EarnStar says you can make real money by doing surveys, downloading apps, and playing mobile games. They claim you can earn over $100 per game.
Sounds simple enough.
The question is whether it actually works or if it’s another app that promises more than it gives you.
I tested it to see what EarnStar does, how the earning works, and what you can realistically get from it. This way, you know if it’s worth signing up or if you should skip it.
Here’s what I found.
What is EarnStar, and how does it work?
EarnStar is a newer Get-Paid-To platform. You complete surveys, play games, and earn money from it. It’s legit in the sense that payouts are real.
But legit doesn’t mean worth it. The question is whether the earning methods make sense for you. The only way to know? Look at how the platform actually works.
Once you see the specific opportunities it offers, you’ll understand if it’s decent or just another way to waste time. That’s what matters here (not whether it technically pays, but whether it pays enough for the effort you put in).
Playing Mobile Games
Playing mobile games here actually pays. The offers are straightforward: pick a game, complete certain milestones, earn rewards. If you haven’t done this type of thing before, here’s what happens. You click an offer, it shows you exactly what you need to do (usually reach a specific level in the game), and once you hit that milestone, you get paid.
Most of these are mobile games, so you’ll be using your phone for this (more on that in a bit). Each offer breaks down into milestones. Think of them as checkpoints. Reach level 10, get paid. Reach level 25, get paid more.
Now, some milestones ask you to make in-game purchases. You have to think about whether spending money to unlock a reward makes sense. Not all of them are worth it. I learned to calculate quickly: if I need to spend $5 to earn $3 in rewards, that’s a loss. Skip those.
Here’s something important: every offer has a deadline. Once that date passes, you can’t earn from that game anymore. Doesn’t mean you have to finish everything. You can move to the next offer whenever you want. No penalty for leaving a game half-done.
There are always offers available. I’ve never logged in and found the list empty. They keep rotating new games in, so you won’t run out of ways to earn.
The pay is better than most GPT sites I’ve tried. These offers actually give you something worth the time invested. I’ve done offers on other platforms that paid pennies for hours of gameplay. Here, the rewards feel more reasonable, in my opinion.
I’ve also tested HeyCash, FreeCash, EarnApp, and EarnLab. They work on the same model (play games, hit milestones, get paid), but each has its own quirks. Some have better game selection, some pay faster, some have lower minimums. EarnStar is somewhere in the middle, but the offer quality is solid.
Surveys are the second way to earn money. Open your dashboard and look for the surveys section.
If you’re just starting out, they make you complete an initial survey before anything else unlocks. It’s automatic qualification (just basic profile stuff). Finish that, and the rest become available.
After that first one, every survey has a qualifying phase. They’re checking if you fit their target demographic. Don’t qualify? Skip to the next. Qualify? Answer it, finish it, reward shows up in your balance.
When I tested this, there was a good amount of surveys waiting. Not overwhelming, but enough that you’re not stuck refreshing constantly hoping something new appears. The money was reasonable too. I’ve seen survey sites where you answer 20 questions for 10 cents (frustrating), but here most surveys actually felt worth the time.
One thing I noticed – the qualifying questions can get repetitive if you’re doing multiple surveys in one sitting. Same demographic checks over and over. That’s normal for survey platforms (they need to match you to the right audience), but it does slow things down a bit.
If you want to compare or supplement your earnings, ySense and GG2U are solid alternatives. Attapoll works too, especially if you prefer mobile. I’ve tried all three at different points, and they each have slightly different survey pools, so rotating between platforms can help when one runs dry.
Daily Leaderboard Contest
Complete 10 surveys and you can join the leaderboard contest. The goal is to earn more than other members on the same day. If you rank in the top 100 by the end of the day, you get a prize based on your position.
First place wins $5. Not bad for a daily contest, in my opinion. It won’t replace steady earning, but it adds motivation if you respond well to that kind of setup.
Refer Your Friends
You can earn without lifting a finger if you get people to join through your link. Share it with someone you know. They click, sign up, done. They’re your referral.
Or skip the link entirely. Just give them your referral code. They type it in when they register. Same result.
What you get: 10% commission every time your referral completes a paid survey. Notice I said paid surveys. Other stuff they do won’t count toward your earnings.
Your referrals actually need to use the platform. Someone signs up, never logs in again? You get nothing from them. But getting people to stay active isn’t impossible. The platform gives them enough reasons to keep coming back, at least from what I’ve seen.
I’d say the 10% is reasonable. Won’t make you rich, obviously. But refer three or four people who actually participate? The commission starts to feel worth it.
Lucky Draw
There’s also a Lucky Draw feature. You get a mystery box every time you earn $5.
The box gives you either cash (up to $10) or a percentage boost for your next surveys and offers. When I tested it, I got a 50% boost on rewards. Helped me earn a bit more from the tasks I was already doing.
The boost works for both surveys and paid offers, which makes it more useful than just getting a few extra dollars. If you’re active on the site, you’ll hit that $5 threshold pretty often, so the boxes add up.
Nothing complicated about it. Earn $5, claim your box, see what you got. The more tasks you complete, the more chances you get. People who use EarnStar regularly will benefit more since they reach $5 faster.
How do people get paid?
Payment methods depend on where you live. Most countries get PayPal. Some also have bank transfers and Venmo available. You can redeem gift cards too.
The minimum amount before you cash out varies by location. In some countries it’s $5, in others $20. You won’t struggle to reach either threshold (I’ll explain why when we get to earnings).
The payout system works well. PayPal is there, bank transfer too. Easy options that won’t cause you any trouble.
Once you hit redeem, it’s fast. A few minutes and the money’s there. No sitting around wondering when it’ll show up.
How Much Does EarnStar Pay?
Depends how much time you want to spend on it.
There are always opportunities available, so you can earn regularly. Won’t be sitting around waiting for surveys to appear.
Exact amounts per survey or offer? Can’t tell you. Changes based on where you live. What I can say is the rewards are better than most GPT and survey sites I’ve tested (and I’ve tested plenty).
The games pay surprisingly well. Some let you earn over $100. Didn’t expect that when I first looked at the platform.
They have this earnings calculator you can use. Shows realistic numbers based on actual user data. I checked it against what people were reporting in forums, and yeah, the estimates hold up. Not exaggerated promises.
You won’t replace your job with this. Be realistic. But you can make a decent amount consistently, which is really what you want from these sites. Regular income, not lottery winnings.
How to Get Support on EarnStar
The Help section is there. I checked it when I got confused about something. Found maybe eight or nine topics total. Basic stuff like how to complete surveys, how to cash out. If your question is even slightly specific, you won’t find it.
To contact support, you go back to that same Help section (which feels weird, but okay) and click “Ask Question.” Form pops up. Type your question, press send.
I’ll be honest, the Help section is a bit annoying. Not because it exists, but because it’s so… minimal. Like they built this whole platform with all these features and then just tossed together a few FAQ answers. I’ve seen simpler sites with better documentation. This one feels like they prioritized getting the product out and figured they’d fill in the help content later. Maybe they did, maybe they’re still planning to. I don’t know.
What saves it is the 24/7 support. You can actually reach someone. I didn’t test it myself at 3 AM (wasn’t that desperate), but the option is there. And from what I understand, responses come pretty fast. Not instant, but you’re not waiting days either.
Who can use EarnStar?
Most countries are supported, so you can probably sign up without issues. The registration itself is quick. You use your email, or connect through Google or Apple if that’s easier.
Takes less than a minute. I clicked through it without thinking much.
Right after signing up, you get $5 as a welcome bonus. That doesn’t go straight to your balance. Instead, you play this Lucky Draw game where you open a mystery box.
When I did it, I got a 50% bonus on all paid offers and surveys. Not cash, but a multiplier on what you earn from those activities.
Honestly, it works in your favor. That bonus makes it easier to hit the first payout threshold. You’re not starting from zero, taking surveys just to reach the minimum. You get a bit of a push.
Does it matter long term? Probably not much. But for that first cashout, it helps.
Can You Use It On Your Phone?
They have an app. Works on both Android and iOS.
I downloaded it, and honestly, it’s easier than I expected. Clean interface, no pop-ups jumping at you while you’re trying to complete something (which happens way too often with these types of apps, so I appreciate when it doesn’t).
Most offers ask you to download mobile games anyway. The app just makes sense if you’re planning to use EarnStar regularly, since you’ll need your phone for those tasks either way.
What Are Other Users Saying?
On Trustpilot, EarnStar has a 3.9-star rating with over 1,900 reviews. About 63% are five stars. The company verified their business details on Trustpilot (proof of identity and bank account).
On Google Play Store, the rating is 4.5 stars from over 38,000 reviews and more than 500,000 downloads. Most users seem happy with the variety of offers available and believe that the payments for surveys are reasonable.
Advantages and Disadvantages of EarnStar
Advantages
- Available on mobile and web, choose what works for you
- Shows how many completed each offer (useful transparency)
- Get a bonus every 5 dollars you earn
- Many games you’d play anyway, might as well earn
- Games pay above average compared to other platforms
- Pays quickly after withdrawal
- Multiple payout options (PayPal, cards, transfers)
- Support available around the clock
Disadvantages
- Offers have deadlines, miss them and lose everything
- High rewards often require in-game purchases
- No payment just for installing, you need to play
- Rewards differ based on your location
Is EarnStar LEGIT or SCAM?
EarnStar is legit. Does what it says.
It pays well. There are enough opportunities available that you can earn consistently. Which is the whole point, right? You don’t need hundreds of options if half of them don’t work.
Payment is fast. Cash out, money shows up. Done.
I’d say join it if you need another reliable site. Won’t make you rich (obviously), but it does its job without drama.