How to Get Paid to Play Games [9 Options For (2024)]

Making money requires effort, but who says it can’t be fun?

In this world of rising possibilities, making money online keeps getting better, with opportunities to earn from taking surveys, watching videos, and playing games.

However, unlike taking random surveys, playing games online presents a better way to earn extra cash without changing your favorite hobby.

We’ll show you where and how you can do this. So stay back, grab your controller, and let’s dive into the world of gaming for profit.

Can You Get Paid to Play Games?

Yes, you can earn between $200 to $60,000 playing games.

With Professional Gamer becoming an official title, there’s even more opportunity to earn better pay from playing games.

However, earnings will depend on the following:

• Your skill level.
• The type of games you play.
• The platform you use.
• The time and effort you put into it.

According to Comparably, the average annual pay for a professional gamer in the US is $64,168.

This pay can come from channels like streaming, prize money for competitions, game testing, and sponsorships.

But if you’re starting to explore your options in this industry, you can earn up to $1,000 playing random online games without doing all that.

What You’ll Need to Play Games

You’ll need a few things to play games, and they’re as follows:

• Computer: The device should have at least 16GB of computer memory for faster speed.
• Stable Internet Connection: This is vital when gaming because you don’t want to experience glitches that can cause you to lose. We recommend using a broadband connection with at least 3/0.5 Mbps download and upload speed.
• Account: Most game providers require you to create an account with them.
• Additional Software: Some games may require downloading additional software or updates to run well.
• Peripherals: You may need peripherals such as a gaming mouse, keyboard, or controller to improve your gaming experience.

Where to Play Games

Several gaming apps or platforms offer prizes, such as cash rewards or free gift cards, when you play games.

After testing several of them, we’ve selected the best nine you can try.

1. Gamer Sensei (Coaching Platform)

With origin from the Japanese word Sensei, meaning teacher, Gamer Sensei is an online coaching platform that helps gamers improve their skills and performance in various competitive games.

The platform is powered by professional players, coaches, and experienced gamers like you. You can earn some money by coaching individual players and teams or providing a one-time 30-minute assessment in different popular games like League of Legends, DOTA 2, Fortnite, and more.

How Much You Can Make

Like most online coaching gigs, you can set your hourly rates on Gamer Sensei. From data on Glassdoor, video game coaches earn a base payment of $26 per hour, with the lowest and highest earnings between $17 to $51.

However, the amount you can earn as a coach will depend on your experience, skill level, demand for your coaching, and the rates you set for your services.

It’s important to note that becoming a successful coach on Gamer Sensei requires more than just setting a high rate.

You’ll need to prove your expertise, market your services, and provide high-quality coaching.

What Makes This Option Great

After testing Gamer Sensei, we discovered it could be a good option for making side income.

For one, there’s a long list of popular games you can coach on, which means a large potential customer base for coaches.

It also means you have less competition (on some game types) and more flexibility in terms of setting rates and schedules, provided there’s demand for your coaching services.

And there’s the fact that Gamer Sensei has been around since 2016 with a track record of being a reputable platform for coaching successful gamers.

This reputation consistently attracts new players to the platform, offering you more chances of getting on new clients.

• Typical Fees/Commission: While there’s no data on how much Gamer Sensei charges its coaches, we gathered from some coaches on the platform that commission varies from 20% to 35% per session.
• Typical Payment Methods: Gamer Sensei pays its coaches using PayPal. But you’ll need to link it to your Sensei account for easy payment.

2. Solitaire Cube (App)

If you’re up for some fun and exciting twists on classic games, you might love Solitaire Cube. As a solitaire lover, you may already be familiar with the traditional game where you arrange cards in a specific order to build up foundations in each suit.

Solitaire Cube offers the same gameplay with an added competitive element, allowing you to go against other players in real-time matches and win real prizes. 

To play Solitaire Cube, download the app on your mobile (Android or iOS) device from the Galaxy or Google Play store and create an account. 

A simple trick to earn more points on Solitaire Cube is to complete a game as quickly as possible.

How Much You Can Make

There’s no fixed amount you can earn playing on Solitaire Cube. Earnings can be from a few cents up to a thousand dollars, depending on your skills and the tournament.

For instance, a tournament with a cash prize of $300 might have registration fees of up to $250.There are also smaller competitions you can enter with at least 15 cents, but the prize can be around 30 cents.

Another way to earn money is by gathering tickets. But this can be painfully slow, as you’ll need at least 20,000 tickets to earn $1.

What Makes This Option Great

There are a few reasons we listed Solitaire Cube as one of the best platforms where you can make extra money playing games.

First, winning on Solitaire Cube can be relatively easy since Solitaire is familiar terrain and the gameplay is the same.

With various cash tournaments running simultaneously, you can improve your skill level and play comfortably across borders without leaving your comfort.

Unlike making money through game coaching or going live on twitch, there’s no need for sophisticated and expensive gadgets as you can start making money even with your mobile phone.

• Typical Fees/Commission: Solitaire Cube doesn’t charge a commission to play. However, you’ll need to pay to enter real cash tournaments.
• Typical Payment Methods: You can receive payments through PayPal or mailed checks.

3. Rewarded Play (App)

As a partner with several game developers and advertisers, Rewarded Play allows you to earn rewards by completing activities.

You can collect gift cards from retailers, such as Amazon, Target, and Starbucks, by playing games on the app.

How Much You Can Make

You may not get rich playing on Rewarded Play, but you can earn some money in your spare time. The amount you can make will depend on your consistency in playing games on the app.

You can earn coins from downloading and playing games or making in-app purchases on those games. But there’s a minimum redemption threshold of 45,000 coins, equal to a $5 gift card.

What Makes This Option Great

Compared to Solitaire Cube, this gaming app offers a way to earn coins on games without a time tracker. So, you may not need to be a fast player to earn.

You also don’t have to sweat finding things or navigating, as its interface makes it easy to find your favorite games in one search.

• Typical Fees/Commission: There are no commissions or fees to use the Rewarded Play app.
• Typical Payment Methods: Rewarded Play only allows reward claims through its vast collection of gift cards.

4. Bubble Cash (App)

For iOS users, Bubble Cash offers a way to earn rewards by playing mobile games.

This gaming app uses a competitive earning model where you enter cash tournaments to compete for real rewards, such as real cash, gift cards, and other prizes.

There are also other opportunities like daily challenges, freehand, and gem games where you can earn in-game cash rewards and gems, which you can use to enter a competition or exchange for real cash.

How Much You Can Make

How much you can earn depends on the competitions you win.

You’ll need to enter high-paying cash tournaments with high entry fees to earn a significant sum. For instance, to compete for a prize pool of $60, entry fees might be around $10.

You can also earn without paying the entry fees on cash tournaments by playing in freeroll mode, which requires at least 1,200 gems to enter and compete for a $7 cash prize pool.

What Makes This Option Great

If you love competing and want something like Solitaire Cube with more game choices, Bubble Cash might be your best bet.

The gaming app offers a way to earn real cash without extra effort. You can just pull up your phone from your couch at home or while waiting for a bus at the station and start claiming gems and bonus cash—anytime, anywhere.

And if you wish, you can invite your friends to play and earn with you and receive a bonus for each download.

• Typical Fees/Commission: Besides entry fees for cash tournaments or handling fees during withdrawal, Bubble Cash doesn’t charge any fees or commissions.
• Typical Payment Methods: Payments from Bubble Cash come in through PayPal.

5. Mistplay (App)

Mistplay is another mobile app for earning real cash rewards by playing games.

You can earn coins by playing Yahtzee, Harvest Land, Scrabble Go, and other exciting games. However, some games are only available in some locations.

To start playing and earning with Mistplay, download the free app on Google Play (the app is only currently available for Android).

Then, you can register a Mistplay account using your email address or Facebook profile.

How Much You Can Make

While playing games on Mistplay, you earn Game Experience Points (GXPs). These GXPs allow you to get unit rewards accordingly.

So, if you have a high GXP, you’ll earn higher units. However, you’ll need at least 400 units to convert to a gift card.

With each unit valued at 0.00125, you can claim at least $0.5 worth of gift cards on Amazon. Other stores might have higher requirements. For instance, you’ll need at least 4,500 units valued at $0.0333 to claim a $15 gift card on Xbox.

What Makes This Option Great

Playing and earning on Mistplay can be fun as it offers games with good graphics quality.

Depending on how long you spend on the platform, you can make enough points monthly to exchange for gift cards.

You can also earn points on each friend you refer, and once you get to level four, you’ll automatically get 100 bonus points.

• Typical Fees/Commission: There are no fees or commissions on Mistplay.
• Typical Payment Methods: You can withdraw your earnings only by exchanging them for a gift card.

6. Freecash (App)

Freecash is a GPT (Get-Paid-To) gaming app that offers various opportunities to earn free cash, gift cards, and game skins.

At first, the company’s name was Freeskin, as it offered only game skins to gamers who performed tasks on the app. However, since its rebranding in 2021, it has offered several earning opportunities, from taking paid surveys to leadership board contests.

How Much You Can Make

Freecash doesn’t have many games to earn from, but you can make up to $5 daily with the available games on the app.

Like other GPT games, your earnings will depend on how many points you’ve gathered. You can gather points by playing games and leading on the leadership board.

What Makes This Option Great

For one, Freecash is one of the fast-paying and fast-earning GPT apps.

You can earn gradually by playing games on the app with little or no cash.

Compared to others, Freecash offers payment using several methods, including cryptocurrency.

• Typical Fees/Commission: Freecash doesn’t charge any fees or commissions.
• Typical Payment Methods: You can receive payments on Freecash through PayPal and cryptocurrency. But there’s a withdrawal threshold of 5,000 coins for PayPal ($5).

7. GameChampions (Video Game Tournament)

GameChampions is an online platform primarily targeted toward competitive gamers looking for a platform to showcase their skills and compete against other players. You can play games like Fortnite, Call of Duty, and FIFA in competitions for real cash prizes.

If you’re a novice, there’s a free play mode where you can play against real players for free before entering cash tournaments.

How Much You Can Make

Generally, earning on GameChampions is through prize money in competitions.

You could earn from $200 to $1,000 when you win first place. While this might not measure up to a Twitch streamer’s income, you can earn consistently on the side if you’re skilled.

What Makes This Option Great

GameChampions provides an organized environment to compete against other top players while improving your skills. You can also connect, make friends, and build relationships.

With the wide range of popular games on the platform, you have more options and can find one you enjoy and are skilled at.

There are also rewards and prizes for gamers who perform well in competitions.

• Typical Fees/Commission: You only pay fees to enter a cash tournament.
• Typical Payment Methods: You can receive payments directly to your bank account.

8. Outschool (Group Classes)

If you love gaming and have a thing for teaching kids, you can turn this passion into a side gig using Outschool.

Outschool is a teaching platform for kids aged 3 to 18, where you can develop a curriculum on any subject, including gaming, and charge per class.

How Much You Can Make

Outschool allows you to set a flexible rate for your lessons.

For the most we’ve seen, gaming tutors set rates from $12 to $70. At this rate, you can earn an average of $100 to $500 per session, with a potential for more earnings as you get more entries.

What Makes This Option Great

In Outschool, you’re not a contractor or an employee, so you don’t have to show up daily. You can decide when you want to run your classes and how long.

There’s also a chance this can scale into a full-time gig, as the platform provides everything you need to start a coaching career.

• Typical Fees/Commission: Outschool charges 30% on each payment.
• Typical Payment Methods: You can receive payments directly to your bank account.

9. Swagbucks (Monetization Platform)

Swagbucks gives you points (SB) for performing various online activities, including playing games.

To earn SB by playing mobile games on Swagbucks, sign up for a Swagbucks account and complete your profile. This gives you some initial SB.

However, for more SBs, you’ll need to play, download, and make in-game purchases.

How Much You Can Make

Earning on Swagbucks can be slow, but with consistency, you can make between $5 to $10 monthly. So you might want to focus less on earning and have as much fun.

What Makes This Option Great

For one, registering on Swagbucks is free and easy. The site is available across many countries and accessible from any location.

Also, it’s mobile-friendly and doesn’t require sophisticated devices.

• Typical Fees/Commission: Swagbucks doesn’t charge any fees or commissions.
• Typical Payment Methods: You can receive your earnings through PayPal or gift cards.

Why You Should Consider Getting Paid to Play Games as a Side Hustle

While gaming can be a way to unwind, making it a side hustle can be more desirable. Here’s why:

• Fun: Playing mobile games is enjoyable, so if you can make extra money doing it, that’s a bonus.
• Flexible Schedule: You can play games on your own time.
• No/Low Startup Cost: Many video games can be played for free or with a low upfront cost.
• Potential for Earning: Depending on the type of games you play and the platforms you use, there can be a significant earning potential.
• Variety: Several game apps are available, so you can choose those you enjoy and that offer the most earning potential.
• Skill-Building: You can develop problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making skills while playing mobile games.

Problems With Getting Paid to Play Games

While getting paid to play games might seem like a dream job, consider these challenges:

• Unstable Income: Securing regular paid gaming gigs can be challenging, and even if you do, the income may fluctuate from one month to another.
• Limited Job Opportunities: There are limited job opportunities available for professional gamers.
• Competitive Environment: The world of professional gaming is highly competitive, and it can be challenging to stand out.
• Burnout: Playing video games for hours can quickly lead to burnout and impact your performance.

How to Get Paid to Play Games: Step-By-Step Instructions

Things to Consider When Getting Paid to Play Games

There are a few things to consider when playing mobile games for cash, such as:

• Legitimacy: Unfortunately, many online scams promise to pay you to play games but end up stealing your personal information or not paying you at all. So research and read reviews from other players before investing your time and energy.
• Payment: Some apps pay in cash, while others pay in gift cards, points, or other rewards. Ensure you’re comfortable with the payment method and the amount you’ll receive for your time and effort.
• Time Commitment: Consider how much time it’ll cost to earn money playing games and ensure it fits into your schedule.
• Skill Level: Some games require a higher skill level. Consider your current skills and if you can invest time to improve.
• Terms and Conditions: Always read the terms and conditions carefully before signing up to avoid penalties.
• Personal Preferences: Lastly, consider your personal preferences when it comes to the types of games you play. While earning money is a great incentive, it may not be worth playing a game you don’t enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Similar Ways to Get Paid

• Get Paid to Watch Videos: Learn how to watch videos and earn while doing so.
• Get Paid to Watch Ads for Money: Learn how to watch different ads and make cool cash.
• Get Paid to Listen to Music: Don’t let your music love to waste. Artists are paying huge amounts to listeners.

Wrapping Up

If you haven’t had any great luck earning money playing games in the past, don’t lose hope—perhaps, you’ve been looking in the wrong direction.

We’ve spent time researching these nine options that you can use to earn while gaming. You can try them out, as most require no registration costs.

We’re curious to hear back from you, so tell us what you found in the comment section below and share this article if it was helpful.