At a glance
| Platform | Money involved | Main topics | Create your own questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vatic | No. Free Vpoints with no cash value | Football, fights, politics, finance, crypto, creator questions | Yes, 7 free markets a month |
| Polymarket | Yes, real money (crypto) | Politics, world events, sports, crypto | No, markets are listed by the platform |
| Kalshi | Yes, real money (US-regulated exchange) | Economics, politics, sports, weather | No, markets are listed by the exchange |
| Manifold | No, play money | Anything its community asks | Yes |
| Metaculus | No, reputation for accuracy | Science, technology, geopolitics | Questions are proposed and reviewed |
Checked October 2026. Platforms change their rules and where they operate, so check each site before you sign up.
Why play a free prediction market
You get the part that makes prediction markets fun: reading the crowd, backing your view and being proved right, without deposits, wallets or losses. Your record is public, so being right still means something.
- No money to lose, so it suits fans who just want to test their judgement.
- A leaderboard and levels reward accuracy over time, not one lucky call.
- You can bring friends or your audience in without asking anyone to pay.
When Vatic is the better pick
Vatic is built for sports, fight and crypto fans. Creators ask questions about the next match, the next fight or a price move, and everyone makes a call with free Vpoints. On top of that, Ranked runs 5 and 15 minute Up/Down rounds on Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and XRP priced live from Coinbase, and you climb tiers from Warrior to Glorious Mythic. You can start a private league with friends, and creators get a page, a stream overlay and an embed for their markets.
When another platform fits better
- Forecasting science or geopolitics seriously: Metaculus focuses on those questions and tracks forecasters' accuracy.
- Asking about anything at all: Manifold lets its community create markets on almost any topic.
- Trading with real money: Polymarket and Kalshi do that. Real money means real losses, and availability depends on where you live. Vatic never involves money.
FAQ
Is there a free version of Polymarket?
Polymarket itself uses real money. If you want the same idea without money, play-money and reputation platforms such as Vatic, Manifold and Metaculus let you make predictions for free. Vatic focuses on football, fights and crypto.
Can I win real money on Vatic?
No. Vpoints are free and have no cash value: they can’t be bought, sold or cashed out. You play for the leaderboard, levels and Ranked tiers.
Who can play Vatic?
Anyone aged 18 or over, except in Spain, where Vatic is not available.
Is a free prediction market as accurate as a real-money one?
Play-money crowds can still be well calibrated, because players compete for status and a place on the leaderboard. Accuracy depends on how many people take part and how informed they are, on any platform.