Ways to Make Extra Money Using Apps

We all have a smartphone that we use every day. Whether it’s for uploading a vacation picture, booking an Uber, or general social media scrolling, smartphone usage takes up a lot of our time each day. In fact, the average US adult spends 3 hours and 43 minutes a day on their smartphones, according to eMarketer. So using smartphones to earn a little money on the side is a natural evolution of the role it plays in our daily lives.

The best money-making apps come aplenty, and while you shouldn’t think of them as a get-rich-quick scheme, you should be able to bring in enough money to take care of a few minor expenses.

Sweatcoin

Health-for-wealth apps have taken off recently, and Sweatcoin is one of the players in that space. It is a health app that rewards you for practicing a healthy lifestyle. Sweatcoin converts the step count recorded on smartphones into a virtual currency. The more you work up a sweat, the more money you are likely to earn. The virtual currency you earn can then be used to purchase commercially available products from an in-app marketplace. Pricing tiers are set in a manner that one or two days of activity can afford you a low-priced product. However, large items like TVs and high-end smartphones would require you to maintain a healthy lifestyle for 12 months.

Survey Junkie

Like taking surveys in your free time? How about making money doing just that? With Survey Junkie, you only need to create a profile with basic information, and they give you 25 points just for completing the sign-up process. Once you’re in, the system matches you with appropriate surveys depending on the questions you answered during the sign-up process. Each survey includes how long it will take to complete as well as how many points you’ll earn from completing that survey. These points can be redeemed in the form of gift cards or cash. You can either transfer the money directly into your bank account or you can receive cashouts via PayPal or Amazon gift cards.

Worthy Bonds

If you have $10 to spare (or $1,000 if you’re inclined), Worthy Bonds lets you invest in small businesses and earn 5% in fixed interest. The company creates and sells U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission-qualified bonds, which carry a term of 36 months. However, if you’d like to cash out before, you can without being penalized. The Worthy Bonds app lets you control how much or little money you’d like to put to work. You can round up your everyday purchases to the next whole dollar and automatically invest the spare change in a $10 bond. The company has sold $150 million in bonds, and its 100,000 customers have earned $5.1 million in interest.

Slidejoy

Let’s face it: ads are a nuisance. But perhaps if we start getting paid to watch them instead of being bombarded all the time, we wouldn’t mind them so much. Slidejoy operates on that premise and turns the lock screen of your Android phone into an advertising space. All you have to do is unlock your phone, and that’s it. In return, you’ll get Carats, an in-app currency you can redeem for gift cards from retailers and brands such as Amazon.com, Google Play, and Walmart. Alternatively, you can also donate the money to charity. The company has said that watching more ads doesn’t mean you’ll earn more.

Earny

It always feels bad when you buy something and the price drops. Early works to put the difference into your bank account thanks to a feature called price protection, a policy offered by most major retailers that state if an item drops in price after you purchase it, they will refund you for the difference. Earny has agreements with more than 15 major retailers (including Best Buy, Macy’s, Target, and Home Depot) that have committed to up to 90 days of price protection. In return for its services, Earny collects 25% of the total refunds accrued.

Foap

Foap lets you sell pictures to well-known brands. Foap is a social media advertising platform that connects brands with photographers. You can either upload your photo collection and sell it or go on missions that require specific tasks, which earn at least $50. And you can sell a single picture to as many buyers as you want. Foap also distributes your content through partners, such as Getty Images. You can cash out through PayPal. For every sale you make, Foap keeps 50% of the sale price.