The quickest way to get free Google Play credit is to earn Google Play gift cards from a rewards app, or to answer Google's own surveys, which pay straight into your Play balance.
None of it is big money. Think a few bucks here and there, enough to cover an app, a movie rental or some in-game stuff without pulling out your card.
Here are 7 ways that work. Four of them pay in real Google Play credit, and the other three pay cash you can spend however you want.
How to Get Free Google Play Credit
| Method | What you get | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Freecash | Google Play gift cards, PayPal, Venmo or crypto | Some payouts are held for verification checks |
| Mistplay | Gift cards, including Google Play | You need enough points for the card you want |
| Google Opinion Rewards | Google Play credit on Android | Credit expires one year after you earn it |
| Google Play Points | Google Play Credit, coupons or in-app items | You earn by spending, 1 point per $1 |
| Testerup | PayPal cash | $55 minimum payout |
| Survey sites | PayPal cash or gift cards | Some surveys screen you out |
| Cash back apps | Cash back on things you already buy | You only earn when you shop |
1. Freecash
Freecash pays you to play games, try new apps and take surveys, and Google Play is one of the gift cards you can cash out to. That makes it the most direct route on this list.
Gift card codes typically land in your email within minutes. If you'd rather have cash, you can withdraw to PayPal or Venmo, and those usually process the same day. There are 100+ gift cards in total, plus crypto.
Some payouts do get held longer for security and verification checks, so don't expect every one to be instant. Signing up is free and you don't need a card.
2. Mistplay
Do you love to play games on your phone? Some games will pay you money to play them, and Mistplay is one of them.
You play games, earn points, and trade the points for gift cards in the Mistplay Shop. Google Play is on the list, along with Visa, Amazon, Sephora and Walmart. It's free, and it's on both Android and iOS.
Each card has a minimum number of points, so how fast you get there depends on how much you play. There are more game apps that pay real money if Mistplay isn't your thing.
3. Google Opinion Rewards
This one comes from Google itself. On Android, Google Opinion Rewards sends you short surveys and pays you in Google Play credit.
How much? It varies with the length of the survey, and a few of them (like the setup questions) pay nothing. How often you get one varies too, so you can't really grind it.
Two rules to know. Your credits expire one year from the date you earned them, and you can't transfer them to another account. So spend them, don't hoard them.
On an iPhone the same app pays up to $1 per survey to your PayPal account. That's cash, not Play credit.
4. Google Play Points
Google Play Points is Google's own rewards program for the Play store. You start out earning 1 point for every $1 you spend on apps, games and in-app purchases, and you can use your points to get Google Play Credit, discount coupons or in-app items.
The more points you earn in a year, the higher your level, and higher levels earn points faster.
It's not free credit in the strict sense, because you have to spend to earn. But if you're buying on Google Play anyway, it's money back for doing nothing.
5. Testerup
Testerup pays you to test mobile games and complete surveys. It pays in cash to your PayPal account, not in Play credit, so think of it as a way to fund your own Google Play purchases.
The catch is the cashout. You need to reach $55 before you can request a payout, which is a lot higher than the other apps here. You also have to be at least 18 and live in the USA, Canada (not Quebec) or the UK.
6. Online Surveys
Survey sites won't hand you Google Play credit, but they do pay cash and gift cards for your opinion. One downside is that you may have to qualify for a survey first, and sometimes you'll answer a few questions and get screened out.
Don't get discouraged when that happens. There's always another one. We ranked the survey sites that pay cash here.
- Swagbucks pays in PayPal cash or gift cards for surveys, games and shopping. There's a $10 welcome bonus, but you have to activate it and spend at least $25 at a featured store within 30 days to get it.
- InboxDollars gives you a $5 welcome bonus when you sign up and finish a short profile survey. You can redeem for PayPal cash or gift cards.
- Survey Junkie lets you cash out beginning at $5 (500 points) by PayPal, bank transfer or gift card.
- Branded Surveys also starts payouts at 500 points, which is $5, by gift card, PayPal or bank transfer.
I've used Survey Junkie on and off for years. It's worth signing up for.
7. Cash Back Apps
These apps give you cash back for shopping you were going to do anyway. It isn't Play credit, but it's real money. Dosh used to be on this list. Here's what happened to Dosh and what to use instead.
Rakuten gives you cash back on purchases from online stores. Ibotta and Fetch reward you for your grocery receipts.
Upside gives you cash back on gas, groceries and dining nearby, and you can cash out to your bank account, PayPal or gift cards.
I've been using Upside for years.
How to Redeem Google Play Credits
Got a gift card code? Here's how to add it to your balance on a computer:
- Go to play.google.com/redeem
- Enter your code
- Click Redeem
- Review the account that will receive the balance
- Click Confirm
That's it. Google's help page has a separate tab with the steps for an Android phone or tablet.
Can I Turn Google Play Credit into PayPal or Cash?
No. Google Play gift cards and credit aren't redeemable for cash, and they can't be resold, exchanged or transferred for value. You can only use them for purchases on Google Play. If cash is what you're after, start with these ways to make money.
Gift card credit has no fees and no expiration date. Credit from Google Opinion Rewards is the exception, since it expires after one year.
You also have to be 13 or older and live in the U.S. to use a U.S. Google Play gift card.
How to Avoid Google Play Credit Scams
Google warns that scammers use different ways to trick people into providing Google Play gift cards. Here's how to stay out of it:
- Never pay a bill, a fine or a “processing charge” with a Google Play gift card. No real company or agency asks for that.
- Skip any site that promises a free code “generator.” They don't work, and they're after your login or your time.
- A rewards app should never need your bank password or your card number to pay you.
- Never read a gift card code to someone over the phone or send it in a message.
