If you are a millennial like I am, you spend more time on your phone than anything else.
But, did you know that we have money-making apps that can pay you real money for doing easy tasks on your mobile device?
Yes, you heard that right!
There are legit, real money paying apps for iPhone (iOS) and Android that you can download for free today.
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Best Apps that Pay You
To take the guesswork out of the whole process, I have compiled a list of the best money-making apps that pay you real money or with free gift cards.
Let’s have a look!
Money Apps that Pay You to Answer Questions
Plenty of apps will pay you to answer questions about the products and services you already use.
Download the highest paying online surveys below to start earning real money from home.
1. Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie is one of the top money making apps in my opinion. You can download the Survey Junkie app to take surveys, try new offers, or participate in focus group discussions and get paid for it.
Survey Junkie is free to join and 100% legit. They normally give out points redeemable for gift cards or PayPal cash.
Their surveys can earn you up to $50 per survey. Mostly, these are focus group discussions that take 30 or 45 minutes.
Download the survey app then build your profile. Survey Junkie will match your profile with surveys that you qualify for.
For every survey you complete, you will earn virtual points redeemable for PayPal cash or gift cards. Your opinion can change the products of tomorrow, today.
Register here to share your opinions and earn up to $50 per survey!
2. Vindale Research
Vindale Research is a trusted and reliable survey app that pays the highest in the industry. You can earn up to $75 per survey.
In addition to the survey money, you get a free $1 welcome bonus that’s credited to your account immediately you sign up.
Vindale Research is an awesome cash app that allows you to take surveys on the go, and they also give you products that you review for free.
They have a huge database of surveys added on a daily basis and they’ve paid out over $6 million to their participants worldwide.
If we were to rank survey sites according to how much they pay, Vindale Research would emerge as one of the best money making apps.
I also love this company because the Vindale Research payment method is via PayPal or through a check, unlike other survey sites that prefer using the points system.
I would highly encourage you to sign up for Vindale if you are looking for cash apps that pay you money and not just points.
Join Vindale Research here and start earning cash for taking surveys online!
Vindale Research: Android | Web
3. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a great app that pays real money to watch videos, take paid online surveys, search the web, complete trial offers or play games on your Smartphone or mobile device.
For every task you complete, you earn “SB” coins in your Swagbucks account that you can redeem for PayPal cash, prizes or free gift cards.
Swagbucks has paid out over $200 million to its participants since they started operations and have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau
Click here to join Swagbucks and get gift cards or PayPal cash!
4. InboxDollars
InboxDollars is another app that pays you money for reading emails, taking surveys, downloading apps, or searching the web.
It’s a trusted company that’s been into existence since 2000. They’ve paid out over $10 million to its participants worldwide.
They have a FREE $5 sign-up bonus and you can complete other tasks like searching the web, taking paid online surveys, playing online games, or reading emails for even more cash just like I mentioned earlier.
Download InboxDollars: Android | Web
5. Panda Research
Join Panda Research and get a $3.00 sign-up bonus. You also get an opportunity to make money by reading emails, taking paid online surveys, or referring your friends.
Immediately you sign up, you will get access to all money-making surveys.
Most surveys take 10 to 20 minutes to complete and payments go out twice a month via PayPal.
Click here to get the Panda Research app and receive your $3.00 sign-up bonus!
6. MobileXPression
Download the MobileXpression app and make money when you use your devices. This app that pays real money rewards you for taking online surveys.
Apart from surveys, they also pay you to have your app installed on your phone for as long as it takes.
Get the MobileXpression app installed for just one week and you will receive credits that you can redeem for a $5 Amazon gift card! How cool is that?
Download MobileXpression: iOS US | iOS Canada | iOS UK
Best Apps that Pay You Cashback for Shopping
These next few apps pay you cash to shop as you normally would. Make sure to sign up for each one to not waste an opportunity to earn cash back!
7. Rakuten
Rakuten is a cash back app that pays in many ways. For starters, Rakuten will send you bonus money when you sign up as a member.
That’s right!
You will receive a $10 sign-up bonus that you can transfer to your PayPal account or redeem for Walmart gift cards.
The second way to earn with Rakuten is by referring your friends. They have an amazing referral program that pays you $5 for every referral that signs up through your affiliate link.
The third way to make money with Rakuten is to use the cash back option. I normally say that the best way to make money is to save money.
Rakuten has daily deals, discounts, and promo codes that you can take advantage of to save huge money from your online shopping. You can learn more about how Rakuten works in our full review.
Download and install the Rakuten browser extension so you can easily be notified of new deals and discounts.
Click here to join Rakuten and get your $10 bonus!
8. Ibotta App
If you are still searching for more cash apps that pay in form of cashback then you should definitely check out Ibotta.
Ibotta is an awesome app that earns you cash back whenever you shop at your favorite retail or grocery store.
All you have to do to claim your cash (money) is log into the app and then out of the available offers that the app has, you choose whatever offer interests you, buy the item then upload a picture of the item to the app.
It’s as simple as that, and once they receive your receipt they’ll send you the money.
Download the Ibotta app here and start receiving cashback today!
You can get both for iOs and Android phones
Related: Is Ibotta Worth It?
9. Paribus
Paribus is one of the best apps that give you free money. It sends you refunds on the stuff you purchase online. If you buy an item for $500 and then the price of that item drops to $400, Paribus will work hand in hand with the retailer and return the $100 to you without you lifting a finger.
They take 25% of the amount refunded, which seems okay to me considering the work they do behind the scenes to make sure you get your money back, which could have otherwise gotten lost.
Sign up for a free Paribus account and allow it to scan your emails for any purchase receipts. These receipts may be from hundreds of online retailers, and that’s no problem.
Paribus has got your back.
You don’t even need to know that there is a price drop. You’ll just receive the refunds once the whole process is over. How cool is that?
Paribus is one of the best money making apps when it comes to cashback.
10. Trim
Trim is a free money-saving app that will track all your subscriptions and cancel the ones you no longer need so that you can have more money in your pocket.
See Trim as a personal financial manager working 24/7 to save and make you money. Money Pantry has a detailed Trim review and shares how this app can lower your bills and cancel old subscriptions.
Click here to start saving with Trim!
11. Drop App
Drop is an awesome cash back app that tracks your debit and credit card purchases then sends you points redeemable for gift cards. Getting started is quick and easy.
Drop is safe and secure and will not share your data with unauthorized people. They use encryption software to keep all your personal information safe.
Just download and install the Drop app on your phone then create a free account using your personal information like full names, email address, etc. Don’t forget to connect your debit or credit cards to the app to start earning real money.
When you finish setting up your account, select 5 of the best stores that you intend to shop at regularly.
Go do your shopping like you normally do. Whenever there is cashback at the select stores, Drop will send you points redeemable at retail stores like Amazon, JC Penny, Whole Foods, and many more!
Drop is among the easy money apps, in my opinion, and you should give it a try.
Click here to download the Drop app and receive awesome rewards!
Money Making Apps for Passive Income
There are also apps that pay you real money to do nothing but download them on your device.
12. Make Money with the Nielsen App
Love browsing the internet? Nielsen is another app that pays you for all your internet usage. This list of apps would not be complete without the Nielsen app.
Nielsen is an awesome money-making app that sends you $50 every year if you keep the app installed on your mobile devices.
It could be a tablet, a smartphone, or a laptop. It doesn’t really matter what you use. Just have the app installed all year round and you will get the cash all year round.
Go here to download and install the Nielsen app on all your devices then wait for your $50 every year.
It’s as simple as that! The more devices you have the better.
Check out this Computer Mobile Panel Nielsen review to learn more.
13. ShopTracker App
If you love shopping on Amazon and have a few minutes to spare, you can earn extra cash instantly using the ShopTracker app.
ShopTracker is a shopping website owned by the Harris Poll, a market research company that measures public opinion on brands in the US.
ShopTracker will ask you to share your Amazon purchase history and in return, they will send you a free $3 Visa gift card plus $3 every single month or $36 every year.
Sign up through this link to receive your $3 Visa gift card!
You don’t have to do anything else from now on. Just let ShopTracker find out what you and other Amazon users mostly buy and they’ll keep sending you monthly or yearly checks.
14. Earn Passive Income on Acorns
Acorns is an investment app that takes your spare change from online purchases and invests it on your behalf.
I know many people think that you need to have hundreds or even thousands of dollars before thinking of investing but that’s not the case with Acorns.
Acorns will take your spare change, round it off to the nearest dollar, and invest it continuously
What you need to do is just sign up for a free Acorns account here, then connect it to your bank account. Every time you shop they will do calculations of the spare change and do what they do best, which is investing.
In addition to helping you secure your financial future, they also send you a $5 bonus immediately you sign up.
Click here to claim your $5 and start investing your spare change!
15. Bloom
Want to make your 401(k) better but don’t know how to go about it?
No worries!
The Bloom app is here to help!
You can easily grow and optimize your 401(k) using the Bloom app. 401(k) is a retirement plan designed to earn you money for life. But, is it well optimized?
If you feel that your 401(k) is not fully optimized, you can use Bloom to get personalized suggestions on how to make it better.
Bloom is a totally free app that you can use to earn tens of thousands of dollars for years to come.
Click here to get your free 401(k) analysis today! Just takes a few minutes to do.
Apps that Pay Real Money for Simple Tasks
If you’re stilling to do some simple jobs like walk dogs, drive people around, or rent out your car, you’ll love making real money with these apps for doing odd jobs.
16. DoorDash
DoorDash also falls in the money-making apps category and will pay you to deliver food to customers on behalf of local restaurants.
People love the convenience that comes with having restaurant food delivered to their doorsteps. DoorDash has bridged that gap and they are always looking for drivers to deliver food for extra cash.
How to make more money with DoorDash? Check out that link for a full description.
Watch the video below and find out how you can make money with the DoorDash app.
Become a DoorDash driver and start earning today!
17. Make Extra Money on Rover
If you love playing with pets especially dogs, you can grab petting sitting jobs from Rover and earn up to $1000 per month.
Rover is a relatively new money-making app that connects dog owners with dog sitters/walkers.
I love this app because you get the opportunity to set your own hours and decide how much you want to be paid for each sitting.
Rover has a wide range of services that you can offer as a dog sitter/walker. You can choose dog boarding which involves caring for a dog overnight in your home.
Dog boarding offers the highest earnings. Dog owners are willing to pay you to double the amount they pay for other services.
We have dog walking, doggy daycare, and house-sitting or drop-ins where you check up on pets from time to time.
Ready to get started with this side hustle?
Click here to sign up for a free Rover account then create your profile. In the profile, give detailed information on the types of dogs you want to care for and show your availability.
Once you complete this process, you will start receiving requests from pet parents.
Rover really cares for their pet sitters and for every task that you complete, they will send you your payments in just 2 business days.
Click here to start walking dogs and earn up to $1000 this month!
18. Uber
Uber is a widely known ride-share app that makes you money when you drive people around. Whenever customers need a ride, they just go to the app and look for the next available driver.
And, if you are available, you take on the job and make your money.
They are a bit strict when hiring, but if your record is clean, you will get accepted in 24 hours or so. Expect to earn up to $30 per hour.
Click here to start earning with Uber!
19. UberEats
In addition to driving people around, Uber launched Uber Eats specifically for food deliveries.
UberEats allows you to deliver food to customers in exchange for extra pay. So, apart from driving people around, you can do food deliveries and earn even more money. I don’t know about you but this sounds like a deal.
Related: 16 Profitable Hobbies that Make Money Online
20. Lyft
Lyft is also a ride-share app similar to Uber. You can try out both apps and see which one gives you the most return on your investment in terms of the time and effort that you dedicate to working here.
If you own a car and have a few hours a day, you can drive people around make money using the Lyft app.
The approval process takes 48 hours max and you stand a chance of winning a $300 bonus after your first 100 rides.
21. Getaround
You can make extra money by sharing your car with people nearby using Getaround. No driving is required with the Getaround app.
They are very flexible and you can choose how and when to rent your car. You can earn as high as $10,000 per year just by sharing your car using this money-making app.
Click here to learn more about Getaround!
22. Slice the Pie
You can make money online by reviewing music at Slice the Pie.
Slice the Pie is a paid music reviewing site that pays you to give honest feedback on uploaded music. You will earn cash on every review you leave.
They do this to help upcoming musicians to know what the crowd thinks of their songs.
Your reviews must be well thought out and in good English. Generic reviews will be rejected and you won’t get paid.
Slice the Pie also has a referral program and you can earn money by referring others. You will receive a cash bonus every time they review music.
This is another one of those legit apps that pay real money via PayPal twice a week.
Click here to start earning cash on Slice the Pie!
Highest Paying Apps for Selling things Online
Have some items worth selling? These apps are willing to pay you real money for your stuff. I love paying apps and I’m sure you do too!
23. Declutter
Declutter is a selling app that allows you to make money by selling your phones, tablets, DVDs, CDs, Blue-rays, or video games.
Selling here is pretty easy. You just scan the bar-code of your items for sale and the app will tell you how much you can sell the items for.
I love this app because shipping is free and you get your money within 2 days of shipping the products. They will send you a check or direct deposit into your bank account.
They also have an extra 3% bonus. Click here to receive your extra 3% bonus on a trade-in.
24. Airbnb
If you have an extra room in your house or apartment, you can rent it out for a few days at Airbnb and make money.
Airbnb is a free real money earning app that you can use to list your spare room.
It’s free to join, very safe and they don’t have listing charges.
Just go here and get a free Airbnb account then list your extra space. Indicate how much you want to charge and for how long. Guests will contact you and send you the payment when they are ready to come.
According to Airbnb, I can earn up to 700 per month in my area.
25. BookScouter
Got a lot of textbooks or used books in general that you want to sell but no one is buying?
Why not use the BookScouter app?
BookScouter is a free real money-making app that can give you access to over 35 book buyback vendors. This is a great opportunity for you to find the best vendors who will pay the most money for your books.
How this works is you simply enter an ISBN into the Search bar at BookScouter then you will see several offers for your books from various vendors. Choose a vendor that you want to sell your books to then go to their website to complete the transaction.
The next step is to pack your books and deliver them to your local shipping center. The vendor will receive the books and send you your payment. It’s that simple and easy.
Money Making Aps to Help You Lose Weight
Here are some additional apps that pay you to lose weight and get fit. Check them out!
26. HealthyWage
If you want to lose weight and make money at the same time, then I have great news for you. HealthyWage will pay you when you set a goal to lose weight.
HealthyWage is another real money app that pays you to walk.
All you have to do is determine how much weight you want to lose, join Healthy Wage then make a bet.
If you manage to lose that weight you get the exact amount of money you chose. This is a double win if you asked me. You get fit and make money at the same time.
For example, a lady by the name of Kristin W lost 114 pounds and won $4,000 using this app.
Related: Get Paid to Lose Weight
27. DietBet
DietBet is similar to Healthy Wage. Find a couple of friends to join DietBet then choose a challenge to complete.
They have the Kickstarter that goes for 4 weeks while the Transformer takes 6 months. You have to lose 4% of the weight in 4 weeks and 10% in 6 months respectively for you to win a cash prize.
Getting Started with Money Making Apps…
As you have seen, we have lots of apps that pay real money out there that you can start using today to earn cash on the side. You have a lot of choices when it comes to the methods you employ to make money with apps.
It could be selling items, renting your extra space, taking paid online surveys, or even getting cash back on purchases. What works for one person may not work for the next. It’s always a good idea to choose the best money-making apps that are perfect for you.
Know other easy money-making apps that I didn’t mention but you feel that deserve to be here? Leave a comment below and I’ll add them right away!
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Thanks so much for all of these! I’m definitely going to have to check them out!
You are most welcome Farrah! I’m glad you liked them.
awesome post! as a stay at home mom, it’s always difficult not being able to bring in some income but thanks to your post, I now have some great ideas on how I can make some money!
I understand what you mean Ashley. Extra income is always welcomed. Wish you all the best!
This is great! Call me ignorant but I had no idea you can earn money like this lol
Great tips, thanks!!
Not at all. I didn’t know about them either. Just came to learn about their existence recently. I wish you all the best.