Anytime an app that claims to pay people money gets a 4 star of above rating on Apple’s App Store it piques our attention. This is the case with the game tester company Testerup. Playing games on your phone and getting paid for it sounds like the best side hustle ever invented, but it comes with limitations that we explore in our full review below. The game testing space is evolving fast and more companies are entering it every year so we try to keep tabs on who is worth your time and who is a waste of it. In this case over three million people have signed up worldwide so let’s dig into what matters with Testerup.
Quick Facts
| Platform Name | Testerup (JustDice) |
| Earning Potential | $20 to $150/month |
| Typical Duration | Tasks can take days to weeks |
| Payment Frequency | On-demand via PayPal ($70 min) |
| Required Equipment | Smartphone |
What’s Inside
- Is Testerup real and safe?
- How hard is it to sign up?
- Can I do this whenever I want?
- How much money can you really make?
- When and how do you get paid?
- What stuff do you need to start?
- Is the work easy or hard?
- The Pros and Cons of Testerup
- Final Verdict: Is Testerup worth your time?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Is Testerup real and safe?
In our view, Apple’s strict App Store vetting process provides a layer of reassurance. A fraudulent app would typically be identified and removed quickly. If Testerup wasn’t a safe opportunity they would likely have already removed the app. If that wasn’t enough, Testerup is owned by JustDice GmbH, which is a verified German company that also runs some other apps called Cash Alarm and AppStation. In other words, it may be half way across the world to people in the US, but there still is real corporate accountability behind it.
The platform claims to have paid out over $80 million to users over the years and actively has a rating of over 4.0 (out of 5) on Trustpilot. This is from nearly 20,000 reviews. Everything points to people genuinely get paid here.
How hard is it to sign up?
Do you have one minute? That’s about the time it takes to join the service. You download the app and sign up via Google, Facebook, or email. From there, the first thing you see is a dashboard with lots of available tasks. There is no entry test or waiting for approval.
The app is free and available on both Android and iOS. Now, while you can start quick, getting paid does require some verification (understandably). Prior to your first payout going through you will need to pass what they refer to as a Liveness Check, weird term I know. However, this is simply a 30-second video selfie for identity verification as part of standard anti-fraud practice.
💡 Insider Tip:
When you first log in, do not just grab the highest-paying task. Look at the deadline first. Many game milestone tasks have a 7 to 14 day window to reach a specific level. Pick something with a deadline you can realistically hit.
Can I do this whenever I want?
The platform is all about windows, and not the ones on your house. Each testing task / playtesting opportunity has a specific opportunity window to not only join but to also complete in full. So while you can technically complete the work on your own schedule, these hard deadlines are very real and must be met or you won’t be paid.
Just be smart about it. When you start out pick stuff that is low hanging fruit even if it is lowering paying because it will not only give you a hang of the system but also give you a realistic understanding of the time it takes to complete the playtests and how it fits into your schedule.
How much money can you really make?
Playtests and tasks will pay anywhere from a couple bucks up to $250. Don’t be fooled, it’s not easy money just waiting to be collected as the higher paying opportunities require legit time investment. But time doesn’t matter when you are having fun, right? In all seriousness, it can be time-consuming. You’ll be working to reach advanced levels in competitive mobile games and this may takes days or even weeks of consistent play.
What isn’t necessarily advertised or talked about widely is that some of the longer / higher-paying tasks will also require in-app purchases to progress fast enough. These are out of pocket expenses to you and eat directly into your earnings.
When and how do you get paid?
The setup for payment is PayPal only and you cannot cash out your earnings until you reach a minimum of $70. This is high, there is no other way to look at it. It is the biggest single complaint about Testerup based on user reviews we have looked at.
Warning: If you stop using the app before hitting $70, you cannot claim your partial earnings. We recommend committing to one high-paying offer to clear the threshold as fast as possible.
It may seem like no big deal but when you are a new user completing simple tasks for $5 each, you realize how long it will take for you to hit your minimum. The alternative of high-paying playtests that are above the cash-out threshold take weeks so no matter what you do the likelihood of you earning enough quickly to reach $70 is low.
What stuff do you need to start?
Testerup focuses mainly on mobile games so a smartphone is really all you need. So long as you aren’t in 2010 with a Windows device and have an Android or iPhone you are set. It does not have to be the latest model or anything but should be fairly recent (5 years old is OK).
In addition to collect your cash you need a PayPal account. There is no computer required nor special setup. It’s as straightforward as download the app, sign up and go.
Is the work easy or hard?
Easy to start, especially if you are a mobile gamer. As time goes on you will likely feel the grind as a lot of the efforts become repeatitive and the initial excitement goes away. The majority of playtests / tasks are involve you downloading a mobile game app and working to reach a specific level within a time window. You don’t have any report to write or feedback to submit to the developers. They are basically watching how people interact and play their games, essentially monieotiring user behaviors.
That is why it is different than most other playtesting companies. This said, reaching level 50 in a game you have never played and may not be in your wheelhouse before in seven days can be a challenge. It requires real daily commitment, especially in games designed to slow your progress and push in-app purchases.
The Pros and Cons of Testerup
| The Pros | The Cons |
|---|---|
| Legit company: Owned by JustDice GmbH. | $70 minimum payout: Very high compared to competitors. |
| Free and fast signup: Live on the platform in under a minute. | Tracking bugs: Around 20% of users report issues. |
| High pay ceiling: Single offers up to $250 do exist. | Slow support: Email only with slow response times. |
Final Verdict: Is Testerup worth your time?
Look, if you play mobile games we can’t tell you not to try this one out. I mean it is a very real company with millions of users and millions paid out. Based on its long operating history and high payout volume, Testerup appears to be a legitimate platform rather than a scam. In fact, you are getting paid for time you were spending gaming anyway and where this gig actually does make sense.
The Bottom Line: Gamer = try it. If gaming is not already part of your routine, grinding through levels to chase a $70 payout threshold will not be fun and with the project countdown timer can be an anxiety trigger.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is the most common complaint on the platform and it happens to roughly one in five users on at least one task. Contact support via the in-app ticket system and include screenshots of your progress as proof.
Yes. Running two or three tasks simultaneously is the fastest way to hit the $70 threshold without feeling like it is taking forever. Be smart though, two tasks you can genuinely complete beats five you cannot.
Testerup does not require you to spend money, but some high-paying game tasks are designed so that reaching the required level without spending is extremely slow.
Testerup pays a 10% commission on earnings from anyone you refer. If someone you invite earns $100, you pocket $10 without doing anything extra.
Yes. Testerup does not withhold anything. You receive the full amount and the tax responsibility is yours. In the US, if your total freelance and side hustle income across all platforms goes over $400 in a year, self-employment tax rules apply.
