23 Passive Income Apps to Make Some Extra Cash

Did you know 46% of Americans start a side hustle with the hope of building a passive income source and having diverse income options to meet their numerous financial needs?

What if we tell you that you can make money while sleeping under your favorite blanket by just installing a few passive income apps on your cell phone? Well in 2024, there are plenty of money making apps available on the internet. Gone are the days when earning extra income required you to have an active side hustle. No, we are not against the side hustle culture, duh!

What we intend to do here is to make you familiar with yet another totally safe alternative to earning a passive income with minimal effort in your free time.

While we won’t make big promises—like turning you into an overnight billionaire—we will definitely equip you with the list of best passive income apps available out there. So that you have diverse income options open to take you closer to your financial freedom.

In this blog post, we’ve shared a list of 23 legit apps that can help you make some passive income.

Table of Contents

Set It and Forget It Apps

Yes … it’s that easy. With these apps, you don’t have to do anything. Just install these apps and forget it ever existed (unless it’s payday).

Let’s take a look.

1. S’Mores Lockscreen

How about a passive income app that allows you to set it and forget it? S’Mores Lockscreen is a simple-to-use app where you can make money by doing all sorts of activities!

Watching videos? You’re making money. Playing games? You’re making money. Using your lock screen? That’s right; you’re making money!

All the income you earn comes to you in the form of gift cards from the biggest retailers, including Target, Amazon, Walmart, and more.

Pros and Cons

Pros

S’Mores Lockdown is extremely simple to use to begin earning money.
You can make cash doing the things you’d already do on your phone anyway!
You can earn gift cards for all your favorite retailers.

Cons

If you’re hoping for cash, S’Mores Lockscreen only pays in gift cards.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.1

2. MobileXpression

More than two million people have already downloaded and used MobileXpression. Perhaps you could be next!

It’s simple to get started. Just download the app, earn credits, and then each week, you can redeem your credits for eGift cards.

As of this writing, MobileXpression has already given out more than $5 million in e-Gift cards.

Pros and Cons

Pros

You don’t need to pay to get started using MobileXpression. Just download the app and open it.
You can get a free $5 Amazon gift card for signing up.
You can look forward to eGift card rewards each week when using MobileXpression.

Cons

You must be at least 18 years old to use MobileXpression.
This is another app where you only get gift cards, no cash.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 3.9

3. Honeygain

Do you often have a lot of unused internet data? If so, share it with the Honeygain app and earn dollars.

Yes, you heard it right. Now share your data and earn money. Install the Honeygain app, choose your data level, and get started. You can also install it on various devices to earn extra money — a good passive income stream.

Apart from internet sharing, you can also refer to this app for your friends and relatives. So suppose you refer it to a friend, and the latter starts earning. In this case, you will also get 10% of their revenue share.

Once you earn up to $20, you can request a payout. The money earned gets deposited to your PayPal account as soon as you finish linking the same.

Pros and Cons

Pros

You can earn cash–not gift cards–through Honeygain.
All you have to do is share data to make money, which is super easy.
The referral system allows you to maximize your earnings.

Cons

Some users might not feel comfortable about sharing data.
Honeygain doesn’t have the best rating in the app store.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 2.9

Shopping Apps

Shopaholic? Then this section is perfect for you! Here, we have five of the best and most popular shopping passive income apps. Make money while shopping 🙂

4. Earny

If you love online shopping, you can’t miss Earny.

Earny rewards you when you shop online. All your favorite retailers work with Earny, from Target to Fandango, the Home Depot, Walgreens, Hulu, Best Buy, Disney, Nordstrom, and over 5,000 more.

If you like shopping on Amazon especially, Earny rewards you in more ways than one! For instance, Earny will recommend the best times to shop on Amazon and notify you when prices drop on that item you’ve had your eye on.

More so, if a package you ordered through Amazon won’t arrive on time, Earny tells you so you can get a refund.

When you make purchases on Amazon or use the Earny app, you get tickets. As you rack up tickets, you can enter more sweepstakes where you can win prizes like Amazon gift cards, prepaid Visa cards, or even cash prizes.

Sharing links with your friends and family can get you cash back if your friends use that link to buy a product.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Earny rewards you for shopping from your favorite retailers, which is awesome.
If you shop on Amazon, Earny will prevent you from overspending.
You also won’t have to stress about your recourse on late Amazon orders with Earny.

Cons

Earny has to look at your email receipts to gauge when and where you’re making purchases, which might feel a little invasive to some people.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 3.0

5. Rakuten

Long before every app rewarded you for shopping, there was Rakuten.

Through Rakuten’s system, you can earn cash back when you shop at 3,500 stores and counting. From Target to Glossier, Old Navy, PetSmart, Ulta, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Nike, Walmart, and so much more, it seems like every major retailer is a part of Rakuten.

To get started with Rakuten, all you have to do is create an account and then shop like you always do through the Rakuten extension, app, or website. When you shop, you’ll earn a balance.

You can cash out your balance through PayPal or check.

Since the site was founded in 1999, Rakuten has paid $2.2 billion to its members, with an average cashback per person of $63.50 in 2020.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Rakuten is one of the biggest names in passive income, which should inspire trust in their services.
Whether you’re into subscription services, fitness, pets, food and drink, or computers, there’s a service on Rakuten where you’ll want to shop.
Rakuten frequently offers bonuses where you can make even more cash back.

Cons

Per reviews on the app store, users have complained that the Rakuten app is slow and glitchy.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.0

No time to read? Watch our video instead:

6. Dosh

How does automatic cash back sound, not only when you shop but also when you book a hotel or dine out? If you answered “great,” you don’t want to miss Dosh.

With the Dosh app, you unlock countless paths to cashback. You can check the Dosh app for cashback opportunities or link cards and earn money back that way.

Shop the way you always do, and Dosh will give you money back into your account. Once you have $15 in the Dosh app, you can send it to Venmo or PayPal. You can even donate the money if you’re feeling charitable.

Many big brands use Dosh, including Instacart, Walmart, Pizza Hut, Disney+, and Sephora. More than 600,000 hotels are part of Dosh’s network, giving you great opportunities to earn more cashback.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Dosh doesn’t store any banking or credit card information and the site and app feature 256-bit encryption for your peace of mind.
With restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, and big-box retailers all part of the Dosh network, you have a lot of ways to make money.
You have plenty of great options for cashing out when the time comes!

Cons

Users have complained that the Dosh app has very poor to nonexistent customer service.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.5

7. Capital One Shopping

You’re probably familiar with the bank company Capital One, but did you know they have a passive income app? Indeed, they do, known as Capital One Shopping.

Capital One Shopping applies free coupon codes once you add it to your Internet browser as an extension. From there, the site will offer you epic discounts without you having to spend a cent. Yes, seriously!

The more you use Capital One Shopping, the better the site will get to know your product and service preferences. From there, it will begin offering you personalized deals on the things you want and need.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Capital One is great for more than banking. You can also save money with the Capital One Shopping Service.
You don’t only have to do retail shopping with Capital One Shopping. Hotels, home improvement services, printing services, and cable/Internet services are just some of the other types of companies with deals on this site.
It’s free to use Capital One Shopping, and as an Internet browser widget, it’s incredibly simple too.

Cons

Some users have said they haven’t had much luck using the app and saving significant money.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.8

8. Drop App

Shopping is important. You have to shop even if you don’t want to. But what if you had an app that paid you to shop from the brands you love?

Drop App is one such app that gives you Drop points every time you shop from over 500+ brands using this app. From groceries to beauty and even travel, this app has almost everything that you would want to shop for.

The Drop Premium is also free to join. All you need to do is add your card to enjoy premium benefits and earn some extra points. Every 1000 drop points here equals a dollar.

Pros and Cons

Pros

It’s free and fast to begin using the Drop App.
Once you begin racking up points, you can cash the points in for gift cards from brands like Starbucks, Walmart, Old Navy, and Amazon.
Drop uses encryption and Transport Security Layers for your security.

Cons

Users have complained that you don’t get that much money back from using Drop App.
Some users might not feel comfortable having to link their debit or credit cards to the app.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.3

9. Ibotta

Ibotta is another popular app that rewards users for shopping. In fact, they say it’s their mission to make every purchase rewarding!

It is a cashback app that allows users to earn money on purchases from over 2,000 brands and retailers, both in-store and online. You can even refer Ibotta to your friends and earn a referral bonus!

Using Ibotta is pretty easy: browse offers on the app, add them to your account, and shop as usual. After shopping, scan your receipt or link your loyalty card to earn cashback on eligible purchases.

Pros and Cons

Pros

First-time users are eligible for a $10 welcome bonus.
You can get additional bonuses by completing specific tasks and challenges.
You have the flexibility to redeem your cashback through PayPal, Venmo, or gift cards.
Ibotta gives frequent promotions and special offers that can increase your savings.

Cons

To earn cashback, you need to scan receipts or link loyalty cards, which can be time-consuming and sometimes inconvenient.
Some offers are limited to certain brands or products, which can restrict your choices if you prefer different brands.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.5

Surveys/Referrals/Emails

We all know the conventional way of earning money online: surveys. Well, we’ve covered that, too! Take a look at the best passive income survey apps below.

10. Survey Junkie

As the name of this app suggests, taking surveys in the Survey Junkie app will earn you dollars. The money earned via the same can be withdrawn through PayPal or Amazon gift cards. Let us discuss how you can earn through this app effortlessly and earn your first gift card.

Earning here is simple. The app will recommend surveys based on your preferences and interests. You can easily finish these surveys in 5 to 30 minutes. Not only surveys but tasks like setting up your profile or attending a group session will pay you real money, too.

Since the payout threshold is low, you can withdraw every $10 you earn through PayPal. Isn’t that amazing?

Pros and Cons

Pros

The opportunity to get paid for your voice to be heard is certainly tantalizing.
Survey Junkie will match you to more personalized surveys the longer you use the service.
You have several ways to redeem your cash, including e-gift cards or PayPal payments.

Cons

Taking surveys is more time-consuming than some of the other passive income streams we’ve explored.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.4

11. InboxDollars

We won’t be kidding around if we say InboxDollars is a fun way to earn. Earning on this app is like juggling between doing daily mundane activities like reading emails and fun activities like playing games.

Moreover, they have paid surveys too. So you just need to spend a few minutes taking these surveys and get paid while doing so. Apart from this, they give you $5 for just getting started — making it the best app (sort of) for making quick bucks.

Pros and Cons

Pros

InboxDollars has a 4.8 rating on the Google Play Store.
You can even make money from playing video games using InboxDollars. Now you can feel like a streamer!
You get paid in cash, not points, when using this service.

Cons

Users have mentioned you don’t always get paid on time.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.8

12. Google Pay

Google Pay isn’t your normal online payment and transaction app. It allows you to earn too. How?

Invite people to create an account through your referral link and earn. Plus, regular payments on this app will make you eligible for various rewards, cashback, and discount vouchers. It’s essentially free money and acts as an excellent passive income opportunity for you.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Now you can make passive income using a trusted source, Google.
Google Pay uses Google’s two-factor authentication to keep your transactions secure.
Referrals give you options for making even more money besides the discount vouchers and cashback!

Cons

Many users have complained that the new version of the app leads to more failed transactions and other errors.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.0

Finance and Investment Apps

While these passive income apps won’t turn you into Warren Buffet overnight (or will they? 😉), you can use them to invest and reap the benefits. For these apps, you must have some financial capital to get started.

Fair warning: Trading and investing are risky endeavors, and we are not responsible for the outcomes, including but not limited to the loss of capital.

13. M1 Finance

Calling itself “The Finance Super App,” M1 Finance is an app designed for spending, borrowing, and investing all in one.

Let’s take a look at the app features.

Pies: Making investments feels easier when everything is categorized like a pie, wouldn’t you say? You can allow M1 to compile your pie or make a custom pie with differing proportions of ETFs and stocks.
Financial research: The M1 app is chock full of valuable financial information like newsfeeds, performance charts, risk data, fundamentals, pricing, and trading info.
Flexible credit line: You can borrow money against your portfolio at a rate of 6.50 to eight percent to help you afford life’s big expenses.
Smart Transfers: When you want to send money, Smart Transfers does it for you automatically.
Dynamic Rebalancing: Allocate your investments using the power of automation with Dynamic Rebalancing.
Special accounts: M1 affords you the option of expanding upon your account after you open it. You can add different types of accounts, including IRAs and Custodial Accounts.

Pros and Cons

Pros

M1 Finance is a full financial app with spending, saving, borrowing, and investing features right at your fingertips.
You can learn more about your current finances using the app and make smarter financial decisions in the future.
Users have had a lot of great things to say about the pie charts.

Cons

According to reviews, users have called some of the features within the app cumbersome to use.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.7

14. Public.com

Public.com is the app for investing. Whether you’re into alternate assets, EFTs, crypto, treasuries, stocks, or something else entirely, you won’t want to use another app for tracking and growing your investments.

As a regulated broker-dealer, Public.com is regulated by both FINRA and SEC. All SIPC memberships insure your cash up to $250,000 and securities up to $500,000. Public.com promises never to sell your market makers or trades to any third party.

Public.com will recommend stocks so you can begin investing, with more than 9,000 equities available. You can also make a 5.1 percent yield on your treasuries with this app.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Public.com offers all sorts of investing options, including fine art and collectibles.
The app will offer you financial guidance so you can make smart investment decisions you feel proud of years from now.
If you’re into ETFs, you can invest in several baskets with one trade.

Cons

Some users have mentioned the app has little to no customer service.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.7

15. Robinhood

For the ones who are interested in investing in trading platforms, Robinhood can be a great passive income idea. Since there is no commission fee associated and it is easier to use too — Robinhood is the best for you if investing and trading stocks is your cup of tea.

Dividend income: As a shareholder of the company, you can earn a portion of the company’s profit.

Asset appreciation: Buying a stock at a lower price and selling it when its value increases per share.

But in both these ways, you need to be super careful and do your research before investing. Patience and good research is the key to earning on this platform. It is always a good idea to try out various tactics and see which one gives you a greater ROI.

Pros and Cons

Pros

You won’t pay any commission fees to trade crypto, ETFs, stocks, and options with Robinhood.
When you use the app, you can get one percent matching contributions to put toward your retirement.
You can even make some of Robinhood’s stock profit when you sign up.

Cons

Users have called the app laggy.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.2

16. Acorns

Acorns is a popular micro-investing app designed to help you invest your spare change effortlessly.

With its simple setup and user-friendly interface, it’s perfect for beginners who want to start investing without needing extensive financial knowledge.

Acorns rounds up your everyday purchases to the nearest dollar and invests the difference into a diversified portfolio. For example, if you buy a coffee for $2.75, Acorns will round up to $3.00 and invest the $0.25.

This approach clearly reflects their powerful philosophy, “From tiny acorns mighty oaks do grow.”

Pros and Cons

Pros

Investing is made easy by automating the process with round-ups and recurring deposits.
Financial education tools are offered to help you learn more about investing.
There is no minimum balance to open an account, though you need $5 to start investing.

Cons

Acorns charges monthly fees of $3, $5, or $9, depending on your account type. This amount can be high relative to your investment balance, especially for smaller accounts.
Portfolios are pre-set with limited customization options, which may not suit more experienced investors.
Lacks features like tax-loss harvesting, which can be a drawback compared to other robo-advisors.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.6

17. Collectable

Collectable is a unique investing app that allows you to buy, sell, and trade fractional shares of valuable sports memorabilia and collectibles.

It’s designed for sports enthusiasts and investors looking to diversify their portfolios with tangible assets.

Collectable makes it easy to invest in high-value sports memorabilia by allowing you to buy shares in items like rare sports cards and signed jerseys. Moreover, you can start investing with as little as $10!

Pros and Cons

Pros

You can start investing with just $10, making it accessible for most investors.
The app provides extensive data on each collectible, helping you make informed investment decisions.
You can own shares in valuable memorabilia without purchasing the entire item.

Cons

There’s a 1% trading fee on the secondary market and a 3.15% fee plus $0.70 if you fund your account with a credit card.
The secondary market is only open for one hour each weekday.
The value of collectibles can be highly volatile and is driven by demand, making it a risky investment.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 3.6

18. Masterworks

Masterworks is a unique investment platform that allows you to buy shares of high-value art pieces, making art investing accessible to a broader audience.

Masterworks purchases artworks from renowned artists such as Picasso and Warhol. These artworks are registered with the SEC, and shares are sold to investors in $20 increments.

The artworks are held for three to ten years, during which time they are displayed in a gallery. When the artwork is sold, the proceeds are distributed among the investors.

Pros and Cons

Pros

You can invest in high-value art with a minimum investment of $500, making it more accessible to the average investor.
Artworks are chosen based on extensive data and research, aiming for pieces with strong appreciation potential.
Art investments have historically outperformed many traditional asset classes.

Cons

Masterworks charges a 1.5% annual management fee and takes 20% of the profits from the sale of the artwork.
Holding periods range from three to ten years.
Investing in art carries a higher risk than investing in traditional assets.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 3.7

19. Arrived

Ever wanted to invest in real estate but got scared of the high prices? Enter Arrived.

Arrived is a real estate investment platform that allows you to buy shares in rental properties, making it accessible for everyday investors.

Arrived uses data science and market analysis to identify and purchase high-quality rental properties. Once a property is acquired, it is listed on the platform, and investors can buy shares starting at $100.

Arrived handles all property management, and investors receive quarterly dividends from the rental income.

Properties are typically held for five to seven years before being sold, at which point investors receive their share of any profits from the sale.

Pros and Cons

Pros

The low minimum investment makes real estate investing accessible to more people.
Investing in rental properties can diversify your investment portfolio and provide a hedge against stock market volatility.
Receive quarterly dividends without having to manage the property yourself.

Cons

Arrived charges a sourcing fee, an annual assets under management (AUM) fee, and a property management fee.
Real estate investments are not easily liquidated, with a typical holding period of five to seven years.
The platform currently has a limited number of properties available for investment.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.5

Other Apps

Want more? We hear you!

Here are some more passive income apps to fill your coffers 🙂

20. OnMyWay

Do you text and drive? If so, you know how dangerous the behavior is, at least, we hope you do!

With an app like OnMyWay, you can make amendments. When you begin driving over 10 miles per hour, the app activates.

When you drive a mile without texting on your phone or using apps that distract you (not maps and not music apps), OnMyWay rewards you with cash.

If you add others to your referral network and they drive safely, you get referral bonuses for every safe mile driven.

Other rewards besides cash are instant-win cash games, contests, gift cards, trending products, events, travel, free food, and free gas.

Pros and Cons

Pros

OnMyWay is not only a great way to make passive income, but it also saves lives!
The app has an NFT marketplace if you’re into that sort of thing.
You can make $100 for signing up, then $.05 in cash per mile of safe driving. Even passengers using the app make money!

Cons

Some users have complained about the lack of real-time chat despite that it’s advertised.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.1

21. Swagbucks

Swagbucks is a simple-to-use passive income app that has diverse options for you to earn extra income. You get SB points on doing specific tasks.

Every 100 SB points on this app earn you one dollar ($1.00): Further, the cash earned through these SBs can be transferred directly to your bank account linked to PayPal.
Swagbucks as a search engine: Swagbucks, powered by Yahoo!, is also a search engine and it is safe to say that using this as your default search engine gives you SB credits occasionally.
Earn SBs using Swag codes: Swagbucks also has swag buttons that basically code to earn passive income. They are usually posted on their social media handles like Facebook, Twitter, and even their blogs. By downloading a Chrome extension called the SwagButton, you can get updates every time they post swag codes on their social media handles. Redeeming these codes will pay you often.
Meet a daily goal and win money: Swagbucks also has yet another way to make you SBs every day. It sets a daily goal, and if you attain the goal consistently for at least seven days, you earn money. For instance, 25 SBs if you consistently meet goals for seven days and 100 SBs if you are consistent for 14 days.
Refer and earn: Yes, just a referral to a relative or friend will earn you SBs. You can ask them to make their account using your referral link. After which you have two options. Either take 10% of what your friend earns through the app or if your friend earns 300 SB in the first month itself, you get a one-time 300 SB bonus as a reward too.
Take Swagbucks surveys: Swagbucks also has partnerships with various companies that have their own surveys. Taking at least 5 of these surveys will get you SBs. And the best part is, you still make free 5SBs even if you are disqualified. You just need to spend 20-30 minutes to finish a survey and earn around 30+ SBs.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Swagbucks gives you plenty of ways to make money.
You have the option to earn cash back through PayPal or get gift cards to retailers like Walmart and Amazon.

Cons

According to users, the app loads slowly.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.4

22. Mistplay

Are you into mobile gaming? Mistplay could be just the passive income app you’re looking for.

Once you download Mistplay, you’re rewarded for playing mobile games as long as you can. You’ll earn more points for longer play sessions.

You can then use those points for rewards. Mistplay gives away grand prizes weekly, and earning points enter you into the sweepstakes.

In true gamer style, Mistplay uses achievement badges that you can unlock as you go through the app and do different things.

Looking for a new game to play? As Mistplay learns your mobile game preferences, it will begin recommending new titles to you.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Getting paid to play video games is pretty much everyone’s dream these days.
Besides the points you earn, you can also participate to win a grand prize every week, giving you something cool to look forward to.
Mistplay is a great way to find new mobile games.

Cons

Even the positive reviews mention that it takes a while to earn rewards.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.1

23. Turo

If you have a car lying around, Turo is for you!

Turo is a peer-to-peer lending car rental platform that allows individuals to rent out their personal vehicles to others, similar to how Airbnb works for home rentals.

Renters can choose from a wide variety of vehicles, from economy cars to luxury models, and book them for their trips.

The platform handles the logistics, including insurance and payment processing which makes it very accessible.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Car owners can earn significant income, especially if they list multiple vehicles. Average monthly earnings can range from $500 to $1,000 per car.
Renters have a diverse selection of vehicles, including specialty and luxury cars.
The app and website are intuitive, making listing cars and booking rentals easy.

Cons

Car owners need to consider insurance, maintenance, and cleaning costs, which can reduce net earnings.
Managing bookings, coordinating pick-ups and drop-offs, and maintaining the vehicle can be time-consuming for car owners.
Despite insurance, there’s always a risk of damage or wear and tear on the vehicle during rentals.

Play Store/App Store Rating: 4.8

Conclusion

It is a good idea to keep diverse passive income streams open for yourself for those emergency end-of-the-month expenses. To do so, you can use any of the passive income apps mentioned in this article to earn some extra cash in your free time.

By investing in passive income apps like Robinhood, you can make your money work for you while you focus on making more money through other means.

However, it should be kept in mind that none of these apps promise a sustainable income, so you can not solely rely on them as you would on your 9-5 job.

So what are you waiting for? Use these passive income apps and make the most out of your spare time to earn some good bucks on the side!

FAQ

Q1. What is passive income?

Passive income is the income that you can earn and maintain with less time, investment, and effort.

Q2. What is the difference between passive income and active income?

Passive income is money you earn with little ongoing effort, like rent from a property or through passive income apps. Active income is what you make from regular work, like your salary or freelance gigs. Passive income keeps coming in with minimal work, while active income needs your constant effort.

Q3. How much time do I need to invest in passive income apps to earn money?

On average, you need to invest 15 minutes to 2 hours depending on the type of app you are using. For example, in passive income apps like Swagbucks, where you get paid to take surveys, you would need at least 20 minutes to finish a survey.

Q4. Are all these apps free to use?

Yes, almost all of these apps are free to use. However, on trading apps like Robinhood, you need an initial investment to get started. Moreover, they have their premium membership costs too.

Content updated for freshness and SEO by Swastik Sahu.