A free game with no real money: how Towndom handles it
Updated October 27, 2026
Towndom looks a bit like a stock market, so it is fair to ask what money is involved. The answer: none, ever. The currency is fictional, nothing can be staked, won or withdrawn, and nothing you can buy gives you an edge. This guide spells out the rules.
Towndom is a game: the currency is 100% fictional and nothing can be won or withdrawn for real. This guide is not investment advice.
Is there any real money in Towndom?
No. You start with €2,000 of fictional euros, and that is the only money the game plays with. You cannot deposit real money to play, there is no withdrawal, and nothing in the game can be exchanged or converted into real money in any form. The game is not linked to a bank account. Even écus, the comfort currency you can buy, cannot purchase shares or euros of play money.
Its terms of use put it in writing: the currency has no real monetary value, and nothing in Towndom constitutes real-money gambling, a bet or a financial product. It is a simulation game, played for fun.
What can you buy, and what can’t you?
The game is free to play from start to finish. Optional purchases exist, handled by Apple, with prices in euros shown before you confirm anything. They fall into three groups:
- écus, a comfort currency used to buy appearances
- a no-ads pass, which removes the ad offers
- the premium track of the seasonal road book, which adds cosmetic rewards
Does paying give an advantage?
No, and this is the golden rule of the game. Nothing that gives a gameplay advantage is ever sold: not play money, not shares, not information about upcoming events and not a ranking boost. What is for sale is appearance (pieces, flags, boards, avatar frames) or comfort. Everything for sale can also be earned by playing, just more slowly.
The no-ads pass and the premium road book track are the exceptions to the “also earnable” rule, and both are about comfort or looks only. A player with the no-ads pass gets exactly the same rewards, with the same daily caps, without watching the ads.
What about the ads?
Ads in Towndom are rewarded and always optional. They are never interstitials, never shown at launch, and never shown while you are buying shares. When one is offered, it is clearly labelled and has a daily cap. An ad can double your daily chest or save a broken streak, among a few other small rewards.
Before the first ad, a consent form asks what advertising may use, and you can change that choice at any time in your profile. You can also say no, and the app works the same, with the same rewards.
How are rankings kept fair?
Whatever the game gives you counts as a gift, not a result: the chest, ad rewards, rent and referral bonuses all go into your treasury but are subtracted from your percentage gain and from every ranking. Your rank depends on your choices and nothing else.
Even the optional ad rewards, such as a grant from the town hall, follow the same rule. They top up your treasury so you can keep playing, but they are subtracted from your percentage gain. The in-app shop says it in one line: nothing sold there makes you win, and your ranking depends only on your choices.
How is this different from a betting or casino app?
A betting or casino app asks you to put real money at risk in exchange for a chance of a payout. Towndom has none of those parts. There is no deposit, no stake, no payout and no cash-out. The Flair predictions, the closest thing to a bet in the game, earn XP and never any play money at stake.
The game also avoids the tricks that push people to spend. There are no countdowns meant to rush you, no sales notifications and no paid randomness. Prices in euros are displayed before every purchase, and an item you already own cannot be bought a second time.
What data does the game keep, and what if you want out?
Towndom asks for no email, no password and no real name. A nickname and a technical identifier for your install are enough, and the server keeps your game state: shares, treasury, level, rank. Your payment methods are handled by Apple only, and your game is never sold or shared for commercial purposes.
Refunds on purchases follow Apple’s policy: you request one through Apple, and Towndom does not process refunds itself. You can stop playing and uninstall the app at any time. Uninstalling does not by itself delete your game on the server. To have your data corrected or deleted, write to the address on the Help page with your in-game nickname. The privacy policy has the details.
None of this is advice about money. Towndom is a game, and nothing in it predicts or recommends anything about real investments. When you want to play, the app is a free download for iPhone, and you can read more in the guide to how to play.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Towndom gambling?
- No. The currency is entirely fictional. Nothing is staked, nothing can be won or withdrawn for real, and there is no link to a bank account. The terms of use state that nothing in Towndom is real-money gambling.
- Do I need to pay to play or progress?
- No. The whole game can be played, progressed and won for free. Purchases are optional and cosmetic or a comfort.
- Does buying anything give an advantage?
- No. Nothing that is sold gives a gameplay advantage. Shares, play money, event information and ranking boosts are never for sale.
- Are the ads mandatory?
- No. Ads are always optional and rewarded, never shown at launch or during a purchase. The no-ads pass removes the offers without changing your free rewards.