- Who owns Pogo and what it offers
- What you can play on Pogo for free
- What Club Pogo costs you and how the trial works
- Pogo Guest Passes for trying Club Pogo without a card
- Pogo Gems and what you pay for them
- How to cancel Club Pogo
- Spotting fake Pogo emails and sites
- Is Pogo worth using?
- Frequently asked questions
Pogo is a real casual games site owned by Electronic Arts. EA's help pages say you can play a variety of games for free, or join Club Pogo for premium games and an ad-free experience. The catch is that the free trial needs a payment method, Club Pogo renews automatically, and Gems cost real money.
Pogo has been around long enough that plenty of us remember playing it on a family computer. So when it asks for a card number today, it's natural to wonder whether it's still the same trusted games site. I've gone through EA's own Pogo help pages and what Wikipedia says about who owns it, so you can see what's free, what isn't and how to stop paying.
Who owns Pogo and what it offers
Wikipedia says Pogo.com is owned by Electronic Arts, the video game company, and that EA bought it in 2001. It's a casual games site, the sort you can dip into for a few minutes. The help pages sit on EA's own help site, which is a good sign you're dealing with the real thing.
What you can play on Pogo for free
EA's help says Pogo offers two ways to play: you can enjoy a variety of games for free, or upgrade to a Club Pogo subscription to access premium games and an ad-free experience. So the free side is real. Expect adverts, because that's how a free games site usually keeps going. If you only want a quick game, you may never need to subscribe.
If casual games are what you're after, my round-up of two-player card games might give you a few more ideas, and I've also covered places to play poker offline for free if you don't want to be online at all.
What Club Pogo costs you and how the trial works
Club Pogo is the paid membership. According to EA's help, you can join with a credit card or PayPal, and the page lists a 7-day free trial before the paid subscription activates. You can then choose a plan: 1 month, 3 months or 12 months, each as a recurring subscription charged at the end of every period.
The important line for anyone worried about surprises is this one: EA says you must add one of those payment methods to redeem the free 7-day trial. That means a trial isn't a no-card offer. If you forget to cancel, the subscription starts.
| Question | What EA's Pogo help says |
|---|---|
| Is there a free way to play? | Yes, a variety of games are free |
| What does Club Pogo add? | Premium games and an ad-free experience |
| How can I pay for Club Pogo? | Credit card or PayPal |
| Is there a free trial? | 7 days, and you must add a payment method to redeem it |
| How long are the plans? | 1 month, 3 months or 12 months, recurring |
| Can I try it without a card? | Yes, with a Guest Pass, for 30 days |
Pogo Guest Passes for trying Club Pogo without a card
EA's help describes a Club Pogo Guest Pass as a way to try the perks of a paid membership for 30 days with no credit card. Only a member with an active Club Pogo subscription can send one, and players who have never subscribed can receive one. Each account can only accept one Guest Pass. If a friend sends you one, it's the lowest-risk way to see whether the membership is worth it.
Pogo Gems and what you pay for them
Pogo also sells Gem Packs. EA's help lists packs starting at 10 Gems with no bonus, going up to 1,200 Gems, and says the larger the pack, the bigger the bonus. Gems are an in-game currency, so you're paying real money for something that exists inside the games.
That's worth a moment of thought, especially if children play. A sensible habit is to decide a limit before you open the Gem store, keep your card out of reach of children's accounts and check your bank statement now and then.
How to cancel Club Pogo
EA's help says to log in, which may mean re-entering your password, then select Continue Cancellation. You'll be offered an optional survey: you can fill it in and submit, or skip it and cancel the subscription. After you cancel, you can keep playing until your subscription period ends, and you'll get an email confirming the cancellation.
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There's also a quiet-account rule. If you haven't signed in to your Pogo account in 35 months, EA says your subscription will be cancelled at the end of the current billing cycle. I wouldn't rely on that as a plan, so cancel yourself if you don't want to carry on. I couldn't find a refund policy on the pages I read, so ask EA support if you've been charged and think it was a mistake.
Spotting fake Pogo emails and sites
Anything famous attracts copycats. Be cautious with an email saying your Pogo account is locked or your payment failed and asking you to click a link. Type the address yourself, sign in on the real site and look at your account page. Never share your password, and never pay a stranger for Gems or accounts.
Is Pogo worth using?
Pogo is a legitimate games site with a real free option. If you enjoy casual games, you can play without subscribing. If you do try Club Pogo, treat the free trial like any subscription: put a reminder in your diary, cancel before it renews if you don't want it, and keep an eye on Gem purchases. For more ways to use spare time online, see my guide to legitimate ways to make money online without getting scammed, but don't expect Pogo itself to be one of them.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pogo legit?
Yes. Wikipedia says Pogo.com is owned by Electronic Arts, and its help pages are hosted on EA's own help site. You can play many games for free; Club Pogo and Gems are paid extras.
Is Pogo free to play?
EA's help says you can enjoy a variety of games for free. Club Pogo is the paid membership with premium games and an ad-free experience.
Do I need a card for the Club Pogo free trial?
Yes. EA says you must add a credit card or PayPal to redeem the 7-day trial. A Guest Pass for 30 days doesn't need a payment method.
How do I cancel Club Pogo?
Log in, choose Continue Cancellation, then submit or skip the optional survey. EA says you can keep playing until your subscription period ends.
Can I get a refund from Pogo?
I couldn't find a refund policy on the help pages I read. If you were charged by mistake, contact EA support and explain what happened.