10 Best Money Making Apps Of 2020

 10 Of the Best Money Making Apps Of 2020

For those looking to make money in an easily accessible way, apps provide plenty of avenues to consider. You can use your smartphone to take surveys, pick up a side project, take easy task sell your unwanted stuff and more.

Here’s the scoop on ten free money making apps.

1. Ibotta

Ibotta lets you earn cash back on in-store and online purchases at over 1,500 brands and retail chains. Originally for groceries, it has expanded to include clothing, entertainment, pet supplies and other categories. Offers can be product or retailer-specific — and some will automatically be applied. For others, you’ll need to complete an additional task such as watching a video or taking a poll.

There are three possible ways to earn cash back in stores: Add offers and submit your receipt in the app after your shopping trip, link your retailer loyalty accounts or pay directly through the app using a linked debit or credit card. For online purchases, you shop through the app or website.

Payment: PayPal, gift card or direct to a bank account.

Pros: You’ll receive cash back on in-store purchases quickly — typically within 24 hours. Ibotta also offers up to a $20 welcome bonus, referral bonuses and variety of payment methods.

Cons: Making money can be a slow process. You must have at least $20 in cash back to redeem your earnings (or $25 for certain gift cards). For online shopping, the pending period for earning cash back varies by retailer. But for some, it can take several months to get credit for your purchase.

2. Rakuten

Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) rewards shoppers with up to 40% cash back on purchases from well-known retailers, restaurants and food delivery services. Users can also earn cash back on travel, gift cards and more. It’s straightforward: Create an account, tap on the deal you want in the app, then make the transaction through the portal. You can also link a credit or debit card to your Rakuten account to earn cash back in-store — as long as you activate the deal through the app first. Rakuten credits the cash back to your account after it confirms the purchase with the retailer, which it says can take a few hours to several days.

Payment: PayPal or check.

Pros: Thousands of stores and purchases are eligible for cash back, so you’ll likely find deals where you already shop. You can also earn sign-up and referral bonuses.

Cons: As with most cash-back services, you have to spend money to earn money. You won’t see your earnings right away, either; Rakuten sends out payments every three months, and you need at least a $5 cash-back balance to get paid.

3. InboxDollars

If we told you that you could get paid to watch videos on your phone, you’d probably laugh. It’s too good to be true, right? 

But we’re serious. A website called InboxDollars will pay you to watch short video clips online. Topics include cooking, entertainment, news, sports and health shows. All you have to do is choose which videos you want to watch and answer a few quick questions about them afterward.

No, InboxDollars won’t replace your full-time job, but it’s something easy you can do to make extra money while you’re already on the couch tonight. It’s already paid its users more than $56 million.

(Never used InboxDollars before? Here’s our guide for beginners.)

Pros: Unlike other sites, InboxDollars pays you in cold, hard cash — not points or gift cards. It also offers more ways to earn, such as taking surveys, playing scratch-off games and searching the internet.

Cons: You have to earn $30 to cash out, which is a bit high compared to other sites on this list. You’ll also have to pay a $3 transaction fee.

Payment method: Check via mail or cash via PayPal

Pro tip: Earn a $5 bonus just for signing up and watching your first video.

4. Lucktastic

There’s something so satisfying about those gas station scratch-off tickets, but it’s better to avoid them because, well, that’s not Penny Hoarding.

Instead, try scratching for free using an app called Lucktastic. Each day, it releases a new assortment of digital scratch-off tickets. Lucktastic says instant wins range from $1 to $2,500. 

The app is supported by advertising, which allows it to keep the payouts high and the games free to play.

Pros: Lucktastic is free to download and use. If you have free time, you have nothing to lose.

Cons: Actually winning money might be rare, according to user reviews. However, we interviewed single dad Oneil Campbell from Boston, who won $5,000.

Payment method: Earn at least $2, then cash out for an instant gift card to retailers including Amazon, Walmart, Sephora and more. Hit $10 or more, and you can opt for a check in the mail.

Pro tip: Lucktastic releases new scratchers each day, so don’t forget to check the app daily!

5. Fetch Rewards

What do you usually do with your receipts? You check out, the cashier hands you a mile-long piece of paper, and you frantically stuff it to the bottom of a grocery bag. Pretty worthless.

But a free app called Fetch Rewards will turn them into gift cards. It partners with tons of brands to give you points for every grocery receipt you share. Then you can exchange them for prepaid cards for Visa and Mastercard.

All you have to do is download the app and create an account, then submit photos of your grocery receipts.

Pros: This is perfect for those of us who don’t want to put a ton of work into making money. All you have to do is send Fetch a photo of your receipt, and it does everything for you. No scanning barcodes or searching for offers — and you can use it with any grocery receipt.

Cons: You need a minimum of 3,000 points to cash out, but offers range from 250 to 3,000 points, so it should be easy to hit the minimum quickly. Some examples of offers we’ve seen include 2,000 points for a Suave female hair product and 2,000 points for a 12-pack of Blue Moon beer.

Payment method: When you reach your minimum, you can cash out in the form of prepaid Visa and Mastercards, or for gift cards to participating retailers, including Amazon, Walmart and Chipotle.

6. Swagbucks

Swagbucks is a cash-back and rewards app. You earn points, called "SB," by shopping, taking polls, watching videos, playing games or fulfilling other tasks through Swagbucks. You can redeem those points for gift cards or get cash back to your PayPal account. The total points awarded can vary by task. For example, surveys are typically worth about 40 to 200 SB points each. The minimum balance required to redeem depends on the payout option you choose, but some gift cards are available for as low as 140 SB.

Payment: Gift card or PayPal.

Pros: Swagbucks offers many easy ways to earn rewards, and there’s no waiting period to cash in. Payments usually arrive within 10 business days after redemption. You can also get a $10 bonus with a qualifying $25 purchase when you join.

Cons: It doesn’t pay much; one SB is worth about a cent. With many tasks valued at pennies, it can take a fair amount of time and effort to make substantial money. Additionally, you won’t qualify for every survey or task. Users often report getting kicked out of surveys in the middle of taking them. This can be due to demographics or dishonest or inconsistent answers, according to Swagbucks.

7. Fiverr

Fiverr is a freelancing marketplace that features gigs in over 200 categories, such as programming and video and animation. You create a profile as a "seller" highlighting your expertise. Then, post the gig you’re offering, which will include pricing and a description of your services. Clients, known as "buyers," can click through and place orders. You’ll get paid once you complete the job. Fiverr assigns seller levels based on performance. As you move up each tier, you’ll be able to sell more “extras,” such as a faster delivery time.

Payment: PayPal, direct to a bank account or credit to a Fiverr Revenue Card (a prepaid card). Minimum withdrawal amounts vary and you may be charged a withdrawal fee, depending on which option you choose.

Pros: You don’t have to worry about tracking down buyers because they come to you. You can also earn tips.

Cons: Fiverr takes 20% of your earnings for every gig, including tips, and there’s a standard 14-day waiting period to withdraw money after completing an order.

8. Upwork

Upwork connects freelancers to gigs in writing, design, marketing and other categories on the marketplace. First, you’ll create a profile. It should include information such as the field you’re interested in plus your qualifications, availability and desired rate. Then, you can submit proposals. Clients will review them and offer projects if you seem like a good fit. You’ll pay a small sum for each submission, but you won’t be charged when clients contact you. You can get paid on an hourly or per-project basis.

Payment: Directly to your bank account, wire transfer, Instant Pay, PayPal and Payonner. Charges apply to some payment options, so be sure to check Upwork for details.

Pros: Upwork helps take the work out of seeking out clients, establishing relationships and getting paid. The service also gives you the flexibility to set your preferred rate and schedule.

Cons: The app is free to download, but initiating contact with clients costs money. Users also get charged a service fee. Upwork takes a 5% to 20% cut of your earnings based on how much you’ve billed a client. The more you earn, the more you get to keep. However, you won’t get paid until 10 days after the billing period ends. Remember, too, that you’re competing with other freelancers on the platform. That means clients may choose those who’ve set lower rates.

9. Letgo

Letgo functions as a local marketplace you can use to sell your stuff. Create an account, choose a category and snap a picture of your smartphone, car, sofa or whatever it is you’re selling. Letgo automatically suggests the item’s title and price and estimates how long it’ll likely take to sell. You can add a description, post your listing and chat with buyers directly through the app. Letgo discourages shipping items, which means you’ll need to arrange meetings with buyers. [Note: If you decide to pursue this during the pandemic, follow proper cleaning and hygiene guidelines.]

Payment: Cash or bank account transfer. Letgo doesn’t always allow electronic payments, however, and charges a processing fee for payments made through the app.

Pros: Creating a listing is simple and fast, and you’ll get paid instantly when you make a cash sale. You can also view a prospective buyer’s reviews and ratings to get an idea of how trustworthy they are beforehand.

Cons: You’re responsible for meeting buyers in person and handling transactions. Letgo doesn’t offer refunds or help with disputes.

10. Poshmark

The Poshmark app is tailor-made for selling clothes and accessories. After signing up, you take or upload photos of your item, fill out a description, price it and share the listing. You can also feature items in the app’s "Posh Parties," which are virtual shopping events centered around particular brands, categories and themes. Poshmark emails you a prepaid shipping label once a purchase is made. Then, you send the package.

Payment: Check or direct deposit to a bank account.

Pros: Poshmark facilitates the entire process, from selling to shipping. Plus, you don’t have to meet with strangers to make a sale. The company will cover lost packages and handle issues between you and the buyer. Getting paid is relatively quick, too; Poshmark issues the money within three days of the buyer receiving the order.

Cons: You’ll pay a fee for selling through Poshmark. The company takes a $2.95 commission for sales under $15 and a 20% commission for sales of $15 or above.

The apps listed on this page have been tried and tested and are genuine. If you are already a member of any of these apps or any that aren't listed then please do let us know what you think of them!