8 Best Mobile App Gamification Examples

Imagine delivering an app that, within a day, becomes the talk of the town. Thousands of users rush in, drawn in by its promise and advantages. However, as the weeks pass, the initial thrill decreases and those once-active users begin to disappear, drawn in by the latest attractive app in the store. In the highly saturated app industry, where user attention is the most difficult to get and retain, this situation is not just typical; it is an accepted practice.

Companies nowadays face a formidable obstacle: how to convert passing curiosity into enduring user loyalty? Gamification, a notion as old as play itself, offers a way to reimagine the user experience. It is the answer instead of the never-ending search for new features.

So, engaging users with gamification features has been dominant and highly significant. But here's the kicker: not all gamification is created equal. It's not just about what you gamify but how you do it. This is where Quest Labs shines, offering a beacon of innovation in a sea of sameness. We don't just add gamification as an afterthought. Our team integrates it into the core user experience, powered by AI-driven insights.

What is Gamification in Mobile Apps?

Have you ever come across an app that gives you the impression that you are utilizing a game rather than a utility or service? That's the process of gamification at work, and it's completely changing how

we use mobile apps. Simply putting leaderboards and points in your app isn't enough to achieve gamification. It's about weaving the compelling elements of games into the fabric of the app experience to:

• Boost engagement:

  Users stay longer and interact more deeply.

• Enhance satisfaction:

  Positive experiences lead to positive reviews.

• Drive loyalty:

  Engaged users are more likely to stick around.

Gamification is essentially the process of incorporating elements of games into environments that aren't games, such as mobile apps, in order to increase user engagement, involvement, and loyalty. By appealing to our innate need for achievement, competitiveness, and recognition, this strategy makes using an app more pleasurable and fulfilling.

How Gamified Apps Boost User Satisfaction

In the era of digitalization, where attention has become the new currency, companies are always looking for creative ways to draw in customers. In this endeavor, gamification has proven to be a potent instrument, turning routine app interactions into captivating encounters.

However, what is it about gamification that captures consumers' attention and, more significantly, keeps them returning? Let's examine the psychological foundations of gamification and how gamified apps boost user satisfaction and loyalty.

The Psychological Backbone of Gamification

Gamification is the use of human psychology to encourage and engage users; it goes much beyond points and badges. The salient features are as follows:

• Reward Systems:

  Seeking rewards is ingrained in human nature. Rewards, such as points, badges, or reaching new levels, excite the pleasure centers of the brain and promote continuous participation.

• Competition:

  Introducing competition, whether it is with others or with oneself, stimulates our natural desire to succeed and get better, encouraging us to use the app more thoroughly.

• Achievement:

  Achieving our goals makes the app experience more fulfilling since it not only satisfies our need for accomplishment but also increases our self-esteem.

Best Mobile App Gamification Examples

Nowadays, gamification may be seen in apps across numerous business sectors. E-commerce, e-learning, productivity, fitness, finance, sales, and many other areas are among the examples. Now let's get to the details and examine a few apps that have effectively used gamification to increase user satisfaction and loyalty.

1. Gamification in Productivity Apps

We may live more effectively and gamify our everyday routines with the aid of productivity apps. These apps employ gamification to make us aware of the crucial chores we often neglect.

Todoist

A productivity tool called Todoist assists users in keeping track of everything from important professional assignments to basic housework. By awarding users with karma points for each work they complete and punishing them with negative karma for missing deadlines, the app employs gamification to encourage users to finish their assignments.

• The software gives the user karma points for each task they finish. Even missing deadlines might have negative karma 'rewards' associated with it. This points out the point-based reward system.
• Levels can be unlocked after earning a specific number of karma points.
• Through social media, users can tell their friends about their karma score, highlighting the social engagement option.

2. Gamification in Food and Beverages App

Starbucks

The Starbucks app is essentially gamified, with stars awarded for product purchases. You can get discounts or freebies by using these stars. In addition, the app enhances the experience with tasks that grant bonus stars upon completion.

• Star Dash:

  Members are encouraged to visit several times in a set amount of time by doing this. It tracks how frequently they visit, encouraging them to move a progress bar that resembles the controls of a video game to eventually unlock a unique reward.

• Starbucks for Life:

  By completing challenges and earning game plays, participants can enter to win free coffee for a week, month, or year.

• Other Games:

  Roastery Challenge is an interactive VR/AR tour of Starbucks' roasteries that increases engagement and brand connection; Summer Game gives rewards through challenges and Starland rewards purchases.

3. Gamification in E-commerce App

Woot

Woot is a retail app that provides a daily special discount on a limited number of products. Users hurry through product pages and check out before an item runs out of stock since there are only a limited number of each item available. At midnight, they excitedly anticipate the unveiling of the next product.

4. Gamification in Personal Finance App

SmartyPig

A gamified productivity app called SmartyPig was created to assist users in achieving their financial objectives. SmartyPig functions as a piggy bank for users who wish to purchase a new car, for instance.

With the SmartyPig App, users may set up a savings goal and have money automatically sent from their bank account to that particular goal. When users increase their savings, the progress bar rises.

5. Gamification in Fintech App

CRED

A well-known fintech company in India called CRED uses gamification to develop an entertaining approach to financial responsibility. CRED has significantly increased user engagement by fusing game-inspired elements with financial management, making it a notable player in the fintech sector.

• Spin-the-wheel:

  A daily engagement technique that gives users ten chances a day to try their luck and win prizes such as gift cards, bitcoins, and other items.

• Cred coins:

  Users can accrue CRED coins by using the app every time. This promotes using the program more frequently in order to accrue coins, which can subsequently be swapped for alluring incentives.

• Cred games:

  In order to help users gain more coins and rewards, the platform also features interactive games like 'CRED Snakes & Ladders' and 'CRED Wipeout.'

6. Gamification in e-learning apps

Duolingo

Lingots are an internal currency that the user can obtain by performing different tasks.

• Social interaction: Collaborating with colleagues you invited on Facebook.
• Competitiveness: The chance to vote for the best user-provided translation fosters competition.
• Rewarding accomplishments with badges include reaching a target number of talents, following a target number of friends, spending a target number of lingots, and so on.
• A scoreboard and point-based rewards.

7. Gamification in Health & Fitness App

Fitocracy

To be honest, we could all use a little push to get out of a toasty bed and head to the gym each morning. Fitocracy is a fitness app that encourages users to reach their fitness objectives through gamification.

It uses the user's health information to generate personalized diet and exercise routines, and when they reach milestones, it awards them with points and badges. In order to keep users motivated and battle the demon of lethargy, it also pits them against other fitness aficionados.

8. Gamification in Meditation App

Headspace

Headspace, one of the most well-known apps in the meditation space, is credited with popularizing meditation. With the help of an app, learning the skill of mindfulness and how to concentrate on being in the present moment can be made enjoyable, simple, and rewarding.

Like Duolingo, Headspace keeps users interested with a mix of elements, amiable graphics, and animations. Gamification isn't limited to achievements and points; it can also involve making the whole app experience enjoyable and simple to use. This encourages curiosity by allowing users to move about freely.

Restructure Your Gamification Journey With Quest Labs

Gamification is a potent strategy for user engagement. What's the best thing, then? To put these techniques into practice. You don't have to invest a lot of money for this.

Without needing a large budget, rewards like digital badges, contests, in-app missions, and awards maintain user interest and encourage frequent app usage.

Hence, you are at the right place. We at Quest Labs believe that the future lies in creating meaningful experiences, and gamification is one among them. Thus, implementing gamification for user loyalty is the best choice. Do you plan to include gamified components in your app as well?

You can incorporate interactive game features into your mobile app with our no-code builder. Schedule a free consultation with us right now to get more information about how Quest Labs can gamify your app and increase user engagement.