If you’re in need of some extra money and you’re reading this on your smartphone or own one, I have good news for you.
You can use your phone to download apps right now that will pay you real money! The best part is that since you’ll be using your phone to earn money you can do this whenever and wherever you have your phone with you.
The potential to make money from apps is available on your phone. You just have to read this guide to decide which apps you’ll be downloading to make money easily, probably doing things you already do.
Stop and save this to your money board for later!
25 Must Have Apps That Pay You
Apps that pay you to shop
If you’re going to be shopping anyway, why not use these free apps to earn cash back on your purchases?
1. Rakuten
Formerly known as Ebates, this app pays you cash back for shopping online at over 2,500 stores. With a selection that big, there is a high chance that you are already shopping at a retailer that partners with Rakuten. Why not earn cash back for your purchase? They pay money back via PayPal or a check.
Sign up with this link and get 10 dollars back after your first purchase.
2. Dosh
The concept of making money with Dosh is as easy as it gets. You simply download the app, connect your credit and debit cards and then make purchases as normal. You automatically earn cash back (up to 10%!) for your purchases at stores and restaurants. The app offers bank level security for your data and easy transfers for your earned cash directly to your bank account, Venmo or Paypal.
Start here to earn cash back automatically with Dosh!
3. Drop
Another money making app that earns you cold hard cash from linking your credit or debit card to the app. This securely encrypted app offers cash rewards for making your everyday purchases. The important thing to note is that these are everyday purchases from 5 of your favorite brands, so pick your brands wisely.These purchases qualify for points which you could redeem for gift cards to your favorite retailers.
I want to earn gift cards to my favorite retailers like Amazon or Starbucks.
4. Shopkick
Shopkick offers the opportunity to earn “kicks” or reward points by shopping. However, in addition to just linking your card, you have 5 other ways to earn kicks using this app. You could walk into a select partner store, scan the barcode of select products, scan your receipt, shop with online partners or watch in app videos. There are 6 ways to earn kicks fast so you can redeem your reward points for a gift card. Gift card options range from Target to Tiffany & Co!
Earn rewards by just walking into Shopkick partner stores, check it out here.
5. Receipt Pal
What do you do with your paper receipts once you leave the store? If youre balling them up and throwing them away , then youre also throwing away money. Receipt pal uses an app on your phone that snaps a picture of the receipt. The uploaded receipt earns points that you can redeem for gift cards. If you shop on Amazon regularly, did you know you can connect this app to your amazon account and automatically get credit for your Amazon purchases?
Turn your receipts into gift cards, start today!
6. Ibotta
Rounding out the list of apps that pay you to shop is Ibotta. Cash back is available via Paypal, Venmo or gift cards for making purchases that qualify. You’ll take advantage of offers on items you are already shopping for like bread or milk. How are those purchases credited? You can shop in store and scan your receipt to the app, link a store loyalty account or use the Ibotta app to shop online and make purchases.
Start shopping with Ibotta to earn cash!
Apps that reward healthy activities
Are you trying to live a healthier lifestyle? If you’re already doing healthy activities like working out or counting your steps you might be able to get rewarded with cash!
7. Achievement
Are you already using health apps like Apple Health or fitness trackers like FitBit? You can earn rewards for healthy activities and redeem those points for cash right into your PayPal account. Examples of daily activities include logging food and sleep, weighing yourself and completing tracked activity like biking or running. This app pays $10 for every 10,000 points you earn and there are no limits on the rewards you can earn.
Click here if you’re ready to be rewarded for healthy habits with Achievement.
8.Healthy Wage
If you’re on a weight loss journey, why not make a bet with a chance to win real cash prizes? This app is a win win because you’ll be completing your healthy goals and could possibly earn money for doing so! With Healthy Wage, you can set up your own personal challenge to give you accountability and support. A note about this app, entering a challenge requires a entry fee. You win when you meet your goal. Winning participants will split the pot.
Challenge yourself to lose weight and win cash, click here to start with Healthy Wage.
9. Step Bet
Motivate yourself to take more steps and you could win money! Use this app to join a game with other players, set a personalized step goal and hit your goals. All winners split the reward “pot.” If you meet your goal, you will win your bet back and then some.
Be active and get paid for it!
10. Lympo
This app pays you to walk or run, but the unique thing about this app is that it tracks indoor and outdoor steps. That means that you could complete a challenging by doing a shopping trip or visiting the mall. You change exchange the currency you earn for things in the Lympo store.
Walk or run to earn with Lymo! Check it out here.
Survey Apps That Pay
Like letting others know whats on your on your mind? Sharing your opinion could earn you extra money on these survey reward apps.
11. Inbox Dollars
Inbox dollars calls themselves a reward club, but the reward here is cash! You can earn money just by signing up. They will give you 5 dollars for setting up your account. Once you’re signed up, Inbox Dollars will send opportunities to earn cash to your email. You could take surveys and try offers from brands. Other ways to earn include watching videos, playing games, shopping online or using search engines.
Start earning money with Inbox Dollars to complete surveys and other activities today.
12.Swagbucks
Another opportunity for you if you don’t mind taking surveys. Swagbucks is money making app for you. You earn points to redeem for gift cards to stores like Amazon or Walmart and even Paypal cash! Points are earned by sharing your opinion on surveys, watching videos, using the Swagbucks portal to shop online or searching the web with Swagbucks search engine powered by Yahoo.
13. Nielsen
You might be familiar with Nielsen as the company that wants to track your TV watching habits. Did you know they are also interested in learning more about mobile activity? You can join the Nielsen Mobile Panel to help them understand mobile trends. Once you sign up with them you’ll download an app that tracks how you normally use your phone and sends the activity to Nielsen. For that you will earn points up to $50 per year!
Sign up here and get paid just to use your cell phone.
Side Gig Apps
14. Instacart
Don’t mind grocery shopping? Would you like to learn extra money grocery shopping for someone else? If both answers are yes, consider being a personal shopper for Instacart. There are actually two ways to do this, you could become a full service shopper or in store shopper. Full service shoppers have the greatest flexibility because they choose the hours that work from them, all from their phone!
Find out more about becoming a personal shopper for Instacart here.
15. Uber Eats
If the idea of providing transportation in your own car doesn’t appeal to you, maybe delivering food will. There are no customers in your car. Instead you take orders placed on Uber Eats app and deliver the food to customers. If you have a reliable car, extra time and a smart phone you could deliver meals to hungry customers and get paid!
Deliver food and get paid on your own time with Uber Eats.
16. Lyft
If you’re fine with providing a ride to someone else, have a smart phone and a dependable car, then considering providing rides with Lyft. If you live in a busy city, it might be worth your time to provide rides. Lyft has a A+ rating with the Better Business Beauru!
Apply to become a Lyft Driver here.
17. Gigwalker
Gigwalker provides the opportunity to pick up “gigs” or quick jobs in your area that can take as little as 5 minutes to a few hours to complete. Regardless of the time, the end result is cash, anywhere from $3 to $100. So what are gigs? An example includes checking to see if a product is stocked and displayed correctly and reporting back in real time. If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, sign up to find local gigs in your area!
Start earning extra money with Gigwalker!
18. Rover
If you enjoy caring for pets, turn that passion into cash. Rover employs people to provide local pet care such as boarding, dog walking and dog sitting. You’ll get to set your own schedule, provide any combination of services you’d like and manage all your clients through the app. You can earn up to 1000 dollars a month. Rover reports that sitters who can offer overnight boarding earn up to 2x more than sitters who don’t.
Provide care for pets in your area and earn money. Learn more about Rover today.
Selling extra, unwanted or unused items for money
You might be surprised what you can sell online. You never know what people are looking to buy that you might have and are not using. Look around your home for items you can post to sell for cold hard cash.
19. Offer Up
If you’re willing to meet up with someone locally to sell your unwanted or extra items, then Offer Up is the app for you. I’ve personally sold large furniture items on this app that I no longer wanted for extra money. People who are moving into their first apartment or college students are looking for cheap deals on furniture items. Just take a picture of the item(s) you are selling, set your price, post the item and wait for the offers to come in. Offer Up is free and doesn’t take any percentage of the sale.
Sell items free and easily in your local area with Offer Up.
20. Declutter
Have old phones, tech items, dvds, games that you aren’t using? Use Declutter to sell the item hassle free! How does it work? Download the free app and get a free, instant evaluation of the tech item you are trying to sell. If you’re satisfied with the price, pack your items in a box with a free shipping label. Ship it for free to the Declutter warehouse. Once it’s received and evaluation is completed, you will get payment the next day by direct deposit, Paypal or check.
Get a good offer for your old or unused tech products with Declutter.
21. Mecari
Want to sell your extra items but not interested in meeting up? Mercari is the app for you! Mercai allows you to sell all kinds of items from clothing, electronics, bags, kids toys. Almost anything you can think of, you can sell on Mecari. Once the item you post sells, you will get a prepaid shipping label to send the item to the buyer. Listing the item is free, but Mercai will take a 10% selling fee.
Start selling your items now with no meetups involved!
22. Raise
Did you get a gift card as a present and you’re not going to use it? Instead of letting it go to waste, you can sell it for cash. Use the Raise app to list your gift card or store credit for cash. Once it sells you will get paid via Paypal, check or direct deposit. Now you have cash you can use to do anything you want.
Cash in unwanted gift cards or store credits here!
Sell your services or skills
23. Eye EM
Have an eye for photography? You could turn your photos into cash, by selling them on the Eye EM app. This app allows you to upload your photos for sale, keep the copyright and make 50% of the sale every time your photo sells.
Sell your creative photos for extra money.
24. Upwork
Do you have skills that you could freelance and get paid for? If you can write, design, provide customer service, accounting services, you can get connected with client willing to pay for your time and expertise. You’ll have the freedom to select the jobs and projects that fit your time and skills. Upwork projects include payment protection to ensure you get paid for all work successfully completed.
Get started freelancing with Upwork .
Get paid for dining out
25. Seated
Seated works when you use the app to book reservations at local restaurants and eat out. Eat the meal as you normally would and when you get your receipt, scan it into the app to confirm you actually kept your reservation. Seated pays you up to 30% back on your meal. If might be worth it if your’e already going out to eat or celebrating a big event like a birthday or large gathering.
Eat out and get paid with Seated.
Money making apps sound like a good idea! There are lots of ways to make money with your smartphone that it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Considering that some of the apps request access to your financial information you’ll want to use caution when exploring any of these opportunities. To make sure that you stay safe and earn money from legit sources here are some tips for for you.
Download the app from a legitimate source. For example, do not go to any suspicious links.
The links in this post go directly to the apps website. You can also search for the app in your phone’s app store.
For iPhone users this is simply called the App Store and on Android phones you would go to the Google Play Store.
Most apps will have information on their website on how they encrypt your information and keep the transactions secure. Locate a FAQ section on the website for more answers on the app’s security.
Which Apps Should I Download?
There’s no one answer to this question. The best app for you is the one that fits your lifestyle, spending habits or your flexibility.
One of the benefits of using an app to make money is the convenience factor. You’re trying to make the most money with the least effort? Select apps that you will not have to go out of your way to use.
For example, if you do the bulk of the grocery shopping for your household and you know thats a great way to earn rewards, then use the apps that pay you to shop.
If you’re already active or you want to get into exercise, the apps that pay you to walk would be a good fit for you.
Do any of these 25 apps interest you? You might have found a way to earn additional income from the things you would already do or are planning to do. Using your smartphone is a great way to turn your everyday habits and extra time into cash. Extra cash that could be used to pay your bills, pay down debt or for your family.
Let me know if you decide to download any apps or if you have an app that is not mentioned on this list.
