13 Best Money-Making Apps to Make Legit Cash (2023)

We all want to make legit cash with little work, but how?

Most people would suggest making money on YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram but that requires a lot of work. We searched online for the best money-making apps, and we tested them too.

Today, we present to you the 13 best money-making apps that are legit. As a disclaimer, these apps are not get-rich-quick schemes. Many of these will give you extra cash in exchange for a little work.

1. Swagbucks – poll and survey app
2. InboxDollars – survey, shopping, and watching videos
3. Ibotta – shopping cashback rewards
4. Survey Junkie – participate in paid surveys
5. Ipsos I-Say – survey app
6. YouGov – market research survey app
7. Fundrise – real estate investing
8. GetMega – play games for money
9. Dosh – cashback app
10. Rakuten – shopping app for making money
11. Google Opinion Rewards – paid survey
12. Mistplay – app for playing games
13. Capital One Shopping App – shopping rewards

What Are the Best Money Making Phone Apps

1. Swagbucks – Poll and Survey App

With Swagbucks, you can earn points or rewards with small things you do online. With this app, you can get free rewards and redeem your points later.

Here are the ways you can earn money with it:

• Answer polls and surveys
• Shop in-store or online
• Watch videos
• Play some video games
• Search the web for some specific keywords

Once you do these things, you will earn points. Then, you can redeem these points in terms of gift cards or cash. Over 1,500 retailers are participating in this scheme, so you might as well buy from them if you want to earn extra cash.

It is free to join Swagbucks, and you will get a $5 bonus if you qualify. You can also earn points if you refer your friends to use the app.

Payment Methods

• Gift Card – convert your points to gift cards that you can use on Amazon and Walmart.
• PayPal Account – get cash and get paid via PayPal.

Pros

• Easy to use
• No waiting period to cash in your earnings
• Earn more money by being active

Cons

• The pay is too small; each point is worth about one cent
• It can take a while to accumulate a decent amount of money

2. InboxDollars – Survey, Shopping, and Watching Videos

Best for people who love watching videos.

InboxDollars have many ways by which you can earn money online. It is one of those money making apps where you can earn from shopping and from watching videos in your spare time.

Here are the ways you earn money from InboxDollars:

• Online shopping
• Answer surveys in your free time
• Watching videos
• Read emails
• Earn extra money from shopping
• Playing games

The beauty of InboxDollars is simple: it offers many ways by which you can earn extra cash. What it means is if you do not want to take surveys, you can watch videos.

Here, you also can watch videos of big brands who want to showcase their new products. As such, you may want to buy these products. In return, you not only get paid for watching the ad, but you also get cashback for shopping.

Payment Methods

• PayPal
• Amazon Gift Cards
• Starbucks Gift Cards
• Home Depot Gift Cards
• Target Gift Cards

Pros

• Many ways to make money
• You receive $5 as a welcome bonus
• You get pending credits in as short as five minutes
• Has generous member bonuses

Cons

• There is a minimum payout of $30
• You earn a few dollars only if you do not spend much on the app

3. Ibotta – Shopping Cashback Rewards

Best for people who want to earn money from shopping online.

If you like money making apps and shopping, consider Ibotta because it gives you rewards for shopping. There are many online selling sites that want to advertise. Since you will visit these sites anyway, why not make money if you shop there?

Here is how it works:

• You browse and add offers
• Go shopping
• Get extra cash from cashback rewards

With Ibotta, you can also earn extra money if you make in-store purchases from your favorite national retailers. Most of these retailers are shops where you already buy stuff anyway, so you might as well capitalize on that.

Another thing you will love about this app is that it has a scanner. Use this scanner while shopping and the app will tell you if it is part of the promotion.

Payment Method

• Direct deposit to your PayPal account
• Gift cards
• Bank transfer

Pros

• There is a wide range of products you can choose from
• It is easy to find offers
• You can transfer funds directly to your bank account
• You can earn your rewards in as short as 24 hours

Cons

• There is an account maintenance fee of $3.99 per month
• You must claim the offer before buying, not after
• There is a minimum of $20 before you can transfer funds

4. Survey Junkie – Participate In Paid Surveys

Best for people looking for survey apps that help them earn cash.

Survey Junkie is like an aggregator of surveys. Survey apps like this will get surveys from companies, and the users will participate. In exchange, the users get ash rewards.

The way it works is simple:

• You sign up for an account
• You look for surveys in your demographics
• You earn points for surveys you completed
• You get paid

You should know that Survey Junkie pays attention to where you are or what your age is. They do not want everybody participating in the same surveys.

With Survey Junkie, you can also get disqualified. For example, you may be taking a survey, and then you get cut off in the middle if the system recognizes that the survey is not for you.

As you complete surveys, you earn points, and you redeem these points with cash or gift cards. It is the only way to earn rewards with Survey Junkie.

Payment Methods

• PayPal cash
• Gift cards

Pros

• You do not pay service fee like in other money making apps
• Lots of surveys
• You get points for simply signing up

Cons

• High threshold for redeeming points
• The tasks can get repetitive

5. Ipsos I-Say – Survey App

Best for people who want to do surveys

Ipsos is one of the biggest survey companies in the world. Hailing from France, it is a well-known app that rivals Survey Junkie and Swagbucks.

Here is how it works:

• You sign up for an account
• Earn points by filling out surveys
• Choose your rewards

While most money making apps are about ads and surveys, Ipsos adds a new twist because it has a product testing component. Sometimes, you get to qualify to get access to a free product, and then you can test it.

For example, if one of the best photo management software companies decides to offer a new software, you may be lucky enough to test it.

After testing the product, you get to earn points, and then you can swap these points for rewards. By the way, if you get free products, these products are yours.

Payment Method

There are many ways by which you can redeem points with Ipsos. For example, you can get gift cards, virtual prepaid cards, and merchandise from their partners.

You can also donate your cash to charitable organizations. Each member will see a different option, so check it out after signing up.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Lots of promotions
• There are many payment options
• Free to join with a low threshold

Cons

• Survey questions can get repetitive
• You do not qualify for all surveys

6. YouGov – Market Research Survey App

One of the money-making apps for people who want to be a part of a social change.

YouGov is an app where you can let your voices be heard. It is known for its polls, and most of the surveys here are political in nature.

Here is how it works:

• Sign up
• Pick a survey
• If you qualify, you get paid

It takes just a few minutes to sign up and get started. While many apps pay, this one is different because it helps shape decisions that politicians make.

With YouGov, you do not only earn money, but you also get to shape media perceptions. There are also many rewards that you can choose from.

Payment Methods

• PayPal
• Flexi e-Gift Cards
• Apple iTunes Gift Card

Pros

• You get to help shape media perception
• You get to participate in hot issues
• The gift cards have a long validity period of six months
• you can use the gift card for many online and in-store purchases

Cons

• The minimum withdrawal amount is $25 for cash redemption
• For gift cards, the minimum is $15

7. Fundrise – Real Estate Investing

Best for people who want to earn money from investing.

Fundrise is a little different from the other best money-making apps that we have on this list. It is best for those who have excellent online business ideas but do not want to pursue them. In essence, the way it works is you make a small investment; then you earn dividends.

Here is how it works:

• You register for an account
• You buy these assets
• You earn dividends

Of course, you earn more money if you have more investment. While many apps that pay do not require you to invest, this one is different as you will become an owner of an asset.

Take note, however, that you do not own an entire house or real estate. You only own shares. Then, you get to earn income from dividends.

Payment Methods

You can transfer your dividends earnings to your bank account.

Pros

• Small investment capital at $10
• You can add more investment funds later
• Legitimate way to earn real estate shares

Cons

• A long-term investment is required

8. GetMega – Play Games For Money

Best for people who love casual and card games.

GetMega is a site where you can play games. It hosts tournaments, and if you win, you get cash prizes. Not all games are free to play. Sometimes, you have to make a deposit. No, it is not an online casino.

Here are the ways by which you can earn extra money:

• Play with your own money and win against other players
• Win tournaments
• Refer people and get a commission

There are people who use their referrals to make money on Instagram. If you want to go this route, you are not limited to Instagram. You can use other platforms to endorse the company and get your commission from your referrals.

Eventually, GetMega will become something like a casino. In time, they may remove the tournaments where you can join for free, so we encourage you to sign up now.

Payment Methods

• UPI
• PayTM waller
• Direct to a bank account

Pros

• Lots of games to choose from
• You can compete against real people
• Making money is easy with the referral system

Cons

• There are withdrawal limits and minimums
• You must deposit cash to be able to participate in some games

9. Dosh – Cashback App

One of the best money-making apps for people who want to get cashback rewards.

Dosh gives you back funds for shopping online. The way it works is you set it up; then you link your credit or debit card.

Every time you eat somewhere or pay for something online, you may qualify for a cashback if the merchant is a participant.

With Dosh, the cashback is automatic. There is no need to scan QR codes or look for coupons. All you must do is download the app.

You must add a credit card that you intend to use to pay for services and products to make it work. Every time you buy something, the Dosh algorithm gets notified by the credit card system about the purchase.

The Dosh system knows whether or not the merchant is participating in the promotion. If it is, you get a cashback.

Payment Methods

• PayPal cash
• Bank account
• Venmo

Pros

• Lots of local and international participants
• The cashback is automatic
• You can convert the cashback into real cash, not gift certificates

Cons

• It is only available in the US
• You cannot link the same card that you are already using on similar apps
• The minimum transfer is $25

10. Rakuten – Shopping App For Making Money

Best for people who shop online all the time.

Rakuten is probably one of the favorite money-making apps of many people. With Rakuten, you get cash for doing things or buying things that you already do all the time.

The thing is that you must make your purchases on the Rakuten app, which you can get from the Google Play store. You can also be an affiliate and then promote your affiliate link effectively to get rewards.

Here is how it works:

• Join the Rakuten network
• Shop at Rakuten
• Get paid with cashback

You can shop in Rakuten through its app or its extension. Overall, Rakuten has already paid more than a whopping $2 billion, with a “b,” to its members.

Right now, Rakuten has more than 15 million members, and it is one of the best cashback apps for people who want to earn extra money online.

Payment Methods

• PayPal
• Check

Pros

• Rakuten has a browser extension for Google Chrome
• Get a $10 welcome bonus if you join
• Cashback can hit as much as 15%
• Over 600 stores participating

Cons

• Not available in EU countries
• Returned items do not qualify for cashback

11. Google Opinion Rewards – Paid Survey

Best for people who love Google.

Money-making apps like this are not available for all. Google Opinion Rewards is an app that is only available in selected areas.

This is how it works:

• Sign up for the program
• Complete short surveys
• Get rewarded

The surveys can be about anything. Since you are most likely a Google user, you will answer questions about the company’s products or about other issues.

For example, you may answer polls. You may also get asked to provide your opinion about something. Sometimes, they will ask you to review hotels or merchants.

Payment Methods

• Google Play Credit
• PayPal

Pros

• You can use the credits to buy in-game purchases
• You are part of a huge network
• The surveys do not take much of your time

Cons

It can take a few months before you get a survey

12. Mistplay – App For Playing Games

Best for people who play games all the time.

Mistplay is an app that you use to get paid for your loyalty. It is one of the best money making apps for gamers. You just have to play, and then you get to earn some credits.

Here is how it works:

• Register and browse new games
• Play them until you meet the required time
• Collect units and redeem your rewards

Every week, the company launches a contest. Join these contests for a chance to win epic prizes. All you have to do is play. The longer you play, the more units you collect.

Payment Methods

• Amazon Gift Card
• Visa
• Google Play Credits
• PayPal

Pros

• No investment required
• No ads on the games or apps that you use
• High range of payment from $0.50 to $50

Cons

• No direct cash payments
• Only works for Android

13. Capital One Shopping App – Shopping Rewards

Best for people who make a lot of purchases online.

Capital One Shopping is a branch of the financial institution where you get special deals. If you purchase these deals, you get rewards.

Here is how it works:

• You download the app
• You browse through the deals
• You make a purchase through the app
• You get rewarded with cashback

Capital One is a huge company, and it has a partnership with hundreds of merchants. For example, you can find deals from AT&T, Doordash, Game Stop, and many more. There is also an endless list of products to choose from, such as cosmetics, electronics, vitamins, and others.

Payment Methods

• Gift cards
• Credit or points

Pros

• Free to use with no investment needed
• Thousands of partner retailers
• Has a notification for price drops

Cons

• No cash redemption
• Not all coupon codes work

What Is A Money-Making App

A money-making app is on that helps you make money by doing things, most of which are menial. Some are entertaining, as you will have to play games. In exchange for the things that you do, you get paid.

How Much Can a Money-Making App Earn Me?

There is no answer to this, as apps vary in terms of how much they give you. Some will earn you $20 per day in cash, while some can provide you with cashback rewards.

Are Money-Making Apps Real & Safe?

Yes, they are real and safe. They have been around since the early days of the internet. They are real because they are so many micro-tasks that companies do not want robots to do.

For example, there are apps used solely for gathering data. Some companies want to do surveys to improve their marketing, and they are willing to pay people for participation.

Do Money-Making Apps Really Work?

Yes, they do work. These apps exist because companies want the participation of human beings. So instead of spending too much money on ads, they would rather pay money to real humans who can help them achieve their targeted goals.

Money Making Phone Apps FAQ

Executive Summary

Money-making apps are legit, but then you have to manage your expectations, too. You can make money watching videos, but they will not make you rich. They will also not be your replacement for a job.

So far, the best apps that pay are:

• Swagbucks
• InboxDollars
• Fundrise

Before you pick an app, decide what you want to do. If you do not like answering repetitive surveys, it doesn’t make sense to get a survey app.