Written by Anastasia Voloshina and Steve Wright
Itching to get your trivia fix right at your fingertips? Want to play some trivia from the comfort of your own home? Looking for a fun pub quiz night without having to go to a pub? Intrigued by the idea of winning money from your own home by playing trivia? Well, look no further, because we’ve done some extensive research to provide you with a master list of the best trivia apps currently available!
Trivia Crack
Trivia Crack is an app for anyone and everyone. It’s incredibly easy to use; you won’t need to read any instructions or manuals. Besides that, the app teaches you everything on the go, so you’ll be answering trivia questions in no time!
The app is free, which means there are many ads. You will get an ad virtually after every game or every question you get wrong. If that’s especially annoying to you, you can pay to get them removed. That’s not a very popular option among casual players. You can also pay for power-ups and unlock other capabilities of the game.
There are four different playing modes in the game. All of them circle around the same premise: collect a trophy from six different categories. Does it remind you of anything? The Classic mode is very similar to Trivial Pursuit. You can play against random opponents in real time, or play alone.
The Play Off mode, for example, allows you to play against opponents in real time. Each round is timed, so you only have a few seconds to answer a question. Survival mode invites nine people to play at the same time. In order to survive and eventually win, you have to answer questions correctly. The questions are random for everyone.
Triviatopics is much more relaxed and flexible. You can choose a category among Sports, Entertainment, History, Geography, and others. Choose your preferred topic and answer questions! In Triviathon, you get randomly generated questions. The game continues until you get a question wrong. Watch an ad and start over!
Trivia Crack is fun and simple. You don’t have to be a trivia whizz to answer most of these questions. That being said, some of them are on the simpler side. That’s alright though! It’s exactly what you need on a Saturday night, when you’re lying on the couch and don’t want to think too much.
Those who like Trivial Pursuit will enjoy Trivia Crack, as the categories are quite similar. Plus, the app is so popular, it’s spawned various different versions!
Available on Android and Apple.
QuizzLand
QuizzLand is comprised of a number of levels, much like Candy Crush and other similar games. You move up a level virtually after every game. One game consists of a board of questions that you have to answer, one by one. At first, you don’t have to get all the questions right to proceed to the next level. However, questions get more difficult as you go.
The point of the game is to collect all tiles in each level. Regardless of whether you get a question right or wrong, the game gives you an explanation of the answer. As a result, it can be quite educational too! Each question is timed, so you only get a few seconds to select the correct answer. Don’t worry though, the questions are quite easy at first! They’ll get you nicely warmed up before you proceed to the harder questions.
Since the app is free, you need to watch some ads. That’s usually the price you have to pay. If you’re highly against ads, you can pay to get them removed. You also get a certain amount of lives, and whenever you answer a question incorrectly, you lose one. When you run out, you either have to wait a few minutes or watch a video to get a free life. Alternatively, you can buy them with real money.
QuizzLand only focuses on traditional general knowledge topics, such as Science and Geography. If you’re looking for something more extravagant, you won’t find it here. At the same time, the app stands out with its unusual format. The developers basically took Candy Crush and combined it with a bunch of trivia questions. It’s safe to say, if you enjoy both of those things, you’ll enjoy QuizzLand.
Available on Android and Apple.
SongPop 2
SongPop 2 is not your usual trivia game. Instead of answering intricate questions, you have to guess the song that’s playing. It’s pretty self-explanatory. There are no complicated levels and game modes; just choose a playlist and click on the right answer from the options you’re given.
You can join the Party mode, but you have to sacrifice some of the tokens you’ve earned in the game. The Party mode is more fun, as you get access to more recent playlists and you can play with several people at the same time.
This is a real find for all music lovers! Unfortunately, the number of playlists is limited for those who don’t want to pay real money. You have some choices, but most of the songs are from a few years ago. Similarly, you will get ads unless you choose to pay to have them removed.
Though this game is much more niche than others mentioned on this list, it can still be quite entertaining. I wouldn’t recommend it as your only trivia app, but it’s a fun addition to your game collection. Keep in mind that you need privacy or earphones, as the point of the game is to listen to music.
Available on Android and Apple.
If this game sounds particularly appealing to you, you might also be interested in our list of the best music board games.
Trivia Crack 2
Trivia Crack 2 is the updated version of Trivia Crack. Both games are great, but if you’re tired of Trivia Crack, you should definitely try this one! In this game, you get to choose among three modes of play.
In the Classic mode, you play with a random opponent in real-time. There are six categories, as in the original game. Answer correctly and win a token from each category. The categories include Entertainment, Art, and so on.
The Daily Challenge is a single-player game. You get to pick a topic of your liking and play until you answer a question incorrectly. The General Knowledge topic is free; you have to pay for others.
The last mode is called Tower Duel. You’re matched with a random opponent. Pick a category out of the six and answer questions until you get one wrong. Then, move on to the next category. Once you’re done with all six, your scores and the scores of your opponent are calculated. The one that got the most right answers and tokens wins.
As you already know, the game is free, so there will be ads. The ads are not as aggressive as in the first version of the game, though they’re still quite annoying. You can get rid of them by purchasing the premium version of the game. Similarly, you can pay for power ups that will help you win games.
Overall, Trivia Crack 2 is not too different from Trivia Crack. The game modes are slightly different, but the premise is the same: collect a token from each category to win. Compare the modes in the two and choose the ones you like best. And if you’re curious about our opinion on the matter, find out here!
Available on Android and Apple.
Logo Quiz
Logo Quiz stands in line with SongPop 2. It’s not exactly a trivia game, but more of a guess the logo. Surely, you’ve played this game yourself once or twice! The premise of the game is very simple: you’re shown a logo and you have to guess the name of the brand that uses it.
The game is very easy in the beginning, but it gets hard with time. You have to guess a certain number of logos to move on to the next level. There are over 20 levels with increasingly challenging and confusing logos.
There is not much more to it, really. The game is quite self-explanatory. Try it and see how many brands you actually know. You’ll be surprised!
Available on Android and Apple.
Jeopardy! World Tour
You’ve probably heard of Jeopardy! That’s right, it’s the award-winning television game show that every American has seen at least once! Jeopardy! has become one of the best game shows on national television, and now, you can play too! The show is so successful that it turned into a franchise. You can now find Jeopardy! board games in your favorite bookstores and even play a game of Jeopardy! on your phone.
The game is basically Jeopardy on a smaller scale. You’re matched with two random opponents and the three of you compete for the title of the winner in real time. Much like the TV game show, Jeopardy! World Tour has three rounds: Jeopardy, Double Jeopardy, and Final Jeopardy.
In the first and second rounds, you get to answer five questions. Each time, you have three categories and monetary rewards to choose from. The higher the reward, the more difficult the question will be. In the second round, the questions get harder, but you can also earn more.
Finally, you proceed to Final Jeopardy. There is only one question you need to answer that is selected at random. Then the game is over and you can see who the winner is. Continue to level up and play against other people. Each question has a time limit, which keeps the game quick. You can win power ups and trophies in the game.
The game is quite fast-paced and the questions are just the right amount of difficult. If you’re looking for a quick break from work, Jeopardy! World Tour is the way to go.
Available on Android and Apple.
Quizoid
If you’re not a fan of multiplayer games, Quizoid is right up your alley! It’s a single player game you can play offline. The app is free. You can pay for Pro membership to remove ads and add extra features. For instance, you can select the categories you want to play in or choose your desired difficulty level.
There are three different modes in Quizoid. The first one is Classic: you keep answering questions until you get one wrong. 20 questions allows you to keep playing even if you’re getting questions wrong. You have to answer 20 trivia questions and then you can check your score. Arcade gives you 60 seconds to answer as many questions as you can. In this mode, you don’t get to find out the right answer if you got a question wrong.
Generally speaking, the questions are quite difficult. You can regulate the difficulty with a Pro membership. Regardless, difficult questions make it all the more fun, right? The questions are also up to date. You will find ones about recent event, which only proves that the app is being updated regularly.
Overall, there are over 7,000 questions in 17 categories. Unless you’re playing in Arcade mode, there is no time limit. Why would there be? You’re only playing against yourself! You get three lifelines that you can use when especially difficult questions come along. Quizoid is an excellent game for those who enjoy trivia but don’t love the social element of trivia games.
Available on Android and Apple.
Trivia360
Trivia360 offers its own unique spin on trivia games. For starters, the game allows you to rate questions and even submit your own! Have you ever come across an interesting bit of trivia that is worth sharing with the world? Well, now you can do just that!
When it comes to the actual gameplay, there are two play modes. One is called Play Solo, which is pretty self-explanatory. You have to answer multiple choice and true or false trivia questions. You are given one minute to answer ten questions, which is plenty of time! No need to rush, but if you answer quickly and end up with time left over, you get extra points. There is a good range of questions, with some more difficult than others.
Head to Head allows you to play against a friend or a random opponent. After you’ve matched with your opponent, you have to answer five trivia questions. You get ten seconds per question, and there are three rounds in this game.
An interesting thing about this mode is that you can participate in several games at the same time. However, your opponent does not see your time limit, and you don’t see theirs. If their time runs out and they haven’t answered their questions, you won’t be notified. Thus, if you’ve been stuck waiting for one opponent for a while, forget about it. They probably turned their phone off and forgot to end the game.
Trivia360 is a unique spin on the concept of trivia apps. There is a good range of topics, though I’ve seen a question repeat after playing for only five minutes. It’s fun to be able to participate in several matches at a time. The questions are not too easy or challenging; they’re just right!
Available on Android and Apple.
Quiz Planet
Quiz Planet is quite different from other games mentioned on this list because you need friends to play. Invite your friends to join Quiz Planet, start a new party or join an existing party, and answer trivia questions. You cannot participate in this game as a solo player. Those who enjoy multiplayer games, however, will have lots of fun.
Once you get to playing, you will encounter over 10,000 unique questions in 19 categories, such as Geography, History, Science, Celebrities, Movies, and so on. The fun never stops with Quiz Planet. This app is an excellent tool for organizing trivia parties with your friends. The best part is, you never have to leave the comfort of your couch!
Available on Android and Apple.
Popcorn Trivia
Your first trivia question is: Where do people most often enjoy popcorn? That’s right, in the movie theatre! If you got that, you can guess what kind of trivia this app focuses on. Popcorn Trivia offers a variety of genres and movies for all film lovers.
Much like other games mentioned here, this game has two modes: single player and multiplayer. If you want to play alone, just dive right into it! Pick a movie that you’d like to be quizzed about and participate in three separate quizzes or acts. Each act has ten questions with no time limit. You get to pick and choose until you get the right answer, so don’t worry about the game ending!
What’s even more amazing is that each answer has an explanation, so you can learn more about your favorite movies. In addition to that, Popcorn Trivia prepared some audio and video questions to keep you on your toes.
In multiplayer mode, you are matched with a random opponent. This time, you get 30 seconds per question, so step on the gas! There are ten questions in one game. Prior to the start of the game, you get to pick a genre you’d like to compete in. If you don’t mind, you can keep it random and do all genres. After the game, you can message your opponent.
Popcorn Trivia has a large variety of movies to choose from. Even if you only enjoy really obscure films, you’ll probably find something you’ve seen in this game. What really adds to the movie theatre atmosphere is the sound of popcorn popping when something is loading. Since the app is free, you will encounter some occasional ads.
Available on Android and Apple.
If you prefer a board game over an app, we’ve also got a list of great movie trivia board games here.
Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
When it comes to trivia franchises—especially those based on TV game shows—there aren’t many more iconic than Who Wants to be a Millionaire? The TV show variant in the US has proved one of the most successful versions of the franchise worldwide, and it has been running continuously in some form since the Regis Philbin-led premiere in 1999.
For those not lucky enough to get on the TV show, there is an app available for iPhone and Android that attempts to recreate the experience. The first thing to note is that this app doesn’t have the levity of the show itself—no one is competing for a real-deal $1 million here—and that can put off some people who feel that the concept cannot work without a real money prize.
For those who do get involved, however, there is plenty to discover in this app. It would have been easy to make a generic copy of the show, but the developers have tried to broaden this out with a story mode around the trivia itself. For those just looking for a straight-up quiz, this could be a little overwhelming as you unlock power-ups and travel the world competing against opponents to win coins to spend within the game.
One cool touch is that the classic phone-a-friend lifeline uses experts from history—the likes of Thomas Edison and William Shakespeare, for example—to help when you are stuck. It is a clever move that adds depth to the game.
Playing against the computer opponent is a mixed bag. It is always rewarding to win, but if you don’t get to as high a level as the opponent in any given game, then you don’t win the associated coins. The other problem with the app is that it is hard to progress up the various weekly and monthly leaderboards without spending money to buy coins and diamonds.
Add in that any mystery box you receive for winning a round has a cool down timer—starts at three hours for bronze and goes up from there—and that it costs a sum of in-game coins to begin a new game, and it is easy to see how people can only play this app for 15/20 minutes a day simply because they don’t want to spend real world money when there are other apps available.
This has all the makings of a fun app if you want to spend time investigating the interface and the books and crannies of bonus content. It is not, however, something to pick up and play for ten minutes to test your trivia brain.
Available on Android and Apple.
HQ Trivia
The story of HQ Trivia deserves its own book—or at least its own article, which we just so happen to have here—so this history summary will be brief. Rising to prominence thanks to its slick interface, live hosted trivia shows with guest hosts as impressive as Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, and its real world money prizes with a prize pool once going as high as $250,000, HQ Trivia was a genuine phenomenon. Investor issues—along with other problems in the company such as major bugs in the system—saw HQ Trivia fold in early 2020 with its last episode being for just $5 out of the pocket of the host.
This could have been the end of a star that shone brightly for the briefest of moments, but—like a phoenix rising from the ashes—HQ Trivia returned in a more modest way less than two months after its total capitulation.
After downloading HQ Trivia you’ll first want to take note of and share your referral code. Then the way to win money—even if it is just a share of a pool with hundreds of other players—is fairly straightforward. You will be asked 12 general knowledge questions by the host—you have to be available to play at a time when a live game is running for this to work—and if you are able to answer all correctly, then you win.
Each question has three multiple choice answers, meaning that even by guessing you have a 33.3% chance of being right, and the first time you get a question wrong in a game you will have the ability to use an extra life (assuming you have them on your account) to stay in the competition. These can be earned through friend referrals or bought with real world money.
There are theme events dotted throughout the week that can be as broad as a category like sports or as niche as a certain movie or TV series depending on marketing and sponsorship deals. As HQ Trivia is free to play and there is a chance of winning money with pools that are beginning to build up again as the app regains its popularity, there is really no reason for a trivia lover to not take part in some games as they are both fun and exciting to be a part of. (And if you love this app and are looking for more like it, be sure to check out this list!).
Available on Android and Apple.
Swagbucks Live
Swagbucks LIVE! (formerly Swag IG) Is a trivia game from the people behind the Swagbucks concept. Swagbucks is a coupon/survey/shopping app and concept that allows users to earn points by shopping, finding deals, and entering contests on their platform.
It is one of those concepts where everything you do online—from as simple a task as searching the web—is recorded when you are on their platform and you get rewarded for your willingness to allow them to know what you are searching for and how advertising on the web should work. This is one of the best such programs out there and Swagbucks has paid out millions of dollars to its users in the form or deals, gift cards, or cash over the course of its existence.
To play Swagbucks LIVE! You must first have a Swagbucks account to link to the trivia platform. These are easy to open and can usually be done via a referral that will net you some free Swagbucks—normally around the $5 range—to start your savings. One thing to note with this app that is even if you win the top prize, say $100 in a game, then you will not get that money in the form of cash. Instead, it will be paid into your Swagbucks account for you to then use on their platform to redeem for rewards of your choosing. This does include the option of a PayPal payment at the time of writing.
The game is set up in the same way as HQ Trivia. A host will ask ten questions and each question will come with three multiple choice answers. The player then has ten seconds to make a choice on which the correct answer is, with a guess being right 33.3% of the time.
The prize pool is split at the end of ten questions among all players left standing. There is even a rejoin option for the first question you get wrong—again like HQ Trivia—with those being earned through friend referrals or by using Swagbucks in your account to buy the rejoin tokens.
This might be a little too similar to HQ Trivia for some—especially given that the game time of the one or two Swagbucks LIVE! events a day seems to directly clash with those of their main competitor. This app does work, however, for those already deep into the Swagbucks lifestyle or those who want a chance at a prize pool with fewer players than HQ Trivia.
Available on Android and Apple.
Best iPhone Only Apps
Sphinx Trivia
Sphinx Trivia is an iPhone-only trivia game that gives you an opportunity to win real cash! In order to do so, you need to turn on push-notifications and get notified when the next trivia game begins. You play in real time against players all over the world. Though you won’t win millions, you might get a few bucks.
While you’re waiting for the next trivia game, or if you simply want to play on your own time, you can take part in the app’s Training Camp. There, you can choose your level (start with Beginner) and answer random trivia questions one by one.
There are 500 questions in the Beginner level and you’re given 15 seconds per question. When you click on your answer, the screen shows you how many people got the correct/incorrect answer too. Since this is just training, the game doesn’t end if you get a question wrong.
Sphinx Trivia is great for those who crave the adrenaline of a real trivia game. If you participate in one of the scheduled games, you will be given a time limit, which only adds to the competitive spirit. And in the meantime, you can perfect your skills with Training Camp.
Available on Apple.
That’s Right GameShow
That’s Right GameShow is another live trivia app where players answer questions to survive and claim part of the prize pool at the end of the contest. Developed in Monroe, Louisiana, That’s Right Gameshow has all the features you would expect of an app of this type. There is one live game per day and there are ten multiple-choice questions asked. Any player that answers all ten correctly splits the jackpot—usually $1,000—evenly.
One way that this app differs is that there is a second chance to win after the trivia. Players start the game with one ticket and earn more by the number of questions they get correct. At the end of the show there is a drawing—basically a raffle—and if a player has the winning ticket (not every one produces a winner) then that person wins $1,000.
This is an interesting way of rewarding players that might not have extreme trivia knowledge but that are smart enough to consistently move into the sixth or seventh question. Tickets can also be bought from the store—as can other power-ups like skip a question or remove one of the multiple choice answers to increase the probability of getting a question right.
This is a much smaller version of the live trivia concept than some of the options above but offers decent bang for its buck if you are looking to start out with a smaller scale live trivia experience.
Available on Apple.
Honorable Mention…
QuizUp
QuizUp is undoubtedly the leader in its category. For starters, you are not limited to just general knowledge or the six traditional Trivial Pursuit-style categories. You can answer general knowledge questions if you want, but there is so much more to choose from!
When you first join the game, you’re invited to sign up for different clubs and areas of knowledge. That’s when you get to choose the kind of trivia you like. For instance, if you’re a fan of Harry Potter, you can join the Harry Potter club and answer questions about the popular franchise. Of course, you’re not limited to one. Choose as many topics as you want and alternate at your convenience.
When it comes to the games, you can either play alone or be matched with a random opponent. The opponent you get is usually around the same level as you, so you both have a fair chance to win. The game is played in real time, so you need to think fast. You only get ten seconds to answer a question, and the quicker you answer, the more points you get.
If you’re playing against a random opponent, there are seven rounds with one question in each. If you choose the single player mode, you get to answer questions until you get one wrong. Even though you get to choose the topic, there is always a random question mixed in from time to time to keep you on your toes. In addition to that, you can participate in the daily challenges and watch yourself gain points on the leaderboard.
QuizUp is a free app, but it has ads. You know the drill; you can get rid of ads if you pay. You can also buy power ups to use in the game. Overall, I think it’s still a pleasant experience, even with the ads. If you’re a real trivia lover, you won’t even want the power ups. The game is more fun without them!
QuizUp is more challenging than Trivia Crack, simply because there are specific niche categories. If you pick a topic you don’t know much about, say Countries of the World, you will have a hard time. At the same time, it’s incredibly fun to answer trivia questions about your favorite book or TV series!
Unfortunately, developer Glu Mobile recently announced that QuizUp will be discontinued in March 2021, pulling it from both Apple and Google Play stores, and restricting in-app purchases as of January 2021. You can take a look at similar apps, check out the newest app by the same company and find out all the information on QuizUp’s demise here.
So Many Apps… So Much Time!
When it comes to trivia apps, Trivia Crack is a classic. There was even a board game made based on the app, though much less successful. For even more at-home trivia fun, check out our list of trivia games you can play with your Alexa device!
Those are all our picks for our top favorite trivia apps. Did yours make the list? Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments!
Leave a Reply