7 Best SlideJoy Alternatives in 2026 — Apps That Pay You to Unlock Your Phone
What Happened to SlideJoy?
SlideJoy was one of the most popular lock screen reward apps. Users earned "Carats" by seeing ads on their lock screen, then cashed out via PayPal, Square Cash, or gift cards. At its peak, SlideJoy had over 2 million downloads on Google Play.
Then in 2019, SlideJoy shut down. The domain (getslidejoy.com) now shows a GoDaddy "Launching Soon" parked page — it's been dead for over 6 years.
If you're seeing a SlideJoy link on a blog or listicle, it's outdated. The app no longer exists, and you can't earn money with it.
But the concept — earning passive rewards from your phone — is still very much alive. Here are the 7 best SlideJoy alternatives in 2026.
1. Zarfo — Free Rewards From Games, No Surveys
Zarfo is a free rewards platform where you earn credits by playing casual games, spinning the daily wheel, and scratching virtual cards. Unlike SlideJoy's passive lock screen model, Zarfo is active — you play when you want, earn when you want.
Why Zarfo is a better SlideJoy alternative:
- No surveys — You'll never spend 10 minutes on a survey only to get screened out
- Low payout threshold — Cash out at $5, compared to SlideJoy's $2 minimum (which was often delayed)
- Game-based earning — Play fun browser games instead of just seeing ads on your lock screen
- No app download required — Works in your mobile browser
- Gift cards, PayPal, and crypto — Multiple payout options
Start earning free rewards on Zarfo →
Earning rate: $2–5/hour of active play (higher than SlideJoy's $0.20–0.50/day)
2. S'more — Lock Screen Rewards (Still Active)
S'more is the closest living relative to SlideJoy. It shows ads on your lock screen and pays you points regardless of whether you engage with the ad.
- Earning rate: ~$0.10/day in passive lock screen rewards
- Payout: Gift cards starting at $1.50
- Pros: Truly passive, no effort required
- Cons: Very slow earning, limited gift card options, app-only
SlideJoy vs S'more: S'more pays less per day than SlideJoy did, but it's one of the few lock screen apps that's actually still operating.
3. Mistplay — Gaming Rewards (Android Only)
Mistplay rewards you for playing mobile games. You earn units that convert to gift cards.
- Earning rate: $0.50–2/hour of gameplay
- Payout: Gift cards starting at $5
- Pros: Fun way to earn, good game selection
- Cons: Android only, requires app download, some games take hours to credit
4. Microsoft Rewards — Bing Searches + Daily Tasks
Microsoft Rewards pays you for using Bing and completing daily tasks. It's not lock screen-based, but it fills the "passive daily earning" niche.
- Earning rate: ~$5–10/month from daily searches
- Payout: Gift cards, sweepstakes entries
- Pros: Extremely passive, reliable payouts, no app needed
- Cons: Low earning ceiling, requires Edge/Bing ecosystem
Compare Zarfo vs Microsoft Rewards →
5. Swagbucks — Surveys, Videos, and Shopping
Swagbucks is the biggest name in reward apps, but it's very different from SlideJoy. You earn by taking surveys, watching videos, and shopping through their portal.
- Earning rate: $2–4/hour (after survey screen-outs)
- Payout: PayPal, gift cards starting at $5
- Pros: Huge variety of earning methods, well-established
- Cons: Survey screen-outs waste time, cluttered interface
6. Freecash — High-Paying Offers
Freecash pays you for completing offers, surveys, and tasks. The earning rate is higher than most, but it requires more active effort.
- Earning rate: $5–15/hour for initial offers, less for repeat tasks
- Payout: PayPal, crypto, gift cards at $0.50 minimum
- Pros: Very low minimum payout, high initial earning
- Cons: Offer walls can be confusing, declining earnings after sign-up offers
7. InboxDollars — Paid Emails and Surveys
InboxDollars pays you to read emails, take surveys, and play games. It's been around since 2000 and is one of the oldest reward platforms.
- Earning rate: $0.50–2/hour
- Payout: PayPal, check at $30 minimum
- Pros: Multiple earning methods, very established
- Cons: High minimum payout ($30), lots of email spam, slow earning
Compare Zarfo vs Swagbucks vs InboxDollars →
SlideJoy vs Alternatives Comparison
| Feature | SlideJoy (Dead) | Zarfo | S'more | Mistplay | Microsoft Rewards | Swagbucks | |---------|-----------------|-------|--------|----------|-------------------|-----------| | Status | ❌ Shut down 2019 | ✅ Active | ✅ Active | ✅ Active | ✅ Active | ✅ Active | | Earning Method | Lock screen ads | Games, spins, scratch | Lock screen ads | Play games | Search + tasks | Surveys + offers | | No Surveys | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Some | ❌ No | | Min. Payout | $2 | $5 | $1.50 | $5 | $5 | $5 | | Browser-Based | ❌ App only | ✅ Yes | ❌ App only | ❌ App only | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | | Active Earning | ❌ Passive only | ✅ Yes | ❌ Passive only | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Semi-passive | ✅ Yes |
Why SlideJoy Shut Down
SlideJoy's business model relied on advertisers paying for lock screen impressions. As ad rates dropped and users found ways to game the system (swiping without reading), the economics stopped working.
Lesson for users: Passive lock screen earning sounds great, but the earning rates are tiny ($0.10–0.50/day). Active earning platforms like Zarfo, where you choose when and how to earn, consistently pay more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SlideJoy still working?
No. SlideJoy shut down in 2019. The website (getslidejoy.com) is a parked domain and the app is no longer available on app stores. Any website listing SlideJoy as a working app is outdated.
What is the best SlideJoy alternative?
Zarfo offers the closest overall experience — free rewards from casual activities with no surveys and a low $5 minimum payout. For a purely passive lock screen experience, S'more is the closest active equivalent, though it pays much less.
Are lock screen reward apps worth it?
Honest answer: the passive ones pay very little ($0.10–0.20/day). Zarfo's game-based approach pays more per hour of active engagement. If you want passive income, Microsoft Rewards (from daily searches) is more reliable.
Can I still download SlideJoy?
No. SlideJoy was removed from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store when it shut down in 2019. Don't download any app claiming to be "SlideJoy" — it's likely malware.
Ready to start earning? Join Zarfo for free — no credit card, no surveys, no app download required.
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