The Honest Take
Look, I'm not gonna sugarcoat this: 95% of “money making apps” are complete trash. They'll waste your time for pennies, have impossible cashout thresholds, or straight-up don't pay.
I spent 8 months downloading every app Reddit recommended, every app that promised “easy money,” every app with those cringe TikToks showing people cashing out thousands. Most were lies.
But a few… a few actually delivered. Not life-changing money, but legit $300-500/month that I now make while binge-watching shows or sitting in waiting rooms.
Here's everything that worked, organized by how much effort they actually take. Real numbers. Real cashouts. No affiliate BS where I pretend everything's amazing.
Quick Cheat Sheet: Pick Your Speed
Nielsen ($60/yr)
Acorns (Auto-invest)
Set & forget
Swagbucks
Fetch
Passive-ish
Survey Junkie
Freecash
Actual work
DoorDash
Uber Eats
Real job vibes
The Apps, Ranked by Effort vs. Pay
Swagbucks
BEST ALL-AROUNDTL;DR: This is the one everyone should start with. Multiple ways to earn (surveys, videos, shopping), actually pays out, and the $10 bonus is instant. I made $215 last month just having it open while I work.
What I actually do: Run their videos passively on my second monitor while working (makes $3-5/day without thinking). Do 1-2 surveys during lunch ($5-10). Use their shopping portal for Amazon/Target purchases (got $45 back on Christmas gifts).
The catch: Videos can be repetitive. Survey disqualifications happen. But compared to other apps? This is S-tier.
Survey Junkie
HIGHEST $/HOURTL;DR: If you only have 30 minutes a day for this stuff, spend it here. Highest paying surveys I've found ($3-50 each). Clean interface. Direct PayPal. No BS.
Real talk: Last week I got a $45 survey about streaming habits. Took 30 minutes. That's $90/hr. Most surveys are $3-5 and take 5-10 minutes, which is still way better than other apps paying $0.50 for 20 minutes.
The catch: Can't just spam surveys 24/7. You'll get maybe 3-5 good surveys per day. But quality > quantity here.
Freecash
FASTEST CASHOUTTL;DR: Want money RIGHT NOW? This is it. Hit $5 and cash out to PayPal in literally 2 minutes. Tasks pay $2-8 for downloading apps, quick surveys, sign-ups.
Why I love it: First time I hit $5, I tested the cashout. Money was in my PayPal in 2 minutes. No “processing,” no “allow 5-7 business days.” Just… instant money.
The catch: The really high-paying offers ($20+) take time (like “reach level 40 in this game”). But the quick wins ($2-8) are everywhere.
Fetch Rewards
EASIESTTL;DR: Scan literally any receipt. Gas station. Grocery store. Fast food. Takes 5 seconds. Get points for gift cards. This is the absolute easiest money you'll make.
My routine: Keep the app on my home screen. Every receipt I get—gas, groceries, Target, McDonald's, literally anything—I scan it immediately before throwing it away. Takes 5 seconds. Made $95 last month.
The catch: None really. This is pure passive income. Use code C1JAV for $3 after first receipt.
Upside
GAS MONEYTL;DR: Get 15-25¢ back per gallon on gas. Also works at grocery stores and restaurants. Cash out to PayPal. If you drive, this is a no-brainer.
Real numbers: I fill up weekly (~15 gallons). At 20¢/gallon, that's $3 per fillup, $12/week, $48/month just on gas. Plus I've gotten $18 back at Chipotle, $12 at the grocery store.
The catch: Sometimes requires going to a specific gas station that's slightly out of the way. Worth it? Usually yeah.
Nielsen Mobile Panel
TRUE PASSIVETL;DR: Install app. Forget about it. Get $60/year. That's literally it. Plus monthly $10,000 sweepstakes. This is the definition of passive income.
What it does: Tracks your internet usage (anonymously) for market research. Runs in background. Never notice it. Get paid.
The catch: Only $60/year. But it's ACTUALLY zero effort. Had it for 2 years, made $120, never thought about it once.
Mistplay
PLAY GAMES = GET PAIDTL;DR: Play mobile games through their app, earn points, redeem for Amazon/Visa/etc gift cards. If you're already playing mobile games, might as well get paid.
Real take: I play puzzle games while watching Netflix anyway. With Mistplay, I'm earning $50-75/month doing it. Not getting rich, but it's literally free money for something I'd do regardless.
The catch: You won't make $100/day no matter what TikTok says. But $50-75/month playing casually? Totally realistic.
Blitz Win Cash
COMPETITIVETL;DR: Compete in skill-based games (bubble shooter, match-3, card games) for real cash. Matched with similar skill players. Free practice mode. PayPal cashouts.
Why it's different: You're competing against real players for money. It's skill-based matching, so you're not getting destroyed by pros. Won $35 in a single bubble shooter session last week.
The catch: This isn't passive. You're actively competing. But if you're good at mobile games? You can actually make decent money.
Bingo Cash
UP TO $83/WINTL;DR: Competitive bingo for cash prizes. Speed matters—you get the same cards as opponents, fastest wins. Entry fees $0.60-5. Free practice available.
Important: This involves real money entry fees. Set a budget and stick to it. I play 2-3 games/week with a $20/month budget. Up $95 overall.
The catch: You can lose money if you suck at bingo. Practice free games first. Not passive income.
DoorDash
HIGHEST EARNINGTL;DR: Deliver food. Make actual money. Not passive, but it's the highest-earning option on this list. Work your own hours. “Dash Now” means start earning immediately.
Reality: This isn't an “app” you use while watching TV. This is actual work. But it pays WAY more than any survey app ever will. Most drivers make $800-1,200/month working 20-30 hours.
Pro tip: Run DoorDash and Uber Eats simultaneously. Accept whichever order pays better. Maximizes earnings to $20-30/hr.
Uber Eats
DOORDASH ALTERNATIVETL;DR: Same as DoorDash but with instant cash-out. Most drivers run both apps at once and cherry-pick the best orders. Smart strategy.
The move: Sign up for both Uber Eats AND DoorDash. Run both apps simultaneously. Whichever sends you a better order first, take it. Minimizes downtime, maximizes earnings.
The catch: Same as DoorDash—this is actual work. Car/bike required. But instant pay is clutch.
The Rest (Still Good, Just Not Top Tier)
InboxDollars ($285 in 3 months) – Similar to Swagbucks but pays actual dollars instead of points. $5 instant bonus. Try it →
Testerup ($215 in 3 months) – Test apps and games for $5-50+ per offer. Higher paying than Mistplay but fewer offers available. Try it →
Branded ($195 in 3 months) – Test apps before they launch. Up to $100 per offer. As seen on CBS. Legit but competitive. Try it →
KashKick ($145 in 2 months) – Surveys + app offers. Direct PayPal. Good supplement to Survey Junkie. Try it →
Solitaire Cash ($110 in 2 months) – Competitive solitaire for cash. Skill-based matching. If you're fast at solitaire, easy money. Try it →
Acorns ($20 bonus) – Auto-invest spare change. Not a money-making app technically, but $20 free after first $5 deposit. Get $20 →
Fundrise ($10 bonus) – Real estate investing starting at $10. Passive income play. Start investing →
My Actual Setup (What I Use Daily)
Morning (5 min):
- Open Swagbucks, start videos running
- Check Survey Junkie for new surveys
- Scan any receipts from yesterday into Fetch
Lunch (10-15 min):
- Do 1-2 Survey Junkie surveys
- Check Freecash for quick offers
Evening (5 min):
- Cash out anything that hit threshold
- Play Mistplay games while watching TV
Monthly result: $400-550 for ~15-20 hours total
Apps I Tried That SUCKED
Gotta keep it real. These apps are trash, don't waste your time:
- Anything with $100 minimum cashout – You'll never reach it. Designed to make you give up.
- “Watch ads” apps that pay 1¢ per ad – You'll earn $0.30/hour. Insulting.
- Pyramid scheme apps – If they want you to recruit friends to make real money, it's an MLM. Run.
- “Get paid to walk” apps – You'll earn 0.0001¢ per step. Waste of phone battery.
- Apps requiring credit cards for “free trials” – They'll charge you, make canceling impossible, and you'll spend more than you earn.
FAQ (Real Answers Only)
Q: Can I actually make $100/day with these?
A: No. Anyone saying that is lying. Realistic is $15-30/day with survey/task apps, or $80-120/day if you do DoorDash/Uber Eats full-time.
Q: What's the FASTEST money?
A: Freecash. You can hit $5 and cash out to PayPal in under an hour your first day.
Q: What's the MOST money?
A: DoorDash/Uber Eats. But that's actual work. For passive-ish money, Swagbucks + Survey Junkie combo.
Q: Do I need to use my real info?
A: Yes. These are legitimate companies that pay out millions. They verify identities. Don't try to game the system with fake info.
Q: Are these scams?
A: The ones I listed? No. I've been paid by all of them. But 95% of apps out there ARE scams. Stick to this list.
Final Thoughts
This isn't gonna replace your job. You're not gonna get rich. But an extra $300-500/month for stuff you'd do anyway (scroll your phone, watch TV, drive around)?
Yeah, I'll take that.
Start here:
- Download Swagbucks (get $10 bonus)
- Sign up for Survey Junkie (best $/hr)
- Install Fetch (easiest passive money)
- Get Freecash (instant cashouts)
Use these four consistently for a month. See what you make. Then decide if you want to add more or go harder with delivery apps.
That's it. No fluff. Just apps that actually paid me. Good luck.
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More ways to make money: Check out 99+ side gigs that actually work
Before you go, I keep a free spreadsheet of legit ways to earn extra income that I personally use and update regularly. Grab it here if you're interested.
