How To Make Money From Your Phone

Want to know how to make money from your phone? It’s easy! There are tons of ways to make real cash like taking surveys, playing games, and more.

  • Nearly 50% of Americans rely on side hustles to boost income.
  • Numerous apps and tools enable making money directly from your smartphone.
  • Popular money-making apps include Swagbucks, Rakuten, and InboxDollars.
  • Easy ways to earn include taking surveys, selling items, and doing deliveries.
  • Table of contents

    According to a recent survey, nearly 50% of Americans rely on some type of side hustle to boost their income.

    The challenge is when you have to juggle between irregular work schedules, lack of childcare, or other hurdles you have to deal with constantly.

    They can make it difficult to pick up a part-time job or even put in a few extra hours at your regular workplace.

    Luckily, you still have one option left: your phone.

    Can You Make Money From Your Phone?

    Definitely! Numerous apps, tools, and resources are designed to help you make real money from your phone.

    We could all do with a bit of extra income every now and then.

    Whether you’re strapped for some quick cash or looking for a steady flow of revenue, you can always leverage your smartphone.

    Think of it this way: that phone you’re always holding can be a stress-inducing waste of time.

    Or, you can use it to make some easy money.

    If you go with door number two, then you’re in luck!

    There are dozens of legit apps that can help you make a profit just by using your phone.

    Why Make Money From Your Phone?

    Think about how much time you spend scrolling through social media.

    Now what if we told you you could make some money doing that very same thing?

    It’s Convenient

    Easy and convenient are two words that have become increasingly important to us.

    That’s why the idea of making money using our phones is so appealing.

    Make Some Extra Cash

    There are countless ways to earn money online by using your phone.

    Even if you don’t make a fortune watching videos and taking surveys, you’ll still be able to make a nice chunk of change.

    Use Up Free Time

    Our whole lives are on our phones.

    So, it’s only natural that you take advantage of the fact that you’re constantly glued to your phone to make a few extra bucks whenever you have a few free minutes.

    Which App Gives Real Money?

    There are several legit apps, including the following, that you can use to supplement your income during your free time.

    All these apps are available in both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

    Swagbucks

    With the Swagbucks app, you get paid to play games, shop online, watch videos, and take surveys.

    The more you use it, the more points you’ll earn, which you can then trade in for gift cards or PayPal cash.

    Plus, you also get an easy $5 just for signing up!

    Rakuten

    Formerly known as ‘Ebates,’ Rakuten pays you to shop online.

    You even get a $10 sign-up bonus when you create your account.

    Then, each time you shop, you get cash back and earn coupons.

    Plus, there are opportunities to earn more money when you get your friends to sign up as well.

    InboxDollars

    Another free app that offers real money is InboxDollars.

    Simply sign-up and create an account.

    As soon as you start using the app, you’ll receive a $5 bonus for new users.

    Then, you can start making money by buying stuff online, playing games, or watching videos.

    Each activity earns you a different sum.

    Yet, what makes InboxDollars different from most other money-making apps is that they pay in actual cash, not points.

    Survey Junkie

    Survey Junkie is one of the most popular and legit survey apps around.

    The app works by connecting users to companies looking to do market research.

    The majority of surveys on this app pay between 100 and 200 points.

    You can redeem them for online gift cards and even cash you can transfer to your PayPal account.

    How to Make Money from Your Phone

    There are a handful of entrepreneurs who started using their phones to make some extra money.

    Now, they run highly successful companies.

    One example is Anne Halsall and Sara Mauskopf who co-founded a marketplace for childcare products and services called Winnie,

    Another example is Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, founders of a popular photo-sharing app you may have heard of: Instagram.

    So, making money from your phone is clearly doable.

    Yet, it can be challenging to filter out which apps and services will turn out a profit, and which ones to avoid.

    How Can You Make Money on Your Phone Without Investing?

    Below are a few ways you can bring in some revenue without investing a dime.

    Take Surveys

    Like the survey we mentioned at the start of the article, you too can get paid to take surveys.

    Get Cash Back

    One of the easiest ways to make money is to use cash-back apps when shopping.

    It may sound too good to be true.

    However, dozens of bonafide websites can help you do just that.

    Each site may have different policies, but the idea behind them is the same.

    You buy something at retail price, and these sites will pay you back between 3% and 5% of what you paid, hence the name ‘cash back.’

    Sell Your Old Things

    You probably have a pile of things you no longer need.

    So, rather than having them lying around collecting dust, why not sell them online?

    Start by taking a picture or two of each item.

    Then, place them online on any of the following sites with a price tag and your contact information.

    • eBay
    • Etsy
    • Facebook Marketplace
    • Mercari
    • Depop

    Be a Delivery Driver

    If you have a car and a few free hours on your hands each day, you can sign-up with a delivery app like Instacart.

    Once you set up your account, you’ll start getting shopping orders on your app.

    After accepting the orders, you do the shopping for the customer, deliver their items to their location, and get paid.

    With other apps, such as DoorDash, you won’t do any of the shopping.

    You’ll only be asked to pick up orders and make deliveries.

    How to Make Money from Mobile Apps

    Just about everyone on the planet has access to a smartphone, which means that they have access to numerous money-making opportunities.

    Take Surveys

    You’ve probably taken dozens of surveys before.

    But have you ever been paid for it?

    Now you can, thanks to the many apps that offer to pay for each survey you participate in.

    We do have to mention that the pay is often quite low.

    Yet, you still get to earn a few bucks for simply answering some questions, which makes it a great side hustle.

    Sell Stuff

    Besides selling your old stuff, you can also sell things you make, like handmade items, artwork, or printed apparel.

    In addition to the sites mentioned above, here are a few other places to sell your ware:

    • Printify
    • Shopify
    • Bonanza
    • Handshake
    • Poshmark

    Work

    If you have a good internet connection, some basic freelancing skills, and a smartphone, you can find tons of work.

    Some of the most common sites that pay for freelance work are Guru, Fiverr, Peopleperhour, and Upwork.

    Here are some freelancing ideas you can try:

    • Virtual assistant
    • Online tutor
    • Content writing
    • Data entry
    • Software development
    • Graphic design
    • Translation

    How to Make Money with Your Android Phone

    Check out these easy ways for beginners to make money online.

    Play Games

    If you’re a game lover, then this is your lucky day!

    There are apps on Google Play that will pay you to test out their games and provide them with feedback.

    Other gaming apps just pay you to play.

    You don’t even have to tell them what you think of their game.

    A few examples of these money-making games are Mistplay, Buff, and JustPlay.

    Watch Videos

    You probably watch tons of advertisements and short video clips anyway.

    So, why not make some money in the process?

    Below are a few apps and websites that offer money for watching ads on their site:

    • Fronto
    • InboxDollars
    • Prize Rebel
    • QuickRewards
    • Swagbucks

    Download Survey Apps

    Rather than visit an online survey site to see if they have anything available, you can always download an Android app and take surveys for money.

    The most common is Pawns.

    It pays you up to $2 per survey and only takes a few minutes to complete.

    The Quickest Ways to Make Money on Your Phone

    If you’re looking for some quick cash, the following ideas should be high on your list.

    Download an Investment App

    Investments are a highly lucrative idea, but they come with risks.

    Luckily, some apps allow you to earn money through investments without gambling your hard-earned money.

    An app like Acorns tracks your spending and rounds it to the nearest dollar.

    Then, it takes the difference and deposits it into your investment account.

    Another app, Stash, rounds up your purchases and invests in stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with low expense ratios.

    Sell Your Data

    In this high-tech day and age, large companies and retailers are constantly seeking ways to better understand consumer spending habits.

    This requires gathering large amounts of data.

    So, smartphone applications like Tapestri and Pog started offering cash for users willing to share their data with them.

    All you have to do is download the app and permit it to track your online interactions.

    Download Survey Apps

    As we mentioned above, taking surveys is probably the fastest way you can make money from your phone.

    All it needs is a few minutes, and you’re cashing in a couple of dollars each time.

    A few good apps to choose from include:

    • Pagazani
    • Paid Surveys
    • Survey Junkie
    • Zap Surveys
    • Surveys on the Go

    How to Make Money with Your Phone Number

    We’re not talking about your actual phone number, but rather what’s known as a ‘virtual’ number that requires no hardware or paperwork.

    Sometimes called ‘online numbers,’ they’re not linked to a physical phone or landline.

    So setting them up is quick and easy.

    The way they work is that they provide the user with a way to divert and route calls from one number to another.

    It may sound shady, but virtual phone numbers are a great way to enhance small business dealings and help them compete against large corporations.

    Virtual Call Center

    Call centers are a vital part of any customer service.

    Yet, sometimes small companies don’t have the means to get multiple numbers linked to their business.

    So, they resort to virtual phone numbers that they purchase from you.

    It may be an uncommon side hustle, but you’ll still be able to generate some passive income.

    Besides using it in their call centers, they can also use the number to forward calls, as well as for pitching and telemarketing.

    Renting Out Phone Numbers

    You can get paid a monthly sum to rent your virtual phone number.

    The rentee can then use the number as a domestic or even international number.

    Yet, don’t worry; you’ll be notified of every activity.

    You can also supervise all incoming and outgoing messages directly with the help of third-party apps.

    Use it for Cold Calls

    Cold calls are when a customer is solicited by a salesperson over the phone.

    The best thing about making cold calls from a virtual phone number is that businesses can make unlimited calls virtually anywhere in the world.

    This helps widen their target audience and boost sales.

    How to Make Money with Your Phone as a Student

    Here are a few ideas you can use to make some extra quick cash.

    Sell Old Clothes or Things

    Scour out your dorm room or your bedroom at your parent’s house for old items you no longer need.

    Then, make them look presentable, take a few photos, and market them on any online marketplace, such as Decluttr, Gumtree, or ThredUp

    Sell Photos

    If you’re good with using your smartphone’s camera filters and settings, then there’s a good chance you can make money selling photos.

    There are several apps you can use, but the one that’s currently trending is a user-friendly app called Foap.

    This app doesn’t limit the number of times you can sell each photo.

    There’s also no limit on how many photos you can upload to the site, which increases the likelihood of a sale.

    Fill Out Surveys

    As a student, you’re often asked your opinions and thoughts on various subjects.

    So, why not use that to make some additional money?

    Simply head to a survey site like InboxDollars, share your opinions, and get paid—it’s that simple!

    With some survey sites, you’ll need to create an account with your email, such as Opinion Space.

    Then, each time a new survey is available, you’ll get a notification on your phone.

    Wrapping Up

    Luckily for us, there’s no end to the possibilities of how you can make money from your phone.

    Most of them are easy to use, but not all of them are reliable.

    Even the profitable ones require patience because they pay a few dollars at a time.

    Yet, that’s money you didn’t have a few minutes ago, so no complaining!

    It’s up to you to decide how you want to use your phone.

    Are you happy idly reading people’s posts and watching ads?

    Or would you rather be doing something more productive with your time, like filling your pockets with a few extra bucks?

    Brett Helling
    Founder, Gigworker.com

    Brett Helling is the founder and owner of Gigworker.com. Having worked in the gig economy for nearly a decade, he has mastered freelance, remote, and app-based work. You can learn more about his journey in his book, "Gigworker: Independent Work and the State of the Gig Economy", now available on Amazon.

    Go to creator profile