For those looking to earn money in an easily accessible way, apps provide plenty of avenues to consider. You can use your smartphone to take surveys, pick up a side gig, sell your unwanted stuff and more.
Here’s the scoop on nine free money-making apps. Gainciti considered apps with at least 3.6 stars and 25,000 reviews in Google Play, the iOS App Store or both.
9 of the best apps to make money
- Upwork
- Premise
- Ibotta
- Rakuten
- Fiverr
- Swagbucks
- OfferUp
- Poshmark
- Upside
The best money-making apps
- Upwork
Among popular money-making apps, Upwork stands out as a marketplace platform where professionals can find freelance opportunities. After setting up your profile with key details like your expertise, experience, and rates, you can start bidding on projects.
The platform operates on a credit system called “Connects” that you use to reach out to potential clients. These credits refresh monthly and can be obtained through earning or purchasing, though incoming client contacts are free. As one of the leading money-making apps for freelancers, Upwork offers flexibility in payment structures, allowing you to charge either by the hour or by project.
Payment: Direct to U.S. Bank, direct to your bank account, wire transfer, Instant Pay, PayPal and Payoneer. Charges apply to some payment options, so be sure to check Upwork for details.
Pros: Upwork helps take the work out of seeking out clients, establishing relationships and getting paid. The service also gives you the flexibility to set your preferred rate and schedule.
Cons: The app is free to download, but initiating contact with lots of clients cost money. Users also get charged a service fee. Upwork takes a 10% cut of your earnings based on how much you’ve billed a client. The more you earn, the more you get to keep. However, you won’t get paid until 10 days after the billing period ends. Remember, too, that you’re competing with other freelancers on the platform. That means clients may choose those who’ve set lower rates.
- Premise
Premise is a task-based app that provides rewards for users who complete simple tasks. You get paid for sharing local insights to help businesses and communities. Some options include sharing information and photos on what’s happening in your area like traffic jams and local events or taking surveys. You create an account by signing up with an email address. Once enrolled, you can browse the app for activities to complete for cash. You can also set notifications to receive the latest tasks available.
Payment: PayPal, Bitcoin or Payoneer.
Pros: The app markets itself as a community-first service where your opinion can help shape your community. Tasks may be associated with public service entities like libraries, hospitals, stores and governance-related activities.
Cons: Depending on where you live, there may be limited tasks available. Some users state the app itself is also challenging to use, making it difficult to locate the items or tasks in a community.
- Ibotta
Still looking to explore Money-Making Apps? Here’s how Ibotta works: It’s a rewards platform that gives you money back when you shop, covering thousands of stores both online and in person. While it started as a grocery savings tool, you can now earn on everything from clothes to restaurant meals.
To get your rewards, you have a few options: pick offers beforehand and upload your receipt within a week, connect your store loyalty card, or buy gift cards through Ibotta. Sometimes you might need to complete quick tasks like surveys or video views to unlock certain offers. For online shopping with these Money-Making Apps, just start your purchase through Ibotta’s app or use their browser extension.
Payment: PayPal, digital gift card or direct to a bank account.
Pros: You’ll receive cash back on in-store purchases quickly — typically within 24 hours. Ibotta also offers a welcome bonus to new users, referral bonuses and a variety of payment methods.
Cons: Making money can be a slow process. You must have at least $20 in cash back to redeem your earnings (some gift cards require at least $25 in earnings). For online shopping, the pending period for earning cash back varies by retailer. Ibotta also charges an account maintenance fee for inactive (no activity for 180 days) or deactivated accounts. The fee is deducted from your balance, not your bank account.
- Rakuten
Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) rewards shoppers with cash back on purchases from well-known retailers, restaurants and food delivery services. Users can also earn cash back on travel, gift cards and more. It’s straightforward: Create an account, tap on the store where you want to shop in the app, then make the transaction through the portal. You can also link a credit or debit card to your Rakuten account to earn cash back in-store — as long as you activate the deal through the app first. Rakuten credits the cash back to your account after it confirms the purchase with the retailer.
Payment: PayPal or “Big Fat Check.”
Pros: Thousands of stores and purchases are eligible for cash back, so you’ll likely find deals where you already shop. New users can earn a welcome bonus after their first qualified purchase. You can also earn welcome and referral bonuses. You can make an impact with your cash back earnings by donating a portion to nonprofit partners.
Cons: As with most cash-back services, you have to spend money to make money. You won’t see your earnings right away, either; Rakuten sends out payments every three months on the company’s payment schedule, and you need to hit the minimum cash-back balance to get paid. Unlike other apps like Ibotta, you have to remember to initiate your purchase in the app first. If you forget and make your purchase outside of the app, you can’t get credit retroactively.
- Fiverr
Among popular money-making apps, Fiverr stands out as a digital marketplace where freelancers offer their talents across more than 200 different fields. To begin, you’ll need to register and establish yourself as a service provider by creating a detailed profile. You can then showcase your offerings through gigs, which include your rates and service details.
The platform’s pricing structure spans from $5 to $995. When customers browse this money-making apps and find your services, they can directly purchase your gig. Payment is released after successful completion of the work. Fiverr uses a tier-based system to rank sellers, with higher levels unlocking additional features like the ability to offer paid consultations.
Payment: PayPal, direct to a bank account, Payoneer or credit to a Fiverr Revenue Card (a prepaid card). Minimum withdrawal amounts vary, and your payment processor may charge a withdrawal fee, depending on which option you choose.
Pros: You don’t have to worry about tracking down buyers because they come to you. You can also earn tips. Fiverr also boasts its flexibility, allowing sellers to complete gigs in their own time or around their 9-5 jobs.
Cons: Fiverr takes 20% of your earnings for every gig, including tips, and there’s a standard 14-day waiting period to withdraw money after completing an order (top-tier sellers wait seven days for funds to clear).
- Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a cash-back and rewards app. You earn points, called “SB,” by shopping online (there are over 1,500 participating retailers), taking surveys, watching videos, playing games or fulfilling other tasks through Swagbucks. You can redeem those points for gift cards, prepaid Visa cards or get cash back to your PayPal account. The total points awarded can vary by task. For example, surveys are typically worth about 40 to 200 SB points each. The minimum balance required to redeem depends on the payout option you choose, but some gift cards are available for just 300 SB.
Payment: E-gift card, prepaid Visa card or PayPal. You can also redeem SB for Bitcoin through the Crypto voucher Gift Card options.
Pros: Swagbucks offers many easy ways to earn rewards, and there’s no waiting period to cash in. Payments usually arrive within 10 business days after redemption. You can also get a $10 bonus with a qualifying $25 purchase when you join.
Cons: It doesn’t pay much; one SB is worth about a cent. With many tasks valued at pennies, it can take a fair amount of time and effort to make substantial money. Additionally, you won’t qualify for every survey or task, although users can earn up to 5 SB per day if they disqualify. Survey companies frequently kick users out in the middle of their participation. This can be due to demographics or dishonest or inconsistent answers, according to Swagbucks.
- OfferUp
Are you still interested in more opportunities to earn extra cash through money-making apps? OfferUp, which merged with Letgo in 2020, is a versatile marketplace platform where you can sell items both locally and nationally. While local sales are always an option, the app’s shipping feature lets you reach customers across most U.S. states (excluding Alaska, Arkansas, and Hawaii). Getting started with this popular money-making app is straightforward: just create an account, photograph your items – whether it’s electronics, vehicles, furniture, or other belongings – and create a listing with relevant details and pricing. The app facilitates direct communication between you and potential buyers, allowing you to coordinate shipping or in-person exchanges.
Payment: When selling locally, OfferUp recommends sellers take cash from buyers and stay clear of accepting payments by check, cashier’s check or using other apps. For shipments, sellers can set up deposits to a debit card or bank account.
Pros: Creating a listing is simple and fast, and you’ll get paid instantly when you make a cash sale. You can also view a prospective buyer’s reviews and ratings to get an idea of how trustworthy they are beforehand. If you ship your item, the buyer pays the cost, and OfferUp provides the label.
Cons: You’re responsible for meeting local buyers in person and handling transactions. Sellers must pay a 12.9% service fee, or a minimum of $1.99, for shipments. To be successful, you’ll likely need to invest in a printer so you can print the shipping labels and mail items to buyers.
- Poshmark
The Poshmark app is tailor-made for selling clothes, accessories and even home decor. After signing up, you take or upload photos of your item, fill out a description, price it and share the listing. You can also feature items in the app’s “Posh Parties,” which are virtual shopping events centered around particular brands, categories and themes. Poshmark will email you a prepaid and pre-addressed shipping label once a purchase is made. Then, you send the package via USPS.
Payment: Check, PayPal, Venmo, Instant Transfer or direct deposit to a bank account.
Pros: Poshmark facilitates the entire process, from selling to shipping. Plus, you don’t have to meet with strangers to make a sale. The company will cover lost packages and handle issues between you and the buyer. Getting paid is relatively quick, too; Poshmark will issue the money within three days of the buyer receiving the order.
Cons: You’ll pay a fee for selling through Poshmark. The company takes a $2.95 commission for sales under $15 and a 20% commission for sales of $15 or above.
- Upside
Upside provides cash back for gas, grocery and restaurant purchases. On average, Upside says users earn 8% cash back on groceries and dining, and there are more than 50,000 retailers and restaurants that participate. Once you sign up, you claim offers through the app and pay for your purchase as you normally would with a credit or debit card. You’ll either check in on the app or scan your receipt to earn your reward. You can cash out anytime.
Payment: PayPal, gift cards or deposit to your bank account.
Pros: Upside focuses on daily essential purchases that many consumers may already be making. According to the app, frequent users earn more than $300 annually by adding Upside to their normal routine.
Cons: The app doesn’t always work as it should, according to several user reviews. To be successful, you’ll have to have the patience to work through technical issues and the receipt uploading process, which some users say isn’t worth the time investment for a minor payout.
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