Many or all companies we feature compensate us. Compensation and editorial research influence how products appear on a page. Personal Finance The 7 Best Apps to Make Money Fast Updated Oct 17, 2024 11-min read Expert Approved Expert Approved This article has been reviewed by a Certified Financial Planner™ for accuracy. Written by Rebecca Lake, CEPF® Written by Rebecca Lake, CEPF® Expertise: Student loans, mortgages, home-buying, credit, debt, personal loans, education planning, insurance, investing, small business Rebecca Lake is a certified educator in personal finance (CEPF®) and freelance writer specializing in finance. Learn more about Rebecca Lake, CEPF® Reviewed by Erin Kinkade, CFP® Reviewed by Erin Kinkade, CFP® Expertise: Insurance planning, education planning, retirement planning, investment planning, military benefits, behavioral finance Erin Kinkade, CFP®, ChFC®, works as a financial planner at AAFMAA Wealth Management & Trust. Erin prepares comprehensive financial plans for military veterans and their families. Learn more about Erin Kinkade, CFP® Whether you’re looking to earn from gig work, selling items, or taking surveys, apps including Upwork, Decluttr, and Swagbucks can help you make quick cash. While these likely won’t replace a full-time income, they can supplement your earnings—perfect for covering extra expenses, saving for a trip, or paying off debt. We researched many options to help you find the best apps to make money fast. Keep reading to discover how these apps work, their pros and cons, and get expert tips to maximize your earnings. Table of Contents Skip to Section 7 apps to make money fast How to boost your earnings from money-making appsAlternatives to using an app to make moneyFAQ 7 apps to make money fast AppTypeBest forDecluttrResellingSelling items for cashDoorDashSide gigFlexible earningsIbottaCash backGrocery shoppingInstacartSide gigSame-day paySwagbucksSurveys, play gamesEarning gift cardsTaskrabbitSide gigEarning locallyUpworkSide gigFreelancing Presumably, Instacart would provide same-day pay, so this one looks appealing, although the timeframe to submit an application and get started may take a day or so. For those who have nice things they do not need and also need cash, Decluttr would be a great option. The ones I think are less appealing are Swagbucks (if you need cash, gift cards will not get you far) and Upwork, although this could potentially lead you to receive income, it may take a while. Erin Kinkade, CFP® Decluttr Decluttr is a reselling app that lets you turn your household clutter into cash. Items you can sell on Decluttr include: Tablets Cellphones Wearables Laptops Speakers Gaming consoles Textbooks Children’s books CDs Vinyl albums DVDs Blu-ray discs The amount you can make with Decluttr depends on the value of the items you have to sell. Electronics tend to be more in demand than textbooks, but if you have vintage records or other hard-to-find media, you could snag a solid price for them with Decluttr. How you get paid You’ll get a valuation for your items through the Decluttr app, ship your items to Decluttr for free, and get paid once your items arrive. Decluttr pays sellers via direct deposit, PayPal, or paper check. Ratings and reviews PlatformRatingNumber of reviewsGoogle Play2.5/56.5KApple app store3.5/53.2K Pros and cons Pros Get an offer on your items before you ship. Payouts to PayPal within 24 hours or direct deposit within three business days. Cons Decluttr won’t buy all your clutter; only certain items are accepted. Your offer may be revised once the Decluttr team receives your item and inspects its condition. DoorDash DoorDash is a food delivery app that lets drivers accept gigs based on their schedule and earn money through a combination of hourly pay plus tips. Base Pay is calculated based on the estimated time, distance, and desirability of the offers you accept. You always keep 100% of the tips you earn. Dashers also have special opportunities to boost their earnings. Peak Pay pays you more per delivery or task. Challenges let you earn extra money for completing a certain number of deliveries or tasks in a given time period. Delivery Streaks pay you extra when you accept and complete consecutive deliveries. You must be 18 or older, own a vehicle, and have a valid driver’s license and Social Security number to earn with DoorDash. How you get paid Dashers have three options for getting paid. Weekly, via an automatic direct deposit to your bank account Daily, which requires a small fee Instantly with no fee when you sign up for DasherDirect Business Prepaid Visa Card You can track your earnings from base pay, tips, and promotions through the DoorDash app. Ratings and reviews PlatformRatingNumber of reviewsGoogle Play4.3/5378KApple app store4.8/518.9M Pros and cons Pros Earn on your schedule with flexible hours. Multiple ways to increase earnings when you participate in promotions. Cons Requires a vehicle and a valid driver’s license, unless you’re biking. No reimbursement for wear and tear to your vehicle. Ibotta Ibotta is a cash back app that pays you back a percentage of what you spend at partner grocery stores. To earn cash back, you just need to: Log in to the Ibotta app and browse offers Add offers to Your List Shop for groceries in-store and upload your receipt when you’re done Ibotta applies cash back earnings to your account for you automatically. You can also earn bonuses when you refer friends and family to Ibotta. How you get paid You can cash out rewards once you reach a $20 threshold. Funds can be added to a gift card from the retailer of your choice, transferred to PayPal, or deposited to a bank account. Ratings and reviews PlatformRatingNumber of reviewsGoogle Play4.5/5688KApple app store4.8/51.8M Pros and cons Pros Simple way to earn cash back on groceries. Earn cash back when you shop online with the Ibotta browser extension. Cons Higher payout threshold compared to other money-making apps. Offers can’t be applied after you shop. Instacart Instacart pays you to shop for groceries. You get alerted to orders and decide which ones to accept. If you accept an order, you shop, deliver the groceries, and get paid. Full-service shoppers earn money in three ways: Batch pay, which is determined by the effort it takes to complete a shopping trip Promotions Tips You can review the order, batch pay, and tips you’ll earn beforehand to decide whether to accept a shopping trip. Delivering groceries as an Instacart shopper requires a vehicle and a valid driver’s license. You can also work as an in-store shopper, which doesn’t require deliveries. How you get paid Instacart sends payments weekly between Wednesday and Friday for services provided during the prior Monday through Sunday period. If you need your pay faster, you can use the instant cashout feature, which requires a $0.50 fee. Ratings and reviews PlatformRatingNumber of reviewsGoogle Play4.2/5281KApple app store4.8/53.6M Pros and cons Pros You control when you work and which batches you accept. Instant payouts are available for a fee. Cons Customers can adjust tips after you complete a shop. In-store shoppers are limited to 29 hours per week. Swagbucks Swagbucks makes it easy to earn money in your spare time by: Completing surveys Shopping online or in stores with partner brands Playing games Watching videos You’ll get SB points for each activity you complete. You can also earn an introductory bonus when you create a new account. How you get paid Every 100 Swagbucks points you earn is worth $1. The minimum payout threshold for gift card redemptions is $1. You can also redeem rewards for a deposit into a PayPal account. Ratings and reviews PlatformRatingNumber of reviewsGoogle Play4.4/5194KApple app store4.4/5123K Pros and cons Pros Multiple ways to earn rewards you can redeem for cash. Low payout threshold for gift cards. Cons Higher rewards payouts for some activities than others. It can take time to accumulate enough points for a modest payout. TaskRabbit TaskRabbit lets you earn money by doing odd jobs locally. You could get paid to do on TaskRabbit for: Cleaning houses Helping someone move Putting together furniture Doing small home repairs You can decide which tasks you want to offer and what rate to charge for them. Taskers can also accept tips from customers. How you get paid To get paid, submit an invoice to the person you completed a task for. TaskRabbit charges the credit card they have on file within 24 hours and sends payment to your bank account within two to four business days. Ratings and reviews PlatformRatingNumber of reviewsGoogle Play3.7/515.8KApple app store4.8/544.4K Pros and cons Pros You choose which tasks to offer and what to charge. Earn extra if clients leave tips for your services. Cons Payment isn’t instant. Hourly rate may shrink if tasks take longer to complete than you expected. Upwork Upwork is a freelance marketplace. You create a profile and browse freelance jobs, including listings that pay by the hour or project. Examples of freelance jobs you can find on Upwork include: Blog writing Copywriting Search engine optimization Translation jobs Illustration jobs Bookkeeping Marketing If you find a freelance gig that matches your skills, you can send the job poster a proposal that details what you have to offer and the rate you charge. If the client accepts, you start work and get paid when it’s completed How you get paid Upwork allows you to get paid when completed work is delivered. You can get paid via direct deposit to a bank account, deposit to PayPal, or a wire transfer. Ratings and reviews PlatformRatingNumber of reviewsGoogle Play4.0/5183KApple app store4.6/550K Pros and cons Pros Low barriers to entry if you’re interested in breaking into freelancing. You control the rates you charge for services. Cons Upwork’s fees detract from earnings. It may take time to find quality clients. How to boost your earnings from money-making apps To get the most out of money-making apps, it’s important to have a strategy that boosts your earnings while minimizing fees and delays. Here are our tips and tools to help you maximize the income from these apps. 1. Choose apps with flexible payout options Many apps allow instant payouts for a small fee. By taking advantage of these features, you can access your earnings when you need them instead of waiting for the standard payout schedule. Apps such as EarnIn or Dave can help you get advances on your paycheck, even if you’re not using a gig app. 2. Work during peak hours Gig economy apps often have surge pricing or higher payouts during peak demand. For example, Uber might pay more to drive on weekends or evenings. Keep an eye on peak times or promotions within the app to maximize your income. 3. Use multiple apps simultaneously If you’re relying on gig apps for income, using several at once can help you avoid downtime between jobs. For instance, you might combine DoorDash with another food delivery app, such as Postmates, to fill gaps and ensure a steady stream of tasks. Managing multiple apps at once increases the likelihood of higher earnings. 4. Track and manage your earnings Using budgeting apps can help you keep track of the extra money you’re earning through side gigs. These apps give you an overview of your income, allowing you to allocate it toward savings, debt repayment, or other financial goals. With a clearer picture of your finances, it’s easier to stay on track and avoid unnecessary spending. 5. Take advantage of tax-saving apps The QuickBooks Self-Employed and Hurdlr apps can help freelancers and gig workers track expenses, mileage, and tax deductions. Because earnings from money-making apps are taxable, using these tools ensures you maximize your tax deductions and keep more of what you earn. 6. Set clear goals Whether you’re saving for a big purchase or trying to pay off debt, having clear financial goals can motivate you to keep working and find new ways to boost your earnings. Budgeting apps can help you save more of what you earn by showing how much money you have available to spend after accounting for your bills and savings goals. By using these strategies and tools, you can make the most of your time and effort on money-making apps and build a more secure financial future. Alternatives to using an app to make money While money-making apps can offer quick cash, they may not always be the best solution. Some apps take time to generate earnings, have high competition, or may charge fees that eat into your profits. If you need cash faster or prefer alternatives to digital platforms, consider these options. Get an in-person side gig Local gigs—babysitting, dog walking, or house cleaning—can offer immediate payments and might provide more consistent work than app-based side hustles. Use a cash advance app A cash advance app, such as EarnIn, Dave, or Empower, can provide instant access to money. Fees may apply, especially for instant transfers. Use an earned wage access app Some employers or apps, including EarnIn, offer paycheck advances. These give you access to part of your earned wages before payday without taking on long-term debt. Recalculate your budget Instead of finding new income streams, you may be able to free up cash by reassessing your budget. Cutting unnecessary expenses or reallocating funds can help meet your short-term financial needs. FAQ Is money you make from money-making apps taxable? Yes, income earned through money-making apps is generally taxable. Whether you’re freelancing, selling items, or earning through cash-back apps, you may need to report this income to the IRS. Be sure to keep track of your earnings and any tax documents provided by the app. Do you get paid right away when you make money through an app? It depends on the app. Some apps, including Instacart and Uber, offer instant payouts for a fee. Others may take several days or even weeks to transfer funds to your bank account. Which app gives you real money instantly? Apps such as EarnIn and Brigit allow you to get instant money through paycheck advances, providing access to your earned wages before payday. These advances are limited to a portion of your upcoming paycheck. Are there any legit phone app games that make money? Yes, apps such as Mistplay and Swagbucks offer the chance to earn real money or gift cards by playing games. However, the payouts are often small and can take time to accumulate, so they may not provide a substantial income source.