Gimkit is a live, game-based classroom quiz platform where students earn virtual money for every question they answer correctly, then spend that money in an in-game shop on power-ups and upgrades to outscore their classmates.
Created in 2017 by then-high-schooler Josh Feinsilber, Gimkit now offers more than eight game modes — from the Among Us–style deduction game Trust No One to resource-gathering modes like Fishtopia and The Floor is Lava — making it a step beyond simple multiple-choice review tools like Kahoot.
It’s free for students to join, while teachers can upgrade to Gimkit Pro (from $14.99/month or $59.88/year) to unlock every mode and create unlimited kits.
This guide covers exactly how Gimkit works, every game mode available, how much it costs, how it compares to Kahoot, and how to set up your first game in under five minutes.
Table of Contents
- How Gimkit Works
- Gimkit Game Modes Explained
- Is Gimkit Free? Pricing Breakdown
- Gimkit vs Kahoot: Which Is Better?
- Is Gimkit Good for Kids? Pros and Cons
- How to Create and Host a Gimkit Game (Step-by-Step)
- Frequently Asked Questions
How Gimkit Works
Gimkit’s gameplay loop has three parts, and understanding them is the fastest way to understand why it feels different from a standard quiz app.
1. Question Kits. A teacher creates or imports a set of multiple-choice questions called a “kit,” built around a specific lesson or subject. Kits can be built from scratch, imported from a spreadsheet, or pulled directly from an existing Quizlet set — so teachers with years of flashcards don’t have to start over.
2. Virtual Currency. Students join the live game on their own device using a game code. Every correct answer earns in-game cash instead of just a point on a leaderboard. Answer streaks and specific game modes can multiply how much a student earns per question.
3. Strategy and Shopping. Between questions, students spend their earned cash in an in-game shop on power-ups, multipliers, and upgrades — some boost their own earning speed, others can slow down or interfere with opponents. This turns a review session into an economic strategy game rather than a straight race to answer fastest.
Because of this loop, Gimkit also builds in spaced repetition automatically: questions a student gets wrong resurface more often during the game, reinforcing the material they actually need to review — not just the ones they already know.
Gimkit Game Modes Explained
Gimkit has grown well beyond its original quiz format into a library of eight-plus distinct modes. The three most commonly used in classrooms are:
- Classic Mode — the original format. Players race to earn a target amount of money, or finish with the most cash when time runs out. Best for a quick, low-setup review session.
- Interactive Map Modes (Fishtopia, The Floor is Lava, Capture the Flag) — students move a character around a virtual map, gathering resources or surviving hazards, with correct answers fueling their energy or progress. These modes reward sustained engagement over a full class period.
- Trust No One — a social deduction mode inspired by Among Us. Players complete tasks and call meetings to vote out “imposters,” blending quiz content with collaboration and light deception. It’s one of the most requested modes by middle and high school students specifically.
Because new modes are released regularly, teachers looking to keep review sessions fresh across a semester can rotate modes without ever changing the underlying question kit.
Is Gimkit Free? Pricing Breakdown
Gimkit uses a freemium model split between students and teachers:
| Plan | Price | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Student / Basic | Free | Join any live or assigned game, limited game modes |
| Gimkit Pro (Teacher) | $14.99/month | All game modes, unlimited kit creation, Assignment mode, advanced reporting |
| Gimkit Pro (Annual) | $59.88/year | Same as monthly, billed annually at a lower effective rate |
Students never need to pay to join a game a teacher hosts. The paid tier exists on the teacher side, unlocking every game mode, unlimited kits, and student-paced Assignment mode with auto-grading and due dates. Pricing and promotions can shift, so it’s worth checking Gimkit’s own pricing page before committing to an annual plan.
Gimkit vs Kahoot: Which Is Better?
Both are gamified quiz platforms built for K-12 classrooms, but they reward different things.
| Gimkit | Kahoot | |
|---|---|---|
| Core mechanic | Earn and spend virtual currency | Speed and accuracy for points |
| Best age range | Middle school and up (strategy-driven) | Works well for younger students too |
| Pacing options | Live game or self-paced Assignment mode | Primarily live-hosted games |
| Game variety | 8+ modes including map and deduction games | Primarily one core quiz format with minor variants |
| Import from Quizlet | Yes | Limited |
The short version: Kahoot’s simplicity makes it a strong fit for younger classrooms or first-time users, while Gimkit’s economy-and-strategy layer tends to hold older students’ attention longer and offers more flexibility for asynchronous, at-home practice through Assignment mode.
Is Gimkit Good for Kids? Pros and Cons
Why teachers and students like it:
- High engagement — students frequently ask to play again, which is rare for review activities
- The in-game economy adds a strategic layer that keeps repeat use interesting
- Automatic spaced repetition reinforces material students actually struggle with
- Game mode variety (Fishtopia, The Floor is Lava, and others) keeps sessions from feeling repetitive
Where it falls short:
- Some students rush or guess just to get back to the game rather than think through the question
- The fast pace can add pressure for younger students or those with test anxiety
- It generally suits middle and high schoolers best; younger elementary students may do better with a simpler tool like Kahoot
How to Create and Host a Gimkit Game (Step-by-Step)
- Sign up for free at gimkit.com using a Google or email account.
- Create or import a kit — write your own questions, upload a spreadsheet, or import an existing Quizlet set.
- Choose a game mode — start with Classic if it’s your first time, then explore Fishtopia or Trust No One once your class is comfortable.
- Launch the game and share the generated game code with your class.
- Students join at gimkit.com using the code on any device — phone, Chromebook, iPad, or laptop.
- Monitor live from the teacher dashboard, which shows real-time standings and lets you pause or end the game at any point.
- Assign for homework (optional) — switch to Assignment mode to let students play at their own pace with a due date, complete with auto-grading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Gimkit for free? Yes. Students can always join and play games for free. Teachers get a free tier with limited game modes and can upgrade to Gimkit Pro for full access to every mode and unlimited kit creation.
How do you earn money on Gimkit? Students earn virtual cash for each question they answer correctly. Answer streaks, specific power-ups, and certain game modes can increase how much cash is earned per correct answer.
Which is better, Kahoot or Gimkit? Neither is universally “better” — Kahoot tends to work well for younger students and fast, simple review, while Gimkit’s currency-and-strategy system tends to hold the attention of middle and high schoolers longer and adds more game mode variety.
Is Gimkit safe? Gimkit is built specifically for classroom use, with games hosted and controlled by a teacher. Students join with a code rather than a public username search, and teachers can monitor and end sessions at any time from the dashboard.
Do teachers like Gimkit? Gimkit is widely used across middle and high school classrooms, and teachers frequently cite student engagement and the spaced-repetition review as reasons they return to it regularly.
How old is Gimkit now? Gimkit was founded in 2017 by Josh Feinsilber while he was still in high school, making it roughly nine years old as of 2026.
How long does a Gimkit game last? It depends on the mode and settings — Classic mode games are often set to a target cash amount or time limit and can run anywhere from a few minutes to a full class period, while Assignment mode has no fixed session length since students complete it at their own pace before a due date.
Have you used Gimkit in your classroom? Share which game mode your students love most in the comments below.