Smartphones have become an integral part of our lives as they have become more than just communication devices. You can use them to watch movies, make purchases, book taxis, flights, and more.
Around 2.5 billion people worldwide today own a smartphone and the numbers are increasing rapidly with every passing year.
The average American spends 3 hours 35 minutes on the phone per day of which 90% of the time is spent on various apps that require the internet in order to work. There are a plethora of apps available for download for users to enjoy.
What if it was possible to earn money from an app? The good news is that you can use mobile apps to make money. There are various apps that pay you real money for doing various tasks such as clicking on ads, watching videos, signing up, commenting, etc.
However, sadly, since there are scams out there, you need to be careful when selecting an app. Don’t worry, we have done all the homework for you.
Here some of the best apps that pay you real money
1. Swagbucks
How does earning up to $100 sound? This app can help you make a good amount of side money for doing small tasks. So far, about $166,000,000 have been paid to members. This app is legit and available on both Android and iOS platforms.
Firstly, you will get a $10 bonus when you sign up. Apart from that, there are 5 different ways in which this app pays you money:
- Completing surveys
- Watching videos
- Playing games
- Shopping online
- Surfing the web
You earn SB points for doing various tasks and there’s no limit to how much you can earn.
You can withdraw funds via PayPal or choose gift cards that are redeemable at more than 1500 retailers including Amazon and Walmart.
All in all, Swagbucks is one of the safest and best apps to use for making money.
2. MyPoints
This app offers $10 as a sign-up bonus and uses a points system for granting money.
It is more of a rewards program than a money app since it offers gift cards, physical gifts, and sometimes cash.
It is super easy to make at least $50 a month with this app by going through videos and completing surveys. You can download this app for both iOS and Android platforms.
It’s a safe app that lets you withdraw money via PayPal.
3. Ebates
Apart from offering a once-off $10 sign up bonus on making a $25 purchase, this app returns 12% cash on some promotions, events, and purchases. It is available for both iOS and Android. In fact, you can download it on your desktop, too.
Ebates is an authentic app that is paid for by retailers for sending customers their way. It offers cashback to customers who can then save money while shopping. It’s a win-win situation for all.
You can easily earn up to $500 from this app and even more if you refer a few friends. The deal is to shop online using the app, subscribe to it, and not miss any promotions or events.
You get to choose from more than 2000 online stores including Amazon, Noble, Target, Macy’s, and Walmart.
4. Inbox Dollars Survey
Just as the name says, this app pays you money for answering surveys and skimming through emails. It can become a bit boring after a while but it pays you good money. According to the app developers, about $57 million have been paid out to members so far which is amazing.
The app is available for both iOS and Android platforms and is also free to download and register.
Upon signing up, you get a free $5 bonus. However, this app doesn’t offer any gifts, only cash.
5. iBotta
Ibotta allows users to get cashback on everything they purchase at the grocery stores. I love this digital earning app.
Ibotta is available on both Android and iOS platforms. You will receive a free bonus of $10 to signup yourself and $5 for referring friends. I have this app installed on my phone.
How to Use
- Go through all the exciting offers on your screen after your signup.
- Add those offers in your account.
- Pick the same items and put them in your cart.
- Make sure you have the receipt of purchased items.
- Scan that receipt into the app and upload it.
- Once all the items verified you will get the cash back in your Paypal, Venmo or other wallets.
I spend a lot, buying groceries each month and prefer this app to get good cash back. I have earned $241.55 last year (2019) with Ibotta.
6. Acorns
Acorns is an iOS/Android app that trims the cents/loose change from an amount and invests it so that you can withdraw it anytime. The cents are added up and can be withdrawn whenever you like. It might not be a free money-lending app but can help you save a lot of real cash in the long-run.
For example, if you purchase something for $4.35 and $6.25, the cents value is returned to you as cashback ($.35+$.25=$.60). A few more similar purchases will keep your account balance increasing nicely.
There are many people who have managed to withdraw more than $100 a month from this app. Moreover, there’s also a $5 free sign up bonus for newcomers.
It works by linking your credit card to your account. The app is 100% safe and doesn’t store any personal details.
7. Nielsen App
This app pays you up to $50 a year for simply installing it on your device and surfing the internet. It was developed by the famous Market Research company called Nielsen and is available for both iOS and Android.
The app works in a simple way and its aim is to collect details about the hours you spend on the internet for research purposes.
Apart from that, it pays you for watching videos and TV shows. Moreover, you can also get cash back when you shop online.
8. Shopkick
This app gives you kicks (points) when you shop online. These kicks are convertible into cash or gifts. The app is free to download and works for both Android and iOS.
A few ways of earning kicks from the app:
- Walk into a store, turn on the app and shop.
- Read product barcodes.
- Submit shopping receipts.
- Connect your credit card to this app.
- Shop online.
- Watch videos.
- Refer friends (250 kicks per referral).
9. Survey Junkie
This is one of the highest paying apps on the market. You can earn between $1 to $20 for completing a single survey.
You can download this app on both iOS and Android platforms.
Survey Junkie works in a simple manner. You earn points for answering surveys. Your account gets loaded with $10 once you reach a thousand points.
10. Pinecone Research
This is another app that pays for taking surveys and giving feedback on products. You can earn up to $3 for completing a survey. The app can be downloaded on both iOS and Android platforms.
There are some longer surveys too that can give you up to $50, however, such surveys surface rarely.
Apart from that, users are paid for reviewing and testing products ($3 to $6 per product).
11. Lucktastic
This app offers exciting gift cards and prizes for playing a simple scratch card game. The best bit is that the app is free to download on both Playstore and Appstore.
It is a fun game that allows you to test your luck. All you need to do is pick a theme (Lucky777, Gold, etc) and swipe to scratch. If you’re lucky enough you will get daily prizes such as discounts, trips, real money, etc.
The highlight of this app is the grand prize of $1,000,000 which is given out to the luckiest player. Apart from that, you can also win free gas and Amazon gift cards.
12. GamerSaloon
This app is an Apple exclusive and only works on Apple devices. It helps gaming enthusiasts earn money by winning tournaments. The legal age to download this game is 17 years.
You can bet on players and earn money if they win at the end of the game.
A lot of players feel confused about whether the app is legal or not. We can assure you that it is 100% legal in most states because the games offered are skill-based. You’ll be rewarded for the gaming skills you possess.
The withdrawal system is simple. You can opt to receive a cheque or link your account to PayPal.
13. BetFAQ
BetFAQ is a sports betting app that can earn you some serious money every month. If you’re a sports enthusiast and have been following a particular sport for some time, this app will help you earn real money.
Users are however required to pay to get registered. The fee ranges from $50, $150 and $500.
You earn money by predicting the winning team, match scores, player of the tournament, etc.
14. Dosh
Dosh is a passive money earning app that keeps rewarding you with real money when you shop, eat, and travel. It works by linking your credit card with the Dosh account.
The amount of money you can earn depends on how much you use your credit card and how big of a purchase you make.
There are users who have earned about $75 in a month by shopping from this app.
15. Healthy Wage
Imagine if you could earn money for losing weight! Well, now you can with the HealthyWage app. This app is available for both Android and iOS and is absolutely free.
It’s a government-run app that gives incentives to people who lose weight to lead a better life.
Healthy Wage offers a grand prize of $10,000 to one lucky winner.
It works in the following manner:
- You enter the pounds you’d like to lose and the time you think it would take for you to achieve the goal. After that, you place a bet. Upon completing the bet, you receive money in your account.
- The amount of money you earn depends on how much weight you can lose in the least amount of time. There’s a calculator in the app that allows you to see how much money you’ll be making by losing a specific amount of weight in a given time. You can play around with the weight and time to set the amount you want to earn. If you fail to achieve your goal you will receive no money but it’s worth a try!
Note: The app is legit and has awarded over $10,000 so far with $5,294 being the highest reward.
16. InstaCart
Buying groceries can be a tiring task but what if you could get paid for it?
With Instacart, you can earn up to $100 or even more by working for $10 per hour. It works as a grocery delivery service where you take someone’s order, deliver it to their place, and get paid for doing so.
You can even shop for your own goods using the app and earn. You can download this app for both iOS and Android for free.
17. Seated
If you love dining out then this app is for you. How amazing would it be if you could get paid for eating out? With this app, you can.
Seated can be downloaded on both Android and iOS platforms and is absolutely free.
It offers rewards in the form of gift cards when you book a reservation at a restaurant/hotel. You can earn between $10-$50 per reservation.
For people who are foodies, this app can be the ultimate deal. It can help you earn up to $200 a month quite easily.
You can get gift cards to some major stores including Amazon, Lyft, and Starbucks.
Note: To make this app work, you will need to take a picture of yourself and the receipt and upload it on the app. Within 24 hours, you will receive a redeemable code that you can use as a gift card.
18. Foap
If you’re a photographer looking to earn some extra money for your skills then Foap is the app you should go for. It is available on both iOS and Android platforms.
The app works in a unique way where several companies post missions to be completed. These missions may include a specific photograph or a video that needs to be taken. Photographers can complete missions and get rewarded for each mission.
You don’t necessarily have to buy a high-quality camera. Photos taken from a smartphone can also work. All you need to do is click interesting photos so that companies will buy them from you.
If you are good at what you do, you will be able to make up to $100 per month by using Foap.
19. SlideJoy
Slidejoy is an excellent app that shows you ads on your lock screen and pays you between $5 to $15 per month. It’s not much but it’s something.
You can either swipe right to unlock the phone and ignore the ad or swipe left to click the ad.
The more ads you look at, the more money you’ll make. However, you will also get to earn a small amount of money if you ignore the ads.
20. VIPKID
If you have a good grasp of the English language and can teach online then VIPKID is the app for you. It can help you make up to $22 per hour if you’re good at it and $10 if you’re a beginner.
All in all, this is an amazing tutoring app with which you can easily make up to $2,000 a month by working between 3 to 7 hours daily.
VIPKID is available for both Android and iOS platforms, and registration is free.
There’s another similar app called Course Hero that offers $12 to $20 per hour. You can check it out too if you’re into teaching.
Conclusion
These are some of the most popular apps available today that can help you earn a decent amount of money per month. However, take note that these apps should be used to earn side money only are not a substitute for a full-time job. They are great if you want to supplement your income and don’t need a guaranteed sum.