15 Passive Income Apps To Make Extra Money

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15 passive income apps

Earning passive income is one of the best ways to make money. Instead of trading your time for dollars, passive income involves letting the free money roll in without needing to work a regular job. 

Although this money-making opportunity involves some upfront work, creating a new income stream is a worthwhile pursuit. Luckily, there are some ways to streamline your passive income creation by using apps to make money. 

Here are some of the best passive income apps to help you build wealth with minimal ongoing effort.

Top Passive Income Apps

The top apps that help you earn passive income have solid reputations for helping users create a new income stream. Although the potential rewards for each app can vary, the right combination could boost your bottom line substantially. 

From highest to lowest Trustpilot ranking, here are the best apps to make passive income on the market.

1. Rocket Money

Rocket Money is an app that works to lower your bills and cancel unused subscriptions that are eating into your monthly budget. It is free to download, but additional features cost money.

The app starts working after you connect your bank accounts. After a quick analysis, Rocket Money will offer to cancel unused subscriptions and negotiate your bills. 

Rocket Money says members save an average of $180 per year. That’s money that you can keep in your bank account instead of spending.

Beyond helping you slash spending, Rocket Money offers tools for:

  • Monitoring your credit
  • Budgeting
  • Tracking spending
  • Reaching savings goals

2. Swagbucks

Strictly speaking, Swagbucks isn’t a passive income app. That’s because it requires activity on your part. However, you’ll get paid to tackle tasks that you already do. 

For example, you can get paid to watch videos and play games. If you already do these activities on your phone, why not get paid for your time doing them? 

Other ways to earn with Swagbucks include:

  • Searching the web
  • Answering surveys
  • Finding deals

If you sign up for Swagbucks, you’ll get a free $5 sign-up bonus. Plus, you can earn points when you refer friends to the app. 

3. InboxDollars

Like Swagbucks, InboxDollars offers ways to earn money through paid activities that you already spend time doing. 

A few include:

  • Taking online surveys
  • Reading emails
  • Testing products
  • Watching videos
  • Playing games 

Additionally, you can get paid to search the internet and get cash back when you shop online. These last two features make InboxDollars a true passive income opportunity. 

With automatic cash back for online shopping, you can quickly save money on purchases you plan to make. 

4. Drop

Drop offers cash back rewards when you shop. Essentially, you can get money back on everyday purchases.

The process starts when you connect your credit card, debit card, or bank account to Drop. You can choose up to five stores to earn cash back from. 

A few options include: 

  • Sephora
  • Starbucks
  • Target
  • Walmart 

When you shop using your connected payment method, Drop will send you DropPoints. You can redeem these points for gift cards. 

If you are already shopping, this is a useful way to lower your costs. 

5. Rakuten

Rakuten is a rewards app that sends you between 1% and 40% cash back on purchases. The only catch is that you have to purchase items through your Rakuten account. 

Additionally, you can get in-store cash back for some purchases if you link your payment card. With thousands of stores, you can easily complete your shopping through this money-saving app. 

A few of the participating stores include:

  • Kohl’s
  • Nike
  • Old Navy
  • Target

Depending on your shopping habits, this could save you a lot of money by simply signing up for an account or using a linked credit or debit card.

6. Nielsen

Nielsen offers the chance to turn your internet usage into a passive income stream. 

You simply download the app and add your devices. Once you get the app installed, it will track your data. 

With this app, you’ll receive:

  • $50 yearly for keeping it installed
  • Entry into a $10,000 monthly sweepstakes
  • Tokens to play instant win games

Getting these perks is truly as simple as downloading the app and keeping it installed on your phone.

7. Fundrise

When you think of passive income, you likely think of real estate. Unfortunately, pursuing real estate investments can seem overwhelming if you manage an entire property alone. 

Luckily, that’s no longer the only way to earn passive income through real estate. Fundrise is a passive income app that opens the door to income without the headaches of being a landlord. 

You can start investing with Fundrise for as little as $10. Using this crowdfunded real estate platform, you can start building a substantial income stream that you can use to save money.

Keep in mind that investing in real estate is generally a long-term commitment. As a result, make sure you are willing to hold your position for at least five years.

8. M1 Finance

M1 Finance is a free investment app that allows you to build a portfolio. The app makes it easy to invest in dividend stocks that can push income in your direction. 

A key feature of this app is the “pies” that help you map out a portfolio that aligns with your goals. It’s a great place for a new investor to get started. 

The only downside is that you won’t find mutual funds available through M1. 

Beyond offering investment opportunities, you can use M1’s interest-bearing checking account and cash back credit card.

9. Public.com

Public is an app that allows you to invest in stocks, cryptocurrency, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). You can get started with a minimum investment of just one dollar. This makes it easy for anyone to earn money online.

As you build an investment portfolio to create income, you can use the social networking feature to connect with other like-minded investors. 

While you cannot set up a retirement account on Public, you can create a taxable brokerage account that may generate passive income. 

10. Acorns

Acorns is a passive income app that will invest your spare change to build an investment portfolio. Ultimately, you can create investment accounts that grow over time. 

With Acorns, your purchases are rounded to the nearest dollar and then automatically invested. However, you can only invest in one of five ETF options through Acorns. 

These investment limitations might be a constraint for some investors. Plus, you’ll need to commit to a monthly fee that ranges from $1 to $5. 

That said, this app also offers banking features, financial tips, and other ways to earn free money online. These features make it an even more robust option for those looking to generate income.

11. Earny

If you want to make money passively, Earny is another rewards app that will send you extra cash back when you make purchases. In addition to receiving cash back for shopping, Earny tracks your purchases to watch for price drops. 

If an item drops in price, Earny will secure a refund from the provider. As a shopper, this gives you peace of mind, knowing you’ll get the best price. 

This income will roll into your account whenever Earny spots a discount. Plus, the app can even get your money back on late deliveries.

In addition, you can get entered to win sweepstakes prizes for linking your Amazon account.

12. Dosh

Dosh offers a cash back opportunity. After you connect your credit card of choice, you can earn cash back on purchases from various retailers. 

Although you need to provide your credit card details to this passive income app, this information will be safe, thanks to Dosh’s high-level security features. 

When you accumulate $15 in cash back, you can request a transfer to your PayPal, savings, or checking accounts. 

Expect to earn around 2% to 3% cash back through Dosh. 

Read our Dosh Review.

13. Mainvest

Mainvest is an app that offers equity crowdfunding opportunities. As an investor, you can invest in small businesses across the country. 

You’ll need $100 to get started. However, you’ll find companies offering projected returns of 10% to 25%.

When you invest in any company, there is risk involved. This holds true with Mainvest. Fortunately, the app minimizes any risks by having every company complete a thorough vetting process.

It’s important to note that your funds will be tied up for five to ten years. With no option to sell shares early, you’ll want to ensure this timeline works for your finances. 

14. OnMyWay

If you are a safe driver, OnMyWay presents a great way to earn passive income. The app’s goal is to pay drivers who avoid distractions while on the road. 

Once you get the app installed on your phone, you’ll earn a nickel for every mile that you drive without texting. Plus, you’ll also get $100 for signing up. That’s an easy way to earn more money.

The redemption options are limited compared to other passive income apps to make money, but OnMyWay is working on adding more payouts in the future.

Although this is not the most lucrative opportunity, it’s an excellent choice for safe drivers. If you want to earn extra cash for doing something you should already be doing, this is a great way to start making money.

15. Honeygain

This app is truly passive once you have it installed. Honeygain is an app that will help you monetize your unused internet connection.

You just download the app, grant it permission to use your internet, and earn Honeygain credits for every 10 MB it uses.

Once you get to enough credits, you can start cashing out at the $20 threshold limit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before you sign up for the best passive income apps to make more money, you may have some questions. These answers can help you determine which opportunities are right for you.

Are all apps that earn passive income legit?

No. Not all these apps are legitimate opportunities. Unfortunately, there are some scams out there. 

The good news is that the money-making apps on this list are legit options. You might not earn hundreds of dollars, but they can help you earn extra money with minimal effort. 

How much income can I earn from these types of apps?

The amount you can earn from these apps varies dramatically. 

You may not earn much from an app designed to help you get automatic refunds on purchases. However, you might be able to earn a significant amount of passive income through an app that offers investment portfolios. 

What payout options do passive income apps offer?

The payout options vary. In most cases, you’ll be able to receive your earnings in cash via PayPal or direct deposit. Other apps let you redeem earnings for gift cards.

Before signing up for any particular passive income app, make sure you are comfortable with the payment options and redemption minimums before trying to earn money.

Which passive income apps work the best?

A few of the most well-known apps include Swagbucks, InboxDollars, and Rakuten.

That said, there are plenty of opportunities available aside from these three options. After all, plenty of newer apps offer worthwhile passive income opportunities. 

Summary

The best passive income apps can help you create additional income streams. Although some of the opportunities may generate less income than others, they can all add up to a substantial amount of extra money. 

This is especially true when you consider that you don’t have to trade your time to earn more cash.

If you want to add some extra money to your bank accounts, consider using passive income apps to build wealth with minimal effort.