It’s no surprise that we are on our smartphones a lot. I know I can’t wait to be productive scroll through Instagram on my new iPhone when it comes in the mail.
I know I can’t be alone.
On average, American consumers now check their smartphones an average of 52 times each day, according to a recent report from Deloitte. That’s up from 47 times per day on last year’s study, according to the consulting and professional services firm.
In 2020, there has been over 592 million daily app downloads. The number of mobile app downloads will exceed 250 billion in 2023.
I doubt most people are downloading money-making apps and just search the app store for social media apps or gaming apps.
I’m here to change that.
If you’ve got some extra time to spare, why not try out one of these money-making apps for your smartphones?
That’s right: There are legitimate money apps that can net you some extra funds for whatever, whenever you want.
You want in? Let’s get started.
The Top Money Making Apps That Pay
Here are the top apps (I did my research) that pay you real cash. Whether it’s a free gift card to your favorite retailer or free money — companies are willing to pay.
Here are common questions people ask about apps that pay you through PayPal.
- Which apps give real money? The Swagbucks mobile app is one of the highest-rated and legitimate reward app out there. You can get cash rewards or gift cards for things you already do online. Members have already received $192,195,020 in cash rewards.
- Which apps pay you to walk? There are a few ‘get paid to walk apps‘ — among the best are HealthyWage, Sweatcoin, and Achievement. Yes, you can really get paid for every step you take!
- What games give you real money? There are a few game apps that pay you money, believe it or not. Check out Swagbucks, Mistplay, InboxDollars, and Solitaire Cube to make money for playing games.
- What are the best money making apps? There are a lot of legitimate PayPal earning apps that’ll pay you real money — you can see a full list of money-making apps here.
Highest Paying Apps That Pay You Real Money
First, I’ll share the six apps (& highest paying) you should have in your arsenal if you really wanted to make money from your phone:
1. Mistplay — Platform: android | Price: free
Instead of wasting time playing games and not being productive, now you can get paid to do it – win-win!
Getting paid to play games on your phone sounds like a dream, but this new app really pays you to play games.
It’s a legit app with 140,000+ positive reviews in the Google Play Store.
Sound like fun? You can download it from the Google Play Store here, and start playing free games for cash rewards.
Mistplay gets paid by game developers in exchange for these games being featured on the Mistplay platform. As a Mistplay user, you’re earning part of this money in the form of free gift cards and rewards.
2. Solitaire Cube — Platform: iOS | Price: free
Solitaire Cube is an addicting game where you can play Solitaire on your phone and compete in cash tournaments.
Solitaire Cube includes tournaments and head-to-head competitions with real cash prizes (where available).
It’s pretty easy to get started and the game will match you up with other players who have the same level of skills in real-time.
Cash outs are through PayPal and I had no issues withdrawing or depositing money.
How to play? Stack cards into piles to sort them by their suit. Sound easy? It is!
A modern version of the classic Klondike Solitaire. Players with similar skills go head-to-head against each other for free in order to collect Z Coins in the Practice League that can be redeemed for amazing prizes. Users can also increase their potential real cash earnings by playing in the Pro League.
3. Survey Junkie — Platform: mobile, web, desktop | Price: free
Survey Junkie pays you to share your opinions through its app. This company, however, offers unique paid opportunities to participate in focus groups and try new products.
After a quick registration — you can start checking out what paid online survey are in your dashboard. You’ll soon realize why it is one of the highest paying apps.
Signup is quick and painless, and you’ll get a registration bonus just for creating an account. If you remain active, you could easily earn up to $100 a month taking surveys a couple of times a week with Survey Junkie.
- $1-$3 average earnings per survey
- Extra points if you screened out of survey
- Additional ways to earn up to $100
- Install Survey Junkie extension for bonus
4. Nielsen App — Platform: desktop, iOS, android | Price: free
Nielsen offers an app and desktop service that allows you to register and earn rewards just for browsing the Internet.
It is listed highly on our list of apps that pay because it is an app that pays you to simply install it (that’s it).
Yes, it’s a legitimate opportunity, but you should be mindful of what that means.
Once you’ve installed the application, the company will be collecting information about your usage habits, activities and the websites you visit. You don’t have to do anything else, and the service works automatically in the background.
If that’s worth it to you, you can earn $50 passively throughout a year’s time by downloading Nielsen.
- Earn $50 a year just by installing an app
- Earn up to $1000 from sweepstakes
- 15 different types of rewards, including TVs
- Win up to $500 by downloading PC app
5. InboxDollars — Platforms: desktop, iOS and Android | Price: free
Do you ever spend a few minutes on your lunch break or at home watching videos online? If so, InboxDollars is right up your alley. It’s available on mobile and desktop and requires you to watch “fun” videos and then take surveys about them.
If you invest just five to 10 minutes per day, you can earn up to $50 extra per month. That’s not bad, especially if you stick with it, because you can continue to earn more. You’ll get a $5 bonus just for signing up, which is quick and free.
With InboxDollars, you can earn cash for sharing your opinion and playing games on your phone and laptop. Join the millions of InboxDollars members who have earned over $50 million in cash to date.
6. Swagbucks — Platforms: iOS, Android and desktop | Price: free
Swagbucks is a personal favorite and I use it daily. This app allows you to earn a special currency called Swagbucks for completing offers, answering surveys and logging online activity.
You can redeem the currency for gift cards or cash rewards once you’ve accumulated enough.
This is one of the best apps that pays you through PayPal and they offer a $10 sign up bonus.
Swagbucks is the most reputable rewards site that lets you watch videos, take surveys, shop and more to earn real money. You can also get free gift cards and cash for shopping and discovering content online.
7. Lucktastic — Platform: android | Price: free
If you love the feeling of buying lotto tickets or scratch-offs and dreaming about the money you stand to win — then you would seriously enjoy playing apps like Lucktastic.
This free app offers the same daily scratch-off cards that you find at your local convenience store — but here you can play for free and win real money.
I was hesitant at first but this gaming app has over 338,049+ positive reviews in the Google Play store.
You can win up to $10,000 in card cash prizes and there are daily $500 Amazon gift card giveaways. The threshold for payout is only $2 and you can get daily opportunities to win big when you download the Lucktastic app for free.
Want to try it out? Download Lucktastic for free (Android only) to play scratch-offs and win cash on your phone.
8. Blackout Bingo — Platforms: mobile, web, desktop | Price: free
Blackout Bingo’s app is straightforward. This app lets you play bingo for money — make $100 today. It is absolutely free to play Blackout Bingo and earn real-world rewards and cash prizes when you download through here.
Games only take about 2 minutes to play. Users play for free to practice their skills and collect points which can result in bonus cash to further advance in their games. Players can raise their competition by joining league tournaments where they can earn serious money playing real cash matches.
9. Ibotta — Platforms: iOS and Android | Price: free
Ibotta is a mobile app — available for both iOS and Android — that helps you save money by scanning your grocery receipts. It also works with other apps and services on your device, such as Uber. For example, every time you use Uber and order a ride, you can earn $1 back through Ibotta. You can then transfer the funds to your authorized PayPal account for personal use.
You won’t make hundreds of dollars overnight, but you certainly can earn that much eventually, if you continue to use the Ibotta app regularly. It’s great for building up emergency funds!
Jump Ahead to Other Apps That Pay
Next, we’ll go into more detail about which apps pay the most. This list of best apps that pay real money is broken down into the following categories:
- Money Making Survey Apps (Skip ahead)
- Cash Back and Receipt Scanning Apps (Skip ahead)
- Passive Income Money Making Apps (Skip ahead)
- Best Apps for Selling Stuff (Skip ahead)
- Money Apps That Pay You for Simple Tasks (Skip ahead)
Money Making Survey Apps That Pay Real Money
While you’ll find the most lucrative apps listed above, there are plenty of other opportunities available with money making survey apps and the best survey sites. Here are some alternatives:
10. Google Opinion Rewards — Platforms: iOS and Android | Price: free
It makes sense Google — creator of the world’s largest search engine — would want to know more about its customers and users. Google Opinion Rewards allows them to send occasional surveys right to your phone, which will earn you a few cents each time. You can eventually use the accumulated funds to buy mobile apps — via Google Play — or transfer the money to PayPal. It’s a great way to earn a few extra dollars or two, especially if you routinely buy mobile apps.
11. Panda Research — Platforms: desktop and mobile web | Price: free
Complete surveys for market research and earn money. They have paid its members over $2 Million to date!
12. Survey Voices — Platforms: desktop and mobile web | Price: free
As kind of an aggregator for online surveys and market researchers, Survey Voices will offer you a variety of polls and questionnaires to complete for money. This is another app that pays you through PayPal
13. Pinecone Research — Platforms: desktop and mobile web | Price: free
Earn gift cards and money for completing “daily online activities” through the service. You can generally earn $3 per survey taken on Pinecone Research.
14. Toluna Influencers — Platforms: desktop and mobile web | Price: free
Answer surveys and polls for money.
15. Branded Surveys — Platforms: desktop and mobile web | Price: free
This online survey site has a 4.4/5 rating on TrustPilot and is available for those who live in the US, UK, and Canada. This is a great rewards site that pays you real money to start taking surveys and has been around since 2012. You must be over 16+ years old to sign up and can get pay via direct deposit, PayPal cash, gift cards, or prepaid Visa gift cards.
16. PanelPlace — Platforms: iOS, Android and desktop | Price: free
Take a variety of user surveys, polls and questionnaires and earn cash.
17. Opinion Outpost — Platforms: desktop and mobile web | Price: free
Earn money for participating in surveys and user polls via the app.
Cash Back and Receipt Scanning Apps That Pay
There are plenty of other opportunities available with cash back/receipt scanning or rebate apps to make real money. Here are some of the best apps for you to check out:
18. Rakuten Cash Back — Platforms: iOS, Android and desktop | Price: free
Earn cash back for items you’re going to buy anyway. It mostly works for online shopping and allows you to earn money you can transfer directly to a linked PayPal account. Theoretically, it can be one of the highest paying apps depending on how much you shop.
Passive Income Apps That Pay
There are plenty of other opportunities available with passive income apps that pay. Here are some ways for you to make passive income with these apps:
19. Acorns — Platforms: iOS, Android and desktop | Price: $1 Per Month
Acorns make it easy to invest your spare change from everyday purchases. They use that money to invest in the stock market for you. But think of it this way, if you invest just $5/Day that’ll net you $2k/Year! You can transfer money at any time and invest for only $1/Month. Plus if you refer a friend you’ll get $5 that you can withdraw at any time.
20. Slidejoy — Platforms: Android only | Price: free
Earn money by placing ads on your Android mobile device or tablet. To maximize earnings, opt to display ads and promotions every time you check your device. Truly a passive income app.
Best Money Making Apps for Selling Stuff
Another way to make money with apps? Sell your junk — these selling apps that can help you get money for your unwanted items:
21. Decluttr — Platforms: iOS, Android and desktop | Price: free
Do you want to get paid for your old DVDs, CDs, video games, or other electronics that you have lying around? Decluttr will pay you cash for them! You can try listing your junk on eBay or Craiglist, but this can prove to be quite the hassle. You can easily sell it on Decluttr for cash. This is the easiest way to sell it quickly. This app is designed well and is very convenient if you are looking to sell stuff easily. Using your phone camera as a barcode scanner, you get instant value appraisals for your old stuff. Your payments are securely processed on the app eliminating any risks with shady buyers, and both the buyer and the seller get free shipping.
22. Letgo — Platforms: iOS, Android and desktop | Price: free
Letgo is also a great app if you are looking to sell old stuff easily. All transactions happen on the app, and listings are populated by zip code, which makes it easier especially for rural buyers and sellers.
23. OfferUp — Platforms: iOS, Android and desktop | Price: free
OfferUp is an app which is great for repeat sellers. It rewards repeat sellers if they provide great customer experiences and if they get good feedback from the buyer. This app lets you check out product listings, chat with the seller, and make them counter offers as well.
24. Gazelle — Platforms: iOS, Android and desktop | Price: free
If you are like me, you probably have an old smartphone lying around in your house, made obsolete by the software upgrades – It could be an old iPhone or an Android. If you want to get rid of these phones, Gazelle is a great place to sell them. You get cash in return for your old smartphone, which is great.
25. Facebook Marketplace — Platforms: iOS, Android, desktop | Price: free
Like these other iPhone apps that pay you money, you can list your items on Facebook. Just take a picture of what you’re selling and include a short description. The best part about using Facebook to sell your items is that there are no fees and you’re getting straight cash.
Money Apps That Pay You for Simple Tasks
The following are iOS and Android apps that pay you money or rewards like free gift cards for simple tasks:
26. Mobee — Platforms: iOS, Android and Desktop | Price: free
Get paid to be a mystery shopper for local stores and restaurants.
27. AppBounty — Platforms: iOS and Android | Price: free
Earn rewards and gift cards for installing, playing and using mobile apps.
28. Gigwalk — Platforms: iOS and Android | Price: free
This app helps you find gigs or premium opportunities around you, often with brands and companies in the surrounding area.
29. App Karma — Platforms: iOS and Android | Price: free
Earn rewards by trying out new apps and playing mobile games. After completing various offers, you’ll earn points you can redeem for cash — via PayPal — or different gift cards.
Why Should You Use Apps That Pay?
When you officially make that leap into adulthood, it comes with a long list of responsibilities — financial ones included. That’s life, and we all learn to cope and keep moving forward. But every so often, there’s a small hiccup and — be it emotional, physical or otherwise — we run into a wall.
Expenses like car repairs force you to spend money you’re using for rent. You know you’re going to be short, so you’re pulling crazy overtime to make up the difference. Or, maybe you have to give up some recreational activities to make way for more responsible ones.
These things happen, and when they do, it’s nice to have a little cash handy to lighten the stress load. You could always pawn some of your stuff, true, but no one likes doing that. You could also ask your family for free money, but that’s no good, either. And taking out a personal loan or payday loan is an even worse strategy. Why not consider using one of these apps that pay you real money?
There Will Always Be Money Making Apps that Pay You
There you have it. If you’ve finished the list, you now have a solid idea of which apps pay you real money. One category that we didn’t include in this list is apps that pay you to walk, but you can check a great round-up of apps here.
We wish you the best of luck on your journey to making money fast on your phone!
Just remember, with most of these services, consistency is key, so be diligent about completing your daily check-in and continue to use the service if you want to earn more lucrative amounts of cash or gift cards.
It’s always better to use these opportunities as additional cash for smaller purchases, rather than to rely on them for a steady income.
Where my money sent when i subscribe swagbucks
You can turn your points into cash (via PayPal) or gift cards. If you want cash, you will get it in your PayPal account. Denominations are $25, $ 50, $100, and $250 and it takes a few days to process. You can also get paid in the form of a gift card to major retailers including Amazon, Starbucks, Walmart, and Target and the processing time is similar.
Hey, thanks for a great post, it seems everyone these days is trying to make a little extra on the side but it is so hard to find really good blogs like yours.
I’m glad you liked it and good luck on using apps that pay you real money to increase your earning potential!
half of them work ONLY in the US