"I first encountered the Freecash app after clicking on a sponsored TikTok video with dubious claims. The advertisement didn't promote this app by name, rather it showed a young woman expressing her excitement about seemingly getting hired by TikTok at $35 an hour to watch videos on her "For You" page. When I tapped the link to "order now," it sent me to a website with TikTok and Freecash logos, featuring a download link for the Freecash app."
""Get paid to scroll," read the site. "Join thousands earning daily by watching TikTok videos and cashing out instantly." In the first month of 2026, Freecash has rocketed to popularity among US users. This week it reached the number two position on Apple's free iOS download charts, nestled between ChatGPT and Gemini. The bump in downloads coincides with a spree of ads promoting the Freecash app."
A sponsored TikTok video linked to Freecash, advertising work at $35/hour for watching videos and promising "Get paid to scroll." The site showed TikTok and Freecash logos and urged downloads. In early 2026 Freecash surged in US downloads, reaching number two on Apple's free iOS chart amid heavy advertising. The app offers monetary rewards but primarily through incentivized mobile-game installs and task completions rather than passive TikTok viewing. A childhood anecdote describes entering a parent's email and address into pop-ups promising a free iTunes giftcard that never arrived. TikTok removed certain Freecash ads for violating financial misrepresentation policies.
Read at WIRED
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]