12 Best Money Making Apps That’ll Make Your Wallet Happy

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These best money making apps really pay you real money through PayPal. Take a look today and start making money the easy way.

Are you interested in downloading the best money making apps that really make you money real money?

There are PayPal games and other ways to make money from your phone with free apps that are just a download away.

Sometimes you need some extra cash to pay a bill or you’re trying to save up for something you want. You don’t want to fall behind on bills and are wondering how to make money today or what game apps pay real money?

Sure, another 100 dollars earned today wouldn’t hurt. We’ve all been there, but what do you usually do when that happens? This is an exhaustive list of things that anyone can do, today, in order to make money through the best mobile applications I've found.

If you're strapped for time, I'll go ahead and share the best money making apps that you can add to your side hustle arsenal.

1. Swagbucks (Android and iOS)

side hustle

There are a lot of sites like Swagbucks but nothing can beat the king of reward apps. Here you can 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.

Payment:

Gift card or PayPal.

Pros:

I personally use it and usually earn money taking surveys while watching TV, and it does add up. They even give new members a $10 sign up bonus with a qualifying $25 purchase.

Cons:

You won't qualify for every task or survey and users often report getting kicked out of surveys randomly.

Download:

Android, iOS.

Earn around $50 to $1,000 per year
Swagbucks
5.0
$10 welcome bonus

Swagbucks offers a variety of ways to earn money online. You can take surveys, play games, surf the web, watch videos and more to earn points towards gift cards or cash.

Start Earning Swagbucks Review

2. Acorns (Android and iOS)

acorns

If you're looking for an app that helps you grow your savings effortlessly, Acorns is the way to go. With Acorns, you can invest your spare change from everyday purchases into a diversified portfolio.

Here's how it works: whenever you make a purchase using your linked debit or credit card, Acorns automatically rounds up the transaction to the nearest dollar and invests the difference. For example, if you buy a coffee for $2.50, Acorns will round it up to $3 and invest the additional $0.50.

Acorns offers different investment portfolios based on your risk tolerance and financial goals. From conservative to aggressive, you can choose the portfolio that suits you best.

Payment:

Investment returns.

Pros:

Acorns allows you to start investing with just a small amount of money. With the round-up feature, your spare change is invested without any effort on your part. Acorns spreads your investments across multiple asset classes, reducing risk.

Cons:

Acorns charges a monthly fee based on your account balance. However, for students with a valid .edu email address, the service is free. Acorns focuses on ETFs (exchange-traded funds), so if you're looking for individual stocks or other investment vehicles, this may not be the app for you.

Download:

Android, iOS.

So if you want to grow your savings effortlessly, give Acorns a try and start investing your spare change today!

Earn $20 bonus
Acorns
4.5

With Acorns, you can easily invest your spare change. Anyone can “squirrel” away some money and become an investor with Acorns. Enjoy a $20 welcome bonus when you open a new Invest account and set up recurring investments.

Open Account

3. Branded Surveys (Android and iOS)

Branded Surveys is one of the world's leading market research communities – rewarding you for your opinion. Branded Surveys asks for information about you so that they can match you with fitting surveys. At up to $5-10 a pop for some surveys and a free 100 points for signing up, it pays to check in daily to see which ones are available to you. You can likely make $10 fast this week by using it.

Payment:

Cashouts are through PayPal or gift cards. You'll earn money just for signing up and they pay you straight cash via PayPal.

Pros:

Branded offers a rewards program (Bronze, Silver, and Gold) where you can level up by collecting credits, which is exhilarating. As you level up, you can unlock higher earning opportunities to earn even more.

Cons:

As with other competitor sites, some surveys will require you to visit another website to complete the task. The sites they route you to can be more difficult to use than Branded's site, which is a downfall. Also, they do not have a mobile app available, but you can take surveys on mobile web or your desktop.

Download:

Android, iOS.

Pays by bank transfer, PayPal & gift cards
Branded Surveys
4.0

Branded Surveys is quickly becoming one of the top survey sites. At up to $5-10 a pop for some surveys and a free 100 points for signing up, it pays to check in daily to see which ones are available to you.

Start Earning Branded Surveys Review

4. Survey Junkie (Android and iOS)

survey junkie

Taking online surveys with Survey Junkie to make extra money is a no-brainer. You definitely won’t get rich or make hundreds of dollars per day with surveys alone, but you won’t waste much time, and you can make some money the easy way.

Survey Junkie is a free survey app for your phone that pays you to take online surveys, participate in focus groups, and try new products. And, I really mean free all around – free to join and they don’t charge anything to be a member (they will actually pay you in cash via PayPal).

Payment:

Gift card or PayPal.

Pros:

You’ll get paid even if you are not qualified for a survey, they won't waste your time. They are one of the higest paying survey sites currently available.

Cons:

Making money taking surveys online can be a slow process but they have a low cash out threshold of $5 in your account to cash out — which will be easy to reach.

Download:

Android, iOS.

$1.6M+ monthly payout to its members
Survey Junkie
4.5
Over $55,000 Paid to Survey Junkie members daily

Survey Junkie is one of the highest-paying survey sites available. Complete three or more surveys a day, and you can earn as much as $100 monthly. With $76 Million paid out to date, Survey Junkie is one of the best survey sites available.

Start Earning Survey Junkie Review

5. InboxDollars (Android and iOS)

side hustles

The next thing you can do is sign up for InboxDollars which pays you, in cash, to watch fun videos and take surveys. If you sign up before the end of this month, they also give you a $5 free bonus just to give it a try.

By spending just 5-10 minutes per day on this (either on your lunch break or during TV commercial breaks) you can earn and earn an extra $50 per month. More people should be using this money making app.

Payment:

Gift card or check.

Pros:

InboxDollars offers a plethora of ways to make money, including getting paid to play games. It was listed highly on our list of ways to get paid to play games, it's a legit money maker.

Cons:

It'll require a ton of time to reach the minimum payout of $30. If you want your earnings in the form of cash, you'll have to order a check. No PayPal cash out options available.

Download:

Android, iOS.

$5 sign up bonus
InboxDollars
4.5

InboxDollars offers a variety of ways to earn money online. You can take surveys, play games, surf the web, watch videos and more to earn points towards gift cards.

Start Earning InboxDollars Review

6. Upside (Android and iOS)

getupside

Upside is one of the best cash back apps for gas that provides users with a variety of helpful information. First, it gives you 25 cents back on every gas station receipt you submit. It also shows you the best gas station deals and the cheapest gas. This free cash back app for gas is saving users an average of $124 in a year. There is no minimum for cash outs, but a $1 fee will be made on withdrawals under $15.

Payment:

Paypal or gift cards.

Pros:

It's a free app, and thousands of gas stations are offering cash back.

Cons:

You can earn cash back on gas in over 40 states, but if you want to earn using its grocery stores and restaurants features it is more limited.

Download:

Android, iOS.

Upside
4.5

Upside (which used to be called GetUpside) lets you save up to 25 cents for every gallon of gas you buy at certain gas stations. You can also get up to 35% back when you shop for groceries or eat out at over 45,000 places that work with Upside. If you use the app a lot, you might earn more than $100 in a year.

Start Saving Best Gas Apps

7. Fetch Rewards (Android and iOS)

fetch

Fetch Rewards is a mobile rewards app that pays you for shopping (from any store). This is an easy and of the best money making apps to earn gift cards the easy way, and can add up to a large wad of free gift cards with time. And there is a low threshold to cash out, unlike other cash back apps.

Payment:

Visa gift cards or retailer gift cards.

Pros:

You can use this cash back app with any receipt. The app's interface is marvelous to use and earning money with Fetch Rewards is fun as they offer plenty of incentives and monthly bonuses/sweepstakes.

Cons:

Your cash back earnings can't be withdrawn via PayPal, however, you can convert your Visa gift cards to cash if you really wanted to.

Download:

Android, iOS.

Fetch
4.5

Fetch is one of the top apps for scanning receipts that we've tried. It's great because it always gives you the same amount of points for each receipt, at least 25 points, and you only need to earn a little ($3) before you can take your money out. You can scan up to 35 receipts every week, so if you shop a lot and keep using the app, you could get a few free gift cards each year. Get 250 points when you use the code C1JAV during sign-up.

Start Saving Fetch Review

8. Ibotta (Android and iOS)

Ibotta Logo

There are a ton of apps like Ibotta but this app actually gives you cash back on things you buy every day, even booze. You heard me right, you can make money for the booze you buy at groceries.

Ibotta is a fun rebate app that lets you get cash back on your purchases from major stores like Walmart, Target, and almost every grocery store all over the country. They are conveniently offering a $10 welcome bonus after uploading your first receipt. So act fast.

Payment:

PayPal, gift card or direct to a bank account.

Pros:

It's quick and easy to sign up and the app offers a $10 welcome bonus. You can also earn lucrative cash rewards by using Ibotta cheats like referring your friends and family to maximize your earning potential.

Cons:

In order to cash out your earnings you'll have to reach $20 in cash back. This can take a while depending on how often you go shopping. To combat this, Ibotta helps you earn cash back online and in-store at thousands of retailers from grocery and clothing stores to beauty and pet shops.

Download:

Android, iOS.

Ibotta
4.5

Ibotta pays you cash back for shopping at over 500,000 retailers, which you have to do every month. So why not get paid for it? Get started saving today.

Start Saving Ibotta Cheats

9. Fundrise (Android and iOS)

fundrise

Wouldn’t it be great if you could invest in commercial real estate and apartments without dealing with all the hassle of buying, improving, and re-selling real estate?

You don't have to be a millionaire to invest in these types of properties. You can now invest in large-scale real estate for as little as $10 with Fundrise. Through their real estate investment products, investors earned an average of 8 – 11 percent on their money last year, and all without painting a wall or dealing with unruly tenants.

Payment:

Payment via bank deposit.

Pros:

There is a reason why they currently have over 500,000+ users, this real estate investing app really pays you solid returns. A low minimum investment is required (only $10) and it is open to all investors. IRA accounts are also available and the app and website as easy to use even for beginners.

Cons:

Please keep in mind that shares you’ve held for less than five years may be subject to a penalty. If you held your shares for less than three years you are subject to a 3% penalty of the total share value. You will want to hold your shares for at least five years to avoid any fees. Fundrise should be considered a long-term investment strategy.

Download:

Android, iOS.

Fundrise
5.0

Fundrise is a very easy-to-use app that allows individuals to access crowd-funded real estate investing without spending a fortune. This option is best for users who want to make money consistently and let their money make them money. Open an account with a minimum investment of $10 and get quick access to real estate funds tailored to different investment goals.

Open Account Fundrise Review
We earn a commission for this endorsement of Fundrise.

10. Nielsen Mobile Research (Android and iOS)

nielsen

By using the internet as you do every day, Nielsen invites you to make a difference – and you can make money too. Personally, I downloaded this app and make around $50 a year passively, it's a legit app. You don’t have to do anything other than initially registering your computer or phone. They will just track your internet browsing history, keeping your personal data anonymous, which is what most apps do, but now you can get paid for it.

Payment:

Nielsen will pay you $50 a year to keep the app on your device.

Pros:

It's quick and easy to sign up and you can get $50 per device just for downloading it and keeping it on your devices. It is considered one of the best passive income apps that help you earn money for doing almost nothing. Plus, the app won't slow down your device.

Cons:

The app will collect data about your anonymously. Some people may not be comfortable with this.

Download:

Android, iOS.

Get $60 for installing app
Nielsen Mobile Panel
5.0

This company will pay you $60 a year to keep their app on your favorite internet browsing device and they also give away $10,000 each month. You don’t have to do anything other than initially registering your computer or phone.

Start Earning Nielsen Review

11. Rocket Money (Android and iOS)

rocketmoney

Rocket Money is a real, much better and desirable alternative to all the other money saving apps on the market. Have a cable bill that has been increasing over the years? You can now simply download a free app, and they will negotiate it down for you.

Rocket Money will help you take control of your money, users have saved over $15M to date, and all without being a financial expert or dealing with staying on top of your bills, which can be a full-time job.

Payment:

Payment is in the form of saving money on bills.

Pros:

With Rocket Money, users have saved over $15M for its users on their bills (think cable or cell phone bills) and canceling forgotten subscriptions. There is no real reason to not use the app for someone who wants to spend less each month.

Cons:

Rocket Money is a free to use app, but they do offer several optional services that do cost money.

Download:

Android, iOS.

#1 Money Saving App
Rocket Money
4.5
Rocket Money is free to use

Rocket Money helps 3.4+ million members save hundreds. Get the app and start saving today. Save more, spend less, and take back control of your financial life.

Start Saving Now Read Review

12. MyPoints (Android and iOS)

MyPoints logo

MyPoints has it all — whether you want to shop at all your favorite retailers from the convenience of your phone or take surveys on the go, the MyPoints app has you covered.

Find a fancy hotel or shop for a new pair of kicks at your favorite retailer. Shopping not your bag? Like to share your opinion? Who doesn't? Share feedback on a variety of topics including movies, TV shows, shopping experiences and even new products and services. Reward yourself with great experiences as well as free gift cards with MyPoints.

Payment:

Paypal or gift cards.

Pros:

You can earn money through cash back shopping and through taking surveys, reading emails, watching videos and more. They offer a $10 welcome bonus for new members if you make two qualifying purchases through MyPoints during your first 30 days of membership.

Cons:

MyPoints is limited to those who live in the US or Canada.

Download:

Android, iOS.

$10 sign-up bonus with your first purchase
MyPoints

MyPoints pays you when you shop online at your favorite stores and delivers the rewards through free gift cards. You can also earn $1 on average per survey you complete. Offers over 10 different ways to earn money. Pays by gift cards, PayPal & travel miles.

Collect Your $10 Free Gift Card

Which Apps Pay You the Most?

For those of you looking to get paid instantly, you will likely benefit from taking advantage of app bonuses that'll pay you just for signing up or completing a task.

If you are looking for a longer-term strategy to increase your earning potential then these apps will get the job done. It is very possible to earn a quick $50 this week if you use multiple apps like Swagbucks or Survey Junkie.

Just be careful about scams or providing your personal information to apps that you aren't familiar with. You can usually get a good indication of the apps validity by reading the user reviews in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Once you get the ball rolling with money making apps, you'll want to take it the next level.

What's Next?

Once you built some cushion in your bank account using money earning apps — you're on the right path. But money making apps can only get you so far, it's time to think about longer-term financial goals.

What’s the next step you should take?

Here are ways to take your finances to the next level:

Best Money Making Apps for 2017
iStockPhoto
Step 1: Build an Emergency Fund

Having money in the bank for emergencies can help you improve your financial standing. You'll want three to six months' worth of expenses in your emergency fund. Be sure to stash your money in the right savings account that'll grow your money.

Start with a high-yield savings account like CIT Bank that offers a Savings Builder that will pay a great APY and still give you instant access to your money in case of an emergency. You can open it with $100 and deposit $100 a month to help you get to $1,000 in less than a year.

Step 2: Evaluate Your Checking Account

The Chase Total Checking® account offers a $300 bank bonus and remains a top choice as it’s the most popular account from one of the country’s best banks.

With over 4,700 branch locations, 16,000 ATMs, and a highly-rated mobile app, you’ll have ample access to your money.

Opening a new account is a breeze with the online application, and earning the $300 bonus is simple: receive a qualifying direct deposit within 90 days, and Chase will credit the reward within 15 days.

While the account comes with a $12 monthly maintenance fee, it can be waived through various means, such as maintaining a minimum daily balance of $1,500 or making at least $500 in electronic deposits each month.

As long as you can avoid the maintenance fee, we highly recommend seizing this legit cash bonus from Chase!

Step 3: Get Free Stocks Instantly

While you're at it, why not increase your net worth with a free stock? The investing apps below offer some great sign up bonuses that include free stocks or cash offers:

Micro-investing app
Commission-free
Diversification
MMG Rating:
4.5
MMG Rating:
4.5
MMG Rating:
5.0
Fees: $3-$9 monthly
Fees: Free
Fees: 0.15% advisory fee

Acorns is best suited for individuals looking to start investing with minimal effort and those who want to save and invest their spare change.

Robinhood is best suited for various types of investors, especially those who are new to investing or prefer a user-friendly platform that is commission-free.

Fundrise is a very easy-to-use app that allows individuals to access crowd-funded real estate investing without spending a fortune. This option is best for users who want to make money consistently and let their money make them money.

Micro-investing app
MMG Rating:
4.5
Fees: $3-$9 monthly

Acorns is best suited for individuals looking to start investing with minimal effort and those who want to save and invest their spare change.

Commission-free
MMG Rating:
4.5
Fees: Free

Robinhood is best suited for various types of investors, especially those who are new to investing or prefer a user-friendly platform that is commission-free.

Diversification
MMG Rating:
5.0
Fees: 0.15% advisory fee

Fundrise is a very easy-to-use app that allows individuals to access crowd-funded real estate investing without spending a fortune. This option is best for users who want to make money consistently and let their money make them money.

Step 4: Start Building Passive Income

Fundrise is definitely one of the best passive income apps. This app was originally an iOS app and it has just become available on Android.

By downloading this app, you can start investing in real estate all around the US in as little as 30 minutes and it's super easy to get started. Then you can literally beat the stock market year after year and start making money in your sleep.

If you want to earn the big bucks then you can learn how to get started by getting more information from Fundrise here.

Fundrise
5.0

Fundrise is a very easy-to-use app that allows individuals to access crowd-funded real estate investing without spending a fortune. This option is best for users who want to make money consistently and let their money make them money. Open an account with a minimum investment of $10 and get quick access to real estate funds tailored to different investment goals.

Open Account Fundrise Review
We earn a commission for this endorsement of Fundrise.
Step 5: Leave Your Family $1M

Who doesn’t want to be a millionaire? While we don’t all have trust funds waiting for us, there is still a way to provide protection for your loved ones with up to $1 million in term life insurance.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could do this for as little as $8 a month without dealing with all the hassle of wasting your time or money? You don't have to have money in your pockets to get a free quote from the best life insurance companies:

✔ MOST POPULAR
 
Apply 100% online in 5 minutes
Up to $5 million in coverage
4.6
4.5
  • No-exam term life insurance for coverage up to $3M
  • Customizable your coverage to save money on premiums
  • No policy fees and you can cancel anytime
  • No-exam term life insurance for most clients with coverage up to $5M
  • Same-day coverage
  • Ethos term life insurance is renewable up to age 80
✔ MOST POPULAR
Apply 100% online in 5 minutes
4.6
  • No-exam term life insurance for coverage up to $3M
  • Customizable your coverage to save money on premiums
  • No policy fees and you can cancel anytime
Up to $5 million in coverage
4.5
  • No-exam term life insurance for most clients with coverage up to $5M
  • Same-day coverage
  • Ethos term life insurance is renewable up to age 80

There Will Always Be Money Making Apps that Pay You

There you have it. If you’ve finished the list, you can see there are so many different apps to use to earn a little extra money. I wish you the best of luck on your journey on how to make money with the best money making apps.

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. You want to check out the latest post that shows you how to get free money through major companies.

To chalk it up, there are dozens of ways to make extra money with mobile apps that pay. Plus, they'll all free so the only thing you are giving up is your time. So make sure you find the best money making apps to add to your side hustle arsenal.

About the author

Brian Meiggs
Hi, I'm Brian Meiggs! A personal finance expert, entrepreneur, and the founder of My Millennial Guide. My drive is to help others unlock the wealth of freedom and pave the path to financial success. With my bachelor's degree in finance, I help millennials follow the smart money in order to increase their earning potential and start building wealth for the future. I write regularly about side hustles, investing, and general personal finance topics aimed to help anyone earn more, pay off debt, and reach financial freedom. I have been quoted in major publications including Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, NASDAQ, Discover, GoDaddy, BiggerPockets, Fox News, Debt.com, Quick Sprout, Money Geek, MSN Money and many more!