If you want to start a side hustle, you might feel overwhelmed when researching your options. Ideas like starting an online business sound great on paper.
However, if you need to make money quickly and have a packed schedule, starting a business probably isn’t feasible.
Luckily, your next moneymaking idea might already be at your fingertips. There’s a variety of apps that pay you real money and free gift cards you can download to start making money today.
While many of these apps won’t seriously boost your monthly income, you can definitely make a positive difference in your finances when you combine several of them.
33 Apps That Actually Pay You Real Money
Here are the best apps you can download today to start getting paid:
- Survey Junkie
- InboxDollars
- Swagbucks
- Freecash
- Capital One Shopping
- Drop
- Rakuten
- Dosh
- Ibotta
- Fetch Rewards
- Upside
- ReceiptPal
- DoorDash
- Shipt
- Instacart
- Uber or Lyft
- Acorns
- Robinhood
- SoFi
- Webull
- HealthyWage
- StepBet
- Rover
- Neighbor
- MobileXpression
- Nielsen Panel
- Mode Mobile
- Shopkick
- Field Agent
- Mobee
- Mercari
- Poshmark
- Decluttr
Survey and Game Apps
If you want a fast way to make money in your spare time, survey and game apps are an excellent choice.
Companies are willing to pay for your feedback and to try new mobile games. These apps take more effort than cash-back reward apps but are perfect for using while you’re on the go or relaxing at home.
1. Survey Junkie
Many survey websites aren’t worth it because they barely pay anything and take months to redeem your earnings.
Thankfully, Survey Junkie, a leader in the paid survey space, sets the bar for what to look for in a survey website.
Once you create a free Survey Junkie account, you complete a questionnaire that helps match you to relevant surveys. This helps reduce your disqualification chances and also makes surveys more interesting. Considering many survey websites frequently disqualify you mid-survey, which wastes your time, this is a nice feature.
You can answer surveys from your computer, but Survey Junkie also has an Android and iOS app. You cash out through PayPal, direct transfer, or free gift cards. Additionally, you only need $5 in your account balance to cash out, which is realistic to earn after completing several surveys.
Check out our Survey Junkie review for all the details.
2. InboxDollars
InboxDollars is another paid survey website that you can use to earn extra cash in your spare time. However, unlike Survey Junkie, InboxDollars offers more than surveys, and lets you earn by:
- Playing online games
- Using scratch-and-win tickets
- Answering polls and watching videos
- Earning cash back for shopping
- Trying coupon codes
There’s also a $5 sign-up bonus. You need $30 to cash out, but the variety of earning methods and sign-up bonus help you reach this requirement faster. Redemption options include PayPal or check.
If you want more earning options than Survey Junkie and Mistplay, InboxDollars’ Android or iOS app is definitely worth testing.
Check out our InboxDollars review for all the details.
3. Swagbucks
If you like InboxDollars’ variety of earning options, Swagbucks is another popular platform you can use to earn rewards in your spare time.
Swagbucks is one of the most recognizable companies in the space and pays out 7,000 free gift cards every day to members according to their website. With Swagbucks, you earn points by:
- Answering surveys and daily polls
- Playing games
- Downloading apps
- Shopping online
- Watching videos
- Searching the web
Surveys are the most consistent way to earn points, although Swagbucks has some lucrative cash-back rewards if you shop online at their partners.
You can download Swagbucks for Android and iOS or use the web version. Reward variety is also a perk, with options including PayPal, charitable donations, and gift cards to companies like Amazon, Walmart, Boston’s Pizza, Starbucks, and Best Buy.
You won’t become rich from this platform, but Swagbucks certainly has a variety of earning options to give you control over how you earn rewards. The platform also has a lower cash-out threshold than most competitors, which is nice for occasional users.
Check out our Swagbucks review for all the details.
4. Freecash
Freecash is a highly-rated app that pays legit cash when you complete offers on its platform.
With Freecash, you can get paid for a variety of tasks, including the following:
- Playing games
- Taking surveys
- Making deposits
- Signing up for apps
- Making purchases
The app is free to use. Once you sign up for an account with your email address, you’ll be able to skim through thousands of offers and use filters to find the ones that interest you most.
Freecash claims that most of its users make their first cashout within about 17 minutes.
Before you choose an offer, you can see the earning potential and popularity rating based on how many people have completed it.
When you’re ready to cash out, you can choose between PayPal, gift cards, bank transfers, or crypto payouts, making Freecash one of our top choices for earning with flexibility.
Cash-Back Apps
If you’re not getting paid to shop, you’re missing out on free money. With cash-back reward apps, you earn real money and gift cards for making everyday purchases through your smartphone.
5. Capital One Shopping
Capital One Shopping is a moneymaking app that’s a bit different than your average reward app.
Like Rakuten, Capital One Shopping has a powerful browser extension that automatically applies coupon codes at checkout to help you save money online. However, the Android and iOS apps are also nifty moneymaking tools to have in your back pocket.
In fact, the app is basically a mobile version of Capital One Shopping’s website. With the app, you can:
- Earn credits that are redeemable for free gift cards by purchasing from Capital One Shopping partners
- Capital One Shopping helps you find incredible deals at jaw-dropping prices
- Shop online through the app and apply coupon codes to save money
If you’re just looking for cash-back rewards, Rakuten is a better choice. However, if you’re shopping for a big-ticket item, Capital One Shopping’s price comparison tool can find massive savings. Plus, earning free gift cards is another perk.
Check out our Capital One Shopping review for all the details.
Capital One Shopping compensates us when you get the browser extension using the links provided.
6. Drop
Drop is a U.S. and Canadian reward app that’s a must-download for any frequent shopper.
With Drop, you earn free gift cards for shopping at brands you enjoy. To get started with Drop, simply:
- Download Drop for Android or iOS.
- Link the debit and credit cards you use for shopping to your Drop account.
- Search Drop for cash-back offers at brands and retailers you enjoy.
- Shop online or in-store for those offers with your linked card and earn Drop points.
You can redeem Drop points for gift cards once you reach $25, or 25,000 points. Gift card options include Amazon, Boston’s Pizza, Starbucks, Sephora, iTunes, Gap, and over a dozen other choices.
A $25 redemption requirement sounds steep, but many Drop offers pay 100 points or more for every dollar you spend. Drop also regularly updates offers for more chances to earn.
7. Rakuten
While Rakuten is best known for its money-saving browser extension, the Rakuten app is a free app that pays you cash rewards.
Like the web version, Rakuten’s app lets you shop online to earn cash back at thousands of retailers. Other perks of the app include:
- Earning cash back for Lyft rides
- In-store cash-back opportunities
- Getting 5% cash back at thousands of restaurants
Plus, Rakuten’s app also has mobile coupons to help you save more. Any cash back you earn is deposited in your Rakuten account. You get paid quarterly through check or PayPal as long as you have at least $5 in your balance.
Check out our Rakuten review for all the details.
8. Dosh
If you like apps like Drop but don’t enjoy preselecting offers before shopping to earn, Dosh is undoubtedly one of the best apps that pay.
Like Drop, you link your payment cards to Dosh to let the app track your spending. However, you don’t need to search for offers before shopping. Dosh pays you cash back whenever you shop at an eligible partner.
Because Dosh partners with hundreds of retailers, there’s no shortage of ways to earn. Shop at stores like Walmart, Macy’s, Domino’s, Sam’s Club, and Target and earn cash-back rewards automatically.
Dosh lets you withdraw your balance through PayPal, Venmo, or direct deposit once you reach $25. This takes longer to reach than Rakuten’s $5 minimum, but the process is completely passive.
Check out our Dosh app review for all the details.
9. Ibotta
If you want to save money on groceries and everyday essentials, Ibotta certainly deserves a download.
With Ibotta, you activate in-store and online rebates to earn cash back. Like other reward apps, you preselect the offers you’re shopping for before heading to the store.
When you’re done shopping, upload a receipt through the in-app scanner for proof of purchase. Ibotta also lets you link loyalty cards to certain stores which makes earning points automatic.
Ibotta works with hundreds of retailers, including:
- Kohl’s
- Walgreens
- Petsmart
- Walmart
- Staples
- Sears
Groceries and household products are Ibotta’s focus, but you can also earn cash back for buying electronics, clothing, cosmetics, and health and wellness products. You redeem your balance once you reach $20 through PayPal, Venmo, or various gift cards.
Check out our Ibotta review for all the details.
10. Fetch Rewards
Out of all the apps like Ibotta that exist, Fetch Rewards is probably the most beginner-friendly.
Unlike most grocery reward apps, Fetch Rewards doesn’t complicate shopping with pre-selecting rebates and meticulously building your grocery list. Instead, you shop for brands you like and upload your receipt to Fetch Rewards. If partner brands appear on your receipt, you earn points, no questions asked.
Fetch Rewards has dozens of brand partners, including:
- Aquafina
- Pepsi
- Maxwell House
- Cheerios
- Hershey’s
- Kraft
- Yoplait
Plus, Fetch Rewards also partners with personal care brands, beer companies, and baby products to help you save beyond groceries.
You only need 3,000 points, or $3, to redeem most gift card rewards. This means you can realistically earn rewards from a single grocery trip. Fetch Rewards lets you redeem gift cards to Amazon, Sephora, GameStop, Old Navy, Staples, Dunkin’ Donuts, and dozens of other retailers.
Check out our Fetch Rewards review for all the details.
11. Upside
When it comes to apps that help you save on gas, it’s hard to beat Upside. With Upside, you can find cheap gas stations in your area and also save up to $0.25 per gallon at popular stations like:
- BP
- Circle K
- Exxon
- Mobil
- Shell
- Speedway
- Valero
To earn cash back, you claim gas offers in the Upside app. After you claim an offer, you have up to four hours to fill up and up to 24 hours to submit a picture of your receipt for proof of purchase. Cash back appears in your Upside account.
You can also claim cash-back offers at smaller grocery chains like Cardenas Market, Carlie C’s IGA, and Streets Market. Additionally, Upside is adding restaurant partners, so you can earn rewards for eating at Dunkin’, Burger King, Qdoba, Popeyes, and Wendy’s.
Earning cash back for groceries and fast food is the same as claiming and submitting gas offers. However, you have up to 24 hours to shop for groceries and up to four hours to head to the restaurant after claiming those offers.
You can redeem cash back for free gift cards to retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Starbucks, and Target once you earn $10. You can cash out sooner with PayPal or direct deposit, but there’s a $1 fee for PayPal redemptions under $15 and a $1 fee for direct deposit redemptions under $10.
Upside lets you stack savings from coupons and even various cash-back credit cards or gas credit cards. But doing so can reduce your Upside cash-back earnings to account for savings from the other promotion, so it’s not always possible to double-dip on rewards.
Regardless, Upside is still one of the best apps that pay you for buying gas, and the addition of grocery and restaurant rewards is the cherry on top.
12. ReceiptPal
While you’re saving your receipts for Ibotta and Fetch Rewards, you should also add ReceiptPal to your list of moneymaking apps.
ReceiptPal is another app that lets you upload receipts for free gift cards and weekly sweepstake opportunities. Once you create an account, you get three points cards to complete each week.
Uploading four receipts using ReceitPal’s app completes a points card. You earn 100 points for every card you complete, which is worth about $0.25.
Ultimately, ReceiptPal only makes a few dollars per month unless you get lucky and win a cash giveaway, which is usually a few hundred dollars.
However, almost any type of receipt is eligible for progress toward a points card. If you use other apps that pay you for scanning receipts, you should incorporate ReceiptPal into the mix to maximize your earnings.
Gig-Based Apps
According to a study by the Upwork and Freelancers Union, 57 million Americans make money freelancing. With improving technology and the rise of the gig economy, it’s unsurprising that so many workers rely on gig jobs to make some or all of their income.
If you’re willing to put in physical effort, the gig economy is one of the fastest and most lucrative ways to start a side hustle.
13. DoorDash
If you have a vehicle or bike, one high-paying gig job you can try is delivering food for DoorDash.
These days, food delivery apps are immensely popular. DoorDash isn’t an exception, and with over 250,000 restaurants across more than 300 cities, there’s plenty of opportunity to make money as a DoorDash courier.
To work for DoorDash, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old and have a Social Security number
- Have access to a motorized or non-motorized vehicle with legally mandated insurance coverage
- Have a driver’s license and insurance
If DoorDash accepts your application, you receive an at-home activation kit that includes an orientation manual, a food delivery bag, and the card you use to pay for the meals you deliver. Once you complete a W-9 tax form and activate your payment card, you’re ready to fire up the app to accept and complete deliveries in your area.
You can earn bonus pay for delivering during busier periods. You keep 100% of tips, so there’s variability in hourly earnings based on your market, luck, and customer service skills.
Ultimately, DoorDash is one of the most reliable food delivery side hustles you can try due to its market coverage. If you have a bike, you can also cut out fuel costs and get some exercise while working.
Check out our DoorDash driver review for all the details.
14. Shipt
Shipt is a similar gig job to DoorDash, only for groceries. If you’re at least 18, have a vehicle that’s relatively new, and don’t mind grocery shopping, becoming a Shipt shopper is another effective way to boost your monthly income.
As a Shipt Shopper, you’re responsible for every step in grocery shopping, from picking out products to delivering groceries to the customer’s doorstep. Like DoorDash, you review and accept delivery requests from the mobile app. This lets you control when and how you work, so you’re never forced to work specific shifts or drive farther than you want to.
Grocery orders can include special requests and substitution preferences in case the grocery store is out of a product. The app also lets you message customers in case you need clarification. Ultimately, there’s a bit more customer service involvement with Shipt than with delivery apps like DoorDash.
However, the pay reflects this extra effort. Shipt states shoppers earn up to $22 or more for delivering groceries. Indeed states that shoppers make about $14 per hour on average — plus you keep 100% of your tips.
Actual payment per delivery depends on how difficult a delivery is, the distance to the customer, and whether you get a tip. However, Shipt generally pays more than minimum wage and has lenient hiring requirements.
Check out our Shipt shopper review for all the details.
15. Instacart
Like Shipt, Instacart is another app-based side hustle that involves groceries. However, unlike Shipt, there are actually two ways you can make money with Instacart:
- In-store shoppers. These are W-2 employees of Instacart who work inside partner grocery stores and assemble orders for delivery. These employees never leave the store, make at least minimum wage, and can work a maximum of 29 hours per week.
- Full-service shoppers. These are independent contractors who accept grocery orders through Instacart’s app and then assemble and deliver grocery orders to the customer’s doorstep. The only time full-service shoppers don’t shop for groceries is if they work with an in-store shopper who assembles the order.
As a full-service shopper, you set your own schedule. Additionally, your pay varies based on delivery distance, order difficulty, and tips, but Instacart ensures a $10 minimum payout per delivery.
According to Glassdoor, full-service shoppers earn $19 per hour on average, or close to $40,000 per year. If Shipt is available in your city, it’s likely a higher-paying side hustle. However, Instacart has a wider coverage, and you can also apply for a W-2 position if you want a part-time job that pays well.
Check out our Instacart shopper review for all the details.
16. Uber or Lyft
Another straightforward category of apps that pay you are ridesharing apps like Uber and Lyft.
Requirements vary between companies and cities. However, if you have insurance, a reliable vehicle that’s 15 years old or newer, and a clean criminal background and driving record, you’ll meet most of the criteria to be eligible to drive for both companies.
It’s difficult to estimate earnings for both ridesharing companies because your market, driving ability, fuel efficiency, and competition with other drivers impact pay. With Uber, you have the flexibility to earn more during peak driver-demand times with Surge and Boost pricing, while Lyft has a longstanding reputation as more driver-friendly overall.
If you decide to drive for a ridesharing app, just remember to track your mileage and business expenses because this can impact your tax return if you deduct any expenses.
Learn More About Driving With Uber
Apps That Pay You With Cash and Stocks
Most money-making apps pay you with free gift cards or small amounts of PayPal cash. This is a fast way to earn rewards, but once you spend your gift card or money, it’s gone for good.
With certain investment apps, you can actually get free stocks and cash to begin building your nest egg. If you want to work towards a bright financial future, this category of apps that pay you is the best option.
17. Acorns
Cash Bonus: For a limited time, Acorns is offering a $10 bonus when you sign up for an Acorns account and complete qualifying activities.
Acorns is a micro-investing app that’s one of the simplest ways for people to begin investing.
Micro-investing involves regularly investing small amounts of money rather than lump sums. This might mean investing $50 to $100 from every paycheck into stocks or even buying fractional shares every week of various companies.
Acorns helps you with micro-investing by rounding up spare change when you make a purchase and investing the money for you. For example, if you spend $5.25 on a sandwich, Acorns rounds your purchase up to $6 and invests the additional $0.75 automatically.
This might sound inconsequential, but Acorns helps beginner investors build good habits. Plus, Acorns invests in a variety of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that match your risk tolerance, so you can choose portfolios with a higher concentration of bonds or stocks.
Acorns also lets you earn cash back by shopping at certain partners with its Found Money program. There are over 350 eligible companies, including Kohl’s, Macy’s, Old Navy, and Walmart. Acorns invests cash back you earn automatically like your spare-change roundups.
Acorns’ basic plan costs $3 per month. This lets you earn Found Money, round up spare change to invest, invest in various IRAs, and open an Acorns checking account. Plus, you also get a $10 bonus investment if you create a new account and deposit at least $5.
Check out our Acorns review for all the details.
18. Robinhood
Another app that pays you with free stocks and lets you begin investing is Robinhood.
Like other popular online brokerages, Robinhood offers commission-free trading and lets you invest in stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrency. You can also invest in fractional shares, which isn’t a given at some other low-cost online brokerages.
Robinhood lets you manage your entire portfolio from its intuitive mobile app, so it’s a straightforward way for beginners to start investing.
Additionally, you can also earn up to $225 in free stock for opening a new Robinhood brokerage account. Robinhood states most stocks awarded this way are between $2.50 and $10 in value. But if you want to start investing, you should take advantage of brokerage account promotions to get as much free money as possible.
The main downside of Robinhood is that it offers a taxable brokerage account but doesn’t offer IRAs. If you want to invest in an IRA, stick with brokers like Webull or M1 Finance, two other popular online brokers.
19. SoFi
If you want a comprehensive app to manage your finances and the chance to win $1,000 in free stock, SoFi is for you.
Unlike most mobile-focused investing platforms, SoFi goes beyond just investing in a taxable brokerage account. In fact, SoFi services include:
- Student loan refinancing
- Personal loans
- Student loans
- Mortgage loans
- A SoFi credit card
- Life insurance
- Homeowners and renters insurance
- Auto insurance
- Active and automatic investing
SoFi is particularly known for its investing services. The commission-free platform lets you invest through its mobile app in stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies, and fractional shares.
SoFi also has a robo-advisor service that automates your investing to match your risk tolerance. Unlike most robo-advisors, SoFi’s service charges 0% in annual management fees.
But if you prefer active investing, you have the chance to win up to $1,000 in free stock for opening a new SoFi Active Invest account. All you have to do is open a new account and play the SoFi Invest Claw Game. Like an arcade claw game, you pick a mystery box that contains your prize, except you win between $5 and $1,000 in free stock.
Ultimately, SoFi is a robust personal finance app that helps you work towards your long-term financial goals, like starting to invest or getting out of debt. With the promotion, it’s also the perfect time to open a SoFi Active Investing account and to start investing regularly.
Check out our SoFi review for all the details.
20. Webull
Webull is a commission-free online stock broker that lets you invest in stocks, options, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies. With various research tools, a stock screener, and commission-free trading, Webull has quickly grown in popularity over the past several years.
You can open a cash or margin account, and Webull also supports traditional, Roth, and Rollover IRAs.
But Webull isn’t just for investors with experience who want to use its research tools. Thanks to Webull’s sign-up bonuses, beginner investors can get a nice free stock bonus by joining Webull. But offer amounts and terms change frequently, so check Webull’s current offer using the links above or below before counting your earnings.
Webull’s also an excellent online stock broker because it’s commission-free, so you can continue using the platform to invest in various stocks and ETFs to keep growing your wealth.
Apps That Pay You to Walk
If you want to make money with apps but don’t want to spend time answering surveys or playing games, you might think you’re out of luck.
However, thanks to apps that pay you for walking, you can now turn your smartphone into a nifty source of passive income while getting your steps in.
21. HealthyWage
HealthyWage is a weight loss challenge app that pays you for betting on yourself to get in better shape. If you want to be more active but need an incentive to keep you on track, HealthyWage is the motivational boost you’re looking for.
Making money with HealthyWage takes four steps:
- Calculate Prize. Use HealthyWage’s calculator to set a weight loss goal, time frame, and financial bet. You earn more for losing more weight and betting more money on yourself to reach your goal. A $100 bet and 10% weight loss goal are minimum requirements. You also have between six and 18 months to lose the weight.
- Place Bet. Enter your payment information once you decide your weight loss goal and bet.
- Verify Weight. Use HealthyWage’s Android or iOS app to submit a weigh-in video that verifies your starting weight.
- Lose Weight. You win your initial bet plus interest for reaching your weight loss goal within the time frame of your bet. You use HealthyWage’s app to submit a final video as proof you lost weight.
Factors like your height, gender, starting weight, and age also influence how much you earn for completing a challenge. However, many challenges pay around 7% or more in interest for winning. Depending on how much you bet on yourself, this could be a few hundred dollars over the course of a months-long challenge.
If you’re on a tight budget, don’t risk your money on a weight loss challenge. However, if you want a fun, lucrative challenge that encourages a healthy lifestyle, HealthyWage is for you.
Check out our HealthyWage review for all the details.
22. StepBet
If you like HealthyWage’s betting model but don’t want to focus on losing weight, StepBet is the perfect alternative.
With StepBet, you join a game with other StepBet members and compete to reach a weekly step goal. Most games last six weeks and have a $40 buy-in, which is where the betting component comes in.
If you reach your weekly step goal every week, you split the prize pool with the remaining players at the end of a challenge. If you miss a week, you’re out of the competition and lose your money. Ultimately, this provides a low-risk yet fun way to get your daily exercise and potentially earn some grocery money.
The best part about StepBet is that weekly goals are more personal, making challenges more realistic. StepBet connects to a variety of fitness devices, Apple Health, and Google Fit to calculate your step goal based on your previous exercise levels.
StepBet doesn’t pay as much as HealthyWage on average. However, when you consider the health benefits of walking every day and the low bet requirement, there’s no harm in trying out a StepBet challenge.
23. Rover
If you’re an animal lover, Rover is one of the best apps that pays you while encouraging you to be more active.
Rover connects dog owners with Rover gig workers who want to get paid to help with pet care. On Rover, services include:
- Boarding
- Housesitting
- Drop-in visits
- Dog walking
Dog boarding and housesitting are the most common and highest-paying gigs. However, according to Indeed, Rover walkers still earn over $20 per hour.
Plus, making money with Rover is straightforward. Once you create a free account and complete your profile, you list the size of dogs you want to care for and what dates you’re available. You also set your own prices and the services you offer, giving you complete control.
Rover protects workers with up to $1 million in liability insurance, and you get paid within two days of completing a job. If you want a flexible side gig and love animals, apply to Rover and start your own pet care side hustle.
Passive Income Apps
Most smartphone apps that pay you money require effort. If you’re a busy person and just want to relax at the end of the workday without worrying about making money on your phone, these apps aren’t for you.
However, with passive income apps, you can still turn your smartphone into a humble source of extra cash. These apps don’t usually pay very much, but scoring the occasional free gift card is always nice.
24. Neighbor.com
Got a spare bedroom you’re not using? Extra space in your garage? An under-utilized shed? An extra parking spot (or more) on your driveway?
Neighbor.com can help you squeeze some money out of it — potentially hundreds or even thousands per year, depending on what you can offer. Think of Neighbor.com as Airbnb for other people’s stuff, without the awkward guest interactions or post-checkout clean-up.
And with a $1 million host liability policy and $25,000 in renter coverage, you can sleep easy knowing their stuff and your place is protected. Secure, automated monthly payments reduce the hassle of collecting what’s yours, and communicating with renters is as easy as firing off a text.
25. MobileXpression
MobileXpression is a market research app that pays you for sharing how you use the Internet. This might sound suspicious, but MobileXpression is actually owned by Comscore, a legitimate company that measures Internet rankings and provides insights on digital consumer trends.
MobileXpression is available on Android and iOS. Once you install the app, you grant permission for it to run in the background. You earn two credits every week it runs, and 15 credits equal $10. You can redeem credits for gift cards to popular companies like Amazon, Best Buy, and Starbucks.
MobileXpression won’t earn hundreds of dollars per year. However, if you want a free $10 gift card every two months, the app is worth downloading.
26. Nielsen Panel
Nielsen is another leading market research company that’s best known for its Nielsen TV ratings. However, Nielsen is also interested in measuring how consumers use the Internet and has created a computer and mobile panel to pay you for your data.
According to Nielsen, the panel “combines your unique Internet usage with people like you to build a picture of Internet behavior.” In exchange for sharing data, you earn credits that are redeemable for free gift cards to retailers like Target and Starbucks.
You register specific devices to the program once you create an account. If you register at least one mobile device you earn up to $60 per year. Registering a computer earns sweepstake entries, and Neilsen gives away $10,000 per month to members.
If you’re comfortable sharing your data, adding a mobile device to Neilsen’s panel is another way to turn your phone into a passive income source.
27. Mode Mobile
Current Rewards has thousands of free radio stations available for online and offline listening. As you listen to songs and occasional advertisements, you earn points. Points are redeemable for a variety of gift cards, PayPal cash, and charitable donations.
Mode Mobile is a newer app, formerly known as Current Rewards, that pays you for listening to music. You can also answer surveys, play games, and watch videos to make money, but music is certainly where Mode Mobile differentiates itself.
Mode Mobile claims you can earn up to $1,200 per year when you take full advantage of all passive income opportunities. This is unlikely for most users who listen to music only because you generally earn just $0.01 to $0.02 per song. However, for serious music lovers, this app can turn into a fun source of passive income and help you discover new hits.
Mystery Shopping Apps
Another category of apps that pay you is mystery shopping apps.
In the past, companies would hire secret shoppers in person and have them review restaurants and businesses to rate customer service and their overall experience.
However, thanks to technology, you can now find work as a secret shopper using your smartphone if you know where to look.
28. Shopkick
Shopkick is a mix between a mystery shopping gig and a rewards app. Once you download the app for Android or iOS, Shopkick lets you earn kicks, the in-app currency, by completing a variety of tasks like:
- Walking into stores
- Finding specific products and scanning their barcodes
- Shopping with a linked credit or debit card
- Uploading receipts
- Shopping online through the app
- Watching videos
Walking into stores and searching for specific products to check whether they’re in stock is a common type of mystery shopping job. However, Shopkick’s variety means you can choose the earning methods that best suit your shopping habits.
Kicks are redeemable for gift card rewards or PayPal cash. Shopkick won’t replace your day job, but if you do some of the shopping for your household, you might as well earn rewards in the process.
29. Field Agent
If you want a more traditional mystery shopping app, Field Agent is the best choice. With over 1 million secret shoppers in seven countries, there’s no denying that Field Agent is incredibly popular.
The best part about Field Agent is that it makes finding mystery shopping work simple. Field Agent’s app displays mystery shopping gigs in your area, the rules for completing them, and how much they pay.
Typically, Field Agent tasks involve:
- Mystery shopping. Visit stores and complete tasks like checking whether products are in stock and rating customer service.
- Store audits. Take photos of displays and products on shelves.
- Buy and try. Field Agent occasionally pays you for buying a product or going to a restaurant and giving feedback.
Most gigs pay a few dollars. Field Agent doesn’t have a minimum payment requirement and pays shoppers through direct deposit or PayPal.
Like Shopkick, Field Agent won’t replace your day job. However, for some fun pocket money and the occasional free meal or merchandise, it’s the perfect mystery shopping app.
30. Mobee
Mobee is another mystery shopping company that’s almost identical to Field Agent. With the Mobee Android or iOS app, you find local mystery shopping opportunities and get paid for providing your insights.
Mobee tasks typically include taking photos of store displays, answering surveys about your experience, and rating customer service.
Every gig you complete pays points that are redeemable for gift cards to companies like Amazon, Target, Starbucks, and Domino’s.
Like Field Agent, Mobee gigs usually pay a few dollars at most. However, if you find mystery shopping work nearby or while you’re already out shopping, it’s a fast way to earn extra cash without going out of your way.
Apps for Selling Stuff
In the past, if you sold something online, you probably used websites like Craigslist or eBay to find buyers.
While these platforms still work, there’s actually a variety of apps you can use to sell stuff to online and local buyers alike. If you want to turn your clutter into cash, this category of apps that pay provides the perfect solution.
31. Mercari
Mercari is an online marketplace that lets you sell almost anything right from your smartphone. Once you create a free Mercari account, you can start selling new and used products to buyers across the United States.
Selling on Mercari is also quick and free. To get started:
- Download the app for Android or iOS.
- Take a few photos of what you’re selling.
- Write a title and description for your listing.
- Set your price.
Buyers pay for shipping on Mercari, which is a plus for sellers. Sellers also get protection of up to $200 for loss or damage during transit.
Mercari charges sellers 10% per sale in exchange for using their platform (subject to change). You also pay a 2.9% plus $0.30 payment processing fee (also subject to change). However, the range of categories and massive user base make Mercari one of the best options to make money selling stuff you own.
32. Poshmark
When it comes to selling clothing for cash, Poshmark is one of the most popular marketplaces. Poshmark has millions of users and dozens of popular brands available at any given time. Plus, listing apparel and accessories for sale on Poshmark is as fast as Mercari.
To create a listing, you:
- Download Poshmark for Android or iOS
- Take photos of what you’re selling
- Add a description, title, and price
Listing is free and Poshmark lets you print a prepaid shipping label when you make a sale. There’s a $2.95 fee for sales under $15, subject to change. Poshmark takes 20% for sales over $15, also subject to change. Either way, Poshmark provides a fast and reliable way to sell clothing right from your smartphone.
33. Decluttr
If you want to sell your old phone for cash or get rid of other electronics, Decluttr is one of the most reliable websites you can use.
Decluttr lets you sell laptops, phones, DVDs, books, consoles, Kindle readers, and tablets. To start selling, download the app for Android or iOS and scan the barcode of the item you’re selling. You can also search for the item you want to sell using Decluttr’s database. You’ll enter information about your product’s condition to get an offer price.
As long as Decluttr accepts your item once they inspect it for damages and defects, you get paid. However, Decluttr states they dispose of products that fail their quality assurance inspection rather than return them to you.
If you accept the price, you get a printable, prepaid UPS shipping label. Once Decluttr receives and assesses your shipment, you get paid the next day. You can choose check, direct deposit, or PayPal for payment.
Decluttr has paid more than $400 million to sellers so far. If you’re on a digital detox or purging your house of unused electronics, Decluttr is an excellent app to make some extra cash.
Final Word
It’s safe to say that technology continues to open doors for people to improve their financial situation. Thanks to technology, it’s now possible to work remotely, start an online side hustle, and even use apps to make money.
Granted, many moneymaking apps and side businesses won’t replace your full-time income. Stick to gig and selling apps if you want the highest income potential. For a more casual side gig, the other categories of apps are an excellent fit.
However, if you’re currently living paycheck to paycheck or just want to boost your monthly income, there’s no harm in trying something new.
