9 Best Android Apps That Pay You: Ranked & Reviewed

Using a mobile phone has become habitual for most people. According to Orbelo, more than 91% of all Americans use a mobile phone daily.

However, only 16% of them, according to Pew Research Centre, have used them to earn some money or to complete an online gig and earn cash at some point.

Are you one of those looking for ways to earn money every day? If so, here are our top Android apps that pay you real money for completing a wide variety of tasks!

Android Apps That Pay You at a Glance

1. Swagbucks: Our Pick
2. InboxDollars: Runner-Up
3. Ibotta: Also Great
4. Money Well: Best for Mobile Gamers
5. Survey Junkie: Excellent for Survey Junkies
6. Rakuten: Best for Heavy Buyers
7. HealthyWage: Perfect for Healthy Eaters
8. Mistplay: Perfect to Play Games
9. Branded Surveys: Perfect for Gift Card Lovers

An Overview of Android Apps That Pay You

Earning money has become easier than ever, with so many passive income apps and diversified sources of income.

Money-making apps are just another way of earning cash rewards by downloading a free app and using it on a daily basis.

What Is an Android App That Pays You?

These are applications for Android phones that pay you real money for playing games, shopping online, watching videos, and more.

They usually have agreements with major retailers and online shopping giants, where the app is responsible for getting more clients in exchange for a part of the profits made by the retailers.

Why Are Android Apps That Pay You Important?

Money-making apps are a reliable and efficient way to earn free money by doing practically nothing. You just watch videos and play games in exchange for free money. Isn’t that awesome?

Do I Need an Android App That Pays Me?

If you have a PayPal account, a mobile device, and some extra time, you should definitely download and try money-making apps.

Whether you shop online, play mobile games, or watch videos, you can earn decent money along the way. This way, maybe you’ll save enough money to finance your dreams.

The Best Android Apps That Pay You at a Glance

If you are ready to start earning money, here are the two best apps to consider first. These are the best options you have to earn money fast.

What Is the Best Android App That Pays You?

The best app that pays you is Swagbucks.

It offers a wide variety of activities you can perform, has fast payouts, and is available from 16 years old.

What is the Best Free Android App That Pays You?

The best free Android app that pays you is InboxDollars.

It has a well-designed and intuitive app paired with different bonuses, including a sign-up one. Also, it is completely free to use.

Features to Look for in Android Apps That Pay You

Before downloading an application from Google Play Store, you need to know some features that differentiate good money-making apps from not-so-good ones.

Here is a list of the five most important aspects you should look for in smartphone apps that pay you.

1. Cost

If you’re serious about earning money with a money-making app, you should understand that the application’s cost should be less than the extra money you make with it.

If, for example, you pay $100 per month to use the app but get only $99.99 in free gift cards, cash rewards, and so on, that’s not a worthwhile app.

2. Customer Service

You’ll often encounter problems with such apps. Sometimes it won’t accept your bank account; other times, you won’t receive your PayPal cash in time, and the list goes on and on.

But, all of these troubles can be solved by customer service.

If the app doesn’t have great customer service, you’ll often find yourself looking for answers somewhere online and on different forums, which is time-consuming and not that fun to do.

3. Design

User-friendliness is an important aspect to search for in all types of apps, not only the money-making ones.

This will help you earn extra cash without getting into the trouble of not understanding how to use the app to complete online surveys or redeem gift cards.

The app should be easy-to-use, intuitive, and straightforward.

4. Rewards

Depending on the type of rewards you want to get, there are different apps you can choose from.

For example, if you’re not a fan of gift cards, you can search for an app that pays cash prizes. If you don’t want to earn points, you can go for an app that pays you in gift cards.

5. Accessibility

Depending on which state you’re in, there are different apps to choose from, as some apps are restricted in certain states.

However, the highest-paying apps are usually so popular that they’re available everywhere.

Best Android Apps That Pay You: Our Top 3 Options [Ranked & Reviewed]

The following money-making apps are the best you can find on the market. We’ve reviewed each aspect of every app for you to choose according to your interests and preferences.

1. Swagbucks: Our Pick

Swagbucks is the best app to earn money on. The application received over 33000 reviews on Trustpilot with an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5.

The app is excellent from all points of view, starting with reward sizes and ending with design and accessibility.

Key Features of Swagbucks

• Intuitive App: You won’t even have to watch tutorials on YouTube to start earning money on Swagbucks. The app is designed perfectly, and even those not too familiar with tech will be able to earn cash by using it.
• Great Rules: The guidelines of Swagbucks are not too strict. Children as young as 13 years old can already start earning money by playing games or watching videos.
• Swagbucks Discover: The Discover Deals program is one of the most lucrative ways to earn cash with Swagbucks. Essentially, you get paid to try new things or buy new stuff you already wanted to buy.
• Swagbucks Search: If you use Swagbucks Search instead of Google, Yahoo, or Bing, you can earn a little extra money. You can earn up to $2 per day by using this search engine instead of your usual one.
• Swagbucks Video: If you’re one of those people that can’t eat without watching videos, you can now turn that lost time into money! You can earn $1 for every 3 hours of watched video content.

Pros of Swagbucks

• Cash and Gift Cards: Swagbucks can pay you in real money or gift cards. It’s up to you what type of reward to choose.
• Easy Rewards: If you don’t plan on making tens of thousands of dollars with Swagbucks, it will be relatively easy for you to get rewarded. 1-2 hours per day and you’ll earn good money.
• Many Ways to Make Money: Usually, money-making apps only provide two or three ways to make money. With Swagbucks, you have more than nine sources of earning extra cash and more to earn gift cards.

Cons of Swagbucks

• Effort: Unfortunately, there’s no way you’ll earn money without putting in some effort. With Swagbucks, the situation is the same. You won’t earn rewards without putting in the work.
• Long Withdrawals: Sometimes, the withdrawal period is long when it comes to Swagbucks. Keep this in mind if you want to get your cash prizes fast.
• Small Money for Some Tasks: While some tasks, like surveys, are paid greatly by Swagbucks, others won’t let you earn as much money as you want.

Swagbucks Pricing

• Price: Swagbucks is a free app. You don’t have to pay to download it or use it.
• Fees: Unlike other apps, Swagbucks doesn’t have fees for withdrawing your cash prizes. However, you may have to pay fees to participate in select games.
• Income: On average, you can earn up to $300 per month with Swagbucks.

Conclusion: Should You Choose Swagbucks?

Swagbucks is an excellent option if you’re looking for diversity and a lot of earning options.

The company offers up to nine sources of earning extra cash, from answering surveys to scanning grocery receipts.

2. InboxDollars: Runner-Up

InboxDollars has been around for a long time. Founded in 2000, the company has gained a reputation as an online leader in cash reward points and survey space.

Key Features of InboxDollars

• Magic Receipts: With InboxDollars Magic Receipt, you can get extra cash for scanning grocery receipts from a specific store.
• InboxDollar Search: InboxDollar has an online search engine that pays you to use it when surfing the web. So, instead of using Google or Bing, you can use InboxDollar Search and get real money!
• InboxDollar WinIt: If you’re an avid social media user, you can get cash from InboxDollar. Every day, on one of its social media accounts, InboxDollar posts a WinIt code. Paste it in the WinIt box on your Inbox Dollars Dashboard and win prizes.
• InboxDollar Paid Shopping: You can earn up to $10 per day by shopping through the affiliate links on InboxDollars. Big brands like Walmart and Gap are paying InboxDollars for bringing in customers, and they give a part of the composition to you.
• Passive Income: By referring friends, you can earn up to 30% of their lifetime earnings. By inviting at least 20 active persons, you can earn up to $200 just from their activity!

Pros of InboxDollars

• Sign-Up Bonus: Earn $5 just for signing up with InboxDollars.
• Great App: Their app is intuitive and well-designed. There are no bugs or ill-working features that would break the process of making money.
• Established Company: InboxDollars is one of the oldest internet companies out there. With an established reputation, Android users won’t have to look for scams or fake opportunities within the app.

Cons of InboxDollars

• High Threshold: You will have to make at least $30 to withdraw them. This will be a problem for those using the site just to make a quick buck for dinner.
• Long Withdrawals: It can take up to 30 days to get the cash you earned through InboxDollars. That being said, you can speed up the process by choosing less popular withdrawal methods.
• Email Notifications: InboxDollars uses an aggressive marketing tactic with a lot of emails being sent to you. This gets pretty annoying after two days of using the site.

InboxDollars Pricing

• Price: It’s free to use and join InboxDollars. However, you will have to pay for different products to get your cash bonuses.
• Fees: You will have a $3 transaction fee for check payments and a processing fee for payouts under $40.
• Income: If we are to believe the site, the average InboxDollar user makes $200-300 per month.

Conclusion: Should You Choose InboxDollars?

InboxDollars is the perfect choice for those looking for a trusted and secure rewards app. They have been in business for over 23 years and have helped a lot of people make money.

Also, if you’re an avid in-store shopper and keep all the receipts, InboxDollars is one of the few receipt-scanning apps that pay big money for it.

3. Ibotta: Also Great

Ibotta is one of the biggest cash-back shopping apps in the world. According to its website, Ibotta has already paid more than $1.2B in cash rewards to almost 40 million customers.

The company, headquartered in Denver, CO, was founded in 2012 by Bryan Leach. Since then, it has become the most prominent cash-back application in the United States.

Key Features of Ibotta

• Great Reach: Ibotta works with more than 300 in-shop retailers, including Target, Walmart, and Food Lion. If you shop at one of these retailers, you can pay in the app for the items you got.
• Online Shopping: If you find the number of in-shop retail partners impressive, wait until you find out the number of online shops available. Ibotta partnered with more than 2000 online retailers, including Amazon. You can now earn cash rewards for grocery shopping both online and offline.
• Direct Cash: Unlike other cash-back apps, Ibotta transfers the money directly to your bank account. No third parties or vouchers.
• Not Just Groceries: While most people use Ibotta for groceries, the app can be used for many other things. Pharmacies, gas stations, restaurants, and many other locations offer cash-backs through Ibotta.
• Gift Cards: Ibotta is partnered with more than 300 nationwide restaurant chains where you can use gift cards to get 10-15% discounts for any item of your choice.

Pros of Ibotta

• Refer Friends and Get Paid: If you use Ibotta’s referral codes to invite friends, you’ll get paid up to $10 for each person.
• Welcome Bonuses: You can earn up to $20 just by signing in with Ibotta and making some purchases within the store.
• Make Money: Ibotta is one of the few apps that lets you make money from everyday purchases.

Cons of Ibotta

• Ads: Ibotta, just like any other company, must work for a profit. Hence, the application has some slightly annoying ads here and there.
• Data Security: Ibotta sells your data to third parties. This is something you’re either okay with or not because you can’t use the app without letting them access your data.
• Customer Support: Ibotta has an online chatbot, but there are no alternatives to that. You can’t talk to somebody on the phone or through email.

Ibotta Pricing

• Price: Ibotta is free to use and download. However, to get the cash rewards, you’ll have to purchase items.
• Fees: Ibotta has some maintenance fees associated with inactive or deactivated accounts.
• Income: The income depends on how much money you spend on purchasing things. The more you purchase, the more you earn.

Conclusion: Should You Choose Ibotta?

If you’re not afraid of getting your data transferred to third parties, Ibotta is the best option for you.

It helps you save money by rewarding cashback from at least 300 nationwide retailers and thousands of online retailers.

Notable Mentions: Other Android Apps That Pay You to Check Out

4. Money Well: Best for Mobile Gamers

If you’re an avid mobile gaming fan, Money Well is the right choice for you. It pays for every minute of your gameplay, stacking the rewards as long as you don’t close the application.

With Money Well, you can earn up to $20 per week by just playing the games you love.

Why Is Money Well a Great Option?

The application is easy to use, has great customer reviews, and offers gift cards at some of the most important shops for a gamer.

With more than 1 million people using it already, Money Well has earned a reputation as a safe gaming app that offers rewards for your gameplay.

Drawbacks to Consider at Money Well

You won’t be able to make a lot of money with Money Well. The application pays approximately 50 tickets per minute, $0,005 for a minute of gameplay.

So, you’ll have to play approximately 10 hours per day to get only $3.

Also, the application might not support the games you want to play, which will further shrink the possibilities of earning money.

Money Well Pricing

• Price: The app is free to use and download.
• Fees: There are no fees associated with Money Well.
• Income: You can make up to $20 per week by playing games with Money Well.

5. Survey Junkie: Best for Survey Junkies

Survey Junkie is one of the oldest survey apps out there. Owned by consumer insights platform DISQO, Survey Junkie has more than 20 million customers worldwide.

This made Survey Junkie one of the most trusted survey websites online, getting high scores on Trustpilot and Better Business Bureau.

Why Is Survey Junkie a Great Option?

Survey Junkie has a wide variety of surveys you can use to earn rewards. The points you get for those surveys take a while to expire compared to other sites, allowing you to earn more before redeeming them.

Survey Junkie also lets you redeem your points for cash or free gift cards at their partner stores. Starbucks, Target, Sephora, and many other retail stores inked partnerships with Survey Junkie.

Drawbacks to Consider at Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie has never become a worldwide brand. If you’re not a resident of the US, Canada, or Australia, you won’t be able to participate in their surveys.

Also, you won’t make a lot of money with Survey Junkie. On average, you’ll be earning $1-2 per hour by completing surveys.

Survey Junkie Pricing

• Price: Survey Junkie is free to use and download.
• Fees: Survey Junkie doesn’t have any fees.
• Income: You can earn up to $3 per hour with Survey Junkie

6. Rakuten: Best for Heavy Buyers

Rakuten, formerly known as Ebates, is an affiliate marketing agency that rewards influencers for directing consumers to buy from their site or store.

However, Rakuten also pays simple customers for making purchases through their website or by using their browser extension. You can earn up to 40% cashback on a purchase made through Rakuten.

Why Is Rakuten a Great Option?

Rakuten has already inked partnerships with more than 2500 retailers. These include big names like Walmart, Amazon, Target, and Sephora.

While the browser extension has got you covered for web shopping, you can always earn rewards for making in-store purchases by activating the in-store offers in the application.

Also, the referral program at Rakuten allows you to earn up to $25 for every friend you invite.

Drawbacks to Consider at Rakuten

Almost every partner of Rakuten has items that aren’t eligible for cashback. For instance, you won’t be able to buy the latest MacBook and get 20% cashback from Walmart.

Also, you should read Rakuten’s fine print thoroughly. Many former Rakuten customers have expressed their dissatisfaction with the fact that Rakuten disabled their accounts without notice.

Lastly, Rakuten doesn’t let you get your rewards whenever you want. Rakuten makes quarterly cashback payments.

If you don’t manage to accumulate the minimum $5 this quarter, you’ll have to wait till the next one.

Rakuten Pricing

• Price: Rakuten is completely free to use and download.
• Fees: Rakuten doesn’t have any fees
• Income: It depends on the products you’re buying. On average, you can earn up to 15% of the cash you spend through Rakuten back.

7. HealthyWage: PerfectFor Healthy Eaters

Are you a fitness addict that wants to earn some money on the side? HealthyWage is the right app for you!

The company pays millions of people from all around the world to lose weight, achieve their dream body, and become the better, healthier version of themselves.

Why Is HealthyWage a Great Option?

For most people, the biggest motivation in life is money. HealthyWage uses that by developing a program where participants commit a set amount of money monthly as they complete a weight loss challenge.

For example, you give up $1000 per month, set a goal, and if you complete that goal, you get $1000 + an additional reward.

Also, you can participate in different types of challenges from HealthyWage, in which you can win a lot of money. The company stated that it had paid $10 million in the past 12 months.

Drawbacks to Consider at HealthyWage

If you don’t complete the challenge, you lose all the money you bet. There is no refund policy or other tricks that will enable you to retrieve the lost funds.

HealthyWage Pricing

• Price: The app is absolutely free to download and use. However, to win money, you’ll have to bet money.
• Fees: There are no fees for using HealthyWage
• Income: You can earn up to $10000 per bet.

8. Mistplay: Perfect to Play Games

With more than 10 million downloads, Mistplay is one of the biggest apps that rewards customers for playing games.

Founded in 2016 by Henri Machalani and Eugene Joannides, the company partners with game app developers who are looking to attract more attention to their newly dropped game.

Why Is Mistplay a Great Option?

You can always redeem your earnings via a Visa or Mastercard prepaid card or PayPal Cash. Also, you can choose to redeem your earnings in the form of different gift cards from Amazon, Sephora, and more.

There are dozens of games on Mistplay, from puzzles to multiplayer shooters. This combination of different alternatives will keep you focused on earning extra cash.

Drawbacks to Consider at Mistplay

The biggest problem with Mistplay is that it shares your data with third parties. You can’t prevent it, and you have to just accept the fact that third parties will have access to it once you start earning money with Mistplay.

Also, for some games, the payouts are low. You won’t be able to even make $2 per day playing those games.

Mistplay Pricing

• Price: It’s completely free to use and download Mistplay
• Fees: There are no fees associated with Mistplay
• Income: Depending on the game you play, you can earn up to $3 per day.

9. Branded Surveys: Perfect for Gift Card Lovers

Branded Surveys, formerly known as Mintvine, was started back in 2012 and has earned a great reputation since.

They are a marketing research company that pays you for your opinion on different strategies and applications of marketing doctrines.

They have a user-friendly website and a great number of surveys available.

Why Is Branded Surveys a Great Option?

In comparison to other survey apps, Branded Surveys pays significantly more for a single survey. Also, the points you get can be redeemed through PayPal or Direct Deposit.

The company has an interesting leveling process in place, where you can earn different types of badges that enable you to get better rewards.

Their huge selection of gift cards combined with a great website and customer service makes Branded Surveys a great option for those who want their opinion to matter.

Drawbacks to Consider at Branded Surveys

If you want to get your money through a PayPal account, you’ll have to wait up to 3 weeks to get your transfer. With Direct Deposit, you’ll have to wait up to 2 weeks.

Branded Surveys Pricing

• Price: It’s completely free to download and use Branded Surveys
• Fees: There are no fees
• Income: You can earn up to $25-30 per day

Other Companies Relevant to Android Apps That Pay You

• Survey Apps That Pay You: Are you fond of taking surveys online? If so, you can earn up to $200 per week by taking surveys using different apps and websites!
• Game Apps That Pay You: Gaming has always been a competitive business. To attract more users, game developers are ready to pay for you to play their games. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to make a quick buck!
• Apps That Pay You on PayPal: Do you want to only receive payments on PayPal? Don’t worry; we got you! Get paid by apps on PayPal right now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here you can find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about apps that pay you real money.

What Apps Pay the Fastest?

The fastest payments can be found at Swagbucks and Survey Junkies. You can get your money in up to 3 days.

Can I Make Money Full Time?

No, you can’t make money full-time with apps that pay you real money. They don’t pay enough for you to quit your job. These apps must be viewed as side hustles, not your main source of income.

Wrapping Up

Downloading two or three apps from this list will allow you to earn some money on the side from the comfort of your home.

This will help you to save money for a trip you’ve always wanted to do or a big purchase you always desired.

No matter which one of these applications you choose, you’ll definitely be a little richer at the end of the day. Don’t hesitate to try them right away!