Are Scratch To Win Apps Worth Using?

By now I’m sure you’ve seen those ads with excited people playing a scratch to win app. The people always look ecstatic, showing you they won “x” amount of money and telling you how easy it was. It always seems too good to be true, but I'd still wonder if it were true. They wouldn't pay all of that money to advertise something fake, would they? If it were true, was it really as easy as they say? Could I really win money and prizes for scratching cards?

I decided to take a chance and try a few of these apps. To my surprise, it really is easy and they do offer you cash and prizes for playing. Everything you win is added to your "wallet" in the app where it collects until you've reached the amount needed to cash out. If you want to cash out the actual cash you've won, you'll need to have a minimum of $10. Once you're ready to cash out, your money will be sent to you via PayPal (If you don't already have an account, now would be a good time to sign up. It's free and easy to use). When it comes to cashing out for prizes, each app is different, so they all have different offers. Some apps have gift cards from $2 to $50, some have gift cards in increments of $5, while others only offer $50 gift cards. In order to receive your gift cards, you'll have to follow the directions. Each app and each company offering gift cards is different, so you'll either be emailed a virtual gift card or the code to redeem your card via the company you chose (ex: Amazon).

But first, just how do these apps work? And how do you get those scratchers? The app itself is simple: when you click to open the app you are given the choice to sign in via Facebook or as a guest (if you're unsure about an app, always sign in as a guest). The layout of the home screen is pretty simple and when there are scratchers available you will see them immediately (like you see above). As with most things in life, nothing free really ever is free. In this case, you're not paying for anything with money, but you are paying for something with time. You do get some scratchers without having to do anything, but along the way you do have to watch a short ad to get more. The app supplies you with a fresh assortment of scratchers daily and the amount of free spins on the prize wheel is reset.

A few pros and cons of playing these apps:

It really is simple. You open your designated app store, download the app you want, open the app, click on the card you want, and start scratching.

Scratching the card really is easy. Just a few swipes of your finger and you’re done. The amount of swipes needed range from 3 to 5 (depending on the app) for the main section and 2 to 3 for the bonus section.

Scratching the card really is easy. Just a few swipes of your finger and you’re done. The amount of swipes needed range from 3 to 5 (depending on the app) for the main section and 2 to 3 for the bonus section.

Yes, you really do get money from some of those cards. The amount of cash you can win varies with each app and each card. It all adds up and collects in your "wallet" until you reach $10. Once you’ve reached the $10 point, you can cash in for a payment via Paypal. (Again, if you’ve not already signed up for a Paypal account, now might be a good time. It really is free and easy to use).

More than just scratchers, they give you the opportunity to get more coins and more cash via a prize wheel. A simple click sends the wheel spinning and whatever you land on gets added to your wallet. Most times they give you the option of doubling your points as well. I've gotten a fair amount of coins from spinning the wheel, so I'd suggest not forgetting that bonus.

During the two weeks I've been using these apps, I've not found anything difficult about using any part of them. This really is an easy way to get a few dollars and gift cards by simply scratching some cards. So if there's an easy way to get something by using a few minutes of your free time, why not give it a shot? And who knows, you may get lucky and win something big.

Although the scratching of the card itself is easy, often times you’ll get hit with an ad that pops up before you can start scratching. Sometimes you’ll get lucky and get an ad that’s only 10 seconds long, but most times you get hit with ads that are 30 seconds or more. Once in a while, you’ll even end up with an ad that requires you to click to the next screen in order to continue (there can be anywhere from 2-5 screens to click through). Those ads can be really frustrating as they’re sometimes not about anything that interests you. All of the ads you'll have you watch is what makes things not so simple anymore. It can really feel like a boring, maybe even frustrating, a waste of time.

Oh boy, the ads; they really do get annoying. As with any app that offers something for free, you’ll have to give them something in exchange. In this case, it might be your sanity as you sit and watch ad after ad just to get more scratchers (or double your coins). A lot of these ads are also repeated. I’d be okay with watching ads if I wasn’t watching the exact same one 5-10 times in a row (I once watched the same ad 7 times in row).

Although you gain coins for each card, no matter what, you do get offered to double the amount by, you guessed it, watching another ad. You don’t have to double your coins, but if you’re aiming to gain more coins so you can cash in for a gift card faster, the only way to do it is by watching those ads. Sometimes you have to decide if it’s worth it to give up your time and patience.

Most of the apps start off by giving you a bunch of money for everything you do. You scratch a card, it gives you a good amount of money. Although the amount of money you gain is in change (cents, not dollars), it is a reasonable amount and you can see it really starting to add up. You think it should be quick to get to the $10 cash-in mark, but then you notice the amount of money you get per card starts to shrink. Then you start to notice the number of cards that give you money is starting to get more and more infrequent. It’s not your imagination; they really are starting to get smaller and they are getting less and less frequent. As the time goes on, you’re really starting to wonder if you’ll ever get to the end of the line. Will you? Eventually. If you’ve got any determination like I have to see this to finish line, you’ll keep playing in hopes of getting to that $10 minimum. I really can’t say how long exactly it will take for you to reach the end. I’m sure part of it depends on luck, but a lot of it also depends on how much time and effort you’re willing to put into scratching and watching those ads.

These are a great way to gain more coins and cash, but as with all other offers on these apps, you'll need to watch an ad. Usually the first spin is free, but everything thereafter will cost you watching an ad. And as with all other offers, you'll be given the opportunity to double what you've just won, by, you guessed it, watching yet another ad. Since I've usually gotten a fair amount of coins from spinning, doubling them seems like the smart option. Other times I've had to ask myself, "can I really stand watching another ad for that small amount of coins?" Sometimes it's just not worth it.

It’s definitely not the most enjoyable at times or the fastest way to get money, so I wouldn't suggest it if getting money quick is what you're after. The multiple ads start to really get annoying and it does take quite a bit of time to see the end. If you don't have the patience, this is definitely not the best option for you.

Are these apps really worth using? They can be. The amount of time and effort you’re willing to put in will affect how well you do and how fast you'll reach the point of being able to cash out. If you're only willing to give up the extra 10 minutes during your boring lunch break you usually spend sitting around, watching the time pass, it will take you longer to reach the minimum requirements. But if you're willing to really put in the effort every day to scratch all of the cards, double points, and spin for all of the bonuses, you'll reach minimum requirements much faster. I've been using these apps for about 2 weeks, playing 2 times a day for about an hour total. The pictures above are of my actual totals from 3 days ago, so you can see how fast the cash and coins add up.

These types of apps are not for everyone. Not everyone enjoys using scratchers. If you don’t like using scratchers, there are other apps available that offer different ways to get free cash and prizes (One of those being Fish for Prizes, which I wrote another hub about). If you don't enjoy the app itself, you can always uninstall it and try another one. There are quite a few of these types of apps out there, each trying to really stand out from the others. If you do find these apps enjoyable and worthwhile, I wish you good luck and happy fishing!