Forty-six developers ship 56 apps that run Klondike solitaire for money and 20 of them clear $20k a month. Eight of the 14 leaders sit at $250k+. Solitaire Cash: Win Real Money has led since December 2018 on 567,862 ratings while Solitaire Clash: Win Real Cash adds 7,906 a month. Twelve apps launched in the last 18 months and hold 11% of the review pace, and Solitaire Wild:Win Real Cash reached $250k+ eight months after its January 2026 launch. The 14 leaders rate 4.6 to 4.9 while the one star reviews argue about money: "money play" runs 8 times in four leaders and "take money" 9 times in three.
Appaloma readings · Solitaire cash tournaments · 2026-09-01
- OpeningFewer newcomersOpen when a quarter or more of the niche launched in the last 18 months
- Demand100Revealed by rating velocity across the niche, 0–100
- Crowding52How much of the niche the top apps already hold, 0–100
- Apps5620 researched over $20k a month
- New12launched in the last 18 months, holding 11% of the niche's review pace
- Floor$2.5M+a month, adding the band floors of 56 researched apps
What the niche is
You deposit cash and enter a tournament where every player gets the identical deck, and the fastest clean finish takes the pot. The apps sell themselves as skill-based competition platforms, Solitaire Infinite wording it as "a secure gaming platform built on skill-based competition", and one entrant ships from Skillz Inc. itself. Some US states restrict real-money play, so Solitaire Cube offers "cash prizes (where available)" while Solitaire Clash and Solitaire Infinite run non-cash matches that pay in-game items.
It sits under real-money skill gaming inside real-money gaming, above five apps that do the same with Pyramid and TriPeaks and two that pay winnings into a town you build. The 185 block and sort puzzle games take their money from ads and nine of their 14 leaders charge $2.99 to $9.99 to remove them. The 39 imposter word party games charge $2.99 once and 32 of them launched in the last 18 months.
Who leads
| App | Since | Ratings | Stars | Prices | Band | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Solitaire Cash: Win Real MoneyPapaya Gaming | Dec 2018 | 567,862 | 4.6 | Free | $250k+ |
| 2 |  Solitaire Clash: Win Real CashAviagames Inc. | Oct 2021 | 455,942 | 4.8 | Free | $250k+ |
| 3 |  Solitaire Smash: Real Cash!Play Perfect | Mar 2023 | 220,895 | 4.8 | Free | $250k+ |
| 4 |  Solitaire Royale - Win MoneyLucky Day Entertainment, Inc. | Apr 2023 | 166,344 | 4.9 | Free | $250k+ |
| 5 |  Solitaire Stash: Win Real CashGame Story | Jul 2023 | 117,339 | 4.8 | Free | $250k+ |
| 6 |  Solitaire TrialsANT HIVE CREATIONS INC | Nov 2023 | 76,434 | 4.9 | $5–$100 | $250k+ |
| 7 |  Solitaire Riches:Win CashKIMI CRUSH LIMITED | Apr 2024 | 35,361 | 4.9 | $5–$100 | $250k+ |
| 8 |  Solitaire Wild:Win Real CashBIAGRO,S.A. | Jan 2026 | 13,526 | 4.9 | $5–$100 | $250k+ |
| 9 |  Solitaire Winner: Card GamesJoyBox Studio Limited | Apr 2023 | 56,561 | 4.9 | Free | $50–250k |
| 10 |  Solitaire Infinite: Win CashAviagames Inc. | Apr 2024 | 39,991 | 4.9 | Free | $50–250k |
| 11 |  Solitaire EchoMobile Fox Limited | Jun 2025 | 17,736 | 4.7 | Free | $50–250k |
| 12 |  Solitaire Cube: Real Cash GameTether Studios, LLC | Jun 2016 | 95,730 | 4.6 | Free | $20–50k |
Band: our researched estimate of peak monthly revenue, published only for apps we have researched one by one. Every app in the catalog sits above the $5k a month floor.
Papaya Gaming launched Solitaire Cash: Win Real Money in December 2018 and it holds 567,862 ratings at 6,216 a month at $250k+ as one of five apps from the developer.
Aviagames Inc. launched Solitaire Clash: Win Real Cash in October 2021 and it holds 455,942 ratings at 7,906 a month, the fastest pace of the 14, at $250k+. Aviagames runs 14 apps and a second leader at $50–250k, Solitaire Infinite: Win Cash, which has taken 39,991 ratings since April 2024.
Two leaders come from one-app developers and both hold $250k+: Play Perfect's Solitaire Smash: Real Cash! holds 220,895 ratings at 5,451 a month since March 2023 and ANT HIVE CREATIONS INC's Solitaire Trials holds 76,434 at 2,316 since November 2023.
Four more apps hold the top band at 4.9 stars. Lucky Day Entertainment, Inc. runs Solitaire Royale - Win Money from April 2023 on 166,344 ratings at 4,186 a month, Game Story runs Solitaire Stash: Win Real Cash from July 2023 on 117,339 at 3,188, KIMI CRUSH LIMITED runs Solitaire Riches:Win Cash from April 2024 on 35,361 at 1,264 and BIAGRO,S.A. runs Solitaire Wild:Win Real Cash at eight months old on 13,526 at 1,928.
The three $20–50k leaders are the oldest apps in the top 14. Tether Studios, LLC has run Solitaire Cube: Real Cash Game since June 2016 on 95,730 ratings at 783 a month and 0.6x its earlier pace, Solitaire Arena - Win Cash adds 601 a month since November 2020 and Solitaire King: PvP Game adds 671 since September 2021. Eleven developers hold the 14 leaders with Aviagames, JoyBox Studio Limited and Mobile Fox Limited running two each, and all 14 shipped an update since December 2024 while nine of the 56 apps sit dormant.
How they make money
The bill is a deposit. All 14 leaders download free and none of them sells a weekly, monthly, yearly or lifetime plan: the player funds an entry fee to enter a cash tournament.
Only three of the 14 sell anything in the App Store and all three carry the same four coin packs: 2,000 coins for $5, 8,000 for $20, 20,000 for $50 and 40,000 for $100. Solitaire Trials, Solitaire Riches:Win Cash and Solitaire Wild:Win Real Cash hold $250k+ on that ladder while the other 11 sell nothing through the store.
The reviews carry the exit price: a Solitaire Trials player put the withdrawal minimum at $40 in September 2026 and a Solitaire Clash player named the 72-hour payout window the same month.
The angles that get installs
- solitaire that pays cash37 apps
- cash on a casual game17 apps
- no bots, every opponent is a real person2 apps
Thirty-seven of the 56 apps promise cash for solitaire in the listing and 17 sell cash on top of a casual game. Nothing else runs in more than three apps: three offer free practice before you pay to enter, three award bonus points for submitting a dead deck early, three put scratchers and dice minigames between matches and three promise every player the same deck so only speed decides.
Two apps promise no bots, two promise no ads between matches and two guarantee every deck solvable, the three things the one star reviews accuse the leaders of. Two more pay winnings into a town you build, the odd angle out.
What the one star reviews keep saying
“As soon as you get $5-$6 in cash the games start becoming scratch matches. I’ve tallied it and counted trends and it’s like clock work. If they don’t see you depositing real cash they make every game you buy into a loss ”Solitaire Clash: Win Real Cash, 2026-09-13
“waste time” recurs in 5 of the top 12 apps“What a joke. After 2 games, to collect any cash, they wanted me to deposit cash….no thank you.”Solitaire Clash: Win Real Cash, 2026-09-08
“money play” recurs in 4 of the top 12 apps“For the fall season, this app has now replaced a man berating his obese significant other with a man dumping a bag full of white powder into his wife’s onboard drink as she sleeps during their flight! I wonder what it co”Solitaire Clash: Win Real Cash, 2026-09-08
“playing game” recurs in 4 of the top 12 apps“Total scam and programmed to make sure you never have enough to withdrawal ! Don’t waste money on this app. Other reviews are FAKE!”Solitaire Trials, 2026-09-10
“don't waste” recurs in 4 of the top 12 apps“Do not deposit money into this game. There is 0% chance you’re going to make it to the $40 withdrawal minimum. Waste of time”Solitaire Trials, 2026-09-08
“deposit money” recurs in 4 of the top 12 apps“Do not deposit money into this game. There is 0% chance you’re going to make it to the $40 withdrawal minimum. Waste of time”Solitaire Trials, 2026-09-08
“money game” recurs in 4 of the top 12 apps“Have played this game for over a year. Use to waste money trying to win. Finally learned the Bot’s will beat you no matter what. Have quit spending my money, and only play with the few cents you get a day. You can have a”Solitaire Royale - Win Money, 2026-08-25
“waste money” recurs in 4 of the top 12 apps
Phrases that recur in one and two star reviews across 6 of the niche's top 12 apps.
The pooled one star reviews of six leaders reduce to three complaints and all three are about money.
The deal changes once cash is in. "won't let" runs 5 times in three apps, "every time" 6 times in three and "game scam" 5 times in three. A Solitaire Trials player wrote in September 2026 that the wins stop near the withdrawal limit, and a Solitaire Royale player says the same card keeps turning up in a cash hand. "waste money" runs 5 times in four behind a player of over a year who concluded the bots win regardless.
The apps ask for the deposit early. "money play" runs 8 times in four apps, "deposit money" 6 times in four and "take money" 9 times in three. A Solitaire Clash player quit after two games when collecting required a deposit, and "waste time" runs 8 times in five behind a player who tracked matches turning into scratch rounds once the balance reached $5.
The payout runs slow and support hears about it: "bonus cash" runs 4 times in four apps and "customer service" 5 times in four. A Solitaire Clash player counted withdrawals taking a day or more against the app's stated 72-hour window.
What works, from the five star side
"great game" runs 47 times in six apps and "love game" 44 times in six, then "fun game" 30 times in five, "game love" 22 in five, "playing game" 14 in four, "game fun" 13 in four and "best game" 10 in five. The five star reviewers point to the payout and the quiet: a Solitaire Echo player had the withdrawal in PayPal within a couple of days in June 2026 and a Solitaire Royale player plays on without ad after ad.
New in the last 18 months
- Solitaire EchoJun 2025 · 17,736 ratings · $50–250k
- Solitaire Wild:Win Real CashJan 2026 · 13,526 ratings · $250k+
- Solitaire - Win CashApr 2025 · 8,171 ratings · $20–50k
- Solitaire DriftJul 2025 · 4,469 ratings · $10–20k
- Solitaire Manor: Win CashMay 2026 · 1,494 ratings · $20–50k
- Solitaire Sprint: Win CashJun 2025 · 1,077 ratings · $5–10k
- Solitaire Skillz:Win Real CashAug 2025 · 982 ratings · $5–10k
- Solitaire Snap - Cash ShowdownJun 2025 · 721 ratings · $5–10k
Twelve apps launched in the last 18 months and hold 11% of the review pace with 11 of them past 100 ratings. Solitaire Wild:Win Real Cash climbed fastest and holds $250k+ on 13,526 ratings in eight months, Solitaire Echo from Mobile Fox Limited holds $50–250k on 17,736 since June 2025 and Solitaire - Win Cash from Blitz Games holds $20–50k on 8,171 since April 2025. Pulse Works Limited took Solitaire Manor: Win Cash to $20–50k on 1,494 ratings four months after its May 2026 launch, Solitaire Drift sits at $10–20k on 4,469 and five more hold $5–10k including Solitaire Skillz:Win Real Cash from Skillz Inc. on 982.
Nine of the 14 leaders run ads and six of those nine run video: Solitaire Cash opens on "Turn your Solitaire skills into REAL CASH!" and Solitaire Riches on "Real rewards for real skills - no scams here!" for 44 days. A Solitaire Royale still image has run 216 days and says nothing about money.
What to copy and what to avoid
Copy: the free practice round before the entry fee. Three of the 56 apps offer it while "money play" draws 8 one star mentions in four leaders and "deposit money" 6 in four.
Copy: the same deck for every player. Three apps promise it against 6 mentions of "every time" and 5 of "won't let" in three leaders each.
Avoid: asking for the deposit inside the first two matches, where a Solitaire Clash player quit and where "money play" plus "take money" account for 17 mentions across four and three leaders.
Avoid: a $40 withdrawal floor that takes days to pay, which drives "bonus cash" 4 times in four leaders and "customer service" 5 times in four.
Our read: eight leaders hold $250k+ while only three of the 14 sell anything in the App Store, so the entry fee carries the business and the four coin packs from $5 to $100 only top it up.
Our read: the 14 leaders rate 4.6 to 4.9 with five at 4.9 while the one star pile attacks deposits, payouts and support rather than the solitaire.
FAQ
Is the solitaire cash tournament app market saturated?
No. 46 developers ship 56 apps, 12 of them launched in the last 18 months and hold 11% of the review pace, and 20 clear $20k a month as of September 2026. One of the 12 reached $250k+ eight months after launch.
Which solitaire cash apps make the most money?
Eight of the 14 leaders sit at $250k+ as of September 2026, from Solitaire Cash: Win Real Money on 567,862 ratings down to Solitaire Wild:Win Real Cash on 13,526 after eight months. Solitaire Clash: Win Real Cash leads on pace with 7,906 ratings a month.
How do solitaire cash apps make money?
On deposits and tournament entry fees: all 14 leaders download free and none of them sells a subscription. Three sell coin packs in the App Store, four items each from $5 to $100.
Can you play solitaire for cash in every US state?
No. Some US states restrict real-money play, so Solitaire Cube advertises "cash prizes (where available)" while Solitaire Clash and Solitaire Infinite run non-cash matches that pay in-game items.
Do solitaire cash apps pay out?
Both answers sit in the same review piles. A Solitaire Echo five star reviewer had the withdrawal in PayPal within a couple of days while "won't let" and "game scam" each run 5 times in three leaders from players who say the wins stop near the withdrawal limit.
What should a new solitaire cash app do differently?
Let the first tournaments run free, which three of the 56 apps do while the deposit request draws 8 mentions of "money play" in four leaders. Publish the same deck for every player, which three apps promise, against 6 mentions of "every time" in three. Pay the withdrawal inside a day, against a $40 floor and a 72-hour window that sit behind 4 mentions of "bonus cash" and 5 of "customer service" in four leaders each.