15 of the Best Money-Making Apps

If you want extra money for bills, leisure spending, or saving, there are several money-making apps you can use to pull in some cash. These side-hustle apps can help you make money on your terms when you need some extra income.

To get started, you'll need to know how these apps work, their unique features, and how to leverage them to begin earning money.

Can you make money from apps?

Yes, you can make money from apps right on your phone. These apps give you the freedom to earn some extra cash when and how you choose, which is especially helpful if you’re in a pinch and need cash quickly. That said, not all apps pay users the same way, and there are different categories of these apps that require different levels of effort to start earning.

Top 15 apps to make money from your phone

Not all money-making apps are the same. Some allow you to earn passive income simply by downloading the app on your phone, while others may require a lot of hustle on your end. There are generally three types of money-making apps: side hustle, passive income, or cashback apps. Here’s a look at some of the best apps in each of these categories.

Side Hustle Apps

Take on a freelance role or side gig with these money-making apps. You can earn money in a variety of ways with total flexibility to choose when and where you work.

1. Uber

Make money on your own schedule as a paid driver. You can transport passengers between locations or deliver food and grocery orders with Uber Eats. When you complete work, you can either get same-day payouts for a small fee or choose to deposit your earnings into your bank account (which takes a bit longer).

2. DoorDash

Along with Uber Eats, Postmates, GrubHub, and more, DoorDash offers a way to earn extra cash by delivering restaurant takeout or groceries. Dashers receive payments on a weekly basis for any deliveries they completed the prior week between Monday and Sunday. Payments drop right into users’ bank accounts.

3. Fiverr

This freelance marketplace allows you to sell your services to potential clients. Desired skills range from photography and graphic design to video editing, proofreading, and writing. If someone wants you to complete a job, they’ll pay Fiverr upfront, and Fiverr will then deposit the funds into your account once you submit the job.

4. Rover

Rover allows you to offer pet-sitting or local care, like dog walking, for income. You can set your schedule and prices and select which types of animals you’re willing to work with based on their size, age, and other factors. Rover uses a payment platform called Stripe to pay freelancers, and you’ll typically receive funds about two days after a job.

5. Turo

If you have a vehicle you’re not using, why not rent it out through this ride-sharing app to earn some cash? While you may need to check with your car insurance provider first, this could be a good way to make some income.

You can also use Turo’s remote lock technology to exchange a car without meeting anyone else — the app handles everything for you. You’ll receive your earnings through Stripe or PayPal about three days after a trip ends.

Alternatives: Qwick, Instacart, Amazon Flex, and TaskRabbit.

Cashback Apps

These apps reward you with cashback for completing simple tasks — some of which you may already do, like shopping at your favorite stores or paying for gas.

1. Survey Junkie

Get paid to share your insights and opinions via Survey Junkie. You can earn on your terms with a low $5 cash-out minimum and several payout options, like PayPal or gift cards. If you have some time to kill, it's an easy money win.

2. SurveyMonkey Rewards

Like Survey Junkie, this app lets you take short surveys to earn gift cards. You can also use your earnings to make donations to charities. Active members get surveys regularly, and it doesn’t take long to accrue enough for a redeemable gift card.

3. Upside

Upside offers cashback opportunities on purchases with partnering retailers. After you download the app, claim offers to earn money on qualifying purchases at places like gas stations, restaurants, and grocery stores. You can choose to receive your money via PayPal, e-gift card, or bank deposit.

4. Mistplay

This play-to-earn app pays you for downloading and playing featured games. You'll have to complete goals for each game you play, and while you won't earn tons of money, it doesn't take long to reach the 1,500 points to cash out a $5 gift card. You can put your points toward cards from retailers like Nintendo, Amazon, and even Starbucks.

5. Fetch Rewards

With Fetch, you simply upload your receipts to earn rewards. Almost every purchase you make qualifies, and you don't have to scan barcodes or buy specific products. The only downside is you don't accrue points fast; it takes about 3,000 points to get a $3 gift card.

Alternatives: Ibotta, Shopkick, Rakuten, and Receipt Pal.

Passive Income Apps

These apps allow you to earn passive income without much effort. This typically involves investing a small amount of time or money upfront to earn passive income down the line.

1. Foap

Earn money by selling pictures to businesses looking for stock images. Depending on the quality and demand, a single image can resell multiple times, helping you generate a steady source of passive income. Foap payments go out via PayPal once a month.

2. Acorns

This app automates your investments by rounding up every purchase you make to the nearest whole dollar and dropping that spare change into a mutual fund where you’ll earn interest. Another feature, called Acorns Earn, rewards you as you shop at select retailers. Any cash you earn will go directly into your investment account.

3. Arrived

Arrived, which is backed by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, makes it possible to invest in real estate on a smaller scale. With this app, you make small investments in single-family homes instead of buying properties. You can start investing with as little as $100 to earn quarterly dividends.

4. Tapestri

Tapestri works in the background of your device and allows you to make money from your data. Earn money by completing surveys or ads or allowing the app to track your data, like driving habits and web sessions. The app uses Stripe for payments, but you have to reach at least $65 in earnings before you can cash out.

5. Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel

You may recognize Nielsen as the popular research company for TV viewership ratings. With this app, you can earn money simply by letting their mobile app run in the background of your phone, anonymously collecting data on your daily usage and activity. Rewards are available as monthly sweepstakes entries or gift cards, but if you keep the app installed for a year, you can unlock PayPal cash-outs.

Alternatives: Swagbucks, Sweatcoin, ScreenLift, and Digit.

Get paid as you earn with EarnIn

Expanding your income sources with money-making apps can help you have more cash on hand when you need it most. If you want to make the most of your income sources, download the EarnIn app to unlock new possibilities for financial flexibility.

Our Cash Out tool is especially helpful if you need an alternative to a cash advance because it lets you access your pay as you work — not days or weeks later. You can get up to $100 a day and up to $750 every pay period with no credit checks, no interest, and no mandatory fees. EarnIn can act as a crucial safety net for unforeseen emergencies or urgent expenses, but it’s also great for timing everyday expenses. With more flexibility, you’re better prepared to tackle financial challenges and reach your goals.

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