Quick facts about apps like Kalshi
- Kalshi and similar apps are prediction market platforms.
- You trade event contracts that represent real-world outcomes in Yes/No formats.
- Contracts pay $1 each if correct and $0 if not.
How do apps like Kalshi work?
Mobile applications like Kalshi are prediction market platforms. They let you trade on the outcome of real-world events in various areas, such as sports, politics, entertainment, and culture. Each outcome is usually traded as a Yes/No event contract.
Let’s give an example with an NBA game we came across during our review:
| NBA team |
Yes contract price
|
No contract price |
| Oklahoma City |
$0.68 |
$0.33 |
| San Antonio |
$0.33 |
$0.68 |
Reading the market is pretty simple. If you predict Oklahoma City to win, you buy the team’s Yes contracts at $0.68 each, or you buy No for San Antonio at the same cost. You can also read the prices as a 68% probability of Oklahoma City winning and 33% for San Antonio.
As a probability, the contract prices typically sum up to 1. However, at the
best prediction market apps, that’s not always the case due to differences in bid and ask prices. For instance, the Yes/No prices in the NBA event we listed add up to $1.01, so the spread is $0.01.
We must emphasize that sites like Kalshi don’t set prices themselves, unlike online sportsbooks. The prediction markets are peer-to-peer (P2P), and contract rates are based on trends as traders buy and sell. So, more buying results in a higher price, and vice versa.
Contract settlement
When the events settle, you receive a $1 payout per contract for correct outcomes. Meanwhile, if the outcome is against your prediction, you get $0.
Since platforms like Kalshi are prediction markets, you don’t have to wait until the events end. You can buy and sell at any time, especially if the price moves in your favor.
Top 3 apps like Kalshi in the US
If you’re looking for
alternative prediction markets
to Kalshi, there are actually multiple options in the US. We spent several days testing them, and the platforms below emerged as the best:
Crypto.com: Pros and Cons
- Sports, elections, culture, and economics markets
- Low commission for trading
- Supports USD and cryptocurrency payments
- No crypto prediction markets
The Crypto.com mobile app is our best Kalshi alternative if you want to trade on cryptocurrency outcomes. On the platform, we counted 15+ digital coins and tokens, more than some other apps offer. Among them are BTC, ETH, LTC, DOGE, XRP, and more.
Crypto.com lets you trade on the price movements of each cryptocurrency. For instance, you can predict whether the price of BTC will reach a specific threshold within a given timeframe. You can filter the markets by 5-minute, 20-minute, 2-hour, daily, or weekly intervals.
Besides crypto, Crypto.com also offers prediction markets for politics, economics, sports, financials, and culture. Based on our review, you can’t use the app if you’re in Arizona or New York. Also, some states are excluded from trading sports event contracts.
Sponsored by Crypto.com – Not investment advice. Trading prediction markets and crypto involves risk, including potential loss of your stake. Consider your risk tolerance before participating. Crypto.com connects U.S. users to CDNA (regulated by CFTC) for derivatives trading. CDNA membership required. Trading may not be suitable for all—you could lose your entire investment plus fees. Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. This is not a solicitation or recommendation to trade.
Polymarket – Best for sports prediction markets
Polymarket: Pros and Cons
- Plenty of prediction market topics
- Trending and breaking areas of interest
- Lots of predictions in all major subject areas
- User-friendly site design
In terms of popularity, the Polymarket app is the number one alternative to Kalshi. However, we recommend the platform for its sports event contracts, not just for its fame. Polymarket lets you trade on results for 14+ sports, including football, basketball, tennis, baseball, hockey, soccer, and more.
On Polymarket, you’ll see popular outcomes such as game winner, spread, and totals for most games. Additionally, the app supports player props and futures, and you can trade live while games are in progress. By default, the platform displays the contract prices in USD. However, you can adjust it to appear like moneyline odds.
For example, we switched from price to moneyline odds, and a $0.32 contract became +213. Remember that
apps like Polymarket
and Kalshi are not online sportsbooks. Even though you can adjust the prices to look like traditional odds, you’re still trading event contracts, not betting.
Robinhood – Ideal app for politics prediction markets
Robinhood: Pros and Cons
- Apps for Android and iOS
- $0.01 commission per trade
- 24/7 live chat support
- Limited bonuses for prediction markets
While reviewing Robinhood, we were impressed by the broad range of politics-related prediction markets. The app covers elections in 40+ US states, including Texas, New York, California, and New Jersey. You can predict not just winners but also party nominees, primary advancers, and more. This applies to polls at the mayoral, gubernatorial, senatorial, and federal levels.
Robinhood also includes international elections. So, you can trade on election outcomes in other countries, such as Canada, the UK, Brazil, and others, depending on the season. As we expected,
apps like Robinhood
list more politics-related markets besides elections. We found outcomes tied to fiscal, trade policy, and individual political figures.
If you want to try something else, this Kalshi alternative features sports, climate, crypto, economics, and more. For all events, you’re trading Yes/No contracts.
How to choose the right app like Kalshi
We didn’t select our top three apps for prediction markets like Kalshi by guesswork. Instead, we evaluated each based on five primary factors, which we’ve explained below:
🔍 Regulation and availability
The prediction market app must be properly regulated in the US, and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) handles that. So, the Kalshi alternative you choose should be CFTC-approved. All three apps we recommend meet this requirement.
However, CFTC regulations only grant federal approval to prediction market platforms. That often means they can operate anywhere in the US, but some states have different online trading laws that don’t permit the app. Therefore, you have to specifically confirm whether the app like Kalshi is available in your state and what markets you can trade.
Apps and sites like Kalshi are popular for prediction markets on sports, politics, and culture. If you find an alternative that covers the three, it’s typically suitable for use. However, it’s best when other categories are present, including economics, climate, crypto, tech, and more.
Besides the prediction markets themselves, you have to check what subcategories are available. For instance, if you’re interested in sports, you have to prioritize popular leagues like the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. Also, you’ll check for outcomes such as the game winner, totals, spreads, props, and futures.
Don’t forget that Kalshi alternatives are not sports betting platforms. They’re also not
apps like PrizePicks
that offer daily fantasy sports (DFS). You only trade Yes/No event contracts at market-set prices.
💻 Interface and usability
If the prediction market app is difficult to use, it can’t be an ideal Kalshi alternative. Kalshi itself has a friendly and neat design, with a top row for browsing prediction markets. Plus, there’s a fixed bottom menu for quick switching to other sections.
The best alternative app should have a similar or even better interface for usability. In our tests, we rate mobile applications that support dark/light modes higher because they’re modern. We also check the speed, from opening an event contract to submission, settlement, and payout.
This factor is non-negotiable because it concerns how you fund your account and cash out. For starters, the payment methods on the best apps like Kalshi must be secure and familiar to US users. We primarily expect credit/debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Venmo, and bank transfers.
Withdrawal speed is another essential factor linked to payment methods. On Kalshi, we often receive payouts within 30 minutes using debit cards, crypto, and e-wallets. Not all alternative apps need to be that fast, but a timeframe of 24–48 hours is too slow.
The fifth area we examine is the customer service team for support. With the best apps similar to Kalshi, you can request assistance 24/7 via live chat or email. The platforms are also heavily active on social media platforms, especially X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, Discord, and Instagram.
It’s also ideal if the prediction market app has a detailed help center or knowledge base. That way, you can understand how certain features work without contacting anyone.
Upsides and downsides of Kalshi alternative apps
The top apps similar to Kalshi we reviewed have their pros and cons, which we’ve outlined below:
Pros and Cons
- Variety of prediction markets
- Transparent P2P trading
- Simple $1 per contract payout
- Unavailable in some states
Conclusion – Trade prediction markets on the best app like Kalshi
Picking the best apps like Kalshi in the US shouldn’t be difficult. You can sign up with Crypto.com, Polymarket, or Robinhood on our top list. The CFTC regulates the platforms, so they’re legal for prediction market trading, although some state exclusions apply.
In our reviews, we explained the bases for selecting each Kalshi alternative. Consider them and select the right app based on your preferences. When you decide, click the banners on this page to visit the prediction market platform and register.
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Apps like Kalshi FAQs
📱 What type of app is Kalshi?
Kalshi is a prediction market app. If you install it and register, you can trade contracts based on the outcomes of real-world events.
🔄 Are there other apps like Kalshi?
Yes, there are other apps similar to Kalshi in the US. Our best alternatives are Crypto.com, Polymarket, and Robinhood, which you can install on iOS or Android.
🎲 Are apps like Kalshi for betting?
No, apps that operate like Kalshi offer prediction markets, not online betting. On the platforms, you buy and sell event contracts representing real-world outcomes. You don’t bet on odds at all.
💰 Do websites like Kalshi really pay out?
Yes, websites like Kalshi pay out if your prediction is correct. The payout is $1 per contract, and you can withdraw funds via various payment methods. However, if your prediction is incorrect, you’ll get $0 per contract.
⚖️ Are apps like Kalshi legal in the US?
Yes, apps like Kalshi are legal in the US. The platforms usually operate under CFTC regulations, making them approved at the federal level. That said, you still have to check your local regulations to know if you can use the apps.
