Apps To Win Money For Free

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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!

  1. After doing some extensive research, I ranked and reviewed the best money making apps to earn fast cash this year. These rankings cover different types of money making apps: iPhone apps where you perform simple tasks for free money. Money-saving apps that help you save money. Personal finance apps for automated investing and passive income.
  2. 101 free money making apps to earn extra money in 2021. Take surveys, play games, complete tasks and more for free gift cards and extra cash.

Top Game Apps to Win Money

The three most common free games include Swag Memory, Swagasaurus Run, and Swag Jump. In case you need the paid plans, you can opt for options such as Solitaire, Bejeweled 2, and Wheel of Fortune. For the games and other activities you engage in, you earn points. Typically, the issues are different depending on the kind of activity.

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

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

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!

The top smartphone users spend around 4 hours per day on their devices. How often do you browse on your phone and use free money apps?

If you’re on your phone for a few hours per day, this could be enough time to start a side hustle and make an extra 50 bucks a month or more.

In fact, you don’t even have to put your phone down to earn money. There are plenty of apps that give you free money for completing simple tasks or playing games.

Even if you’re not spending hours per day on your phone, you can still make money with certain apps without committing a lot of time or effort.

Suddenly, your morning commute, waiting at the dentist’s office, or watching TV and playing on your phone all become great opportunities to get free money from an app.

Apps To Win Money For Free Instantly

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, when you make a purchase. Please, read our affiliate disclaimer or privacy policy for more information.

What Does “Free Money” Really Mean?

Is there really such a thing as getting free money? What about apps that give you free money for signing up?

‘Free money’ doesn’t necessarily mean someone off the street is handing you money for no reason.

It also doesn’t mean you have to go to work and log your hours to earn an income.

With apps that give you free money, the concept is that you get paid to sign up and complete simple tasks.

Oftentimes, the tasks may be something you already do like shopping online, playing a game, or sharing your opinion.

The tasks are quick and easy to complete so you won’t be required to spend hours glued to your phone.

After each task you complete, you’ll typically earn points or a cash balance that can be redeemed either instantly or later.

There are also apps that give you free money for signing up so those will be highlighted below as well.

It’s also important to note that legitimate apps that pay real money will never charge you a fee to join. So essentially, you don’t have anything to lose.

12 Free Money Apps to Download Today

Earning money with free apps is one of the easiest ways to get a little more cash in your bank account.

There are so many credible options to choose from as well so there’s something for everyone. Here are 12 apps that give you free money.

1. Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel

Nielsen is a research company that has been around for several decades. They have a program called Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel that pays you just to install a free money app and browse the internet.

Odds are you’re probably already browsing the internet on your device each day. With this program, you can get paid to do it over time.

You have to be at least 18 to join and you can register different devices in your household. It only takes a few minutes and each month you’ll earn points that can be redeemed for prizes and gift cards.

The Nielsen app gives you $50 per year if you keep the app downloaded.

You can also enter their monthly sweepstakes where $10,000 of prizes is given away in rewards each month.

  • Click here to join the Nielsen Mobile app and start getting free money today!
  • Australian residents can sign up here to get started, as well.

Related: Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel Review

Apps That Win Real Money

2. MobileXpression

MobileXpression is another market research company that will pay you to use the internet on your phone.

They are always looking for people to join their panel to help them report on trends and behaviors of people using the mobile internet.

Think of it as a way to help companies make the online experience better for users like you.

You have to go to their website to see if you’re eligible for their panel. Select your device type, carrier, and manufacturer then agree to the terms and conditions then download MobileXpression’s research software.

MobileXpression also has one of the best apps that give you free money for signing up. You’ll earn a gift card after just one week.

Then, you’ll earn more credits each week that can be redeemed for gift cards in the future.

Apps To Win Money For Free 2020

  • Canadian residents can access the app by signing up here.

3. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is one of the top survey sites that pays you for your opinion.

Create an account for free and build your profile by adding as many details as possible about your work, family, interests, and so on. This will help you get matched for more relevant survey opportunities.

Avid survey takers know that the biggest waste of time on a survey site is answering pre-qualification questions only to find out you’re not a candidate.

Survey Junkie tries to eliminate this by matching you with opportunities that match your qualifications and interests.

Win Money Online For Free

After each survey, you’ll earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards or cash via PayPal. In addition to taking surveys on your phone, you can also opt into SJ Pulse which is a newer feature on the app.

SJ Pulse pays you rewards in exchange for tracking data like websites you visit, items you shop for, and apps you use.

This program works in the background similar to Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel so all you have to do is use your phone as you normally would.

Survey Junkie respects users’ privacy so your browsing behaviors will be anonymous and only used for market research purposes.

Secure information like your passwords or credit card details are never collected.

4. Vindale Research

Vindale Research pays you real cash for taking surveys covering a variety of topics. They offer high-paying surveys up to $50 and you’ll earn a bonus just for signing up.

Unlike other survey sites, Vindale Research pays you with cash instead of gift cards and you can redeem your earnings with PayPal.

You’ll be able to see how much each survey pays and how long it might take you before you start.

Another way to make money from your phone with this app is by watching videos. Get paid to press ‘play’ by watching videos and giving your feedback afterward.

5. InboxDollars

InboxDollars pays you to complete a variety of short tasks like taking surveys, watching videos, and searching online.

You can also get rewarded for playing games, reading emails, and redeeming grocery coupons.

Inbox Dollars has been around since 2000 and they’d paid out over $59 million in cash rewards to users.

Their clients are market research firms so while these paid activities may seem simple to you, they’re helping researchers learn a ton about consumer habits and how to improve certain products or services.

You’ll get a $5 bonus just for signing up. If you can spare just a few minutes each week to complete tasks, you’ll earn some extra money.

6. Swagbucks

Swagbucks is one of the best apps that gives you free money because there are so many options.

You can get paid to take surveys, search online, play games, watch videos, shop online, redeem offers and more.

Surveys take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes to complete on average and you’ll also earn big rewards for signing up for services or to receive products you would have tried anyway.

If you like playing games, Swagbucks will reward you to hit certain levels in some of the games they promote.

When you shop online at popular retailers, Swagbucks may give you points as well. All points can be redeemed for gift cards or cash via PayPal.

One of the easiest ways to make money with Swagbucks is by using their search feature.

Instead of using Google or another search engine, set Swagbucks as the default search engine on your phone. You’ll earn points over time for simply searching online.

7. IbottaEveryone has to buy groceries sooner or later. Ibotta pays you cash back on groceries and other items.

Just download the app, sign up, and you’ll be able to browse offers based on stores in your area.

Once you find an offer you like, make sure you claim it then scan your receipt with your phone once you’d made the purchase to verify it.

If you use the Walmart Grocery Pickup service, you can link your account and earn rebates on items you buy that have valid offers on the Ibotta app.

Outside of grocery rebates, Ibotta offers cash back on items from a variety of retailers including Amazon, CVS, Walgreens, eBay, Home Depot, Best Buy, and more.

Another feature you may not know about is that Ibotta can link to your store loyalty account so you can earn cash back by shopping at your favorite stores.

To optimize your earnings with this app, be sure to link your loyalty rewards account(s) and get into the habit of checking the app before you shop online or in stores.

It only takes a few minutes to browse valid offers and your rebate earnings will add up over time.

Related: Ibotta Review: Is It Legitimate?

8. Rakuten

Rakuten is one of the top free money apps that works for simply shopping online. Rakuten partners with hundreds of retailers to offer cash back deals on everything from

  • Clothing and accessories
  • Travel and vacations
  • Health and beauty
  • Shoes and handbags
  • Electronics
  • And more!

You can typically find cash back offers ranging from 1% to 10%. However, Rakuten often has double cashback promos so you can earn even more.

Game apps win real money

Make sure you download the app and activate cash back whenever you’re shopping online. Sometimes, you’ll even be notified of active coupon codes to use so you can save money on your purchase.

When you activate Rakuten and place an online order, the cash back rewards may be pending for a few days until it can be verified.

As long as you have a cash back balance of $5.01 or more Rakuten will send you a ‘Big Fat Check’ every quarter. If you don’t want to receive a paper check, you can connect your PayPal account so your rewards bonus will be sent there each quarter.

Related: Is Rakuten legit?

9. iRazoo

iRazoo pays you free gift cards and cash to complete tasks like watching videos, taking surveys, playing games, and downloading apps. Earning opportunities are updated daily so you’ll never get bored with the activities.

You’ll earn points when you complete each task and those points can be redeemed for gift cards at your favorite retailers. Another way to redeem your points is with a PayPal gift card so you can turn it into cash.

Once your iRazoo balance reaches 3,000 points, you’ll be able to redeem your rewards.

There are so many easy ways to earn whether it’s using iRazoo search, playing games, or reading emails so aim to use the app consistently to earn enough points for a gift card or cash reward.

10. Lucktastic

If you enjoy playing games on your phone, Lucktastic is one of the highest paying apps that rewards you for playing. If you’re looking for apps that give you money, Lucktastic offers up to $1 million in prizes and rewards.

At least 3 lucky finalists are chosen for the top prize. You can also enter to win their $25,000 cash giveaway and their MacBook pro giveaway contest.

Play trivia and other games on your phone for a chance to win additional prizes. Their Win Across American game night scratch card guarantees at least one winner of $100 cash in each state.

Continue to play games on the app and you’ll earn tokens that can be redeemed for gift cards at over 30 major retailers.

Of course with apps like Lucktastic, your odds are winning prizes for the giveaways based solely on chance.

Money

However, if you’re playing games on your phone anyway, you might as well enter to win or even play games for tokens so you can earn gift cards. You don’t have to take any surveys or do any other tasks so there’s not much to lose.

Related: 12 Apps for Odd Jobs

11. Billshark

Billshark is an app that gives you free money by negotiating your bills. Most people don’t realize that they could be overpaying for their cable bill, phone bill or other utilities around the house.

Win cash apps

Billshark will negotiate lower rates on your bills so you can save the difference. It’s essentially the same thing as getting money back in the form of a rebate – only you don’t have to spend the money in the first place.

Billshark can also help cancel unwanted subscriptions you might have been paying for.

People tend to save an average of 25% on their bills and there’s a 90% chance your bills can successfully be lowered.

Billshark charges $9 to cancel each subscription but their bill negotiation service is free.

So how do they get paid? They share the money they help you save by taking 40%.

For example, if Billshark helps you save $500 per year, they would get $200 and you’d keep $300. While their commission fee is a little high, you’ll still get more money back without doing any of the negotiation work.

12. Paribus

Have you ever shopped online for an item then realized the price went down just a few days later? This happens often and Paribus is an app that can help you get partial refunds for price drops.

Most of us don’t have time to research price changes especially after we’ve purchased an item.

Paribus is a free money app that takes over this task for you and examines your online purchases to see if stores owe you any refunds.

Paribus has found over $29 million in potential savings and rebates for users to date.

They also work with over 25 major retailers including Amazon, Target, Home Depot, Gap, Best Buy and more. Paribus is also free for users and there are no hidden fees.

You can learn more about Paribus from this Paribus review.

How Much Free Money Are You Leaving on the Table?

The opportunity to get free money is closer than you think. Most people carry their cell phones around all day. If you fall in this camp as well, you could be leaving a lot of money on the table by not checking out these best free money apps.

Download a few different apps from this list to try in order to maximize your earnings. Mix more of the passive income apps with the ones that may require a little more effort.

For example, you can sign up for MobileXpression, Nielsen’s Computer and Mobile Panel, or Paribus since these apps don’t require much effort on your part.

Then, you can set a time each day when you can check sites like Swagbucks and InboxDollars for earning opportunities.

That would be a total of 5 easy apps that give you free money but you won’t need to put forth much effort or work at all. The key is to take advantage of these easy ways to get rewards and find what works best for you.

Virginia Nakitari is a full-time blogger and a work from home expert. Join Virginia and 200,000 monthly readers on EarnSmartOnlineClass to learn how to make money online, even as a beginner. Before starting this blog, Virginia worked as a freelancer, specializing in general transcription and virtual assistance. Her wide clientele comprised of business coaches, podcasters, bloggers, and other online entrepreneurs. It’s through these interactions that Virginia developed a knack for writing and showing people how to work from home, make money online and attain financial freedom.