Who doesn’t need some extra cash these days? Getting a second job is out of the question for many people, and not everyone wants, has the time, or possesses the skills to start a whole business. These are the top apps for earning money online. Put the power of earning into the palm of your hand. Although some work better in conjunction with a larger computer or require a vehicle, you can get started with your phone and a bit of spare time.

These apps fall into several categories: service and gig apps, selling ones, freelance platforms, and survey and reward apps.

Service and Gig Apps

Almost anyone can use one or more of these phone apps to make some money. However, you will need a vehicle in most cases. This makes them more offline opportunities than online ones, but connectivity to the community still matters.

Uber and Lyft – These classic rideshare apps let you earn by driving people to work, appointments, special events, or home from the bar.

DoorDash, Instacart, Uber Eats – Food delivery apps are popular among drivers seeking extra income. While you won’t earn much per order, there’s always a good chance of a tip.

TaskRabbit – This is the most popular general task app around. People hire others to help with cleaning, moving, repairs, assembling furniture, and other physical tasks.

Rover – If you love dogs, cats, or any other type of pet, this might be a great app for you. It puts you in contact with local folks who need dog walking, pet sitting, or similar animal-related services.

How do you succeed with service-related gig apps? There are two options. Either you become the best and most unique provider in your area, or you sign up for multiple platforms and utilize them as much as possible.

Selling or Flipping Apps

If you have physical items to sell, you can make and manage listings from your phone.

eBay – This classic auction and direct sale platform still has a huge reach for every type of used or new item. Watch the shipping charges and fees!

Mercari – People sell a variety of smaller items on this busy app that works very well on your phone. It’s a general goods marketplace.

Facebook Marketplace – If you want to sell locally, this is the best app for you. It helps you find people in your neighborhood to make money with everything from kids’ clothes to furniture and beyond.

BookScouter – It’s a free ISBN scanner app that helps you estimate the buyback value and sell used books or textbooks at the best price. The BookScouter app compares buyback offers from multiple online vendors. It gets the best available price for any of your books—from college textbooks you no longer need to fiction titles you’ve finished reading and want to pass on. Using BookScouter, you not only make money but also support sustainable reading.

To generate an income by selling physical items, you need the merchandise itself, shipping materials, and a system to deliver the products to the people who buy them. You can send them through the USPS or a ‘box truck’ company, or sell locally.

Freelance Platform Apps

Of course, you need to use these apps professionally to achieve success. They’re great for designers, writers, coders, and other skilled people. In most cases, it helps to have a desktop or laptop ready to actually get the work done.

Fiverr and Upwork – These money-making apps both focus on freelance services but work in slightly different ways. Fiverr notifies you of contacts and interested buyers for the gigs you create on the platform. Upwork allows you to make offers on contract work.

MTurk and Clickworker – Called microtask platforms, these apps will pay you from a few pennies to a dollar or two to complete very short, small jobs.

Some of the opportunities here require genuine professional skills, such as website design or video production. Others require meticulous attention to detail and sufficient time.

Survey and Reward Apps

Although these apps that help you earn money online are accessible to anyone with a phone, you still have to qualify for the specific surveys or other actions to get paid. Additionally, each action you take will yield only a small amount of money or points that can be exchanged for gift cards. They’re ideal for people who want to browse while riding the bus or waiting for dinner to cook.

Swagbucks and Inbox Dollars – These highly rated apps let you earn through surveys, shopping cashback offers, watching videos, and more. They focus primarily on point offers, and you may not qualify for all surveys or tasks.

Survey Junkie and Prolific – Some consider these slightly more serious survey apps. Instead of quick questions or fun polls, they offer more business-related or academic ones. The qualifications are a bit more stringent, but you will receive a higher salary if you complete them.

These might be the most frustrating apps if you want to earn money quickly. You will find tasks and surveys that you don’t qualify for, even after answering the initial questions. It might be best to leave these to your free time rather than rely on them for a true income.

What Money-Making Apps Should You Choose?

The first rule of starting any side hustle or quick task opportunity is to make sure the platform is reliable and trustworthy. The list above can help you narrow down safe options. From there, it’s important to be realistic about what you can actually do or offer to people who are willing to pay through these apps.

There’s a big difference between answering a few short surveys for points and hiring yourself out to assemble flatpack furniture in someone’s home. Be honest with yourself. Maybe you’re not comfortable driving strangers around in your family car—and that’s perfectly fine. You might prefer selling gently used clothing or books online instead. Or perhaps you need faster, more flexible cash than gift-card-based survey apps can provide, making food delivery or other tip-based services a better fit.

At the same time, money-making apps are only one way to earn extra income. Many people combine them with longer-term side hustles, freelance work, or ambassador programs offered by brands and online platforms. These options often reward consistency, curiosity, and a willingness to learn how things work.

While some individuals do manage to earn a solid amount of extra income through apps and side projects, they’re rarely a full replacement for a traditional job. Ultimately, how much you earn depends on the time you invest, the value you provide, and your motivation to stick with it and keep improving.