21 Best Money-Making Apps to Help You Grow Your Income
Make cash fast with these top-rated money earning apps that really work.
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Most of us would welcome a little extra cash in our wallets. Maybe you want to pad your savings account a bit, or maybe you want to start putting some money aside for a big purchase, like a house. Or maybe you just want to have enough to treat yourself to a massage and a facial once in a while. No matter what your money goals are, making some extra income can definitely be helpful. Luckily, you don’t necessarily have to get another part-time job to make it happen.
These money making apps make it simple to grow your income. You can get paid for tons of things you may not have thought of, like being a secret shopper, taking surveys, renting out your storage space, selling unused items and more. Or if you’re looking to start a side hustle, some of these apps give you the opportunity to find gigs that suit your schedule and skills — whether you’re a super organizer, a pet whisperer, or a sharp-eyed editor. Or, if you’re all about making your income work for you, then check out some of some of the top-reviewed recommended investing apps, also included on this list (don’t worry, they’re beginner-friendly).
You use apps for things like dating and shopping, why not download apps that can help you grow your income? Read on for our recommendations for the best money-making apps, and check out some of our other recommended personal finance apps too.
Mercari
Mercari allows you to sell used items including electronics, clothing, toys, household items, and more. It only takes a minute to list your items for sale and start communicating with potential buyers. So go ahead, sell that teapot you never use or those shoes you don’t really like and put a few extra dollars in your wallet.
Rakuten
Rakuten is a cash back app that will send you money for making purchases through the app. They partner with major retailers including Nordstrom, Walmart, Target and Sephora — so if you shop at places like these regularly, you could make anywhere from .5% to 15% cash back on purchases. You can also make money when you shop in-store by linking your card to the app, and paying with your linked card when you make a purchase in-person.
Tasker by TaskRabbit
One of the best ways to earn a little extra money is by taking on a side hustle, and Tasker by TaskRabbit makes it easy to do so. You can offer services including delivery, cleaning, moving, organizing, research and so much more. So no matter what you’re good at, you can earn a few extra bucks doing it with TaskRabbit.
Fiverr
Fiverr allows you to make money by offering your freelance services to businesses and people who need them. You could write articles, manage a company’s social media presence, build a website, offer online lessons, manage projects, work as a virtual assistant and more. You determine the prices for your services, and businesses can then hire you at your listed rate. So if you’re willing to put in the work, this can be a great source of income.
Gigwalk
If you want to make money but you don’t have a lot of free time, Gigwalk could be for you. Many of the jobs that are posted are from retailers looking to check on displays or products in real time. You might be asked to go into a store and take pictures of products or displays and upload them to the app. It only takes a few minutes, and if you’re already out running errands, why not make a few bucks while you’re doing it?
Upwork
Like Fiverr, Upwork is an app that connects freelancers with businesses who need their services. Businesses will list what they’re looking for — which can be anything from web design to data entry to translation and much more — and freelancers can get in touch if they think the gig is a good fit for their skills. Some companies look to hire workers for long-term projects, so you might even be able to find a new part-time or full-time job through Upwork.
Acorns
One way to make money is to make your existing income work for you by making smart investments. If you’re looking to dip your toe in the world of investing, Acorns could be a good place to start. It takes your “spare change” from purchases and automatically invests it for you. So if you spend $5.60 using a linked credit or debit card, Acorns will round-up your purchase and drop that remaining $0.40 in your investment account. You can also make larger investments if you want to.
Robinhood
Like Acorns, Robinhood is an app that allows you to invest your money easily. One of their main selling points is that users can invest and trade without paying commissions or fees. Another unique feature is that it allows you to trade cryptocurrencies, which is something that most other investing apps don’t offer.
Public
Public is an investment app that has some unique features. For one, you can invest in fractional shares of publicly traded companies. So even if you can’t afford to buy a ton of stock in Amazon or Netflix, you can still use your money to invest in these companies. It also has a social aspect, where you can see what others (like your friends or industry experts) are trading, so you can learn from them in real-time.
Swagbucks
With Swagbucks, you earn rewards for taking online surveys, watching videos or shopping online. You earn points for these activities, which can be redeemed for gift cards to places like Kohl’s, Old Navy, Best Buy and others. It can take a while to accrue a significant number of points, but this could be a great way to pass the time and earn some money while you’re waiting in line at the store, for example.
Jamie Ballard (she/her) is a freelance writer and editor who covers news, lifestyle, and entertainment topics, including sex and relationships, TV, movies, books, health, pets, food and drinks, pop culture, shopping, and personal finance. She regularly contributes to Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, and YouGov, among other publications. When she’s not working, you can find her running, traveling, or scrolling TikTok. Follow her on Twitter.
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