HQ Trivia was a live quiz app that gave out real money to people for answering a series of questions correctly. Unfortunately, HQ Trivia is no more thanks to a diminishing audience and lack of funds. So, in this article, we list the best HQ Trivia alternatives for former fans.
While these apps aren’t exactly the same as HQ Trivia, we think they capture the fun spirit of the game. There’s less money on offer with these HQ Trivia alternatives, but then money isn’t everything, right?
What Is HQ Trivia?
HQ Trivia was an innovative quiz app for Android and iOS. It was developed by the founders of Vine and launched in 2017.
At set times every day, the app would go live and players would tune in together to see a personable host dish out a series of increasingly difficult questions.
Players were competing for a share of the cash prize pot, split equally amongst the winners, with some shows sponsored by brands and offering pay outs of up to $ 400,000. Get all of the questions correct and you won. And there was literally no room for error.
At its peak, more than 2 million people a day were playing HQ Trivia. People would stop what they were doing, gather around their phones, and test their brains. The show had its own culture and memes, built by the chat that would whiz along at the bottom of the screen.
Sadly, HQ Trivia is no more. The company struggled to fund itself and, when a buyer apparently changed their mind at the last moment, the plug was pulled. And even if it returns one day, it’s likely to be a very different beast.
I saved the final moments of @hqtrivia for all posterity. It’s the lord’s work. @mattwasfunny @AnnaRoisman and all involved, bless you for this. #RIPHQ #RIPHQTrivia pic.twitter.com/u7xQrp9eqj
— jamie grayson (@TheBabyGuyNYC) February 15, 2020
HQ Trivia’s final show was more relaxed than usual, with the hosts swearing and drinking. The prize pool was from host Matt Richards’ own pockets—a measly $ 5—and the winners took home less than a cent each.
So, now that HQ Trivia has disappeared, you might be seeking some alternatives. Hence our list. These aren’t necessarily apps that pay out big money (as those are few and far between), but they do provide the quizzing fun of HQ Trivia.
1. Jeopardy! World Tour
Everyone loves Jeopardy, the TV show hosted by Alex Trebek. This trivia app follows a similar format to the show, letting you pick questions from a grid. Risk a trickier question for a greater score and get the chance to gamble it all at the end.
The money you win is fictional, but it’s enjoyable to see where you stand on the leaderboard. Plus, you can challenge friends and family to see who is the quiz master.
If you like Jeopardy, it’s also one of the fun Alexa games you can play on an Echo.
Download: Jeopardy! World Tour for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
2. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Another classic TV show turned into an app, this time based on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? You know the deal—a series of questions, each increasing in difficulty, and if you get one wrong then you’re out… much like HQ Trivia!
All the lifelines from the show are present to help you out. In a fun touch, you can ask experts like William Shakespeare to guide you to the right answer. Which should make earning that (virtual!) million dollars a little easier.
Download: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
3. Trivia Crack 2
Trivia Crack 2 is packed full of entertaining questions that span topics like history, sport, and movies. The nice thing about this app is that it has questions about current news and culture, much like HQ Trivia did, which keeps it fresh.
You can also go head-to-head against your friends to see who can get the most questions correct. Also, Trivia Crack is elevated over similar apps thanks to its charming design, packed with cute animations.
Download: Trivia Crack 2 for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
4. QuizzLand
HQ Trivia was unique because it had a live host reading out the questions. When everyone had answered the question, the host would elaborate on the answer. QuizzLand does something similar, providing interesting information to explain or give context on the answers.
It also shows you how other people answered, which HQ Trivia did too. QuizzLand isn’t live, however, as you instead work your way round a tiled board with every correct answer flipping a tile.
Download: QuizzLand for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
5. 94%
The object of this game is to find the answers that 94% of people gave. Hence the name. For example, you will have to list animals that hatch from an egg or something you take with you on a vacation.
HQ Trivia often had questions that seemed easy at first, but which were designed to trip you up. It might seem simple to list things in response to 94%’s challenges, but it proves difficult to reach that coveted percentage.
Download: 94% for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
6. Logo Game
Logo Game is different to the other apps on this list because it isn’t focused on trivia. However, it still offers the same satisfaction when you get the right answer. It’s one for those in touch with their brands.
The game shows hundreds of logos with various letters removed and the aim is to fill in the blanks. The app ranks the logos by difficulty, so you can build up to the harder ones, and it gets much trickier more quickly than you might expect.
And if Logo Game inspires you to get creative, use these free sites to create your own logo.
Download: Logo Game for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
7. Trivia 360
Trivia 360 is a simple-yet-enjoyable app that has a range of trivia on topics like geography, science, and literature—a broad spectrum that HQ Trivia used to cover. You can even submit your own question to be added to the rotation, pending approval.
The game is straightforward: answer as many questions correctly as you can without losing all of your lives. You will gain points for giving correct answers quickly, and you are then ranked against those in your country and worldwide.
Download: Trivia 360 for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
These HQ Trivia Alternatives Should Keep You Entertained
HQ Trivia was an entertaining app, and the chance to win big money was always enticing. So hopefully HQ Trivia will either return in some form or another company will find a way of doing something similar and sustainably in the future.
Until then, the HQ Trivia alternatives we’ve listed will hopefully keep you entertained.
If you’re a competitive person who enjoys engaging in a battle of wits, be sure to check out our list of brainy multiplayer games to challenge your friends.
Read the full article: 7 HQ Trivia Alternatives for Fans of Quizzes
