HealthyWage Review [2024]: My Attempt to Turn Weight Loss Into Actual Earnings

What I learned trying HealthyWage

• How much can you actually win? You can win up to $10,000, but after subtracting the money you wager, your net earnings would typically range from a couple of hundred to a couple of thousand dollars. For example, my experience was that for a modest 10-pound weight loss goal, potential net earnings range from $19 to $240 after subtracting the required $210 bet.
• Can I compete against other people? Yes, HealthyWage offers group challenges that come with a no-lose guarantee to ensure winners at least get their entry fee back if more than 75% of participants succeed.
• Can you participate in multiple challenges? Yes, you can join up to 10 challenges simultaneously, potentially boosting earnings as progress in one challenge counts towards others.
• How long does it take to get paid? PayPal is the fastest option, with users reporting receiving funds within 2-5 business days.

Is HealthyWage legit?

Yes, HealthyWage is a legitimate company that was founded in 2009 and headquartered in New York, NY. But this alone wasn’t enough for me to start sending them money I’d like to wager. Before creating an account, I decided to investigate.

I started at the Better Business Bureau (BBB), where I located HealthyWage’s business profile with its A+ rating. The company had a customer review rating of 4.32 out of 5 stars, which was another positive sign for me.

HealthyWage’s app ratings on Apple’s App Store and Google Play reflected a similar story. Its mobile app has a rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars on the App Store and 4.6 out of 5 stars on Google Play.

While many positive reviews confirmed that HealthyWage did pay out their prizes, several users pointed out that its mobile app felt somewhat outdated, but this wasn’t a deal breaker for me. Some also complained about the hoops they had to jump through to verify their goal progress.

Find out what other users said.

What is HealthyWage?

HealthyWage is a platform that combines weight loss challenges with financial incentives. The core concept is simple: you set a weight loss goal and a timeframe, then bet a certain amount of money each month towards achieving that goal. If you succeed in reaching your target weight by the end of the challenge, you win the prize money – which can be up to $10,000.

While the idea of betting money on weight loss may seem unconventional, HealthyWage states that the underlying principles are backed by academic research from institutions like Harvard and the Mayo Clinic, which suggest that financial incentives can boost motivation and increase the likelihood of success.

Of course, the catch is that you have to put your money on the line and may lose it. People who were unable to verify their progress in time or didn’t lose enough weight got nothing back on the money they wagered. That’s simply the idea behind the platform.

Founded	2009
Headquarters	New York, NY
User ratings	App Store: 4.8 out of 5 Google Play: 4.6 out of 5 BBB: 4.32 out of 5
Customer service	Email: info@healthywage.com Phone number: (888) 636-3832

My experience with HealthyWage

Setting up my first weight loss challenge on HealthyWage was straightforward. HealthyWage’s app displayed two challenge types:

1. Individual challenges: These come in the form of HealthyWagers, the platform’s personal weight loss challenge, where I could place a recurring monthly bet on myself without competing against anyone. It has a guaranteed payout if I reach my goal.
2. Group challenges: These come in the form of Jackpot and Step challenges. Jackpots are group weight-loss challenges, while Step challenges are group step-count challenges that require a step-tracking device. These group challenges have a one-time or monthly entry fee, a prize pot, and clear goals for participants.

I decided to explore both options to see how much money I could make.

How much money could I make with individual challenges?

The platform offered an interactive calculator that allowed me to play around with different parameters — pounds to lose, timeframe, and monthly bet — to see what kind of prize money I could potentially win with a HealthyWager individual challenge.

Here's the catch: $200 total bet requirement

I appreciated the transparency in seeing how the potential prize money was calculated based on my input. For my modest goal of shedding 10 pounds just to stay in shape, HealthyWage showed me I could win between $229 and $450. Initially, I was quite excited by these numbers as it seemed like a great incentive for a relatively small weight loss goal.

However, as I dug deeper into the terms, I was taken aback by a crucial detail. HealthyWage requires a minimum total bet of $200 for any challenge, regardless of your weight loss goal. This meant that even for my modest 10-pound target, I'd need to put a significant amount of my own money on the line.

Here’s a look at the money I could win with individual challenges

I played around with the calculator more, trying to find a betting option that would keep me above that $200 threshold without breaking the bank. By opting to bet $35 a month, I discovered my total wager would be $210 over six months. This realization made me pause and recalculate my potential earnings.

HealthyWage's calculator is helpful in showcasing potential prize money, but it doesn't immediately factor in your total bet. For a more accurate picture, I had to do my own math — subtracting my $210 wager from the displayed prize range.

If I were to win this 10-pound challenge, my actual net gain would fall between $19 and $240 after subtracting my $210 bet. The lower end of that range, just $19, hardly seemed worth the risk. At the higher end, $240 felt like an appropriate reward, but it wasn’t immediately clear to me how to end up at the higher side of the prize range.

HealthyWage then asked me several questions about my weight, age, gender, sleep pattern, and more. After going through these additional steps, HealthyWage showed me that my exact prize for this goal would be $230, $20 more than my bet. This didn’t justify the risk of losing the money for me.

Weight loss limitations

The additional steps HealthyWage took me through took about 5 minutes and required me to create an account. These steps showed me that my total prize would be $230.

But there was also a note that my weight-loss goal has to be at least 10% of my weight, so my 10-pound goal wasn’t enough to qualify. Additionally, a 10% goal would put me slightly under HealthyWage’s minimum body-mass index (BMI) of 19, which also disqualifies me. Anything more than 10 pounds would disqualify me for the same reason.

This meant that at my weight, I couldn’t create a HealthyWager for any goal.

BMI is a simple measure of weight-to-height ratio, and a typical healthy range begins at 18.5, so HealthyWage’s requirement is quite reasonable. However, BMI measurements and categories have been criticized for their oversimplifications that don’t take into account factors like sex, age, ethnicity, muscle mass, and more.

BMI	Category
16.0 to 18.4	Underweight
18.5 to 24.9	Normal
25.0 to 29.9	Overweight
30.0 to 34.9	Moderately obese

I didn’t like that HealthyWage didn’t include that limitation in its calculator tool. This meant that I had to go back and go through the entire process a few more times to find a HealthyWager I could qualify for.

Joining group challenges

I decided to explore HealthyWage's Jackpot and Step challenges. One that caught my eye was the month's High Rollers Jackpot Challenge with its $9,712 prize pot. It required a $116.67 bet for three months, totaling $350.01. The goal? Lose at least 6% of my body weight within these three months.

Here’s a look at the money I could win with group challenges

The prize pot seemed tantalizing, but here's the kicker: HealthyWage keeps 25% of the money from everyone’s wagers as an admin fee. The rest of the money goes into the pot and is then divided evenly among all participants who meet the 6% target. Initially, this left me wondering how many people I'd be competing against and what my real chances of winning were.

Adding HealthyWage’s 25% admin fee to the prize pot meant the total money collected was $12,950. Since each participant paid a total of $350.01 to join, this meant that there were 37 participants ($12,950 divided by $350.01).

Out of 37 people in this challenge, if half won, each winner would receive $511.16 after betting $350.01 — a net profit of $161.15. Not too bad. That's enough to cover a few months of healthy meal deliveries or some high-quality workout gear.

HealthyWage’s no-lose guarantee

But what if even more people succeeded? Say, 28 participants hit that 6% weight loss mark. Then each would end up with $346.86 — actually less than what they paid to join. This scenario made me pause. Could I really lose money even if I achieved my weight loss goal?

However, as I dug deeper into HealthyWage's terms, I discovered a reassuring feature: their no-lose guarantee. This promise ensures that if more than 75% of participants win a challenge, everyone who succeeds will at least get their entry fee back. HealthyWage covers this by dipping into its 25% administrative slice of the pie.

This guarantee shifted my perspective. It showed me that HealthyWage isn't just about the competition or maximizing its profit. It genuinely wants participants to succeed — so much so that it’s willing to forfeit some of its own cut to ensure winners aren't penalized when many people achieve their goals.

Tips for winning

1. Set realistic goals: As I discovered with my initial 10-pound goal, HealthyWage has specific requirements, like a minimum 10% weight loss while maintaining a BMI of at least 19. It pays to research these requirements upfront and set a goal that's both challenging and attainable within HealthyWage's parameters.
2. Choose the right challenge: HealthyWage offers various options – individual HealthyWagers, jackpots, and step challenges. I found each has its own dynamics. If you're self-motivated, an individual challenge might suit you. If you thrive on group energy, team challenges could be your ticket.
3. Understand the math: Don't get dazzled by big prize pots. As I learned with the $9,712 jackpot challenge, your actual earnings depend on how many people win. Always calculate your potential net gain after subtracting your bet.
4. Combine challenges: You can participate in up to 10 challenges simultaneously. This is a clever way to potentially boost earnings. Your efforts towards one goal (like your HealthyWager) could also count towards jackpot or step challenges, giving you multiple shots at winning without extra work.
5. Stay consistent: In my research, many successful users emphasized consistency. Whether it's maintaining a steady diet or hitting those 10,000 daily steps, steady progress is key. Use HealthyWage's progress tracking to keep yourself accountable.

How to get paid

Getting paid by HealthyWage is straightforward. You have two options:

1. PayPal: This is the quickest route. After verifying your final weigh-in, HealthyWage converts your winnings into HW Points, each worth $1. You can then cash out these points via PayPal. While I didn’t win a challenge myself, I found that users reported receiving their funds within 2 to 5 business days.
2. Check: If you prefer a traditional check, HealthyWage can accommodate that. However, it takes longer – about 1 to 3 weeks. Additionally, there’s a $7 fee per check, so it doesn’t make as much sense as PayPal since PayPal payouts have no fees.

What are other users saying?

App Store: 4.8/5	Google Play: 4.6/5
“I’ve hit my official weigh in and maxed out on the team competition. Despite that, I continue to wake up for 530 am runs and workouts. Thank you Healthy Wage. I will do more challenges.” - Jay D.’s 5-star review	“I've only just begun, successfully uploading my first "verified" weigh-in. However, I can't remember the last time I was so motivated/excited about starting new weight-loss program.” - Donald K.’s 5-stat review
“It works and they pay out. The step challenges have netted me a 25% ROI each challenge. Sure you actually have to put in the effort but it totally is legit.” - Gameraso’s 5-star review	“App can be glitchy and sometimes difficult to navigate, but overall a good experience. HW might want to consider finding a better way to navigate to the dashboard.” - Glenda J.’s 4-star review
“I wish you could have more interaction with the other participants. I’d like to be able to reach out directly to some that I see.” - Flou52’s 4-star review	“Great motivation to stick to your weight loss plan, but beware of the hoops you need to jump through to actually win!” - Tom’s 3-star review

FAQs about HealthyWage

Alternatives to HealthyWage

While HealthyWage offers a legitimate platform to bet on your weight loss goals, its $200 minimum total bet and overall wager system may not be for everyone. DietBet offers smaller wager values, while Sweatcoin offers a straightforward earning system that doesn’t require putting your money on the line.

DietBet

Similar to HealthyWage, DietBet offers weight loss challenges with cash prizes. However, it focuses on shorter-term challenges (4 weeks) with a standard goal of losing 4% of your body weight. In my research, I found that DietBet's entry fees tend to be lower, often around $30 to $50, which might appeal to those hesitant about HealthyWage's $200 minimum bet.

Visit Dietbet.

Sweatcoin

Similar to HealthyWage's step challenges, Sweatcoin converts your steps into a digital currency. However, instead of cash prizes, you redeem these coins for products, services, or charitable donations. I found this concept intriguing — it's less about the monetary value and more about the satisfaction of turning my daily walks into tangible rewards.

Learn more in our Sweatcoin review.

Bottom line

HealthyWage offers an intriguing method for losing weight by letting you bet on your own success. The opportunity to win up to $10,000 is undeniably exciting, and the research backing the effectiveness of financial incentives adds credibility to their model.

But before you sign up, keep in mind that there’s a $200 minimum HealthyWager bet requirement, and not every challenge will qualify. My initial 10-pound goal wouldn't qualify me for an individual challenge due to BMI restrictions.

So would I recommend HealthyWage? Yes, but with caveats. If you're seriously committed to a substantial weight loss goal, have the financial means to place significant bets, and find motivation in financial incentives, HealthyWage could be a powerful tool in your journey. Alternatively, you can explore our list of the best apps that pay for weight loss.