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How to Make Money From Your Phone (41+ Ways)

Tom Nathaniel
September 11, 2023
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If you have a phone and it has internet access, then let it be known that you can make money from it.

From taking surveys to trying out new apps, it isn’t all that hard to earn $25+ a week in your spare time.  Trust me, there are a lot of ways to earn, no matter what kind of experience you have.

As in a lot of my making money guides, I didn’t write this guide to help you get rich, but rather, as a way to earn a few bucks in your spare time.

If you want to earn a few bucks in your spare time and you have an eligible phone, then take a look at the many options I’m about to list.  I’m sure there’s at least one that will be of interest to you.

How to Make Money From Your Phone (100% Free)

Answer Questions with Swagbucks Right Now

By far, the Swagbucks app is one of my favorite ways to make money with my phone.  While I mention it so many times on this website for ways to make money online in general, you can use it to make money on your phone only if that’s what you want to do.

If you’re not familiar with Swagbucks, it’s a platform that will reward you to answer survey questions, watch videos, complete offers and much more.  I do it in my spare time, usually no more than 30 minutes a day and can easily earn $150 to $250 a month.

Trust me when I say this, but I have tried so many ways to earn money online almost instantly, and Swagbucks is always near the top.  It isn’t the best way to earn money, but if you want it now, it’s one to highly consider.

Follow the link below for a special sign-up bonus to pad your balance even quicker!



Take Fun Surveys with Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie has been mentioned so many times on this website, and it’s for a good reason.

The website/app only focuses on surveys and can pay quite well, sometimes up to $5+ a survey.  You won’t get rich with this app, but it’s not too hard to make $3 to $10~ a day.  It all depends on how many surveys you qualify for and take.

To date, the company has more than 11 million members and works with some of the world’s leading brands.

Go ahead and download the app to see how much you can make!

Instant Cash with Qmee

Yes, Qmee is another survey app, but the cool thing about it is that there’s no minimum to cash out.  It’s one of my favorite ways to make money in as little as one hour.

That’s right.  You can take one survey and immediately cash out with your PayPal account.

To earn with Qmee, you can answer surveys, refer your friends and even shop online.  The app has more than 500,000 installs with a 4.4/5 rating.  If you like the idea of Qmee, there are many others that work just like it.

Simple Surveys with QuickThoughts

QuickThoughts is quite popular in the online make money communities.  One of the reasons is due to its simplicity.

The app will reward you simply for sharing your opinion through quick surveys, hence, the name, as well as through mission-based activities.  As long as you have your location settings on, the app will be able to send you surveys, which help local businesses receive feedback.

Some surveys can pay up to $3+ each and making $10 doesn’t take long at all.

As I write this, the app has more than one million downloads and continues to aggressively grow.  You can check out how it works in my detailed QuickThoughts review.

Scan Receipts with Ibotta

Ibotta allows you to earn cash back on all of the purchases you’re already making at your local stores, mainly grocery retailers.

To use Ibotta, all you need to do is download it (it’s free), browse the store you want to shop at, and then, if you see any products you plan on buying, save the receipt to scan it once done.

After you scan your receipt, Ibotta will then credit your account for the amount specified.  For instance, as I write this, I could get $0.20 back when I purchase any chocolate milk or $0.25 back if I purchase any energy drink.  These are just two of the hundreds of offers available right now.

Of course, Ibotta will only make you money while you’re shopping, but I highly recommend you at least download it to at least get money back on the purchases you already plan on making.

Earn Cash with Inbox Dollars

Inbox Dollars will reward you with cash for everyday online activities, from taking surveys to completing offers.

While a lot of members make money via the desktop version, they also have an app as well.  As I write this, it has a solid 4.1 out of 5-star rating on the Google Play store with more than five million downloads.

Inbox Dollars was founded in 2000, making it one of the oldest companies in this niche.  To date, they have rewarded more than $57 in cash to its millions of members.

Deliver Packages with Amazon Flex

The largest online retailer, Amazon, needs your help to deliver packages to customers in your area.

The cool thing about Amazon Flex is that you can work whenever you wish and shifts only last up to four hours long, paying up to $75 a shift.  Just turn on your phone, check into a warehouse to receive your packages and deliver according to your phone’s route.

If interested, you do need to get approved and pass a background check, but it shouldn’t be a hassle as long as it’s clean.

Due to demand, do keep in mind that you may be added to a waitlist since it’s a popular gig, but I promise a spot will eventually pop up.  You just need to be patient.



Tons of Options with AppNana

By far, AppNana is one of the most popular mobile reward apps on the Google Play store.  It has more than 10 million downloads with a solid 4.4/5 rating.  Nothing comes close!

To earn, you will be asked to download the app and then complete the tasks to earn what’s known as “Nanas,” the app’s in-house currency.  You can also earn when you check in every day.

In exchange for your “Nanas,”you can cash out for a variety of gift cards.

AppNana is 100% free to use and is a great choice if you want to get rewarded testing out new apps.

Earn Money Playing Games with AppStation

The AppStation app will reward you to play any game that’s on their list.

All you have to do is download it and start playing.  For every minute you play and reach goals, you get paid.  No matter what kind of game you like to play, they more than likely have something for you.

The app is 100% free and offers a variety of great gift card rewards, from PlayStation to Amazon and Google Play gift cards.

Watch Movie Trailers with AppTrailers

You won’t get rich with AppTrailers, as indicated in my review, but you can earn some cash.

To start earning, you can start watching videos, playing apps or even partaking in trivia games.  There’s a lot to do.

Once you earn enough points, you can then choose from a variety of rewards, from Amazon to Starbucks and Groupon.

  • Website: AppTrailers

Download BigCash, the “Highest Paying Cash App”

The BigCash app claims to be the “highest paying cash app,” but if this holds any weight, I don’t know as I haven’t played around with it too much.

The app rewards you to simply check in, complete offers, take surveys and even test out new apps.  It currently has a very high 4.5 out of 5 star rating on the Google Play store with more than one million downloads.

If you do decide to play around with it, it does appear that you can earn about $5 a day, on average, depending on how much you use it.  Don’t expect to get rich, but it’s one of the many ways to earn money from your phone.

Get Free Gift Cards with cashKarma

cashKarma will reward you with what’s known as “Karma Points” by completing surveys, shopping for deals and testing new products.  It’s a very popular money-making app with more than one million downloads and a solid 4.5 out of 5-star rating on the Google Play store.

To use this app, you will need to turn your location services on as it will send you rewards based on your location.  Any time there’s an opportunity, you will receive a notification asking you to complete a task.  In doing so, you can earn your points, in which you can eventually cash out for a variety of gift cards.

Perform Small Tasks with Clickworker

Clickworker, similar to that of mTurk, lets you choose from a variety of tasks, from making recording to mystery shopping and writing.  Trust me, there’s a lot to do.

To become a “clickworker,” all you need to do is register, fill out your profile and then choose any jobs are of interest.  As long as you follow the directions and the provider accepts your work, you get paid.

While the app can earn you quite a bit, most people like the desktop version better, the main reason you will see poor reviews for the app.  Nonetheless, it’s a way to earn money on your phone if that’s what you’re looking for.

Mystery Shop with EasyShift

EasyShift is yet another app I have researched in the past.

In short, EasyShift is similar to that of a mystery shopping gig, wherein you will need to complete small tasks for your reward.

When I reviewed it, you could be rewarded anywhere from $6 to $10+ for small tasks such as taking pictures of a display to counting inventory.

If you don’t mind visiting a local retailer and completing a small job, then it may be one to consider.  You can work whenever you please and get started immediately.

  • Website:  EasyShift

Get Paid Giving Your Opinion with FeaturePoints

Since 2012, FeaturePoints has rewarded more than $5.8 million in rewards!  This app will pay you to try out apps, complete surveys, shop and much more.

With so many options, it’s not too hard to earn a few dollars a day, either from your phone or your desktop.

FeaturePoints is 100% free to use and has more than five million downloads.

Snap Pictures with Fetch Rewards

To earn with Fetch Rewards, you just need to snap a picture of your receipt to earn points and even win great prizes.

Unlike a lot of apps that require you to purchase specific items to get rewarded, this is the case as you can upload any shipping receipt, and they do the dirty work for you.

Once you earn at least $3 in reward points, you can cash out for a variety of awesome gift card prizes, including Target, Amazon, Chipotle and many more.

Sell Pictures to Foap

Foap allows you to turn any of your photos into cash!  It’s one of the many opportunities I mentioned in my get paid to take pictures post.

To earn money with Foap, it can be done in one of two ways.

For one, you can list your photos on the Foap Marketplace and earn cash anytime it sells or you can sell your photos to top brands through what’s known as a Foap Mission.  These missions request certain pictures, and if you’re able to take it, a brand may want to buy it.

Foap does keep 50% of the commission, but Missions pay out the prize rate, starting at $50.



Simple Jobs with Gigwalk

Gigwalk, much like the EasyShift app, will list a ton of simple jobs you can perform around town, usually inside a local retailer.

From auditing inventory to taking pictures, there’s quite the variety.

Most of these gigs only take a few minutes to complete, with some paying upwards of $3 to $75+ per gig.  The price greatly depends on the job in question and how long it takes to complete.

If you’re out and about and near a store on your app, consider stopping in to make some cash.

Answer Quick Surveys with Google Opinion Rewards

Google Opinion Rewards does not pay you cash.  Rather, they will give you Google Play credits as long as you finish the survey.  Most surveys, from my experience, take no longer than 30 seconds to complete, and most pay up to $1 in credits.  Although, the ones I take usually are in the $0.10 to $0.40 range.

I use this app all of the time and can earn a few dollars a month, but it really depends on where you travel as they like to send you surveys based on the places you visit.

Nonetheless, if you want free Google Play credits and don’t mind answering very short surveys, it’s one to download.

Be a Professional with Handy

The Handy app allows you to gain access to hundreds of jobs in your city and build your own schedule.   They state that you can make up to $22 an hour as a cleaner or up to $45 an hour as a handyman, with top professionals clearing $1,000 for the week.

To use it, you can get to choose when you want to work and for how much.  You just build a schedule and show up to complete the job as specified.

The only downfall is that you do need cleaning or handyman services to be approved.  You must also be authorized in the country you’re applying to.

Make Money on Surveys with iPoll

iPoll is yet another one of the many survey apps on the app market.  You won’t get rich with this app, either, but it could bring in a few bucks every month.

To earn rewards, iPoll will reward you for every mission you complete.  This can include visiting a store, testing a product or even taking pictures.  The more missions you can complete, the more money you can make.

Like most survey apps, how many opportunities you receive will greatly depend on your demographic, so your results could be much different than someone else.

Exclusive Surveys with i-Say

The i-Say app is an exclusive rewards community that’s dedicated to giving you a voice.  It’s one of the highest rated and most popular options on the Google Play store as I write this.

To use, just check in to see what surveys are available and complete them as they come in.  You can also set up notification as well so that you never miss out on an opportunity.

i-Say is powered by Ipsos, one of the world’s leading market research companies, so you know you will be in good hands.

Play Games with MISTPLAY

I have mentioned MISTPLAY a few times, particularly in my apps to win real money and get paid to download these apps posts.  It’s a fun way to earn a few dollars while testing out new games.

To earn money with MISTPLAY, all you need to is open up your app and choose a game from your “mixlist.”  Start playing that game and the app will reward you with points that you can eventually turn into a variety of gift cards.

MISTPLAY is very popular on the Google Play store, with more than five million downloads and a 4.3/5 rating.

Find a Shopping Mission with Mobee

To use Mobee, you will need to find a “mission” near you that you’re interested in completing.  These missions work similar to that of a mystery shopping gig, wherein you could take pictures, assess inventory, etc.

Answer a few questions once you arrive on site, complete the job and then Mobee will reward you once it’s approved.

Mobee is a fun and rewarding way to complete very simple mystery shopping jobs, so if this is something you like to do, it’s one to highly consider.

Earn Money Fast with Poll Pay

As the name proclaims, Poll Pay will reward you to take part in polls.

Unlike a lot of the survey websites I mention, Poll Pay offers very simple polls, most of which only take less than a minute to complete.

In exchange for your time, you can then cash out for a variety of rewards, from Amazon to Netflix and PayPal gift cards.

Scan Any Receipt with Receipt Hog

Receipt Hog is a fantastic app that simply rewards you to snap a picture of any receipt you may have.  You can even earn more from taking surveys and completing other tasks.

I reviewed the app in depth in the past and found it to be a very easy way to earn a few bucks a month, sometimes more if you win a prize via the slot spins.  From my research, you should expect to make about $5 to $10 a month if you’re aggressive in your scanning.

Don’t expect to get rich with the app nor get accepted as there is often a waitlist if you’re interested.

Receipt Hog is one of the many apps on the market that pay you to upload receipts.

Quick and Simple Rewards with Rewardable

NOTE:  This app appears to be non-functioning as of 2020.

If you’re interested in earning a few dollars while you shop and/or you want to be compensated in giving feedback, then this is an app to consider.

All you need to do is download the app, find tasks nearby and complete them according to the directions.   From recording a wait time at a restaurant to taking photographs, it similar to that to mystery shopping jobs.

Generally, the tasks can pay up to $20 and only take five to 15~ minutes of your time.  What you get paid really all depends on the complexity of the task at hand.

  • Website:  Rewardable


Earn without Spending with Shopkick

Shopkick is an app I have mentioned countless times, such as in my free money on PayPal and online jobs for teens posts.

In short, this app will reward you for completing a variety of simple tasks, from walking into a store and checking in to scanning a specific bar code.  There’s quite a bit to do and won’t require much of your time, I promise.

The cool thing about Shopkick is that you don’t have to purchase a thing.  Just open up the app whenever you’re near a retailer and see if any jobs are available.  If so, follow the directions to get your “kicks,” which the app’s form of currency.  Once you earn enough kicks, you can then cash out for a variety of gift cards, including Amazon.

Since 2009, Shopkick has awarded more than $85 million in free gift cards.

Influence Brands with Toluna

Toluna, yet another very popular market research company, will reward you to take surveys.

All you need to do is create an account and answer any survey questions that show up on your dashboard.  In doing so, you can earn points that you can eventually cash out for a variety of great rewards, including cash.

To date, the app has more than one million downloads and continues to grow to this day.  It’s 100% free to join!

Drive with Uber or Lyft

You will need a car and will also need to be comfortable driving other people around, but consider joining Uber and/or Lyft to make money with your phone.

Depending on where you live, you can make upwards of $200 in a day, sometimes more if it’s a busy bar night.  There are so many factors involved, but if you play your cards right and learn how your local market works, there’s money to be made.

Once approved, it’s as easy as turning on the app and then accepting any incoming ride requests that come your way.

Deliver Food with Grubhub, DoorDash, Postmates and/or UberEATS

If you don’t want to drive around people, consider driving food around instead.

This lucrative side gig can pay just as much as Uber and Lyft, sometimes more, all depending upon your geographical location.  Again, you need to learn how your market works to capitalize on your hourly income.

I have done this in the past and still do it to this day and can easily earn $25+ an hour during the dinner rush shifts.

And, this isn’t the only way to make money with your car as there are many other options to consider.

Sell Clothes with Poshmark

Clear out your closet and start selling your clothes with Poshmark.

Similar to that of eBay, Poshmark focuses solely on clothes, meaning every buyer is there to buy just that — clothing.

To start selling, all you need to do is snap a photo, fill in a description and then set a price.  When you make a sale, Poshmark will then provide you a pre-paid, pre-addressed label that you slap on the box and ship out, making it very easy to sell.

Sell Books with BookScouter

The cool thing about the BookScouter app is that you can scan a book and it will then browse more than 30+ websites to show you which company is willing to give you the most cash back.

Granted, not all of your books are worth something, but if you have some books lying around that you don’t mind giving up, scan the barcodes to see what you can get for them.

The nice thing about all of the websites they work with is that they will give you a quote on the spot, meaning you don’t have to find a buyer!

Do Nothing with S’more

S’more is a lockscreen app that rewards you to do nothing.  Yes, you heard me right — nothing!

To use it, S’more will simply ask that they can take over your lockscreen so that anytime you open up your phone and unlock it, you can view ads.  It’s up to you whether or not you want to interact.  There are no requirements.

The longer you have it installed, the more points you can earn for a gift card.

Earn Real Money with Surveys On The Go

Surveys On The Go, as the name proclaims, will give you real money for every survey you complete.

The company works with multiple Fortune 500 companies that need your help as to what you think about their products and services.

To start making cash, just turn on your notifications and take a survey anytime you receive an invite.  Once you earn $10 in rewards, you can cash out via PayPal.

Test Websites with UserTesting.com

I have mentioned UserTesting.com multiple times, such as in my write reviews for money and best paying weekend job posts.

The company pays you to test websites and apps, up to $60 per test!  All you need to do is visit the website or app, follow the directions and speak your thoughts aloud while using it.   That’s it!

While a lot of testers use the desktop version, they do allow you to use your phone only if you’re interested in mobile app testing.

If interested, they do accept applicants from a ton of countries, not just the United States, so be sure to follow the official link below for more information.

Watch TV with Viggle

The Viggle app will reward you to answer questions as you watch your favorite movies or TV shows live on popular platforms such as Amazon, Netflix, Hulu and even your typical cable television channels.

To use it, you will just need to check in as you’re watching a show to earn what’s known as “Perk Points.”  During the show, you will interact with the show, such as answering trivia questions, to earn points as you watch.

Once you earn enough, you can then cash out and choose from more than 200+ gift card options.

  • Website:  Viggle


Earn $6 Guaranteed with Zap Surveys

Zap Surveys guarantees that you will make $6 on your first survey, one of the highest claims in the research market.  I did it, and honestly, it took less than five minutes complete.  It wasn’t long at all.  As I write this, it has a solid 4 out of 5-star rating on the Google Play store, with many members loving the survey selection.

With this app, you can take surveys in exchange for rewards, and you can also earn a few cents just by checking in.  Seeing they work with quite a few offerwalls, you should always find something to do.

This app has more than 100,000 downloads, with an instant payout option.  The only downfall is that it has a very high $25 minimum payout.

Final Thoughts

Finally, I’m finished listing the many apps that can earn you money while on the go.  There were quite a few that I had to research, so I hope you find some value in this guide.

Whether you want a part-time income or a few dollars, then let it be known that it is possible.  It’s just up to you to decide which option works best for you.  I don’t have a definite answer as one app may not be the solution to your money goals.

As always, every option I list is 100% legitimate and will pay out.  Some are better than others, of course, but how much you make really depends on how much effort you put into it as well as your demographics.

For now, start going through a few and testing them out.  As long as you have the mindset that you won’t get rich, I can promise you that you will find something.

If you have any options you want to add and/or you want to comment on one of the many I listed, you’re always welcome to do so in the comments below.

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Tom Nathaniel

Hi! My name is Tom Nathaniel, and I created LushDollar to help share my honest thoughts on everything money. You won't find gimmicks here. It's the Internet's most honest money site after all. I graduated from Arizona State University, and I have worked in the finance industry since 2006, consulting with multiple Fortune 5000 companies.

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