Most free mobile games make their money from in-app purchases: coin packs, characters and skins, ad removal, passes and random prize pulls. Spending a little on a game you play every day is fine. The trouble is that small, frequent purchases are easy to lose track of, and some games are designed to make paying feel urgent. The fixes are simple: require approval for every purchase, set a monthly amount, and favor one-time purchases over repeated top-ups.
How do free games make money? #
| Type | What you get | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetics | Characters, skins, hats | Usually harmless, since they don’t change how the game plays |
| Currency packs | Coins or gems | Game currency hides the real price of things |
| Convenience | Remove ads, skip timers | Timers built mainly to be skipped |
| Passes and subscriptions | Rewards for a season or month | They renew until you cancel |
| Random rewards | Loot boxes, gacha pulls, prize machines | You pay without knowing what you’ll get |
Google Play flags games that sell random items. Capybara Go!’s listing, for example, notes in-game purchases that include random items. Crossy Road mixes several models: characters come from a prize machine that costs 100 in-game coins, from free gifts, and from real-money purchases.
Some free games skip in-app purchases entirely. Capybara Crossing is paid for by ads instead, and all 19 capybaras in its shop are bought with coins you collect while playing. The rewarded videos, for 50 coins or a revive, only play when you choose them.
Which in-app purchases are worth it? #
A useful rule: paying to support a game you enjoy often is reasonable; paying to escape frustration the game created on purpose usually isn’t.
Purchases that tend to feel good later:
- A one-time “remove ads” in a game you play daily.
- A character or skin you actually like.
- A full-game unlock that ends all further purchases.
Purchases people often regret:
- Repeated currency top-ups to keep up with a difficulty spike.
- Random pulls chasing one specific item.
- “Limited time” bundles bought because of a countdown.
How do you require approval for every purchase? #
This is the single most useful setting, especially on a child’s device.
iPhone and iPad: Ask to Buy #
If you use Family Sharing, turn on Ask to Buy for a child’s account: go to Settings > Family, tap the child’s name, then Ask to Buy, and turn on Require Purchase Approval. Each purchase or download then sends a request to the family organizer to approve. In some regions it’s required for anyone under 18 (Apple).
You can also block in-app purchases entirely through Screen Time, under Content & Privacy Restrictions and then the App Store purchases section. The exact wording shifts a little between iOS versions.
Android: Google Play purchase verification #
In the Google Play app, tap your profile icon, then Payments & subscriptions > Purchase verification, and choose to require verification for every purchase (Google Play Help). The other choices are every 30 minutes or never. Google says purchases in apps designed for children 12 and under always require verification. Parents using Google Family Link can also require approval for a child’s purchases.
Budget habits that work #
- Set a monthly game budget and treat it like any other entertainment spending.
- Use a gift card as a hard cap. Loading an App Store or Google Play balance and not linking a card means spending stops when the balance does.
- Check your purchase history monthly. Both stores keep a list of past purchases in your account settings. Small charges are exactly the ones that slip by.
- Cancel subscriptions you’ve stopped using. They keep billing whether you play or not.
- Wait a day on anything with a countdown. If you still want it tomorrow, it’s probably worth it.
What if a child made a purchase by accident? #
Apple handles refund requests at reportaproblem.apple.com. Google Play also has a refund request process for purchases made through Play. Requests made soon after the purchase tend to go more smoothly, so don’t wait. Then switch on purchase approval so it doesn’t happen again.
For why cosmetics tempt people in the first place, see why people buy skins in mobile games. If you’re choosing games for younger kids, our list of cute non-violent games for young kids is a good start, and how to block ads on mobile games covers the other half of free-game annoyances.
Frequently asked questions #
Why do free games push in-app purchases so hard? #
Because purchases fund the game. Fairer games keep purchases optional and mostly cosmetic. Pushier ones build in friction, like timers, energy limits or steep difficulty, that you can pay to remove.
How do I stop accidental in-app purchases? #
Require authentication for every purchase. On iPhone, use Ask to Buy for children or block in-app purchases in Screen Time. On Android, set Google Play’s purchase verification to every purchase.
Are loot boxes and gacha pulls gambling? #
Rules vary by country, and some places regulate paid random rewards more strictly than others. Either way, it’s sensible to treat them as a way to spend a lot without knowing what you’ll get, and to keep them off children’s devices.
Does Capybara Crossing have in-app purchases? #
No. The game is free and supported by ads. Every capybara is earned with coins collected in runs, and the rewarded videos for bonus coins or a revive are optional.