Blog 23 September 2022

24 Best Apps To Make Money in 2023

Everyone is looking for ways to make money without lifting so much as a finger, but what if literally lifting a finger was all you need to do to earn extra money? Apps to make money can be downloaded on your devices. They can help you earn extra money, gift cards, and cash-back on purchases. It’s a quick and easy way of earning money by either making purchases online, playing games, or taking surveys. At Scholaroo, we have researched the current 24 best apps to make money that you can use to get a little extra cash by just lifting a single finger.

24 Apps To Make Money

There are plenty of apps available for download, that can help you make money. You can download apps to make money by completing surveys, selling items online such as clothing or even a car. You can also use apps to earn rewards and cash back for your shopping.

Young woman using an app on her phone.

 

Apps to Make Money by Earning Rewards and Taking Surveys

Using apps to make money by earning rewards and taking surveys is a great way to make a little extra cash, without too much effort. All you need is an iOS or Android device. Most of the apps are free to use and very user friendly.

#1 Toluna

Toluna is a market research app that allows users to earn rewards for completing surveys and also allows them to create their own surveys. The company partners with various brands, providers, and retailers to get customers’ opinions on products and services. You can also create different surveys based on current events, polls on the best or latest technology gadgets, etc. Creating your own survey can earn you extra points on the app.

How it works: Registration is quite simple with this app, you simply need to sign up on the app or through their website. You will need to provide some basic information for your account. Once you have registered you will be allowed to sign up for the different surveys available. Once you have enough points, you can go to the rewards center and redeem your points as cash or in the form of gift cards.

Tricks: Use the app yourself to create various surveys and get more points. Invite friends and family to join Toluna and earn points. Try to participate in the available contests or games on the community content page to earn points.

Pro’s of TolunaAppCon’s of Toluna App
  • User friendly app that is free.
  • Pay out can be slow
  • Good amount of available surveys on the app.
  • Mobile app has glitches

 

#2 Swagbucks

Swagbucks is a cash-back and rewards app that allows you to earn a little extra cash by getting Swagbucks (SB) points for taking surveys, shopping online, playing games, and watching videos. This app offers many easy ways to earn points, and there is no waiting period before you can cash in. You can also earn cash-back from purchasing qualifying products listed in the app. The app does not pay much and will require some time and effort before you make a decent amount of money, but it’s a great way to try and make some cash with little to no effort. Motivated users can earn $100 or more per month.

With Swagbucks, you can redeem points from 2,500 Swagbucks which would earn you $25, and get either gift cards or cash straight into your PayPal. You can now also get SB for Bitcoin through the new Cryptovoucher options. This is an easy way to get some money just by using your phone.

How it works: Sign up through the app, you do need to create an account but this does not require payment information. The app sends daily notifications on ways to earn that you can sign up for (these are sometimes selected based on demographic). The app features a daily checklist where you can track the tasks you can do to earn Swagbucks.

Tricks: Take advantage of the referral points available through Swagbucks, you can earn 10% Swagbucks through referrals. If you spend $25 on an in-store purchase for the first time, you can earn a $10 joining bonus. This is good if you were already going to make that purchase.

Pro’s of Swagbucks AppCon’s of Swagbucks App
  • Various ways to make money using  the app
  • Small payouts and it is sometimes difficult to earn points
  • User friendly app
  • Long waiting period for rewards and cash back.

 

#3 Survey Junkie

This is an app you can use to earn extra cash by completing online surveys. Essentially you get paid for giving your opinion. 

How to start: Simply sign up through the app or website and create an account. This requires some personal information including your ZIP code and country of residence. This app is only available for U.S. residents. You need to fill out your profile based on all your interests, such as if you have a pet, or smartphone, how much time you spend watching TV, etc. Once you have completed your profiles, Survey Junkie will begin to offer you paid surveys. 

Each survey is worth a certain amount of points and can be redeemed for cash through PayPal, your bank account, or gift cards. The minimum amount you can redeem is $5 through Survey Junkie (this is equal to 500 points). 

Tricks: Begin by completing profiles because you can start earning points for this. Make sure you qualify for the survey before you start giving feedback. 

Pro’s of Survey Junkie AppCon’s of Survey Junkie App
  • There are plenty of surveys available and you will most likely qualify for about 20% of the surveys. 
  • The minimum amount for a cash out is 1000 points. The Points to dollar system, is 1 point to $0.01. This makes it difficult to make any significant money, because on average you will only get 20 to 300 points per survey. 
  • You can cash out via PayPal, in the form of gift cards or even direct bank transfers.
  • You may miss the opportunity to complete a survey because sometimes the survey qouta can fill up fast.

#4 iPoll

This is one of the market research apps to make money where users complete market surveys and tasks to earn. It customizes tasks based on your preferences and consumer habits. Users answer questions and give comments on products and services that they use, and are tasked to try products and services.  

How it works: Register on the app and provide basic information including information about your preferences and consumer habits. Once you have completed this you will start receiving messages to alert you of new surveys and tasks. 

You will earn rewards in ‘iPoll currency’ that can be redeemed as a gift card, or cashed out through PayPal from $10. You can share your thoughts on products and services honestly through quick polls and testing prototype products.

 Tricks: Surveys on this app are not exceedingly long, so try to complete as many as possible. Since the app is customizable, try to give interests that are easily accessible to you. When you register you are automatically entered into a quarterly prize competition of $10,000.

Pro’s of iPoll AppCon’s of iPoll App
  • The site is free to join and is user friendly.
  • The site is competitive with other survey apps and websites. But generally the pay amount on surveys is relatively low.
  • You decide what surveys you would like to participate in and you are invited to surveys that are relevant to you.
  • You do not qualify for all the surveys automatically on the app. Which means you may miss out on some higher paying surveys.

#5 OneOpinion

One Opinion is a market research app where users complete market surveys and tasks to earn money. It customizes tasks based on your preferences and consumer habits. Users answer questions and give comments on products and services that they use, and are tasked to try products and services.

How it works: Register on the app and provide basic information including information about your preferences and consumer habits. Once you have completed this you will start receiving messages to alert you of new surveys and tasks.

You will earn rewards in ‘iPoll currency’ that can be redeemed as a gift card, or cashed out through PayPal from $10. You can share your thoughts on products and services honestly through quick polls and testing prototype products.

Tricks: Surveys on this app are not exceedingly long, so try to complete as many as possible. Since the app is customizable, try to give interests that are easily accessible to you. When you register you are automatically entered into a quarterly prize competition of $10,000.

Pro’s of OneOpinion AppCon’s of OneOpinion App
  • There are plenty of surveys available on the app which offer an opportunity to make money.
  • The pay amount per survey is relatively low. You can at least expect to earn around $5 per hour.
  • There are no other ways to earn rewards or cash on the app. There is no referral scheme with OneOpinion.
  • Long waiting period for rewards and cash back. The payment method is also quite difficult.

#6 Opinion Outpost

Opinion Outpost is another market research platform where users can make money by giving different companies an opinion on their products and services. You can also get money from testing products and watching advertisements on the app. Opinion Outpost has partnered with major brands and companies to help them improve on the products, services and apps. 

How it works: You register on the app giving your personal information such as email address, then creating an account with a password. Once you have registered, you will be invited to give reviews and opinions for adverts, products and complete ad survey studies, focus groups, diary entry studies etc. for points. The invitation includes an explanation of the survey, and how long it may take you to answer the survey. 

Tricks:Panel members can earn points by completing surveys, but you can also test products, give an opinion on advertisements, participate in location based surveys such as in-store experience surveys. 

Pros of Opinion Outpost AppCons of Opinion Outpost App
  • App is free, simple and easy to use. 
  • Low payout rate and it will take a while before you earn a good amount of money because the pay rate is low. 
  • There are opportunities to earn points from referring a friend and completing tasks through the app.  
  • Not all the surveys are accessible to you. Some of the surveys depend on your profile and users are matched with surveys they are considered fit for. 

#7 My Points

My points is another rewards app to make money, that offers users a chance to get points for completing certain tasks. Users can earn points from taking surveys, shopping online through the app, printing coupons, playing games and watching advertisements or videos. My point is to work with various brands such as Walmart, eBay, Macy’s, Target among other stores, to conduct their market research. 

How it works: To join MyPoints, you just need to visit the website and sign up for free using your email, ZIP code,gender, date of birth and password.  You can also sign up using the MyPoints app, available on iOS or android devices. 

Tricks: MyPoints offers several ways to earn points, including shopping online, completing surveys, reading emails from BonusMail, watching videos, spending time browsing on Yahoo or printing coupons from the app. Try to gain more points and rewards by referring a friend to join MyPoints and accepting offers made to you on the app. 

Pro’s of My Points AppCons of My Points App
  • You get a $10 welcome bonus in the form of a gift card(either Amazon or Visa) just for signing up. 
  • There are problems with the point tracking system, so you may find that some points you earned from surveys are lost/unaccounted for. 
  • There are several ways you can earn points on the app. By shopping online, reading BonusMail, watching videos, referring others and more.
  • Your earnings from couponing or shopping online may take long to show up in your account.

 

#8 Ipsos iSay

Ipsos iSay is a paid surveys site that offers rewards for giving your opinion on various products and services from different companies. The iSay app is run by Ipsos, a market research company and offers plenty of opportunities to earn rewards. 

How it works: You can sign up on iSay for free either through their website or through the i-Say app which is available on iOS and android devices. The app is available in almost 100 countries, you only need to create a profile and give your location for you to use the app. The main way to earn rewards is through surveys, you earn points on the app that you convert to rewards in your local currency. Generally, for every 100 points you get $1.  You also need to have a minimum of 500 points to withdraw from the app. Depending on which country you are in, you can withdraw your rewards via PayPal or different gift cards. 

Tricks: There aren’t any tricks for earning points on the app, but you can take advantage of the referral program to help you earn a little extra points. 

Pros of Ipsos iSay AppCons of Ipsos iSay App
  • Free app, that is user friendly  with a good support line for when you have problems with the app.
  • Earning methods such as Loyalty programs, contests and polls have been removed from the app. 
  • You can cash out on rewards via PayPal or gift cards for Amazon, iTunes, Visa gift card amongst others.
  • Referral program only offers about $1 and you are limited to 60 referrals per month.

 

Apps to Make Money by Investing

A great way to make money is through investing. With Micro-investing apps, users can save and invest money in small amounts to build their wealth. These investing apps can provide you with access to different platforms to manage and grow your money. The best apps to make money by investing will offer a user-friendly app, with guides on investing.

#9 Betterment

Betterment is a robo-advisor investment app that makes saving and investing easy for you. You can invest in a tailored portfolio, set financial goals and earn rewards. The app features multiple  tools that can help you understand how to save and invest. You can also use the app to get rewards such as cash back when you spend using your Betterment Checking and Visa Debit Card. 

How it Works: To get started with the app, you will need to open an account and provide some basic information such as age, income and your social security number. Once you have registered, you will be prompted to pick a few financial goals you have. Finally, Betterment will send some customized investment portfolio for your goals. This robo advisor uses this goal oriented method to manage your money, so depending on your different financial goals that is how your money will be managed. The app also features explanations and easy management for Crypto currency and exchanges. It also offers tax-loss harvesting on taxable accounts 

Tips: Use your Betterment Checking and Visa Debit Card when making purchases, because you can earn cash back rewards and bank fees are returned to your account. 

Pros of Betterment AppCons of Betterment App
  • Low account minimum of $10 and affordable management fees.
  • High fees for professional financial advice. For Betterment Premium users the financial advice is free. But for digital customers these sessions can cost between $299-$399 for a 45-minute to 60-minute session.
  • User friendly app, with guides on how to use the apps for hands off investors.
  • There are various portfolio options but this can be intimidating for new investors, who may not understand the differences.

#10 Robinhood

Robinhood is an investment and trading app that offers commission-free investment to customers and users, on several US-listed investment types, such as stocks,ETFs and cryptocurrencies. New investors will enjoy this platform because it has low fees and gives any user direct access to money they have deposited. 

How it works: To get started with the Robinhood app you will need to sign up to Robinhood first. For this you will need your social security number and some personal and banking information. Although there are no fees for signing up, creating an account or maintaining your account you still have to submit an application. This application will be reviewed by Robinhood, and you can be approved in just 4 minutes. You can start investing with a small amount of money, and be involved in low risk investments such as stocks and ETFs. 

Tricks: Robinhood offers different ways to be involved in investing and money management. To get started with apps for investing, the best  thing you could possibly do is research. You need to know where your money can best be invested.

Pros of Robinhood AppCons of Robinhood App
  • No account minimum or monthly fee for users.
  • The app gives limited education and research tools, which may discourage new investors.
  • You have access to any of the money deposited into the app.
  • You do not have access to mutual funds or bonds on the app

#11 Charles Schwab Apps

Schwab Mobile is an investment app that allows users to manage their financial investments using the tools and resources available on the app. The app offers easy access to information on your financial accounts and market and investment opportunities. You also get to manage your transactions through the app.  

How it works: The Schwab mobile app is a convenient way to keep up with your Schwab Accounts. So you first need to have investment accounts with Charles Schwab to use the mobile apps. To get started you first need to open an account, which you can do in just 10 minutes. 

Tricks: Make use of the apps other features such as alerts, and real-time information on what is going on in the markets. You can also use the Schwab Market Update podcast that explains what is currently happening in the market. 

Pros of Schwab Mobile  AppCons of Schwab Mobile App
  • No account minimum
  • There are Account fees for transfers of assets.
  • Great for both beginner investors and more advanced traders.
  • Can’t trade cryptocurrency directly

 

Apps to Make Money by Getting a Side Jobs

There are plenty of platforms you can use to make extra money. With the new gig economy now is a great time to use apps to make money by getting a side job.

#12 DoorDash/UberEats

Working as a DoorDash/UberEats delivery partner is a great way to make money. It is relatively easy to sign up on the app and become a partner. You can sign up for multiple delivery partners to start earning  money from food deliveries. 

How it works:To get started as a DoorDash/UberEats delivery partner you just have to sign up on the app. You will need to provide your personal information, upload your license and insurance details. DoorDash/UberEats will complete a background check, and once that is done, you just have to sign the delivery agreement. You can also go ahead and enter your bank details You w

Tricks: There aren’t that money tricks for delivering for DoorDash. One thing you can try is to avoid deliveries with very little tips, and avoid restaurants with long waiting times.

Pros of DoorDash/UberEats AppCons of DoorDash/UberEats App
  • User friendly app with good in-app instructions 
  • May experience a first time payment delay, due to the bank verification process.
  • Decent intro bonus and referral bonus.
  • No incentives for delivery milestones, and the Top Dasher program is not beneficial. 

#13 Instacart Shopper

Instacart is a grocery delivery app that partners with several large grocery stores to deliver groceries right at your door. Working as a shopper for Instacart can help you earn some money. 

How it works:  To get started as an instacart shopper you just need to sign up through the app or the website. You will need to confirm your age, provide some personal information and your drivers license. You will also need to enter your bank account info to get paid. When customers complete their orders online, you will receive these orders through the app on your phone, then shop and deliver groceries to the customers. 

Tricks: There aren’t any tricks for using this app, but you do get to shop for only the orders you want. 

Pros of Instacart Shopper AppCons of Instacart Shopper App
  • You can cash out as soon as 2 hours after delivery(when you have made 5 deliveries). But you get paid by wage and not commission. 
  • Bad support from the company for shoppers. 
  • User friendly app with good in app instructions
  • Time consuming because you also have to shop around, so it takes more time and effort relative to other apps to make money

#14 Upwork

Upwork is a freelancing platform that connects freelancers from all around the world to clients. There are many gigs and long-term jobs that are posted on the platform on a daily basis including jobs related to writing, editing, proofreading, transcribing, customer service, virtual assistant, photography, graphic designing, and much more. Anyone can find something suited to their abilities on Upwork.

How it works: Both iOS and Android users can download this app for free. You will have you create a profile on the app to start. To create a profile you will need to provide an email ID and some basic information about you and the field you are interested in. They are also going to ask you about your availability and the desired rate. Using your profile, you can submit proposals to the projects that are posted on the job portal. To submit proposals you will need ‘Connects,’ which is Upwork credit that is used to send bids and offers. Each month, you will be given new Connects to send proposals with If you require more, you can pay a small amount for extra credits. 

Tricks: Make a strong profile and include some work samples to help clients get an idea of the quality of work you can provide. Adding experience also helps attract clients. Also, make sure to send lots of proposals every day as it will increase your chances of getting hired. 

Send proposals to those clients that have their payment verified to avoid getting scammed.

Pros of Upwork AppCons of Upwork App
  • Flexible work schedule
  • The competition is very high so getting hired for a gig is quite hard for new users
  • You get to decide what projects you want to send proposals to and accept
  • The app takes a considerable cut out of your earnings

#15 Fiverr

Fiverr, like Upwork, is also an app to make money that connects freelancers to prospective clients. It has freelancers registered with it offering digital services in more than 500 categories including design, editing, coding writing, transcribing, and much more. Anyone find jobs suited to their expertise on this global online marketplace for freelancers.

How it works: You will have to create an account first with your email ID and basic information. Set your profile as a ‘seller’ on the platform and select your niche. The clients are termed as ‘buyers.’ You will design a gig as a seller and then buyers will place orders for what you are offering. Once you complete a job for which the buyer placed an order, you will get paid either via PayPal, direct transfer to the bank account, or the earnings will be added to a Fiverr Revenue Card.  The Fiverr Revenue Card is a prepaid card for you to use.

Tricks: Create a gig that grabs attention. You will have to be a good writer that understands how to catch an eye. Moreover, a strong profile is also important to score projects. Add as many details as you can about what you can offer.

Adding attractive gig-related images to the gig you are offering can also help get more buyers to place orders with you. You can also promote your gigs on social media to get more traffic.

Pros of Fiverr AppCons of Fiverr App
  • Can earn tips
  • Hard to get a job for new users due to high competition
  • You get to decide the orders you accept
  • Around 20% of your earnings go to Fiverr

#16 Taskrabbit

Taskrabbit is a marketplace that matches freelancers with local demand, by working as a Tasker you complete everyday tasks and errands for consumers for money. It is a great way to make money because you get to trade your time and skills for money. Some of the tasks you can expect to complete are moving, assembling furniture, being a personal assistant or shopper, cleaning and handy-work. 

How it works: You can sign up to be a Tasker either through the website or the app, which is available on iOS and Android devices. Once you sign up and register, then  you will be directed to an onboarding session. Finally you will create a profile that showcases your skills and gives your rates for tasks. App users can then browse the app, and book Taskers at an hourly rate. 

Tricks:The number one trick that Taskers advice to new Taskers is to not forget the customer service aspect of this work. If you complete your task well, and have affordable rates, it is likely that users will contact you for future projects too. They may also add you as a favorite Tasker which can secure more jobs for you.

Pros of TaskRabbit AppCons of TaskRabbit App
  • You get to work flexible jobs that fit your schedule.
  • Can be time consuming relative to other apps to make money.
  • You get to set your own rates
  • Offers low paying gigs

 

Apps to Make Money by Selling Stuff Online

If you are familiar with apps like eBay, Craiglist and even Etsy, then the idea of using an app to sell items and make money is not new. There are plenty of apps available that you can download today, to start selling things and make money. It is usually a simple process, of just posting the item you want to sell, how much you are willing to sell it for and waiting for a buyer.

#17 Offer Up

One of the ways that you can make money using apps, is to start selling stuff on apps like OfferUp. It is a mobile app for a peer to peer marketplace, and operates similarly to websites like eBay, and Craigslist. You can sell anything from clothing to cars on Offer Up using the platform. 

How it works: The app is available for iOS and Android devices. To get started you just need to download the app, and verify your profile. Once your account is verified, you can start searching on the app or posting items you would like to sell.

Tricks: There are no other ways to make money off of the app, other than selling items online. There are no rewards or referral schemes with this app.

Pros of Offer Up AppCons of Offer Up App
  • You can list and sell items for free on the app. 
  • Long waiting period before you can receive payment after you ship the product to a buyer.
  • Low service fees of up to $1.99 or 12.9% of the sale item as a service fee.
  • Bad reviews from users, who have been scammed before and sellers who experienced payment issues with buyers.

#18 Foap

This money-making app is perfect for professional and amateur photographers who are hoping to earn money with little to no effort. This app is a crowdsourcing platform that allows you to earn money by selling photos that you take on your smartphone. Basically, you would sell your images to Foap, and different brands, advertising and marketing agencies will purchase these images from Foap for advertisement, blogs, reviews, etc. 

How it works: Download the app and register your account. Then you can begin uploading high-quality photos with clear tags. These photos will get rated by the registered community, and the higher the rating for your images, the higher their visibility on Foap. For each photo Foap sells, you earn between $5 to $100 per sale. Sometimes brands and agencies also give “missions” requesting specific images and videos. Foap only pays once per month, via PayPal.

Tricks: Get more of your friends and family to join, to participate in rating. Make your account visible on your social media to encourage people who visit your account to rate your photos and videos. Take advantage of the missions and give your best when participating. Rate other people’s images and videos to gain more points. 

Pros of Foap AppCons of Foap App
  • The platform has a community where you can get feedback from other members and have your content rated by other members.
  • High commission fee of 50% of photo, and the platform does not pay  very well at only $5 per photo
  • There are additional missions and contests that can help you earn even more money.
  • It is not easy to get pictures sold on the platform, because it is quite competitive.

 

Apps to Make Money by Shopping

Did you know that you can earn cash back and rewards from doing your normal shopping errand? There are apps you can download that give you cash back for buying at certain retailers, or using certain cash back offers on products from different retailers. You can even earn points and rewards for putting fuel in your car.

#19 Ibotta

Ibotta is like modern-day couponing. It’s a free online app that you can use to earn cash-back on your groceries, and other purchases by uploading your receipts. With this app, you get both discounts on your purchases and you can earn cash-back on your purchases over time. 

How it works: Download the app (available on iOS and Android) or download Ibotta as a browser extension. Register on the app and start shopping, you earn cash-back on eligible purchases from grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, and even Amazon. You must provide proof of payment to earn your cash-back.  

The amount you can get as cash-back per eligible item varies from $0.25 to $2.00.  Once you have earned $20 in cash-back rewards, you can transfer this to your PayPal, Stripe, or bank account. Alternatively, you can select a digital gift card instead to withdraw your cash-back.

The app also allows you to earn cash-back and gift cards when making online purchases from participating stores such as Amazon through links from the app. 

Tricks: Ibotta does not have restrictions on the use of multiple vouchers, so one way that you can save more, is to check if some discounted products in-store are also products you can earn cash-back on Ibotta. Combine offers from stores with those on Ibotta for additional savings. Another way you can earn extra cash is to encourage your friends to sign up to the app, you can get rewards for every friend that signs up by your referral. 

Pros of Ibotta AppCons of Ibotta App
The app offers multiple ways that you can make some money. Earning cash back, referring friends, welcome bonuses and other bonuses.Many offers are either store-specific or brand specific and not necessarily product specific.
The app features over 300 retailers and is free to use.You must load the offer before shopping and you can only make online purchases through the app.

#20 Rakuten

Formerly known as Ebates, it is an app that rewards shoppers with cash-back on purchases from retailers, restaurants and food delivery services, and even travel and gift cards, when the purchase is made through the app. This app offers numerous cash-back options which will help you save and is also free to use. 

How it works: Create an account through the app, select the stores you would like to shop from, complete your transaction through the app portal and earn cash-back instantly. To earn cash-back in-store, Rakuten also gives you the option to upload your credit or debit card for when you make in-store purchases. You just need to activate the deal through the app before you make the purchase in-store. This is quite an inconvenient process because it’s confirmed after several days.

You can earn 1% to 3% cash-back on qualifying purchases through Rakuten. The app also has a “where’s my cash-back” option you can use to follow up on your cash-back if it was not automatically given. Just have to fill out a form – they typically do not deny these requests. 

Tricks: There is a welcome bonus for new users of $10 after your first qualifying purchase of $25. There are also opportunities to earn sign-up and referral bonuses. 

Pros of Rakuten AppCons of Rakuten App
  • The app is user friendly, free to download and use.
  • Low payments using the app.
  • Multiple ways to make money using the app. You can make money using referrals, cash back option and other rewards.
  • Any friends and family you refer must make a purchase of a minimum $25 for you to get any reward for referral.

 

#21 Dosh

This is a cash back platform that pays users for shopping at partnered retailers, mostly local and independent stores. The app also offers cash back on some online merchants. The app offers passive cash-back on purchases when users link their debit or credit card on the app. You can earn cash back on restaurants, hotels, gas stations and online shopping. 

How it works: The Dosh app is available for iOS and android users. You can create an account using your personal information and link your debit/credit card on the platform. Once you do this, you can start making purchases at select partners to earn cash back. The cash back with this app only works when you swipe the app linked card in store. You can also make purchases for online shopping, by shopping within the Dosh app to earn the cash back. There are also cash back offers on different hotels when you make a booking and secure your reservation through the app. 

Tricks: You can make $10 if someone signs up using your referral link and makes a purchase. This is quite a generous referral deal among all these apps to make money.

Pros of Dosh AppCons of Dosh App
  • User friendly app that is free to download and use
  • Can take up to 90 days to process
  • Pays $10 for every user that signs up from your referall
  • Maintenance fee of $4.99 per month, when your account is inactive. 

#22 Upside

This is a cashback app that gives you money for making purchases at partnered gas stations, grocery stores,restaurants and convenience stores. It is based on your location and partner retailers in your area, which may mean that some deals are not available to you because of where you are.

How it works: The Upside app is available for download for android and iOS devices. To create an account you may need to fill in information, including your Apple ID or gmail or Facebook login. The app also requires you to enable your location for the app, so that it can give you the deals from partners in your area.

You can make deal selection from different categories such as restaurants, gas stations, grocery and convenience stores. Once you find a deal you like, you can select “claim” on that deal, make a purchase and upload the receipt within a few hours. To complete the deal you have to make the purchase in the time frame given to you and use your credit card. If you may not complete the deal in time, then you must unclaim the deal on the app before time runs out.

Finally, you can get your cash back by selecting “Cash Out” on the app. Which will transfer to your PayPal, your digital gift card or directly to your bank account.

Tricks: Use the check in feature in some stores, which allows you to get cash back without having to upload a receipt. Another trick, is to compare deals in your area before you claim a deal, you may find that you will get a lower price elsewhere. Finally, with the app you can also earn extra rewards by referring friends/people to the app from your account.

Pros of Upside AppCons of Upside App
  • User friendly app with easy claim and upload process
  • Does not always offer the best shopping deals
  • No need to link your banking information to claim
  • Can take up to 10 days to process.

 

#23 Fetch Rewards

 

Fetch Rewards(now Fetch) is a consumer loyalty app that offers rewards to users in the form of gift cards for shopping. Users just have to upload the receipt from their purchases, whether it is from Walmart, Target or even Dollar General. It does not matter where you choose to shop because the app accepts receipts from any store. 

How it works: To get started you just need to sign up on the app, which is available on Google Play and the App Store. Once you have signed up, you can earn points for shopping whenever you upload your receipt. To cash out, you should note that each 1,000 point is equal to $1, and once you have accumulated at least 3,000 points then you can withdraw. 

Tricks: You can earn points by referring a friend, or shopping the daily offers to make a little extra savings.

Pros of Fetch Rewards AppCons of Fetch Rewards App
  • User friendly app, that is easy to navigate.
  • You can only redeem points in the form of a gift card and not cashback.
  • Fetch works with all the major grocery retailers, so it does not limit where you can shop.
  • Low points awarded for receipts without any special offers.

#24 CoinOut

Coin out is a cashback rewards app that rewards users for shopping when the user uploads their receipt as a proof of purchase. Unlike other cashback for shopping apps, this app claims to let users earn cashback when they shop from anywhere and not just specific stores.

How it works: You can download this app on iOS and Android for free. Then you will have to register on the app, using a cellphone number.  Once you have completed your registration, then you can start shopping and upload photos of your receipt on the CoinOut app and redeem cashback when you want. 

With coin out you do not need to wait to meet any target amount. There is no minimum requirement before you can cashout. You can make between $0.01 and $0.15 per receipt, and this amount is randomly generated. It is not based on how much you have spent on your shop or the total on your receipt. You can redeem cash via direct deposit, paypal cash and amazon gift cards. 

Tricks: Use the online cashback portal for CoinOut, which allows you to upload e-receipts and can help you earn cashback automatically from shops like Walmart or even eBay. Another trick is to try to use  the homepage badges to earn extra cashback. There are multiple badges such as limited offers and partner offers which are bonuses to get you more cash back. 

You can also earn prizes as a member when you buy specific products. You can earn cash when you refer friends to CoinOut or sign up to the newsletter. 

Pros of CoinOut AppCons of CoinOut App
  • There is no minimum cash out amount with the app. Although, apps like paypal may have a minimum withdraw amount of $10.
  • The pay out per receipt on the app is quite low and random. There is also a limit on how many receipts you can scan per day.
  • User friendly app, with multiple ways to make more money. Including a referral program.
  • The apps referral offer changes frequently so the amount may be low at times.

Things To Look Out For

Friend showing someone how to use an app | Image on Freepik

There are a few things you should look out for when using apps to make money. Some apps will promise you more money than you can actually get, so it is good to be aware of a few things.

  • How to redeem your points/rewards from the app
    Some apps do not pay into your account but will offer gift cards and discounts at certain stores instead. Look out for apps like this because there is nothing worse than building points for cash, and only getting a gift card. In this regard, you must also note that with some apps, such as Money App, the onus is on advertisers and partners to pay out rewards and not Money App. So should anything happen with the app, Money App would not be obligated to pay out.
  • How long payouts will take
    Each app has its unique terms and conditions for payouts on points/rewards. You need to be aware of these, some apps only allow you to get a payout when you have reached a certain number of points. Others only pay out at certain points throughout the year.
  • How you earn points/rewards from referrals
    To make money, some apps to make money will encourage you to refer a friend, your friends should either use the link you send them to sign up or refer you through the app by name and account. Other apps require your friend to first spend or become active on the app before you get any points/cash-back. Find out how you earn points from referrals on the app before you start referring friends.

FAQs

Do money-making apps really work?

These apps work but you need to have realistic expectations about the earning potential from apps to make money. With apps such as Swagbucks or Rakuten, you can earn quite a bit over time, but these are perfect for people who shop online. For greater earning potential, you would make more money with a gig/side-hustle app such as Uber or DoorDash.

What are the best apps for making money fast?

Apps where you can sell products to buyers, or work a side gig that will make you more money than any of these money-making apps.

Are money-making apps safe?

Generally, these apps are safe but they do collect a significant amount of user data. For safety with your financial information, using your PayPal account is generally the best option if you are not comfortable with having your financial information uploaded on the site. Read through the privacy policy of each money app to find out how they use your information, ideally, you should know about how the app protects your data.

How do you avoid scams when downloading apps to make money?

User reviews are a great way to spot scam apps to make money, these are usually available on your Google Play Store or the App Store. You can also use Reddit for more honest reviews from users – people may ask for advice or report problems with a money-making app there.