Reviews

Steady App Review: Can It Help You Find The Perfect Side Hustle?

Steady App Review
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When you’re searching for side hustles, work from home options and second sources of income, it can be hard to know where to start.

It’s not always clear which opportunities are worth your time, let alone which ones offer the best earning potential in your particular area. And sometimes, it can even be hard to spot the flat-out scams. 

Steady was created to solve these problems. The app features side gigs, part-time, full-time, flexible, and one-time job opportunities online and in your local area that are tailored to your schedule and your interests. 

The app (which is free to use) also shows you how to increase your earnings, find financial advice, and save money through special partner deals. 

In this Steady app review, we’ll go over all the details and show you exactly what you can expect from the service.

Our Take

Steady’s marketing focuses on its ability to help users reach their financial goals by finding “part-time, one-time or anytime work,” noting that more than 40% of Americans have more than one source of income.

To that end, the app’s implied purpose is to function as a hub that helps people find flexible and remote opportunities — like gig work and side hustles — that align with their goals and interests. 

But in our research for this review, we found that many of the jobs listed on Steady failed to fit that criteria. Each of the app’s four job-type categories (which we outline later in the review) were populated with decent but traditional work opportunities, such as retail and restaurant positions.

While many of these were in fact part-time positions, they generally offered limited upside and little to no schedule flexibility — the two key attributes most people look for in a side hustle.

Joining Steady is fast and free, so there’s no harm in adding it to your money-making toolbelt. But it’s important to understand that the opportunities offered on the app may not substantially differ from what you’d find on Craigslist or Indeed, and that you might have to search elsewhere to find your ideal side hustle or online job.

Our view is that the app is most useful for those who are brand new to the gig and flex-work economy, who will probably be surprised by the sheer volume of opportunities that exist. But if you already have a handle on what’s out there, and an idea of what you’re looking for, it doesn’t provide much added value.

How To Use Steady

Getting started on Steady is quick and easy. You can be searching for jobs in minutes. 

The Sign-Up Process

To sign up, you provide your name, phone number and email address, and create a password. 

Next are a series of survey questions that help the site customize the jobs and offers you see. 

The survey questions ask you things like:

  • What kind of work are you looking for?
    • Full-time, part-time, freelance/contract work
    • Side hustle
    • One-time gig
  • Most important attribute? 
    • Flexible schedule
    • High pay
    • Benefits
    • Working towards my career goals
    • Location
  • What do you want to do with the extra cash?
    • Pay bills
    • Extra spending money
    • Build savings
    • Save for retirement
    • Save for a specific goal like buying a home or a college fund
    • Pay down debt

There are around a dozen questions in total. Once you answer them, you’re taken to a screen that asks for your city or zip code. From there, you can see the four types of available jobs (as discussed below) — or you can choose to browse all jobs. 

Additionally, you can filter jobs based on things like:

  • Date added
  • Work type (how often you want to work)
  • Distance from home (including “work at home only”)
  • Categories including: childcare, cleaning services, delivery, food and beverage, freelance, general labor, hospitality, moving, personal shopper, pet care, product testing, professional, rental, retail, rideshare, senior care, skilled handyman, staffing agency, tech support, tutoring

The job listings are neatly laid out, each in a rectangle with a basic job description or title, the name of the company, a brief outline, and a few job perks like “cash out weekly, work from anywhere, flexible schedule.” 

If any of the listings look appealing, you can click on them and get additional details. If you want to apply, clicking the “Apply” button will take you directly to the employer’s site to complete the application, upload your cover letter or resume, or do whatever else that employer requires.

Steady’s Four Job Types

As noted earlier in this review, Steady breaks jobs down into four categories, as follows.

Work From Home 

The work from home jobs section features a wide array of postings, ranging from “get paid to” side hustles to full-time jobs.

Here are some recent listings. 

  • Direct Interaction: Customer Service & Disaster Response Team. This is a call center position that’s offering work from home opportunities, both full-time and part-time. There are shifts available 24 hours a day, seven days per week, and the pay is $11 per hour. 
  • Sylvan Learning: Remote Tutor. Sylvan is hiring online one-on-one tutors in a variety of subjects including reading, math, ACT and SAT prep. The position is part-time, and some experience is required. Pay is hourly and depends on level of experience. 
  • Applied Memetics: COVID-19 Contract Tracer. This job entails calling patients and contacts and recording data about where cases of COVID-19 are located. The position is full-time and a college degree is required. No pay details are listed.
  • Blackboard: Help Desk Technician Advisor. This is a customer service job for user-level IT issues. You’ll help customers via phone, chat, and email. The position is full-time and entry-level. No pay details are listed.
  • CoinOut: Earn Cash From Your Receipts. This is a “get paid to” opportunity. Users can earn money for scanning store receipts from both in-store and online purchases. Payment is in the form of cash via PayPal or direct deposit or Amazon gift cards. 

I unexpectedly found this section to be the most comprehensive of the four categories. There are all types of jobs (from gig to full-time), and all levels (from entry-level to skilled positions requiring experience and a degree). 

However, while “get paid to” opportunities may be a decent way to earn a little extra money on the side, they’re not “jobs” and shouldn’t be advertised as such. Be aware of that when browsing the section, and make sure you have a realistic expectation of an opportunity’s earning potential before proceeding.   

Related reading: The best get-paid-to-sign-up websites.

Anytime Work/Gigs

This section has a different name depending on whether you’re viewing it through the Steady app or website. On the app, it’s called “Gigs.” On the website, it’s called “Anytime Work.” 

These listings are supposed to include jobs that don’t require you to adhere to a set schedule (you can work when you have free time), as well as jobs that are full-time and part-time that do have pre-scheduled shifts but offer significant flexibility.

However, as you can see from the examples below, that’s not always the case.

  • Amazon: Contracted Delivery Service Partner. This position is for drivers to deliver Amazon packages. The position is four to five days per week, 10 hours per day. The pay is $17 per hour.
  • ABM Industries: Cleaning Services Positions. This position is janitorial for commercial clients like aviation, banking and retail. It’s part-time with set schedules. No pay details are listed. 
  • Trader Joe’s: Crew Member. We’re probably all familiar with TJ’s but if not, it’s a grocery store. They’re hiring both full and part-time for cashiers, baggers and customer service positions. Pay rates vary by position.
  • PetSmart: Retail Positions. PetSmart is a pet supply store that also provides grooming and training services. They’re hiring for sales associate, groomer, trainer and management positions, both full and part-time. Pay rates vary by position.
  • Shipt: Shopping and Delivery. Shipt is a grocery delivery service. Workers will shop and deliver grocery orders and can work whenever they choose. The average worker spends 15-20 hours per week shopping and delivering. Workers can make between $15-$25 per hour. 

It’s unclear why Steady considers the traditional retail jobs listed in this section to be “work anytime” positions. To me, that classification means things like driving for UberEats, DoorDash, or other gig-type jobs that allow people to work whenever they choose. Instead, many of the jobs listed here have dedicated, required and/or recurring hours. 

Additionally, it’s worth noting that the listings you’ll see here are different depending on whether you’re viewing them on the app or website. On the app, we were offered a better mix of the types of gig work you’d expect. On the website, it was more of the semi-traditional part-time jobs noted above.

Part-Time & Full-Time Work

There are a good assortment of job types in this section, and a good balance between part-time and full-time positions. 

  • Ace Hardware: Customer Service, Sales, Stocking. The hardware store chain is hiring for various positions across the country. Pay rates vary by position. 
  • Behavioral Health Group: Administrative Support. This company provides opioid addiction services in an out-patient setting. Duties include validating patient information, assisting patients with insurance forms, and coordinating patient follow up. No pay details are listed. 
  • GNC: Retail Sales Associate. GNC sells various health and wellness products and supplements. No pay details are listed. 
  • Whole Foods Market: Receiver Warehouse Employee. This is a part-time position that entails receiving, accounting, and distribution operations for incoming deliveries for Whole Foods grocery stores. 
  • Sonic Drive-In: Night Time Power Washer For Lot. This is a part-time job, requiring a few hours two to three nights per week after the restaurant is closed. Pay is hourly and negotiable.

Most of the part-time positions listed didn’t offer a lot of flexibility and required adherence to schedules set by the employers. This section also seems to be the one with the lowest paying jobs, even among those that are full-time. 

And again, it’s unclear why a job at Trader Joe’s is classified as an “anytime” position whereas a job as Whole Foods is not. 

Recently Added Work

The jobs in this section are primarily local. While some of the employers have locations across the country, the positions are dependent on the zip code or city you enter when you create your account. 

  • The Fresh Market: Meat/Seafood Clerk. The Fresh Market is an upscale grocery store. This is a part-time position and no pay details are listed.
  • Advance Auto Parts: Salesperson. This position involves sales and some basic auto care tasks like installing batteries and windshield wipers. The position is part-time and some evening and weekend hours are required. No pay details are listed.
  • Naval Facilities Engineering Command: Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic. This position entails installing, maintaining, and repairing industrial air conditioners at a naval base. It’s a permanent, full-time position and pays $23.87 to $27.85 per hour. 
  • Transdev: Safety Supervisor. Transdev is an international transport company. Applicants must be at least 21 and hold a commercial driver’s license. No pay details are listed.
  • Robert Half: Marketing Assistant. Robert Half is a staffing agency. This position is for an outside client and entails social media marketing and some minor bookkeeping. It’s a temporary position and the pay is $14 per hour.

This section seemed to have the best-paying jobs — many of them trade-type jobs (HVAC, mechanic, etc).

Unfortunately, after reviewing the first few dozen postings, the older listings were generally no longer available. So if you’re looking for work, it’s a good idea to check in daily. 

Job Listing Details

While you apply directly through the employer’s site, you don’t have to go to their page to see the job details. Steady provides a clearly laid out summary of the position that’s often easier to read and more concise than the description offered on the company’s own site.

These summaries typically include:

  • Job activity: The nuts and bolts of the required duties. 
  • Job details: A more detailed description, including additional duties, hours, and the attributes the employer is seeking in an employee. 
  • Pay insights: The hourly pay or salary when available. 
  • Time to finish application: Typically measured in minutes. 
  • Estimated time to get approved: Typically one week, but some are hiring (in person) on the spot. 
  • What you need to apply: Requirements like age, physical abilities (lifting up to 70 pounds for example), drug screening, background check, driver’s license, etc. 
  • Opportunity insights: Some benefits of that job and employer, competitive compensation, health insurance, paid vacation, etc. 

Other Features

In addition to job postings, Steady offers a few other features and benefits.

Boosters

Boosters are special offers available to users. Some of them are money-saving offers, and some of them are cash incentives to use services — several of which are useful personal finance tools. 

Here are some recent examples:

  • Get $20 when you complete your first Instacart order as a shopper/driver.
  • Get $50 when you open a Chime (online bank) account.

These Booster offers are an example of how Steady makes money: through affiliate links. For example, when you click on the Chime offer and open an online bank account, Steady earns a commission. 

Income Tracker

Steady’s income tracker tool is essentially an overview of your income from various sources, something that can be useful for freelancers or other types of workers with multiple clients/employers (if those clients or employers pay in various ways).

The feature also provides a handful of metrics, like which clients are making you the most money. To use the feature, you’re required to link your bank account so Steady can pull in the necessary data. 

I don’t think this feature is particularly beneficial unless you’re brand new to the gig economy and are taking on several freelance clients at once. Most people with any experience in that realm will already have a system in place to track this kind of information — be it a budgeting or bookkeeping program. 

Pros and Cons

Here’s an overview of what’s to like and what’s lacking with Steady. 

Pros:

  • Can simplify your job search by pulling in different types of opportunities from a multitude of sources.  
  • Features a clean, pleasant and easy-to-navigate layout.
  • Boasts a very wide range of job opportunities, from entry-level to professional. 
  • The app is free to use. 

Cons

  • Not every listing provides pay information.
  • “Get paid to” offers are sometimes mixed in with actual jobs and side hustles.
  • There’s a disproportionate amount of traditional jobs to flex work and side hustles, especially considering the stated goals and mission of the app.
  • Many of the postings have expired.
  • It has limited filtering options. For example, you can filter by pay range, education level or  experience level.

See also: FlexJobs is the premier flexible and remote work jobs board. You can read about how the site works in our detailed FlexJobs review.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Is Steady app legit, a scam, or somewhere in between? 

Steady is a 100% legitimate way to find work. It’s free to use, and the app is fairly transparent about how it makes its money — through referrals and affiliate commissions. 

How much can you make on Steady?

The best paying job we found on the app paid nearly $28 per hour. Most were well above minimum wage (often in the $14 to $17 per hour range). 

Does Steady take a cut of your earnings?

No. Steady is not a staffing company or temp agency. Users don’t have to pay to use the site and don’t owe the site anything from jobs they found through it. Additionally, it’s important to note that you will not earn more or less by applying to positions or gigs through this app. 

How does Steady make money?

Through affiliate marketing. When you sign up for a service through the app, it makes a small commission. The app does not sell user data to third-parties. 

Does Steady have a “Discovery” section? 

The Discovery feed is a resource center with links to articles and information on various personal finance topics. 

Review Summary

Steady can be a handy resource for job seekers, though our testing suggests you should approach it with realistic expectations.

While the interface is clean and easy to use, we didn’t find that the app did a particularly good job of matching us with the right kinds of positions, or with opportunities we wouldn’t have found elsewhere on our own.

Here are a few additional resources to leverage: 

  • If you’re looking for gigs you can do on your own schedule, check out our curated list of side hustle ideas.
  • If you’re looking for a work-from-home job that you can scale up into a full-time career, read through our list of the best online jobs that can pay $50,000 or more.
  • If you’re looking for at-home work that’s more consistent than a gig but more flexible than a traditional part-time job, read our FlexJobs review to learn how to find your ideal remote position.
  • And if you’re looking for ways to earn some side cash from your phone, check out our list of best money making apps.

With that said, when you’re looking at several different sources at the same time, it can be easy to miss what might have been the perfect job. Steady can help with that by making it easier to sort through what’s available on a single platform. 

R.J. Weiss
R.J. Weiss, founder of The Ways To Wealth, has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ since 2010. Holding a B.A. in finance and having completed the CFP® certification curriculum at The American College, R.J. combines formal education with a deep commitment to providing unbiased financial insights. Recognized as a trusted authority in the financial realm, his expertise is highlighted in major publications like Business Insider, New York Times, and Forbes.

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