Wondering which money-making apps are actually worth your time? We’ve personally tested dozens of the most popular options to find the ones that pay the most and pay fast. Every app on this list is vetted for earning potential, ease of use, and company reputation.
Quick Wins: Our Favorite Money-Making Apps
These are the apps we recommend starting with based on payout speed, earning potential, and ease of use.
| App | Quick Win |
| Branded Surveys | Take short surveys and cash out at $5. |
| Facebook Marketplace | Sell unused items fast for quick cash. |
| Fiverr | List freelance gigs and earn up to $100/hour. |
| Freecash | Play games and earn an average of $19.52/day. |
| Ibotta | Stack grocery rewards and claim a $5 bonus. |
| Rakuten | Get up to 40% cash back and a welcome bonus. |
| Swagbucks | Complete tasks, get a $10 bonus, and cash out often. |
| TikTok | Join the TikTok Shop Creator Program and earn by selling products in short-form videos. |
Note: App data last updated on April 23, 2025. We test these apps regularly using iOS devices in the U.S., and update our earnings estimates based on hundreds of hours of hands-on use. For full breakdowns, see our linked reviews below.
Quick Cash Apps (Fastest Payouts)
To create this list of the best side cash apps, we tested the top survey apps, best cash-back apps and gaming apps that pay.
#1. Branded Surveys
| Our rating: | 4.2/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.5/5 with 9,952 reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 4.3/5 with 9,686 reviews |
| Availability: | United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom |
| What we earned: | We earned $5.06 in 2h 18m (~$2.20/hr) — low pay (typical for surveys), but Branded is stable, consistent, and pays reliably (unlike many platforms). |
| Learn more: | Branded Surveys Review |
Branded Surveys is a highly-reputable survey platform that’s been around since 2012 and has paid out more than $38 million to its users.
What makes Branded Surveys stand out is its large inventory of available surveys, which generally take 5 to 15 minutes each and can pay up to $5.
The downside to Branded Surveys in our testing was the high disqualification rate. You may not qualify for all surveys available on the platform, or you may get kicked out after answering a few questions because you don’t fit the demographic.
Minimum withdrawal: You can cash out once you’ve earned $5, with available options including PayPal, bank transfer or gift cards (including Amazon).
#2. Swagbucks
| Our rating: | 4.8/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.4/5 with 142,284 reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 4.5/5 with 367,006 reviews |
| Availability: | United States, Canada, most of Central America, South America, Europe and Asia |
| What we earned: | We earned $1,370 over five years (~$20/hr) — top payouts came from signup offers and cashback deals, not surveys or games. |
| Learn more: | Swagbucks review |
Swagbucks is a reader and personal favorite for good reason: while you can take surveys, there are also several other simple tasks you can do to make money, such as watching videos, playing games and getting cash back for shopping online.
While Swagbucks is a solid survey platform, its wide variety of tasks and generous $10 sign-up bonus make it one of our favorite overall money making apps.
Minimum withdrawal: There’s technically no minimum to cash out, but most reward options start at $3 (including PayPal cash and select gift cards).
#3. Freecash
| Our rating: | 4.2/5 |
| iOS rating: | N/A (Mobile website available) |
| Google Play rating | 4.2/5 with 151,345 reviews |
| Availability: | U.S., Canada, and the U.K. |
| What we earned: | We earned $31.35 in our first week (~$11.35 net after a $20 offer) — strong sign-up offers, plus solid game payouts (just watch for in-game upsells that can eat into profits). |
| Learn more: | Freecash Review |
Freecash is a comprehensive rewards platform that offers various opportunities but primarily specializes in games.
There are free and paid games where you can earn Freecash Coins, which can be exchanged for cash.
According to the website, the most active users reported an average daily earning of $19.52.
Game selection starts limited but expands as you play.
Game options right now include Monopoly Go and Family Island.
While there is only an Android app, there are both iOS and Android games you can access after signing up via their website.
Minimum withdrawal: $5. Options include PayPal, cryptocurrency, and gift cards.
#4. Survey Junkie
| Our rating: | 4.2/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.5/5 with 81,252 reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 4.3/5 with 102,438 reviews |
| Availability: | United States, Canada and Australia |
| What we earned: | We earned $3.75/hr — not high, but among the best survey sites for reliability, ease of use, and steady availability; pairs well with Branded for survey seekers. |
| Learn more: | Survey Junkie review |
Survey Junkie is a top market research company with over 10 million members, high user ratings, an “Excellent” Trustpilot score, and a low $5 cash-out minimum.
It stands out for its large inventory of surveys, allowing for flexible earning opportunities.
Although there’s no sign-up bonus, new users can complete high-value tasks like profile surveys and watching a video to quickly reach the $5 minimum payout.
Minimum withdrawal: 500 points gets you a $5 transfer to your PayPal account, or you can redeem these reward points for gift cards.
#5. Rakuten
| Our rating: | 4.5/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.8/5 with 360,592 reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 3.5/5 with 72,800 reviews |
| Availability: | United States, France, Germany, Spain, Ukraine and the United Kingdom |
| What we earned: | We’ve earned over $1,000 since 2019 (not including referrals) — high tracking accuracy and generous sign-up bonuses ($30–$50, even within your household) make this one of the easiest cash-back apps to win with. |
| Learn more: | Rakuten review |
Rakuten is a top-rated app that offers up to 40% cash-back at more than 3,500 partnered merchants. Simply search for the retailer in the app, click the link, and shop as usual.
For in-store purchases, link your card and activate cash-back offers before checking out.
Minimum withdrawal: $5, but note that payments are not available on-demand. Your cash-back will be paid automatically every three months via your choice of PayPal, paper check or American Express rewards points.
#6. Upside
| Our rating: | 4.5/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.8/5 with 597,456 reviews |
| Google Play rating | 4.6/5 with 401,369 reviews |
| Availability: | United States only |
| What we earned: | $100+ lifetime, most of it from the last few months of regular use. Gas averages about 11 cents per gallon back. Grocery and restaurant offers have gotten much stronger since we first tested the app in 2021. |
| Learn more: | Upside review |
Upside pays cash back on gas, groceries and restaurants. Gas is still the core — I’ve seen offers as high as 25 cents per gallon and as low as a penny.
But grocery and restaurant offers are now worth paying attention to.
Fresh Market near me consistently pays over 10% back on groceries, and restaurant offers of 5% to 25% back show up regularly. Most offers have a per-visit cap. I’ve seen $10 to $15 depending on the merchant and category.
Where Upside gets interesting is stacking.
You can combine it with product-level apps like Ibotta and a rewards credit card on the same transaction — three layers of cash back for about 30 seconds of extra effort.
You can also use gas station loyalty cards alongside Upside, though your per-gallon rate may be reduced.
Minimum withdrawal: Bank transfers start at $1.01. A $1 fee applies to bank cash-outs under $10, while cash-outs of $10 or more are fee-free. Gift cards have no cash-out fee, though minimum redemption amounts may vary by store.
#7. Fetch Rewards
| Our rating: | 4.1/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.7/5 with 6.2 million reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 4.6/5 with 1.34 million reviews |
| Availability: | United States only |
| What we earned: | In two weeks, we earned 2,502 points ($2.50), mostly from a bonus. Over 10 months, uploading 252 receipts and spending $10,661 earned just $14.45. Passive use yields little, but stacking with apps like Ibotta and targeting bonus offers can boost your rewards. |
| Learn more: | Fetch Rewards review |
Unlike many receipt scanning apps, Fetch Rewards works at any store. There are no barcodes to scan or coupons to clip, and you don’t have to buy specific products to earn points.
The big downside to Fetch is that each receipt only pays a few cents. However, you’ll get bonus points for buying sponsored items, and these are often common household products that you may be buying anyway.
Minimum withdrawal: 3,000 points gets you a $3 gift card.
#8. Rakuten Insight
| Our rating: | 4.5/5 |
| iOS rating: | 2.3/5 with 32 reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 3.3/5 with 556 reviews |
| Availability: | United States, France, United Kingdom and most of Asia |
| What we earned: | We earned $4.01 from 13 surveys in a month — about $9.62 per hour. While high-paying, survey availability was low, and others report mixed results. Worth trying, but not ideal as your only survey site. |
| Learn more: | Rakuten Insight review |
Rakuten Insight is a paid survey app from the company behind Rakuten, the most well-known cash-back shopping portal in the United States.
We earned $9.62 per hour during our testing period, making this one of the best-paying survey apps we’ve reviewed.
The downside to Rakuten Insight is that the number of available surveys is limited compared to bigger platforms like Survey Junkie.
Still, the above-average pay makes this a great option when you’re thinking about giving paid surveys a shot.
Minimum withdrawal: $5 to cash-out via PayPal.
#9. SurveyMonkey Rewards
| Our rating: | 4.5/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.7/5 with 19,250 reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 4.4/5 with 10,989 reviews |
| Availability: | United States only |
| What we earned: | We earned $5.20 in one month from nine surveys, with a per-hour rate of $13.56 — one of the highest we’ve seen. The app is great for short, well-paying surveys, but low availability limits overall earnings. |
| Learn more: | SurveyMonkey Rewards review |
SurveyMonkey, which is widely used by numerous businesses for gathering customer feedback, also offers a lesser-known rewards app.
In our testing, we earned an impressive $13.56 per hour (significantly above the survey app average).
The platform’s surveys are typically brief, taking just 2-3 minutes to finish. However, survey availability is limited; we received only nine opportunities during a month-long test.
Despite this, we reached the $5 cash-out minimum with minimal time and effort.
Minimum withdrawal: You must earn a minimum of $5 to redeem rewards. Amazon gift cards or a contribution to charity are the only redemption options.
Download SurveyMonkey Rewards.
#10. KashKick
| Our rating: | 3.5/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.5/5 with 16,263 reviews |
| Google Play rating | 4.5/5 with 31,156 reviews |
| Availability: | United States only |
| What we earned: | We earned $0.90 per hour from surveys — among the lowest we’ve tested. While not great for surveys, KashKick stands out for its high-paying offers and games, making it worth exploring if you’re stacking rewards across multiple platforms. |
| Learn more: | KashKick Review |
KashKick functions similarly to other reward apps like Swagbucks in that it offers a range of ways to earn money.
When we tested the platform, we found that taking surveys on KashKick only pays about $1 per hour on average, so it’s not worth your time.
However, KashKick does provide some unique money-making offers that are worth checking out.
For example, we found an offer allowing users to earn $300 from KashKick for buying a $100 annual LifeLock subscription (which can be canceled after the first year). In other words, you can net an easy profit of $200.
KashKick also offers games. We found that KashKick games provide higher payouts than on competing platforms (such as Mistplay), but they usually require that you reach the designated milestones faster in order to earn (e.g., 7 days instead of 14 days).
While that aggressive timeline may not work for everyone, KashKick’s games could be worthwhile if you have the time to commit.
Minimum withdrawal: $10 minimum via PayPal.
Note: Two other apps in the rewards space are MyPoints and InboxDollars, both owned by the same company as Swagbucks and offering very similar functionality. While they’re solid options, we left them off our best-of list because once you start downloading multiple rewards apps that pay on the same offers, returns begin to diminish. Swagbucks, KashKick, and Freecash made the cut because between the three, it’s rare not to find a best-in-class offer — making them more than enough for most users.
#11. Kudos
| Our rating: | 4.5/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.8/5 with8,418 reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 3.2/5 with 282 reviews |
| Availability: | United States only |
| What we earned: | Earn up to 100% of the cashback a site is paying — making it best-in-class for reward rates. We earned a $20 sign-up bonus during testing. |
| Learn more: | Kudos Review |
Kudos is a standout cash-back app and browser extension that gives you 100% of the referral fee merchants pay — plus your normal credit card rewards. It also comes with a generous $20 sign-up bonus.
While it doesn’t always have the highest rates, that’s often due to limited-time promos on other sites like Rakuten. Syncing a credit card unlocks features like smart card suggestions, missed reward tracking, and personalized credit card recommendations. Kudos doesn’t sell your data and makes money through credit card approvals.
With a modern interface and helpful offline tracking tools, it’s a smart addition to any rewards stack.
Minimum withdrawal: $10 to cash out via Amazon gift card.
#12. Ibotta
| Our rating: | 4.5/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.8/5 with 1.9 million reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 4.6/5 with 701,000 reviews |
| Availability: | United States only |
| What we earned: | We earned $38.10 after seven trips — strong for groceries, with steady 20¢–$5 item rewards and occasional high-percent cash-back offers that added up quickly. |
| Learn more: | Ibotta review |
Ibotta is widely recognized as one of the best cash-back apps for groceries, but has expanded into local 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. Often, you’ll have to watch a 15-second video clip to have the money posted to your account.
Both my wife and I use the app, often stacking one of the many apps that are similar to Ibotta to double-dip on rewards. We’ve found the 30 seconds it takes to always be time well spent.
You can earn a $5 welcome bonus by signing up with our link and making a $15 purchase through the app.
Minimum withdrawal: $20 in cash transferred to Venmo or PayPal.
Gig Economy Apps (Work-Based Earning)
The gig and sharing economy has opened up dozens of legit earning opportunities that you can leverage with your smartphone, including on-demand delivery jobs, odd jobs and more.
Earnings shown are estimates based on reputable third-party sources, including company disclosures, driver forums, and independent reviews. We haven’t tested these firsthand but cross-referenced multiple data points to provide realistic expectations.
#13. DoorDash
| Our rating: | 4.0/5 |
| iOS Rating: | 4.7/5 with 2.44 million reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 4.4/5 with 459,000 reviews |
| Availability: | United States, Canada, Australia and Japan |
| Earnings expectations: | ~$10–$21/hr after expenses; maximize profit by tracking costs and working peak hours. |
| Learn more: | DoorDash delivery driver review |
DoorDash allows you to earn extra money by delivering restaurant take-out orders. You’ll need a car, bicycle or scooter, a driver’s license, and valid insurance to become a Dasher.
With DoorDash, you have the flexibility to schedule your shifts ahead of time or use DashNow, a feature only available during peak hours where no pre-scheduling is required.
That means you’ll have less scheduling flexibility than with UberEats (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).
Download the DoorDash driver app.
#14. Instacart
| Our rating: | 4.0/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.8/5 with 1.32 million reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 4.2/5 with 163,728 reviews |
| Earnings expectations: | $15–$20/hr (incl. tips). Net often lower than gross; efficient batching and high ratings can boost earnings. |
| Availability: | United States and Canada |
Instacart lets you earn money by shopping for and/or delivering groceries. Full-service Instacart shoppers both shop for and deliver items, but 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). Delivery drivers also get tips from customers.
#15. Fiverr
| Our rating: | 4.8/5 |
| iOS rating | 4.9/5 with 536,787 reviews |
| Google Play rating | 4.4/5 with 345,943 reviews |
| Countries Available | Worldwide |
| Earnings expectations: | Varies widely; $5–$100/hr+. Keep 80% of what you earn; strong profiles and repeat clients drive higher net income. |
| Learn more: | How to make money on Fiverr |
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.
#16. Uber
| Our rating: | 4.1/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.5/5 with 629,334 reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 4.6/5 with 4.82 million reviews |
| Earnings expectations: | $15–$20/hr net after costs; city, timing, and surge pricing make a big difference. |
| Availability: | Worldwide |
Uber gives you two ways to make money with a single app: ride-sharing as a driver or delivering takeout food orders with UberEats. And with over 100 million active monthly customers in 900+ cities, there’s plenty of demand to keep you busy.
Being a driver with Uber is the most famous side hustle in the world for a reason: Uber freelancers can earn solid money (earnings vary based on factors like location and demand), and you can work literally whenever 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.
UberEats 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.
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.
#17. Rover
| Our rating: | 4.4/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.9/5 with 466,359 reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 4.7/5 with 39,467 reviews |
| Earnings expectations: | $17–$20/hr (walks); $35–$75/night (sitting). Net depends on stacking services and client base; best results in high-demand neighborhoods. |
| Availability: | United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden |
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. Rover advertises that walkers can get paid up to $20 per hour.
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.
#18. Turo
| Our rating: | 4.5/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.8/5 with 257,393 reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 4.9/5 with 453,151 reviews |
| Availability: | United States, Canada and the United Kingdom |
| Earnings expectations: | $100s–$1,000s/mo. Net varies widely; profitability hinges on car value, demand, and controlling costs. |
| Learn more: | How much you can make on Turo |
Turo is a car sharing app that allows you to earn money by renting your vehicle.
The app works similarly to Airbnb in that you can list your car for rent and set your own price. Once a renter is found, they’ll contact you to arrange a time to pick up the car.
Alternatively, many Turo hosts use remote lock technology, giving renters access to the car without meeting in person. Theoretically, you can earn passively, as the app handles the entire transaction.
#19. Neighbor
| Our rating: | 4.4/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.7/5 with 8,064 reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 4.5/5 with 3,447 reviews |
| Availability | United States only |
| Earnings expectations: | $100–$400+/mo (avg. host) |
| Learn more: | Neighbor review |
Neighbor is 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, attic or basement.
While there is some work involved upfront — such as listing your space and connecting with clients — once the storage is set up, there’s very little work required on your part.
Investing & Passive Income Apps
When we think of money making apps, it’s all about turning minimal time, effort and resources into cash — all through your smartphone. A select few investment apps fall into this category, in that you can earn money without investing a lot of time or cash.
This may include being paid a sign-up bonus, getting free shares of stock, or having the ability to automatically invest your spare change.
We didn’t include earnings data here, as results can vary widely depending on what you invest in.
For more on how to get started, see our guide to investing.
#20. Acorns
| Our rating: | 4.1/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.7/5 with 919,000 reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 4.7/5 with 350,000 reviews |
| Availability: | United States only |
| Learn more: | NerdWallet’s Acorns review |
Acorns is a mobile app that automates investing through:
- Spare change investing. Acorns’ Round Ups feature sets aside the difference from your purchases (e.g., 80 cents from a $17.20 expense) and invests it into a mutual fund, helping you save and build an investment portfolio gradually.
- Acorns Earn. Partnering with hundreds of retailers, Acorns allows you to earn money when shopping at specific stores (up to 10% of the purchase amount) and adds it to your investment account.
By using Acorns Earn and investing spare change, you can build a substantial portfolio for retirement or generate side income.
#21. Public
| Our rating: | 4.3/5 |
| iOS rating: | 4.7/5 with 75,965 reviews |
| Google Play rating: | 4.2/5 with 49,303 reviews |
| Availability: | United States only |
| Learn more: | Public review |
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.
Creative or Niche Ways to Earn
From taking pictures of products at local retailers to achieving fitness goals, these apps don’t fit into one of the categories above but are still great for making extra money.
#22. TikTok (Shop)
| Our rating: | 4.8/5 |
| iOS rating: | Reviews are for the main TikTok app only, not TikTok Shop. |
| Google Play rating | Reviews are for the main TikTok app only, not TikTok Shop. |
| Availability: | Worldwide. |
| Earning expectations: | There’s serious earning potential here — top creators make over $100K/month, and many more earn $10K/month. It takes real work to build your skills and gain traction, but if you enjoy it, this is one of the most valuable income-generating skills you can learn. Stick with it. |
You may have noticed the fine print in viral TikToks that says “eligible for commission.” That’s TikTok Shop in action — and it’s quickly become one of the hottest trends in affiliate and product-based income.
Some of the top 0.1% of creators are earning over $100K/month promoting products via short-form videos. Popular niches include beauty, supplements, gadgets, and everyday household tech — categories that naturally lend themselves to impulsive purchases and quick demos.
For fun — and to improve my video skills — I started experimenting with TikTok Shop in 2025 so I could write more in-depth about it. In my first month, I posted about a dozen videos and earned around $12. It’s not much, but it shows you can start earning right away — and there’s plenty of room to grow from here.
TikTok Live is another fast-growing opportunity. Live creators can build their own version of a home shopping network, engaging directly with viewers while promoting products in real-time. This format has proven highly effective, especially during flash sales and exclusive promotions.
There are a few requirements to get started. For example, you’ll need at least 5,000 followers to apply to the TikTok Shop Creator Program. But for creators aiming to turn their phone into a full-time income stream, this is one of the most promising opportunities available today.
See our article on how to make money on TikTok for tips if you want to give it a try.
#23. Amazon (Influencer Program)
| Our rating: | 4.8/5 |
| iOS rating: | Reviews are for Amazon’s shopping app only |
| Google Play rating | Reviews are for Amazon’s shopping app only |
| Availability: | Worldwide |
| Earning expectations: | The Amazon Influencer Program can provide a solid stream of passive income once you’ve built up a library of product review videos. While results vary, many creators report earning $1,000/month or more with consistent effort — all without promoting their content. |
The Amazon Influencer program allows everyday people to make money by creating short product review videos.
While you’re free to promote your videos via social media to increase your earnings, what’s unique about this opportunity is that videos can be featured directly within Amazon listings. You then earn a commission whenever viewers watch your videos and make a purchase.
This is great news in that you don’t need a large social following to get started or do well.
To learn more, check out our article on the Amazon Influencer program.
#24. Facebook Marketplace and Other Selling Apps
Selling your stuff is one of the best ways to make money fast. Apps such as Facebook Marketplace (located in the Facebook app), Craigslist, and OfferUp are great for selling items locally.
eBay is best suited for selling items outside of your local area. While you have to ship the item, you can typically sell it for a higher price (as your group of potential buyers is greatly enhanced). This makes eBay ideal for collectibles and items that are in high demand (like iPhones).
Not sure what to sell? We did the research to find the best things to sell online.
#25. Facebook Content Monetization Program
Facebook’s Content Monetization program pays creators for public posts—including photos, text posts, Reels, and videos—based on how their content performs.
It’s not instant, and you don’t qualify right away, but for people willing to post consistently, it’s one of the most interesting phone-based income opportunities available right now.
I was accepted into Facebook Content Monetization on December 17, 2025.
My first day generated $12.92. Less than 30 days later, total earnings were $3,970.44, with daily results ranging from about $32 on the low end to nearly $488 on my best day. Earnings are uneven by nature and depend on which posts Facebook is actively distributing.
This can absolutely be done from your phone. While I personally use a desktop for planning, everything required—creating visuals, writing captions, posting text or photos, and checking earnings—can be handled on mobile using tools like Canva and Facebook’s Professional Dashboard.
The tradeoff is time. Approval can take weeks, and results come from original content, consistent posting, and real engagement, not quick hacks.
But there’s no startup cost, no product to build, and no funnel required. For creators who enjoy explaining ideas or sharing insights, this can evolve into a meaningful income stream.
Learn more: Read my full guide to Facebook Content Monetization, where I break down how it works, how to qualify, and what actually drives earnings—based on my early results.
Money Making Apps That Aren’t Worth Your Time
We found plenty of apps that didn’t make the cut. Here are some of the most popular, along with why they’re worth skipping. The links below will take you to our full review of each app, where you can learn more.
- ATM App. While it has an interesting premise — users can choose to match with brands and then get paid for interacting with them, in a form of “brand dating” — we found the earning potential to be very low.
- Capital One Shopping. We highly recommend this app based on our experience, as it has provided us with some of the most rewarding shopping credits. However, it doesn’t serve as a direct source of income since the rewards are given in the form of gift cards only. For a more detailed insight, check out our Capital One Shopping Review.
- Honeygain. This app does legitimately pay you for sharing your internet connection. However, the pay rate is so low it’s not worth the hassle of installing it.
- LifePoints. We found LifePoints to have an extremely high disqualification rate combined with a limited inventory of surveys. So while it’s a legit site that will pay you for your time, there are better options.
- Sweatcoin. You can only earn money by referring friends to Sweatcoin — not by walking, as advertised.
- Testerup: The company makes bold claims about how much you can earn, but when we tested the app, our earnings came out to less than $1 per hour. Plus, you have to reach $70 in order to cash-out.
- Zogo. This free app pays you for completing lessons about basic personal finance topics. We made an average of $6.07 per hour in our testing, but our earning rate declined quickly the more we used the app.
Money Making Apps FAQ
Yes, money making apps work. However, it’s important to have realistic expectations. In most cases, your earning potential will be relatively limited. It’s best to view these apps as tools you can use to make extra cash in your spare time, since most were not designed to generate anything close to a full-time income.
At the same time, there are some money making apps that can generate a substantial amount of money when used consistently. One example is the cash-back shopping category. If you’re reading this, you probably shop online. And if you’re not using a cash-back app like Swagbucks or Rakuten, you’re effectively paying more than you have to for everything you purchase. Depending on how much you spend online over the course of a year, apps like these may realistically save you hundreds of dollars.
And then there are gig economy apps like DoorDash and Uber, which are fantastic options when you’re looking for a part-time job or a side hustle. This category of money making apps obviously require real work, but it offers unmatched flexibility and pay that typically ranges from $15 to $25 when tips are factored in.
Selling apps, such as Facebook Marketplace and eBay, are your best bets for making money fast. Beyond selling, DoorDash and Uber 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 apps you’ll find.
Money making apps are generally safe, but there are some things to keep in mind before downloading them.
First, understand that virtually all money making apps collect some form of user data. This may include basic information like your demographics (age, location, etc.), but it may also include more personal data like your internet browsing habits.
If you’re concerned about data collection, make sure to read the app’s privacy policy. Of course, privacy policies are often written in legalese, so it’s a good idea to refer to the company’s FAQ or knowledge base to see if they provide clear and easy-to-understand details about what data is collected and how it is (or isn’t) used.
Another concern many people have is the safety of their financial information, such as bank login credentials or account details. Often, in order to get paid by a money making app, you’re required to provide a routing and checking number or link your bank account through a third-party provider like Plaid. Services like Plaid are generally considered secure, and we think you should be comfortable using them.
On the other hand, we’re not fans of manually providing our bank account details, because it’s not always clear how strong a given app’s security practices are. In cases like this, we recommend setting up a free online checking account that you use specifically for money making apps.
When you’re evaluating money-making 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 apps.
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.
– 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.
Best Money Making Apps: Final Thoughts
Our top priority when compiling this list was to make sure every app we included was both legitimate and worthwhile. There are many other apps out there, and while some of them work for some people, others just collect your data and waste your time without providing any real chance to cash-out your earnings.
Depending on your situation, they may or may not be worth looking into. But this list is the cream of the crop.
If you’re looking just for surveys, Branded Surveys is a great starting point.
Our favorite all-around rewards app is Swagbucks, thanks to the wide range of ways you can earn.
If you’re looking for a dedicated cash-back app, Rakuten is an ideal choice.
For the entrepreneurial minded, consider running a business you can operate 100% from your phone, such as getting started with the Amazon Influencer program or making money with TikTok Shop.
These types of opportunities can turn into lucrative side hustles, but they can take some time to get up and running.
I make about $10 per month with both HoneyGain and Pawns App. There are another 4 or 5 desktop apps that work in the same way and are profitable like ProxyRack and EarnApp. Pretty good list though.
This is one great list. I’ve been in this niche quite a long time and one thing I’ve learned is that there are so many opportunities out there, just have to choose one (or a few) and stick to it.
When it comes to apps, think that you’ll have to research a bit, then go to PlayStore/AppStore, search for relevant apps, back to google and search what people says about an app.