Many people today are searching for their own ‘side hustle’ — a simple way to generate extra income to cover expenses or boost their spending power. Some turn to selling used items, but that income stream eventually dries up once you’ve cleared out your belongings. Others pursue side jobs like walking dogs or handling small tasks for neighbors. Still others join companies like Uber or DoorDash that offer flexible scheduling. While these opportunities can work well, they require significant time investment and resources (typically a vehicle), making them inaccessible to many people.
What alternatives remain? Fortunately, today’s smartphones have opened up incredible money-making apps that let you earn from home. Some apps even distribute money completely free. Yes, you read that correctly – free!
This might sound too good to be true, so what’s the trade-off? While the money is real, these apps do want something in return. Most seek information — your opinions on advertisements and products or insights about your shopping patterns. Providing this data typically involves completing surveys or viewing ads. In essence, you can generate income without major time commitments, and you’re free to multitask simultaneously. This means earning potential while commuting, watching television, or waiting for appointments. For anyone seeking supplemental income, it’s an ideal arrangement!
However, not all free money apps deliver equal results, so which ones deserve your attention? This guide will help you discover some of the most promising apps to get started with.
The Money App
This stands as one of the highest-rated ‘free money’ apps available — boasting 4.7 stars on Google Play and an impressive 4.9 stars on Apple Store.
The Money App gathers market research from users, rewarding them with ‘credits’ for their participation. After accumulating enough credits to reach the minimum threshold, you can receive direct payments to your PayPal account.
While the app’s core functionality isn’t revolutionary (numerous apps that pay you for surveys exist), Money App distinguishes itself through overwhelmingly positive user feedback. Unlike most ‘free money’ apps that receive complaints about lengthy earning periods before cash-out eligibility, this platform features numerous reviews praising how quickly users generated income. Naturally, earning speed perceptions vary by individual, so what seems fast to one person might feel slow to you.
Given its abundance of 5-star reviews, Money App definitely merits consideration. Visit their website for additional details or to reach out to the company directly.
SlideJoy
SlideJoy sets itself apart from typical free money apps by eliminating the need for active earning time.
The platform displays advertisements on your phone’s lock screen, ensuring you encounter an ad each time you unlock your device. SlideJoy receives advertising commissions for these impressions and shares that revenue by awarding you ‘carats’ for app installation and ad viewing. These ‘carats’ convert into cash or gift cards upon redemption.
Rewards don’t accompany every ad view, but when payments occur, the amount remains consistent whether you engage with the ad or not. Therefore, you only need to click advertisements that genuinely interest you. The platform also personalizes ads based on your demographic profile and location data, increasing the likelihood of seeing relevant content you might actually want to explore.
SlideJoy represents an excellent free money app choice because it demands no behavioral changes or dedicated time investment. Unlike platforms requiring survey completion or video watching, SlideJoy generates income without any additional time commitment on your part. Unfortunately, iPhone users must wait — SlideJoy currently supports only Android devices.
User reviews present mixed feedback, resulting in 3.9 stars on Google Play Store. Multiple reviewers report redemption difficulties, particularly with PayPal, though the company acknowledges these issues and promises resolution.
Despite these potential concerns, SlideJoy remains worthwhile due to its minimal effort requirements. Explore the app yourself by downloading it or visiting their website to make an informed decision.
Inbox Dollars
Inbox Dollars ranks among the most popular ‘free money’ apps available — featuring over 95,000 Google Play reviews and exceeding 110,000 Apple Store reviews. The company reports distributing nearly $60 million in user rewards!
The ‘Inbox Dollars’ name reflects the company’s practice of emailing survey opportunities and other earning activities directly to users. Their website indicates surveys typically require 3 to 25 minutes, paying between $0.50 and $5 per completion. Additional money-making opportunities include watching videos and playing games. These activities generate cash rewards redeemable once you reach $30 in accumulated value. Payment options include gift cards, prepaid Visa cards, or physical checks mailed to your address.
Other platform features provide cashback rewards or future purchase coupons. For instance, using app-based offers during online shopping can earn you a percentage of your purchase back in cash through the platform.
User reviews trend positive, earning 4.5 stars for iOS and 4.1 stars for Android versions. Some feedback suggests the website offers more survey opportunities than the mobile app, while the primary complaint centers on lengthy earning periods required to accumulate meaningful income.
Swagbucks
While the Swagbucks app shows lower review numbers than InboxDollars — 42,000 Google Play and 20,000 Apple Store reviews — its website enjoys tremendous popularity. As website recognition grows, the mobile app gains traction as a platform offering solid compensation relative to time invested. This reputation appears well-founded, given Swagbucks’ claim of distributing over $400 million to users and issuing more than 7,000 daily gift cards.
Swagbucks operates similarly to InboxDollars, compensating users for survey completion, video viewing, and web searches. Shopping through partnered online retailers via the app or website typically earns approximately 1% back in ‘Swagbucks.’ Each Swagbuck equals one penny, making 100 Swagbucks worth $1. While earning timeframes vary, surveys typically award 40 to 200 Swagbucks, suggesting more generous payouts than many competing ‘free money’ apps.
Swagbucks app reviews remain largely positive, achieving 4.4 stars on Apple Store and 4.2 stars on Google Play. Most users express satisfaction with the overall Swagbucks program but note technical difficulties within the mobile app. These same reviewers indicate the website functions without such problems, suggesting greater reliance on the web platform when possible.
Are these free money apps really worth it?
Countless ‘free money’ apps exist — the options listed above represent just a small sampling. Your primary challenge will likely be the extended time required to accumulate meaningful earnings, combined with minimum cash-out requirements. While this can feel frustrating, it’s inherent to the ‘free money’ concept — you’re essentially trading time for income like any traditional job. However, these apps offer significant flexibility, allowing you to earn on your schedule while engaging in other activities like television watching. As long as your time investment feels worthwhile, several of these platforms can provide excellent supplemental income sources.
For those seriously interested in exploring additional earning apps, consider downloading Earn Extra Income, which catalogs top money-making and rewards applications. They provide rating systems covering features like ‘ease of use’ and ‘fun factor.’ This resource can help ensure you select a ‘free money app’ you’ll stick with long enough to generate substantial earnings.
Sources
- “InboxDollars – Apps on Google Play.” Google Play, Google, play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mentormate.android.inboxdollars&hl=en_US.
- “Inbox Dollars.” Apple Store, Apple, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/inboxdollars-surveys/id1221433007.
- “Inbox Dollars.” Inbox Dollars, Inbox Dollars, https://www.inboxdollars.com/,
- “How do I request Payment?” Inbox Dollars, Inbox Dollars,
- https://support.inboxdollars.com/hc/en-us/articles/204153445-How-do-I-request-payment-.
- “Money App.” Google Play, Google, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=proxima.moneyapp.android&hl=en_US.
- “Money App.” Apple Store, Apple, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/money-app-cash-rewards-app/id1133650146.
- Sun, Carolyn. “Top 10 Moneymaking Apps You Need to Download Now.” Entrepreneur, Entrepreneur, 10 May 2018, https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/312793.
- Wuerch, Jason. “Take $10 Off Your Phone Bill By Unlocking Your Screen With SlideJoy.” Frugal for Less, Frugal for Less, 13 May 2015, https://www.frugalforless.com/take-10-off-your-phone-bill-by-getting-paid-to-unlock-your-screen-with-slidejoy/.
- “SlideJoy.” Google Play, Google, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.slidejoy&hl=en_US.
- “Mobile Ads Supercharged.” SlideJoy, SlideJoy, https://www.getslidejoy.com/
- “Put Cash Back in Your Wallet!” Swagbucks, Swagbucks, https://www.swagbucks.com/.
- “Swagbucks.” Google Play, Google, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.prodege.swagbucksmobile&hl=en_US.
- “Swagbucks.” Apple Store, Apple, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/swagbucks/id640439547.
- “About Swagbucks.com.” Swagbucks, Swagbucks, https://www.swagbucks.com/g/about.
- Wong, Kristin. “4 Free Apps That Can Earn You Extra Cash.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 13 Feb. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/02/13/smarter-living/cash-back-apps.html.
