Are Bonus Buys Getting Better or Worse?

Bonus Buys: Bigger, Better… or Just Pricier?

If there’s one thing that’s been groundbreaking for modern slots, it’s the Bonus Buy feature.

Once reserved for the games way on the other end of the volatility scale, Bonus Buys are popping up here, there, and everywhere in 2025.

It almost feels like now every slot on the market's got a buying price, with a shopping basket attached to its free spins and bonus features. 

Still, lately, we’ve seen some slot developers offering unique takes on the standard “buy your way to the bonus,” with God Mode, Super Bonus Buys, and even menus of different buy-in levels.

So, that begs the question: with the price of these features creeping higher (yes, even in this economy), are bonus buy games actually getting better in terms of gameplay and entertainment value — or are they just getting more expensive?

The Evolution of Bonus Buys

Although it may feel like they're guest-starring in every slot right now, Bonus Buys haven't always been a thing. 

Big Time Gaming, being the masterminds that they are, coined the concept in their 2017 slot, White Rabbit.

This game allowed players buy into the free spins round at a set price, but the cost could also be lowered when collecting Feature Drop symbols in the base game. This was trademarked as the Feature Drop™. 

Since then, hundreds of games have included some form of Bonus Buy. 

The concept is pretty standard: for a set multiple of your stake (often 100x), cut out the wait and head straight into bonus features like Free Spins.

A good example is Big Bass Splash by Reel Kingdom. For 100x your stake, you can automatically unlock three scatter symbols for the Free Spins round. 

Fast forward to 2025 and things have leveled up — a lot. 

• Multiple Buy Options: Many slots offer multiple buy-in options, such as Shady Lady's Devil's Finger, which includes regular Bonus Buys, Highlight Reels, and tiered Loot Boxes. 
• Extreme Volatility Choices: Games like Money Train 4 by Relax Gaming offer upgraded persistent features if you're willing to pay extra. 
• God Modes and Ultra Features: For a huge ‘x' your stake, unlock exclusive features and higher RTPs. 

Us Brits love to queue, but with Bonus Buys, it’s no longer just about skipping the grind.

These buy-ins have become the main attraction for players willing to cough up extra cash.

Astro Rumble Bonus Buy and Featurespins

The Price Hike Problem 

Here's where the controversy comes from: these Bonus Buy features don't come cheap, otherwise we'd all be doing it. 

Standard Buys are typically around 50x-100x your stake, which is fair, especially if you're betting small amounts like 10p or 20p per spin. 

Things get more spenny from here on out, though.

Super Buys can be anything from 200x-400x your stake, and then God Modes can cost 500x and over, and even — shock horror —  over 1,000x in some Nolimit City titles like their upcoming release, Breakout.

On paper, the maths all checks out. RTPs are balanced, and regulators keep developers in line, although Bonus Buys have been banned by the UKGC since 2019, with the features removed from any slots in the region. 

Anyway, from a player’s perspective, you can’t help but notice the creeping inflation — it seems there's no escape from the cost of living crisis as it infiltrates the reels.

This convenient bonus features shortcut now feels like a serious investment. 

The real question is: does the entertainment value match the escalating price tags?

Entertainment Value vs. Cost

Now, a bonus buy isn’t automatically “better” just because it’s more expensive, like a designer handbag compared to a Primark one. 

It only earns that title if the gameplay feels engaging, varied, and exciting; something noticeably different from the base game.

Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case, and plenty of releases have shown that higher price tags don’t necessarily translate into more entertainment.

Pragmatic Play's Sugar Rush is a prime example. The Super Bonus offers more juice on paper, but in practice, it sometimes feels like the regular feature with bigger numbers pasted on.

There are no jazzy animations or real “reward” for coughing up 100x more cash, so the novelty wears off pretty quickly. 

Examples of Bonus Buy Features That Actually Work

For all the frustration that comes with rising price tags, there are still many games where buy features genuinely add to the entertainment value.

The key is that they don’t just throw bigger numbers at you; they change how the game feels.

Take Nolimit City's Gluttony as an example. The Super Lucky Draw for 300x your bet keeps you guessing, and that sense of uncertainty is often more thrilling than knowing exactly what you’ve paid for.

This sums up slot player psychology in a nutshell: we want to feel in control of the risk level, but with extra surprises along the way.

Ironically, in Gluttony, you could even get extra greedy and cough up 1,000x your bet to confirm 14 free spins and buy straight into the FEECON1 feature. 

A 500x buy might look steep on the surface, but if it delivers ten minutes of fast gameplay with twists you can't get from a standard bonus, then it feels like money well spent from an entertainment POV. 

This rush is what keeps people coming back: the sense that they’re not just paying for instant access to Free Spins, but for a different experience altogether.

When a developer gets that balance right, offering control, engagement, and actual value, a bonus buy can transform a slot into something memorable.

And if they don't, you're left wondering why you didn't just spin the ol' fashioned way. 

Gluttony FEDCON 1

So… Better or Worse? Final Thoughts

So, back to the burning question: are bonus buys getting better or worse?

The honest answer (in our opinion) is that it’s a bit of both.

Sure, we’ve never had more variety than right now, from tiered buy-in options to clever modifiers and modes. 

These innovations give players more control and choice, and when the bonus features do land, it ramps up that addictive “spin again” feeling that we crave. 

But the other side is hard to ignore.

Accessibility has (obviously) gone out of the window, with 500x+ Bonus Buys that can feel more like your wallet is taking a beating, rather than anything rewarding.

Meanwhile, the cheaper buys that promise something new but only dish out the same recycled feature with a shiny sticker slapped on become boring, to say the least. 

The sweet spot, as ever, lies somewhere in the middle.

Many players (like us) don’t mind paying a premium if it leads to a unique, engaging experience that leaves you eyeballing your screen, sweating.

The challenge for developers now is making sure that the excitement scales with the cost.

Because if the thrills and spills don't match the price tag, the only thing that's actually being bought is disappointment, and I can get that for free by talking to my dad.