In FreePlay your Sim life is played out in real-time and the business model is based around you paying to speed things up, or purchasing 'Simoleons' (Sims currency) in order to buy or upgrade things within the game. The Sims FreePlay, supported by in-app purchases, is a completely different game to the 'full' version of The Sims for Android.

The first few tasks you complete in The Sims FreePlay serve as a tutorial, introducing you to the principles of the game and how the money and experience points system works. You pinch to zoom in and out, and can swivel the screen by holding and turning your fingers. Despite the wide range of options available, the layout of the controls makes it very easy to move around and do things in The Sims FreePlay. Once you've made your character, The Sims FreePlay will transport you to their new home where the game starts.