Top 6 Money-Making Apps in 2022

Around 36% of Americans work in the gig economy, and money-making apps have helped break down barriers that traditionally held individuals in the workplace. Free money-making apps can help you pay off debt, augment your income, fund a pastime, or even support you full-time. The greatest money-making apps allow you to work on your own time and be paid quickly.

We looked into over a dozen money-making apps to find the best ones based on earning potential, payment speed, and app store ratings. This article will help you choose the best money-making apps for your goals, earning style, and time commitment.

Top 6 Money-Making Apps for 2022

Best Overall: Upwork
Best for Cashback: Rakuten
Best for Surveys: Survey Junkie
Best for Car Owners: Uber
Best for Selling Old Goods: OfferUp
Best for Odd Jobs: Swagbucks

Best Overall: Upwork

UpWork is one the best money-making apps. Upwork’s ease of use, efficient communication, and potential for growth make it the finest money-making tool for side hustles or full-time freelancing businesses.

Pros

Easy profile creation for hundreds of skill categories
Attract new customers with reviews, earnings, and score
Take on ongoing or one-off projects by applying or being invited.
Working with payment protection secures payment

Cons

Service fee between 5% and 20%, depending on customer earnings
10 days after the billing period ends
Clients can readily shop for lesser rates.

Upwork is the greatest money-making tool for qualified employees to connect with clients and manage tasks in one location. Upwork wins for its wide range of talent categories, profile-building tools, and unlimited earning potential.

Upwork makes it simple to build a profile and apply for new projects, regardless of prior experience. Freelancers can find employment in digital marketing, coding, translation, admin, and many more fields. Upwork allows you to accomplish everything on a computer.

You can apply for one-time jobs or find continuing work with clients on Upwork. New reviews and a rising Job Success Score will help you land future jobs. Qualified freelancers may be invited to private events.

Upwork’s Payment Protection program holds project funds in escrow to ensure freelancers get paid safely and promptly. You can be paid by check, PayPal, or wire transfer. Sadly, freelancer costs range from 5% to 20%. Your charge % decreases as you earn more from a single client. Your account is credited 10 days after the weekly billing cycle concludes. As an independent contractor, you must pay income taxes.

Best for Cashback: Rakuten

Rakuten provides a streamlined experience with multiple cashback opportunities for both online and in-store purchases, as well as generous sign-up and referral bonuses, making it a great place to shop.

Pros

Cashback of up to 40% is available on purchases made at thousands of participating stores.
Spending $10 will get you a $10 bonus. $25
Referring new users who spend at least $20 will earn you a $20 bonus.
The use of a browser extension provides additional benefits and functions.

Cons

Cashback rates as low as 1 percent are available.
Users have reported concerns with the app freezing.
To redeem, you must have earned $5 in cashback.
Payments are made every three months.

Rakuten, formerly known as Ebates, is the most popular money-making software for cashback, offering bargains across a wide range of stores as well as inviting sign-up and referral rewards to new users. Despite the fact that you must spend money in order to make money, the program allows you to receive a little amount of cash back for purchases you would have made regardless.

Users can search for cashback deals at thousands of businesses, including Target, Best Buy, and Kohl’s, after registering with the site. To qualify for cashback, simply visit a retailer’s website or app and complete an order to be eligible. Customers who choose to receive cashback for in-store purchases and link their credit or debit card prior to making a transaction can also earn cashback. However, you will not be able to collect rewards unless you first complete these steps.

Cashback percentages vary from store to retailer, ranging from 1 percent to 40% of the purchase price. The software allows you to browse available cashback deals by store, brand, and category without having to leave the app.

After making a $25 purchase, new users will be eligible for a $10 welcome incentive. For referring new customers who spend $20, you can also receive a $20 referral incentive on your account.

Every three months, users will get paid via PayPal or a check in the mail. In order to be eligible for a reward, you must have accumulated at least $5 in cashback.

Computer users can save money by using this money-making tool as well as make money. When you click the cashback button, all valid coupons are instantly applied, saving you the time and effort of comparing coupons. Also included are reminders on lower-priced items available at other merchants, as well as the possibility of earning cashback from Google search results.

Best for Surveys: Survey Junkie

In addition to surveys that take 15 minutes or less to complete based on demographic questions, Survey Junkie also offers fast cash in the form of gift cards or PayPal accounts.

Pros

Make money by completing relevant surveys for marketing and research organizations on a consistent basis.
Additionally, users have the option to earn money by sharing their browsing data.
Data is submitted anonymously in order to safeguard your identify.
Points can be redeemed for cash via PayPal or online gift cards.

Cons

Identity verification before to taking a survey can be inconvenient.
You may receive invites to polls that have already ended.
Some polls ask the same questions over and over again to ensure validity.
If you do not meet the requirements for a survey, your partially finished survey may be terminated.

Survey Junkie, in collaboration with brands and market research companies, provides users with the chance to participate in surveys in exchange for points, which may be exchanged for gift cards or cash via PayPal immediately after completion. As a result, Survey Junkie is the greatest money-making app for surveys, according to our research.

The process of signing up is straightforward. You construct a profile by completing questions, which allows Survey Junkie to give you surveys that are relevant to your answers. Points are awarded for completing each survey and can be redeemed for cash at the end of the survey. One hundred points is worth one dollar, regardless of whether you want to cash out with gift cards or pay via PayPal. To pay out, you must have a minimum of 500 points (or $5) to do so.

The average time it takes to finish a survey is 15 minutes. All of the questionnaires are completely optional. Surveys that are currently available can be found in the dashboard, albeit some of those listed may no longer be active.

Some surveys ask you to answer the same questions over and over again to prove your identity. Please keep in mind that Survey Junkie reserves the right to dismiss and only give partial points to users who do not match specific requirements at any stage throughout the survey’s duration.

This money-making software, in addition to offering demographic-based surveys, also provides the ability to qualify for additional polls based on your browser history. It is possible to use the Survey Junkie Pulse extension on both the mobile app and the browser extension, and it tracks digital behavior such as searches, websites, purchasing, and other activities in order to identify new surveys for you.

Survey Junkie safeguards user information by submitting all responses in an anonymous manner.

Best for Car Owners: Uber

Uber is also one of the best money-making apps for drivers. Earn money at your own pace by driving and delivering packages whenever it is convenient for you. You may pay out your profits up to five times each day.

Pros

Accepting work at your convenience allows you to earn money on your own timetable.
Through a single driver app, you may transport passengers and deliver meals.
You can withdraw money up to five times per day.
After expenditures, you can earn $10 to $20 per hour.
Recruiting Lyft drivers might earn you up to $500.

Cons

Participation may be restricted due to model year constraints.
Drivers are required to pay a service fee, which is determined by factors such as cost and time.
The earning potential is restricted by the region and the demand for the product.
The driver application can be difficult to use.

The fact that Uber provides users with two ways to earn, immediate rewards, and an easy-to-use app for accepting new work distinguishes it as the greatest money-making software for drivers. This ridesharing and food delivery behemoth makes it simple for anyone with a car to earn money at their leisure, providing they meet the qualifications. You must:

Meet all applicable driving regulations in your area (including having a valid driver’s license).
Drive for at least a year in the United States, or three years for drivers under the age of 23.
Have a car with four passenger seats that meets the specifications of Uber in your area.
Provide all necessary documentation, such as proof of residency, insurance, registration, and other relevant paperwork.
Complete the driver screening procedure.

In your capacity as an Uber driver, you have the option of accepting ride requests from passengers or delivering food through the Uber Eats service, all using the same application.

You have the option of withdrawing money up to five times per day. Your earnings for each trip will vary depending on a number of criteria, including the following:

The standard round-trip fare is: A base rate that is calculated depending on the length and distance traveled, and which varies from city to city.
Surge pricing: Earn extra money during peak hours when there is a lot of demand.
Tips: Passengers’ tips should be kept completely confidential.

Uber Eats pays its drivers using a mechanism that is identical to that of Uber.

You should keep in mind that, as a driver, you will be responsible for covering the costs of vehicle maintenance. Uber also charges drivers a service fee, which is withheld from their earnings before they are paid. Due to the fact that Uber drivers are considered independent contractors, you will be required to pay taxes on your income.

Best for Selling Old Goods: OfferUp

Through its online marketplace, OfferUp takes a more modern approach to the Craigslist concept, allowing anybody to sell new or used products.

Pros

Send messages to prospective buyers directly from the app.
Simply put, you post an image and sell it on the internet.
Decide on a definite price or an asking price that allows for some space for negotiation.
Receive money in cash for local transactions, or ship things across the country.

Cons

Unless you opt for shipping, you are responsible for the delivery of your order.
Members of Promote Plus and other promoted items appear higher in search results.
Shipping an item incurs a 12.9% fee (or a $1.99 minimum fee)

OfferUp, which recently bought competitor Letgo, alleviates the burden associated with online selling by providing a simple and easy-to-use marketplace. The fact that OfferUp offers a streamlined listing process and allows users to sell locally or nationally distinguishes it as the best money-making app for selling old products. OfferUp is the finest money-making app for selling old goods.

Users can add a new product to their cart by uploading a photo, writing a description, and establishing a pricing tier. You have the option of setting a definite price that is only open to the first willing buyer, or an asking price that allows for some wiggle space. Viewers can connect with the seller directly through the app, either to ask questions or to express their interest in the product or service.

OfferUp is primarily used for local transactions, however users can also mail things using the service. Instead of constantly monitoring deals and notifications, you can set an item to “purchase now” with a predetermined shipping cost.

Due to the fact that the majority of transactions take place locally, purchasers typically pay in cash.

Purchasers have two days to inspect and evaluate an item after it has been dispatched before the sale is finalized. Sellers are then paid within five business days of receiving their items.

Promoting your things makes it easier for potential customers to locate them. Choose between paying in a single transaction or acquiring a membership in order to market your product. There are two levels of membership, each of which allows you to promote either one or five products at a time depending on your preference.

Users can prove their identification by confirming contact information or by linking a Meta account to their account on the site. Users of OfferUp’s local transactions are protected by the company’s recommendations for safe public meet-up sites that are based on criteria such as lighting, surveillance and more.

Best for Odd Jobs: Swagbucks

Despite the fact that Swagbucks doesn’t pay much, it does provide a range of opportunities for users to earn money, including cash back on qualifying purchases, odd jobs such as doing surveys, watching videos, playing games, and other similar activities.

Pros

Easily earn points
$10 joining bonus for users who spend $25
Redeem points for gift cards or for cash via PayPal
Earn 10% Swagbucks through referrals
Motivated users can earn $100 or more per month

Cons

Swagbucks aren’t very valuable; 100 SB=$1
The majority of assignments do not earn many points.
Because of your demographics, you may be disqualified from participating in surveys along the process.
It may take up to 10 business days to get your rewards.
Surveys with the highest payouts are only available to select audiences.

In spite of the fact that Swagbucks does not pay as well as other side hustles, it is a simple way for anyone with a smartphone to earn additional money by doing odd jobs or earning cashback, which is why it is the greatest app for odd jobs.

In order to compensate users, this money-making software collaborates with marketing organizations. Purchasing things, watching movies, participating in surveys, playing games, and using search engines are all ways to earn Swagbucks (SB).

The process of getting started is straightforward and does not include the submission of payment information. The daily checklist tool assists users in keeping track of the various ways they might earn money.

The majority of tasks are simple, however not all of them earn the same quantity of SB. Surveys can take anywhere from five to sixty minutes to complete, and users can earn anywhere from 40 to 200 SB as a result. Earning enough SB to be able to cash out can take a long time because 100 SB is worth $1.

Swagbucks’ survey options are selected based on demographics and other factors. High-paying surveys are only available to users who fulfill specified profiles, such as keeping a pet boa constrictor or having two sets of identical twin children.

By adding a credit card to your account, you can receive cashback on in-store purchases. When new members spend $25 on purchases through retail partners, they will receive a $10 incentive as a sign-up bonus. Swagbucks also gives referral bonuses to encourage people to use their services.

Swagbucks allows you to redeem your points for rewards immediately, however obtaining cash via PayPal or gift card codes may take up to 10 business days depending on your location.

Bottom Line: Money-Making Apps

A growing number of money-making apps are emerging as the globe moves closer to fully embracing the burgeoning gig economy. You may use these money-making apps to augment or completely replace your full-time employment. There are a range of options to pick from, depending on your objectives and personal tastes.

Among the cash back choices available, Rakuten is the most convenient, while Swagbucks provides both cash back and other simple earning opportunities. Using the Uber app, drivers may simply earn money on their own time by driving or delivering packages to customers. In terms of long-term earning potential, Upwork’s freelance marketplace, on the other hand, takes the cake. Freelancers have the freedom to apply for as many gigs as they like while simultaneously creating a respected personal brand that will lead to further work and greater rates in the future.