The best Google app you're not using gives you cash for doing very little

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Time for me to admit something, folks. Even though I'm a lifelong gamer, starting out with the humble Nintendo Game Boy and working my way through every major console before building myself an expensive gaming PC, these days I spend most of my time gaming… on my phone.

Homescreen heroes

This is part of a regular series of articles exploring the apps that we couldn't live without. Read them all here.

Mobile gaming has something of a shameful reputation among so-called 'real gamers', but it really shouldn't; the best phones have come a long way, and are now capable of playing the sort of games my teenage self would've been blown away to experience on a handheld console.

Heck, we've even got a list of the best gaming phones right here on TechRadar. If that isn't proof that the little rectangles in our pockets have become bonafide gaming devices, I don't know what is. And if – like me – you play a lot of games on your phone, then I'm going to let you in on a little secret.

Okay, it's not really a secret, but Google doesn't really do much to promote its Google Opinion Rewards program. It's a simple app (available on both Android and iOS phones via the Play Store and App Store respectively) that gives you periodic surveys to fill in – and rewards you with either PayPal or Google Play Store credit.

You don't get a lot; most surveys in my experience range between 10p and 30p (roughly between 12 and 37 cents) and you don't tend to get more than one or two per day. It adds up faster than you'd expect, though. I've already used my Play Store credit to buy a handful of premium games for my trusty Google Pixel 5, including both Monument Valley games, Crying Suns, and the Android port of the still-fantastic Slay The Spire.

Screenshots of the Google Opinion Rewards app. — Past Lives is superb, FYI. (Image credit: Google)

Points mean prizes

The surveys offered by the Opinion Rewards app aren't odious in the slightest; most can be completed in less than 10 seconds, and most just ask you simple questions based on your phone's user history. For instance, you might be asked for feedback about a YouTube video you recently watched, or about your recent travel history.

There's also a recently added 'receipt tasks' section, where the app prompts you to upload a photo of the receipt from a recent transaction. To be clear, this does mean you're handing over some of your personal data to Google, but consider this: our phones already actively track our movements, log our financial data, and listen in to our conversations for a mention of 'Hey Siri' or 'Okay Google'.

I'm not recommending being flippant with your personal data security, but let's be real here. In today's digital world, there are far bigger threats to my online safety than me admitting to Google's algorithm that I spent too much money on snacks when I did my weekly run for groceries.

So, if you're a mobile gamer – or you're just looking for a way to earn a few easy bucks – then give Google Opinion Rewards a look.

Christian is TechRadar’s UK-based Computing Editor. He came to us from Maximum PC magazine, where he fell in love with computer hardware and building PCs. He was a regular fixture amongst our freelance review team before making the jump to TechRadar, and can usually be found drooling over the latest high-end graphics card or gaming laptop before looking at his bank account balance and crying.

Christian is a keen campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights and the owner of a charming rescue dog named Lucy, having adopted her after he beat cancer in 2021. She keeps him fit and healthy through a combination of face-licking and long walks, and only occasionally barks at him to demand treats when he’s trying to work from home.