27 Apps that Pay Real Money in 2025 (+ Bonus Tips to Increase Earnings)

A Comprehensive Guide on Apps that Pay You Real Money (+ Details on Sign up Bonuses, Available Platforms and more!)

How many hours do you spend on your phone every day? One hour? Two? Four, five, six? I know. Sometimes even I can’t believe the weekly summary report that shows my screen time statistics. 

Sometimes my husband and I try to justify the screen time by chalking it up to “working”, watching sports and sometimes watching Netflix. No one wants to believe that they spent all those hours scrolling Facebook and IG. But let’s face it, we probably did. 

So what if you could turn your phone into a money maker? What if you could actually use it to make extra cash? Well, you better believe it. You absolutely can!

There are so many legitimate apps that pay real money – yes, real cash straight to your bank account! If you’re looking for a way to increase your earnings every week, let’s dive in to the ultimate list of real money making apps! 

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that we may make a commission (at no extra cost to you!) if you make a purchase via a qualifying link. You can read our full disclosure for more info.

The internet and technology has made it so much easier to make extra cash these days. Sometimes it’s as simple as hitting the download button, and your money already starts building up.

If you have a smartphone, it means that making extra money is literally at your fingertips. What if every time you unlocked your phone, you completed an easy task that could make you a quick buck? 

“If only I had a dollar for every time I unlocked my phone, I’d be a millionaire.”

Well technically, you can’t become a millionaire from these apps that pay money – but they can probably contribute to paying off debt, paying for a cruise or building your savings. A little goes a long way, right?

The thing is, we spend A LOT of time on our phones. 

According to this article from Reviews.org, on average, Americans check their phones 344 times per day! That’s once every 4 minutes! SAY WHAT?!

The Reviews.org study also showed that 47% of Americans consider themselves “addicted” to their phones.

Might as well use it to make money, right?! RIGHT! So let’s get into that list of apps that pay real money!

27 Apps that Pay Real Money

Believe it or not, there are literally thousands of apps that pay real cash! It’s near impossible to list them all here.

Some of them pay you to take surveys, some pay you to play games, some pay you for watching videos, and then there are some that pay for all of the above. 

On the other hand, there are apps that will pay you to lose weight, pay you to drive and pay you returns on monetary investments. In the world of real money apps, the opportunities are limitless!

To make your money making journey as simple as can be, I’ve categorized our top picks for legit money making apps according to what they pay for. 

Survey Apps that Pay you Money

1. Swagbucks

Believe it or not, Swagbucks will pay you real money for doing the everyday things that you do online. If you ever use your phone to order the groceries, shop Amazon, watch funny videos, or simply search the web, you can earn money. 

You will rack up Swagbucks Rewards, called SB Points when you use the app to complete these tasks. 100 SB points is equivalent to $1. As your points build up, you can choose to exchange these for cash via PayPal, or even gift cards to your favorite retailers!

It’s the perfect way to earn money in your spare time. In fact, Swagbucks even boasts of some “power users who earn in the 4 or 5 figures every year!” 

Grab a $10 Sign up Bonus when you get started (conditions apply). Remember to activate your bonus in the Swag Ups Section.

Swagbucks Minimum Payout: $3
Swagbucks Payout Options: Cash via PayPal, Gift Cards
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & Website
Additional Benefits: $10 Sign up Bonus

2. InboxDollars

InboxDollars is another top pick on our list of apps that pay money. InboxDollars will send you real cash for watching videos, taking surveys, reading emails, redeeming free food/grocery coupons and more! 

InboxDollars boasts that since their inception, they’ve paid their members over $80 MILLION in cash rewards! Now what if YOU could have a slice of that money pie?

Well you absolutely can! Become a member and start earning straight away with this $5 Sign up Bonus. You’re welcome!

InboxDollars Minimum Payout: $3
InboxDollars Payout Options: Cash via PayPal, Gift Cards
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & Website
Additional Benefits: $5 Sign up Bonus

3. My Points

MyPoints makes is super fun and enjoyable to earn cash from your phone! You can watch videos, complete surveys, play games and read emails to make money every single day.

In addition to this, you can get paid when you use MyPoints to find deals, when you use their extension to get alerts and coupons, when you print coupons and more! Saving money AND making money? Yes, please!

Grab a $10 Amazon Card when you get started, making this an even sweeter deal!

MyPoints Minimum Payout: $3
MyPoints Payout Options: Cash via PayPal or Visa prepaid card, Gift Cards, Travel Miles
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & Website
Additional Benefits: $10 Sign up Bonus

4. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is another app that pays real money that we highly recommend trying! It’s as simple as taking surveys, earning rewards and redeeming your cash via PayPal. Learn all about the best Survey Junkie hacks to increase your earnings!

Survey Junkie Minimum Payout: $5
Survey Junkie Payout Options: Cash via PayPal or Visa prepaid card, Bank Transfer, Gift Cards
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & Website

5. Surveys On The Go

With the Surveys On The Go app, you’ll get paid for taking surveys… on – the – go. Seriously though, all you have to do is download the app, share your opinion by completing surveys, and you’ll get paid cash. If you’re looking for apps that pay money, this is a great option for you!

Surveys On The Go Minimum Payout: $10
Surveys On The Go Payout Options: Cash via PayPal, Prepaid Visa Card, Gift Cards
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & Website
Additional Benefits: $1 Bonus when you take your first 2 surveys

6. Kashkick

Similar to the other rewards apps, Kashkick pays you for all the fun things you’re already doing online anyway. You’ll get paid for watching videos, finding deals and surfing the web.

It’s as simple as completing missions, watching your earnings grow and cashing out! So after a long day, you can kashkick back on the sofa and get paid! Haha!

Kashkick Minimum Payout: $10
Kashkick Payout Options: Cash via PayPal
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & Website

7. LifePoints

LifePoints is another top recommendation on our list of survey apps that pay money for your feedback and opinions! You can collect points (called LPs) every time you complete a survey. You can then redeem these for cash or gift cards later on. 

Life Points Minimum Payout: $5 (about 5500 points)
Life Points Payout Options: Cash via PayPal, Gift Cards
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & website
Additional Benefits: 10 bonus points

8. Google Opinion Rewards

Google Opinion Rewards allows you to get paid for completing short surveys. These can include opinion polls, merchant satisfaction surveys or even hotel reviews. Surveys typically take less than 20 seconds, and you can get paid up to $1 per survey! Sounds like a pretty great deal to me!

Google Opinion Rewards Minimum Payout: Whatever you earn
Google Opinion Rewards Payout Options: Cash via PayPal, Google Play
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & website

9. Toluna Influencers

Toluna Influencers is another on our list of apps that pay you real money. Like the other apps, you’ll get paid for completing surveys, playing games, participating in community content and more!

Toluna Influencers Minimum Payout: $10
Toluna Influencers Payout Options: Cash via PayPal, Gift Cards
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & Website
Additional Benefits: 500 points Welcome Bonus

How Survey Apps Work:

Step 1: Choose which apps you’d like to use. (Yes, you can use several to increase your earnings!) 

Step 2: Complete your sign up and registration process.

Step 3: Complete your profile info. This allows the app to qualify you for more surveys and tasks specific to your area and lifestyle, hence increasing your earnings.

Step 4: Look for all the ways to earn – surveys, watching videos, playing games, downloading the browser extension etc. (Tip – take advantage of all the ways to earn!)

Step 5: Start completing whatever tasks you qualify for.

Cash Back Apps that Pay you Money

10. Tada

Plan to buy any groceries this week? Well Tada will pay you for this! Yes, you read that right. Tada will get you cash back on your groceries!

All you have to do is buy your milk and eggs this week, scan your receipts and get paid! Tada makes is super simple to receive your money via PayPal, making it one of our top apps that pay you real money!

And to top it all off, grab this $20 Welcome Bonus when you get started!

Tada Minimum Payout: $10
Tada Payout Options: Cash via PayPal, Gift Cards
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & Website
Additional Benefits: $20 Welcome Bonus

11. Rakuten

Rakuten is another top recommendation on our list of apps that pay you cash! You can earn money by doing shopping via the Rakuten app, website or browser extension. There are over 3500 partner retailers, making it super easy to earn and get paid. 

Get going with this $30 Sign Up Bonus (you’ll get this bonus when you make your first $30 purchase through the app… basically your first $30 purchase is complimentary). 

Rakuten Minimum Payout: $5
Rakuten Payout Options: Cash via PayPal
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & Website
Additional Benefits: $30 Welcome Bonus

12. Ibotta

With Ibotta, it’s as simple as click, click, CASH! You can earn real cash back when you do your usual shopping through the Ibotta app. In fact, you can even earn cash back when you shop in-store!

Ibotta has thousands of partners, making your shopping experience simple and enjoyable. Use the app to buy the things you’d normally buy on a weekly basis and enjoy a big, fat cash back just for doing so. It’s seriously a win win. 

Ibotta Minimum Payout: $10
Ibotta Payout Options: Cash via PayPal and bank account, Gift Cards
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & Website
Additional Benefits: $5 Bonus when you make your first purchase

13. Fetch Rewards

Like many of the other mentioned apps, Fetch Rewards will pay you for shopping and submitting your receipts via the Fetch app. There are numerous ways to earn, and you can increase these earnings by completing special offers and referring friends and family. 

Fetch Minimum Payout: $3
Fetch Payout Options: Cash via Prepaid Visa card, Gift Cards
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & Website

14. Checkout 51

Checkout 51 will give you cash back on your groceries and gas! It’s as simple as downloading the app, browsing for saving opportunities, adding these offers to your shopping list, adding your receipt, and CHA-CHING! Members can even earn up to 25¢/gallon on gas purchases! An app that can save me money AND make me money?! Sign me up please!

Checkout 51 Minimum Payout: $20
Checkout 51 Payout Options: Cash via Check
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & website

15. Shopkick

Shopkick is yet another rewards app on our list of apps that pay you real money. Shopkick makes it so easy to earn that you can get points (called “kicks”) just for walking into a participating store – you can start racking up kicks before even making a purchase!

250 kicks is equivalent to $1 and there are several different ways to earn. Happy shopkicking!

Shopkick Minimum Payout: $2
Shopkick Payout Options: Cash via PayPal, Gift Cards
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & Website
Additional Benefits: $5 Bonus when you make your first purchase

How Cash back Apps Work: 

Step 1: Download the cash back apps of your choice.

Step 2: Complete the sign up and registration process.

Step 3: Complete your profile info. 

Step 4: Look for all the ways to earn – some will pay you for shopping in certain grocery stores, some will only give you cash back for specific items, some will give you cash back for filling gas etc.

Step 5: Browse the app to get info on partner groceries and see the deals of the week. (Tip – You can meal plan around these deals for bigger savings!)

Step 6: Do your grocery shopping and scan and upload your receipt.

Weight Loss Apps that Pay you Money

16. HealthyWage

Want to lose weight AND win cash? Then HealthyWage is the app for you! HealthyWage uses cash based weight loss challenges to motivate you to hit all your goals. In fact, HealthyWage has challenges with payouts as high as $10 000! How’s that for an app that pays real money?! Pretty awesome, right?

HealthyWage Minimum Payout: Whatever you win
HealthyWage Payout Options: Cash via Check
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & Website
Additional Benefits: Losing weight

Game Apps that Pay Money

17. Mistplay

Mistplay is high on our list of fun apps that pay you money! Mistplay specializes in paying real cash for playing games! So if you’re going to kick back at the end of a long day by playing some fun games, you might as well get paid, right? 

Mistplay Minimum Payout: $5
Mistplay Payout Options: Cash via PayPal, Prepaid Visa Cards, Gift Cards, Google Play Credit
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (Android) & website

18. Cashhy

Cashhy is another option on our list of game apps that pay real cash. Download, play games and cha-ching. It’s as simple as that! 

Cashhy Payout Options: Cash via PayPal, Gift Cards
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (Android)

Check out these 23+ Games that Pay Instantly to PayPal for more options!

Apps that Pay Real Cash for Photos

19. Foap

The Foap app is an awesome way to turn your photos and videos into dollars! There are several ways to increase your earnings with Foap. You can join Foap missions which can make you hundreds of dollars, you can join premium missions to earn up to $1000, or you can upload your photos and wait for someone to buy them on the Foap marketplace. 

Foap Minimum Payout: $5
Foap Payout Options: Cash via PayPal
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & website

Investing Apps that Pay you Real Money

20. Acorns

Acorns is an app that will help you save money, and invest to make more money. Like any other investment, you’ll have to “spend” a little ($5 minimum) in order to position yourself to start earning.

However, Acorns also offers the opportunity for you to make money when you shop online through their Acorns Earn feature. You can then use your extra earnings to save or invest more. Talk about a one stop shop for setting you up financially – saving, banking, investing and making extra money all in one place!

We highly recommend Acorns for anyone who is interested in investing but just doesn’t know where to start. Grab this $10 bonus investment to get going!

21. Fundrise

Fundrise is an app that makes investing in real estate simple, efficient and transparent. Fundrise boasts that their low investment minimum gives you the flexibility to invest the right amount of money for you. Investments are also flexible, allowing you to invest according to your schedule and your financial goals. Download Fundrise on the Play Store or download Fundrise on the IOS App Store.

Apps that Pay you Cash to Listen Music

22. Current Rewards / Mode Earn

How would you like to get paid for simply listening to music? Well the Mode Earn app (also known as Current Rewards on IOS – Current Rewards is rebranding to Mode Earn) makes this happen! Listen to music while you run, walk, commute or clean, and get cash into your pocket! There are over 100 000 stations to choose from, making it easy to find your favorite songs! 

On top of this, this app will also pay you cash for playing games, shopping and even for charging your phone! It couldn’t be easier to make money!

Current Rewards / Mode Earn Payout Options: Cash via PayPal, Prepaid Master Card, Gift Cards
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & website

Apps that Pay you Money for your Stuff

23. Decluttr

Got unused stuff lying around the house? Decluttr will pay you for this, especially for your used tech devices. It’s as simple as downloading the app, selecting your device on their system, shipping your stuff (for free!) and collecting your payment!

Decluttr Minimum Payout: Whatever you earn
Decluttr Payout Options: Cash via PayPal & Direct Deposit
Online Platforms Available: Mobile App (IOS / Android) & website

BONUS – Money Making Sites (Not Apps) that Pay Money

If you’re interested in apps that pay real money, you may also be interested in websites that pay money too. I know you’re here for the cash, so whether it’s an app or a  website may not make much of a difference to you. Once it’s a legit source that can get you that extra dough, I know you’ll be happy to jump on board!

The following are legit websites that pay real money. They don’t currently have any apps to download, but this doesn’t affect your earning potential in any way!

24. Opinion Outpost

Technically, Opinion Outpost is not an app, but they are a site that will pay you to share your opinion with brands, through surveys. Brands know that with your feedback, they can improve their products. This is why they’re willing to pay big for this! You’ll get paid to be a product tester, give feedback on ads before they launch, and more!

Opinion Outpost Minimum Payout: $10 (for cash) & $5 (for Amazon Gift Card)
Opinion Outpost Payout Options: Cash via PayPal, Prepaid Visa Cards, Gift Cards
Online Platforms Available: Website
Additional Benefits: 5 points Welcome Bonus when you complete your first survey

25. iPoll

iPoll is another website that pays cash for your unique perspective. You can choose either gift cards or cash payout as your compensation for answering questions about the products you use and the places you visit every day!

iPoll Minimum Payout: $12
iPoll Payout Options: Cash via PayPal, Gift Cards
Online Platforms Available: Website

Apps that Pay you Cash (Indirectly)

Sometimes you can use an app to make money indirectly. Technically, these apps don’t actually pay you money, but they do facilitate the transaction so that you can ultimately get paid. These may be for local buying and selling online, odd job apps etc.

26. 5Miles

5Miles makes it easy for you to list your products to start selling for some extra cash! The app uses your phone’s location to reach a multitude of potential customers in your area.

27. Facebook / Instagram

Can a list of real money earning apps be complete without including Facebook and Instagram? I think not! Honestly, once an app connects you with people, it can be considered a money maker!

Facebook and IG can be leveraged to increase your earnings with tools like Marketplace, business pages and even your own profile or stories. Trust me, post something to sell, and VOILA… cash in your wallet! 

Additional Info on Apps that Pay Money

– Which app gives real money?

All of the apps listed here are legit apps that pay real money. How and how much you can earn will depend on the app. Some of our favorites include Swagbucks, InboxDollars, MyPoints, Survey Junkie and Rakuten. We have tried all of these and benefited from real cash payouts! Some of these apps will give you points which can be redeemed for real money, whilst others will pay you real money immediately. 

– How can I make $50 instantly?

If you’re trying to make $50 instantly, your best bet is to use a combination of apps from our list to increase your earnings. You’ll want to be sure to complete your sign up, register your email and complete your profile info. These all add up to extra points (aka cash) and can qualify you for more surveys and tasks, which will in turn increase your earning opportunities. 

Don’t forget that you can also make money offline! If you’re trying to make $50 instantly, chances are you can make this and more by hunting for odd jobs like mowing a lawn in your neighborhood, or even by selling something on Marketplace!

– What apps pay you instantly?

Many of the apps on our list require that you hit a minimum amount before you can cash out. However, many of them like Swagbucks and InboxDollars have welcome bonuses that exceed the minimum payout amount. This means once the conditions are met, it’s likely that you’ll be able to cash out as soon as your start earning!

– What apps pay you real money?

All of the apps listed here pay you real money. As mentioned above, our favorites include Swagbucks, InboxDollars, MyPoints and Survey Junkie and Rakuten. However, all of the apps here offer cash payouts.

– What app pays the most?

The investing apps like Acorns and Fundrise and in a totally different category with respect to payouts, and may be the apps that pay the most – but you need to put in to get out. All of the other apps on our list also have a high earning potential. However the amount you can earn will depend on how much time and effort you dedicate to completing tasks, playing games etc. 

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Final Thoughts on Apps that Pay Real Money

Now that you have a long list of apps that pay real money at your disposal, go crazy and download all that will work best for you and your lifestyle. Before you know it, you’ll see the extra money rolling in, and your wallet will thank you!

Do you know of any other apps that pay you real money? Are there any money making apps that you currently use? Share with us in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!

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27 Apps that Pay Real Money (+ Bonus Tips to Increase Earnings)