In today’s world, your smartphone can be a goldmine for earning extra money if you know which apps to use. With so many money making apps available, it can be hard to identify the best ones that will actually make you decent cash. I’ve done the research for you and compiled a list of the top 10 money making apps that can help you earn extra income easily from your phone.
1. Rakuten – The Cashback Shopping App
Rakuten is one of the best apps for getting cashback on your everyday shopping, both online and in-store.
How It Works
When you access your favorite shopping sites through the Rakuten app or website, you’ll get cashback on your purchases. Rakuten gets paid commissions by retailers and shares that commission with you in the form of cashback.
You can get up to 40% cashback at popular retailers like Walmart, Sephora, Home Depot and more. The cashback gets credited to your Rakuten account which you can then redeem for cash via check or PayPal.
Why It’s Great
- Get cashback on purchases you’d make anyway
- Works both online and in-store
- Big sign up bonus of $30 when you spend $30
- Works on major retailers like Walmart, Amazon etc.
I’ve earned over $500 through Rakuten just by routing my everyday shopping through them. It takes little effort but pays off nicely!
2. Dosh – Automatic Cashback on Card Purchases
Dosh is an automatic cashback app that pays you when you use your linked credit and debit cards at partner merchants online and in-store.
How it Works
Connect your credit and debit cards to the Dosh app. When you shop or dine at participating stores, Dosh will automatically find those purchases and instantly credit cashback to your account, with no need for scanning receipts or activating offers.
The cashback gets credited to your Dosh wallet and can be cashed out via PayPal.
Why It’s Great
- Fully automatic cashback
- Works at popular merchants like Walmart, Sephora, Starbucks
- No need to scan receipts or activate offers
- $75 earned so far through purchases and referrals
Dosh makes earning completely passive, I forgot I had it installed and was nicely surprised when cashback kept hitting my account.
3. Ibotta – Cashback on Groceries and More
Ibotta is one of the most popular cashback apps with great offers on groceries, dining, travel and more.
How It Works
Before shopping, browse Ibotta for cashback offers at major stores and add them to your account. After purchase, upload your receipt to verify the items and receive cashback in your Ibotta account within 48 hours.
You can cash out your earnings via PayPal or gift cards. Referring friends also earns you a $5 bonus per sign up.
Why It’s Great
- Great grocery and dining offers
- Fast cashback processing
- $105+ earned from purchases and referrals
- $5 referral bonus
I always check Ibotta before grocery trips to earn easy money on my essential purchases. The offers add up quickly!
4. Acorns – Automatically Invest Your Spare Change
Acorns is a revolutionary app that allows you to invest your spare change from everyday purchases.
How It Works
Link your credit and debit cards. When you make purchases, Acorns will round up the transaction to the nearest dollar and automatically invest the spare change.
For example, a $12.75 transaction gets rounded up to $13, with the $0.25 difference invested via Acorns.
These micro-investments add up over time and can earn you decent returns. You can withdraw your money anytime without fees.
Why It’s Great
- Effortless micro-investing
- Over $50 earned without noticing
- $5 sign up bonus
- No withdrawal fees
Acorns is perfect for passive set-it-and-forget-it investing. Just link your cards and watch your spare change grow!
5. Swagbucks – Cashback for Online Activities
Swagbucks allows you to earn cashback for online activities like answering surveys, watching videos, browsing the web, and more.
How It Works
Earn Swagbucks (SB) for completing simple activities in the app. Then exchange your SB for cashback via PayPal or gift cards to major retailers.
Activities include:
- Online surveys
- Watching videos
- Playing games
- Online shopping
- Completing offers
- Referring friends
Why It’s Great
- Many ways to earn
- $5 signup bonus
- Cash out via PayPal or gift cards
- $50-$100/month potential
Swagbucks is a versatile app with many options for earning. I prefer it for quick surveys and watching videos during free time.
6. HealthyWage – Get Paid to Lose Weight
Want to get motivated to lose weight? HealthyWage will pay you for hitting your goals.
How It Works
Set a weight loss goal and timeline along with a monetary bet for achieving it. If you successfully hit the goal, you get paid the amount you bet. If not, the money goes to HealthyWage.
Payouts can be up to $10,000 for larger bets on more ambitious goals. HealthyWage provides tools to help you on your journey.
Why It’s Great
- Up to $10,000 payout
- Motivation to hit goals
- Support tools provided
- Paid for your fitness achievements
HealthyWage gives great incentives to get fit. Use it to reach those weight loss goals and earn big!
7. Instacart – Get Paid to Shop for Others
Instacart lets you earn money by shopping for and delivering groceries to customers.
How It Works
Sign up as a shopper on the Instacart platform. When customers place grocery orders, you’ll get notified of open shopping and delivery jobs in your area. You can claim jobs that fit your schedule.
Shop for the items on the customer’s list and deliver to them. Instacart pays you for each completed shopping and delivery job. Top shoppers report $100+ days.
Why It’s Great
- Earn $100+ per day
- Set your own schedule
- Get exercise while earning
- Help people by delivering groceries
If you like grocery shopping, Instacart is an easy way to get paid for it while helping customers get what they need.
8. Seated – Earn Cashback on Dining Out
Seated pays you rewards for booking restaurants through their app.
How It Works
Browse restaurant reservations in your area in the Seated app and book one, selecting a reward amount ($10-$50). Dine at the restaurant and upload your receipt to verify. Receive the reward in your chosen gift card within 24 hours.
Why It’s Great
- Up to $50 per reservation
- Wide choice of restaurants
- Rewarded for dining out
- $200+ potential monthly from frequent dining
Next time you want to eat out, book through Seated. It’s an easy way to offset the cost while discovering restaurants.
9. Foap – Get Paid for Photos
Foap allows you to sell your smartphone photos through their app.
How It Works
Foap provides photo “missions” from brands looking for user-generated images. Submit relevant photos and get paid up to $100 if your image is selected by the brand.
You can also add photos to Foap’s marketplace to be sold as stock images, earning money each time someone downloads your image.
Why It’s Great
- Earn for submitted photos
- $100 per selected mission photo
- Revenue from your images being sold
- Monetize your photography skills
If you have an eye for great photos, Foap lets you turn your smartphone into a cash machine.
10. Trim – Save Money on Bills
Trim is an app that helps you save money by negotiating your bills and cancelling unused subscriptions.
How It Works
Link your financial accounts. Trim will analyze your spending and look for ways to save by negotiating your cable, phone, internet bills and more.
Trim negotiates on your behalf and takes 25% of yearly savings as payment. The rest of the savings goes to you.
Why It’s Great
- Saves you money easily
- Consolidates finances
- Bill negotiating service
- Finds forgotten subscriptions
Having Trim on your side can easily save you hundreds per year on bills for very little effort.
Conclusion
These 10 apps provide simple, yet effective ways to earn extra money from your smartphone. Whether it’s cashback, selling photos, paid tasks or more, they make monetizing your phone a breeze.
The additional income from leveraging these Money Making Apps can help cover day-to-day expenses or be put towards financial goals. Give them a download to effortlessly boost your bottom line!