Advertiser Disclosure
Advertiser Disclosure: The credit card and banking offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies and banks from which MoneyCrashers.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they appear on category pages. MoneyCrashers.com does not include all banks, credit card companies or all available credit card offers, although best efforts are made to include a comprehensive list of offers regardless of compensation. Advertiser partners include American Express, Chase, U.S. Bank, and Barclaycard, among others.

Mistplay Review – Earn Gift Cards by Playing Mobile Games


Our rating

3.0/5

Mistplay

  • Features: Get paid to play games; earn cash back for spending money in-game; weekly contests and daily playing bonuses
  • Redemption Minimum: $0.50 for certain gift cards
  • Advantages: Low redemption minimum; game variety; new games regularly added; available in multiple countries
  • Disadvantages: Low earning potential; no cash rewards; not worth downloading if you don’t enjoy mobile gaming; not available for iPhone

It’s safe to say that video games have evolved quite dramatically since the inception of Pong, the iconic first video game that mimics a tennis match.

Thanks to technology, video games become more immersive every year. New consoles, faster computers, and the rise of virtual reality show just how much gaming has developed over the decades.

However, a newer form of gaming that’s also incredibly popular is mobile gaming, or playing video games on your smartphone. In fact, mobile gaming is now the largest segment of the global games market, outshining PC and consoles.

If you’re a fan of mobile games, you probably play them to pass the time and relax. But, did you know it’s also possible to turn your hobby into a side hustle?

With Mistplay, you can earn free gift cards for trying new mobile games and leveling up your Mistplay account. If you already play games on your smartphone and want to earn extra money, Mistplay is certainly worth trying.

Key Features

If you’ve ever used get-paid-to websites like Swagbucks and InboxDollars before, you’re probably familiar with the idea of getting paid to download apps. However, while these websites often include game download offers, they don’t focus on mobile gaming. Most reward platforms cater to people who want to take paid surveys, with mobile apps often feeling like an afterthought.

Mistplay is different. The self-proclaimed leading loyalty program for mobile gamers doesn’t clutter its app with survey offers and cash-back shopping. Instead, Mistplay lets you make money playing new and exciting mobile games and leveling up in each game you play.

Mistplay is only available for Android devices. However, there are a number of key features that cement Mistplay’s spot as the best mobile gaming reward platform around.

1. Multiple Ways to Earn

Once you create a free Mistplay account with your email address or by connecting your Facebook account, you allow Mistplay to “display over other apps” in your phone’s settings. This lets Mistplay record how much time you spend playing games on your phone, which is necessary for tracking your rewards. This function is a requirement to make money with Mistplay and is common in the world of mobile reward apps. Once you enable access, you’re ready to start earning money with mobile gaming.

Units — Mistplay’s in-app currency — are redeemable for free gift cards. Once you download a game from Mistplay’s list of eligible games, you earn units for leveling up and beating missions within that game. There are also two other point systems that help you earn units faster:

  • Game Experience Points. These points, known as GXP, accumulate passively the more you play games with Mistplay. You increase your overall GXP level per game the more time you spend playing that game. The higher your GXP level, the more units you receive for leveling up in that game.
  • Player Experience Points. These points are also known as PXP. You gain PXP for playing new games, and PXP helps you level up your overall Mistplay player level. You earn bonus units for leveling up your overall Mistplay account.

This system might seem confusing at first. However, Mistplay games indicate their unit and PXP multipliers, which explains how many units and PXP points you earn for different games. Games also have a GXP tracker which displays how close you are to a new GXP level.

Finally, Mistplay also has a referral program that pays you for inviting your friends to the platform. When a friend joins Mistplay with your unique invite code, they earn a 50-unit bonus. You earn 100 units when your referral reaches level four with their Mistplay account. This is a fairly low-paying referral system, but because Mistplay has multiplayer games, you can invite friends to the app and play the same games together for a collaborative and fun experience.

Ultimately, the point is to try new games that entice you. As you play, you’ll earn GXP and PXP and steadily increase how fast you earn units and, ultimately, free gift cards. In this sense, Mistplay is basically passive income if you play games through Mistplay you’d already play anyway.

2. Game Variety

Another key Mistplay feature is the sheer variety of game categories and individual games you can download at any time. It truly doesn’t matter what type of mobile gamer you are; there’s bound to be something of interest to you on Mistplay.

Game categories include:

  • Mistplay favorites
  • Multiplayer games
  • Casual games
  • Tycoon and base-building simulators
  • Casino games
  • Single-player games
  • Strategy games
  • Puzzles
  • New releases

You can also download as many Mistplay games as you like, and Mistplay tracks your existing downloads under a “Keep Playing” section in your games tab. You must launch games through this section to let Mistplay track your playtime and award you with units, PXP, and GXP.

It’s also worth noting that Mistplay partners with popular game developers for each genre. For example, one particular game you can download is King of Avalon, a medieval-themed strategy game with over 50 million downloads and a massive online player base. If you’re a competitive mobile gamer who enjoys playing the most popular games out there, Mistplay’s game diversity and quality are certainly a plus.

3. Gift Card Variety and Redemption Minimums

One surefire way to tell whether a reward platform is worth your time is by examining your reward options and the redemption minimums. After all, if an app only lets you redeem one type of reward and takes months of work to unlock your first reward, it’s not worth your time.

Thankfully, Mistplay has a decent selection of gift cards, including options like:

  • Amazon
  • Xbox
  • iTunes
  • Walmart
  • Google Play Store credit
  • Best Buy
  • Prepaid Visa cards

Granted, this is less selection than grocery rewards apps like Fetch Rewards and Ibotta, which both offer dozens of gift card rewards. However, with Amazon and Prepaid Visa cards on the list, there’s always something worth redeeming your units for.

Plus, Mistplay has an incredibly reasonable redemption minimum. Amazon gift cards are available in amounts as low as $0.50, which costs 400 units. Other gift cards start at $5 for 1,800 units, which is attainable after trying new mobile games for several hours.

Mistplay won’t let you quit your day job, but frequent mobile gamers can expect a few free gift cards each month at the very least.

Saving up for more expensive gift cards means you get more value per unit you spend. For example, a $0.50 gift card for 400 units means each unit you spend is worth just over one-tenth of a penny. By contrast, a $10 gift card for 2,400 units brings the per-unit value up to about half a penny per unit.

4. Streaks and Contests

Leveling up in individual mobile games and your overall player profile are the main methods for earning units. However, Mistplay also awards you for consistently gaming. If you play five minutes every day for seven days consecutively, you earn a Daily Play bonus of additional units. If you typically play every day, you won’t have any trouble earning bonuses every week.

Additionally, Mistplay runs weekly contests that generally pay out $50 to $100 or more in free units. To enter contests, you either download a specific game and reach a certain level or invite enough friends to join Mistplay.

Mistplay has over 10 million downloads, so don’t expect to win weekly contests, but you can always get lucky, and the Daily Play bonuses are fully in your control.

5. Mistplay Status

A new feature that Mistplay is gradually implementing for users is Mistplay Status, a new loyalty program that helps you earn even more rewards.

With Mistplay Status, you earn gems for making in-game purchases for specially marked games that are part of the Mistplay Status program. If you currently spend money on mobile gaming, this new feature can help you unlock more Mistplay rewards.

However, gems aren’t the same as units. Earning enough gems in a given month levels up your total Mistplay Status tier, and different tiers unlock various rewards. The Mistplay Status tiers include:

  • Bronze. Everyone with access to the Mistplay Status level begins at this tier.
  • Silver. Earn 1.1 times more units from leveling up in games and from your Daily Play bonus.
  • Gold. Get the same benefits as the Silver level, plus earn 1.1 times more gems for in-game purchases.
  • Platinum. Earn 1.25 times more units for leveling up in games, Daily Play bonuses, and for in-game purchases.

Players who have access to Mistplay Status can track their progress towards a new tier within the Mistplay app. Ultimately, this new feature adds even more depth to Mistplay, and if you spend money on in-game purchases, keep an eye out for Mistplay Status.

Advantages

Game variety and multiple ways to earn units are what make Mistplay a viable, albeit modest, side hustle for gamers. Additionally, there are numerous advantages that make it easy to understand why Mistplay is so popular:

  1. Low Redemption Minimums. Apps like Ibotta typically have $20 redemption minimums, so it can take weeks or months to redeem your first reward. In contrast, Mistplay’s $0.50 gift card option sets this app apart from most reward platforms.
  2. New Games. Mistplay has a diverse game list and multiple genres to cater to any type of mobile gamer. The app also adds new games regularly, so it’s also worth checking your game list for new opportunities to earn if you ever get bored of your current game selection.
  3. Passive Income For Gamers. If you already play games that partner with Mistplay, you’re missing out on passive income by not playing them through Mistplay. The only upfront work that Mistplay requires is to download games. As long as you remember to launch games through Mistplay rather than your phone’s home screen, you earn rewards passively just for playing.
  4. Multiple Countries. Currently, Mistplay is available in the United States, Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. Additionally, Mistplay has aspirations to expand globally, so the future is bright for this mobile gaming platform. Just note that using a VPN to access Mistplay is against their terms of service and will likely result in an account ban.

Disadvantages

Despite game variety and a low redemption minimum, there are some obvious downsides relating to earnings and accessibility worth noting:

  1. Android-Only. If you’re a PC gamer or play mobile games on iOS, you’re out of luck. With no announcement of iOS or desktop plans for the future, it also doesn’t look like Mistplay has other operating systems in mind.
  2. No PayPal Rewards. Prepaid Visa cards are usually in stock within Mistplay’s store. However, a lack of PayPal rewards and direct deposit is a downside if you just want cash. Platforms like Rakuten and reward apps like Dosh are better for earning cash rewards.
  3. Low Earning Potential. Mistplay is worth downloading if you already play mobile games regularly and want to earn free gift cards in your spare time. However, Mistplay isn’t a high-paying side hustle. At most, expect a few small gift card rewards per month if you’re a serious gamer who spends a lot of time playing games every week anyway. If you don’t enjoy mobile games, this isn’t the app for you.

Final Word

It isn’t every day you see a reward platform that’s as niche as Mistplay. Although many reward apps pay you for shopping or answering surveys, Mistplay focuses entirely on mobile gaming and certainly deserves the title of the leading loyalty program for gamers.

However, Mistplay is only an easy way to make extra cash if you’re an avid gamer. If you want to significantly boost your income, alternatives like the gig economy or making money online with freelance websites are more lucrative side gig options.

Ultimately, Mistplay is worth trying if you already play mobile games and have an Android phone. If you sink a few hours per week into gaming, you can certainly earn free gift cards over time and make the most out of your gaming hobby.

The Verdict

Our rating

3.0/5

Mistplay

Deciding whether Mistplay is worth it is actually quite simple. If you currently play mobile games and want to earn rewards for the time you spend playing, Mistplay is undeniably worth downloading. After all, with an extensive games list and low redemption minimum, you can realistically benefit from playing games with Mistplay.

If you don’t enjoy mobile games, there’s no reason to download this app. The hourly earning potential isn’t high enough to justify the effort. Ultimately, Mistplay is more of a passive income source for people who already game rather than a lucrative money-making app.

Mistplay’s focus on mobile gamers is both its strength and weakness. This loyalty program is perfect for anyone who already plays games on their smartphone, but this prerequisite also means Mistplay isn’t a useful app for non-gamers.

Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of the bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Tom is a freelance writer originally from Toronto, Canada. Tom's passion for finance and discovering methods to make money originally sparked in college when he was trying to make ends meet on a tight budget. Outside of freelance writing, Tom also manages the blog This Online World - a personal finance website dedicated to helping young adults make and save more money.
Small Business

How to Start a Side Business or Hustle While Working a Full-Time Job

About one-third of American workers have at least one side gig. Balancing the demands of a side gig, freelancing operation, or startup business alongside your day job takes planning but can radically boost your income. Learn how to start a side business or side hustle while working a full-time job.

Read Now