New Changes to Mistplay's Rewards: Is It Still Worth It?

A couple of months ago I wrote an article detailing how to earn easy rewards with Mistplay on your phone simply by playing games. But things are no longer as easy as they once were. Isn't that always how it goes?

With their recent increase in points required for gift cards, is Mistplay still worth your time (and moreimportantly, your phone’s battery)?

What Does The New Mistplay Point Increase Mean?

Previously Mistplay raised the required point values for their PayPal and Amazon gift cards. Most other retailer gift card options allowed you to redeem a $10 gift card for 3000 points. Well, hold on to your horses because that point value just went up 450 points. It now costs 3450 points for most $10 gift cards.

But what does that mean timewise for how long it takes to redeem a gift card on Mistplay?

The average game on Mistplay earns around 80 points or less at every checkpoint. Checkpoints are measured by time tracked while playing rather than gameplay achievement (i.e. you can complete as many levels or as few levels as you’d like. You’ll still earn the same points either way.). 

The quickest way to earn points is by downloading new games and playing them until you reach checkpoint 5.After that checkpoint, it’s best to delete that game and download a new one, starting the process again. 

Here’s a quick little math to walk through how the change affects your time to earn: 

5 checkpoints x 80 points = 400 points

The increase in points needed to redeem a gift card now requires you to either play certain games longer or play one more game than before.  

Screenshots of the new gift card units prices. Target, which previously cost 3000 units for $10, now costs 3450. Amazon costs 100 units more.

Is Mistplay Still Worth It? 

The increase in points has made redeeming rewards take longer.  Mistplay is not as worth it anymore. That said, it still has things working for it that other apps don't.

The app still offers an occasional bonus reward. You can earn 50 extra points for trying new games on the weekends. 50points do not go far in the grand scheme of things, but it's still a nice gesture.

I’ve also recently gotten a handful of new games available on Mistplay. The games have increased my earnings since they have 4x multipliers and higher point values than previously available (most of the available games for me were only around 60 to 50 points per checkpoint).

I will likely play until I can cash out my remaining points, but I’m not sure I will continue much further past that.

However, whether Mistplay is still worth it or not depends on the type of gaming you want to do. Mistplay is unique in the way that it rewards gameplay. You don’t have to play the game to earn. All you need is the app and a game to run on your phone, occasionally clicking some things to keep it from falling asleep. I prefer to play games sometimes rather than just leaving them open, so I usually pick apps on Mistplay that I want to play.

Mistplay Alternatives

Mistplay isn't the only app that rewards you for playing games on your phone. However, none are like Mistplay, which pays you for your time on the apps rather than goal completion. Most of the pay-for-play apps reward you for reaching various game levels. 

I’ve tried a few other similar apps and here are my current top two Mistplay alternatives for now:

• Swagbucks

• Fetch

Swagbucks Rewarded Play

Swagbucks has one of the largest libraries of available games to earn points with that I have come across. But the amount you earn relies on the grind you put into a game. 

Unlike Mistplay, it’s better to focus only on one game at a time with Swagbucks, since it pays you for reaching certain levels or events in each game. Each game tells you the maximum points you can earn (some require in-app purchases to complete, but not all). It will also tell you how long you’ll have to complete the goals/how much you’ll earn per goal.

Swagbucks takes longer to earn than Mistplay, depending on the game. I downloaded the water sort puzzle game Love Water and made $2.27 after around 2 hours of game time. I almost got an extra $5 from the game, too, but I got tired of watching ads.

Fetch Play Games on the Fetch App

When I first downloaded the Fetch App, I had no idea they offered games for you to earn points. I thought the app was only for uploading receipts from recent purchases for rewards, but I was wrong. 

Fetch has a much smaller library of available games than any other app I have tried, which makes it not a popular option.

Fetch gives users a bonus point multiplier for their first downloaded game, which makes the difference. I’ve earned a $10 Barnes and Noble gift card from playing one game (Domino Dreams), and I’m about to get another $10. 

I enjoy using Fetch for passive gameplay. It’s similar to Swagbucks, though, since you have to achieve certain levels to gain rewards. I also like that they keep your rewards on the app for you after redemption. It makes it easy to find your various gift cards without having to scour your crowded email.

Final Thoughts

It’s business as usual, and Mistplay wants to improve its earnings. I understand, on one level, the need to increase their prices- but it still makes me sad. Swagbucks and Fetch are good alternatives amid these changes. However, neither will allow you to set your phone down and earn passively as Mistplay does. 

With these changes, I would no longer recommend trying any game that earns slower than a 3.5x multiplier or less than 60 points per checkpoint. Ideally, I wouldn't waste my time (or phone battery) on any game with checkpoints less than 70 points. That is the best way to maximize your earnings with Mistplay.