New to micro-earning? The terminology can be confusing at first. This comprehensive glossary explains every term you'll encounter when using PTC sites, crypto faucets, GPT platforms, and other online earning methods.
This glossary covers 50+ terms used in the micro-earning world. Key terms: Satoshi (smallest Bitcoin unit = 0.00000001 BTC), Faucet (site that gives free crypto at intervals), PTC (Paid-to-Click), GPT (Get-Paid-To), Offerwall (marketplace of tasks/surveys), FaucetPay (micro-wallet for faucet payouts), and Shortlink (ad-loaded link you click through to earn).
A
Airdrop Crypto
Free distribution of cryptocurrency tokens to wallet addresses, often used for marketing new projects. Requires holding certain tokens or completing tasks to qualify.
Altcoin Crypto
Any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin. Examples include Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin, and thousands of others. Many faucets pay in altcoins due to lower transaction fees.
Auto Faucet
A faucet feature that automatically claims rewards at set intervals without manual action. Requires earning "auto claim" tokens first through other activities on the site.
Autosurf / Autosurfing
Programs that automatically rotate through websites in exchange for credits or small payments. Generally low-paying and can violate ad network terms if used on monetized sites.
B
Bandwidth Sharing
Passive income method where you allow apps to use your unused internet bandwidth. Companies use this bandwidth for web scraping, price comparison, and market research. Examples: Honeygain, Pawns.app.
Beermoney
Slang term for small amounts of extra income earned online through surveys, apps, and micro-tasks. Named after the idea that earnings are enough for "beer money" rather than substantial income. Popular subreddit: r/beermoney.
BTC (Bitcoin)
The original and most valuable cryptocurrency, created in 2009. Many faucets and PTC sites pay in Bitcoin or Bitcoin fractions (satoshis).
C
CAPTCHA
Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. Security measure on faucets and PTC sites to verify you're human. Common types: reCAPTCHA, hCaptcha, SolveMedia.
Cashout / Cash Out
The process of withdrawing your earnings from a platform. Also called "payout" or "withdrawal."
Claim
The action of collecting rewards from a faucet. Most faucets have a "claim" button and a cooldown timer between claims.
Claim Interval / Cooldown
The waiting period between faucet claims. Can range from 1 minute to 24 hours. Shorter intervals usually mean smaller rewards.
Coin
Internal currency used by some platforms (like CoinPayU's "coins") that converts to cryptocurrency at withdrawal. Not to be confused with actual cryptocurrencies.
CPX Research
A popular survey and offerwall provider integrated into many GPT sites. Known for varied survey availability and reasonable payouts.
D
Direct Withdrawal
Withdrawing cryptocurrency directly to your personal wallet, rather than through an intermediary like FaucetPay. Usually has higher minimum thresholds due to network fees.
DOGE (Dogecoin)
A cryptocurrency originally created as a joke but now widely used. Popular for faucets due to very low transaction fees and fast confirmations.
DQ (Disqualified)
When you're kicked out of a survey partway through, usually for not matching the target demographic. Frustrating but common occurrence on survey sites.
E
Earning Rate
How much you earn per unit of time spent. Calculate by dividing total earnings by total hours. Most micro-earning methods yield $0.50-$2.00/hour.
ExpressCrypto
A micro-wallet similar to FaucetPay, though less widely supported. Aggregates small crypto payments from faucets.
F
Faucet
A website that dispenses small amounts of cryptocurrency for free, usually in exchange for completing a CAPTCHA or viewing ads. Named after a dripping faucet - small amounts over time.
FaucetPay
The most popular micro-wallet for faucet users. Aggregates tiny payments from hundreds of faucets with no receiving fees. Essential for serious faucet users.
FEY (Feyorra)
FaucetPay's native cryptocurrency token. Earned through various activities on FaucetPay and can be exchanged for other cryptocurrencies.
G
GPT (Get-Paid-To)
Platforms that pay users for completing various tasks including surveys, watching videos, downloading apps, and completing offers. More diverse than pure faucets or PTC sites.
Gwei
A denomination of Ethereum. 1 Gwei = 0.000000001 ETH. Used to measure Ethereum gas fees.
H
hCaptcha
A CAPTCHA provider that pays website owners (and sometimes users) for completing challenges. Common on faucet sites as it generates additional revenue.
HODL
Crypto slang for "hold" - keeping your cryptocurrency rather than selling, regardless of price fluctuations. Originated from a typo that became a meme.
HYIP (High Yield Investment Program)
Investment schemes promising unrealistically high returns. Almost always scams using Ponzi structures. AVOID any site promising guaranteed daily returns.
I
Instant Payout
Withdrawals processed immediately or within minutes, rather than requiring manual approval. FaucetPay withdrawals are typically instant.
IP Address
Your internet protocol address that identifies your connection. Many sites limit one account per IP to prevent abuse. Using VPNs may violate terms of service.
K
KYC (Know Your Customer)
Identity verification required by some platforms, usually for larger withdrawals. May require ID documents, selfies, or proof of address. Common on exchanges, rare on faucets.
L
Level System
Gamification feature where users earn experience points and unlock better rewards or features at higher levels. Common on sites like FaucetCrypto.
Litoshi
The smallest unit of Litecoin, equal to 0.00000001 LTC. Similar concept to Bitcoin's satoshi.
LTC (Litecoin)
A popular cryptocurrency with faster transaction times and lower fees than Bitcoin. Common payment option on faucets.
M
Micro-Wallet
A cryptocurrency wallet designed to aggregate tiny payments. Removes the problem of transaction fees being higher than individual faucet claims. FaucetPay is the leading example.
Minimum Withdrawal / Min Payout
The smallest amount you can withdraw from a site. Lower minimums are better for users. Sites with very high minimums ($50+) may be scams.
Multi-Faucet
A faucet site offering claims in multiple cryptocurrencies. Users can choose which coin to claim or rotate between them.
O
Offerwall
A section of a GPT site listing tasks from third-party advertisers. Tasks include app downloads, game trials, signups, and purchases. Usually pays more than faucets but requires more effort.
P
Passive Income
Earnings that require minimal ongoing effort after initial setup. True passive income in micro-earning is rare - bandwidth sharing apps come closest.
Payment Proof
Screenshot or documentation showing that a site actually paid out. Check Reddit, forums, and review sites for payment proofs before investing significant time in a platform.
Payout Threshold
See: Minimum Withdrawal
PTC (Paid-to-Click)
Websites that pay users to view advertisements. Each ad view typically pays $0.001 or less and requires watching for a set time (10-60 seconds).
PTS (Paid-to-Signup)
Offers that pay you to register for websites or services. Can pay well but be careful about sharing personal information or signing up for paid trials.
R
Referral / Referral Program
System where you earn bonuses when people you invite join and use a platform. Typically earn 5-50% of your referrals' activity. Major income source for some users.
Referral Link
Your unique URL that tracks signups you refer. When someone joins through your link, you're credited as their referrer.
Roll
A random number generation feature on faucets where higher rolls earn larger rewards. Often rolls 0-10000 with different payout tiers.
S
Satoshi (sat, sats)
The smallest unit of Bitcoin, equal to 0.00000001 BTC (one hundred millionth). Named after Bitcoin's creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Most faucets pay in satoshis.
Scam
Fraudulent site that won't pay users or steals their information. Red flags: requires deposits, promises unrealistic earnings, very high minimums, no payment proofs, pyramid structure.
Shortlink
Links that require you to view ads or complete CAPTCHAs before reaching the destination. Faucets pay users to complete shortlinks. Can be tedious and ad-heavy.
Stacking
Running multiple earning methods simultaneously to increase overall income. For example: claiming faucets while surveys load, running bandwidth apps in background.
Survey
Questionnaire from market research companies. Pay varies from $0.10 to $5+ depending on length and target demographic. High disqualification rates are common.
Survey Router
A system that matches you with surveys from multiple providers based on your profile. Examples: Theorem Reach, Your Surveys. Increases survey availability.
T
Task
A specific action required to earn rewards. Can include watching videos, clicking ads, completing surveys, downloading apps, or playing games.
Timer
Countdown showing time until next action is available. Common for faucet claims, ad viewing requirements, and daily bonuses.
Traffic Exchange
Websites where users view each other's sites to generate traffic. Can earn credits by viewing, spend credits to get views. Similar to autosurf. Generally low value.
TRX (Tron)
A cryptocurrency with very low transaction fees, making it popular for faucet payments. Often used as a cheaper alternative to Bitcoin.
Trustpilot
Review platform where users rate businesses. Useful for checking a site's reputation before investing time. Look for high ratings with many reviews.
2FA (Two-Factor Authentication)
Security feature requiring a second form of verification (usually a code from an app or SMS) to log in. Highly recommended for any site holding your earnings.
W
Wallet
Software or service that stores your cryptocurrency. Can be a micro-wallet (FaucetPay), exchange wallet (Binance, Coinbase), or personal wallet (hardware or software).
Watch-to-Earn
Earning method where you get paid to watch videos or ads. Usually pays per video viewed. Examples: LuckyWatch, MakeYouTask video sections.
Withdrawal
The process of transferring your earned balance to an external wallet or payment method. Subject to minimum thresholds and may incur fees.
Missing a term?
If there's a micro-earning term you'd like us to add to this glossary, let us know and we'll include it in our next update.