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Last Updated: Oct 2024

Top 10 Best Money Making Apps

Want to make some money while going about your daily life? Here are the best real money making apps that you can use from the comfort of your own home.

How to Choose the Best Money-Making App

There are actually apps out there that allow you to make money by shopping, carrying out simple tasks, and reaching goals you’ve set for yourself. 

Finding ways to bring in a little bit of extra money is never a bad thing. Most of us are looking for ways to make easy money in our spare time. Luckily, earning extra bucks is now as easy as owning a smartphone and accessing the web. With money-making apps, you can have quick access to getting extra cash, no matter where you are. But looking for the right app for you can be hard, especially since there are several good ones out there.

Survey and Micro Task Apps

Some money-making apps let you earn extra cash and other rewards by completing micro-tasks that are minimal in both time and effort. These tasks can range from completing weekly surveys to taking photos of products at the stores you frequent. The amount you get back can vary greatly, but remember that even the smallest amounts will add up over time. 

Swagbucks

Overview: Swagbucks rewards you with gift cards for shopping online, taking surveys, watching videos, surfing the web, and other seemingly random micro-tasks. Each task will earn you a certain amount of points, which eventually add up to gift cards for top retailers like Amazon and Walmart. 

How you earn money using Swagbucks: Shop online, complete surveys, surf the web

Inbox Dollars

Overview: Inbox Dollars is similar to Swagbucks, but instead of gift cards you can earn cold hard cash. The process is simple: you’ll be asked to take surveys, complete polls, watch trending videos, and complete other easy tasks online. You can choose your payments in the form of gift cards or prepaid Visa cards, or, if you prefer, checks that you can deposit into your bank and spend on whatever you want. 

How you earn money using Inbox Dollars: Take surveys and watch videos online

Google Opinion Rewards

Overview: Google Opinion Rewards works a little differently. Essentially, you’ll be asked for some basic information about yourself after which you’ll receive around one survey a week to complete. The surveys themselves are not complicated and can be done usually in a few minutes. The payout from Google Opinion Rewards comes in the form of Google Play credits, which you can use for shows, music, and your favorite entertainment. 

How you earn money using Google Opinion Rewards: Complete online surveys 

Cash Back and Receipt Scanning Apps

One of the easiest ways to make money through an app is doing something that you are already doing: shopping. Some of the most popular and best money-making apps require little to no work outside of your usual routine while still netting you handsome rewards.

Ibotta

Overview: With Ibotta, you can find in-store items and offers that you can receive rebates on. When you purchase those items, you simply scan them and your receipt into the app, which logs your purchases. Once you accumulate $20, you can have the funds transferred. 

How you earn money using Ibotta: Go shopping and log in-store purchases

Shopkick

Overview: Shopkick works similar to Ibotta except that it limits its scope to certain pre-approved stores. These tend to be nationwide chains, and it’s likely that you visit them regardless. You can scan certain purchases into the Shopkick app, each of them netting you “kick,” or credits that accumulate in your account until you can cash them in for gift cards to stores like Walgreens and Target. 

How you earn money using Shopkick: Shop at select stores and scan purchases

Secret Agent and Passive Income Earning Apps

Mobee

Overview: Mobee is an app that assigns you nearby secret-shopper tasks to complete for easy rewards. After you log on to the app, you’ll be given the nearest locations for a “mission.” Simply head out to that store and complete the tasks assigned to you, which can include taking photos or answering questions about your shopping experience. Each mission will earn you rewards that can be redeemed in the form of gift cards for Amazon, Dominos, and other businesses. 

How you earn money using Mobee: Visit businesses and answer questions about your experience.

Gigwalk 

Overview: With Gigwalk, you will be given tasks in your area. Some of the tasks are simple and may take no time, while others are more involved. The more involved the task, the more money you can make from it. Gigwalk is not necessarily a shopping app, as the task they send you on could be at a restaurant or any other type of business close to you. However, unlike other money making apps, Gigwalk pays in cash instead of gift cards: the money you earn will be transferred straight to your Paypal account. 

How you earn money using Gigwalk: Complete in-person tasks 

Field Agent

Overview: Field Agent will send you to shops to collect information about them, much like Mobee and Shopkick. They may ask you to photograph, video, or simply record the data they are asking for. The information is then given to the businesses to improve their service, and you get paid in cash via direct deposits.  

How you earn money using Field Agent: Visit businesses and collect information 

Foap

Overview: With Foap, you can actually sell your pictures to people all over the world. People are looking for a wide range of stock photos to use for their businesses or websites, and even a non-professional photographer can get in on the action. In addition, companies will post photo missions on Foap, encouraging you to take pictures with their products or simply being out and about. Once a mission is complete, the winners will be awarded the prize money. If you are already taking pictures, why not try to make some money off of them?

How you earn money using Foap: Take photos of retail products and businesses 

Drop

Overview: Drop offers one of the easiest ways to make money yet--make your usual purchases through the app. After you log onto Drop, you’ll see special links and in-app offers from recognizable brands and businesses such as Expedia and Postmates. By purchasing these items through the Drop app you’ll earn points that you can use for Amazon, Netflix, Starbucks, and more. 

How you earn money using Drop: Make your everyday purchases through Drop’s app 

Which Money Making App Should You Use?

Now that you have seen the best apps that are out there for making money, it is up to you to decide which one or ones would work out best for you. Think about your lifestyle and daily tasks and see if you can earn a little extra money.

How we created this
list
Compiled from “Best of” lists published by the world’s most trusted sources, and with our own recommended brands peppered in - this Top10 list aims to help consumers make smarter decisions.