I tested the Novelah app to see if reading novels for coins is worth your time. It looks legit, but the coins are worth very little, and a PayPal cashout needs 15,000,000 coins. 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 Novelah himself and does not earn a commission from it.Learn more about Mikael
Last retested · First published
Looks legit, but the earning potential is very low
You earn coins for reading novels, playing games and daily tasks. A $20 PayPal cashout takes months.
On this page
The short answer
Novelah looks like a legit app, because you can really earn rewards from it. You collect coins by reading novels, playing games, doing daily tasks and inviting friends.
But the coins are worth very little. You need 15,000,000 coins for a PayPal withdrawal worth around $20, and it can take a couple of months to get there. In my opinion, Novelah is not an app worth using.
- Offers a passive way of earning extra cash
- Payment via PayPal is available
- Available globally
- You can read novels for free
- Limited earning opportunities
- High payout threshold
- Pop-up ads that take a while to load
- The app consumes more battery charge, so you will have to charge your device more than you’re used to
My experience with Novelah
I installed Novelah, collected coins, read novels, tried the games and daily tasks, and looked at the referral program and payout options. This is what I did, and what I did not test.
- First tested
- February 2025Review first published Feb 24, 2025
- Latest retest
- Checked: earning methods, payouts, support
- PayPal minimum
- 15,000,000 coinsWorth around $20
- Time to cash out
- A couple of monthsMy estimate from testing
- Collecting coins, with and without the video ad that doubles them
- Reading novels for coins
- The featured games and the daily tasks
- The referral program and the payout options
- The app and the web version, and the Help section
- A payout. My review does not show a cashout from Novelah.
- The local payout options in other countries.
Inside Novelah: my screenshots
These screenshots from my test show where you collect coins, the games and daily tasks, and the payout options.
Screenshots from my test
Novelah pays very little for your time. The top sites in your country let you earn more, faster.
See the best sites in your countryNovelah at a glance
| What it is | A mobile app where you earn coins by reading local novels and doing other tasks |
|---|---|
| Cost to join | Free |
| Ways to earn | Collecting coins, reading novels, playing games, daily tasks, referrals |
| Minimum cashout | 15,000,000 coins for a PayPal withdrawal worth around $20. Local payout options have lower thresholds. |
| Payout methods | PayPal in all countries, plus local options that depend on your country |
| Apps | Android and iOS. The web version only shows the novels; you cannot read or earn there. |
| Ads | Pop-up ads from time to time, and they take a while to load |
| Where you can join | More or less worldwide, from what I can tell. Most users live in Southeast Asia. |
| Support | Help section, and a contact form through the “Need Human Assistance” button |
Is Novelah legit and safe?
Novelah does look like a legit app, because you can really earn rewards from it. But that does not mean you should download it. Here is what you should know.
- The coins are worth very little
It may look like you earn a lot of coins, but in reality you earn a few cents. Reading a whole novel gets you a few thousand coins, and a PayPal withdrawal worth around $20 needs 15,000,000 coins.
- It takes months to cash out
It will literally take you a couple of months to earn the coins you need to cash out. Even with 10 referrals, which is already quite hard to get, you are still way off the threshold.
- Ads and battery use
You see pop-up ads from time to time, and they take quite a while to finish loading. The app also uses more battery, so you have to charge your phone more than you are used to.
- Open games through the app
After you install a featured game, open it from the My Games section in Novelah. This is the only way for Novelah to track your progress and give you the coins.
My takeIn my opinion, Novelah is not an app worth using. The main reason is that it has a very low earning potential. You have to invest a lot of time and effort just to hit its high payout threshold. You are better off investing your time in sites or apps with better earning potential, so you earn more efficiently.
How you earn on Novelah
There are 5 ways to earn. All of them pay in coins. Tap one to read more.
Collecting coinsAround 100 coins
When you log in, you see the coins you can collect. Click a coin, and a pop-up offers to double it if you watch a video ad. You can also skip it and collect around 100 coins.
The coins replenish occasionally, so keep an eye out while you use the app. It is simple, but the earnings are quite limited.
Reading novels40 to 80 coins per round
The novels are written by people who live in your region. Pick a novel and start reading. A coin icon in the upper right corner loads as you scroll down.
Each time it completes one rotation, you get around 40 to 80 coins. When you finish a novel, open another to keep earning. Think of the coins as a bonus; the real reward is the free novel, in my opinion.
Playing gamesPer completed task
Click the Money icon on the right side of the app to see the featured games. Install a game, then go back to Novelah and open it from the My Games section. Do not forget this step, or Novelah cannot track your progress.
Every game has tasks. Claim the coins when you complete one. Once you have done all the tasks in a game, move on to the next. There are a decent number of games at any given time, mostly puzzle games.
Daily tasks15,000 to 30,000 coins a day
Click the Invite icon and hit the Offer link at the top to see the daily tasks. They ask you to read novels, watch short videos in the app and stay active.
Think of these coins as a bonus for doing what you are supposed to do in the app. It is still a very small amount when you convert it to cash.
Referral program110,000 to 180,000 coins
Share your referral code, and ask the people you invite to enter it when they sign up.
If your referral reads at least 5 chapters of a novel for at least 7 days in a row, you get a total of 180,000 coins. If they do not, you get a total of 110,000 coins, as long as they entered your code. It looks like a lot, but it is a very low reward compared to the threshold.
How much can you make?
You will not earn a lot from Novelah. You need at least 15,000,000 coins just to make a $20 PayPal withdrawal.
Reading a whole novel gets you a few thousand coins, and that takes quite some time, even if you are a fast reader. Daily tasks give you around 15,000 to 30,000 coins, which is still a very small amount in cash.
That is why I would say its earning potential is very low. It will literally take you a couple of months to earn the coins you need to cash out.
Payout methods and minimum
| Method | Minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal | 15,000,000 coins | Worth around $20. Available in all countries. |
| Local payout options | Lower than PayPal | Depend on your country. The more realistic options, in my experience. |
Overall, the payout system is relatively simple, and I like that PayPal is available. But the PayPal threshold is very high, so it takes quite a long time to redeem it. For more sites with this method, see the top sites that pay via PayPal.
What a reader told me
This review has 2 comments since May 2026: 1 from a reader and 1 reply from me.
A reader confirmed that Novelah pays, and that it takes a lot of grinding to get there. That matches what I found.
“Well nice app. It does pay. But needs a lot of grinding.”
Mikael: Thanks for sharing your experiences
Novelah alternatives I have tested
| Site | Best for | Min. cashout | My rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freecash | Highest pay for game and app offers | $5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Halos.gg | Many ways to earn, available worldwide | PayPal from $1 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Snakzy | Mobile games that reward consistent players | Depends on your country | 4.1 / 5 |
| TimeBucks | Ways to earn in almost every country | $3 | 3.9 / 5 |
| appKarma | Game offers and playtime rewards, available globally | $3 PayPal; gift cards from $1 | 3.5 / 5 |
See also the best reward apps, or the top survey and GPT sites in your country. You will find a site or app you can join wherever you live.
How I scored Novelah
I use the same 100-point system for every platform. See how I test and rate.
Novelah scores 26 out of 100. I recommend these sites before Novelah.
See the best sites in your countryNovelah FAQ
Is Novelah a scam?
No. It looks like a legit app, because you can really earn rewards from it. But its earning potential is very low, so in my opinion it is not worth using.
How much is a Novelah coin worth?
Very little. A PayPal withdrawal worth around $20 costs 15,000,000 coins.
What is the minimum payout?
15,000,000 coins for PayPal. The local payout options in your country have lower thresholds.
How long does it take to cash out?
It will literally take you a couple of months to earn enough coins.
Can I use Novelah on a desktop?
Not to earn. The web version only shows the novels, and you cannot read them there. You need the app on Android or iOS.
Who can join Novelah?
The app does not say exactly which countries it is available in. From what I can tell, it is available more or less worldwide. Most of its users live in Southeast Asia.
How do I contact Novelah?
Check the Help section first. Otherwise, click the “Need Human Assistance” button on the Help page to reach the contact form.
Who tested Novelah 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 experiences with Novelah, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.
Well nice app. It does pay. But needs a lot of grinding.
Thanks for sharing your experiences,