Image Credit: Bethesda
Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.

Get The Most Out of Clash of Clans Without Spending A Dime

Free-to-play games like Clash of Clans are big on fun, but has big in-app purchases. Here's how to play without spending a dime.
This article is over 9 years old and may contain outdated information

For many of us on a budget, enjoying games like Clash of Clans without having to worry about being forced to make IAP’s (in-app purchases) and the like can be difficult. These types of games are geared toward squeezing every single cent out of us that they can, so it’s no wonder if you want to keep up with other players that you’re expected to shell out the cash.

Recommended Videos

But before you go and do something crazy, consider these tips and tricks to help keep you on the cheapest path possible. You’ll come to find out that you don’t need to fall back on the Gold Cloak lifestyle to enjoy the game, and your bank account will thank you for it.

You Don’t NEED to Spend Money

First, you’re going to want to toss out any preconceived notions that you might have of how important spending money on this game actually is. Just forget about it. In order to do this the right way, you’re going to have to look at Clash of Clans as if there simply are no options to spend money on gems to progress. Simply forget that they exist and make a rule that there will be no gems used in order to advance.

Because when you look at Clash of Clans as a game removed from the likes of Farmville or Candy Crush Saga, you’ll find that you simply enjoy the flow of the game. You don’t need to play to up the aesthetic value of your township and whatnot. Just go with the flow and you’ll find that things actually flow much better when you’re not in it for solely the finer things in life.

Hoard Your Gems and Focus on Cheap Units

Speaking of finer things, you’ll want to start putting back gems and saving your resources, which means you need to stay away from purchasing dragons and other exorbitantly-priced items. Plus, you can do better! Dragons may be a beneficial class and all, and who doesn’t want to brag that they’ve got a horde of dragons at their side?

But you don’t actually have to have them. For one thing, they’re super slow. They take roughly 30 minutes to create to begin with and then they lumber through like molasses through villages. What you want to do is instead attack swiftly with archers and other smaller troops using a blitz of different attacks so that you can strike quickly and cheaply. This way you’ve got better uses for both your time and the resources you have on hand.

And really, you’re going to want to think that same away about spending gems on upgrades. Let’s face it — Gold Cloaks are infamous for purchasing whatever upgrade they can without actually checking what they need or what would benefit them the best for their Townhall. Keeping up with the Joneses is not what you want to aim for, especially if you’re looking to keep your pockets lined with gold in the real world.

It’s possible to reach Crystal League even if you neglect your Townhall a bit and hover around level 6 or 7. You just have to make sure you’re spending time and resources on the things that matter. Spend time attacking villages and using your strengths to aim for different kinds of achievements, like achieving 50% destruction of a village. The stars you earn will end up helping you save troops and advance more in the long run.

Never Speed Up Production with Gems

Hold on to your hard-earned Instead of spending money on gems to speed up production times and whatnot, save up every bit of that precious currency for when you need to spend it on something else. Complete missions, clear obstacles, and build your gem count up, then only go on shopping sprees when something truly catches your eye.

In fact, don’t even bother spending the gems suggested at the beginning of the game, because those can be saved too. Hang on to them as long as you can, and over time they’ll most certainly accumulate. You won’t have to reach into your wallet for any extra cash when you’re a thrify spender to begin with.

But don’t get trigger-happy with all that cash you’ve still got. There are still a few obstacles in your way keeping you from zen. Timers can get you down pretty quickly, especially after you’ve grown past the very first few days of Clash of Clans as a beginner and start moving on to bigger and better things. Of course, things will progressively get hairier as you level up, so a good idea to ensure you’re not tempted to spend gems on bypassing timers is to ensure you stagger your upgrades.

This way you’re keeping yourself busy, upgrading at least once a day, and filling the rest of the time with things that need to be done otherwise. You won’t be focusing so much on waiting for something to reach its completion point, and you’ll have a lot more time left to raise money so you can pay for said upgrades. It all fits together like a puzzle there in the end, you’ll see!

Do you have any tips you’d like to share for players to ensure they save money when approaching Clash of Clans? Let us know in the comments below!


GameSkinny is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Brittany Vincent
Brittany Vincent
Brittany Vincent is an accomplished video game and freelance entertainment writer whose work has been featured in esteemed publications and online venues like G4TV.com, Joystiq, AskMen, Complex, IGN, GamesRadar, Shacknews, Wizard World, Kotaku, C&G Magazine, Gamezebo, GameSpot, and more. She also enjoys writing for horror publications like Rue Morgue, Bloody Disgusting, and Dread Central. Over the past few years, she’s also worked with PR representatives to build relationships and obtain review products for her work, having managed her own gaming website and small teams to attend video game conventions such as PAX East in 2010 and E3 in 2011.