch mobile app requires a lot of time (typically, several months) and, more importantly, money. Before kicking off the development process, you should clearly understand how you’ll recoup your investments and how to make money with apps in 2020.

We’ve decided to help you get your idea off the ground and show how exactly you can make money on free apps.

Free Apps Grossing Big Bucks

According to Sensotower, the App Store and Google Play users spent a total of $39.7 billion on mobile apps and games during the first half of 2019. This is a huge market you don’t want to miss out on

If you think that it’s the paid apps that bring the lion’s share of this huge revenue, you’re wrong. In fact, if you check the list of the top grossing mobile applications (including games) in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, you’ll notice they’re all free.

The vast majority of users on all continents prefer free mobile applications. In fact, the number of free app downloads is constantly rising. Statistics provided by Sensotower show that in the first half of 2019, free mobile apps downloads in Google Play increased by 16,4 percent and made up $41,9 billion. Whilst the App Store lost 1,4 percent in downloads. However, the overall tendency remains positive.

Developing a free mobile app is definitely the right business strategy.

Before shedding light on how to make money with apps, we’d like to draw your attention to another matter: correct app presentation. Remember that users must be able to quickly find your app and understand what it’s designed for.

Incite User Interest Through Accurate App Packaging

As of the second quarter of 2019, there were 2.46 million apps (of all types) in the Google Play Store and 1.96 million in the Apple App Store. The competition is really strong!

How many users will find your free mobile app? How many of them will download it? No matter how good your app is and what monetization methods you use, you may still fail to attract customers without a clear app packaging.

Potential users of your app should be able to quickly find it through search in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. To make your mobile app visible and easy to find, you should provide it with an attention-grabbing name, an informative description, and screenshots

Want to get the first ranks on mobile app stores? Check these effective pre-launch marketing strategies.

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Here are tips that will help you create a top-class app description:

Choose a Clear and Catchy App Name

Your mobile app should have a snappy name that reflects its major functions. Though many applications have names that convey nothing about their functionality, your app is likely to attract a lot more users if it has a name that hints at what it does. It’s particularly useful to include keywords in the app name.

For example, let’s look at LINE, one of the most popular non-gaming Android apps on the Google Play Store. As you can see, the full title contains an explanation of what this app does (i.e. it offers free calls and messages):

Here’s another example: Hulu for iOS. The full name of this app is “Hulu: Watch TV Shows & Stream the Latest Movies.” With this title, any user can easily see what Hulu is for, namely for watching TV shows and movies:

In general, the name of your app shouldn’t be too long – 100 characters at most. Think carefully about the name, as it’s the first thing people see and pay attention to when they’re considering whether your application is worth downloading.

Come up With an Informative App Description

The next step is to provide your app with a meaningful and informative description.

The first several sentences (up to the “Read More” or “More” buttons) of an app description should give general information and illustrate the app’s main idea. This part mustn’t be long – up to 225 characters. Few people read further, so make sure to tailor this part of the app description to perfection.

Let’s have a look at a great example of a brief yet informative description for Scrummer, a handy planning poker app for Scrum development teams that’s available in the Apple App Store:

Learn more about Scrummer’s endearing features and its lively interface.

In the main body of the description, you should mention what problems your mobile app helps to solve as well as go over its most important functions. Take a look at the description of Google Drive (in the Google Play Store). As you can see, it effectively explains to users what they can do with the help of Google Drive:

Make Eye-Catching App Screenshots

An app’s name and description are important, but users want to know how your app will look on their mobile devices. That’s why you should include several screenshots – and make sure you pick the best.

We recommend that you add some text to your screenshots, describing some functions of your application. Take a look at a screenshot for the LINE app on Google Play:

As you can see, this screenshot shows that the app can work on smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches.

Here are screenshots for the Uber app for iOS:

Note that Uber uses verbs in their screenshot descriptions, which is the correct approach. Verbs are the parts of speech used to describe actions.

People are more likely to act (i.e. to download your free mobile app) if they see verbs.

How to make money with free apps?

Now that you know how to package a five-star app, we can move on to explaining the strategies you can leverage to make money on free apps.

Strategy #1: In-App Purchases

In-app purchases is an extremely popular strategy used by thousands of apps in both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. In-app purchases allow users to buy something right in the app.

There are three major types of in-app purchases:

• Consumable. Consumables are products that a user can use only once: for example, virtual money or health points. Such in-app purchases are usually used in mobile games.
• Non-consumable. Non-consumables are features that users buy for permanent use: for example, additional functions or ad blocking (this is how free apps make money without ads).
• Subscriptions. Your mobile application may offer subscriptions that unlock some content or functions for a certain period of time. Subscriptions can be either non-renewing or automatically renewing.

Are you considering to implement in-app purchases in your app? We have a great guide on how to build a mobile payment app like Starbucks.

Strategy #2: In-App Ads

Ads are a driving force of the global market. They’re literally everywhere, and mobile apps aren’t an exception. In-app ads are actually tools of affiliate marketing. With in-app ads, you advertise your affiliates’ products (apps, games, etc.) inside your app and get paid if your users interact with those ads.

There are several types of campaigns used in affiliate marketing, so let’s mention the most popular:

• Cost per click (CPC). This model means that you get paid for each click on ads displayed in your mobile application. Typically, a single click is nearly worthless, so revenue is calculated on a cost per mille basis (mille is Latin for thousand).

• Cost per view (CPV). These campaigns are usually applied to video ads. The more times users of your app watch video ads, the higher payout you get.

• Cost per install (CPI). With this model, you get paid whenever a user of your app installs an advertised application.

If you wish to monetize your application through ads, there are many networks to work with, such as AdMob and Flurry. Most ad networks support apps on iOS and Android, as well as on some other mobile platforms. Also, don’t forget to check what kinds of campaigns they offer, since you need to understand what exactly you’ll be paid for.

There are several ways to display ads in your mobile app:

• Banners. Banner ads usually appear at the top or at the bottom of a screen and have some text and graphics. Banners are considered to be relatively unobtrusive, as users are able to keep using your mobile app even if a banner is active. However, banners have low click-through rates (CTR) and heavily depend on brand recognition (users are far more likely to click if a banner advertises some well-known brand).

• Native. Most people don’t like ads and try to block them completely. How can you reach out to the users of your mobile application, then? Use native ads that don’t really look like ads. Native ads are seamlessly integrated into mobile applications, making them subtle but quite efficient.

• Videos. According to an article by Invesp, the CTR of video ads is 1.84%, so they’re quite effective. Typically, video ads appear automatically when users interact with apps.

• Interstitial. These ads take a whole screen and typically appear when users launch or close an application. However, interstitial ads may also look like pop-ups appearing from time to time.

• Rich media. If you’re wondering what type of in-app ads is the most efficient, here’s the answer: rich media ads that, according to the previously mentioned eMarketer article, show a CTR of 0.44%. Rich media ads use multiple methods to reach out to users, including audio, video, text, and more.

In-app ads allow you to make money off free apps, but this monetization strategy works well only for applications with big audiences. If your app is a startup, don’t expect it to bring big bucks this way.

Strategy #3: Freemium

To benefit from the freemium monetization strategy, you need a second, paid version of your application. If users like a free version, they’re likely to opt for a paid one that has some extra functions.

With a freemium model, users are typically offered to upgrade an app to a paid version, and if they agree, they’re directed to an app store.

For example, have a look at MX Player, a popular video player available on Google Play. This mobile app has a free version, but it contains ads:

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Users are offered a paid version of this app, called MX Player Pro. It’s the same in terms of functionality, but comes without advertising:

This monetization option is quite efficient, but you shouldn’t provide too many functions in your free app; otherwise, few users will shell out for the paid one.

Strategy #4: Sponsorship

Finding a sponsor is a really lucrative monetization model. Usually, it works this way: you create a mobile app that gains quite a lot of users, after which you contact a sponsor company and offer to update the design of your app to match the sponsor’s brand.

There are two types of sponsorship deals: you can either split the revenue with your sponsor or receive a monthly sponsorship fee.

The main difficulty of sponsorship is finding a sponsor. Needless to say, your mobile app should be good enough to be interesting to potential funders.

Strategy #5: Email Marketing

Email marketing has always been and still is a powerful money-making strategy. You can leverage this method and ask the users of your mobile app to provide their emails and, later, send them messages.

Adding a Facebook login option to your free app is a great way to subtly collect user emails. However, give users a chance to cancel email notifications, as this will make your app more credible and people will know they won’t be receiving loads of spam.

Tips for Choosing the Best App Monetization Methods

As you can see, there are many ways you can make money from free apps. You can pick one or opt for several strategies at once. However, there are several handy tips that will help you monetize your free app in the most effective way possible.

Consider the Business Goals of Your Free App

Any application has a business goal, which means it helps its users solve their problems. Therefore, you should select a monetization strategy based on your app’s business purpose.

For example, let’s say you wish to create a cool audio player with lots of sound adjustments. Can in-app purchases be an effective profit generating method? Probably not. Instead, you can opt for ads or offer an ad-free version with a subscription.

Or imagine that you launch an educational app. It can offer in-app purchases, such as access to additional functions or paid tips. Needless to say, such apps can contain ads as well.

Define Your Target Audience

You should clearly realize who you’re creating a mobile app for. Draw a user portrait and decide what functionality users need, how much time they’re likely to spend using your app, and so on. A clear picture of your target users allows you to create an app tailored to their needs.

Though your free app may boast large download numbers, the truth is that only a small part of your users (you may call them the money-spending core) will actually bring you profit by clicking on ads or making in-app purchases. The majority of users won’t spend a cent in your app. You may not like it, but that’s how it is in reality. Therefore, set a goal of attracting as many users as possible and do your best to succeed.

Research Your Competitors

If you’re thinking of launching a mobile application, you should carry out a competitor analysis. Explore the app stores you’re going to offer your free app in and search for similar apps. Next, find out what your competitors offer, what kind of designs they have and, more importantly, what monetization methods they use.

This information will help you learn from your competitors’ experiences and see what mistakes they’ve made so you can make your free app better and more helpful to customers. In the end, a better app means higher profits for you as its creator.

Don't Overuse App Monetization Methods

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You shouldn’t make your free app inconvenient for users. If it’s full of ads or in-app purchases, your audience may stop using your app and install a similar one. App creators should always remember that their apps bring profits only as long as people use them.

Your users should feel comfortable when using your app, so be prudent and make all ads and offers in your app as subtle as possible.

Now that you know how free apps make money, you can give your idea a go and turn it into a real-life application.

Can’t handle the development process? Reach RubyGarage and our experts will help you build a successful and competitive mobile application.