In this post, we’re going to cover 10 money making apps that actually pay. If you’re just trying to get your finances in order, it may be a good idea to start building up multiple income streams through easy means like money making apps. These apps allow you to make money through surveys, videos, receipts, games, and more. Enjoy!
10 Money Making Apps That Actually Pay
Drop
At its simplest, Drop is a mobile app that allows you to earn gift cards when they make purchases with debit or credit cards. Originally, it was created to cater towards Millennials and Gen Z’s, who, according to Drop’s creator, tend to spend more on luxuries like gourmet coffee, Uber rides, and organic food.
Drop works by having users link their more frequently used debit and credit cards. Users can then choose their favorite brands – Bluenotes, Starbucks, Tim Horton’s etc. Every time the user uses a linked card at one the favorited locations, he or she gets points. When enough points have been earned, they can redeem for gift cards from their favorite stores.
For example, a user adds Starbucks as a favorite. She then goes through the drive through and makes an order using her linked credit card. Since she used her card at Starbucks, which is one of her “favorite” stores, she will earn points towards a Starbucks gift card.
For additional points, Drop offers a fun mini game. In the game, you play as a hungry snake and the goal is to eat as much food as possible without running into your own tail or the edges of the screen.
Pros:
- Offers a fun mini game to earn extra points
- Works with a variety of bank cards
- Safe card linking
- Earn on every participating purchase
Cons:
- There are occasional issues with card linking
Sign up for Drop for free through this link.
Mistplay
Mistplay offers its users money for playing games – and no, we’re not kidding. Mistplay can be downloaded onto any major device for free and, once you have signed up, you can get straight to earning.
Before you start playing games, though, the app takes you on a quick walk through of its setup and how it works. After this, you’re free to use the app as much as you want. For every specified amount of time that you play a game, you’re rewarded with units and/or PXP. Both work together to level you up, which will earn you even more units. Every game suggested to you by the app will offer either units or PXP but some will offer both. In general, games that offer high amounts of units are the best to download. Every week the app will suggest a couple new apps for you to choose from, with some offering PXP and others Units.
When you reach a certain amount of units and PXP, you can cash out for gift cards. The app even lets you cash out through PayPal, if you choose. Earning through Mistplay is dependent on how often you play games, but when you’re bored, it’s a good way to passively earn rewards.
Pros:
- A wide variety of games
- PayPal cash out
- Earn cash while playing fun games
Cons:
- Earning depends on how often you play games
QuickThoughts
QuickThoughts, like its name suggests, centers around users sharing their opinion. On this app, this is done through surveys. Unlike many other apps that offer surveys, QuickThoughts offers only surveys.
After signing up, users fill out some basic information. Then, QuickThoughts gets to work matching them with surveys that fit their demographics and interests. When the app matches you with a survey, it appears on your QuickThoughts dashboard and will stay there until the survey closes or you complete/opt out of it.
The surveys vary in length from 3 to 25 minutes. The great thing, though, is that whenever you complete a survey, you know how much you’ll get paid as every survey -regardless of length- offers $1. After your balance reaches $10, you can choose to cash out or keep saving. Surprisingly, despite the relatively low amount offered per survey and the fact that a shocking number of surveys will screen you out, cash adds up quickly on this app.
When you get paid, your reward codes are generated on the app screen in front you, as well as emailed to your inbox.
Pros:
- Guaranteed survey payout of $1
- Instant cash out
- Only $10 minimum for cash out
Cons:
- Frequent crashes
Sign up for QuickThoughts here.
Slidejoy
Slidejoy has been designed exclusively for smartphones. The app uses your phone’s lock screen, turning it into a passive source of income. Once the app is installed, users have the choice of whether they want the app to control their home screen, lock screen, or both screens.
Regardless of which screen you choose, the app works the same way. It plays ads, displays news, or showcases promotions on the chosen screen. The money making part comes in when you interact with the popup, choosing to swipe left for more information, right to pass, and up to see more ads. The app uses “Carats” as currency and when you reach 1,000 you have earned $1.
Slidejoy gives you the opportunity to cash out through PayPal. Or, you can donate them to various charities.
Pros:
- Able to use rewards to make charity donations
- Passive income
Cons:
- Ads can cause smartphones to momentarily freeze or lag
Receipt Hog
Receipt Hog rewards you for spending money. Every time you make a purchase at a store and get a receipt, the app gives you the opportunity to earn a bit of cash. How? The concept is simple: buy groceries, pet accessories, electronics and other goods, upload your receipt, and be rewarded with coins.
Receipts of every kind can be uploaded, so long as the store name, number, item names, and total are included on the receipt. Receipts from fast food can also be uploaded, but they will earn users slot spins (where they can spin the wheel to earn coins) instead of coins.
Uploading receipt is easy, too. It’s done using the user’s smartphone camera. All you have to do is take a picture of your receipt and hit the upload button. Within the hour, Receipt Hog will process the receipt and reward you with coins or spins.
The receipts accepted by the app have to be relatively new, which can be a bit of a bummer if you were hoping to cash in on that box of old receipts from years ago. The receipts have to have been printed within 14 days of the current date in order to be considered valid.
Pros:
- Rewards for almost any receipt
- Fun slot game
- Super easy to use
Cons:
- Only recent receipts can be used
Job Spotter
Job Spotter is ideal if you’re looking to make some quick cash on the go. The idea behind the app is to help those seeking employment find a job by taking and posting photos of help wanted signs. All you have to do is snap a picture and hit upload on the app. For this, you’re rewarded with up to 150 points per sign that you find that qualifies.
Extra points are rewarded for finding signs associated with small businesses or that mention a certain job title or role within the company. Photos that are of good quality are more likely to be accepted by the app.
You can cash out for Amazon gift cards.
Pros:
- Helps others find jobs
- High point-per-picture ratio
Cons:
- Those living in small towns may not make much from this app
Foap
Foap is available for both Android and iOS devices. It’s best suited for those with a passion for photography, as it centers around taking and selling photos. Both amateur and professional photographers can use the app to make money. The app allows photographers to sell their high-quality photos to other users; you can consider it as your own personal photo store. Buyers on the site include marketing agencies, brands, and advertising companies looking for new photos to use for their campaigns. All together, Foap has a registered 1.2 million users.
First, you register and make your account. Then you upload your photos and tag them with descriptive tags. Your photos are then rated by the app’s community – the higher your rate is the more your photo is viewed. Every time one of your photos is purchased, you earn $5. Sometimes buyers will request personalized images, which are known as “missions”. Missions tend to sell for a lot more.
Pros:
- Community-based app
- Starting price of $5 per photo
- Personalized missions to earn more
Cons:
- Cash only comes from photo purchases so earning is not guaranteed
Userfeel
Userfeel allows members of the public (you) to help test the usability of various smartphone apps. Essentially, you get paid to navigate around, explore, and perform simple tasks on apps that are in their testing stages and, potentially, not yet available to the public. With this app, testers are required to submit video footage of their time using the app. This is done by way of the app’s screen recorder. Each test takes approximately 10-20 minutes. The good thing here is that every test is worth $10, which is redeemable through Payoneer or PayPal.
After each test, your submission is reviewed by the app’s creators. They rate your submission video and, as you’d expect, the higher your submission’s quality rating, the more tests you’re invited to participate in. If your overall submission rating -which is cumulative of your tests’ scores- drops below a certain level, you’ll receive minimal testing opportunities.
Pros:
- $10 per test
- Inside access to new apps
- PayPal payment option
Cons:
- Minimal testing opportunities after tester score reaches a certain level
i-Say
i-say is the secondary platform of the web-based website, i-Say. The website was invented first, with the app coming to iOS and Android a few years later. Both the app and the website are survey-based.
This being said, the i-Say app can be used to create an i-Say account or to log in to an existing account. The app is pretty basic in terms of design, with a dedicated area for survey history, available surveys, and for rewards and cashing out. Surveys on the app range in value from 50 points for a short 5-minute survey to upwards of 500 points for digital diaries and other large projects.
Cash out is available after users reach 500 points (equivalent of $5). Rewards include prepaid Visas, Amazon gift cards, PayPal cash, and Starbucks cards.
Pros:
- A variety of rewards options
- Available for both Android and iOS devices
- Low minimum redeem threshold
Cons:
- Users report app crashing
Toluna
Toluna is yet another survey-based money making app. Like i-Say, though, it can be used on both mobile and stationary devices like laptops and desktops. Most users start making money with it by signing up through the website.
After signing up, the rest is easy. Users can simply sign in (or sign up) on the app after it downloads from the app store. Then, they are prompted to fill out basic profile information and a variety of pre-screener questions that help match users to applicable surveys. After this, they can take any of the surveys available to them.
The surveys range in length from 5-45 minutes and users are rewarded with points accordingly. Toluna is notorious for its high points payout. Users on the app can also make use of the social side of the platform, creating and voting in polls and having discussions with other Toluna members. Toluna also has a number of “featured” questions. These questions are presented by the moderators of the app and users are rewarded roughly 45 points per question that they answer.
When it comes to cashing out, most rewards can be redeemed once users have reached a minimum of 30,000 points. Reward offers include Starbucks, Amazon, and Cineplex.
Pros:
- High points payouts per survey
- Mobile and desktop friendly
- Easy to navigate
Cons:
- Frequent screen outs
Hope you enjoyed this post on money making apps that actually pay! Let me know your feedback in the comments below.
