Swagbucks is one of the best-known websites and apps that rewards its users. It’s easy to sign up for the service and you can use it from any major phone or from your computer. The site offers a. Thanks to the best cash back apps like Ibotta and Rakuten (formerly Ebates), you can also save money every time you shop online. Some of the best cash back apps even award you for purchases at brick-and-mortar stores, as long as you have a receipt. And using these cash back sites can be well worth the effort, since their rewards seriously add up. One of the best savings (and making money) apps is Capital One Shopping. It’s a shopping app that can help you make money in two ways: finding better deals and giving you rewards.
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Are you strapped for cash or would like to earn some more? Today, we cover the best apps to make money fast.
Whether you want to earn more rewards for shopping online, delve into a side hustle idea, or get paid to watch videos, our selection of the best money making apps will guide you in the right direction.
25+ Best Apps to Make Money Fast
Fret not, these money-making apps are compatible for all smart devices: Android, iPhone, iPad, Galaxy, and everything in between.
To make it easier for you, we broke the best apps to make money into various sections:
- Investing Apps to Make Money
- Best Apps for Cash Back & Rewards
- Profitable Side Hustle Apps
Best (Real) Money Making Apps: Earn Money Today
1. Swagbucks
If you are a side hustle aficionado, then you have heard of Swagbucks. This money making app is one of the best survey sites to make money.
Now, you certainly won’t get rich, but if you are looking for an extra $10 – $15 per week/month, then this app can’t be beat. In fact, you can start earning money in five minutes if you sign up now.
As a Swagbucks member, you can earn money through this app by taking paid surveys, shopping online, playing games, or even by watching videos. Easily redeem your Swagbuck points with a verified PayPal account or as a gift card through one of their partnered retailers.
Not to mention, Swagbucks is currently offering a free $10 sign up bonus. What are you waiting for? This app is a sure shot way to make some extra cash.
Want to Dive Deeper? Check out our Swagbucks Review.
2. DoorDash
With no specific car requirements (Scooter, Motorcycle, & Bike allowed) or passengers to deal with, DoorDash is another money-making app that allows you to control your earning potential.
With over 4,000+ locations in the United States, Australia, and Canada, DoorDash is a global business that connects Small Businesses with Consumers.
Requirements to Become a DoorDash Driver:
- 18+ Years or Older
- Own a Car, Scooter, or Bike
- Verified Driver’s License
- Social Security Number (Only Applies to the United States)
- Give Door Dash consent to complete a background investigation
DoorDash touts that their drivers make an average of $25 per hour; however, this number may vary depending on where you live.
Fortunately, DoorDash has implemented a $10 minimum wage for all drivers. So at least when you go out to drive for them, you know you are getting paid.
Serious About Earning More? Check Out our DoorDash Driver Review.
3. Mypoints
With a generous $10 sign up, Mypoints is begging for you to sacrifice your time to make money. By using their app you will accumulate points for shopping at your favorite retailers.
As they tout, “Mypoints members get up to 40% back with every purchase at 2,000 top retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, Home Depot, & Amazon.” If that is not enticing, then I don’t know what is.
As a Mypoints member, you will earn points for every purchase you make online.
These points can then be redeemed as gift cards your favorite stores or you can enjoy a nice payment to your verified PayPal account.
Nonetheless, this money-making app is a great way to earn an extra $20 – $25 per month.
4. Drop
As one of the best apps to make money, Drop makes it easy for you to shop at your favorite brands and earn next level rewards.
Downloaded by 3+ million people, Drop is revolutionizing the way consumer earn rewards. Start earning with Drop today for free.
Check out our Drop Review.
Best Money-Making Investing Apps
Are you struggling learning how to invest? These apps will help you transition from a beginner to a seasoned veteran.
Each of these apps comes with steep benefits and will allow you to make money overtime.
5. Acorns
If you have read a few of our articles on this personal finance website, then you know we rave about Acorns. As a friendly investment tool, this app is one of the easiest ways to make money on your smart phone.
Acorns is one of the best investment apps for beginners. Fortunately, this platform emphasizes education, so they will be with you every step of the way as you learn how to invest and save for retirement.
Check out Acorns Review.
6. Personal Capital
By now, you can start to see a theme developing. We like investing. Why? It is the single greatest wealth generator.
The best investors can retire 10 – 15 years earlier, and their investment strategies are not hard. These financially free individuals are disciplined, smart, and know how to save money.
However, investors alike will champion that Personal Capital is the best app to use to monitor your spending and track your net worth.
By joining, you have access to their wealth and cash management platforms, which are second to none.
If that is not enough, then Personal Capital also gives you free access to dozens of financial tools to help you make the most of your money. With over 2 million members, their users are on the right path towards financial freedom.
Check out our Personal Capital Review.
7. Robinhood
As one of the first commission-free investment apps and best online brokerages, Robinhood is industry leader in investing.
However, this app is designed for investors with a little bit of experience, but nonetheless it is a great app to make money on, if you know what you are doing.
To assist you, Robinhood publishes daily articles about individual stocks and updates their top 100 stocks list daily.
This helps you evaluate the overall stock market and conduct thorough research, leading you to make a smart and simple investment decision.
Learn More: Robinhood Review
8. Stash Invest
This investment app is designed and tailored towards beginners, which is good. Like you, when I first began to invest, I had no clue what I was doing.
In fact, I lost quite a bit of money because I thought I could outsmart the market and made my investment strategy far to complicated.
Stash levels the playing field and makes investing easy for anyone to understand.
On their user-friendly and beautifully designed mobile application, you get to choose sectors you would like to invest in – like tech, retail, energy, gas, banks, ect – and Stash will do the rest.
There team of professionals will create a diversified portfolio tailored towards your goals and investment interests. Fret not, this app only requires $5 to get started.
So, if you would like a little assistance getting started with investing, then this mobile app may be the perfect fit.
Learn More: Stash Investing Review
9. Worthy Bonds
Maybe investing in stocks isn’t for you, rightfully so. Investing in stocks can sometimes be a complicated task which requires time and effort.
Fortunately, Worthy Bonds is a great way to invest. Touting a 5.0% annual return, this app will invest in worthy bonds for you.
Here is how it works. You – as an investor – will purchase worthy bonds. Their team will then package your money into valuable small business loans and other investments on your behalf.
This allows them to generate strong and consistent returns.
As an investor you can cash out whenever you want or roll your investment into another one allowing it to compound over time.
You have full control over how to invest and when to invest. Their user-friendly smartphone app makes it easy for you to monitor and control your investments.
Bonus: Worthy Bonds offers periodic $50 bonuses to their email subscribers.
Best Apps To Earn Cash Back Rewards (And Money)
Do you frequently shop online? If so, then these money making apps will allow you to earn cash back rewards while you simultaneously shop at your favorite online retailers.
10. Rakuten
Want to earn 40% cash back at over 2,500 stores? Rakuten is an app that can make you money online starting today.
All you need to do is sign up and then download their mobile app. Once you do this, enjoy shopping at your favorite online retailers and earning cash back rewards for every purchase you make.
The cash back rewards rate is typically around 3.0% – 6.0%; however, Rakuten is constantly providing exclusive deals during the holiday season. In some cases, you can earn up to 10 – 12% cash back on their exclusive deals or promotions.
You can also simultaneously earn a Rakuten cash back reward while applying other discounts/promotions. Enjoy a $10 sign up bonus and start earning cash back today with Rakuten.
Learn More: Read our full Rakuten Review.
11. Dosh
Are you a frequent user of your credit card? Then this user-friendly smartphone app is perfect for you.
All you need do is download the app, synch your credit card with your account, and begin to make purchases with your card like normal.
Every purchase you make from a partner of Dosh’s, they will reward you with cold hard cash. Tired of not earning enough points from Dunkin Donuts? Then use Dosh.
Dunkin is just one of their many partners who are eager to reward you. Once you reach $25 in your account, you can get paid either through PayPayl or Direct Deposit.
Don’t worry, Dosh is a secure website and follows strict procedures ensuring your information is safe and secure.
Also, Dosh will pay you $5 for signing up, and an additional $5 for each person you refer. This money-making app is a must have for all credit card users.
Related:Dosh App Review
12. Ibotta
Ibotta has attracted a legion of fans across the world – rightfully so. With their $10 sign up bonus and lucrative cash back rewards program, this app is essential for all parents.
Why? Ibotta is one of the few cash back smartphone apps that partners with grocery brands. With over $600 million paid out to their loyal members, this money saving app is a no brainer.
Quick Preview of who Ibotta Partners with: Safeway, Sam’s Club, ShopRite, Amazon, Food Lion, Giant, Target, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, & Costco. Just to name a few.
As you can see, Ibotta is well established in this business niche and reputable.
They also have a sweet affiliate program where they will pay you an extra $5 for each person you refer. Nothing better than helping a friend save money, while you simultaneously get paid.
Want to Learn More? Read our Ibotta Review.
13. Receipt Hog
Receipt Hog is relatively new in the personal finance niche but has gained headway due to their user-friendly application and rewards. Once downloaded, this money-making app will get to work immediately.
All that is required is for you to snap a quick picture of your receipts and you will start to earn money on a regular basis.
Their application rewards you with points, which you can then redeem as gift cards, magazine subscriptions, or cash via PayPal.
They also have a ‘Hog Slot” feature that allows you to earn bonus points, take paid surveys, and enjoy free shopping sprees.
14. InboxDollars
InboxDollars is another app that pays you some extra money for taking paid surveys, watching videos, shopping online, or by viewing selected emails.
This app has already paid out $59 million in cash rewards to their passionate members.
Partnering with Netflix, Target, Walmart, and other awesome retailers, InboxDollars mobile application and desktop platform is ready to help you make extra money. Better yet, they are currently offering a free $5 sign up bonus.
Though the payout may not be high, a few extra bucks here and there goes a long way towards paying off debt and meeting monthly payments.
Remember, like most apps that make you money, you get what you put in. As you can imagine, the more time you put into it, the more you will earn, so it is best if you start today.
Related:InboxDollars Review
Apps That Help You Start A Profitable Side Hustle
As we move into the new year, find a profitable side hustle. If you are struggling to meet your payments or would like a few hundred dollars extra, then these side hustles are a great place to start.
Apps You Can Earn Money
15. Uber
By now, we all know Uber is a great mobile app that is ready to launch your next side hustle. There are literally thousands of drivers making a full-time income for driving with Uber.
If you have free time and live near a metropolitan area, then driving with Uber is a great way to kill a weekday night and make anywhere from $50 to $1,000 depending on how hard and long you work for.
Like most ride-sharing smartphone apps, Uber let’s you work whenever you want.
As your own boss, you decide your hours and decide how many rides you want to make. For real, this is one of the most reliable side hustles that can help you make some extra each week.
16. Drive With Lyft
Another ride-sharing smartphone application, Lyft is another awesome side hustle to make money each week.
As the driver, you decide when to work and how long to work for. Lyft’s mobile application provides you with ample resources and exclusive partnerships to take care of your vehicle and earn a reliable side income on-top of your normal job.
If you are interested, then keep your eyes peeled. Lyft is constantly offering driving bonuses that range from $250 – $1,000 after you complete a certain number of trips (rides).
17. Rover
Are you a fan of pets? Rover is a smartphone app that allows you to walk dog or cats for others. Hey, sometimes you don’t have enough time to properly walk your dog or let the cat out. This app allows you to show love towards all dogs and cats.
With the pet’s best interest in mind, Rover even allows you to house sit, participate in doggy day care, or pay a drop-in visit.
After you download the app, they make it easy for you to register and start finding potential clients in your local area.
18. Uber Eats
Don’t want to deal with people on a regular basis, but still want to get into the ride-sharing business? As an Uber Eats driver, you will deliver food orders to customers on a regular basis.
Earn Money At Home Apps
Whether it be McDonalds or Subway, as an Uber Eats driver you serve as the logistical foundation between the consumer and company.
Though it depends where you live, the average Uber Eats driver can expect to earn between $15 – $25 per hour. Like a normal Uber Driver, if you drive for their Uber Eats program you are your own boss.
This flexibility is ideal if you work a full-time job, have a family, or only need an extra $1000 a month. The earning potential is unlimited, it all boils down to your time commitment restraints and work ethic.
19. Instacart
Founded in 2012 by an ex – Amazon employee, Instacart is another smartphone application that can make you money once downloaded. Instacart is a mobile appthat connects you with customers.
On their behalf, you will act as their personal grocery shopper. This means you will physically shop for them and deliver their order to their home or workspace.
Currently, the average side hustler on Instacart is making $15 per hour, before tips. However, your hourly rate is derived from scope of the order, quantity, and miles traveled on your customers behalf.
But remember, this service is usually accompanied with a generous tip, so expect to make more than $15 per hour.
Check out our Instacart Review.
20. Healthywage
Healthywage is the most unique mobile app to use if you are looking to make some extra money. Why? This app will pay you to lose weight. Yes – you read that right.
Healthywage will pay you (or your team), up to $10,000 if you shatter your weight loss goals.
To help you out, they will also provide you 24/7 online access to a certified Healthywage coach, so you remain motivated and get the support you need.
The final prize payout is dependent on the % body fat you lose, so it is safe to assume that the more weight you lose the higher your take home pay will be.
Besides, Healthywage is proof positive that people are motivated by financial incentives. Join now! Make 2020 a memorable year. A year you lose weight, have a better mindset, and make money.
21. Airbnb
Founded in 2008, Airbnb has revolutionized the way people lodge while traveling. Sign up now and start making money from your mobile Airbnb App.
As a host, you list your apartment, townhome, house, or spare bedroom as a short-term rental. Travelers across the United States will stay at your place and will pay you a predetermined price that you get to choose as the host.
Are you traveling on vacation soon? List your house during this time to help offset the cost of your well-deserved vacation. Better yet, traveling for work?
Again, list your place during this period and earn on top of your monthly income.
Airbnb has a user-friendly mobile app that makes signing up and listing your residence incredibly easy.
Not to mention, Airbnb hosts tout they make an extra $1,000 per month, while others make $3,000+ or more with their rental property.
22. Mobee
Enjoy going on random shopping sprees? With Mobee you can shop at your favorite stores and earn stand out rewards.
Mobee assigns you random missions to complete while you are at your favorite retailer (primarily answering general questions).
Once complete, you will earn rewards points which can be redeemed as gift cards.
To recap our selection:
Trust me when I say this. These are the best of the best. So, if you are serious about making money, then we highly encourage you to choose one of the apps we featured on our list of the best budgeting apps.
Best (Real) Money Making Apps:
- Swagbucks
- DoorDash
- My Points
- Drop
Best Apps to Invest With:
- Acorns
- Personal Capital
- Robinhood
- Stash Invest
- Worthy Bonds
Apps to Earn Rewards:
- Rakuten
- Dosh
- Ibotta
- Receipt Hog
- InboxDollars
Best Apps for Starting A Side Hustle
- Uber
- Lyft
- Rover
- Uber Eats
- Instacart
- Healthywage
- Airbnb
- Mobee
Summary: Best Apps To Make Money
By now, you should have a clear idea on which are the best to use to make money. Whether it be earning rewards, taking surveys, shopping online, or delving into the world of investing, these apps are the best.
Fortunately, with the digital age, there has never been a better time to make money online.
Instead of wasting it away by scrolling through the news feed or on a social network, use that time to make money!
If there are any apps that you would like to see added, drop a message below in the comments section.
More Money Resources:
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive a commission when you click on them, but this is at no extra cost to you. Read our privacy policy for more information.
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Money making apps are a great way to earn some extra income in your spare time. They provide a quick way to get cash on the go without much extra effort. But you want to know the best way to earn money from these apps? Referring your friends.
Some apps give a specific percentage per referral, and some give a specific cash bonus – as much as $10 per friend referred.
Not only that, but once your friend signs-up using your referral link or code, all of the work is left up to them, meaning you don’t have to do a thing to earn some extra cash.
Here are our top 10 choices for money making apps with the best referral programs (and thanks for using our referral links!). See one that’s not on the list and should be? Let us know in the comments below.
Table of Contents
- 1. Ibotta
- 2. Swagbucks
- 3. Ebates
- 4. Checkout 51
- 5. Boom Gift
- 6. Amazon Shopping App
- 7. AppMan
- 8. CashPirate
- 9. FreeAppsFast
- 10. Slidejoy
1. Ibotta
If you’ve been following the FFL blog for a while now, you’ve probably heard of Ibotta. Not only is it one of the easiest ways to earn cash back on groceries, but it has one of the best referral bonuses I’ve seen.
Best Online Trading App To Earn Money
Ibotta is available for both Android and iPhone devices and pays you to scan your grocery receipt. If you buy a specific product that matches one of the groceries that Ibotta sponsors, you can get cash back for your grocery purchase.
Earn anywhere from $.20 cents to $10 per item. On average I’d say you can get about $.50 cents per product.
New product offers are presented each week, and I make an extra $10 – $20 per month with a limited amount of effort.
The Referral Bonus
The best part about Ibotta is their referral bonus at $10 per referral – Incredible?!?! When your friend uses your referral link to sign-up and scans their first receipt, you get $10, and your friend also gets $10. It’s a win-win situation.
A great way to spread the word is on Facebook, and since the app is so great anyways it’s usually not difficult to convince them to join under me.
You won’t find an app that gives such a high referral bonus for such a simple task. It’s no wonder we feature this app in our sidebar. There’s no cap to the amount of referrals earned.
2. Swagbucks
If you haven’t heard about Swagbucks from FFL, you’ve probably heard of it across a thousand other blogs on the web. This is one of the best money-making programs out there and it’s not going away any time soon.
Swagbucks makes it incredibly easy for you to earn some quick cash online. You can watch videos, take surveys, participate in daily polls, shop online and much more to earn extra cash.
Each time you complete a task, you’re given points called Swagbucks that can be exchanged for cash prizes such as gift cards or PayPal withdrawals.
Making money with Swagbucks is so easy that we even put together a passive guide to earning $70 watching Swagbucks videos from your phone.
The reason for this is because you don’t need to click anything to go to the next video since they start automatically.
The Referral Bonus
While the referral bonus for Swagbucks isn’t as high as any of the other apps we’ve previously mentioned, it’s still quite good. You earn 10% of whatever your friends earn, and it doesn’t matter how they earn their Swagbucks.
What I personally do is show my friends how easy it is to let your phone autoplay and earn points from Swagbucks videos. They earn points quickly, and I get 10% of that amount. It’s a win-win situation.
I’m not sure why, but I tend to have a tough time getting people to stay with it. It’s most likely because most people think they have to participate in surveys and other tasks to earn cash. I personally only do videos since I see every other task as time consuming.
Friends don’t need a referral code but rather use a link to sing-up under you. Usually I can at least get an extra $.50 cents per friend I refer. It’s a goldmine when they decide to stick with it.
3. Ebates
Some people consider Ebates to be more of a website than a shopping app, but we couldn’t not put it on this list. If it were a more popular phone app we’d probably rank it at #1 due to their incredible referral program.
Ebates is an online shopping portal that gives you money for using their referral links to different retailers that they’re partnered with. For example, Ebates has a relationship with Walmart, so let’s say you want to go shopping there.
Click on the Walmart link on the Ebates page to be redirected to the Walmart website. Buy something and Ebates earns a small commission. Instead of keeping this money to themselves, they give it all back to you in the form of “cash back.” If this sounds a bit confusing (because it is), you can read our full shopping portal guide.
Ebates doesn’t have the best cash back rates around compared to other shopping portals, but depending on the retailer they can have some good rates. Furthermore, they often hold promotions in which they double cash back for certain stores. You also get a free $10 gift card just for registering as a new user.
The Referral Bonus
As mentioned above, Ebates has one of the best referral programs out there. Their program works around a tier-based system, meaning the more you refer, the more you earn. Here’s what you can earn:
- Refer 1 friend and get $10
- Refer 2 friends and get $40
Keep in mind that if you refer 1 friend, the second friend has to be referred within a 3-month period for you to bump up to a total of $50 in referral bonuses from both. If you refer a 3rd friend it goes back down to $10, the fourth to $40, etc.
Not only that, but for each friend you refer you’ll also be entered in their vacation giveaway. Right now they’re giving away an all-expense paid vacation to Disneyland for two. While it’s highly unlikely you’ll win, it’s still a nice touch.
In order to receive your referral bonus, your friend will have to receive cash back from at least one store. Ebates now has the option to earn cash back in-store as well, one of the only shopping portals that currently provides this option.
4. Checkout 51
It wasn’t until recently that Checkout 51 became a top contender for one of the best money making app referral programs. Until as of a couple of weeks ago, they didn’t even have a referral program. You could use the app all you want, but there wasn’t any incentive to really spread the word.
Like Ibotta, Checkout 51 also pays you to scan your grocery receipts to your phone. The key difference between the two is that while it matters where you shop with Ibotta, you can shop at any store and still get cash back with Checkout 51. Buying bananas at Trader Joe’s, Walmart, or a grocery store no one has ever heard of? Scan the receipt and you’ll still get an extra $.25 cents.
However, Ibotta wins in the sense that they do tend to have a lot more offers. Furthermore, it’s only a slight disadvantage that you have to shop at specific stores when using their since they’re now partnered with a wide variety of different retailers. If most people have heard of it, you should be able to scan your receipt.
The Referral Bonus
Now when a friend uses your referral link to sign-up for Checkout 51, you both earn a referral bonus of $5 after your friend gets validated for scanning their first receipt. This requires almost no effort, and again, since the app is so great it shouldn’t be a problem convincing your friend.
It usually takes 24 hours before your accounts get credited, and there’s no cap on the amount of referrals earned.
There is one minor setback, however. Since this is such a new referral program, Checkout 51 is still in the testing phase.
They had originally planned to stop the program on June 15th, but since it’s been doing so well they’ve extended it until the end of June. Be sure to check back here for updates, as we’ll definitely cover it if they decide to extend the bonus even further (let’s hope they do!).
5. Boom Gift
Not many people have heard of the Boom Gift App (code 6702298 for bonus on sign-up) which is quite unfortunate. It has a high potential for earning from your smartphone, and comes with one of the highest referral bonuses around.
Boom Gift is a mobile app available for both iOS and Android devices that pays you for download apps and trying them out. Usually the only thing that’s required is to download the app and open it.
However, we recommend opening it for a minimum of 30 seconds to ensure that your account gets credited.
Most apps pay anywhere from $.50 cents to $1 per download, and their selection is updated quite frequently. Using this app alone without any referral bonus could net you around an extra $15 – $20 per month. Not bad for simply making a few installations.
All apps can be deleted from your phone once you’ve received your cash. If you don’t receive credit, try reinstalling the app and opening it once again. There are also a few other ways to earn cash such as surveys, daily check-ins and more.
The Referral Bonus
And here comes the best part: the referral bonus. You don’t receive a one-time bonus each time you refer a friend, but rather a percentage of what they earn. You earn 30% of all of your friends earnings when they sign-up using your referral link.
We jus mentioned above that you can make around $15 – $20 a month downloading apps alone from Boom Gift. Just think if you had 10 friends – all of them together would make a minimum of $150 per month. You would get 30% of that, or $45 per month basically doing nothing. All you would have to do is cash out and rake in some easy cash.
The only tough part is convincing your friends to keep using the app. What most people don’t realize is that offers are updated quite frequently. Once they see a shortage they tend to go away and not come back for quite a long time and lose interest. Another downside is that in order to get referral credits, they can’t use a referral link. Instead, they must use a bonus code when they register. Support FFL by using the code 6702298 and also get a sign-up bonus. Thank you!
6. Amazon Shopping App
There’s probably not much explaining that I need to do for what the Amazon App does. It provides a way for you to shop for Amazon products directly from your smartphone, plain and simple. The one difference? You use an app instead of a webpage, and this is where you can rake in some extra cash.
The Referral Bonus
The reason most people don’t know about this program is that a lot of Amazon shoppers prefer to go directly to the Amazon website directly using their PC or mobile phone using a web browser. Yet if you’ve never used the Amazon App before, you get a bonus of $5 in Amazon credit just for installing it the first time.
If someone uses your referral link to install the app, they still receive their $5, but you also get a $5 referral bonus. In order to use this credit, make a purchase on Amazon and it will automatically be applied during checkout. You can use your credit on both their webpage and their mobile app.
Keep in mind that you won’t receive the referral bonus until your friend makes their first purchase using the app, which I have found quite difficult to convince them to do for one reason or another, even though they know they’re guaranteed to earn a free $5 in credit (my sales pitch must not be the best).
Almost everyone loves shopping on Amazon, so a great way to spread the word is to use Facebook or Twitter since it won’t look as much like spam. Tell your friends that they get a free $5 as a new app user.
7. AppMan
AppMan is another app like Boom Gift. You get paid to download apps and try them out. Most of the time the only thing you have to do is install the app. However, sometimes you may have to complete certain tasks on the app, such as getting to a certain level in a game, or signing-up for their email, etc. For this reason, we suggest reading the instructions carefully. before installation.
The offers on here are quite abundant. If it’s your first time installing the app, you can easily make a quick $5. Check back every 1 – 2 weeks and earn an average of $10 per month without any referrals.
One thing we do want to take note of is that if you’re using an iOS device, you must use the Safari browser. Otherwise you won’t be able to use their app.
Another word of caution is that AppMan is very strict about using proxies or a VPN. In fact, they banned my account just for having a poor internet connection. They thought I was using a VPN, but really I was just getting weak signal from using my data. You can email them explaining the situation if this happens. Yet to be on the safe side, try to use the app only when you have a good signal or strong wi-fi.
The Referral Bonus
We love the AppMan referral bonus. They give you a bonus when your friend signs-up, plus you earn a percentage of their earnings. The reason that this app doesn’t rank higher is because it’s not as popular as the other ones, nor are their offers as abundant.
For each friend you refer, you get $5 when they install their first app. Not only that, but in addition you also get 50% of all of their earnings. This means that if your friends only use the app once, you’re still going to get some cash for your efforts.
While the 50% bonus is nice, don’t expect to earn as much from other apps that pay you to download. This is simply because their offers aren’t as frequently updated as with other apps like Boom Gift.
8. CashPirate
CashPirate (code XZQBIU for bonus) is a mobile app that unfortunately is only available for Android devices. Like Boom Gift, you also get awarded for downloading apps and trying them out. Usually this requires you to install it on your phone and leaving it open for a minimum of 30 seconds.
If you no longer wish to have the app installed, you can remove it once you receive credit. When you first install the app you should easily be able to quickly earn the minimum cash out at 2,500 coins ($2.50 USD). Keep in mind that CashPirate has no tolerance for any proxies or VPNs.
There are also other ways to earn cash such as watching videos and completing free-trail offers, but none of them pay out as much as the downloading free apps option. Expect to make anywhere from $.30 to $1 per download.
The Referral Bonus
The referral bonus isn’t as high as the other apps that pay you to download, but it’s still quite good. Offers are quite abundant as well. This means that for each friend you do refer, they should be able to stick with the app for a long time before they stop using it.
You get 10% of your friends’ earnings, and they earn a $.50 cent bonus when they use your referral code on sign-up. Expect to make around $5 – $10 a month without referrals. This means that if you convince 10 friends to sign-up and use it frequently, you could earn an extra $10/month in passive income. Just make sure they’re using an Android device first.
9. FreeAppsFast
FreeAppsFast is yet another app that pays you to download apps to your phone. Like AppMan, you’ll be required to use the Safari browser on iOS devices. For Android devices you can use any browser.
Expect to earn anywhere from $.30 to $.60 cents per download. The payouts aren’t as high as other apps, but they’ve been around for a long time with a positive reputation.
One downside I’ve noticed is that it’s extremely difficult to cash out, whether it be at low or high values of gift cards. The reason being is for their incredibly large user base. Often times they run out of stock, and sometimes it takes a while for them to reload their inventory.
Either way, you can still earn a decent amount of cash. Since they’re one of the more popular apps, expect a decent amount of offers.
The Referral Bonus
FreeAppsFast is best known for their referral bonus of 50% of your friends’ earnings. While it may seem like a lot, it’s actually not as much you would receive with other apps.
The offers that they have are abundant, but if you break it down and look at how much you earn per app, you’re only getting around $.60 cents at a maximum. This amount isn’t bad, but it can make the 50% referral bonus a bit deceiving.
Either way, you can still make some good money, especially if you have some friends that frequently use the app.
10. Slidejoy
Last but not least comes Slidejoy, an app that pays you to unlock your screen. With the app installed, each time you unlock your smartphone an ad will appear. Swipe one way to view the ad in more detail, and swipe the other way to go directly to your home screen.
The reason Slidejoy is so great is because they pay quite well compared to other apps that pay you to unlock your screen. You won’t get paid every time, but you will earn some cash eventually. Keep in mind that unlock apps can also be stacked with one another. The more you have installed, the more money you will make.
For that matter we simply suggest unlocking your phone like you normally would. Doing so constantly will only be a waste of time and you won’t get paid the majority of the time since it’s based on a difficult algorithm.
We estimate that just by using the app alone you can earn an extra $10/month, just enough to pay off a small cell phone plan. This is great because you’re essentially getting paid to do something you would do anyway: unlock your phone.
This app has been featured on some of the more popular websites such as CNBC and the Wall Street Journal.
The Referral Bonus
The referral bonus with Slidejoy isn’t as high, but the retention rate with referrals is much higher. Since Slidejoy is so simple to use, your friends are more likely to stick with it.
When your friend uses your referral link to sign-up, you get 20% of all of their earnings. Keep in mind that you get paid no matter whether you view an ad or not. Just as long as the app is installed and you keep unlocking your screen, you’ll be sure to earn some extra cash.
Final Thoughts
If you use these apps without earning their respective referral bonuses, you still have a great opportunity to earn some extra cash. However, we cannot recommend this. Referral earnings are one of the easiest and most passive ways to earn income.
The more friends you invite, the more you’re going to earn. Spread the word, and if you want you can even post your referral link in the comments down below.
Do you have any experience with these apps or want to recommend one to be on this list? Let us know your thoughts. Thanks for reading and happy frugaling!