With so many of us feeling the pinch, I’m not surprised to see that an app called Freecash – Earn Money is one of the most downloaded both on Apple’s App Store and Android’s Google Play Store.
It currently ranks sixth among the top free-to-download entertainment apps ahead of even Netflix, TikTok and Disney+. Look at the app description and it’s even more enticing.
‘Welcome to Freecash – Earn Rewards, the fun way to make a little money online in your spare time!’ the blurb says.
‘Play games you actually enjoy, answer surveys, shop online and earn real money while you’re at it – all from your phone’.
Normally, I’d be wary of any product claiming that you can earn easy money online.
But it appears to have a rating of 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store with 13,000 user ratings. And it’s clearly popular. So, I decide to give it a go.
Cash machine: Freecash – Earn Money currently ranks sixth among the top free to download entertainment apps ahead even of Netflix, TikTok and Disney+
What it’s like?
Downloading the Freecash app to my smartphone takes less than a minute and I create a profile when prompted using my email address and a password.
It then asks how I want any ‘cash-out’ payments to be made – PayPal, Visa, Amazon gift card or via bank transfer. This sounds hopeful.
It also wants to know how many ‘in-app purchases in mobile games’ I usually make, how often I play games – and how much I want to earn that day (£10, £20, £30 or £40+).
I am also asked how much time I want to play ‘right now’ (five to 15 minutes, 15 to 30 minutes, 45 to 60 minutes, or 60+ minutes).
I opt to earn £20 in 15 minutes and am presented with a range of game apps, including Bingo Blitz, Board Kings, Spin N’Candy, Bingo Royal, Mahjong Cash, Animals & Cash.
Underneath each is a green box stating how much money I could make playing this game. ‘Play and Earn £909… £340…£633’ were among options given.
Not being greedy, I choose Bingo Blitz offering £340.
I’m told I must download the app via the link provided. The game seems popular and is ‘No 7’ in the Apple App ‘casino’ charts.
Checking the terms and conditions, it seemed to be owned by a company called Playtika.
I’m still in the dark about how playing will earn me free cash, but I persist. It is a game of online bingo that I play with other players.
Like the traditional game, a number is called out and I must look at a card on my phone screen to see if I have it – and if so, press the number.
You move up a level when you win a full card of bingo or achieve other goals. As you’re typically playing against at least 20 players, I estimate it could take a dozen or so games to win one and move up a level.
I find the whole experience confusing. Every few moments there is an explosion of party celebrations – with treasure chests and jewels exploding in showers of glitter – I can’t understand why.
After 15 minutes of bemusement, I have earned zero pounds – and it looks like I’ll have to play for hours to win anything. If I do win though, cash will be paid out via my Freecash account.
I search online chatrooms to see if I can find anyone who has actually made money from this game. I soon realise it might require a level of skill I do not possess.
‘Get paid up to £55 for reaching level 70 in Bingo Blitz’ wrote ‘TightAs…’ on the online forum Reddit. They added: ‘I completed the offer a while back and found it very easy.’
Other players, including ‘Ok-Gap8360’, said they managed it ‘after a day and a half of play’.
So, by my estimates, a skilled gamer might achieve the goal in 12 hours – £4.58 an hour.
A spokesman said this specific Bingo Blitz task no longer exists on Freecash. He added: ‘The largest single task currently available on Bingo Blitz is for playing 120 minutes on 80 different days, which pays around £32.’
Glyn Powditch, co-founder of technology marketing company Dream Agility and former gaming director for Sky Bet, said: ‘The payments are paltry but, if you enjoy the game, it might be worthwhile and fun.’
A spokesman at Almedia, which owns Freecash, said: ‘Freecash is not supposed to make you rich.
Rather, it is a rewards platform to get something back in exchange for what people were doing anyway.’
User base: Game companies may be using you to attract more players. Having more players in a game adds to its appeal and makes it more likely others will sign up
How they make money from you...
Freecash says that advertisers pay it to reach its user base of over 80 million people and advertise their products on its platform.
The company said: ‘We do not sell user data. We pass a share of that budget to users in the form of rewards for actively engaging with the product and achieving certain milestones, for example playing a game a certain number of times.
'Rewards are paid for completing disclosed actions and milestones, nothing else.’
Game companies may be using you to attract more players. Having more players in a game adds to its appeal and makes it more likely others will sign up.
Psychologist Janina Steinmetz, professor of marketing of the Bayes Business School, says: ‘It is more fun to play with other people.
'It is paradoxical that people might look lonely looking at their smartphones, but they are actually socialising because they are playing with others.
‘It helps explain why firms pay for new players.’
There are growing numbers of free game apps competing for users. To attract players, some sign-up to third-party agencies willing to pay you to get involved.
These include Freecash, Benjamin, ySense, TapJoy and Inboxpounds. These are designed as money-making apps rather than gaming ones – enticing people wanting to make extra cash.
These people then may end up on the gaming apps.
When asked how much commission it earns from gaming apps, Freecash did not disclose any details.
However, based on a conservative estimate of 10 per cent commission, if a gamer who achieves level 70 in Bingo Blitz earns £55, this would mean that Freecash received at least £61 and passed on £55 to the player.
Offering a ‘free’ game may also be a hook to entice you in as, once you start playing, you may spend real money to buy extra points, play more and potentially reach higher levels.
With Bingo Blitz, I am given eight free tokens to play the classic game with two bingo cards. But I am offered the chance to buy more tokens after that, which could help me to move up to higher levels faster.
Bingo Blitz sells packages starting at £1.99 for 25 credits – and advertised a special ‘+200%’ sales offering 75 credits for the same price, and £41.99 for the ‘best value’ offer of 620 credits.
Professor Steinmetz says: ‘Using the term ‘free’ is a great way to attract your attention – and spending a pound or two here or there to continue playing the game is easy to justify. But add it all up and you could be surprised at the final total.’
Getting you to sign up to games is just one part of what companies such as Freecash offer – it also pays users to complete surveys.
Trevor Fenner, founder of marketing consultancy Ecommerce Paradise, says: ‘Surveys run ten to 20 minutes and typically pay from less than 50p to £3 each. The effective hourly rate is under £4.’
Playtika, which owns Bingo Blitz, was also contacted for comment.
What is your experience of money-making apps? Email
toby.walne@dailymail.co.uk