8 mobile apps to earn real money
Times are tough and everyone can use a few extra bucks for the holidays.
Fear not though, technology has come to your rescue (sort of, provided you don’t need it serious cash) with applications that allow you to earn real money from an Android or iOS device.
There’s certainly no shortage of choices, but many don’t have the rave reviews you’d want, given the time investment involved – and some seem like an outright rip-off.
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I’ve avoided the ones that seem to get a lot of trouble and I’ve avoided the apps that force you to endlessly watch video ads or fill out lengthy surveys to earn money, although there are those too, if that’s your thing.
Naturally, many apps will require your input or personal data in exchange for payment, but TNW web-savvy readers probably already knew that, right?
Bit Walk
Bitwalking is a new app that lets you earn Bitwalking Dollars (BW$) just for going about your daily business.
Launched in September last year, it is still in the private beta phase, but you are free to request an invite from the platform.
Once you enter, all you have to do is keep moving to start earning money. You will have to do a lot of walking though – around 10,000 steps for $1 BW. If you spend all day walking around for work, what is there to lose?
At launch, the company said you’ll be able to redeem your earnings for items offered in its own store or transfer the money to your bank account. However, the service is still being tested and therefore may change in the future.
➤ Bitwalking
slidejoy
Slidejoy is an Android-only app that’s definitely not going to make you rich, but you also don’t really need to do anything to possibly get paid for the service any easier.
In a nutshell, it puts advertisements and news on your lock screen, and in exchange you earn “Carats” which can be exchanged for real money and saved in your PayPal account.
To sign up you get 20 carats, and you’ll need 2,000 or more to check anything – 1,000 carats equals $1.
The number of carats you get each day can vary, so it might be slow, but if you can tolerate the ads on your lock screen, it’s free money. You also don’t get extra carats for interacting with ads, so there’s no incentive to click through if you’re not interested in what’s on offer.
➤ Slidejoy [Android]
Pact
Pact is one of the more unusual money-making apps on the list in that it aims to make you stick to your exercise regimen.
You commit to whatever commitment you’re comfortable with (based on food intake, how often you plan to train, etc.), then promise an amount you’ll pay if you miss those goals .
If you achieve them, you receive rewards directly from the members who did not reach their goals.
Judging by the reviews, you probably won’t make more than $100-150 a year, but you could also stay healthy and live a little longer.
The company says the average reward is between $0.30 and $5 per week, depending on how many activities you engage in. The amount you wager on your own activity does not affect your payout.
The downside is that it could end up costing you a lot of money if you don’t stick to your goals – and some of the reviews aren’t so positive.
➤ Pact [iOS | Android]
Google Opinion Rewards
It’s one that most certainly falls into the “will never make you a lot of money” category, but for Android users, it’s a bit of a no-brainer.
In short, once you install the app, a survey will pop up from time to time. In return for answering a few questions (there are never more than a few questions, and this tells you how many are in each survey), you get a small credit added directly to your Google Play balance, where it can be redeemed at through movies, games, apps and everything sold there.
The amount you get is small, but each survey takes so little time that it’s worth completing, as long as you’re happy to share the data. It should be emphasized that no everything surveys have a payment, but the majority do.
➤ Google Opinion Rewards [Android]
Mousse
Foap is a well-known app for turning your photos into cash, so we’ll keep this introduction brief.
All you have to do is upload your photos and sell them on the Foap Market – and to keep things simple, each shot costs $10 to purchase.
Creators receive half of each sale, and the money can then be transferred to your bank account.
What makes Foap appealing is its simplicity and ability to upload photos directly to your phone from other photography apps like Instagram, Flickr, and EyeEm.
➤ Foam [iOS | Android]
Mobee
This is for users in the United States only, but if you’re willing to do a few mystery shopper tasks (go to stores and check stock levels of a specific item, time customer service time, take photos, etc.), then you can earn money for your time.
The app displays assignments on a map so you can find a nearby assignment. Once you complete it, the team manually verifies the submission and then credits you with the points, which can be redeemed for gift cards, cash, or other rewards.
➤ Mobee [iOS | Android]
Snapwire
Snapwire is another lucrative image-based app in this list, but it’s not quite the same as the others in this list as it focuses on the photographer, rather than the photographs.
It’s not so much an app for the everyday snapper as it is for the semi-professional/professional photographer.
There are two options for selling your photos: requests and challenges, or in a more conventional marketplace – though Snapwire handpicks your best shots, making them searchable and including them in the image database.
The Requests and Challenges route requires you to start as an “Explorer” by submitting images to Snapwire Challenges to earn points. Once you reach a higher level, you can participate in paid buyer requests or receive direct commissions from customers.
Photographers keep 70% of their income via the market route.
➤ Snapwire [iOS | Android]
MiPic
MiPic markets itself as a social marketplace for your photographs, much like Foap, except your images can be printed on a range of things and purchased by other users directly through the platform.
There is an iOS app but no native Android version, although you can still use the web interface through your phone.
The purchased items are then manufactured and shipped (internationally) from the UK. The creator of the image that was used for the item is then credited with up to 20% of the sale price, which can be saved to a PayPal account.
Although it’s a similar idea to Foap, bringing product manufacturing into the platform was a smart move that helps set it apart from other image marketplaces.
➤ MiPic [iOS]
