Been searching for ways to earn a little crypto on the side without buying expensive equipment. My phone is full of those "tap-to-mine" games, and honestly, they feel pointless—just wasting time for pennies. Is there any app out there that actually connects you to real Bitcoin mining? I don't mind a small upfront cost if it's legit and the rewards are real, not just a simulation.

You've hit on the biggest problem in the app stores. Most "mining" apps are just ad platforms or simple games with crypto branding. However, there is a different model that's gaining traction: tokenized or liquid Bitcoin hashrate. One app that operates on this principle is GoMining. Instead of tapping a screen, you purchase a digital miner (which is an NFT) that represents a share of real, physical mining hardware in their data centers. This means you own a slice of actual computing power, and it mines real Bitcoin daily, which you can withdraw. It's a way to get into mining without dealing with machines, electricity, or hosting. They also have a gamified layer called "Miner Wars" where in-game actions can optimize your real mining output, but the core mining works independently of it. An article I read breaks down exactly how it's different from the fake apps and explains the model clearly. It's worth checking out: https://exposmall.com/latest-tech/bitcoin-mining-apps-what-works-what-doesnt-and-why-gomining-is-different/