Great question, and you're right to be skeptical. The short answer is: yes, it's mostly too good to be true, but the full picture is more about understanding what these apps are actually doing. Truly "mining" a major cryptocurrency like Bitcoin on a phone is virtually impossible due to the massive computational power required; the phone's hardware is nowhere near strong enough to compete. So, most legitimate apps in this space aren't doing traditional mining. Instead, they typically offer two things. First, there are cloud mining apps where you're essentially renting mining power from a remote data center. You need to be extremely careful here, as this sector is riddled with scams and contracts that never pay out. Second, some apps are "reward-based" where you earn small amounts of crypto for completing tasks, watching ads, or playing games—this is not mining at all, but a marketing tactic.
The article I'm linking below does a deep dive into this. It warns that many apps are pure scams designed to steal your data or resources, or are just fronts for referral schemes. The legitimate ones, if they exist, face huge hurdles like destroying your phone's battery life, generating minimal profits that don't cover electricity costs, and navigating serious security risks. Before trying anything, it's crucial to research relentlessly, check if the app has a transparent whitepaper and team, and never invest more than you can afford to lose. This read breaks down all the red flags and realities: https://kogniz.com/mobile-mining-apps/