15 Best Money-Making Apps of 2025

So, it would be best if you had extra cash for bills or other daily expenses; we’ve all been there. Luckily, 2025 has never been a better time to utilize apps and technology to make money fast.

The Millennial Money team conducted a detailed review of today’s best money-making apps. These apps are not a substitute for your day job.

But they are a great way to supplement income and earn fast cash.

15 Best Money-Making Apps

Here are the top apps to make money in 2025:

1. 🏆 Branded Surveys
2. HeyPiggy
3. Freecash
4. Swagbucks
5. Survey Junkie
6. DoorDash
7. Instacart
8. Rakuten
9. Ibotta
10. Capital One Shopping
11. Upside
12. Poshmark
13. Decluttr
14. UpWork
15. Acorns

Survey Money Making Apps

1. Branded Surveys

Earning Potential: 💰💰

Branded Surveys is my pick for the best overall survey site. It gives you points for taking surveys or carrying out tasks like referring friends to the platform.

When you sign up, you’ll answer demographic questions to help determine what surveys are a good match for you. Then, the platform sends qualifying surveys to your inbox.

There’s also a bonus program called Branded Elite. The more bonus surveys you take, the more points you can receive.

Once you reach 500 points, or $5, your Branded Surveys points can be redeemed as direct deposits, gift cards to popular retailers, or donations to charity.

While you shouldn’t quit your day job to take online surveys, Branded Surveys can be an easy outlet for earning some cash on the side with minimal effort.

Learn more:

• Read our full Branded Surveys Review

Branded Surveys

:

Want to earn some extra cash in your downtime? Sign up for Branded Surveys and get paid to take surveys and by completing polls or referring your friends!

Sign Up Now

2. HeyPiggy

Earning potential: 💰💰

HeyPiggy is a transparent survey site that makes earning money fun. You can sign up for free, and earn money in your spare time, answering questions for large companies like Netflix and Amazon.

Users as young as 14 can sign up with parental consent, and all users can see how much they’ll earn before accepting a survey to make sure it’s right for them.

You can cash out with as little as $1 earned, and they offer thousands of surveys every day. The screeners are short and have fewer disqualifications than other survey sites, although you should always expect some. You can redeem your earnings for cash or a gift card to over 150 stores.

HeyPiggy

Price: FREE

HeyPiggy is a simple way to make a little money. The more surveys you answer, the more money you’ll make, but there’s no minimum or maximum to what you can do.

Sign Up Now

3. Freecash

Earning potential: 💰💰

Freecash provides users with thousands of opportunities to earn money by taking surveys, playing online games, and completing tasks online, like trying out new apps.

According to Freecash, you can earn over $100 a month on the app. You can also easily scroll through offers on Freecash’s website and app, using filters to discover the offers that interest you the most.

The coins you earn for completing tasks are redeemable for cash, crypto, and gift cards, with different thresholds for each.

Learn More:

• Read our full Freecash review

Freecash

Price: FREE

Freecash is an excellent option if you want to diversify your earnings. It is not only legit but also a fun way to spend some free time while making extra cash.

Sign Up Now

4. Swagbucks

Earning potential: 💰💰

Swagbucks is a cash rewards app and website that pays its members in exchange for completing online tasks, playing games, filling out surveys, and more!

You join for free and then earn Swagbucks points by doing simple tasks. You can redeem your Swagbucks points for gift cards or cash—yes, cold hard cash—via your PayPal account or a check in the mail.

The easiest way to earn these points is by using the Swagbucks search engine to do your daily web browsing. This way you’ll earn points without even thinking twice about it.

Learn more:

• Read our full Swagbucks review

Swagbucks - Easy Online Rewards & Surveys

Sign Up Bonus: $10

Swagbucks is a legit money-making app where you can make money taking surveys, watching videos, playing games, and more.

Sign Up Now

5. Survey Junkie

Earning potential: 💰💰

Survey Junkie is another survey site that may be worth your time. It also offers quick, straightforward surveys for points.

Survey Junkie is owned by DISQO, a reputable data analytics platform that provides market research data to major brands.

You can participate in Survey Junkie’s research in 2 ways: SJ Opinion and SJ Pulse. With SJ Opinion, you take surveys, get points, and then get paid.

With SJ Pulse, you automatically give Survey Junkie access to your browser history, content engagement, ads, and shopping activity for extra rewards.

As you might expect, you can redeem points through e-gift cards to popular retailers or cash out with PayPal payments.

Learn more:

• Read our full Survey Junkie Review

Survey Junkie

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Survey Junkie is the most reputable online survey company and an easy way to make some extra money in your free time.

Sign Up Today

Driving Money Making Apps

6. DoorDash

Earning potential: 💰💰💰

DoorDash is another site that makes use of your car and spare time. A popular competitor of Uber Eats, Doordash is the market leader for food delivery apps.

With DoorDash, you can deliver food from local and chain restaurants and some grocery stores and markets.

DoorDash sets a minimum base payment amount for each order, from $2-$10 based on factors like time and distance.

Before accepting an order, you can see the base pay amount, which may increase if it’s Peak time or if you create Challenge bonuses in the app. You also get to keep 100% of your tips.

If you live in an area where Caviar is active, you can also accept orders through the Doordash app since the company acquired Caviar recently.

Learn more:

• Read our full DoorDash Review

DoorDash

:

Earn extra money and make your own schedule by delivering food with DoorDash.

Start Driving Now

7. Instacart

Earning potential: 💰💰💰

Instacart is arguably the most popular grocery delivery service in the country. It operates in all 50 states and is constantly expanding into new cities.

You can earn money with Instacart as a full-service shopper. After signing up and answering questions about you, your phone service, and your car, Instacart will perform a background check.

Once you’re approved, you can download the app and set your availability a week in advance. In some areas, you can simply take requests on the spot as they come through.

Regardless, you can either pass on new orders or accept them. How much you earn depends on your hours, location, delivery distance, and the difficulty of the order. Like most gig apps, you keep 100% of your tips.

Learn more:

• Shipt vs. Instacart Review

Instacart

Price: FREE

Learn more about becoming an Instacart full-service or in-store shopper today and start earning extra money.

Get Started

Cashback & Shopping Money Making Apps

8. Rakuten

Earning potential: 💰💰

Rakuten is an affiliate marketing company that allows you to make money by shopping through their app or site. It’s completely free to use. Rakuten makes money by earning a cut from purchases made through their software, and they split it with members.

You can earn anywhere from 1% to 40% on purchases made through Rakuten from more than 3,500 retailers, including popular ones such as Amazon, Target, Sephora, and Nordstrom. You can search for your favorite stores or go through Rakuten’s helpful categories like toys and beauty products or special deals such as double cash back stores.

Rakuten is totally legit, but be prepared to wait for your rewards. Rakuten only pays out once a quarter via a direct deposit into your PayPal account or a physical check.

Learn more:

• Read our full Rakuten review

Rakuten

Price: FREE

Earn cash back on your online purchases with Rakuten. Signup now to earn a $40 bonus after spending $40!

Sign Up ($40 Bonus)!

9. Ibotta

Earning potential: 💰💰

Ibotta is a shopping app to earn cash back on everyday purchases at over 2,000 in-store and online retailers. The Ibotta app is 100% free to use.

Ibotta pays you cash back for many types of purchases, whether at the grocery store, the local mall, or online. The key is to activate any offers you want to take advantage of before shopping, and then don’t forget to upload your receipt.

Seriously, this Ibotta app is legit. I continuously accumulate cash back on everyday purchases through the Ibotta app. There is really no downside.

Learn more:

• Read our full Ibotta review
• Read about more Apps Like Ibotta

10. Capital One Shopping

Earning potential: 💰💰

Capital One Shopping (formerly Wikibuy) is a savings/coupon shopping app and browser extension that lets you compare prices among various online retailers, helps you find better coupon codes, and even helps you find better deals among the multiple sellers on Amazon.

If you shop online through Capital One Shopping, you can earn credits on your purchases that you can redeem for gift cards. The deals change often, so check back for the latest rewards from your favorite retailers.

Just start your purchase journey through the Capital One Shopping app and earn rewards. Average credits at many stores are 2.0% to 10%, with some stores offering limited-time double rewards!

Learn more:

• Read our full Capital One Shopping review

Disclaimer: Capital One Shopping compensates us when you sign up for Capital One Shopping using the links we provide.

11. Upside

Earning potential: 💰

Upside (formerly GetUpside) provides people with real-time, personalized cash-back offers at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants through its free mobile app on iOS and Android. Use the code MM20 to receive a $0.20/gal bonus on your first gas receipt, for savings of up to $0.45 per gallon!

Selling Apps to Make Money

12. Poshmark

Earning Potential: 💰💰💰

Founded in 2011, Poshmark is most popular for its gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories. You can also use the site to buy and sell electronics, home decor, pet products, and beauty supplies.

Poshmark is simple to use. Once you sign up, you can upload pics of your items, share a brief description, and set your price. Shoppers make offers that you can either decline or accept.

Once payment is received, Poshmark will email you a pre-paid shipping label, then pay you by check or direct deposit once the buyer receives their order.

You’ll find the most success with Poshmark if you upload quality pictures and descriptions and sell recognizable brands.

13. Decluttr

Earning potential: 💰💰

Decluttr is like Poshmark but with a twist. Instead of selling your clothes and accessories, the website lets you sell your tech devices, from computers, phones, and tablets to video game consoles, DVDs, and Blu-rays.

Decluttr is easy to use. Once you sign up, simply scan the barcodes on your CDs, video games, and DVDs, and the app will tell you whether they’re accepted or not.

For tech items like cell phones and laptops, Decluttr will make you an offer based on its make, model, and condition.

You’re guaranteed the original price Decluttr offers you, or you can request to have your tech items shipped back for free.

The app is best if you have newer devices in good shape. Consider a different platform if you’re looking to ditch a clunky cell phone from the early 2000s or have retro games or consoles.

Learn more:

• Read our full Decluttr Review

Side Gig Money Making App

14. UpWork

Earning potential: 💰💰💰💰

Upwork is another marketplace for hiring freelancers, and since its launch in 2015, it has grown to become the largest and most popular site of its type.

If you’re not ready to pitch directly to companies, using a third-party freelance website like UpWork could be a good option.

Another advantage of using UpWork is that you don’t have to worry about being scammed or chasing payments. UpWork takes care of this for you. Still, it comes at a price – a cut of the profit.

Learn more:

• UpWork vs. Fiverr

Investing Money Making App

15. Acorns

Earning potential: 💰💰💰

With Acorns, you can set up a free mobile app to round up your purchases to the nearest dollar. They take this cash and invest it into ETFs. Honestly, it’s pretty sweet.

Once you download the Acorns app, it will automatically round up to the nearest dollar and invest that 10 cents! With the Acorns app, you can build an investment portfolio one dime at a time.

This money-making app is definitely a millennial investing strategy. You can set it and forget it and build your investment portfolio without even knowing it.

You can also direct additional funds into the Acorns app for investment. Try it risk-free and receive a $5 sign-up bonus.

Learn more:

• Read our full Acorns Review

Acorns

Price: $3 per month

Easily save & invest in the background of life. Invest your spare change, save for retirement, spend smarter, earn more, and grow your knowledge.

Claim Your $20 Bonus

Summary of the Best Apps That Pay You

Pros and Cons of Money-Making Apps

Money-making apps can be a fun way to supplement your income, but there are some pros and cons to consider.

Pros:

• You set your own hours and work as much or as little as you want
• You can do what you love or things you don’t mind doing in your spare time
• You can mix and match opportunities to increase your income

Cons:

• Many apps charge service fees or fees for payouts
• You are an independent contractor and responsible for taxes and fees
• Not all apps payout immediately

How to Choose the Best Money-Making App For You

Choosing the right money-making app isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach.

First, decide how much time you have to commit to the app, and then determine what you would like to do. For example, do you want something that is an extension of your day job? If so, Fiverr and Upwork are great options.

On the other hand, if you want something different or that you can do in your free time without thinking, consider survey-taking apps or even gig apps like DoorDash or Uber.

The key is determining how much you want to make, how much time you have, and how often you want to get paid. Pay close attention to the app’s service fees and terms to ensure you make as much as you hoped.

FAQs

What is the best app to earn money?

The best app to earn money varies by person. Some people want simple apps, like Survey Junkie, to make money answering surveys, yet others want something more robust, like Uber, earning money to drive people to their destination. The best app for you is the one you’ll use consistently to supplement your income.

How can I make $100 in a day?

To make $100 in a day, you’ll likely have to diversify your efforts on different apps. For example, you may take surveys on Swagbucks, take a couple Uber trips, or freelance on Fiverr to earn $100 a day.

Which app is the most legit to make money on?

I provided an extensive list of the best apps that you can use to make money. One of the most common is Swagbucks. Anyone can sign up for it to make money, and it takes only a few minutes a day to add a few dollars to your bank account just for sharing your opinion, shopping online, or searching the internet.

What apps pay you instantly for signing up?

Many apps, such as Swagbucks and InboxDollars, pay you a sign-up bonus for joining, both of which pay $5 to sign up. Of course, you must earn money on your own to cash out, reaching their thresholds, but you can speed up the process by joining apps with sign-up bonuses.

What Apps Pay You Instantly?

If you’re wondering how to get cash fast or which are the best money-making apps right now, InboxDollars, Swagbucks, and Ibotta each offer sign-up bonuses that you can quickly redeem.

Or maybe you’re trying to save up for something special or add to your investments. Several of the other apps I listed are either geared more towards freelancers, saving money, and investing, or require a bit of time to build up your account or property, such as Airbnb or DoorDash.

Either way, these legit apps could play an essential role in your money-making journey.