If you’re an avid Pokemon GO player, you know that the game is still going strong today. In fact, the game’s developer Niantic has kept Trainers coming back for more by continuing to release new generations of Pokemon, new gear, and new features like player vs. player trainer battles.
And it’s no secret that being able to buy specialty items from the Shop using Pokecoins can seriously improve your gameplay. But buying these coins with your hard-earned cash can add up quickly.
Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to get free Pokecoins you can use to maximize your Pokemon GO experience.
Looking for more money-making ideas? Checkout:
- Branded Surveys: Complete short online surveys to earn cash and gift cards!
- Toluna: A leading and global survey site with PayPal cash rewards!
How To Get Free Pokecoins
Some of the methods to get free Pokecoins involve using in-game tips that pay you with rewards. In contrast, some methods involve usingsurvey sites or get-paid-to sites that have Pokecoin rewards or cash prizes you can use to buy the coins:
1. Earn Pokecoins From Gyms
The fastest way to get Pokecoins for free is to earn them in-game by winning gym battles.
In order to get Pokecoins for free without paying any real-world money, you have to take down and defend gyms. Here are the steps:
- Find a gym in your area that’s your team’s color
- Put your Pokemon in the gym
- If the gym is another team’s color, battle and defeat the other Pokemon until the gym becomes your team’s color
- For every 10 minutes your Pokemon is defending a gym, they will earn 1 PokeCoin
- Pokecoins are automatically paid to you, only once your Pokemon gets kicked out of the Gym (you can't remove them yourself to claim the Pokecoins)
This means that each of your Pokemon defending a gym can earn 6 Pokecoins per hour. But keep in mind, you can only earn a maximum of 50 Pokecoins per day. You can also only have one Pokémon at each gym, and only at 20 gyms at the same time.
Additionally, you won’t receive the coins until your Pokemon gets kicked out of the gym. While you can’t remove your own Pokemon from a gym, some players get creative by using a second account (with a different colored team) to knock their own Pokemon out in order to receive their free Pokecoins.
A good place to start is your local area. For example, because Zaragoza has a high concentration of gyms, it’s very competitive and your Pokemon will likely be defeated very quickly.
2. Use Swagbucks
If you’re having a hard time taking over and fortifying gyms, there are still plenty of ways you can make some extra cash online to then convert for free Pokecoins.
Swagbucks is one great option. It’s a rewards website and app that pays you for doing simple and fun activities online. I've also used it for years since college and have cashed out with it dozens of times, so I know it's legit.
Several ways to make money with Swagbucks include answering surveys,downloading apps, playing games, shopping online, andwatching ads.
In return for completing tasks, you receive points called SwagBucks, or SB. You can then redeem SB for free PayPal cash and put this money towards purchasing PokeCoins. Plus, Swagbucks also has a nice $5 sign up bonus, and the variety of earning methods makes it useful for getting free Pokecoins.
Get started with Swagbucks!
3. Use Branded Surveys
Branded Surveys is a market research website that pays you for sharing your honest opinion about various brands. It's completely free and accepts members from Canada, the UK, and the United States.
Surveys are the main way to make money with Branded Surveys. You can cash out with PayPal money once you earn $5 and then use this money to get Pokecoins from the in-game shop.
Once you sign up and answer some questions about yourself and your demographic, Branded Surveys populates your dashboard with surveys. You can complete as many as you want, as often as you want. You can also earn bonus points by taking daily polls and through their loyalty program.
Branded Surveys is a legitimate way to earn cash online without paying anything, and it has a Trustpilot rating of 4.2/5 and over 68,800 customer reviews.
Try out Branded Surveys!
4. Mistplay
If you already spend time gaming on your phone and have an Android, then Mistplay is one of the best apps you can use.
This paid gaming app pays you with free gift cards and PayPal money for downloading and playing new games. It's the leading app in this genre, and it has millions of players.
To earn Pokecoins with Mistplay, you can download and play several games you find interesting to earn points. You then redeem those points for free Google Play credit which you can use for in-app purchases in Pokemon GO.
I like Mistplay since it has a wide variety of games, and new games get added all the time. Plus, there are plenty of other gift card rewards you can explore as well. Overall, Mistplay is one of the best ways to earn money by playing games. And it's a fun, easy Android money-making app to get started with.
Try out Mistplay!
5. Play Games With Buff Gaming
If you want to earn passive income while gaming, Buff is the platform for you.
Buff Gaming is a newer loyalty program in the gaming rewards world that pays you for playing desktop and mobile games. You download their app and run it in the background while playing some of your favorite games.
Some of the most popular games you can play on Buff to earn rewards include:
- Fortnite
- Call of Duty
- CS:GO
- Minecraft
- League of Legends
- Valorant
- Clash of Clans
“Buffs” are the reward points you earn through the platform. The better you play, the more you earn. Buffs can be redeemed for a bunch of different rewards called “Items”, including direct cash to your PayPal which you can use to get free Pokecoins in Pokemon GO.
Ultimately, Buff is one of the best ways to play video games for money if you're a PC gamer. And it's also expanding its mobile games selection which is nice.
Try out Buff today!
6. Earn Rewards With Gamehag
Gamehag is a website that rewards you for playing free online games and completing quests. As you complete in-game quests, you earn “Soul Gems”, which you can redeem for a variety of rewards, including free Pokecoins.
You can also exchange the Soul Gems for money that is sent to your PayPal account. And Gamehag also has many other reward options available, including:
- Prepaid Visa cards or MasterCard
- Free Amazon gift cards
- Free Robux codes
- Free Steam games and codes
- Twitch gift cards
- Minecraft prizes
Gamehag is a trustworthy way to earn money online by playing video games. And you can check out its sister-website called Earnweb for even more earning options.
7. Use Google Opinion Rewards
Google Opinion Rewards pays you in Google Play gift cards to complete surveys. You can use these credits towards making in-app purchases, like free Pokecoins!
Once you download the app and complete some basic profile information, it prompts you when it has a survey for you to complete.
Google Opinion Rewards pays anywhere from $0.10 to $1.00 per survey. You can redeem the money once you earn $2.00. Just make sure you redeem the money within one year before it expires.
One downside is that you don’t have control over how often you complete the surveys. So this is a bit more of a passive way to earn Free Pokecoins versus sites like Branded Surveys.
Google Opinion Rewards works on both Android and Apple devices. But on Apple, you redeem your money through PayPal versus the Google Play Store to get Pokecoins for free.
8. Use Pokecoin Promo Codes
Every so often, Pokemon GO’s developer Niantic launches promo codes that are redeemable for free Pokecoins. Usually, this is to help promote an upcoming special in-game event.
They don’t release the promo codes too often, and when they do, there's only a limited number of one-time codes. So, make sure you follow their Twitter and Facebook accounts so you’re first to know.
Depending whether you’re an Android or Apple user, there are different ways to redeem your promo codes in Pokemon GO:
- Android Users: Head to the shop in the Pokemon GO app. At the very bottom, there’s a box to enter your promo code.
- Apple Users: You have to redeem the code on Niantic’s website in your web browser. Head to the website, sign in, and enter your promo code.
Extra Reading – The Best Jobs You Can Do From Your Phone.
9. Idle-Empire
Idle-Empire lets you make money in a variety of ways, including answering surveys, downloading apps, watching videos, and trying out new software.
To actually earn Pokecoins, you have to cash out for Google Play gift cards or Apple gift cards. But payouts start at around $0.10, making Idle-Empire one of the best apps that pays money instantly out there.
Extra Reading – How To Make Money Online As A Beginner.
What Can You Buy With Pokecoins?
Pokecoins are the in-game currency in Pokemon Go. They are a hot (and rare) commodity and can be used to buy exclusive items from the Pokemon Go shop, including:
- Poke Balls
- Lucky Eggs
- Egg Incubators
- Incense
- Item Boxes
- Raid Passes
- Item Boxes
- Storage
- Lure Modules
How Much Do Pokecoins Cost?
There are two main ways to build up your reserve of Pokecoins. You can either purchase them in the app for real-world money, or you can earn them in-game.
To purchase Pokecoins, you click the Pokeball on the main screen and navigate to the Shop. Here's how much different packs of Pokecoins cost if you choose to pay instead of getting them for free:
- 100: $0.99
- 550: $4.99
- 1,200: $9.99
- 2,500: $19.99
- 5,200: $39.99
- 14,500: $99.99
While $0.99 might not seem like much, we all know it can be a slippery slope with these micro-purchases. All of these small payments can really add up!
Do Free Pokecoin Generators Work?
Free Pokecoin generators don't work. Any website claiming to generate free Pokecoins without requiring you to do anything in return is likely a scam. Most of these websites are an attempt to get you to download malware, spyware, or a virus in order to steal your private information like your credit card and passwords.
You often won't be able to delete these spammy apps and malware unless you factory-reset your phone or computer. Stick to the trustworthy websites mentioned above that have been vetted and are legit digital side hustles.
Final Thoughts
If you want to be the very best, like no one ever was, then Pokecoins are going to be an important part of your tainer journey. They can help you buy exclusive items like PokeBalls and Berries that make you a better Trainer.
But while it’s tempting to head to the Pokemon GO Shop and purchase Pokecoins, hopefully, this article has shown you that there are plenty of ways to get Pokecoins for free that you can use.
Whether it’s keeping an eye out for promo codes, completing surveys, or defending gyms, you can choose the option that best suits your interests and lifestyle.
Personally, I'd start with apps like Mistplay or survey sites like Swagbucks since these pay out quickly. And, of course, earn some free coins by defending as many gyms as you can.
Now Trainers, go get those coins!
Looking for even more money-making ideas? Checkout:
- The Best iOS Game Apps That Pay.
- The Best Places To Sell Pokemon Cards.
