Apps To Make Money Fast - Business Finance

Money On Apps

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About 36% of U.S. workers are involved in the gig economy, and money-making apps have played a significant role in breaking down barriers that once kept people inside the office.¹ Through free apps, you can earn income to pay off debt, supplement income, fund a hobby, and even support yourself full time. The best money-making apps allow you to work on your own time through a simple sign-up process while receiving fast and easy payment.

We researched more than a dozen money-making apps to find the best options based on factors like earning potential, how quickly you can receive payment, and app store ratings. This roundup will help you choose the best money-making app based on your goals, how you want to earn, and the time you’re willing to invest.

The average smartphone user spends 4 hours and 30 minutes on their device every single day.

While you could spend this time browsing social media and news sites, you could instead take some of your time back and earn some cash.

These rankings cover different types of money-making apps:

iPhone apps where you perform simple tasks for free money.
Money-saving apps that help you save money.
Personal finance apps for automated investing and passive income.
New apps to earn cashback on everyday purchases.

Overview of the best money-making apps

App	Best for	Fees/costs/ minimum investment	Earnings
Swagbucks	Being the best money-making app available	$0	Cash or gift cards
Opinion Outpost	The non-app way to make money through surveys	$0	Cash
Branded Surveys	Earning cash and gift cards to big-name retailers	$0	Cash, gift cards
MyPoints	Restaurant gift cards	$0	Cash back or gift cards
Capital One Shopping	Real-time money-saving coupon codes	$0	Discounts / coupon codes
Fiverr	Side hustle for creative people	$0	Cash
TaskRabbit	Odd jobs for handy people	$0	Cash
Robinhood	Low-investment, partial-owner stock	$1	Stocks, funds & investments
Public	Social investors who want a community	$5	Stocks, funds & investments
E*TRADE	Being the leader in low-cost investing	$1	Stocks, funds & investments

Upwork

Upwork’s simplicity, streamlined communication and potential for freelancers to earn more over time make it the best money-making app, whether you’re picking up a side hustle or building a full-time freelance business.Pros

Simple profile set-up to find work in over 1,600 skills
Attract new clients based on reviews, total earnings, and score
Pursue ongoing or one-off projects by applying directly or receiving an invitation
Payment protection ensures payment for successful work

Cons

Service fee between 5% and 20%, depending on total earnings per client
Payment is delivered 10 days after billing period ends
Clients can easily shop for and select lower rates

As a freelance marketplace driving the gig economy, Upwork is the best money-making app for skilled workers to connect with clients, while managing projects in one place. For its broad range of available skill categories, profile-building features and limitless earning potential, Upwork wins best overall.

Regardless of your previous experience, Upwork makes it simple and easy to create a profile and apply for new gigs. Freelancers can find opportunities in over 1,600 skills spanning digital marketing, coding, translation, admin work, and much more. If you can do it on a computer, you can do it on Upwork.

Through Upwork, you can apply for one-off opportunities or find ongoing work with clients. New reviews and a rising Job Success Score will make you a more attractive candidate for future opportunities. Qualified freelancers may receive invitations for exclusive opportunities.

Project funds are held in escrow through Upwork’s Payment Protection program, which helps ensure safe and timely payment for freelancers. You can receive payment through direct deposit, PayPal, wire transfer, or other methods. Unfortunately, freelancer fees range from five to 20%. The more you earn from an individual client, the lower your fee percentage. Funds aren’t credited to your account until 10 days after the weekly billing cycle ends.

As an independent contractor, you’ll have to pay taxes on earnings.

How it works: Upwork connects freelancers to gigs in writing, design, marketing and other categories on the marketplace. First, you’ll create a profile. It should include information such as the field you’re interested in plus your qualifications, availability and desired rate. Then, you can submit proposals. Clients will review them and offer projects if you seem like a good fit.

You begin each month with a set number of “Connects,” which are like credits that allow you to contact prospective clients. You can earn or pay a small sum for more Connects, but you won’t be charged when clients contact you. You can get paid on an hourly or per-project basis.

Payment: Direct to U.S. Bank, direct to your bank account, wire transfer, Instant Pay, PayPal and Payoneer. Charges apply to some payment options, so be sure to check Upwork for details.

Pros: Upwork helps take the work out of seeking out clients, establishing relationships and getting paid. The service also gives you the flexibility to set your preferred rate and schedule.

Cons: The app is free to download, but initiating contact with lots of clients costs money. Users also get charged a service fee. Upwork takes a 5% to 20% cut of your earnings based on how much you’ve billed a client. The more you earn, the more you get to keep. However, you won’t get paid until 10 days after the billing period ends. Remember, too, that you’re competing with other freelancers on the platform. That means clients may choose those who’ve set lower rates.

Available on: iOS and Android

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BEST FOR CASHBACK

Rakuten

Offering numerous cashback options for online and in-store purchases, Rakuten delivers a seamless process with rewarding sign-up and referral incentives.

Pros

Up to 40% cashback on purchases at thousands of qualifying retailers
$10 welcome bonus for spending $25
$30 bonus for referring new users who spend at least $30
Browser extension offers additional perks and features

Cons

Cashback rates as low as 1%
Users have reported app freezing issues
Must accrue $5 in cashback to redeem
Payouts occur every three months

Previously known as Ebates, Rakuten is the top money-making app for cashback, offering deals across numerous retailers along with inviting sign-up and referral incentives. Although you have to spend money to make money, the app lets you get a little cash back for purchases you’d be making anyway.

After registering, users can browse cashback offers at thousands of retailers, including Target, Best Buy, and Kohl’s. To receive cashback, simply click into a retailer from the app or website and place an order. You can also receive cashback for in-store purchases by selecting the offer in the app and linking your card prior to purchasing. However, you can’t receive cashback without first taking these steps.

Cashback rates vary by retailer, ranging from 1% to 40%. You can browse available cashback deals by store, brand, and category directly through the app.

New users can qualify for a $10 welcome bonus after spending $25. You can also receive a $30 referral bonus for introducing new users who spend $30.

Users receive payment through PayPal or a check every three months. To qualify for a payout, you must accrue at least $5 in cashback.

This money-making app also helps computer users save money. The cashback button automatically applies all applicable coupons, saving you the trouble of comparing coupons. It also displays cashback potential in Google search results and notifications about cheaper pricing available at other retailers.

Available on: iOS and Android

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How it works: Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) rewards shoppers with up to 40% cash back on purchases from well-known retailers, restaurants and food delivery services. Users can also earn cash back on travel, gift cards and more. It’s straightforward: Create an account, tap on the store where you want to shop in the app, then make the transaction through the portal. You can also link a credit or debit card to your Rakuten account to earn cash back in-store — as long as you activate the deal through the app first. Rakuten credits the cash back to your account after it confirms the purchase with the retailer, which it says can take a few hours to several days.

Payment: PayPal or check.

Pros: Thousands of stores and purchases are eligible for cash back, so you’ll likely find deals where you already shop. New users can earn a $10 welcome bonus after their first qualified purchase. You can also earn sign-up and referral bonuses.

Cons: As with most cash-back services, you have to spend money to make money. You won’t see your earnings right away, either; Rakuten sends out payments every three months, and you need at least a $5 cash-back balance to get paid.

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iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
4.8 with ‎233,119 reviews	4.2 with ‎‎71,823 reviews

Rakuten is one of the highest-rated cash-back apps, paying as much as 40% cash-back when you shop at over 2,500 stores (both in-store and online).

When you shop online, Rakuten shares its referral commission with you any time you make a purchase through the provided link.

To make money with in-store purchases you have to link your credit or debit card inside the Rakuten app, and activate each cash-back offer. Then, just check out normally using your linked card.

You’ll get a check or a PayPal deposit from Rakuten once per quarter with your cash-back balance.

Minimum withdrawal: $5 is needed to cash out, with payments being issued automatically every three months.

BEST FOR SURVEYS

Survey Junkie

Best for earning extra bucks by taking online surveys.

Survey Junkie has surveys that take 15 minutes or less to complete based on demographic questions, while offering instant payment via gift cards or PayPal.

Survey Junkie has been regarded as one of the best market research companies for years. With over 10 million members, high ratings from real app users, an excellent score on Trustpilot, and a minimum payout of just $5, Survey Junkie is a must-have money making app.

While there’s no official sign-up bonus, Survey Junkie offers new users a short list of high-value tasks to complete, such as filling out a general profile survey, confirming your email and watching a “how it works” video. These tasks can help you quickly earn the $5 minimum payout.

Minimum withdrawal: 500 points gets you a $5 transfer to your PayPal account, or the points can be redeemed for gift cards.

Key Features

Gold Surveys – Gold Surveys reflect the time it would take to complete a survey and the points you can earn from it.
Daily Poll – You can answer one poll regularly to earn 1 Swagbucks point daily.
Cash Out Early – Swagbucks lets you transfer as little as $3. This means you don’t have to wait for long for your paycheck.

Pros

Make money by completing relevant surveys for marketing and research companies
Also offers users the option to make money by sharing browsing data
Submits data anonymously to protect your identity
Redeem points for cash via PayPal or online gift cards

Cons

Pre-survey identity confirmation can become annoying
May receive invitations to expired surveys
Some surveys include repetitive questions to confirm validity
Partially completed surveys may be terminated if you don’t meet desired criteria

Partnering with brands and market research companies, Survey Junkie offers users the opportunity to complete surveys in exchange for points, which can be instantly redeemed for gift cards or payment via PayPal. For this reason, Survey Junkie wins as the best money-making app for surveys.

The sign-up process is simple. You create a profile by answering questions, allowing Survey Junkie to offer relevant surveys. Each survey awards a certain number of points, which can be exchanged for cash. One hundred points will earn you $1, whether you cash out with gift cards or choose payment via PayPal. At minimum, you need 500 points (or $5) to cash out.

Surveys take, on average, 15 minutes to complete. All surveys are optional. You can find available surveys in the dashboard, though some listed may no longer be active.

Some surveys include repetitive questions to verify your identity. Note that Survey Junkie reserves the right to disqualify and award partial points to users who don’t meet certain criteria at any point during the survey.

Beyond demographic-based surveys, this money-making app also offers the option to qualify for additional surveys based on browsing data. The Survey Junkie Pulse extension is available on both the mobile app and browser extension and tracks digital activity like searches, websites, shopping, and more to find new surveys for you.

Survey Junkie protects user data by submitting all responses anonymously.

Available on: iOS and Android

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Key Features:

Extensive Gift Cards – It offers gift cards of several brands, including Amazon, Sephora, iTunes, Starbucks, Walmart, Target, and Groupon.
Quick Estimate – You can check the time required to complete a survey and how many points you can earn.

Pros:

You can view all the available surveys on a single dashboard.
The user interface is easy-to-use.
The answers will be completely anonymous.

Pricing:

You can register and participate in surveys for free.

Get started with Survey Junkie.

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Each survey will only take a few minutes and you can earn up to $50 per survey.

Depending on how much time you have available, you can watch your balance rise quickly. When you are ready, you can accept the funds with PayPal or through an Amazon gift card.

M1 Finance.

Free investment platform for building wealth.

M1 Finance provides a range of financial tools to help you manage your spending, investing, and borrowing.

It also assists you in managing and rebalancing your portfolio. What’s more, its intelligent automation gives you the best instruments to invest and cheapest options to borrow money.

With just $10,000 investment, you can open a credit line where you can borrow for as low as 2 percent.

It also enables you to earn 1 percent on every dollar spent. M1 Finance also offers a 25x the national average APY. It helps you earn the same amount in 2 weeks that you would otherwise earn after a year from a big bank.

Key Features:

Afternoon Trade Window – Once you have over $25,000 in your investment portfolio, you can invest in both morning and afternoon.
No Investment Commission – It offers services without any management fees or investment commission.

Pros:

Pay back your loans according to your own schedule.
It automatically transfers the settled funds into your bank account.
It lets you borrow money on very low base rates.
You get handsome cashback on specific debit card purchases.

Pricing:

You won’t have to invest until your account reaches $100. Other than that, there are no commissions or broker charges.

Get started with M1 Finance.

Wikibuy

Make money through better online deals & cash rewards.

Wikibuy enables you to shop from websites and stores at the cheapest rates. After installing it on your browser, its database connects you to eCommerce stores offering the best discounts and offers on your purchase.

Wikibuy’s intuitive mobile app lets you scan the barcodes and find stores offering the same product at a lower price. It also adds coupon codes automatically and provides credits for your purchases on sites like Walmart and eBay.

On top of that, you can also earn rewards by shopping from its partner merchants and vendors.

Key Features:

Browser Add-On – Wikibuy’s browser add-on automatically sifts through thousands of websites to provide the best deals and prices.
Mobile App – It also offers iOS and Android mobile apps to help you scan barcodes and find the best deals and shop on the go.

Pros:

It informs you about retailers that can help you earn bonus rewards.
While shopping online, Wikibuy notifies you if the same product is available at a lower price on another website.
Wikibuy also finds out the best promo code to save some extra cash during the checkout.

Pricing:

It’s 100% free to register and use.

Airbnb.

Best for making money by renting out extra space in your home (listing your home is free).

Airbnb provides you with the platform to rent out your room, condo, or any other property lying empty to make instant cash. The accommodation aggregator allows you to list your property on its website and reach billions of people globally.

Since Airbnb is a vastly popular platform, you don’t have to worry about marketing or promotion. From marketing to securing bookings, Airbnb does everything for you. You can easily get a booking and earn some money from your empty real-estate.

To keep your home and belongings secure, Airbnb covers every booking with $1M in property damage protection and $1M in insurance against accidents.

Airbnb also allows you to share your experiences and take people on local tours. You can also make extra money by offering additional services like dining, transport, and cultural activities.

Key Features:

Online Experiences – You can help people take a tour of your local tourist spots, culinary experience, and culture virtually.
Control Hosting Days – Unlike hotels, you can control your hosting days. You can switch off the bookings on its app for the days you don’t want to host.

Pros:

Get access to billions of visitors through this global platform.
You can set your own prices to derive the true worth of your property.
Airbnb releases the booking amount 24 hours before the arrival of guests.
It also gives pricing advice to attract more bookings.

Pricing/Fee:

Listing your property on Airbnb is free. However, you’d have to pay 3% generally upon reservation to cover the business’s cost.

Get started as an Airbnb host.

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iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
4.8 with ‎546,221 reviews	4.5 with ‎1,223,705 reviews

If you have a second home or even a spare room, you should seriously consider renting out your unused space. I was surprised to learn that Airbnb estimates I can earn $750 per month simply by renting out an extra room at 50% occupancy in my home.

Not sure if it’s worth it to list your place on Airbnb? Airbnb has a helpful calculator that can provide estimated earnings.

Turo.

Rent out your car for free.

Turo is an American peer-to-peer car-sharing company that lets you rent out your sports car, truck, or anything else. Turo can make you some extra cash if your car is spending more time in the garage than on roads. You can list your car on the Turo app and rent it out to Turo users.

You can use its “calculator” to determine your monthly earning potential by renting out your car. The site claims that you can earn an average of $706 per month.

Turo is available in 5500 cities across Canada, the US, and the UK. To help you feel safe about your car, it offers protection against theft and physical damage in its contract. On top of that, it also covers $750,000 in liability insurance.

You can actually rent out your car for cash. In fact, the average annual income for one car is over $10,000! So, if you are now working from home and don’t need to use your car as much why not rent it out for some side money?

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If your car spends more time in the driveway than on the road, you might consider renting it out on Turo. Turo is an app where you can list your car for other people to rent. It’s an easy way to earn money, especially if you don’t need your car on a regular basis.

You can use Turo’s “carculator” to see how much you can make using the app. According to its site, a 2016 Toyota Camry in Seattle would earn $244 a month.

Your car must meet certain requirements before you can sign up:

No more than 130,000 miles
Clean title
Fewer than 12 years old
Not registered in New York
Not listed on any other site

If you’re renting out a specialty or classic car, then it must be:

1990 model or earlier
Valued at least $85,000
Safe and in excellent mechanical condition

Turo isn’t available in every city, but if you live in a major city like Los Angeles or Washington, D.C. then check to see how much you could make with the app.

Key Features:

Two-way Reviews – Turo displays both guests and hosts reviews. It helps you select suitable guests for your car.
Set Your Price – Turo allows you to set the daily price of your car. To attract more bookings, you can also allow Turo to set the most suitable price.

Pros:

It allows you to earn up to 85 percent of the trip price.
No listing fees or signup charges.
It offers 24/7 customer support and roadside assistance.
You can also write a review of your guests.
All the guests get properly screened and verified.

Pricing:

There are no registration charges. After that, you’ll earn 65% – 85% of the trip price.

Robinhood.

Best for building long term wealth by investing in stocks.

Robinhood is a commission-free investing platform that helps you invest in stocks, ETFs, and crypto trading. It offers you a free stock after you sign up and link your bank details to help you build your portfolio.

With Robinhood, you can own blue-chip stocks like Google and Microsoft partially. Let’s say even if you have $10, you can invest partially in Google and own a piece of its stock.

Robinhood is also an excellent option if you want to tap into the cryptocurrency market. You can buy and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and other cryptocurrencies.

You can execute cryptocurrency trades in minimal quantities. On top of that, it offers a user-friendly experience to help you trade equities easily.

Key Features:

Instant Cash – You can get instant access to the cash redeemed from your sales.
Trade in Real-Time – It offers an intuitive iOS and Android mobile app to help you trade and invest in real-time from anywhere you want.

Pros:

Invest partially in over 7000 stocks and mutual funds.
Open your account with zero balance.
It offers its Gold Service free of cost for 30-days.

Pricing/Fee:

It’s a free trading and investing app. However, the gold plan with extra perks cost $5 a month.

For further reading about Robinhood, check out my direct comparison post on Webull vs. Robinhood.

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Robinhood is a popular investment app known for its commission-free stock trading and user-friendly platform. New users can get a free share of stock just for signing up and opening an account, with no minimum deposit required. (You do need to link a bank account.)

Once you sign up and are approved for an account, you’ll receive a free share valued at between $3 and $200. You can then sell that share of stock after two days.

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Robinhood allows you to invest as little as $1 to own parts of a whole share of a company. This is your money coming together with other low-fund investors to own shares without paying any commission.

The app helps you understand more about financial markets, so you’ll learn as your money grows, be able to keep real-time tabs on your money, and manage your portfolio on your own.

You can invest in more than 5,000 stocks listed on the U.S. Exchange and over 250 global stocks, as well as cryptocurrencies.

MyPoints

Secure extra cash through surveys, coupons, and shopping.

MyPoints helps you earn reward points for both online & in-store shopping, dining out, and taking paid surveys. Other options to make extra cash include watching movies, reading emails, playing games, etc.

Once you collect enough points, you can redeem them in the form of gift cards or even cash. You can easily redeem the rewards earned from MyPoints with its over 70 partner brands. You can also redeem the points via Amazon and Visa gift cards.

MyPoints offers an app that will allow you to accumulate points that can be redeemed for cash or prizes. What makes MyPoints stand out is that it’s been around since 1996 and established a solid reputation.

You can earn points by asking questions, answering surveys, shopping, watching movies, and more. So it’s one of the most reputable apps that pay you money!

You can register for MyPoints in a few simple steps. However, the website is available in the USA and Canada only.

Key Features:

Joining Bonus – MyPoints offers a $10 sign-up bonus. And you can create an account for free.
PayPal Transfer – You can transfer your earned points to the PayPal account. Around 3970 points account for a PayPal payment of $25.

Pros:

You can also use your MyPoints rewards as travel miles through your United Mileage Plus account.
Earn a large number of rewards points by shopping from its featured store.
It also applies the best coupon code at the checkout to help you earn more.

Pricing:

Registration is 100% free.

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Members of MyPoints will find that they earn up to 40% back on their purchases. Members who hit consecutive spending daily goals earn bonus points, as well, from 10 points for shopping five days in a row to 200 points for shopping 21 days straight.

Just joining the program will earn you a $10 Amazon or Visa gift card!

When you are ready to cash out your points, you’ll find restaurant gift cards as some of the rewards, including Longhorn Steakhouse, Olive Garden, and Applebee’s.

MyPoints is connected to Swagbucks so points can also be redeemed through either site.

Earny.

Earn cashback on your daily purchases.

Earny works like a personal assistant to help you secure automatic refunds when prices of the products drop. It offers a Chrome extension to make sure you never miss out on the best deals and right coupon codes.

You can also track the price history and get real-time notifications of price updates.

Put your items in the watchlist and buy them when their prices decrease. You can also earn cashback by sharing links with your friends who frequently shop online.

Key Features:

Hotel Deals – With over 5,000 partners, Earny also offers access to the best hotel deals and offers across the globe.
Referral Program – Get extra cashback by referring Earny to other users.

Pros:

Get the money back whenever the package doesn’t get delivered on time through its Amazon Late Shipping.
Use its ShopRunner Membership to get 2-days shipping and returns.
It offers a free version that tracks your shopping.
Earny comes powered with two-factor authentication and data masking for added security.

Pricing/Fee:

Earny collects 25% of the total refunds accrued.

Worthy Bonds.

Best for earning fixed returns by supporting small businesses.

Worthy Bonds is an investment platform that lends money to small businesses. You can invest in company bonds and earn a fixed 5 percent interest.

The simple investment instrument helps you earn by investing as low as $10 without any extra charges. It uses your money to offer the best secured loans to American businesses. A win-win for both the partied – you and small businesses.

Here’s how Worthy Bonds works:

You can use Worthy Bonds’ app to watch your interest grow in real-time. There is a lock-in period of 36 months. However, you can cash in your bonds whenever you want to fuel your financial needs and goals without any fees or penalties.

Key Features:

Secure Loans – Worthy Bonds mitigates the risk to your investment by securing company assets to back up the loaned amount.
Automated Investment – You can automate the investment of your loose change. It keeps on collecting the loose change until it reaches $10 and automatically buys a bond for you.

Pros:

It secures all its transactions through 128-bit SSL encryption.
It provides a user-friendly mobile app with an intuitive interface.
Live chat and phone support.
It credits interest every week.
Easily liquify your assets with no time limit.

Pricing/Fee:

The service is free.

Google Opinion Rewards.

Best for earning extra money by filling Google surveys.

Google Opinion Rewards is a rewards-based program by Google, where you get paid for taking Google surveys. It offers short surveys and pays up whenever you fill them up.

It pays out the rewards in the form of Google Play or PayPal credit. You get surveys on multiple topics, including opinion polls, hotel reviews, and merchant satisfaction surveys.

It normally offers local surveys based on your locations. Each survey can take anything between 10 seconds to 1 minute. The credits are valid for 12 months, and the app would notify you if your credits are about to expire.

Key Features:

Use Play Store credits to buy apps, books, movie rentals, or games.
Its mobile app is also available on iOS, and you can receive the payout on your PayPal account.
You get 24 hours to complete a survey.

Pricing:

Install the smartphone app for free and get started right away.

Dosh

Best for earning cashback through your linked cards.

Dosh is a cashback app that provides cash back at specific stores or restaurants every time you shop or dine with your linked cards.

Dosh helps you earn money while paying for shopping, dining, and traveling. You just need to download the app, register, and link your card. The cashback you earn automatically adds up in your wallet.

Dosh has over 100,000 partners to help you earn cashback conveniently. It offers a secure platform that doesn’t sell your data and never stores your credit card information.

Key Features:

Bank Transfer – It allows you to transfer cashback in your bank account or via PayPal when the cashback amount is $25 or more.
Earn From Fuel – If you own a car, you can easily earn a handsome cashback every time you fill up your car’s tank.

Pros:

After you link your first credit card with the app, it automatically rewards you with $5 in your wallet.
It offers a lot of cashback on in-store purchases.
Dosh provides a referral bonus of $5.
You can also transfer the cashback in your PayPal account.

Pricing/Fee:

Dosh takes a cut on each transaction.

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Dosh is a smartphone app that gives you cashback every time you make a purchase at participating outlets using your linked card.

Not having to jump through hoops to earn cashback is probably the biggest perk of Dosh. For instance, I’ve been getting cash back from Exxon each time I fill up my gas tank and I didn’t even realize it until recently. The money just gets added to my Dosh account.

Download the app, link your credit card (the app is secure), then spend as you normally would. You can start shopping at participating merchants using your credit card and points will be added to your “Dosh Wallet” straight away.

Once your balance reaches a minimum of $25, you can cash out via direct deposit or PayPal.

StepBet.

Best for earning rewards based on the steps you walk daily.

StepBet is a fitness app that lets you set personalized goals and earn rewards for meeting those goals. It also encourages you to walk more steps regularly and earn money while doing it.

StepBet comes with multiple games where you need to clock a certain number of steps to earn rewards. The app tracks your history to decide the number of steps you need to walk.

You need to place a bet based on the game and win prize money and bet money after meeting the goal successfully. It works with Apple Watch, Google Fit, Apple Health, FitBit, Garmin, and Samsung Health.

It’s a fitness game where you place a bet on yourself to meet a personal step goal. If you meet your goals you win your bet plus a profit that is split with other players.

Key Features:

Warm-Up Week – Each player gets the first week to get used to the format and their goals.
Step Verification – It connects directly to your activity tracker to count steps accurately and get a valid step count.

Pros:

It lets you set up personalized and unique step goals.
You instantly become eligible for the new game after the disqualification.
You can use the earned points for your future games or simply request a PayPal payout.

Pricing/Fee:

StepBet takes a cut of 15% of your total winnings. It also charges an additional $5 fee if you cash out with a paper check.

Mistplay.

Best for earning money while playing mobile games.

Mistplay is a loyalty program that rewards you for playing mobile games. Install the app, pick a game, and start earning points.

With Mistplay, you can earn gift cards on iTunes, Amazon, Nintendo, and Xbox. The app allows you to kill time in a fun way and also earn some extra cash. The loyalty program for games also enables you to win credits in the form of Visa Cards and Steam Credit.

The app is available for free, but it is only available on the Google Playstore. To make money, you’ll have to play different games for a specific time and achieve a milestone. When you reach a select feat, the app rewards you with credits.

Key Features:

Easy Signup – It offers free 15 points on signup. You can sign up through Facebook or your email.
Point Redeem – You can redeem the points for multiple gift cards, including Amazon, GameStop, Xbox, PlayStation, Google Play, and Facebook.

Pros:

You can earn points in Units, GXPs, and PSPs.
It offers $5 for every 1500 points earned.
You can earn 100 bonus points after reaching the milestone of 200 points.

Pricing/Fee:

Mistplay is entirely free.

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iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
Not available	4.5 with ‎237,200 reviews

Branded as “the loyalty program for gamers,” Mistplay is an app that rewards you with points for playing video games on your Android smartphone (an iOS version is in development). In some cases, you’re required to provide Mistplay with feedback on the game itself.

Your points can be redeemed for gift cards to major retailers like Amazon, Starbucks and the Nintendo store. And it’s one of the few game apps that pay cash via PayPal.

Minimum withdrawal: 1,500 points, which is roughly equal to $5 in value.

HealthyWage.

Earn up to $10,000 while losing weight.

HealthyWage is a wellness app that provides cash prizes for completing fitness and weight loss challenges. It gives you the perfect motivation for losing weight. The website offers financial incentives and cash prizes, positive peer pressure, social motivation, and competitions to help you lose weight.

You can use its HealthyWage calculator to identify the amount of weight you should lose. The calculator also determines the amount you can earn from losing weight or by finishing other fitness challenges. After you sign up, all you need to do is place the bet and start your weight loss journey.

Key Features:

Team Challenge – If you are not feeling motivated alone, you can join a team to lose weight. You can also bet big within a team and earn more.
Corporate Challenge – You can use its free program (built for employers and government contractors) to start weight loss along with your office teams.

Pros:

It pays a $40 referral bonus every time your friend joins the challenge.
You can participate in multiple challenges to increase your earning potential.
Bet any amount based on your financial ability.

Pricing/Fee:

HealthyWage takes the money you lose to support their business.

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If you’re trying to lose weight and need extra motivation, how about the chance to earn $10,000 while doing it?

HealthyWage offers a variety of ways to earn money and is one of a few apps that pay you to lose weight. You can take on a weight loss challenge on your own, or you can enter a team challenge and motivate each other to shed more pounds. The minimum weight loss goal is 10%. With HealthyWage’s 10% Challenge, if you drop 10% of your body weight in six months, you could earn upwards of $300 (depending on how many friends you invite to participate).

HealthyWage beats those at-work pools where people don’t pay up, or worse, the competition never gets started. If you can’t find a gym buddy to hold you accountable, then try using an app that targets your wallet.

BEST FOR CAR OWNERS

Uber

Driving with Uber remains one of the most popular and lucrative side hustle apps. The Uber app is available 24/7, so you are free to make your own schedule and drive on your own time. Driving during high demand hours can lead to higher earnings and providing great service for your riders is a great way to earn tips.

The application to become a driver is straightforward. Signing up takes just a few minutes, then once you clear the background check (safety screening) you can log into the app and start earning money.

Get started on the Uber app.

Earn at your convenience by driving and delivering when you want to, and cash out on earnings up to five times per day.

Pros

Earn money on your schedule by accepting work when you want
Drive passengers and deliver food through one driver app
Cash out up to five times per day
Make $10 to $20 per hour after expenses
Has paid up to $500 to recruit Lyft drivers

Cons

Model year requirements can prevent participation
Drivers must pay a service fee, which varies based on factors like cost and time
Earning potential is limited by location and demand
The driver app can be finicky

Uber offers users two ways to earn, immediate payouts, and a streamlined app for accepting new work, making it the best money-making app for car owners. This ridesharing and food delivery giant makes it easy for anyone with a car to earn at their convenience, provided you qualify. You must:

Meet local driving requirements (including a valid driver’s license)
Drive for at least a year in the U.S., or for drivers under 25, three years
Have a vehicle with four doors that meet Uber’s local requirements
Provide the necessary documents, including proof of residency, insurance, registration, and more
Go through the driver screening process

As an Uber driver, you can choose to either accept ride requests from passengers or deliver food through Uber Eats, all through the same app.

You can cash out up to five times per day. Your earnings for each trip vary based on a few factors, including:

Standard trip fare: A base rate calculated based on the length and distance, which varies by city
Surge pricing: Earn more during peak periods with high demand
Tips: Keep 100% of tips from passengers

Uber Eats pays drivers through a similar system.

Keep in mind that, as a driver, you’ll need to cover the cost of car maintenance. Uber also charges drivers a service fee, which is deducted before payment. Because Uber drivers are considered independent contractors, you’ll have to pay taxes on earnings.

Available on: iOS and Android

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iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
3.9 with ‎‎2,518,152 reviews	4.2 with 4,320,910 reviews

Uber gives you two ways to make money with a single app: ride-sharing as an Uber driver or delivering takeout food orders with Uber Eats. And with over 100 million active monthly customers in 900+ cities, there’s plenty of demand to keep you busy.

Being an Uber driver is the most famous side hustle in the world for a reason: Uber freelancers can earn solid money (often around $20 per hour, though the amount you earn will vary based on factors like location and demand), and you can work literally whenever you want (or wherever you want), with no need to set a schedule. Just open the app, make yourself available and then accept the gigs that are sent your way.

Uber Eats is similar to DoorDash (mentioned above) in that you can earn money by delivering food orders from local restaurants using your car, scooter or bike — or even on foot in some cities. As with being an Uber driver, you can work as little or as much as you want — whether that’s a couple of deliveries in your downtime or a full workday.

Plus, whether you drive people or deliver food, you have the ability to request instant payout for a small fee — meaning you can get paid the same day you work instead of waiting around for a deposit to hit your bank account.

Acorns

Acorns is a mobile app that allows you to automate your investing. It does this in a couple of different ways:

By investing your spare change. One of Acorns’ main features is called Round Ups. Say you make a purchase for $17.20 (at any store). Acorns will then set aside 80 cents from your checking account and automatically invest that money into a mutual fund. It’s a way of helping you save, while also building up an investment portfolio a little bit at a time.
Acorns Earn. Acorns has also partnered with hundreds of retailers to allow you to earn money any time you shop at a specific store. For example, say you spend $100 at Walmart. Acorns calculates a percentage of that $100 (which can be up to 10% for some retailers) and adds it to your investment account. This isn’t a “round up” — it’s free money.

You can build up a nice portfolio just by using Acorns Earn and investing your spare change. Eventually, that portfolio could go toward your retirement or earn you a nice side income.

If you want to start saving up for your future and investing for retirement, consider checking out Acorns.

With a beginner-friendly platform and interface, Acorns is one of the best investing apps available. It’s easy to sign up, and you can set aside a certain amount every month or round up money from every purchase you make with a linked account. The app will take the change and invest it in your Acorns account.

Acorns also offers a $10 signup bonus for new users.

Once you sign up and complete your registration, Acorns will deposit $10 into your account to give your investments a head start.

BEST FOR SELLING OLD GOODS

OfferUp

OfferUp takes a modern approach to the Craigslist concept by allowing anyone to sell new or used items through its online marketplace.

You can sell your unwanted items locally and make cash quickly. It’s as simple as downloading the app, taking pictures, and listing your price.

Pros

Message potential buyers directly in the app
Simple to upload an image and sell
Set either a firm price or asking price, with room for negotiation
Receive cash payment for local transactions, or ship products nationwide

Cons

Unless you choose shipping, you’re responsible for delivery
Search results favor Promote Plus members and other promoted items
Shipping an item incurs a 12.9% fee (or a $1.99 minimum fee)

OfferUp, which acquired competitor Letgo, takes the stress out of selling online through its simple and easy-to-use marketplace. Because it has a streamlined listing process and gives users the choice to sell locally or nationwide, OfferUp wins as the best money-making app for selling old goods.

Users can list a new product by uploading a picture, entering a description, and setting a price. You can choose to set a firm price open to the first willing buyer, or an asking price with room for negotiation. Viewers can communicate with the seller directly through the app to ask questions or express their interest.

OfferUp mainly facilitates local transactions, but users can also ship products. Rather than monitor offers and messages, you can set an item to “buy now” with a set price for shipping.

Because most transactions take place locally, buyers normally pay in cash.

After a shipped item arrives, buyers have two days to evaluate it before the sale is finalized. Sellers then receive payment within five business days.

Promoting your items helps potential buyers find them. You can choose to promote your item by either paying in a one-off transaction or purchasing a membership.

Users can verify their identity by confirming contact information or linking a Meta account. For local transactions, OfferUp protects users by recommending safe public meet-up locations based on factors like lighting, surveillance, and more.

Available on: iOS and Android

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How it works: OfferUp, which combined with competitor Letgo in 2020, functions as a local marketplace you can use to sell your stuff. If you want to reach a broader audience, OfferUp also allows shipping within the continental United States. Create an account and snap a picture of your smartphone, car, sofa or whatever it is you’re selling. Once you add a title, description and price, you can post your listing and chat with buyers directly through the app. Then, you’ll ship to or arrange a meeting with the buyer.

Payment: Cash or deposit to debit card or bank account.

Pros: Creating a listing is simple and fast, and you’ll get paid instantly when you make a cash sale. You can also view a prospective buyer’s reviews and ratings to get an idea of how trustworthy they are beforehand. If you ship your item, the buyer pays the cost, and OfferUp provides the label.

Cons: You’re responsible for meeting local buyers in person and handling transactions. Sellers must pay a 12.9% service fee, or a minimum of $1.99, for shipments.

BEST FOR ODD JOBS

Swagbucks

One of the best money-making apps out there, Swagbucks quickly stands out because they offer an unlockable $10 bonus for new users.

Swagbucks also allows users to accrue points (SBs) by completing various micro-jobs that they can put towards PayPal cash or free gift cards. Specifically, users can earn points by:

Taking paid surveys
Watching videos or ads
Getting cash back when shopping online
Using the Swagbucks search engine
Playing games
Discovering deals
Referring other people to Swagbucks

There’s no limit to how much you can earn. You’re not going to replace your full-time income with it, but if you start using Swagbucks as your web browser, play some games, and take a few surveys, you could potentially boost your income by $25 to $50 each month.

With an A rating with the Better Business Bureau and over 20 million active members, there’s no reason not to try one of the best money-making apps out there.

Swagbucks is a nice little app to make some money through your usual online activities.

You can earn SB (reward points) by watching videos, searching the web, and shopping. You can also find many in-app shopping deals.

Swagbucks doesn’t pay much, but it offers a variety of ways for users to earn cash, including cash back for qualifying purchases, as well as odd jobs like taking surveys, watching videos, playing games, and more.

Pros

Easily earn points
$10 joining bonus for users who spend $25
Earn 10% Swagbucks through referrals
Redeem points for gift cards or for cash via PayPal
Motivated users can earn $100 or more per month

Cons

Swagbucks aren’t very valuable; 100 SB=$1
Most tasks don’t award many points
Surveys may disqualify you during the process due to demographics
Receiving rewards takes up to 10 business days
Highest-paying surveys only available to specific audiences

While it won’t pay like other side hustles, Swagbucks is an easy way for anyone with a smartphone to make extra money by completing odd jobs, or by earning cashback, which is why it wins best for odd jobs.

This money-making app partners with marketing companies in order to pay users. You can earn Swagbucks (SB) by buying products, watching videos, taking surveys, playing games, and using search engines.

Getting started is simple and doesn’t require payment info. The daily checklist feature helps users keep track of ways to earn.

Most tasks are easy, but not all award the same number of SB. Surveys take from five to 60 minutes and generally award users between 40 to 200 SB. With 100 SB valued at $1, earning enough points to cash out can take time.

Swagbucks’ survey options are chosen based on demographics. Only users who fit specific profiles, like owning a pet boa constrictor or having two sets of twins, can access higher-paying surveys.

You can earn cashback on in-store purchases by linking a credit card. After spending $25 on purchases through retail partners, new users can earn a $10 joining bonus. Swagbucks also offers referral incentives.

You can redeem points for rewards immediately through Swagbucks, but receiving cash via PayPal or gift card codes could take up to 10 business days.

Available on: iOS and Android

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How it works: Swagbucks is a cash-back and rewards app. You earn points, called “SB,” by shopping, taking polls, watching videos, playing games or fulfilling other tasks through Swagbucks. You can redeem those points for gift cards or get cash back to your PayPal account. The total points awarded can vary by task. For example, surveys are typically worth about 40 to 200 SB points each. The minimum balance required to redeem depends on the payout option you choose, but some gift cards are available for as low as 110 SB.

Payment: Gift card or PayPal.

Pros: Swagbucks offers many easy ways to earn rewards, and there’s no waiting period to cash in. Payments usually arrive within 10 business days after redemption. You can also get a $10 bonus with a qualifying $25 purchase when you join.

Cons: It doesn’t pay much; one SB is worth about a cent. With many tasks valued at pennies, it can take a fair amount of time and effort to make substantial money. Additionally, you won’t qualify for every survey or task. Users often report getting kicked out of surveys in the middle of taking them. This can be due to demographics or dishonest or inconsistent answers, according to Swagbucks.

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Swagbucks helps you earn quick bucks while shopping online, browsing the internet, and watching videos. You can also participate in online surveys, polls, or just play online games to earn more. You can redeem the rewards in the form of specific merchandise, gift cards, or cash.

Here are the ways to earn gift cards with Swagbucks:

Shop online at online retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Starbucks.
Answer surveys and earn gift cards.
Watch videos.
Earn points & gift cards with exclusive deals and offers.
Browse the with Swagbucks’s Yahoo! powered search engine.
Play games and make in-game purchases.

Swagbucks operates in the USA, India, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and the UK (Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand). What’s more, you can register on Swagbucks for free through Facebook or your personal email. You can also earn through referrals and make some extra points.

Key Features:

Gold Surveys – Gold Surveys reflect the time it would take to complete a survey and the points you can earn from it.
Daily Poll – You can answer one poll regularly to earn 1 Swagbucks point daily.
Cash Out Early – Swagbucks lets you transfer as little as $3. This means you don’t have to wait for long for your paycheck.

Pros:

It offers gift cards for Amazon, Freecharge, Walmart, Expedia, PayPal, and more.
For every 20 minutes of video, you can earn around 2 Swagbucks points.
It also offers featured stores and shopping deals from Groupon.

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Here are the ways to earn gift cards with Swagbucks:

Shop online at online retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Starbucks.
Answer surveys and earn gift cards.
Watch videos.
Earn points & gift cards with exclusive deals and offers.
Browse the with Swagbucks’s Yahoo! powered search engine.
Play games and make in-game purchases.

You can transfer your money directly into your bank account. Or you can receive cashouts via PayPal, Amazon gift cards, and more.

Minimum withdrawal: There’s technically no minimum to cash-out, but most reward options start at $3 (including PayPal cash and select gift cards).

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The Swagbucks membership platform has more than 20 million members and is considered one of the best-paid sites. The site has thousands of surveys and is constantly adding more. There are also opportunities to try free samples, test new products, use digital and printed coupons, and redeem special promo codes.

Although there are surveys that could pay $50, Swagbucks finds that easy, general surveys may only take five minutes and earn up to $1.50. Swagbucks members who are motivated can expect to earn $100 per month. Those dedicated survey takers put in about a half an hour or more on surveys per day.

Swagbucks offers payment in cash, typically within a week of requesting a payout, as well as gift cards to big brands like Amazon, Starbucks, and Walmart.

Ipsos I-Say

iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
Just launched in January 2022	4.0 with ‎87,924 reviews

Based in France, Ipsos is one of the world’s largest and most well-known consumer research companies. As with Swagbucks and Survey Junkie, the i-Say program is free to join and lets you earn money online by taking paid surveys.

What’s unique about i-Say is that it also has a product testing component: the company will sometimes send you free products to try out in exchange for your feedback and insights.

While these opportunities don’t come along every day, they can be a fun way to try new things — and the products themselves (which are yours to keep) are often worth more than the few minutes it takes to share your thoughts.

Minimum withdrawal: $10 for a gift card and $15 for PayPal cash.

Fat Llama

Speaking of renting stuff out, Fat Llama is one of the best earning apps to rent out your items! That’s right, you can literally rent out items such as tools, electronics, sporting equipment, and more. So, check out the site and see if there are any items you can rent out to make some quick cash.

Foap

If you enjoy taking pictures, then Foap can be a fun way to earn extra money. The app is simple to use. Once you upload your photos, you can earn cash when someone decides to buy them. As a fun creative outlet, this could be a way to create a small income stream from your photography.

iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
4.5 with ‎15,721 reviews	3.2 with ‎32,457 reviews

Foap is a mobile app that allows you to make money by selling pictures you take with your phone.

What’s nice is that one photo can sell multiple times, which allows you to generate a source of passive income.

The best way to earn is through “missions,” in which Foap teams up with a specific brand to show how everyday people like you use their product.

Minimum withdrawal: There’s no minimum, but Foap pays you once per month via PayPal.

Lyft

You can work as a driver for Lyft to create an income through the app. If you have a car, Lyft may be willing to work with you. Take a few minutes to fill out the application to find out. However, keep in mind the wear and tear on your car if you go this route.

Poshmark

Poshmark is another one of the top paying apps where you can make money off of your items. You can find items to flip, such as clothing, designer bags, decor, and more. This could be a start of a great side-hustle too!

Drop

Drop is another rewards app that will give you points for shopping at your favorite stores. Once you earn points, you can redeem them for gift cards at popular stores. I like Drop because it rewards your personal spending habits. With that, I recommend giving it a try.

Sweatcoin

Sweatcoin is a unique money-making app that will pay you for walking. Once you sign up for the app, you’ll earn Sweatcoins. These can be used to buy items such as athletic wear, audiobooks, and more.

Plus, you can donate your Sweatcoins to charities that matter to you. Although you won’t earn cash, this can be a fun way to cover splurge items such as new workout clothes!

Mercari

If you have things gathering dust around your house, then Mercari can help you turn that into cash. This is one of the highest paying apps that can help you sell your items easily. This money-making app will only be useful if you already have things that you want to sell.

Mobee

Have you ever wanted to become a secret shopper? I’ve always thought it would be a fun way to earn money. Mobee is a secret shopping app that will pay you for your time. You simply have to answer questions while shopping at your favorite stores.

TaskRabbit

For those who can provide handy services to people in need, TaskRabbit is a site that allows you to showcase yourself as a handyman, delivery driver, moving service, etc.

With earnings varying based on the task and your area, TaskRabbit shows you the average rates you can make in more than 50 categories. You keep 100% of your earnings plus tips and can use TaskRabbit’s invoice and payment system.

After signing up and building a profile, TaskRabbit will verify you and you’ll pay a one-time registration fee. After that, set your schedule and accept jobs when you want them.

TaskRabbit offers the opportunity to earn money for taking care of someone else’s chores. You can find available tasks on the app. With TaskRabbit, you can earn money while getting out of the house. Since you can choose from a variety of tasks plus make tips, it is one of the highest paying apps you can use.

Bookscouter

Bookscouter is one of the best earning apps that helps you to sell books quickly. If you are an avid reader, Bookscouter can be a great way to turn your used books into cash. Personally, I use this app to clean out my bookcase a few times each year.

iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
4.1 with ‎‎555 reviews	4.4 with 1,911 reviews

A popular free app among book lovers, Bookscouter allows you to sell used books.

How it works is that you enter or scan a book’s ISBN number and Bookscouter provides a list of companies looking to purchase that title (and how much they’re willing to pay).

Those who earn the most know where to find used books for cheap (garage sales, library book sales, etc.), and use the app on-the-spot to find the ones that will fetch the highest profit margins.

Decluttr

If you’ve got piles of used DVDs, CDs, Blu-rays, or video games lying around your house, you can make a few dollars selling them with the Decluttr app. It also accepts electronics like phones, tablets, and game consoles.

You can download the Delucttr app and scan items directly with your phone. It’ll give you an instant offer on your item.

So, if you have a collection of CDs, DVDs, or games laying around, Declutter can help you turn those items into cash. The streamlined app is easy to use. Plus, you’ll get some unnecessary clutter out of the house. It’s one of the most popular apps that pay you money for your unused stuff!

Once you’ve accepted the offer, you’ll print out the pre-paid label and send off your goods. You can drop off the box at a UPS Store, customer center, authorized retail outlet, or with a UPS driver.

Letgo

Letgo is another one of the best earning apps that can help you eliminate clutter and add to your savings. The app provides a smooth process to get things you don’t need out of your house quickly. So take advantage of using this app while decluttering your home!

Capital One Shopping

Capital One Shopping is another money-making app that can help you find better deals. It does this by comparison shopping across the web for items that you are interested in. You won’t have to hunt for comparable prices, Capital One Shopping will take over that part of the shopping process automatically.

Plus, the app will reward you when you shop. When you shop at certain stores, the app will grant you rewards points that can be redeemed for gift cards.

Do you ever wonder if you’re actually getting the best price when you’re buying something? Or do you assume that you’re getting the best deal if you shop on Amazon? If you’re not shopping around, you could be missing out on savings.

That’s where Capital One Shopping comes in. Capital One Shopping is an app or browser extension that notifies you when there’s a coupon available for something you’re viewing or if the same item is selling for a lower price elsewhere.

You can earn Capital One Shopping credits by shopping through partnered stores and restaurants, which you can redeem for gift cards to places like Walmart, Lowe’s, and Nordstrom Rack. Capital One Shopping also includes a watchlist where it’ll notify you when an item on your list drops in price.

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Capital One Shopping updates products with real-time coupon codes so your online purchases might be cheaper than you expected. A universal product search will also show you various prices of an item found amongst competitors. Price drops are also available when waiting for a big-ticket item to go on sale.

The platform is part of Capital One’s shopping division. For example, you could get 11% back when you purchase three months of Rosetta Stone, 6% back and 20% savings at Office Depot on office mask products, and 30% off and 8% back at JCPenney.

InboxDollars

InboxDollars is a website that offers cash rewards to users that complete online tasks and fill out surveys. You can use the website or mobile app to build cash rewards with InboxDollars. In your free time, you can use InboxDollars to give your bank account a boost.

InboxDollars is actually owned by the same company behind Swagbucks. However, there are some differences in the ways you can earn on the platforms, including the fact that it’s one of the few sites where you can get paid to read emails.

InboxDollars also rewards you in real money (not points) for the activities you complete. The downside? There’s a $30 minimum to cash-out, though the $5 sign-up bonus can help you reach that milestone.

Minimum withdrawal: $30 to cash-out.

OnMyWay

OnMyWay app pays you to drive without texting. It starts keeping track of the miles when you’re driving over 10MPH and pays OnMyWay Cash points. OnMyWay disables the message alerts, but you can answer calls via Bluetooth.

Public.com

Public.com is an investing platform where you can invest and earn passive income. You can invest as little as $1 and buy parts of shares, ETFs, and cryptos. Public.com also helps you connect and interact with fellow investors.

Public is one of our favorite apps for investing in individual shares of stock. What stands out about Public is its simplicity: the app offers a very clean and user-friendly experience, and forgoes more advanced features, like options and futures trading, that aren’t necessary for beginning investors.

They also have a generous sign-up bonus, giving you a free share of stock worth up to $70 in value simply for opening an account — no deposit is required.

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“Making the stock market social,” Public is another low-fund investment app where you can own a share of stock with as little as $5. You can build your portfolio by owning a fractional share or an entire share and invest in funds — all without commission fees.

The social aspect is completely unique. A feed and community can share their thoughts on certain stocks, news they hear, and reasons for selecting or avoiding a certain stock. Group messaging can connect you with people of different ages and backgrounds to help you learn more about investing.

Fundrise

Fundrise offers real-estate investment opportunities. You can put small amounts across several large projects without paying for the entire property. Thus, you can invest and earn dividends and returns regularly.

What stands out about Fundrise is that it allows you to invest in commercial real estate projects for as little as $10. You then earn passive income from quarterly dividends, as well as investment income once a property is sold.

Compatibility: Android and iOS

Average Payout: Depends on the investments

Payment Method: Money will be deposited in your bank account

YouGov

iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
4.4 with 34,439 reviews	4.7 with ‎‎2,815 reviews

YouGov is a market research company known for its opinion polls about politics and recent events. When we tested YouGov, we found the survey inventory and payouts to be in-line with the other top survey apps.

The downside? Based on our testing, The $50 minimum withdrawal amount would require participating in two surveys per day for over 30 days. At the same time, the minimum to cash-out for a gift card is much lower at $15, which should take you between one to two weeks to earn.

Minimum withdrawal: $15 for a gift card or $50 for a cash reward.

Coinbase

Coinbase is an investment app that allows you to buy and sell cryptocurrency, in the same way you’d buy and sell stocks. It’s got a decent sign up bonus that pays you $10 in Bitcoin when you buy $100 worth of any cryptocurrency available on the platform.

As a money making app, Coinbase has a feature called Learn and Earn, which allows you to earn free Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for watching short videos about different aspects of the crypto world.

Over the course of 2021, I took each Learn and Earn opportunity that was offered to me and was able to earn $50 worth of free cryptocurrency. Since each Learn and Earn opportunity takes just a few minutes to complete, this was not only educational but also a quick and easy way to make a decent amount of free money.

Ibotta

iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
4.8 with 1,388,582 reviews	4.5 with ‎578,121 reviews

Ibotta started out as a grocery coupon app but has expanded into both retail and online cash-back.

It works like this: you use the app to scan the barcode of the product you purchased at the store and then you upload a photo of your receipt. After that, you’re done! It’s that easy.

Minimum withdrawal: $20 in cash transferred to Venmo or PayPal.

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Ibotta is yet another of the money-making apps you’ll see on this list that revolves around cash back shopping.

But unlike apps similar to Ibotta, the company has become immensely popular worldwide because it extends to grocery brands, warehouse clubs, and drugstore chains including Walmart, Food Lion, Kroger, Walgreens, CVS, and Sam’s Club. Ibotta also works with high-end grocery stores like Whole Foods and discount ones like Aldi.

When you open the Ibotta app, you can look at your favorite stores and see what offers they have. If you see an offer you’re interested in, you can select it and add it to your account. Once you’re done shopping, take a photo of the receipt to get the special rebate.

It also has an affiliate program that allows users to earn even more money by inviting friends to the app.

Ibotta offers a $10 sign-up bonus for new members and will pay you $5 more for each friend you refer.

GetUpside

iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
4.8 with 160,308 reviews	4.6 with ‎‎126,774 reviews

GetUpside is a money making app that allows you to get cash-back on gas. In our testing of GetUpside, we were able to find gas stations that offered up to 35 cents per gallon.

The app is also quickly expanding beyond just gas, offering cash-back at certain retailers and restaurants.

Minimum withdrawal: You can withdraw at any time for a $1 fee. Once your balance reaches $10, you can withdraw for free.

Learn more in our GetUpside review or visit GetUpside.com to download the app and get started.

Doordash

Working as a driver for DoorDash entails picking up food from local restaurants and chains and delivering it to customers. DoorDash drivers earn a base pay and also get to keep 100% of their tips.

As a driver, you can earn extra money when DoorDash offers special promotions and challenges. There’s also special “Peak Pay,” when drivers can get paid more. According to Indeed.com, DoorDash drivers earn around $15 an hour._[1]

iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
4.7 with 107,067 reviews	2.9 with ‎‎107,067 reviews

DoorDash allows you to earn extra money by delivering restaurant take-out orders. You’ll need a car, a driver’s license and valid insurance to become a Dasher.

With DoorDash, you do have to sign up for shifts (called dashes), and then stay online for a certain amount of time within that period.

That means you’ll have less scheduling flexibility than with Uber Eats (see below), but it also means you’ll usually have a more consistent flow of orders (because there are fewer drivers working at any given moment).

Unlike rideshare companies, you can have any kind of car to deliver for DoorDash. You do need to have a driver’s license, a clean driving record, a smartphone, and be at least 18 years old.

In some cities, you’re allowed to deliver on a bike, scooter, motorcycle, or even by foot. However, you’re responsible for expenses such as gas, parking, and tolls.

Instacart

Instacart is a grocery delivery service where customers order their products online and Instacart shoppers (potentially you) prepare the order for pickup or delivery. As a full-service shopper, you’re an independent contractor. You’ll shop for the products your customer wants and deliver them to the address.

Chris Cucchiara, a DollarSprout reader and Instacart super-shopper, made over $4,500 in his first two months as a full-service shopper. He recently shared “the real secret to achieving high earnings is to be selective with the batches you pick. The key is to wait to take orders until they make you about $30 per hour. This is done by getting preferably only one order and not two or three.”

If you’d rather do the shopping than the delivery portion, you can apply to be an in-store shopper. This part-time position comes with a flexible schedule and doesn’t require a vehicle. You’ll prepare your customer’s order for them to pick up in-store.

In either position, you can expect to make $10 to $15 per hour and get paid via direct deposit. However, full-service shoppers have the ability to receive tips whereas in-store shoppers do not.

You need to be 18, eligible to work in the US, have access to a car, able to lift up to 50 pounds, and have a relatively new smartphone.

iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
4.7 with 107,067 reviews	2.9 with ‎‎107,067 reviews

You can earn money by shopping for or delivering groceries with Instacart. Full-service shoppers with Instacart both shop and deliver the groceries. If you don’t have access to a car, you can be an in-store shopper only.

Similar to many gig economy apps, a big perk of working with Instacart is that you can set your own schedule. That said, peak times, such as weekends, often pay the most per hour.

Instacart shoppers get paid per order based on the time it takes to complete the order, as well as the distance (if delivering). Shoppers also get tips from customers.

Fiverr

iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
4.9 with 321,807 reviews	4.6 with ‎‎258,675 reviews

Fiverr is a freelance marketplace known for its wide variety of tasks offered.

What’s unique about Fiverr is that you’re the one designing the gig and posting it for others to buy. As such, you can create jobs you can fulfill entirely from your smartphone.

This could include video editing, proofreading and photo editing — among many others

To learn more, read our guide on how to make money on Fiverr, which details a step-by-step process for beginners.

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A resource connecting freelancers with businesses in need of assistance, Fiverr is best for those looking for writing, translation, graphics, website programming, music, audio, video, and digital marketing gigs.

By creating a Seller Profile, those with talent can show off their work and let companies know pricing details. This way, companies can search through listings of creative insiders to find someone that works best for them.

Buyers pay Fiverr directly and when the order reaches an 80% competition rate, the funds are transferred into a pending payment and available within 14 days. You can withdraw your funds directly into your bank account.

Buyers may also leave reviews about you and your services so future buyers can get a sense of your work. Just as with a product, the more good reviews, the more in-demand you appear to buyers.

Steady

iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
4.7 with ‎‎14,101 reviews	4.4 with 28,293 reviews

Not sure which gig economy job you want to take on? Steady aggregates local gig economy and money making opportunities for you in one app. This way, you can see what’s available and find offers customized to your availability and skills.

The app has a strong community aspect as well, where other gig workers share best practices, tips to earn more and how much they’re actually earning.

If you’re brand new to the gig economy, Steady is a good choice to lead you in the right direction. Read our Steady app review to learn about all that the app has to offer.

Rover

Rover is a money-making app that helps pet owners find qualified pet sitters and dog walkers to care for their animals. You can offer various services such as overnight pet boarding, dog walking, or doggy daycare. This is an especially great option if you have a work-from-home job.

The major perk? You can set your own rates. Rover collects a service fee of 20%. So if you charge $20 per walk, you’ll keep $16 and Rover will take the other $4. Once your services are complete, you can redeem your earnings for free via PayPal or pay $2 to receive a check in the mail.

You’ll have to pass a background check and provide references. Once approved, you can start making money fast with Rover. The platform offers 24/7 veterinary support, insurance, and you can accept as many or as few pet sitting or walking jobs as you want.

iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
4.9 with 291,379 reviews	4.5 with ‎12,696 reviews

Rover is a pioneer in the pet care industry when it comes to pet sitting, dog walking, doggy daycare and boarding. The app allows you to connect with local pet owners in need of these services. Walkers report getting paid up to $20 per walk, while overnight sitters can make $40.

It’s ideal for those living in a more urban area, where they can often take out multiple dogs and travel short distances. For those not living in a city, boarding can help maximize your earnings.

Visit Rover.com.

Neighbor

iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
4.5 with 1,671 reviews	4.6 with 911 reviews

If you don’t like the idea of hosting people, consider Neighbor, an app that allows you to get paid for renting unused space in your home. This could be an extra garage spot, driveway space, shed or basement.

Neighbor users make passive income by storing people’s belongings in their spare space at home. If you have a shed, closet, or attic you’re not using, you could make passive income with this app.

Like all forms of passive income, renting out your space requires a little bit of a time investment upfront. But Neighbor takes care of most of the work for you by connecting you with local renters.

You’ll make a listing and renters will apply to reserve your space. You have 48 hours to view the candidate’s profile, ask questions, and make a decision. If you don’t act within that timeframe, the reservation will automatically be declined.

If you find a renter looking for a long-term option, you could earn passive income renting out your unused space each month.

While there is some work upfront — such as listing your space and connecting with clients — once the storage is set up, there’s very little work on your part.

Field Agent

iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
4.7 with 11,650 reviews	3.8 with 7,868 reviews

Field Agent is an app that allows you to make money by completing random local tasks, like taking pictures of products (to make sure they’re properly displayed) and completing mystery shopping missions to evaluate stores’ customer service. In that sense, it’s a form of mystery shopping (which can be a legit side hustle).

This free app is best suited for those in urban areas, as you’re only paid on a per-task basis. Since you have to factor time and cost of travel into your net earnings, you’ll make more if you live near a high concentration of participating businesses.

Minimum withdrawal: $10 via PayPal.

Field Agent provides an opportunity to make money to those who love shopping. When you sign up as an agent, you get paid to try products and complete tasks. The cost of products is reimbursed upon task completion.

Compatibility: Android and iOS

Average Payout: Up to $10 per hour

Payment Method: Bank Deposit

Evidation

If you need additional accountability to reach your health goals, another good app is Evidation. You can double-dip and earn furter rewards for exercising and sticking to a meal plan. The app syncs with other fitness apps such as your Fitbit or MyFitnessPal. Users earn points which you can then redeem for cash. Every 10,000 points equates to $10 which you can withdraw to your bank or PayPal. You can also donate points to charity.

Start by syncing the Achievement app to your other fitness apps and make sure to log your activity in those apps (if it’s not already done automatically). It can take a long time to earn enough points to redeem for cash but think of this as a passive way to get paid for being healthy and to provide an incentive to stick to your healthy habits.

iOS Rating	Google Play Rating
4.6 with 16,500 reviews	4.0 with ‎18,600 reviews

Evidation (formerly called Achievement) is a combination of a survey app and a fitness app. It works by syncing with other fitness apps you have on your phone, including:

Apple Health
Fitbit
MapMyFitness
MyFitnessPal
And over a dozen others.

In addition to earning rewards via healthy activities — e.g., hitting 10,000 steps in one day — you can then earn rewards for answering health-related surveys.

Minimum withdrawal: You’ll need a minimum of 10,000 points to cash out, which gives you a $10 gift card to popular retailers.

Pro tip: Turn this into a passive income app by syncing it with an app like Apple Health, which tracks your activity and steps in the background.

Gigwalk

Gigwalk is one of the more unique app-based job services. It pays people to help them gather data for market research. You don’t need a vehicle and you won’t be making deliveries or filling out surveys. Gigwalk helps companies with a range of small tasks. Many of the gigs involve going to a local business and taking pictures of how certain products are displayed or stocked.

Users can make anywhere from $3 to $100 per gig depending on the difficulty and length. Most take as few as five minutes, but others can take a few hours.

It can take a few days for your work to be approved and for you to get paid. You also have to follow the instructions carefully to make sure you understand. If you misread it, then you may not get paid, so pay close attention to all the instructions for each gig.

Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel

You may have heard of Nielsen ratings for TV shows, but it turns out that Nielsen pays you to collect data on more than just TV. One area it’s interested in is your internet usage.

What does that mean for you? It means Nielsen will pay you $50 a year to keep its app on your favorite internet browsing device. The app itself collects statistics on your internet usage anonymously, so you never have to worry about any data being linked to you.

The app doesn’t take up much space and won’t slow down your phone or tablet. Better yet, they’ll give you $5 just for signing up using an eligible device as long as you remain active for 30 days.

Honeygain

Similar to Nielsen, Honeygain is an app that uses data from your internet browsing history to help companies with research. According to its website, users who download Honeygain can earn up to $19 a month.

However, this amount depends on your internet speed, location, and other factors. Even if you earn less than the projected figure, it’s a completely passive way to earn money. Once you download Honeygain, you don’t have to do anything.

You will need to earn at least $20 before you can withdraw the funds. Once you do have that amount, you can request your money via PayPal.

Opinion Outpost

Opinion Outpost is not an app but can be easily managed from your smartphone or tablet and has 350,000 subscribers and three million new monthly surveys each month.

To become a member, reviewers have to be U.S. residents and provide an email address. There are no costs for joining and you can answer as many or as few surveys as you’d like. Surveys are emailed to members based on your online profile, and each survey takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete. For every opinion you share, Opinion Outpost gives you up to 50.

Branded Surveys

Branded Surveys – a market research community – will pay you gift cards or cash for your opinions. Once you set up an account (which takes just a minute), you’ll answer a few quick questions about yourself, so they can pair you with surveys that make sense for your personal demographics.

As you begin taking surveys, you’ll accumulate points, and once you hit 1,000 points you can cash out via PayPal, your Branded Surveys account, or convert your points into gift cards to popular retailers like Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Target, and more. It’s really as easy as that!

E-Trade

E*TRADE charges zero commission without any account minimums on its full range of investments.

The online platform gives you the ability to research investments, track the markets, place trades, and hone your skills with ample resources to help you grow. The E*TRADE app is easy to use so you can stay connected on the go. You can manage cash, pay bills, invest in stocks and mutual funds, and follow breaking news.

Money Making Apps FAQ

What are the best apps for making money fast?

Selling apps, such as Craigslist and eBay, are your best bets for making money fast. Beyond selling, Uber Eats and DoorDash are also good options. These two apps enable you to make decent money on a per-hour basis, as well as to cash-out your earnings daily (for a small fee). These are among the highest and fastest-paying paying apps you’ll find.

How do you avoid scams?

When you’re evaluating money-earning apps, pay close attention to user reviews — and specifically the ones on the Google Play Store and iOS App Store. Unlike some other user review sites, companies can’t edit or delete reviews that appear on the official app stores. So if an app is a scam, chances are you’ll see that quickly based on user feedback.

Sort by negative reviews, and read through three to five to see the common complaints. If a lot of users have trouble withdrawing money or not getting responses from customer support, it’s best to avoid the app.

You can also search r/BeerMoney, a popular subreddit where people talk about their experiences with different money earning apps.How do apps that give you money make money themselves?

There are a number of different business models and app monetization strategies used by these companies to generate revenue.

– Online survey companies sell the data they collect to third parties seeking to improve their products and services.

– Coupon apps get paid by manufacturers when you use a coupon, and in many cases, also collect data to sell.

– Many gig economy apps take a percentage of revenue from each transaction.

– Cash-back shopping apps like Rakuten are among the highest paying apps for a reason: they earn a solid commission for sending you to retailers’ sites, which they then share with you.

Apps that give you money are always getting something in return — whether that’s your data, your feedback, your business or something else. Keep that in mind when picking which ones to use and make sure you’re comfortable with the tradeoff.

How can I trust the money-making app is legit?

The great thing about apps is they are reviewed often. Look for apps with high ratings and lots of reviews. (Four stars with only 10 reviews isn’t as trustworthy as four stars with 1,000 reviews.) Read what users like and don’t like about the app, as well.

Do money-making apps really work?

Actually, yes. A number of financial organizations have looked into money-making apps and found they do bring in extra cash. But these apps aren’t get-rich apps. These are merely ways to save a little and make a little dough — that could cover the cost of your monthly smartphone bill.

Are they really free?

The apps showcased here are free to download because the companies earn their money from their clients who pay you. Be wary of money-making apps that ask you to pay them to become a member.

D Laidler

I am David, economist, originally from Britain, and studied in Germany and Canada. I am now living in the United States. I have a house in Ontario, but I actually never go. I wrote some books about sovereign debt, and mortgage loans. I am currently retired and dedicate most of my time to fishing. There were many topics in personal finances that have currently changed and other that I have never published before. So now in Business Finance, I found the opportunity to do so. Please let me know in the comments section which are your thoughts. Thank you and have a happy reading.