Compare Fake an Egg pets with the cash-per-second value shown in the current Pets menu, not with rarity or an undated list. Keep active slots, feeder state, Rebirth multiplier, event effects, and visible prefixes constant. If the displayed rate already includes a boost, do not multiply it again.
Capture a clean baseline
Open the Pets menu and record every active pet, its displayed rate, the active-slot count, and the total income. Note the feeder multiplier, Rebirth level, event banner, and UTC time. Wait long enough to confirm the total is updating before changing anything.
Public guides disagree on the Bunny’s exact rate, which demonstrates why context matters. Use your own current display as the baseline rather than choosing one source’s value.
Compare a replacement
Unequip one pet and equip the candidate, or use the current Equip Best control and record which slot changed. The useful improvement is the candidate rate minus the replaced rate. If a new pet earns 20 per second and replaces one earning 12, the incremental gain is 8 per second—not 20.
Divide the acquisition cost by the incremental gain to estimate payback under constant conditions. This estimate ignores carrying time, hatch delay, theft risk, offline rules, and future balance changes, so use it for planning rather than as a guarantee.
Handle boosts correctly
Feeder
Record the displayed Pet Cash multiplier or fill state. Compare pets without changing it between readings.
Rebirth
Permanent multipliers can change the displayed result. Keep the same Rebirth state for both pets.
Mutation or prefix
Use the final displayed rate. Do not apply a guessed GOLD, DIAMOND, or RAINBOW multiplier on top.
Event
Record temporary weather or event effects. Repeat the comparison after the event if you need a normal-session result.
Choose between income and collection
The highest current rate is the straightforward income choice, but a new species can unlock an Index reward. Decide whether your goal is immediate cash, Index completion, a Rebirth requirement, or an event record. A weaker active pet may be worth hatching once for discovery, then storing.
When slots are limited, Equip Best can quickly fill them with high displayed earners. Verify its result instead of assuming it handles every tie, prefix, or event rule exactly as you expect.
Measure offline income separately
Do not multiply the live per-second total by your offline duration unless the game states that exact formula. Record logout and return times, active pets, feeder state, the displayed offline estimate if present, and the actual amount collected. The Offline Earnings Guide explains that paired test.
Keep an income comparison sheet
Use one row for each controlled swap. Record the candidate, replaced pet, both displayed rates, total before, total after, active slots, feeder state, Rebirth level, prefix, event state, and check date. Keep a missing field blank instead of guessing it from a rarity label.
Repeat a surprising result after reopening the Pets menu. If the second reading differs, save both and note the refresh delay rather than choosing the larger number. For a useful long-term record, recheck the same pair after a major update before recommending it to another player.
Use incremental gain for purchase decisions and final total for lineup decisions. Those answer different questions: the first estimates how quickly a new egg could repay its cost, while the second confirms which complete active lineup earns more now.
Fix a total that looks wrong
If the total does not match your visible active pets, wait for the UI to refresh, check whether one pet is stored, confirm the feeder or Rebirth multiplier, and look for an event effect. Reopen the menu after one controlled change. Rejoining can clear a stale display, but record the saved state before doing so.
Avoid comparing one player’s screenshot with another player’s total. Their slots, prefixes, Rebirths, and boosts can differ even when the pet name is identical.
Income questions
Which pet should I equip?
For cash, equip the candidate with the highest comparable displayed rate that fits an active slot. For collection, first discover the species and claim its Index reward.
Does rarity determine income?
Rarity can signal progression, but it is not a rate. Compare the number shown by the current game under equal conditions.
Why does a guide show a different rate?
It may use another build, feeder state, Rebirth, prefix, or event. Keep the source date and conditions with every number.
Should I keep a lower-income pet?
Yes when it fills an Index gap, preserves a limited event entry, or is needed for a later test. Store it if space allows, but use stronger comparable pets in active income slots.
Sources checked
- Cash and money guide — community-observed menu, slots, rates, and feeder behavior.
- Fake an Egg Pet Income evidence page — cautious comparison method and conflicting Bunny observation.