PeerPlay
Most of this blog is written for developers stuck on Google Play's closed testing rule. This post is for the other side: the people who help them through it.
New personal developer accounts on Google Play need at least 12 testers opted in to a closed test for 14 days in a row before they can apply for production. Many developers find those testers by swapping with other developers. Some would rather pay. On PeerPlay, that money goes to testers. Here is exactly how it works, with the real numbers.
What you earn
On a paid (VIP) app, you earn $0.05 for every day you test it. Testing means opening the app from PeerPlay and using it for about 30 seconds.
If you test on 12 of the 14 campaign days, including day 13 or 14, you also get a $0.30 completion bonus. The server pays it automatically once, after day 14 of the campaign has ended, and you get a notification when it lands.
Fourteen days at $0.05 is $0.70. Add the $0.30 bonus and one app pays up to $1.00 per campaign. You can test several paid apps at the same time, so the amounts add up across apps. Once your balance reaches $5.00, you can cash out to PayPal from your profile.
To be honest about it: this is pocket money, not a job. How much you earn depends on how many paid apps are open when you look, and that changes from week to week. What it costs you is a few minutes a day.
A realistic example
Say you join four paid apps and test each of them every day for the full campaign. Each one pays $0.70 in daily credits and a $0.30 bonus, so you finish the two weeks with $4.00. That is a little under the $5.00 cashout threshold, so it would take part of a second round to cash out. With five or six apps running at the same time, you can reach it in a single round.
Time-wise, four apps at about 30 seconds each is two minutes a day, plus the time it takes to switch between them. That is the whole commitment.
Joining a campaign late
Paid campaigns run on one shared 14-day calendar for every tester. If you join on day 2, you don't get your own 14 days, but the day before you joined is shown in grey and does not count as missed. You can still earn the full bonus by testing on 12 of the remaining 13 days, including day 13 or 14, and you are paid $0.05 for every day you do test.
Your days count by your local date. A session just after midnight belongs to the next day, so it is easier to keep a steady daily habit than to squeeze a test in at 11:59 pm.
How to start
Install PeerPlay on a real Android phone. Emulators and virtual devices are not allowed, because the whole point is to give developers real testers on real devices.
Apply to become a Pro tester in your profile. You add the PayPal email where you want to be paid and accept the testing guidelines. Applications are reviewed by hand before you can join paid apps.
Once you are approved, look for apps with the PRO badge. Only those pay cash. Free community apps still build your streak and reputation, but they don't pay.
What a good tester does
Open each app from PeerPlay once a day, every day. PeerPlay checks that you actually opened the app for a real session, not just installed it, and testers who go quiet are removed from the campaign.
Keep the app installed for the whole test. Uninstalling early can push the developer below 12 testers, which is exactly the problem they paid to solve.
Test at roughly the same time every day, away from midnight, so you don't lose a day to the time zone boundary. And if something breaks, use the "Send feedback" button. A short bug report is the most useful thing a developer gets from a closed test.
Why developers pay for this
Finding 12 people who stay for 14 days is harder than it sounds. Friends forget, swap partners drop out, and every drop below 12 can push a launch date back. A developer who pays for testers is buying reliability: real people who show up every day until the test is done.
That is why the rules for testers are strict and the payouts are tied to real daily use. When it works, everyone wins. The developer gets through Google Play's requirement, and you get paid for a few minutes a day helping a solo developer ship their app.
FAQ
How much can I earn testing apps on PeerPlay?
Up to $1.00 per paid app per campaign: $0.05 for every day you test it, plus a $0.30 bonus for testing on 12 of the 14 days. Total earnings depend on how many paid apps are open.
How do I get paid?
To PayPal. You can request a cashout from your profile once your balance reaches $5.00.
Can I test on an emulator?
No. PeerPlay requires a real Android phone. Emulators, virtual devices and bots are not allowed.
Do all apps on PeerPlay pay?
No. Only apps with the PRO badge pay cash, and you need an approved Pro tester account to join them. Free community apps don't pay.