Warning: you may not be able to cash out
When I tested Macadam, my app had no cashout option at all. The only option was a charity donation, and it was “sold out”. Not everyone can cash out from it. In July 2024, a reader wrote that Macadam denied a withdrawal after almost a year of use, gave no reason, and cut the points in half. I do not recommend this app. The sites I recommend instead are at the end of this review.
I tested Macadam to see if you can really earn by walking. It rewards your steps with coins, but my app had no way to cash out. Below is what I found, and which apps I recommend instead.
Tested by Mikael (EarnWithMike)Founder and lead testerMikael founded PaidFromSurveys in 2016 and has personally tested hundreds of survey and GPT sites since then. He shows his tests and payment proof to 555K+ subscribers on his YouTube channel, EarnWithMike. He tested Macadam himself and does not earn a commission from it.Learn more about Mikael
Last retested · First published
Not worth your time: low rewards, and you may not be able to cash out
Coins for walking and playing games, but the payout system is unclear and not everyone gets a cashout option.
On this page
The short answer
Macadam rewards you with coins for walking and playing games. But when I tested it, there was no cashout option in my app, and the website is not transparent about how it pays.
The rewards are low, and you have to walk tens of thousands of steps before you can redeem anything. In my opinion, using Macadam is a waste of time. You are better off with the best walk and earn apps.
- An interesting way of earning rewards
- Available on Android and iOS
- Low rewards
- No cashout option for everyone
- Not transparent about how the payment system works
- You must validate your steps with a video ad before midnight
- No good support, and a FAQ without helpful information
My experience with Macadam
I installed Macadam, connected it to a fitness app, claimed coins for my steps and played the featured games. This is what I did myself, and what I did not test.
- First tested
- September 2023Review first published Sep 14, 2023
- Latest retest
- Checked: earning methods, payout options
- Cashout option
- None in my appOnly a charity donation, which was sold out
- Countries
- 27I counted them when I signed up
- Walking and claiming coins for my steps
- Validating my steps with a video ad
- Playing the featured mobile games
- The payout screen, the FAQ and the support options
- A cashout. My app did not have a cashout option.
- The referral program. I would not refer my friends to this app.
My video test of Macadam
In the video below, I give you an inside look and show exactly how Macadam works.
Screenshots from my test
Macadam at a glance
| What it is | Step counter app that rewards you with coins for walking |
|---|---|
| Cost to join | Free |
| Ways to earn | Walking, playing featured mobile games, referrals |
| Step rewards | The first reward is 25 coins, after at least 2,500 steps |
| Step validation | Every day before midnight, by watching a video ad |
| Payout | The website mentions gift cards. My app had no cashout option. People I talked to could cash out from $15. |
| Apps | Android and iOS. Needs Google Fit or another fitness app. |
| Where you can join | 27 countries when I signed up. Search for it in your app store to check. |
| Support | FAQ, and email to contact@macadam.app |
Is Macadam legit and safe?
Macadam is a real app, and you do earn coins in it. But turning those coins into a reward is the problem. Here is what you should know.
- You may not get a cashout option
My app had no cashout option, only a charity donation that was sold out. People I talked to did have one, from $15. Macadam does not explain why. In July 2024, a reader wrote that a withdrawal was denied after almost a year and the points were cut in half.
- The payment system is not transparent
The conversion rate is confusing, so it is hard to tell what your coins are worth. Rewards apps worth your time are usually clear about how they pay.
- Forget to validate, and your steps do not count
You have to click “Convert My Steps” and watch a video ad before midnight. If you forget, the steps of that day do not count toward your rewards. I have not seen this in other similar apps.
- Your fitness app may not sync
Macadam takes your steps from Google Fit or another fitness app. Readers report that steps from some trackers, like Fitbit, did not come through.
My takeIn my opinion, using Macadam is purely a waste of time. Not everyone will be able to cash out from it, and even if you have the cashout option, it still takes quite a bit of time to earn a significant amount. It simply does not give good value for your time.
Macadam may not let you cash out. These sites are clear about how they pay you.
See the best sites in your countryHow you earn on Macadam
There are 3 ways to earn. Walking is the main one. Tap one to read more.
Walking25 coins from 2,500 steps
Connect the app to Google Fit or another fitness app so it can count your steps. You then claim coins according to the number of steps. The first reward is 25 coins, after at least 2,500 steps.
After claiming, click “Convert My Steps” to validate your steps, and watch a video ad. Do this before midnight. If you forget, the steps of that day do not count.
Playing mobile gamesLow
Install a featured game and open it from the Macadam app, so it can track how long you play. You earn per minute you play, but fewer coins the longer you play the same game.
There are a decent number of games, but Macadam pays less than other apps with the same kind of earning method. You will not earn efficiently this way.
Referral program500 coins
You get the instructions after you install the app. When your referral meets the requirement, you receive 500 coins. It is simple, but this is not an app I would refer to my friends.
How much can you make?
Not much. You have to walk tens of thousands of steps before you have enough coins to redeem a reward, provided the cashout option is enabled in your app. The games pay less than in other apps.
You have to wait a long time before you earn a decent amount. And when you finally reach the payout threshold, there might not be a cashout option for you.
How you get paid
| Option | What I found |
|---|---|
| Cashout | Not available in my app. People I talked to could cash out from $15. |
| Gift cards | Mentioned on the website. Not in my app. |
| Charity donation | The only option in my app, and it was “sold out” |
This is one of the biggest issues of the app. It is not transparent about how it pays, and the coin conversion rate is confusing. If you want sites with a simple payment system, see the top sites that pay via PayPal.
What readers told me
This review has 8 comments since 2023: 5 from readers and 3 replies from me. These are the things readers wrote about.
Readers report steps from Fitbit that never reached Macadam, and steps that were not registered. You have to connect Macadam to Google Fit or your phone’s health app.
A reader was denied a withdrawal after almost a year, and Macadam cut the points in half.
A reader asked why Macadam does not let you cash out to PayPal or another method.
“I’ve spent months using it, walking, playing games, referring people, even defending it against people that warned me it was a scam. All that just to after almost an year be denied withdrawal with no justification and cut my points in half.”
Mikael: Thanks for sharing your experiences.
“Just started using this app but it does not sync to my Fitbit app.”
Mikael: Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Macadam alternatives I have tested
| Site | Best for | Min. cashout | My rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pawns | Games paid per minute, plus surveys and passive earning | $5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Freecash | Highest pay for game and app offers | $5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Money Cash | Games paid per minute, PayPal from $1 | $1 PayPal | 3.8 / 5 |
| Sweatcoin | Coins for walking, easy and free | No fixed threshold | 3.5 / 5 |
See also the best walk and earn apps. If you just want to earn extra cash, see the top survey and GPT sites in your country. They are all transparent about how you cash out.
How I scored Macadam
I use the same 100-point system for every platform. See how I test and rate.
Macadam scores 32 out of 100. I recommend these sites instead.
See the best sites in your countryMacadam FAQ
Is Macadam legit?
It is a real app, and you do earn coins. But when I tested it, my app had no cashout option, and a reader reported a denied withdrawal. I do not recommend it.
How does Macadam pay?
The website mentions gift cards. My app had no cashout option, only a charity donation that was sold out. People I talked to could cash out from $15.
How many coins do you get for walking?
The first reward is 25 coins, after at least 2,500 steps. You have to walk tens of thousands of steps before you can redeem a reward.
Why do my steps not count?
You have to validate your steps before midnight with “Convert My Steps” and a video ad. Macadam also needs Google Fit or another fitness app to count your steps.
Which countries can join Macadam?
It was available in 27 countries when I signed up. Search for it in your app store: if it shows up, it is available in your country.
How do I contact Macadam?
By email at contact@macadam.app. The FAQ in the app does not offer helpful information.
Who tested Macadam for this review
Founder of PaidFromSurveys.com since 2016. Mikael has tested hundreds of survey and GPT sites and shares his tests with 555K+ subscribers on YouTube (October 2026).
If you have any comments, questions, or experience with Macadam, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.
Such a waste of time. I’ve spent months using it, walking, playing games, referring people, even defending it against people that warned me it was a scam. All that just to after almost an year be denied withdrawal with no justification and cut my points in half. I contacted support to witch they say I’m a really valuable customer but still keep half my points, and offer no explanation.
Worse of all, when I tried to withdraw the other half guess what happens… They half that too… It almost seems like a joke.
You’re a valuable customer, just keep earning points and inviting people, we keep paying you nothing for it, and instead of blocking you we just keep halfing your points so you believe you can keep using it…
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
This article is actually pretty spot on, the only thing is is that I don’t know why you’re at doesn’t allow you to cash out to PayPal or another method, unless you’re not being up front, I don’t need to make tens of thousands of dollars, I need to walk anyway so if I get any type of bonus for that, I’m more than happy with it, I’m not dumb enough to think that I could make a living off of writing and completing surveys. The fact that you would sell people on that is despicable, money making apps are for a little bit of extra cash on the side. You remind me of a movie critic, you can criticize a film, but you sure as hell couldn’t make one.
Thanks for sharing your opinion. But I am very confused why you say I am claiming people can make a living from surveys. I have NEVER ever claimed that. In fact, in all my videos and articles I make it very clear that it is NOT something you can do for a living but just for some extra cash on the side.
I even have an article about how much you can earn with surveys here, if you want a specific article about it also.
Just started using this app but it does not sync to my Fitbit app. The app only syncs to the health app on my iPhone, which this app takes my steps from, but the health app also does not sync to the Fitbit app. This means that I walk far more steps than I am unable to convert to coins.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
That’s because you have to connect it to Google just like it says, when you download the app.
It didn’t say it had to be connected to Google anywhere when I downloaded it.
If you do less than 2500, 5000 or you even go over 125000 it does not register those steps. A year later and I’m still trying to get to 30,000 coins