Did you know that there are mobile games that pay real Bitcoinfor playing? These are legit games that you can download from the iOS App Store or Android Play Store, and as you play the game and watch ads between rounds or levels, you’ll stack up satoshis (aka the smallest denomination of a Bitcoin).

Granted, you’ll need to keep your expectations in check—most of these games pay out something in the ballpark of a few cents worth of Bitcoin per hour of play. Nobody’s going to get rich playing a Bitcoin-infused version of sudoku. But if you’re to play that kind of game anyway, then why not rack up a little bit of $BTCalong the way?

We’ve been covering loads of these gamesat Decrypt’s GG, and some are decidedly better than others. So if you’re looking for the cream of the crop, these are the Bitcoin-paying mobile games that we enjoy and have come back to—and not just for the free crypto.

Bitcoin Miner

Screenshots from Bitcoin Miner. Image: Decrypt's GG

This one’s a no-brainer if you’re knee-deep in the crypto world. Bitcoin Mineris an iOSand Androidtitle from Fumb Games that has you mining fake coins, but you’ll earn real Bitcoinfor doing so. Make sense?

We’ve had more fun with Bitcoin Miner than most crypto-infused games, even if the tapping gameplay is rudimentary, in part because it’s such a colorful and goofy tribute to this oft-bizarre industry. And it’s more generous than most of these games too, with plenty of opportunities to earn satoshis along with free sats to claim several times a day. In fact, we’ve put together a guide to help you make the most of your Bitcoin earning.

Sweet Bitcoin

Screenshots from Sweet Bitcoin on iPhone. Image: Decrypt

If you enjoy Candy Crush Saga-style matching games, then Sweet Bitcoinmight be the best way to pile up some satoshis while playing a casual, mostly unchallenging puzzler.

Bling Financial’s puzzle game on iOSand Androidcertainly won’t win awards for originality, as it’s a pretty obvious clone of King’s smash hit series, but it nails the basics while paying out a little bit of Bitcoin along the way. Granted, the full-screen video ads can be obnoxious, and the ratio of gameplay to ads might turn some players off. But if you can stand the interruptions, then you can earn some $BTCwhile playing this fun distraction.

Bitcoin Sudoku

Screenshots from Bitcoin Sudoku on iOS. Image: Decrypt

Bitcoin Sudoku, also published by Bling, offers a better balance of gameplay and video ads thanks to the slower pace of sudoku. Available on iOSand Android, it’s a solid rendition of the classic number-plotting game that’s easy to play and offers multiple difficulty levels.

And since each level might take you several minutes, it’s a nice respite from the ads that run between levels. Given the longer levels, Bitcoin Sudoku pays out a slightly larger chunk of Bling points (which can convert to satoshis) after each ad. As a result, you don’t feel shortchanged, and the game doesn’t feel as grindy as other $BTC-fueled puzzlers.

SpaceY

Screenshots from SpaceY. Image: Decrypt's GG

There’s no “Bitcoin” in this title, but there are indeed Bitcoin rewards in this game. SpaceY(a play on SpaceX) for iOSand Androidis a simple asteroid-mining game in which you send your ship across the galaxy to suck up resources from each sector you discover.

In this case, that means tapping buttons to examine and mine the floating asteroids, then earning satoshis for each one you collect. And every so often, free satoshis also float into view that you can tap and claim. It’s not as generous as Fumb’s other game, Bitcoin Miner, but the chill vibe and lack of Bitcoin branding might make it more appealing to some players. And we've put together a guide to help you make the most of your time among the asteroids, too.

Bitcoin Solitaire

Bitcoin Solitaire by Bling/PlayDay. Image: Decrypt

There are actually a few different (but mostly similar) mobile solitaire games that pay Bitcoin rewards, but Bling and PlayDay’s Bitcoin Solitaire actually stood out above rival options from THNDR Games and Viker. And yes, we played all of themfor hours apiece.

Unlike those other versions, Bitcoin Solitaire for iOSand Androidhits a better sweet spot between smooth gameplay and Bitcoin earnings, even if it won’t add much of a bulge to your wallet. There’s not a whole lot more to say here: it’s a solid rendition of touchscreen solitaire, but with between-match video ads that pay you a little Bitcoin along the way.

Word Breeze

Image: Decrypt

Here’s one more relatively chill puzzle game that includes Bitcoin rewards: Word Breeze, also from Bling and PlayDay Studios, is a hybrid crossword and anagram puzzle solver that has you swipe to build a certain number of words from each pool of letters.

Word Breeze is easy to understand and occasionally challenging, and this iOSand Androidgame is a nice little distraction to fill your spare minutes. Like Sweet Bitcoin, this is a concept we’ve seen done many times over on mobile, but it works well again here—if you can tolerate the video ad interruptions that ultimately pay out points to swap for Bitcoin.

Edited by Ryan Ozawa.

Editor's note: This story was originally published on April 13, 2024. Last updated with new details on May 21.

This detailed match analysis covers key moments, player performances, and tactical insights.