Do you have any skills or talents that you could use to generate additional income? There are many opportunities available if you are willing to put in a little extra effort. You could start a blog and sell advertising, offer freelance services, or even start a small business. With a little creativity and hard work, you can find ways to make extra money.

If you have a smartphone, there are a number of apps that can help you make money in 2022. This list includes apps that can help you earn money, save money, and even invest for you.

The research has been done for you; the only thing left for you to do is decide which of the 16 choices will work for you. The apps listed have a 4 out of 5-star rating or higher.

We recommend bookmarking this page or pinning it because there is a wealth of information that you will want to hang on to.

If you would like to explore additional ways to generate income from home, please see our most popular article, 30 real ways to make money from home part-time.

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We uncovered the best apps to make money that you may have never heard of with really great earning potential.

Highest Paying Apps

Here are some great apps to start using if you’re looking to make some extra money with your smartphone.

1. Rakuten

I love earning cash back through Rakuten because it rewards me for purchasing items I would buy anyway. Rakuten works with stores to earn commission on every customer they send their way. They then split that commission with their users, so everyone wins in the end.

I’ve earned over $500 in cash back by shopping online through Rakuten and referring friends.

I often take advantage of Rakuten perks by purchasing items online when I know I will want them in the future, rather than purchasing them immediately. By doing this, I have earned a check of $265. This android app is also available on iOS.

2. Dosh

Dosh is also a cashback app, but it’s more of a passive form of income, my favorite kind of income! Set it up, forget about it, and get paid!

The Dosh cash back app lets you link your credit and debit cards to automatically get cash back when you shop, eat, travel, and more at participating local and national merchants.

I was pleased to receive the email below after paying for our anniversary dinner.

When you use your credit card at a participating merchant, you will earn cash back. Additionally, if you book your hotel through the Dosh App, you will receive $25 cash back on your first hotel booking.

3. Ibotta

Ibotta is an app that allows you to get cash back for items you buy anyway. I find this app very useful.

Here’s How It Works:

• Download the Ibotta App and before you shop, add offers on products you normally purchase anyway.
• Buy the products you selected at any participating store. Don’t forget your receipt!
• Redeem your offers by taking a photo of your receipt. Ibotta will match the items you bought to the offers you selected and give you the cash!

Your cashback will be deposited into your Ibotta account within 48 hours.

I’ve made $105.53 so far from a combination of shopping and referring friends. If you tell your friends to sign up they get $10 and you get $5!

4. HealthyWage

HealthyWage is a company that incentivizes people to lose weight by putting their own money at risk with the potential to earn up to $10,000. It is the ultimate losing weight challenge.

Here’s How it Works:

• Start with the HealthyWage Prize Calculator. Enter how much weight you want to lose, how long you’ll take to lose it, and how much you want to bet a month for that period of time.
• The calculator determines your prize amount, up to $10,000. You can play around with the calculator until you get your desired prize amount.
• Sign up for HealthyWage and agree to pay the monthly amount for the duration of the challenge.
• Achieve your weight-loss goal, and win your prize! If you don’t hit your goal, your money goes to support HealthyWage, including prizes for others who achieve their goals.

See how Jaclyn won $5,294.12 and Anastasia won $10,000 losing weight.

5. StepBet

StepBet is a platform that allows users to bet on themselves to meet step goals. If users do not meet their goals, they will lose the money; if they do meet their goals, they will get their money back and make additional money.

Here’s How it works:

• Select a game to get your step goals, then bet into the pot to join (you’ll be grouped in with others trying to make their goals).
• Reach your personalized step goals for each week of the game
• Make your goals for the whole game and split the pot! Get back your bet plus a profit

How does StepBet get paid? We retain 15% of the gross pot to pay Referees, transaction fees, game hosts, and administrative support.

6. Trim

If you want to save money on your Comcast bill, car insurance, and more, Trim can help. Trim is a free app that works as your Personal Finance Assistant. Just link your bank account to Trim and they’ll analyze your spending and find ways to save you money. You could easily save $100 or more.

7. Get Paid for Giving Your Opinion with these Survey Apps ($100 a month or more)

I recommend downloading Swagbucks and Inboxdollars, but you can make more money by signing up for multiple survey sites. I also recommend signing up for Survey Junkie and PrizeRebel, which can be done on your smartphone. You can get a $5 sign up bonus with Swagbucks by clicking the link above.

8. Conversationally App

Did you know that you could make up to $100 per month by simply using your Alexa or Google Home Voice Assistant? Conversationally makes it easy to do just that. Learn more about how voice assistants work today.

9. Start Investing (In Change!)

Acorns is a micro-investing service that rounds up your purchases to the nearest dollar and invests the difference on your behalf. You can link as many credit or debit cards as you like and put your “change” to work for you in a low-cost ETF. The service costs $1 a month, but for college students it’s free.

Acorns monitors your bank account and automatically invests the change from your daily purchases. For example, if you make a purchase of $1.75 for a coffee, Acorns will round up the total to $2.00 and automatically invest $.25 in one of its “smart portfolios.”

I quickly made $60 with minimal effort. There are no fees when withdrawing, but it’s important to note that there may be tax implications for the following year.

By signing up with my link for Acorns, you can get $5 to invest and help contribute to a greener world.

10. Instacart

Instacart is a grocery delivery service that allows you to make money by shopping for others. You can sign up for Instacart here, and for more information on how to make money with this app, you can check out my full review here.

This is an opportunity to consider if you want to earn money quickly and easily.

11. Decluttr

Declutter is an online platform that allows users to sell their old electronics, including but not limited to CDs, DVDs, games, phones, and tablets.

Here’s How it Works:

• Submit your electronics and receive a FREE instant valuation for everything you want to sell
• If you accept the valuation, ship it for free! They will send a Welcome Pack containing your free shipping label by email or regular mail (it’s up to you) shortly after you complete your order.
• A few days later, your items will arrive at their warehouse. Their team will check the item(s) over, and you’ll get paid the day after by Direct Deposit, PayPal or Check!

12. Foap App

You can get paid for taking quality pictures and videos from your smartphone. You don’t have to be a professional photographer, but it would be helpful to read this article on taking better photos with your phone.

Companies are willing to pay handsomely for images and videos that match their desired quality and aesthetic. The Foap App offers a feature called Missions, whereby companies request specific photos or videos. If you choose to take on a Mission and your photo/video is selected, you could earn hundreds of dollars.

Follow the mission brief and upload videos or pictures that reflect the company’s desired imagery.

13. EyeEm

EyeEm is another app that pays you for your photos. Your photos can be sold multiple times to different clients, and you’ll earn money each time.

Michael from PetaPixel wrote a great article about stock photography and how he made $1,254.93 in four months. He also offered some great photography tips.

14. Upwork

You can get started with just a couple of clicks. And I guarantee you’ll find something that fits your skills and expertise.

I’ve found the Upwork platform to be very user-friendly and it has helped me to grow my freelance business and make a nice side income. I would recommend checking it out if you’re interested in finding freelance opportunities.

I recommend only applying to the jobs that have 5-10 proposals already submitted (low competition increases your chances to win the job). Make sure they have a blue check that says verified payment to prevent scams. When you see something you’re interested in, apply for it immediately.

15. Raise

When I first learned of Raise, I was impressed by the company’s innovative solution to a common problem. Many people receive gift cards as gifts but find themselves limited to spending only at the associated store. Raise has taken advantage of this by creating a marketplace for people who want to sell their gift cards at a discount to those who are looking to save money.

For example, if you have your heart set on something from Target, check to see if you can get a discounted gift card before you go and spend more than you need to.

16. Get Rewarded for Paying Your Bills on Time

If you get a credit card with rewards and pay the statement balance in full each month, you can receive cash back on your purchases. Additionally, many credit cards offer sign-up bonuses if you spend a certain amount of money within the first few months of opening the account.

My husband and I use our Chase Freedom credit card for everything because we earn cashback rewards. I used my rewards to cover Christmas expenses last year, and now my balance is over $650 again. The Chase app lets me track my spending and rewards balance so I can easily redeem my rewards.

If you sign up for the Chase Freedom Credit card, you can earn a $150 bonus if you spend $500 within the first 3 months.

17. Seated

As a stay-at-home mom, I am always looking for ways to cut costs. Seated offers a great way to get paid to do something I already love–eating out! With this app, I can earn gift cards each time I book a reservation. I know someone who makes $200 per month just by using this app–I’m definitely going to give it a try!

Here’s how it works:

• Book an available reservation on the seated app and choose your preferred reward (Lyft, Amazon, or Starbucks gift card)
• Dine out and upload a photo of your receipt to verify what you’ve spent
• Your selected reward code will be delivered digitally in the app within 24 hours of each successful reservation.

Although restaurants are always looking for ways to get new loyal customers, the Seated app is a great idea that offers diners $10-$50 in hopes of becoming a loyal customer.

18. Swagbucks ($5 signup bonus)

• Summary: Make money with a wide variety of small tasks like online surveys, games, videos, and much more.
• Sign-up bonus: $5.
• Read our Swagbucks Review.

It’s easy to start making extra money online with Swagbucks. You can earn points by watching videos, taking surveys, playing games, and surfing the web. You can also earn cashback by shopping online at thousands of participating websites.

At Swagbucks, you can earn points, called SB, through a variety of tasks, with bonuses available for signing up and referring friends. These points can be redeemed for free gift cards to over 1,500 retailers, including iTunes, Starbucks, and Amazon, or converted to cash via PayPal.

In general, 100 SB is equal to $1; however, they run many promotions, so you can redeem your points at discounted rates. For example, you might get a $20 gift card for 1800 SB, which would be a 10% discount.

The best way to make money with Swagbucks is to do a combination of tasks. If you’re only taking surveys, your income will be limited. But you can rack up the points faster by taking surveys, watching videos, using the Swagbucks search engine, using the cashback component, playing games and taking advantage of special offers.

You can choose to redeem your SB for gift cards from over 1,500 different retailers, or you can opt for PayPal cash.

Some of the best ways to make money on Swagbucks are through special offers. You can earn a few hundred SB for installing an app, creating an account somewhere, signing up for a free trial, or many other things. Some special offers are worth $100 or more, and new offers are added frequently. This is a great way to rack up gift cards quickly.

Swagbucks offers a low minimum payout of just $3, so you won’t have to wait long to get your rewards. You can earn cash rewards by playing games, watching videos, and completing surveys.

19. Public.com (free stock worth up to $300)

• Summary: Place commission-free trades of stocks and ETFs with this user-friendly investing app.
• Sign-up bonus: up to $300 in free stock*.
• Read our Public.com Review.

Over the past few years, active trading and investing have become popular among those interested in personal finance. However, it’s important to point out that investing involves risk, and you might lose money instead of making money.

However, there are also plenty of potential benefits, like the ability to grow your net worth and significantly improve your financial situation by increasing your bank account balance.

Although there are many investing apps out there, we believe that Public.com is the best option for a few reasons:

• Commission-free trades on stocks and ETFs
• Access to a growing number of cryptocurrencies
• Buy fractional shares of stocks and ETFs
• User-friendly platform and interface
• Social networking features that allow you to connect with other investors and learn
• Themes (lists of stocks and ETFs) that make it easy to find the right investment opportunities
• Available as an iPhone app or Android app

Although Public.com is geared towards beginner investors, experienced investors will still find value in the app’s unique social features.

Public.com has a large and active user base that is unique to the platform. With the right approach, it has the potential to be one of the most lucrative apps.

20. Webull (free stock worth up to $30,000+)

• Summary: Free trading app with excellent tools for research and analysis.
• Sign-up bonus: up to $30,000+ in free stock.
• Read our Webull review.

Webull is a stock trading app that offers fractional shares, no minimums, and is beginner-friendly. You can buy and sell individual stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto.

The research and analysis features offered by Webull help it to stand out from the competition. If you like to do advanced analysis before making an investment decision, you’ll appreciate Webull.

Webull’s signup bonus is one of the best offers available, so don’t miss out! Webull also offers retirement accounts (IRAs), which are currently unavailable with Public.com and some other competitors.

21. InboxDollars ($5 signup bonus)

• Summary: Make extra money by taking online surveys, playing games, watching videos, taking advantage of offers, and other small tasks.
• Sign-up bonus: $5.
• Read our InboxDollars Review.

InboxDollars is a survey site that allows users to make extra money online by taking online surveys, watching videos, playing games, completing special offers, and reading emails.

You can view how much each task is worth before beginning, so you can find the highest-paying tasks that fit into your schedule.

Instead of earning points that can be used for gift cards like many survey apps, you will make actual money. This is because you get paid in cash instead of a gift card.

InboxDollars is a great way to earn extra cash from surveys and other microtasks. You’ll receive a $5 bonus for signing up, making it even more worth your while.

InboxDollars is an excellent way to earn cash rewards by playing games, taking surveys, and completing other simple tasks.

22. MyPoints ($10 signup bonus)

• Summary: Earn extra cash by shopping online and various other small tasks like online surveys.
• Sign-up bonus: $10.

You can choose from a wide selection of popular retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Starbucks. The MyPoints app is available for both Android and iOS devices.

The MyPoints app allows you to earn cash, gift cards, and other rewards through surveys, shopping online, and other simple tasks. You can start earning points immediately upon signing up that can be redeemed for cash, airline miles, or gift cards from popular retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Starbucks. The MyPoints app is available for both Android and iOS devices.

You can earn points by completing surveys, online shopping with over 2,000 retailers, reading BonusMail emails, watching videos, playing games, referring friends, and printing coupons. You can also redeem points by shopping in-store and uploading your receipt. When you reach 480 points, you can exchange them for gift cards from 70 top restaurant and retail brands or travel miles.

As a result, you can rack up points that you can redeem for Amazon and other gift cards, or cash through PayPal.

-MyPoints lets you take surveys and play games to rack up points that you can redeem for gift cards or cash through PayPal.

-For example, a $25 Amazon gift card requires 3,950 points, while an AMC gift card needs only 3,520.

-If you want to exchange your points for a PayPal cash transfer, you’ll need to accumulate at least $25 worth of points.

23. Branded Surveys ($1 signup bonus)

• Summary: Make money by completing surveys in your spare time.
• Sign-up bonus: $1.

Although Branded Surveys and Rakuten Insight both focus exclusively on surveys, Branded Surveys tend to offer higher payouts. If you’re interested in maximizing your earnings from surveys, Branded Surveys is worth checking out.

Typically, you can earn anywhere from $0.50 to $5 per survey. Most of the surveys can be completed quickly to earn points.

After you’ve accumulated some points, they can be redeemed for Walmart gift cards, Amazon gift cards, Starbucks gift cards, or more than 100 other choices. You can also redeem for cash through PayPal.

24. Survey Junkie

• Summary: Survey Junkie is one of the most popular survey websites.
• Sign up bonus: None.
• Read our Survey Junkie Review.

While Swagbucks, InboxDollars, and MyPoints offer the opportunity to earn money through surveys, they also provide other services. Survey Junkie is unique in that it focuses only on surveys to gain monetary rewards.

If you’re interested in making money through taking surveys, Survey Junkie is the way to go. The number and variety of surveys available on Survey Junkie is superior to most other paid survey apps and websites.

25. KashKick

• Summary: Use KashKick to find paid survey opportunities and other small tasks that can be completed in your spare time.
• Sign-up bonus: none.

KashKick is a free app that allows you to make money online with your phone by taking surveys and completing other small tasks to earn points. You can redeem your points for as little as $10 at a time through PayPal.

26. MobileXpression

• Summary: Earn rewards passively by sharing your mobile browsing data.
• Sign-up bonus: $5 gift card in the first week.

MobileXpression is a great way to earn passive income rewards with little effort. The company collects data for marketing purposes, and you will be rewarded simply for providing this data. All you need to do is sign up and install the app on your mobile device; it is available in the Google Play store and iPhone app store. Your mobile browsing activity will be tracked, but no sensitive personal information will be collected. All of your browsing data is anonymous.

MobileXpression provides users with points each week, which can be redeemed for a choice of gift cards. On average, users can earn $50 per year in free gift cards per device. Additionally, those who install the free app and activate their device will receive a $5 gift card.

27. SavvyConnect

• Summary: Earn money with no effort by sharing your browsing activity.
• Sign-up bonus: None.

SavvyConnect, run by SurveySavvy, is a program that allows you to earn money. You can install SavvyConnect on mobile devices, desktop computers, and laptop computers. For each month that you have SavvyConnect installed, you will earn $5 per device (up to $15 per month).

This is another way that you can earn some additional income.

28. Robinhood (free stock bonus)

• Summary: Commission-free trading app with a beginner-friendly user interface.
• Sign-up bonus: free stock.
• Read our Robinhood vs. Public.com comparison.

Earlier, we looked at Public.com and Webull. Robinhood is another similar investing app that offers commission-free trades. The most significant difference between Public.com and Robinhood is that Robinhood does not have social networking features.

Robinhood has had a significant influence on the industry as they were the first company to offer commission-free trades and fractional shares. Several years later, many competitors have followed suit.

29. Neighbor

• Summary: Rent out your unused space to others in your community for storage.
• Sign-up bonus: None.
• Learn more about Neighbor.

Neighbor offers a unique opportunity to earn supplemental income by renting out storage space. If you have extra space in your attic, basement, garage, shed, or even a spare bedroom, you can rent it out and earn monthly income. You can even rent out a parking space, driveway, or unpaved lot.

According to Neighbor, you can list unused space on their platform and earn $100-$400 per month. They handle promoting your storage space to renters in your local area, as well as payments and $1 million in liability protection. All you have to do is ensure that the renter has access to the space.

30. Fetch

• Summary: Rent out your truck or cargo van to people in your local area.
• Sign-up bonus: None.
• Learn more about Fetch.

Would you be interested in earning an extra income of up to $1,800 per month? If you have a pickup truck or cargo van, you could rent it out to people in your local area. This passive side hustle requires minimal time investment but has the potential to generate a significant income.

After you sign up and create your listing on Fetch, your rental will be marketed to people in your area. All payments will be handled by Fetch, so you don’t have to worry about it. You can even install their device in your truck to provide renters access, which means you won’t need to meet the renters face-to-face to turn over the keys. Fetch may be the highest-paying app if you have a truck or van you can rent out.

31. TopCashback

• Summary: Earn cashback from thousands of online retailers.
• Sign-up bonus: none

TopCashback is a cashback app with some great benefits, including some of the highest-paying offers. Exclusive deals with certain transactions offer up to 105 percent cashback when shopping online. This means you’re being paid to shop!

There are several cashback options, including getting more if you accept a voucher for Amazon or certain other major brands.

As a member, you can take advantage of exclusive offers, which include earning 25 percent more cash back on purchases made through the shopping portal. You can also upgrade to the Plus Member level, which is a yearly membership plan that earns you an additional 5 percent cash back on some online purchases. With savvy spending habits, you can quickly negate the membership cost. Cashback rewards are not limited to online shopping—some retail outlets are supported, so you can maximize your rewards.

32. Drop

• Summary: Automatically earn cash back at some of your favorite stores and restaurants.
• Sign-up bonus: None.
• Read our Drop Review.

The Drop app is an easy-to-use, intuitive app that allows you to earn gift cards for your everyday spending. When you download the app and sign up, you need to link a debit or credit card to your profile in order to start earning points. The app works by lining up your purchases made with the card with the offers available.

You can also choose five of your favorite brands, such as Uber, Walmart, or Starbucks, where you spend the most money. These choices cannot be changed after registration, so choose yours wisely. You can also choose bonus offers to maximize your savings.

33. DoorDash

• Summary: Earn cash by making deliveries in your local area.
• Sign-up bonus: None.
• Read our comparison of DoorDash vs. Uber Eats vs. Postmates.

DoorDash is one of the best apps to make money if you are looking to provide a service. With options in many cities, you can start working and making money quickly. You can use any vehicle to make deliveries, and there is plenty of work available.

While apps like Uber and Lyft allow you to make money through driving, they require you to give rides to strangers. DoorDash and other delivery apps, however, enable you to make money through driving without the need to give rides to strangers.

DoorDash drivers can make good money, especially if they are working during peak times like lunch and dinner hours. Overall, DoorDash is one of the highest-paying apps with plenty of opportunities.

34. Steady

• Summary: Find gigs and money-making opportunities.
• Sign-up bonus: None.

Steady is an app that helps users increase their income. When you sign up, you’ll create a profile and answer a few questions about your work history and experience. Steady will then provide you with personalized ways to make money.

Steady offers Income Boosters, which are hand-picked ways to make more money or incentives through Steady’s partners. You can also access data like pay rates for various employers and the earning information for other users in your local area.

35. Shipt

• Summary: Get paid to shop for and deliver groceies.
• Sign-up bonus: None.

Shipt is another grocery shopping and delivery service similar to Instacart. Shipt works on a membership basis, so the customers you’re working for will be paying members. In addition, Shipt encourages members to tip delivery drivers, which may help to increase their income. Shipt claims that drivers make $22 per hour or more, making it one of the highest-paying opportunities.

However, once you’re approved, you can start shopping and making money right away.

As a Shipt shopper, you’ll be able to set your own hours and work as little or as much as you want. The application and approval process is quick and easy, so you can start earning money right away.

36. Rover

• Summary: Make money by walking dogs or pet sitting.
• Sign-up bonus: None.

Boarding, where you keep the dog at your house, pays the most.

If you’re passionate about animals, you can earn money through Rover, one of the highest-paying apps. By signing up as a pet sitter, you’ll be connected with a nationwide network of pet owners who need dog walking, pet sitting, or boarding services. Boarding — keeping the dog at your house — is the most lucrative option.

As a Rover sitter, you can specify your rates and choose which services to offer in your profile. You’ll get notifications when new requests come in that match your preferences, and you can accept or reject them with the tap of a button.

This option is desirable because it has the potential to generate a lot of income, and almost anyone can do it without any prior experience. You could use this opportunity to make some extra money in your spare time, or turn it into a full-time job.

37. Groundfloor

• Summary: Short-term investments in house flips.
• Sign-up bonus: $50 for your first investment.
• Read our Groundfloor Review.

Groundfloor is a real estate crowdfunding platform that provides access to high-quality investment opportunities with a low minimum investment of $10. Groundfloor is a great option for beginner investors who are looking for an accessible and user-friendly platform.

According to Groundfloor, investments through their platform have historically produced average returns of more than 10%. Therefore, it could wind up being the best-paying app in the long term.

You’ll be investing in short-term loans that are anywhere from a few months to a year in length. That means your money won’t be tied up for 5-10 years as it would be with most real estate investments. You’ll be able to add money to your Groundfloor account or move it to your bank with direct deposit.

38. Acorns

• Summary: Round up your purchases to automatically save and invest.
• Sign-up bonus: None.
• Read our Acorns Review.

Acorns helps you save and invest by rounding up your credit card purchases to the next dollar. For example, if you spend $5.35, Acorns will save and invest $0.65. Over time, this can add up to a significant amount of money.

Acorns offers various portfolios consisting of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and you can select a portfolio based on your risk tolerance. Acorns will automatically invest your money in the selected portfolio.

39. Uber and Lyft

• Summary: Make money as a rideshare driver.
• Sign-up bonus: None.

Unless you have been living under a rock, you are likely familiar with Uber. Becoming an Uber driver can be a great way to earn money on the side.

Uber has over 3 million drivers operating around the world. Of course, you need to meet the Uber requirements, but you can earn some serious cash even if you don’t want to work peak hours. Uber takes 20 percent of the ride fares booked through the app.

Customers pay and tip with a credit card using the app, so you don’t need to worry about carrying cash.

You will need to upload your paperwork to confirm your driving eligibility and provide vehicle details. Once everything is approved, you will be able to manage your fares through the app and start earning money.

With the popularity of Uber, it was inevitable that more apps and services would arrive, and Lyft was founded in 2012. Driving for Lyft can be a decent side gig or, with some dedication, a full-time income.

The fares are broken down into the basic fare, the cost per minute, and the cost per mile. The app bills the passenger the basic fare to start the ride, and you need to tap the app after you arrive to start earning the cost per minute.

Your fares can also include Prime Time, an extra charge for the customer when busy or fewer drivers are available. You can also earn tips from your passengers.

Lyft takes between 20 and 25 percent commission. You can get paid either through a weekly checking account deposit or Express Pay, which loads onto your debit card. Express Pay automatically loads your debit card once you’ve earned $50, but there is a small transfer fee.