Let’s face it- we could ALL use a little extra dough (especially “we” who are actors!) Whether you want extra money to save a little more or splurge a little more, it never hurts.

If you’re like me, you’re busy, too. We don’t necessarily have the time to work out elaborate “side hustles” or take on extra part time jobs. That’s why passive income is so important to me, as well as money that I can earn with minimal thought or effort.

This is the definitive list of apps I use that make me money while I go about my day. I’ve experimented with tons of different apps in the years since I’ve gotten a smartphone, and I finally have a system that can determine which ones are actually worth my time, and which ones aren’t remotely worth the money they pay out.

To make my list, these apps must check at least three of the following four requirements:

• Quick, very easy, or automatic – An app that takes barely any effort from me at all. Maybe a quick setup or check-in here and there. A few minutes of my time weekly, max.
• Pays well – The payouts add up and make any effort I put in worth my time.
• Fun! –  Some of these apps are more “time killers”, meaning they are enjoyable for me. Rather than play a regular game on my phone, I can play something that pays me money to kill time!
• Reliable and intuitive system and payouts – I’m not spending valuable time emailing customer service, trying to figure out what the heck I’m doing, or jumping through hoops.

So here we go! If I discover new apps that I love, I will update this list as needed! Have fun making extra money! If you use anything you really love that I don’t mention here, feel free to leave a comment and let me know. Sharing is caring, after all!

1. Ebates 

If you aren’t using Ebates, you are really missing out. This is one of the best money making “set it and forget it” programs you could possibly ask for. It is an app, but you can also shop using the desktop version. They have a plugin that automatically alerts you when a page you’ve loaded qualifies for cash back. What more can you ask for?

What I love about it:

• The cash back adds up fast
• Completely free to download and use
• You get money back for shopping online OR in store
• You barely have to think about it once it’s set up
• Great sign up bonuses
• Pays reliably every quarter
• Can choose to receive money via Paypal- no checks getting lost in the mail
• Incredibly safe and trustworthy. They have been around a long time. No worries about linking my credit cards, etc.
• I’m literally being paid to shop, which I do anyway. Piece of cake.

How much I earn:

I typically earn around $50 per quarterly payout, more after the holidays. $200 + a year for no extra work whatsoever.

Tips to maximize your return:

• Set it all up at the very beginning. Why miss out on an easy cash back opportunity because you didn’t spend an extra few minutes linking all your cards?
• Be sure to download the plugin for your computer browser that alerts you to every cash back opportunity online. Just click “activate cash back” when the box pops up.
• Take a minute to peruse the deals on the app once a week or so. Sometimes I find something I was going to buy at some point has a great cash back deal, so it makes sense to just purchase it now.
• Ebates usually offers a large percentage back from Groupon, so you save big money twice on those purchases!

Download Ebates here to earn a $10 bonus right off the bat!

2. Swagbucks

Swagbucks works in two parts. The app is called SBTV, and you get paid for watching videos. I set it before I get in the shower, cook dinner, or sit down to read and just let the videos play. No effort required. The other part is the desktop version, where you can earn more Bucks by taking surveys, watching ads, answering polls, searching the web, and other tasks. It’s up to you how much effort you want to put in.

What I love about it:

• I can let the videos play on the app and go about my business
• Totally free to download and use
• If I get extra motivated, I have the option to earn money faster through the website
• You can cash out with a balance as low as $5
• Several options to cash out: Amazon, Target, Starbucks, or Walmart gift cards, or via Paypal
• Pays reliably and with no fuss

How much I earn:

I typically don’t bother with anything besides the SBTV app, but I cash out $25 every 4-6 months for just letting the videos play. The actual site can pay out much more.

Tips to maximize your return:

• For the SBTV app, set a few videos to your “favorites”, then just click on one of those to play. The videos will then play automatically in a loop, instead of having to select them individually.
• Search for the “10 Second Tip” videos to add to your favorites. These are very short videos so you will cycle through more in a shorter time.
• If you like watching movie trailers (I do!) watch them on this app. May as well get paid to watch them!
• You can also download the actual Swagbucks app- all the rewards go into the same pool. If you do, answer the daily poll for a quick Buck.

Click here to get started with Swagbucks now! Set up your account via the site, THEN download the SBTV app (and the SB app if you choose) and start earning easy money within 5 minutes!

3. Ibotta

This is one of the absolute easiest and best cash back apps I’ve found. This is one of the four apps I use as my “grocery system.” When I grocery shop at Target, Kroger, anywhere like that, I take 5-10 minutes to submit my receipt to four apps in quick succession to get money back for my purchases. Ibotta is consistently the one that pays me back the most. You also get a great bonus just for signing up.

What I love about it:

• Easy and quick- even if I have a lot of cash back items, it doesn’t take me more than 5 minutes to run through and submit everything
• Reliable payouts- never had a problem or had to contact customer service
• Free to download and use, and get paid just to sign up!
• Cash back for the stores I use most: Target, Kroger (Ralphs), Walgreens, CVS, Whole Foods, PetSmart, etc
• Has added a ton of other stores outside of groceries for rebates, including Express, Jo-Ann, Overstock.com, Amazon, and many more
• Has rebates for “any item”, or “any juice”- these types of options, instead of just expensive brand names.
• Tons of fun bonuses for buying certain combinations or cashing out certain amounts
• Cash out with Paypal or Venmo (awesome!), or with several gift card options

How much I earn:

I cash out $20 every couple of months. $100-120 extra per year.

Tips to maximize your return:

• Combine with other grocery cash back apps (which I will list here, don’t worry!) for a quick system that gets you cash back from many sources, often for the same items!
• If you like or have time, take a minute to sweep through the offers for the store you are going to before shopping, or check against your shopping list. I’ve often discovered after the fact that I could have gotten a few dollars back for the same exact item I bought, only a different brand.
• Use this for cash back on all alcohol purchases! Some of the biggest rebates are for wine, liquor, and beer, often as much as $8 back for one bottle.

Download Ibotta here to receive a $10 welcome bonus- just for signing up!

4. Receipt Hog

This is always Step One in my “grocery system.” This app requires you to snap a quick photo of your receipt, and that’s it! You are rewarded with tokens (and spins for more tokens) for each receipt. Can use for almost any receipt you get, anywhere, for any items you purchase.

What I love about it:

• Easy, easy, easy. Takes 30 seconds each time I shop.
• Can submit receipts up to two weeks after purchase, so you can save them and do all at once if you prefer.
• It’s really fun! There is a game component wherein you can “level up” for bonuses each week you submit, or earn spins for receipts and weekly bonuses, which earn extra tokens. There is also a cute little hog that wears different outfits for the season, and fattens up as you feed him!
• Earn sweepstakes submissions for each receipt as well, including restaurant receipts.
• HUGE bonus- using this app means I have digital copies of ALL my receipts for everything I buy! I’ve used this when I needed to return something but threw away my paper receipt, as well as at tax time.
• Cash out rewards via Paypal, Amazon, or for magazine subscriptions
• Totally free to download and use
• No issues receiving cash back- quick and easy.

How much I earn:

Typically I cash out $5- $20 every 4-6 months. This app won’t make you rich, but for the tiny time investment and “fun” factor, it’s worth it. You also have the chance to win sweepstakes or spin the wheel for a large reward, such as $100 or the price of your last shopping trip.

Tips to maximize your return:

• Combine with other receipt submission apps to create a quick system
• Use it for the extra benefit of having your receipts backed up
• Submit at least one receipt a week, however small. Each week contributes to your “level up” bonuses, which really add up, as well as spins. Receive two spins every week you submit, but seven spins if you submit all four weeks in a month!
• Connect to your Amazon account for free sweepstakes entries without having to do a thing.
• Surveys appear periodically- they are quick and easy with great token rewards. Find them on the Rewards tab!

Download Receipt Hog here to start hogging your receipts!

5. SavingStar and Checkout 51

I realize it’s a bit strange to put these two apps together, but they are very similar, and I only ever use them together. These are the final two apps in my post grocery trip system. They are someone limited separately, but when I’m already uploading grocery receipts, I go ahead and take a couple of minutes to upload them to these apps as well.

What I love about them:

• Great complement to my other grocery cash back apps
• Quick and easy- it takes me maybe 2-4 extra minutes to submit receipts to these apps as well
• Maximizes my cash back- I often receive multiple rebates for the same items
• Easy and reliable cash out
• Free to download and use
• SavingStar only requires a low balance of $5 to cash out, which is rare, and often you can get that much from just one rebate
• Checkout 51 offers rebates from a huge selection of stores from the most common ones (Kroger, Walmart, etc), to less common options, such as Dollar General, Smart & Final, and Costco.

How much I earn:

These apps pay out less, so I really recommend them in conjunction with the other apps listed above, if you shop at the less common stores covered by SavingStar, or if you do large grocery trips with a lot of brand names. I cash out approximately $10-20 between the two of them every 6 months.

Tips to maximize your return:

• Use with other receipt submission apps to make it worth your time.
• Take advantage of the generic cash back items, such as “a loaf of bread” or “eggs,” as well as the many rebates for fresh produce that Checkout 51 offers.
• Scan the apps quickly before shopping if you are so inclined to find out any large rebate opportunities in advance.
• SavingStar offers a shopping list option to streamline the process.

Download SavingStar from the app store here, and Checkout 51 here.

6. UserTesting

Now we have come to one of my absolute favorites. This one requires some of your time and energy, but it pays off and is totally worth it. UserTesting has an app and desktop version, and I do recommend using both.

Basically, you will be testing out websites and apps, going through a series of tasks while you speak your thoughts out loud. These typically pay $10 per test and take, on average, 15-20 minutes. That works out to $30-40 an hour for something you can easily do at home in your spare time!

What I love about it:

• Easy and fun. I actually enjoy testing out the sites and apps and giving my feedback!
• The feedback is mostly given vocally, so there isn’t a lot of typing or long surveys to fill out, which can be tedious.
• I often receive tests that take just five or ten minutes. $10 for that amount of time is very worth it to me.
• I make my own schedule. If I have a little down time, I open the app or website and see what’s available. If I don’t touch it for a month, no big deal.
• Payment comes to your Paypal account exactly one week after the test, like clockwork.
• The two times I’ve had any issues at all, customer service has gotten right back to me and made sure I was paid.
• If the test looks too long or has too many steps, simply end the test.
• I’ve discovered some pretty cool new sites and apps through this gig!

How much I earn:

I’ve earned close to $600 in one year. That’s just extra money on my own schedule!

Tips to maximize your return:

• I definitely recommend using both the app and website version of this one.
• If you leave the UserTesting page open and stay signed in, you will hear a ding when a new test pops up. This means that you can go about your day and wait to be alerted to a new opportunity.
• They go fast, so click on the new test as soon as they appear if possible.
• Try using a headset for the best experience, and read the testing tips when you sign up. You will be rated by the clients, and if you aren’t helpful or don’t do a good job, your rating could go low enough that you stop receiving test offers.
• You can also download an app onto a tablet if you have one, for even more testing opportunities.

Sign up for UserTesting here. You will need to sign up on a computer, then they will send you a link to download the app, as it is by invite only.

7. Surveys On The Go

I have tried and deleted many a survey app. Usually, I find they are not worth my time. Not the case with this one. Surveys On The Go has a lot of things going for it, and the payouts are satisfying.

What I love about it:

• A clear, bright, and easy to use interface
• Free to download and use
• Consistent survey offers, unlike some apps that will sometimes leave you high and dry for weeks or months at a time
• Get paid even when you don’t qualify for the survey. I’ve often made a quick ten cents spending 15 seconds answering just a couple of questions. Most survey apps don’t pay anything if you don’t qualify.
• Low payout threshold- cash out after just $10 banked
• Many opportunities for high paying surveys, often up to $15 or even $25.
• Surveys are generally fast, easy, and fun, unlike most survey apps and sites, which I find tedious.
• Cash out quickly and easily with several options for payment: Amazon, Visa, or Starbucks gift cards, or, my favorite, Paypal.

How much I earn:

I usually cash out between $10-20 every few months.

Tips to maximize your return:

• Open the app once a day or so to make sure you’re catching new survey opportunities.
• Great app to make some money while you’re waiting for something or killing time.
• Check for surveys when you’re out shopping- a lot of the high paying surveys ask you to check out an item in a store and answer a few questions about it.
• Turn on location services and alerts for the most survey opportunities.

Download SOTG here to start making money taking surveys!

8. Panel App

Another one of my favorite money making apps, because I earn points for doing nothing at all. Earn points with Panel App for simply having your phone with you as you travel to different locations. Earn extra points for taking quick surveys about those locations, such as selecting the restaurant you went to, or what you were doing at a particular time.

What I love about it:

• This app checks the “quick, easy, or automatic” box in a big way. I get hundreds of points with almost no effort on my part.
• Free to download and use
• Drive around town and watch the points add up
• Easy to maximize points if you take quick surveys
• Can redeem points for sweepstakes entries, which have higher payouts, or save for guaranteed cash
• Cash out for Amazon, Visa, Walmart, or Playstore gift cards. (I’m addicted to Amazon Prime, so those gift cards are gold to me!)
• Simple, straightforward, and to the point. Easy, easy, easy.

How much I earn:

It’s easy to cash out $20 every 6 months or so with this app, with maybe a 30-minute time investment total.

Tips to maximize your return:

• Open the app once a day and check for a survey. If it’s there, take it to get the most points available. It takes me 15-30 seconds, typically.

Download Panel App here to start making money without even trying!

9. Lucktastic

Lucktastic is all about online scratch off cards. This app, for me, is mostly about the fun aspect, although the payout is not bad in the end. I get excited to play, and there is always the chance of winning really big! I recently watched them give away a million dollars to one player- so why not?

What I love about it:

• I love playing scratch offs in real life, so to play for free online is awesome to me!
• Beautiful interface, cute cards, easy and intuitive
• Completly free to download and use, no in-app purchases, never try to sell you anything
• Win tokens for every card played, even if you don’t win the prize on the card. Cash in tokens for gift cards. You literally can’t lose!
• Tons of awesome contests as well, which you can use tokens to enter, or watch an ad for free entries.
• As long as you scratch off just one card a day, you get a big daily bonus, which is either hundreds of tokens, a huge chunk of free entries into the contests, or actual cash money.
• Chance to win up to $10,000 on the cards, and often up to $250,000 in the contests!
• One of those addicting phone games I would play for free, but get paid to play it instead!
• Tons of gift card options: Amazon, GameStop, CVS, Panera Bread, Sephora, Old Navy, AMC Theaters, Bath & Body Works, Chili’s, Outback, Walmart, and more!

How much I earn:

I don’t play every single day by any means, and I cash out about $50 in gift cards from tokens over a year. I’ve also won small cash bonuses from time to time, but I have yet to win big on a scratch off card!

Tips to maximize your return:

• Play daily to receive the daily bonuses- those extra tokens add up quickly, as do the small cash amounts!
• I like to play while I’m doing something else, so I’m not stuck watching ads. While I’m doing my makeup or cooking breakfast, I’ll click on a card, let it load, and pick the phone back up a minute later to scratch. It’s also fun to play while relaxing, watching TV, killing a minute in line, etc.
• Don’t spend tokens entering contests that offer free entries- check out your cards to see what’s available!

Download Lucktastic here to get your bonus and start winning!

10. Total Trivia

Another app I play because it’s really fun, and because I like to win prizes. I’m a complete trivia addict. I actually had a couple of trivia games on my phone already that I played just because I enjoyed them, but that was before I discovered Total Trivia. Now I win actual prizes! I’m proficient on eBay and LetGo (more on that later!), so sometimes I can turn those prizes into cold, hard cash. Yes, please!

What I love about it:

• Free to download and play
• Really fun trivia games and lots of categories to choose from!
• Easy to earn free “discount coupons” to make it easier to win tournaments and get prizes
• The prizes are actually awesome- designer bags, really cool handmade furniture, mountain bikes, home decor, kitchen appliances, electronics, and a lot more. I’ve seen prize values up to several thousand dollars!
• It’s not hard to win once you get the hang of it
• Opportunity to exchange prize for more coupons if you don’t want it, in exchange for a chance to win something you really, really want
• Prizes offered at a discount if you played for them and lost, sometimes for free if you earned enough points
• Fun “trophy” component makes the game even more exciting and competitive!

How much I earn:

So far, a few hundred dollars worth of prizes. I’m saving up my coupons for a designer bag worth a few thousand!

Tips to maximize your return:

• Be patient! Spend some time, in the beginning, completing the daily challenges to save up discount coupons. You can’t win tournaments without them! I suggest saving a few hundred before you start really competing.
• Play one or two categories a lot to get really good at them- some questions do repeat.
• It took me a while to figure this out, but you can play for free up to 6,000 points on a single tournament if you play a quick video- you don’t have to spend your coupons!
• Familiarize yourself with the trophy system. This can be a huge bonus.
• If you don’t enjoy trivia games at all, this might not be the app for you, but if you enjoy it, prepare to have a great time, and win some really cool prizes!

Download and join Total Trivia using this link and you can qualify for a $5 credit!

11. Stash

Stash is an awesome investment app. If you want to invest in the stock market and get your money working for you, Stash makes it crazy easy, really fun, and affordable. You can literally start with as little as $5.

What I love about it:

• Takes the mystery out of investing. Stash makes investing your money accessible to everyone.
• Quick and easy setup. Start right away!
• The app helps you customize your investments to your needs and goals
• Invest in fun categories like “Clean & Green,” “Robots Rising,” or “Roll with Buffet.”
• Great resources to quickly and easily learn more about investing, the market, current events that could affect your money, and much more.
• First month is completely free, and very low fees after. Only $1 per month after that if your account has less than $5,000. No charge if your daily balance is below $1.
• Never any fees to move your money around or withdrawal it! Your assets are totally liquid. If you need that money, simply transfer it back to your account.
• Love waking up to emails that say “Your Stash paid dividends!” and know I made money literally in my sleep.
• $5 FREE to start – just click the link below!

How much I earn:

What you earn will have everything to do with the market, your specific investments, and how much you invest. It is, of course, a possibility that you will lose money, but I take a long term view. I like knowing I’m giving my money the chance to work for me, and I have fun buying new stocks and watching my Stash grow.

Tips to maximize your return:

• Take advantage of the free $5 signup bonus and the first free month to see if Stash is right for you. You can always cash out at the end of the month and have no skin in the game.
• Take some time to explore the resources stash provides and learn a little about investing. It’s fun, interesting, and you’ll make more informed choices.
• Set up auto-Stash, a regular deposit into your account, to keep your Stash growing.
• Diversify- buy different stocks in different categories to spread the risk.
• Try buying “Delicious Dividends” to enjoy those sweet “you’ve got money!” emails!
• If you want to be more cautious, you can invest in Conservative Mix, Park My Cash, etc. Want to take more risks? Aggressive Mix and Small But Mighty may appeal to you more. Explore a little and find what excites you!

Use this link to get your first month with Stash free and $5 to get started!

12. Acorns

Acorns is also an investment app, but it works differently than Stash. I use them both because I think they complement each other well. The idea behind Acorns is that you set your portfolio strategy based on your circumstances and goals, then allow little “round ups” from your accounts to be deposited into the app, saving bit by bit automatically. Acorns then takes care of investing that money for you.

What I love about it:

• I use this app as an easy and automatic way to save money. I’m not a great saver, so I need the help!
• You can always add extra funds, either through one time deposits or by scheduling additional recurring deposits.
• Acorns offers something called “Found Money”, where you can earn free money to invest into your account by shopping with certain merchants, signing up for services, etc.
• Abundance of resources to learn more about finance and investing quickly and easily
• Change your portfolio type quickly and easily
• Fees are incredibly low- only $1 a month for accounts up to $5,000!
• No charge to add, move, or withdrawal money. Liquidate whenever you like.

How much I earn:

Same as above with Stash. The returns will change based on the market and your investments.

Tips to maximize your return:

• Take advantage of the free $5 signup bonus
• Link several different cards to maximize your roundups invested
• Check the “Found Money” tab frequently to utilize any free funds you can receive.
• As with Stash, take a few minutes now and then to explore the free resources Acorns offers. Free financial education is valuable in itself!
• If you want to save and invest more money on autopilot, use the Round-Up Multiplier or set recurring investments in addition to your regular round-ups.
• Click the “Potential” tab to see different possible investment outcomes over time and to make more informed investment decisions.

Use this link to receive your free $5 and start saving with Acorns!

13. Shopkick

Shopkick is a fun and easy way to get rewarded for- you guessed it- shopping! Earn “kicks” in a variety of ways, including simply walking into a store.

What I love about it:

• Free to download and use
• Get kicks for buying certain items, scanning items in store, or opening the app when you walk into many different locations
• Shop in person or via the app to get rewards
• Cash out with as few as 500 kicks, which could be collected in as little as one store visit
• Browse editor’s picks and lookbooks, and get rewarded with kicks for that, too!
• Reward options range from several different gift cards (Target, JC Penney, Nike, Starbucks, and many more) to flat screen TVs, iPads, Tiffany’s gifts, and motorcycles!
• Easy and almost instant reward redemption. I’ve been actually about to check out at Target when I realize I have a reward, claim it, and pay with it right then. This is rare, as there is usually some lag time.

How much I earn:

When I’m actively using Shopkick, I cash out $25 every 3 months or so, for an extra $100 or more a year.

Tips to maximize your return:

• Be sure to turn on your location services and collect those easy kicks for just entering a store- that’s a no brainer!
• If you have a few extra minutes when you shop, scans add up fast. All you do is locate the item and quickly scan the barcode. Sometimes there will be a follow-up question or two.
• Link your Mastercard and Visa to get kicks automatically for purchases

Download Shopkick here and start saving automatically!

Honorable mentions:

• MyVegas– If you travel to Vegas regularly (once a year or more), this app could be for you. I prefer the slot game version myself, and we have cashed out our coins for everything from free rooms, free buffets, freeplay credits, show tickets, and more when we go to Vegas. It’s pretty addicting, be warned! Protip: Don’t get sucked into spending money; be patient and spin your wheel daily for free chips.
• Cartwheel- I actually highly recommend this app, and have personally saved well over $200 with it. However, not everyone shops at Target regularly, and this app is limited only to that store. If you do shop at Target, download Cartwheel! It’s basically digital coupons that are right at your fingertips and totally convenient. Protip: There are extra hidden coupons at the bottom of the checkout tab that I just discovered- don’t miss these! Also, if you list all offers in order of discounts, you can see 50% off deals available to you right at the top.
• Paribus- This app searches your online purchases and finds cash back for you when prices drop. From what I understand, they just stopped charging a fee for this service, and the app is now completely free. This is a great idea in theory, but since they haven’t actually gotten me any refunds yet, I can’t fully recommend.  Protip: The most money back opportunities I’ve seen so far have come from GAP and Walmart, so if you shop online at those stores, definitely worth a shot.
• Gigwalk- I used to use this app a lot, but lately haven’t used it. The general idea is that you can pick up “gigs” in your area- easy, short little assignments like taking photos of the inside of a restaurant or checking stock of a product in certain stores. Gigs pay different amounts depending on difficulty and task, usually from $3-10 each. Sometimes they are worth your time, sometimes not, but they pay reliably. Protip: If you live in a city, there may be a lot of work available to you on this app. Try to lump together gigs in one geographic area to maximize earnings.
• Spare5- This app gives you little jobs to do on your phone, usually several in a row, that pay little bits. The idea is that when you have a few minutes free, you can do a few here and there, and it adds up. I tried it for a while, and found some fun little tasks, like categorizing reviews for hotels. Overall, I made about $30, but then the fun tasks stopped showing up and the ones I’ve been offered have been very labor intensive and not worth the money. Protip: The bounding box tasks are crazy tedious- I would skip those.
• LetGo- I was a total eBay addict until recently, but the fees and the headaches of shipping wore me down. After seeing about a million commercials for LetGo, I finally decided to try it, and I love it. It’s much easier than eBay and less fishy than Craigslist. No fees, easy communication with buyers, and it takes me 1-3 minutes to post something for sale. Worth it. Protip: Turn notifications on and respond quickly to messages. Also, verify your account via Facebook or Google so you don’t look shady to prospective buyers.

That’s my list as it stands currently! Do you think I missed an amazing money-making app? Any positive or negative experiences with the ones I listed? Let me know in the comments!

Good luck and happy earning!