There are plenty of ways to make money on the internet. But most of them require you to have a laptop or a desktop computer. However, some apps allow people to make money from their phones online. Whether through grocery delivery, selling your items, or taking paid surveys for money, you have a legit opportunity to earn cash from your smartphone.
If you want to pursue a new side hustle in 2022 and make some easy income, check out this list of 10 exciting moneymaking apps below to help you on that journey.
Ibotta
Ibotta is a couponing app that allows users to earn cashback in stores, partnering with nearly 2,000 retailers to give customers the best deals. Originally, Ibotta was just for groceries, but it has now expanded to household items, clothing, entertainment, etc. Sometimes, you will need to activate the cashback and coupon deals, while others will be offered directly by the retailer.
While you aren’t earning income while using Ibotta, you can get significant amounts of money back by buying normal things you use every day. Additionally, depositing your cashback can go directly to a bank account, Paypal account, or as a gift card.
Related: Top Online Coupon Sites for Saving Money
Offerup
Offerup is an app that merged with a similar competing company—Letgo—a couple of years ago. This app is for people who want to sell their stuff locally. So this app is primarily designed to connect you with people in your general area who want to buy your items. But Offerup also allows you to pay for domestic US shipping for items going out of state.
With Offerup, you take a picture of whatever you’re selling and quickly list it, earning money by getting rid of stuff you already have. So whether it’s a sofa, picture frame, or gaming console, you can quickly deposit the profits into your bank account or your debit card.
Rakuten
Rakuten is the rebranded version of Ebates, an app that, similar to Ibotta, gives users up to 40 percent cashback on their everyday purchases at major retailers. Not only does Rakuten cover grocery and household purchases, but you can also earn cashback on travel purchases and food delivery.
You can easily choose where you want to shop in the app and make the transaction through Rakuten. In addition, Rakuten allows you to deposit your cashback through Paypal or check, and you can also earn a $10 welcome bonus.
Poshmark
Poshmark is an online marketplace specifically designed for selling clothes, shoes, and accessories. It is primarily geared toward womenswear. Poshmark is the perfect app for you if you need to clear out your closet or like changing up your wardrobe a lot.
This app is especially great for high-quality or designer items. Poshmark offers an authentication service for items over a specific price.
Simply take photos of your items, describe them, set a price, and post! Poshmark also offers customers the ability to ship through them. You’ll only need to print a label and send your item out after it sells.
Depop
Depop, similar to Poshmark, is a clothing, shoe, and accessory selling app focused primarily on Generation Z users. While the app has a very young user base, it is certainly possible to sell nearly any clothing item or accessory.
Like Poshmark, you need to snap some photos of your items, describe them and their sizes, set your price, and let the offers roll in!
DoorDash
DoorDash is one of many food delivery driving apps. Others include UberEats, Postmates, Deliveroo, GrubHub, and more. With these apps, you deliver groceries and prepared food to customers. You’ll need a car or bike for this gig.
All you need to do to get started with DoorDash is create an account, verify your identity, and start driving! Then, you can accept orders, go to the restaurant, pick up the food, and safely drop it off to your customers. In addition, DoorDash allows drivers to deposit their earnings directly to their bank account or enroll in DasherPay, which provides them with a personalized debit card.
See also: Best Food Delivery Companies to Work for in 2022
Instacart
Instacart is like DoorDash in that you’ll use your vehicle to deliver food to customers. But with Instacart, you will also go to the grocery store and shop for your customers’ orders. Simply drive to the grocery store, pick out the customer’s items, check out, and drop the food off at their house.
Instacart also allows drivers to instantly deposit their earnings into their debit card or bank account. With this gig, you can earn money virtually whenever you need it.
Swagbucks
Swagbucks is an app that allows you to earn cashback and rewards by completing various tasks. On Swagbucks, you can earn points, also called “SB,” by watching videos, downloading and playing games, completing tasks, and shopping on various websites. You can complete many simple activities, and you can always choose which ones you want to do.
Points or SB awarded vary depending on the task, but they generally hover between 40 and 200 SB. These points, once accumulated, can be exchanged for gift cards or cash. You can also get a $10 bonus with a $25 qualifying purchase once you download the app.
Upwork
Upwork is an app that connects industry professionals to freelance work, including fields like writing, editing, design, marketing, and more! Upwork allows you to create a profile directly from your phone and tell the world the type of experience you have to qualify you for freelance work.
On Upwork, you submit proposals to projects, and potential clients can review them before hiring you to work. Each month, you’ll have a pre-set number of ‘connects,’ which are essentially credits that allow you to reach out to potential clients. Payment can be deposited through instant pay, Paypal, Payoneer, or directly to your bank account.
Uber
Uber is another way to make substantial money on your phone by using your vehicle. If you have a car and a valid driver’s license, you can enroll in Uber as a driver and start driving people for a profit.
When driving for Uber, you can start and stop a “shift” whenever you want, and there are no set hours. However, you might earn more money during peak times when many people need rides at once. Additionally, Uber often has monthly bonuses for completing a certain number of rides within a set time frame.
Bonus: Paid Mobile Surveys
While this isn’t exactly an app, paid online surveys are another great way to earn money on your mobile device. Websites like Branded Surveys can be accessed from your phone’s browser, meaning you can make money while on the go.
Researchers or businesses offer paid surveys and allow users to earn money or gift cards for their opinions and reviews. Taking surveys for money is a win-win situation, as researchers will get your valued opinions, and you will earn cash! Sites like Branded Surveys will allow you to deposit survey earnings directly into Paypal. You can also transfer your cash to your bank account or exchange it for a gift card of your choice.