How to find games without in app purchases
Published
To find games without in app purchases, check the store labels before you download, turn on purchase approval on your phone, and choose ad free browser games or buy once games that never ask for more money.
At a glance
- App stores label games that sell things inside them
- Phones can block or require approval for every purchase
- Buy once games and subscription services avoid extra charges
- Free browser arcades like VanillaBits have nothing to buy at all
What Counts as an In App Purchase
An in app purchase is anything you can buy inside a game after you have it. Common ones look like this.
- Coins and gems, which are a game currency you buy with real money
- Extra lives and extra moves, which let you keep going after you fail
- Skins and outfits, which change how things look
- Loot boxes and card packs, which give you a random prize
- Time skips, which finish a wait right away
- Battle passes and memberships, which charge again each season or month
Some are harmless, like a one time purchase to unlock the full game. Others are built to be bought again and again.
How to Check Before You Download
- On Google Play, look under the game name for the label
In app purchases
. The page also lists a price range per item. - On the Apple App Store, look for
In App Purchases
near the Get button. Scroll down and you can often see a list of the top items and their prices. - Read the one star reviews. If people complain about a pay wall or about needing to buy things to win, believe them.
- Watch the first few minutes. On a video site, search the game name plus
gameplay
and see how soon the shop shows up.
How to Block Purchases on a Phone
If kids use your phone or tablet, this is the most important step.
- On iPhone and iPad, open Settings, then Screen Time, then Content and Privacy Restrictions. Under purchases you can set In App Purchases to Don't Allow. You can also use Ask to Buy through Family Sharing so you approve each one.
- On Android, open the Play Store, tap your profile picture, then Settings. Under Authentication, turn on the setting that requires a password or fingerprint for every purchase. Family groups in Google Play can also send purchase requests to a parent.
Menu names change from time to time, so if you cannot find a setting, search your phone's settings for the word purchase.
Where to Find Games With None
- Buy once games. Pay a few dollars up front and that is it. Check the listing to be sure there is no shop inside too.
- Subscription services. Apple Arcade and Netflix Games both promise no in app purchases and no ads in their games.
- Free nonprofit and hobby games. Many small makers share games for the fun of it.
- Ad free browser arcades. On VanillaBits every game is free with no ads and nothing to buy. There is no shop, no coins and no lives to refill.
Why Free Games Push Purchases
A free game has to earn money some way. Most earn it from a small share of players who spend a lot. So the game is tuned to make spending feel good and waiting feel slow. Running out of lives one move from winning is not an accident.
Knowing that helps. When a game makes you feel rushed or stuck, it is often asking for money. You can close it and come back later, or choose a game that was not built that way. Our guide to idle games explains how waiting games use this, and where to play games without ads covers the other side of free games.
Games on VanillaBits With Nothing to Buy
Try Princess Genevieve's Quest, a platformer you can play solo or as a two player tag team. Or Tap Hatch, an egg hatching game made for little hands. Both run in your browser and save your progress there. Nobody will ask you for money.
Questions
How do I know if a game has in app purchases?
On Google Play and the Apple App Store, look for the In app purchases label near the game name or the Get button. The listing often shows the items and prices too.
How do I stop my child from making in app purchases?
On iPhone and iPad, use Screen Time to set In App Purchases to Don't Allow, or use Ask to Buy. On Android, turn on required authentication for purchases in Play Store settings.
Are there free games with no in app purchases?
Yes. Free browser arcades like VanillaBits have no purchases and no ads, and many nonprofit and hobby games are the same.
Do Apple Arcade games have in app purchases?
No. Apple Arcade games are included in the subscription and have no in app purchases or ads.
Why do free games have in app purchases?
It is how most free games make money. A small share of players spend a lot, so the games are tuned to encourage spending.