Bonusboy
Play games, earn money: how step-by-step game rewards work
"Play games and earn money" is the most searched phrase around reward apps, and the most misunderstood. Here is what a game offer actually is, what the money looks like, and how to avoid wasting hours.
What a game offer is
An advertiser (a game studio) pays an offerwall partner for new players who reach certain milestones: install and open, reach level 5, build the second town hall, and so on. The partner shares that payment with Bonusboy, and Bonusboy pays you your share for each milestone the advertiser confirms. The milestones are listed on the game's card before you install, with the reward for each.
Why "install through the app" matters
Tracking works through the install link in Bonusboy. If you search the game in the store yourself, the advertiser cannot connect your progress to your Bonusboy account, and no step will ever pay. Always tap "Install" inside the game card, and keep the same device.
What a realistic result looks like
The pattern is the same in every country: a lot of installs, a few first milestones, very few deep milestones. Deep milestones pay much more on paper (several dollars for a level that takes a week) but almost nobody reaches them, so we treat the first two steps as the realistic value of an offer when we sort the list.
How long tracking takes
- Install and open: usually reported within minutes.
- Level or progress steps: minutes to a few hours; some advertisers batch reports and take up to 48 hours.
- No report after 48 hours: the step is not going to track. See the guide on missing game rewards for what to check and how to report the game.
What we remove before you see it
- Offers with a purchase in any step ("deposit $5", "buy the starter pack").
- Gambling, casino and betting apps.
- Offers that reward only the install, and offers that pay for reviews or ratings.
- Games reported by several members in your country as not opening or not tracking.
Choosing games that are worth it
- Prefer games whose first step is "reach level X" rather than "play 30 days".
- Read the milestone list; if the big rewards are all at the end, expect only the early ones.
- Play on Wi-Fi and keep the game installed until the last step you want is reported.
- Use one device and no VPN; a changed IP mid-offer is the most common reason an advertiser rejects a step.
Quick answers
Can you really earn money playing games?
Yes, small amounts, and only by reaching the milestones the advertiser pays for. The first steps on Bonusboy typically pay $0.01 to $0.05 each; deep milestones pay more but are rarely reached. Most members who install a game stop before the first milestone.
Why is the reward split into steps?
Because advertisers pay for proof of progress: reaching a level shows you really played. Each step is a separate payment from the advertiser, reported separately, so Bonusboy pays it separately.
Do I have to spend money in the game?
Never on Bonusboy. We remove every offer that includes a purchase in any step. If a game asks you to buy something to progress, the reward for that step does not exist in our list.
