Published February 25, 2026 · 20 min read
Let me be honest with you right up front: no app is going to make you rich. If someone promises you will earn $10,000/month from your phone with zero effort, they are lying. But can you earn an extra $200-2,000/month from your phone doing things that range from mindless to genuinely enjoyable? Absolutely. And that extra money can cover your car payment, build your savings, or fund a vacation.
I have tested or researched every single app on this list. I am giving you the realistic earning potential for each one, not the inflated numbers from affiliate marketers who want you to sign up. The earnings here are based on what average users actually report making.
Every app on this list is free to download and use. No upfront investment required. Let us get into it.
Use our free Side Income Tracker to log earnings from every app and see your total monthly side income at a glance.
Open Side Income Tracker Passive Income CalculatorThese are the easiest money-making apps because you earn cashback on purchases you are already making. The effort is minimal. Scan a receipt or click through a link before shopping. That is it.
What it does: Gives you cashback (typically 1-12%) when you shop through their links at over 3,500 stores including Amazon, Walmart, Target, Nike, and basically every major retailer.
Realistic earnings: $15-40/month if you shop online regularly. Heavy online shoppers can earn $50-100/month.
How to maximize it: Always check Rakuten before buying anything online. Use their browser extension so you never forget. They also have in-store cashback at some retailers. Stack with credit card rewards for double dipping.
Payout: Check or PayPal, quarterly. $5 signup bonus.
What it does: Cash back on groceries and everyday purchases. You either scan your receipt after shopping or link your loyalty card for automatic cashback.
Realistic earnings: $10-30/month on groceries. More if you also use it for online shopping.
How to maximize it: Check the offers before you shop and buy the items with active cashback. They also have a browser extension for online shopping. Pair with store sales for the best savings.
Payout: Cash to Venmo, PayPal, or gift cards. $20 minimum.
What it does: Scan any receipt from any store and earn points. No need to activate specific offers first. Just scan everything.
Realistic earnings: $5-15/month in gift cards. Less lucrative per receipt than Ibotta but requires zero planning.
How to maximize it: Scan every single receipt: groceries, gas, restaurants, everything. Refer friends for bonus points. Buy partner brands for bonus points.
Payout: Gift cards (Amazon, Visa, Target, Starbucks, etc.). Redeemable from $3.
What it does: Link your credit or debit card and earn automatic cashback at partnered stores and restaurants. No scanning, no clicking, no effort.
Realistic earnings: $5-20/month depending on where you shop and eat.
How to maximize it: Link all your cards. Check the app for nearby offers when you are out. Hotel bookings through Dosh can earn 4-10% back.
Payout: Cash to Venmo, PayPal, or bank. $25 minimum.
What it does: Cash back on gas, groceries, and dining out. Claim an offer at a nearby gas station, fill up, and get 5-25 cents per gallon back.
Realistic earnings: $10-25/month if you drive regularly. Can be more in areas with lots of partner stations.
How to maximize it: Always check before filling up. Some stations offer 25+ cents/gallon back. Also works at select grocery stores and restaurants. Stack with your credit card rewards.
Payout: Cash to bank, PayPal, or gift cards. No minimum for bank cashout.
You can use Rakuten, Ibotta, Fetch, Dosh, and Upside simultaneously because they work differently. Ibotta and Fetch both scan receipts. Rakuten and Dosh work through card links and browser extensions. Upside works through location-based offers. Using all five on every purchase maximizes your cashback to $40-80/month combined.
I will be real with you: surveys are not the best use of your time. Most pay $0.50-3.00 per survey and take 5-20 minutes. That is $3-10/hour, which is below minimum wage. But if you are going to be sitting on your phone anyway (waiting rooms, commutes, TV commercial breaks), you might as well get paid for it.
What it does: Earn points (Swagbucks or SB) for surveys, watching videos, searching the web, and shopping online. 100 SB = $1.
Realistic earnings: $25-75/month if you use it consistently. Surveys pay the most. The search engine, video watching, and daily polls add smaller amounts that compound.
How to maximize it: Focus on higher-paying surveys ($1-5). Use Swagbucks as your default search engine for passive SB. Check the daily bonus offers. The referral program pays 10% of whatever your referrals earn, forever.
Payout: PayPal or gift cards. $25 minimum for PayPal. $3 minimum for some gift cards.
What it does: Straightforward paid surveys. Fill out your profile, get matched to relevant surveys, complete them, and get paid. No fluff.
Realistic earnings: $15-45/month. Surveys typically pay $1-5 each.
How to maximize it: Complete your profile fully (you get matched to more surveys). Check in daily for new surveys. Disqualified surveys still give you a small payment in some cases.
Payout: PayPal or bank transfer. $5 minimum.
What it does: Academic research studies from universities. Higher quality and better paying than typical survey sites because these are actual research studies, not marketing surveys.
Realistic earnings: $20-60/month. Studies pay $6-12/hour on average, which is significantly better than other survey platforms.
How to maximize it: Install the browser extension to get notified of new studies immediately. Studies fill up fast. Keep your profile updated. Respond quickly when notified.
Payout: PayPal. $5 minimum.
What it does: Small tasks (HITs) like data labeling, surveys, transcription, and content moderation for businesses and researchers.
Realistic earnings: $20-100/month casually. Power users who learn which requesters pay well and which tasks are most efficient can earn $200-500/month.
How to maximize it: Use MTurk Suite or Turkopticon browser extensions to filter for high-paying HITs. Build your qualification ratings over time to unlock better-paying tasks. Focus on batch HITs where you can get into a rhythm.
Payout: Amazon gift card balance or direct deposit. $1 minimum.
What it does: You test websites and apps and speak your thoughts out loud while your screen is recorded. Companies pay to watch real people use their products.
Realistic earnings: $40-120/month. Standard tests pay $10 for 20 minutes. Live interviews pay $30-60 for 30-60 minutes.
How to maximize it: Keep the app open and respond to test invitations quickly. They fill up fast. Having good verbal communication skills helps you get accepted for live (higher-paying) tests. Consistent availability is key.
Payout: PayPal. 7 days after test completion.
This is where the real money is. Gig apps require more effort than cashback or surveys, but they pay dramatically more. Many people use gig apps as their full-time income. Others use them for an extra $500-1,000/month on evenings and weekends.
What it does: Deliver food from restaurants to customers. You pick your own hours and can start or stop at any time.
Realistic earnings: $15-25/hour before expenses. After gas and car wear, net is typically $12-20/hour. Full-time dashers earn $2,000-4,000/month. Part-time (10-15 hours/week) earn $500-1,200/month.
How to maximize it: Work during peak hours (lunch 11am-1pm, dinner 5pm-9pm). Decline low-paying orders (general rule: $2/mile minimum). Know your area and which restaurants are fast. Multi-app with Uber Eats for less downtime.
What it does: Same concept as DoorDash. Deliver food. Pick your hours.
Realistic earnings: Similar to DoorDash, $15-25/hour before expenses. Some markets pay better on Uber Eats, some on DoorDash. The smart move is to run both simultaneously.
How to maximize it: Quest bonuses (complete X deliveries for Y bonus) can significantly boost earnings. Surge pricing during bad weather and peak hours pays more. Bike delivery is more profitable in dense cities because you skip traffic and parking.
What it does: Shop for and deliver groceries for customers.
Realistic earnings: $15-25/hour before expenses. Top shoppers who are fast and get good ratings earn more because they get priority access to higher-paying batches.
How to maximize it: Be fast and accurate. Good communication with customers (texting about substitutions) gets you better tips. Double and triple batches pay more per hour. Costco orders tend to tip well.
What it does: Drive passengers from point A to point B.
Realistic earnings: $18-30/hour before expenses. After gas, insurance, and car depreciation, net is $12-22/hour. Full-time drivers earn $3,000-5,000/month. Weekend evenings are the most profitable.
How to maximize it: Drive during surge pricing (Friday and Saturday nights, events, bad weather). Airport runs pay well in some markets. Keep your car clean and your rating high. Run both Uber and Lyft simultaneously to minimize downtime.
What it does: Get paid for in-person tasks: furniture assembly, moving help, handyman work, cleaning, yard work, personal assistance, and more.
Realistic earnings: $20-50/hour depending on the task category and your area. Specialized tasks (plumbing, electrical) pay $50-100/hour. Furniture assembly is a popular entry point at $25-40/hour.
How to maximize it: Build up reviews to get more job offers. Specialize in a category to build expertise. IKEA furniture assembly is consistently in demand. Price competitively when starting, then raise rates as reviews accumulate.
What it does: Dog walking, pet sitting, dog boarding, and drop-in visits.
Realistic earnings: Dog walking: $15-25/walk (30 minutes). Dog boarding: $25-75/night. Pet sitting: $25-50/visit. A dog walker doing 3-4 walks per day earns $200-400/week.
How to maximize it: Get repeat clients. Offer multiple services. Build up five-star reviews. Holiday boarding (Thanksgiving, Christmas, summer) is extremely lucrative because demand spikes and you can charge premium rates.
Our Side Income Tracker helps you log earnings from every gig app, track expenses like gas and maintenance, and see your true net income.
Open Side Income Tracker Rate CalculatorReselling is buying things cheap and selling them for more. It is one of the oldest business models in the world and these apps make it ridiculously easy to do from your phone.
What it does: Sell clothes, shoes, and accessories. The social features (sharing, parties) help your listings get seen.
Realistic earnings: $100-500/month selling your own closet. $500-3,000/month if you source inventory from thrift stores and sell full-time.
How to maximize it: Good photos are everything. Share your listings and other people's listings daily. Participate in Posh Parties. Ship fast. Source from thrift stores and clearance racks. Our Reseller Inventory Tracker helps you manage what you have listed and what has sold.
What it does: Sell basically anything: electronics, toys, home goods, clothes, collectibles. Broader category than Poshmark.
Realistic earnings: $50-500/month selling stuff from around your house. More if you source inventory intentionally.
How to maximize it: Competitive pricing sells fast. Good photos and detailed descriptions reduce returns. Promote your listings. Mercari's shipping labels make it easy. Works great for electronics, toys, and home goods that do not sell as well on Poshmark.
What it does: The original reselling platform. Auction or buy-it-now format. Massive buyer base. Best for electronics, collectibles, vintage items, and niche products.
Realistic earnings: $100-2,000/month. The sky is the limit with the right inventory and knowledge.
How to maximize it: Use eBay's Terapeak tool to research what sells and for how much. Focus on items with high sell-through rates. Offer free shipping (build it into the price). Use our eBay Profit Calculator to make sure every item is actually profitable after fees and shipping.
What it does: Local selling with no fees on most items. Best for furniture, appliances, vehicles, and anything too bulky or heavy to ship.
Realistic earnings: $100-1,000/month flipping furniture, appliances, or other large items found cheap (curbside, estate sales, moving sales).
How to maximize it: Good photos with good lighting. Price competitively. Respond fast to inquiries (first responder usually gets the sale). Furniture flipping (buy cheap dressers, paint/refinish, sell for 3-5x) is a well-known profitable niche.
On reselling platforms, be cautious of buyers who want to pay outside the app, ask for your phone number or email, or send you a check. Always use the platform's built-in payment system. For local sales, meet in a well-lit public place and bring a friend for expensive items. Trust your instincts. If something feels off, cancel.
These apps earn you money passively or help you invest your spare change. The earnings per month are modest, but they compound over time.
What it does: Rounds up your purchases to the nearest dollar and invests the spare change in diversified portfolios. Spend $4.30 on coffee, $0.70 gets invested.
Realistic earnings: The app itself costs $3/month. Average user invests $30-50/month in round-ups. Investment returns depend on the market but historically average 7-10% annually. After a year you might have $400-600 invested.
Best for: People who find it hard to save and want it completely automated.
What it does: Free stock, ETF, options, and crypto trading from your phone. No commissions.
Realistic earnings: Depends entirely on your investments. Not a "money-making app" per se, but a tool for building wealth. The free stock you get for signing up is worth $5-200.
Best for: People who want to start investing with small amounts. Fractional shares mean you can buy $1 of Amazon stock.
What it does: Shares your unused internet bandwidth and pays you for it. Runs in the background.
Realistic earnings: $5-20/month. Less in areas with lower demand for bandwidth. Completely passive but earnings are very modest.
Best for: Truly passive income. You install it and forget about it.
What it does: Installs on your phone and collects anonymous data about your internet usage (similar to a TV ratings panel). You get paid just for having it installed.
Realistic earnings: $50/year in gift cards. Not much per month but zero effort.
Best for: Set-it-and-forget-it passive income. You literally do nothing.
If you have any skill at all, whether it is writing, design, photography, music, or even just being organized, these apps let you monetize it from your phone.
What it does: Sell freelance services (gigs) starting at $5. Popular categories: graphic design, writing, voiceovers, social media management, video editing, virtual assistance.
Realistic earnings: $100-1,000/month for part-time freelancers. $2,000-5,000/month for established sellers with good reviews. Top sellers earn $10,000+/month.
How to maximize it: Start with competitive pricing to get reviews. Offer packages at multiple price points. Respond to inquiries fast. Use our Freelance Rate Calculator to price your services profitably.
What it does: Freelance marketplace for more professional/longer-term projects: web development, writing, design, marketing, accounting, legal, and more.
Realistic earnings: $200-5,000/month depending on your skill and category. Technical skills (programming, data analysis) command $30-100+/hour. Writing and design typically $15-50/hour.
How to maximize it: Write strong proposals that address the client's specific needs. Build your profile with relevant portfolio pieces. Start with smaller projects to get reviews, then raise your rates. Aim for long-term clients who provide recurring work.
What it does: Sell handmade items, vintage goods, craft supplies, digital downloads, and printables.
Realistic earnings: $50-500/month for casual sellers. $1,000-10,000/month for dedicated shops. Digital products (printables, templates, planners) are especially profitable because there is no physical inventory.
How to maximize it: SEO in your titles and descriptions is crucial. Good photos sell. Digital products have the best margins. Use our SEO Keyword Cluster tool to find the right keywords for your Etsy listings.
What it does: Upload your photos, illustrations, or videos and earn royalties every time someone downloads them.
Realistic earnings: $20-200/month with a library of 100-500 quality images. Power contributors with thousands of images earn $500-2,000/month. It is a long game that builds passive income over time.
How to maximize it: Upload consistently. Focus on commercial/business themes that companies need. Think: diverse groups of people working, technology, seasonal content, abstract backgrounds. Keyword your images well.
| App | Category | Monthly Earnings | Effort Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rakuten | Cashback | $15-40 | Very Low |
| Ibotta | Cashback | $10-30 | Low |
| Fetch Rewards | Cashback | $5-15 | Very Low |
| Dosh | Cashback | $5-20 | None |
| Upside | Cashback | $10-25 | Very Low |
| Swagbucks | Surveys | $25-75 | Medium |
| Survey Junkie | Surveys | $15-45 | Medium |
| Prolific | Research | $20-60 | Medium |
| MTurk | Microtasks | $20-100 | Medium-High |
| UserTesting | Testing | $40-120 | Medium |
| DoorDash | Gig | $500-1,200 | High |
| Uber Eats | Gig | $500-1,200 | High |
| Instacart | Gig | $500-1,200 | High |
| Uber/Lyft | Gig | $1,000-3,000 | High |
| TaskRabbit | Gig | $400-2,000 | High |
| Rover | Gig | $200-1,000 | Medium-High |
| Poshmark | Reselling | $100-500 | Medium-High |
| Mercari | Reselling | $50-500 | Medium |
| eBay | Reselling | $100-2,000 | Medium-High |
| FB Marketplace | Reselling | $100-1,000 | Medium |
| Acorns | Investing | Varies | None |
| Honeygain | Passive | $5-20 | None |
| Fiverr | Freelance | $100-1,000 | High |
| Upwork | Freelance | $200-5,000 | High |
| Etsy | Creative | $50-500 | Medium-High |
| Shutterstock | Creative | $20-200 | Medium |
Once you start using multiple apps, tracking your income becomes essential. You want to know which apps are worth your time and which are not. You also need accurate records for taxes (yes, side income is taxable if you earn more than $600/year from any single source).
Here are the free tools on spunk.codes that will help:
Log earnings from every app and source. See your total monthly side income. Compare earnings per hour across different apps to optimize your time.
Figure out what you should be charging for freelance work. Factors in your target income, expenses, taxes, and billable hours.
See how your side income could grow if you invest it. Compound interest calculator with monthly contribution modeling.
Calculate your actual profit per item after eBay fees, PayPal fees, shipping costs, and cost of goods. Know before you list.
Track what you have listed, what has sold, and your profit margins across all reselling platforms.
Create and send professional invoices for freelance work. Track what has been paid and what is outstanding.
We have 136+ premium tools on spunk.codes covering budgeting, SEO, social media, email marketing, landing pages, and much more. All free. Use code SPUNK for full access.
Know exactly what you earn from every app. Optimize your time. Maximize your income.
Side Income Tracker Income CalculatorYes, but set realistic expectations. Cashback and survey apps earn $20-100/month with minimal effort. Gig economy apps (DoorDash, Uber, TaskRabbit) earn $500-3,000/month but require active work. Freelance and reselling apps earn $100-2,000/month depending on your skills and effort. No app will make you rich, but many can meaningfully supplement your income.
For total earnings potential, gig economy apps (Uber, DoorDash, TaskRabbit) and freelance platforms (Upwork, Fiverr) pay the most because they are actual work, not passive income. For passive or low-effort money, Rakuten and Ibotta are the best because you earn cashback on purchases you already make.
Yes. If you earn more than $600 from any single platform in a calendar year, they will send you a 1099 form and report the income to the IRS. Even if you earn less than $600, you are technically required to report it. Keep records of your earnings and any related expenses (gas for delivery, supplies for crafts, etc.) because those expenses are deductible.
For most people, the hourly rate on surveys ($3-10/hour) is below minimum wage. They are best for downtime when you would be scrolling social media anyway. If you want to maximize earnings per hour, gig economy and freelance apps pay 3-10x more per hour of effort.
Yes. Rakuten works through browser links, Ibotta and Fetch scan receipts, Dosh links to your card, and Upside uses location-based offers. They do not conflict with each other, so you can stack all of them on the same purchase and get cashback from multiple sources.
Stick to well-known, highly-rated apps with millions of downloads. Never pay money to "start earning." Never give out your Social Security number unless it is for a legitimate tax form. If an app promises unrealistic earnings ($500/day for doing nothing), it is a scam. Every app on this list is legitimate and widely used.
DoorDash is the easiest to start because there is no passenger interaction (unlike Uber/Lyft) and no shopping required (unlike Instacart). You pick up food and drop it off. The app walks you through everything. You can start earning within a few days of signing up.
Working 10-15 hours per week doing deliveries (DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart) typically earns $150-375/week or $600-1,500/month before expenses. Peak hours (lunch and dinner) pay the most. After accounting for gas and car wear, net income is about 70-80% of gross.
Absolutely. Reselling is one of the oldest business models. People build full-time businesses on Poshmark, eBay, and Amazon. Start by selling things you already own. If you enjoy it, start sourcing inventory from thrift stores, garage sales, clearance racks, and liquidation pallets. Use our eBay Profit Calculator to make sure every item is profitable before listing.
Use our free Side Income Tracker. It lets you log earnings from every source, compare income per hour across apps, and see your total monthly side income in one dashboard. It also helps you track expenses so you know your true net profit.
Know someone looking for ways to earn extra money? Send them this guide.
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