Mystery shopping is a fantastic way to earn money in your free time whenever you’re out and about.  Whether you’re shopping or eating at a restaurant, there are so many mystery shopping companies that will pay you to do so.  And, yes, the opportunities are 100% legitimate as long as you’re working with someone legitimate.

As one of my favorite side hustles, it’s a great way to get paid to eat and shop.

The biggest problem with this industry is that it’s archaic, meaning that a lot of the reputable mystery shopping companies don’t have a mobile app, which means it can make it harder to earn money on the go.  However, some do offer mobile-friendly options.

In today’s post, I wanted to talk about some of my favorite secret shopping apps.  These apps are available on your phone and you will be able to complete jobs on the go.  Granted, you won’t get rich, but many jobs can pay you $3 to $20+, depending on what you want to do.

As always, everything I mention is 100% legitimate.

Best Secret Shopping Apps

Secret Shopper

The official Secret Shopper app is part of one of the leading, legit mystery shopping companies worldwide, right from the USA.  Secret Shopper, a company stationed in Minneapolis, serves a variety of clients for over 25 years and the proud winner of the MSPA Shoppers Choice awards.  It’s about as legit as it gets.

This company cultivates a clear, open-ended relationship with its extensive family of over 1 million shoppers globally, forming a formidable force in global evaluation.

What’s exciting about being an evaluator with the Secret Shopper app is that you have the flexibility to use a desktop, smartphone, or the web to work and submit your assignments. They even offer a popular and safe mobile app for Android and Apple users.

Here are some of the features this app offers:

• Spot and schedule available shops in your area
• Apply for available evaluations ahead of time
• Access the shop instructions anytime before you even accept
• Get driving directions and navigate to the shop location with ease
• Snap and upload photos of the shops and other relevant areas as instructed
• Submit your surveys promptly on your mobile phone (or desktop)

Website:  Secret Shopper

iSecretShop

iSecretShop, operated by Prism Intelligence and headquartered in Hawaii, is a platform overflowing with mystery shopping evaluations from thousands of companies. With over 1 million evaluators registered, this secret shopping job board is one of the best options I have found.  It’s easy to use and no matter where you live, there’s a lot to do.

From calling local companies to visiting, I have seen jobs as high as $75+, but mostly, you should expect to make about $5 to $20, on average.

This mystery shopping app is compatible with both Android and iPhone.

As an evaluator, here’s what you can do with the iSecretShop app:

• Craft and manage your personal mystery shopping profile
• Find available shops in your area
• Apply for shops and see which ones you’ve been assigned
• Refer to shop instructions before and after accepting
• Submit photos and other relevant shop information
• Access maps to shops
• Keep an eye on payments

Website:  iSecretShop

Ipsos

Since 1975, Ipsos is now a globally recognized mystery shopping company that delivers top-notch, custom-made mystery shopping programs to various businesses. In the mystery shopping world, they are loved for their swift payments, big name and job selection.  By far, it’s one of the biggest names in the industry.

Ipsos has an expansive network of over 500,000+ evaluators actively working across the globe. They also offer a mobile app for Android and Apple users, but there’s a little twist – to access this app, you need to be invited, and you’ll need different account credentials apart from your normal account.

Here’s what you can do with the app:

• Check which shops you’ve been assigned to and invited to do
• Respond to the survey-specific questionnaires
• Capture and upload photographs for the specific shop

Website: Ipsos

Presto Shopper

Brought to you by the same creators of the Sassie platform, the top mystery shopping platform worldwide, Presto Shopper is a mobile-only mystery shopping solution for both mystery shoppers and clients.

Even though it’s operated by a top mystery shopping platform, the number of jobs available to you will greatly vary on your geographical location. I would say it’s good, but your results will vary.

The Presto Shopper app lets you:

• Sign up easily and quickly
• Discover jobs available in your area
• Apply and receive instant approvals
• Submit job details immediately
• Get paid quickly
• Convert your earnings to gift cards from popular retailers like Amazon, Domino’s, Starbucks, Target, Apple, etc.

Website: Presto

Eyes On

Starting in 2005 from Georgia, Marketforce has been a titan in the mystery shopping industry, expanding its services to Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, and France.  This is one of my favorite mystery shopping apps, mainly because they work with some of the bigger names that I’m a fan of.  Think free food and getting paid to eat.

With an impressive family of over 1 million evaluators, 100K mystery shops, and 1 million surveys, Marketforce is one of the bigger names in the industry.

With this app, you can:

• Create and manage your profile
• Discover and select shops you’re interested in
• Apply for various assignments
• Keep track of approved shops
• Submit responses and other pertinent details, including photographs
• Monitor your payments

Website:  Eyes On

Field Agent

Think of FieldAgent as your handy secret shopping and audit app, a tool that lets you make money by completing diverse tasks.  You can scout for available shops in your neighborhood simply by opening the app and then choosing from a job that piques your interest.  And once you’ve locked onto a task, you’ve got a solid two hours to get it done.

What are your potential earnings, you may be wondering?

FieldAgent keeps you in the know by listing out what you stand to make from each audit.  From my experience, most jobs will pay around $5 to $10, on average, sometimes more.

Once you’ve wrapped up the task, you can sit back and relax. They’ll verify your work, approve your payment, and the earnings will hit your account. You’re free to transfer it to your bank account whenever you wish.

And if you’re stuck, their customer service and tech support are very responsive.

• Setting up an account is easy, and you can reserve jobs for two hours
• Discover audits, shops, and other tasks in your area based on your real-time location
• Experience a quick turnaround time for audit approvals
• Transfer your earnings to your bank account in just 2-3 days

Website:  Field Agent

Gigwalk

Gigwalk has been in the game for a good number of years, and it’s one of the pioneers that dished out a chance to people to rake in some cash as a secret shopper. Gigwalk offers anything from auditing store product placements to checking out storefront marketing placements.  Mostly, you can find gigs at smaller retail shops or bigger retail giants you have heard of.  Most of these jobs will pay about $5 to $10 and it will work a lot like Field Agent in a way.

Just a heads up – as always, make sure you read through the whole audit description. They might ask you to snap pictures of storefronts or even have a chat with an associate.  With most of these apps, as long as you follow the directions, you shouldn’t have a problem getting accepted.

Gigwalk has an intuitive mobile interface, and you can apply for jobs as far as 24 hours in advance. Once you’re chosen, you’ll be notified. The quicker you wrap up a gig, the higher your chances of approval.

Payouts at Gigwalk are lightning fast – they actually boast the speediest turnaround time among all the apps I’ve tested. Their customer service is also on point and typically gets back to you within 36 hours.

• Account setup is easy-peasy
• Find audits and shops nearby
• Apply for jobs up to 24 hours in advance
• Once your audit gets the green light, your payout is immediate and sent straight to your PayPal account

Website:  Gigwalk

Mobee

Picture Mobee as a rewards app, a tool that hands you points every time you audit the places where you usually shop. What sets Mobee apart from other secret shopping apps is their unique system – they reward you with points for every mission you complete and get approved. You can then swap these points for gift cards or cash right into your account.

One thing to keep in mind with Mobee is  you can’t reserve missions beforehand. You need to be right there at the store to kick off a mission, similar to that of Shopkick. But you do get to check out the mission in advance to get a sense of what it entails.  If you see a mission that’s of interest, you will have to visit that location before you start.  This can be an annoyance to some.

When compared with other apps, Mobee might not be the highest payer and sometimes may take a bit longer to finish a mission. But where they might fall short in mission payouts, they make up for in bonuses. Some of these bonuses are worth a hefty 500 points – that’s about $5 in value.

Another thing to note is Mobee’s approval process takes a tad longer. I’ve had missions that took 4-5 days to get approved. That said, I’ve found Mobee’s customer support to be super helpful when I needed them.

This is another one where you shouldn’t expect much, but I think you can earn about $5~ per task, which is about average compared to most on this list.

• Setting up an account is straightforward
• Spot local audits and shops. But remember, you can’t reserve shops in advance
• Earn points that you can redeem for gift cards or cash
• Score extra points by completing bonuses and earning badges
• The review of your shops takes a bit longer – about 3-5 days – compared to other apps

Website:  Mobee

Shopkick

Shopkick is a bit of a curveball when it comes to secret shopper apps. It doesn’t necessarily dish out gigs to you, but it’s definitely worth a spot on the list.  With Shopkick, you earn kicks (or points) just by walking into retail stores and scanning products. It’s like a covert audit when you’re strolling around the store scanning barcodes.

There’s no shortage of ways to earn kicks – from entering a store to scanning items to even watching 15-second videos.  I’ve done it a few times while out shopping and I can earn a few kicks here and there.  I wouldn’t say it’s my best, but it’s a very easy way to earn points.

Once you have collected enough kicks, you can trade them in for gift cards or Paypal credit. Right now, I’ve set mine to Amazon, but there are many options as well.

Again only plan on earning a few dollars with app.

• The signup process is straightforward
• Add your debit and credit card for automatic kicks
• Check the app when you step into stores
• Kicks are rewarded almost immediately for most
• Fast conversion into electronic gift cards

Website:  Shopkick

ShopperHub

ShopperHub is operated by Second to None, another renowned mystery shopping company established more than 30+ years ago in 1989. Providing valuable services in customer experience and insights to leading companies across the USA and Canada, Second to None has a fantastic reputation among evaluators.

The ShopperHub app adds more flexibility and convenience for evaluators, allowing easy access, submissions, and payment tracking.

Once you’ve downloaded the app, you can:

• Register yourself
• Create and manage your profile
• Find and select shops
• View approved shops
• Access all shop details
• Check your rankings
• Access payment reports

Website:  ShopperHub

Observa

Founded by Hugh Hulman and Erik Chelstad, Observa brings the power of consumer insights, customer intelligence, and surveys to your fingertips. With over 400,000 shoppers registered via their app, Observa has established a strong foothold in the industry.

The Observa app allows evaluators to find shops in their area, complete assignments, and submit details and photos right from your mobile device. Convenient payments are made via Paypal or Bitcoin.

The Observa app is compatible with both Android and Apple devices.

Website:  Observa

GRS

The GRS Research and Strategist company, founded in 2012 in the UAE, is a player in the international scene of customer engagement and customer experience management. With its headquarters in Venice, Italy, GRS also has offices in Dubai and the United Kingdom.  It isn’t one of the more popular ones, but I did want to mention it here as I always try to include as many options as possible.

The GRS Mystery Shopper app provides evaluators with an easy-to-use interface where they can create and manage their profiles, check the job board for available jobs, and read all the necessary details required to complete a job. Additionally, you can submit job details like responses and photographs, and track payments and previous payment reports.  It’s similar to a lot of apps mentioned above.

The GRS Mystery Shopper app is available on both iOS and Google Play stores.

Website:  GRS

Mystery Shoppers Mobile

Founded in 1991 by Paul Grafton, Mystery Shoppers Ltd. has seen rapid growth over the years.  Today, the company boasts over 330,000 mystery shoppers registered worldwide. The company’s headquarters is in Devon, but they have brand offices in London and Bulgaria and franchise offices in Kenya, Botswana, and Myanmar.

Once the Mystery Shoppers Mobile app is downloaded and installed, a secret shopper can create and manage their profile, find shops and apply for them, conduct shops and upload reports and necessary photos, manage certificates, and track payments. It’s another one that’s not as popular, the main reason I put it on the bottom of this list, but I did want to mention it here as you may have some luck with it.

The Mystery Shoppers Mobile app is available for both Android and Apple users.

Website:  Mystery Shoppers Mobile

Final Thoughts

I have always liked secret shopping as a side hustle.  It’s a great way to make some money while you’re already out.  As long as you don’t treat it like a full-time job and go out of your way to complete these jobs, you won’t be too disappointed.  I will open these apps up and can often make about $20 to $50+ per month, plus a lot of free food.  If you’re happy with results such as this, then it may be something to consider.  Again, don’t expect to get rich.

That’s going to do it for now.

As always, if you want to add one to this list or you want to talk about one I have already mentioned, you’re more than welcome to do so in the comments below.