Get paid to play games: 7 platforms to try

Yes, playing video games can earn you some extra cash. But you have to temper your expectations early on. This is a fun way to earn a small side income, but it isn’t enough to replace your full-time job.

But hey, that’s still a win-win, right? If you tell me that I can make money playing games, I’ll take that any day of the week. However, there are also some precautions you must be mindful of.

First, you’d want to know which legitimate websites reward you for your gameplay and reviews. We curated a list of these platforms, along with estimated earnings for each. Read more below to discover what to expect.

Key takeaways

• Playing video games to earn money only pays a small side income. You might need to reach a certain level of experience points to progress to higher payouts. Otherwise, it’s advised that you don’t replace your full-time work with these game apps.
• Check game reviews before you try to make money playing games on these apps. Online channels like Reddit and other social media platforms have users discussing the legitimacy of money-making game apps and sharing their opinions.
• Review cashout policies before you grind. Some game apps pay solely in crypto, while others allow direct bank transfers. Moreover, these platforms also require a minimum amount before you can withdraw your funds.
• Practice fairness and legal strategies only. Game developers create security layers, including anti-fraud protocols and anti-bot measures to protect fair play.

1. JumpTask – complete gaming tasks and earn real crypto

JumpTask allows users to complete microtasks to earn crypto-based rewards. These simple tasks include playing games on select platforms. JumpTask is one of those games that pay real money instantly, via cryptocurrency. 

But if you get bored with solely playing games, you can also do other tasks, like watching videos and taking surveys. You can even complete missions where you download and install platforms like Honeygain, which is an app that pays you for sharing bandwidth.

• Earnings: This could depend on the time played, as earnings are based on completing tasks. For casual users, you can earn up to $20 per month. Other success stories include earning from Honeygain, where they could passively make money from home.
• Cashout: You get paid via PayPal or gift cards.
• Safety: Payments are run on the Binance Smart Chain, and there are no deposits required. These are green light signals for verifying new games.

2. Zed Champions – race NFT horses and earn crypto rewards

Following up on its discontinued predecessor, Zed Run, Zed Champions now adds structured pools and matchmaking to the famous blockchain horse-racing game. In this game, you acquire a racehorse NFT, understand its traits, and find the right race for its class.

The races are simulated, and there’s an entry fee that you can pay via $ZED or WETH. You can level up your horse, move classes, or even put a male horse in the Stud Farm. When other players breed their horse with yours, you can charge a fee to earn passive income. 

• Earnings: Winning a race can yield up to $6 in WETH, but you have to consider the typical $1 entry fee and the cost of buying a horse. You can opt for a budget or starter horse at first, which costs around $20-$75.
• Cashout: You have to link a crypto wallet (like Metamask) to receive your prizes. You receive them in WETH, which you can convert to $ZED or sell for fiat currencies.
• Safety: Many game apps like Zed Champions secure NFTs on the Polygon blockchain. This is one way for game developers to ensure verifiable ownership for the users, including their NFT horses.

3. GameChampions – win money in FIFA and other skill-based tournaments

GameChampions hosts competitive 1v1 tournaments for select console and PC games. If you’re great at playing video games, this is perfect for you. 

You don’t know, GameChampions might even be your gateway to becoming a professional eSports player. Among the popular games featured in GameChampions tournaments are Call of Duty, Madden, NBA 2K, FIFA, Rocket League, and Fortnite. The platform now features online casinos and related titles, but it’s still known as a skill-based game host where you can win cash prizes.

• Earnings: You could win up to $20 per head-to-head match, with higher earnings potential for top-ranked players. However, there’s an entry fee for each tournament, so your earnings might depend on the fee or the prize pool. 
• Cashout: GameChampions provides a virtual wallet that allows you to deposit and withdraw funds. Typically, your prize becomes available after a tournament win. You can easily withdraw your prize as PayPal cash or do a direct bank transfer.
• Safety: GameChampions allows for dispute resolution for any score discrepancy or game issue. Matches are also skill-based, negating mismatches in skill level or experience.

4. Skillz – compete in mobile games for real cash prizes

As you’ll get from the name itself, Skillz is a mobile gaming platform that hosts skill-based competitions. Game offers include Solitaire Cube, Pool Payday, Dominoes Gold, Strike!, Flick Basketball, and other mobile games.

On Skillz’ website, you’ll find the list of games that they include in their competitions. You just have to download a game or a few games, either on Apple’s App Store or Android’s Google Play. You can compete for free using the platform’s virtual currency, or pay real money to get cash rewards and bonuses when you win.        

• Earnings: Casual players could earn up to $20 per month, considering the entry fee you’ll spend for each game. However, the increasing competition on Skillz poses a big challenge for you to progress to mid or high-payout tournaments. 
• Cashout: Skillz requires a $1.50 fee for withdrawals of under $10. You can easily withdraw your earnings through PayPal and linked bank accounts.
• Safety: Skillz employs proprietary technology to negate mismatches and cheating hacks. Most importantly, there are no bots allowed on the platform. You only engage in fair competition against friends and other players. 

5. SimWin Sports – virtual sports platform with crypto prize pools

New games like SimWin Sports now feature Artificial Intelligence (AI) to simulate fantasy sports and skill-based contests. SimWin Football is its flagship game, but you can also enter and earn points on other fantasy contests.

Moreover, SimWin Sports allows users to own a virtual player NFT. Your NFT can earn revenue from its popularity (like how often it gets selected in fantasy drafts), and you’ll get a percentage of its earnings.          

• Earnings: You could earn around $15-$40 every month from quick fantasy contests on SimWin Sports. For player agents (NFT owners), you can earn up to $100 on salaries or trades.
• Cashout: You can connect your crypto wallet to SimWin Sports, and you’ll get your prizes there. The platform supports both traditional cash and crypto (or token) earnings, so you have some options.
• Safety: Blockchain technology tracks all trades and activities, providing consistent transparency for SimWin Sports users.   

6. Ubisoft Quartz – earn and trade in-game NFT items in AAA titles

Ubisoft Quartz is another example of an NFT-based game. You can mint and trade NFT cosmetics, which are called “Digits,” on the platform.

You can earn by reselling or trading Digits on marketplaces like Tezos. Ubisoft also utilizes the Asset Ownership (P2E) model, giving players more control over in-app purchases and earnings.              

• Earnings: You should view Ubisoft as a collector’s hobby, as it’s difficult to get a steady income from trading NFTs here. Only rare items or timely flips can give you around $5-$50 in sales.
• Cashout: Buyers will pay you in crypto, which appears in your linked crypto wallet. However, you must use an external crypto change to sell that currency for cash.
• Safety: Your Digit units are stored on the Tezos blockchain, which ensures your ownership certificate. Moreover, blockchain logs trades publicly, while Ubisoft regularly publishes a transparency report.

7. Twitch + Twitch Drops – stream, earn, and unlock in-game rewards

There are two ways you can earn points or money on Twitch. First, you can be a content creator and sign up for the Affiliate program. There, you can set up payouts and earn from subscriptions and ads.

Also, you can apply for Twitch’s audience incentive program called “Twitch Drops.” You watch select streams in your free time, participate in games, and win free in-game items. The drops are not in cash, but you can use the rewards (skins or weapons) when playing video games.   Occasionally, you’ll discover drops with great reviews from the gaming community.        

• Earnings: New affiliates can earn around $50-$100 per month. Your time commitment and creativity in streaming could determine how much you’ll get paid.
• Cashout: Twitch requires a $50 minimum before releasing your payment. Typically, payouts are scheduled on the 15th of each month.
• Safety: You can use Twitch’s Creator Dashboard to track your revenue. Twitch also uses anti-fraud technology and third-party payment processors to protect your earnings.

Comparison: What actually earns money, is fast and reliable?

Platform	Earnings	Payouts	Safety
JumpTask	Modest, low-effort	Instant crypto to exchange.	Blockchain technology and low minimum withdrawal
Zed Champions	Highly volatile	WETH withdrawals via linked wallet.	Assets secured as verifiable NFTs
GameChampions	Modest, skill-based	PayPal or bank transfer.	Priority on regulated fair play rules and score verification.
Skillz	Modest, skill-based	PayPal or bank transfer.	Anti-cheat measures and unique skill-matching technology.
SimWin Sports	Passive income potential	Crypto wallet or bank transfer.	Transparent blockchain asset ownership.
Ubisoft Quartz	Market value-dependent	NFT resale or marketplace swaps.	Asset ownership secured on Tezos blockchain.
Twitch + Twitch Drops	Creator-dependent	PayPal or bank transfer.	Official payout rules published by Twitch.