Is Secret World Legit? Straight Answers to What People Ask
Is it free, is it safe, how do people get paid, and who's actually behind it. Every question we get, answered without the marketing voice.
The short answer
Yes. Secret World is a real app made by Fastbuck LLC, a company based in Brooklyn, New York. It's free to download on iPhone and Android, free to post on, and it takes no cut of what anyone earns. That last part is usually what makes people suspicious, so let's get into it.
What Secret World actually is
Secret World is a live map of three things near you:
- Pop-ups, shown as flames. Someone selling food from a window, doing lashes from their bedroom, running a table on the sidewalk. They show while they're open and disappear when they close.
- Tasks, shown as coins. Small paid jobs people nearby need done: carry groceries, hold a spot in line, film a reel, walk a dog.
- Store deals, shown as storefronts. Local shops posting deals for people nearby.
That's it. No algorithm deciding who you see. If it's close and it's live, it's on the map.
"It's free and they take no cut? What's the catch?"
The catch is stores pay. Shops that want to post deals and show up on the map pay a flat monthly fee. Everyone else, the hustlers, the people posting tasks, the people taking them, pays nothing.
We built it this way on purpose. The person selling plates from home already has thin margins. Taking 20 percent from them would make us one more app eating their money.
How do people get paid?
Directly. You agree on a price in the chat and pay each other however you want: cash, Venmo, Zelle, Cash App. Secret World never holds your money and never processes payments.
That means two things. Nobody can freeze your earnings, and nobody takes a fee off the top. It also means you should do what you'd do anywhere else: agree on the price before the work starts, and for bigger jobs, pay half up front.
Is it safe?
Secret World is for adults only. You have to be 18 to sign up, and every account is tied to a real phone number.
Some habits we recommend for any app that connects strangers:
- Chat in the app before you meet, so there's a record.
- Meet in public for first jobs when you can.
- Check the person's Creator Card. It shows the jobs they've finished, their rating and what people said.
- Trust your gut. If something feels off, don't go.
We wrote a full guide on this: Meeting Someone Nearby: How to Stay Safe.
Who's behind it?
Secret World was started by Kai Zhang, who has been hustling on the streets of Brooklyn since he was 14. The idea came from a simple problem: the real economy on any block, the side hustles, the home businesses, the people who'd pay $20 for help, isn't on any map. So he built one.
Where does it work?
Everywhere. Secret World started in New York City, but a pop-up in Manila or a task in London shows up the same way, to the people near it.
FAQ
Is Secret World free?
Yes. Downloading, posting pop-ups and tasks, and taking tasks are all free. Only businesses pay, a flat monthly fee with no commission.
Does Secret World take a cut of my earnings?
No. People pay each other directly and Secret World takes nothing.
Is Secret World safe?
It's 18+, accounts are tied to real phone numbers, and every person has a Creator Card showing their record. Like any app that connects people, meet in public and chat in the app first.
Who owns Secret World?
Fastbuck LLC, a company based in Brooklyn, New York, founded by Kai Zhang.
Is Secret World only in New York?
No. It started in New York City and works anywhere.