There are millions of games on the App Store and Play Store, many of which are free. It’s those free-to-play games that most of us opt for—after all, why buy a game when there are lots of free options to choose from?

Consider the saying, "The best things in life are free." This may be true in some instances, but not necessarily when it comes to mobile games.

Paid mobile games have several advantages over free ones, making for a better mobile gaming experience. Here are five reasons to buy mobile games instead of playing them for free.

1. Enjoy an Ad-Free Experience

Ads are annoying and intrusive, detracting from your mobile gaming experience. And if you’re playing a free-to-play mobile game, you’ll definitely encounter ads.

Of course, you can try one or two things to disable mobile game ads. For instance, you can put your phone in airplane mode, but this isn’t without its issues. What if the game you’re playing requires an internet connection? Or what if enabling airplane mode doesn’t work?

That’s why, for the best ad-free experience, you should download a paid game instead of a free-to-play one. By the way, in case you’re wondering why we’re using free-to-play instead of free in this article, it’s because there’s a difference between free and free-to-play games.

2. Avoid Making In-App Purchases

In-app purchases, or IAPs, are a thorn in the side of every mobile gamer who plays free-to-play games. Often, you’ll find that you can’t progress quickly or access special in-game items without paying.

Without IAPs, you’ll spend twice as long to complete tasks and grinding through the game to achieve goals. If you’re playing a competitive game, you’ll be at a disadvantage compared to players who do spend on in-app purchases.

Even when you’re not competing against other players, there can be restrictions like limited time to use an item, waiting for tickets to recharge, being unable to unlock certain chapters, and so much more.

To avoid all the above, you might end up either giving up on the game or making microtransactions. The problem with microtransactions is that they can add up until you end up spending much more than if you’d purchased the game.

We know free mobile games have microtransactions for a reason, but they can be excessive and ruin the mobile gaming experience.

In the end, if you’re going to spend money on IAPs, why not make a one-time purchase instead and save your money in the long run?

3. Paid Mobile Games Are Higher Quality

We don’t mean that free-to-play games are poor in quality. On the contrary, there are many great free-to-play mobile games you can enjoy. However, when it comes to overall quality, paid games are better.

Compare free-to-play and paid games on any app store. Free-to-play games are numerous, and you’re bound to find twice as many low-quality ones, while paid games are fewer and mostly high-quality; this is because, with paid games, developers put in a lot of effort so they can recoup what they spent during development.

If a developer were to make a low-quality game, no one would want to pay for it, which would mean a substantial financial loss.

So, if you’re looking for games with stunning graphics, good dialogue, creative storytelling, and all-around polish, check the paid games section of the App Store or Play Store.

4. Support Mobile Game Developers

One of the best ways to give back to any industry is by supporting it financially, which also applies to the mobile gaming industry. Buying mobile games is one way to support mobile game developers, particularly smaller indie ones.

Small developer teams and solo developers don’t have as much exposure or resources as larger ones, so they tend to struggle with making a profit. When you buy their games, you’re enabling them to continue to develop new ones. As an extra step, you can buy directly from their website, so all the revenue goes to them.

Even large game developer teams benefit from people purchasing their games. After all, if no one’s doing so, that’s a large chunk of revenue down the drain. If you can afford it, purchase paid mobile games to support mobile game developers, big and small.

5. Paid Games Have Better Long-Term Developer Support

Many paid games have longer-term developer support compared to free-to-play ones. While free-to-play games enjoy developer support, they are mostly limited to big, popular titles.

With paid games, developers will likely offer phone, email, or chat support. Paid games also receive more support from developers through consistent updates, bug fixes, and other improvements.

Purchase Mobile Games Instead of Playing for Free

There are several reasons to purchase games instead of playing for free. You don’t have to deal with pesky ads, nor do you need to make microtransactions to progress or enjoy access to certain features.

Paid games are typically of higher quality and receive more support from developers. And when you buy games, you ensure that game developers can keep making new games.

If you want a perfect mobile gaming experience, buying a game is the way to go.