Source: The College Investor
It has never been easier to replace your income as it is right now. It's even easier to make a little extra money on the side - especially with the rise of money-making apps!
We have more than enough apps that will help you make extra money either as a side hustle or as a way of making an actual living.
According to Pew Research, over almost 20% of Americans are earning money via gig economy jobs and apps. That's a big number considering how many people there are!
In today’s post, we are going to uncover 10 of the best money-making apps for 2024.
Share Your Car or Home
1. Uber/Lyft
Well, technically, those are two apps but they essentially provide the same service.
You can use your car to give people rides around town and earn as much in your spare time.
Apart from making money by driving people where they need to get to, you can also make some money using Lyft’s referral program which works kind of like an affiliate program.
As a driver, if you can get brand new users to sign up for and use the Lyft app, you can earn between $5 and $10 per each sign-up. This adds up quickly to a good chunk if you’re diligent in letting people know about the referral code.
Uber has now crossed the 10-year mark since it was launched — it was launched in March 2009. And Lyft has crossed the seven-year mark.
The chances are very high that this business model will be staying with us for a long time to come.
To become an Uber or Lyft driver partner, you will need to have a valid driver’s license, have a car that is in an acceptable condition, and will have to complete a background check, among other requirements.
2. Airbnb
If you have an extra room or space to spare, you can potentially make bank with Airbnb.
If you live in apartment complex, using your residence for Airbnb may be frowned upon. However, if you own your space, this is something you can start making money with very quickly.
If you live in a tourist town, you could collect money weekly from a continuous stream of guests.
All you have to do is list your space on Airbnb and start earning!
Sell Your Stuff
3. OfferUp
Do you want to get rid of the things around your house that no longer spark joy? One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. It might sound cliche but it is true!
You can sell everything from used clothes to furniture to appliances on OfferUp.
And in most cases you will not have to ship the items. You will just need to meet up with a buyer in your locality and collect money in exchange for the sale item.
Check out these other apps to help you sell your stuff.
Become a Delivery Person
4. Instacart
These days, more and more people are opting to order their groceries online and have them delivered to their homes.
One of the ways the groceries get delivered is through the Instacart app.
You can become an Instacart delivery person and make money while running your own errands.
5. Amazon Flex
Amazon Flex is another app that you can make money with while you’re running your own errands.
Amazon customers in your city order items online with the promise that they will get them within two days of purchase.
Amazon is able to achieve this Herculean feat by hiring local people to pick up the items from centrally-located distribution centers so that they can be delivered.
Amazon Flex pays between $18 and $25 an hour. Check out our full Amazon Flex review here.
6. Uber Eats Or Doordash
Uber Eats is a food delivery app that was launched by Uber in 2015.
You can earn money with Uber Eats by delivering food orders to people’s locations. This is a great alternative to driving as an Uber driver partner because you don't need to have people in the car.
An app similar to Uber Eats is Doordash.
Earn Cash-Back and Rewards
7. Rakuten
Rakuten is a cash-back and rewards app that lets you earn cash back each time you buy something online.
If you’re a big online shopper, you can cash in very well with this app.
I mean, who doesn’t want to earn rewards and cash back for money they already spent?
It’s a win-win situation. Plus get a $10 bonus when you sign up and spend $25!
8. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is another rewards program that can help you collect cash-back rewards on items you buy online.
In addition to that, you can earn rewards and gift cards for places like Amazon, Target, and Walmart for completing simple tasks. These tasks include taking surveys, watching videos, and playing games.
The best thing about this app is the fact that you don’t have to drive people in your car, have them over at your house, or sell anything to make money.
You just do what you most likely do online everyday and get paid. See our full Swagbucks review.
9. Ibotta
With the Ibotta app, you can earn cash back when you buy everyday items like groceries and household items like laundry detergent and dish soap.
You can earn cash back this way from a number of stores including Walmart, Target, Safeway, Vons, Albertsons and Harris Teeter.
You can also earn extra cash when you invite new users to use Ibotta. Currently, you will earn $10 when you spend $30.
10. Honey App
Honey is a Google Chrome extension that helps you find savings codes and coupons for anything you want to buy online.
While it is not a direct money-making app, around here, saving money is just as good as making it.
Get started with Honey here >>
Making an extra $100 or $1,000 per month has never been easier. A few hours a day on any of these apps yields great rewards.
Which one of these have you used? Have you seen success with a particular money-making app? Let us know in the comments below.
Robert Farrington is America’s Millennial Money Expert® and America’s Student Loan Debt Expert™, and the founder of The College Investor, a personal finance site dedicated to helping millennials escape student loan debt to start investing and building wealth for the future. You can learn more about him on the About Page or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.
He regularly writes about investing, student loan debt, and general personal finance topics geared toward anyone wanting to earn more, get out of debt, and start building wealth for the future.
He has been quoted in major publications, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, ABC, NBC, Today, and more. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes.
Editor: Clint Proctor Reviewed by: Claire Tak