I'm not leaving money on the table, and neither should you.
A second income stream isn't a luxury anymore. It's a necessity. Whether you're covering an unexpected bill, saving for something big, or just want more breathing room, the best side hustle apps make it easy to earn on your own terms.
Here's the thing: when an expense hits out of nowhere at the end of the month, a reliable side hustle is the difference between stress and stability. Forbes even calls multiple income streams one of the smartest financial moves you can make.
The best part? You don't need special skills or experience. I've tested these apps myself, and they're the same ones consistently recommended by real users in the beermoney community. They're legit, and they pay.
Here are my top picks to start earning today.
Best Side Hustle Apps for 2026
1. Freecash
Freecash is a quick and flexible way to earn extra money by completing tasks, surveys, and offers. With some top users earning up to $250 a day, it's perfect for turning your free time into cash. New users can start earning immediately and cash out as little as $5 via PayPal, crypto, or gift cards. Fast, easy, and rewarding—Freecash is a smart choice to boost your income.
- The app has paid out over $50 million to more than 30 million users
- Multiple cash-out options, including PayPal and crypto
- Highly rated on TrustPilot and Google Play
2. Fundrise – $10 bonus
Fundrise is a great way to dip your toes into real estate investing without needing tons of cash upfront. For as little as $10, you can start building a real estate portfolio, and new users even get a $10 bonus to kick things off. Whether you're new to investing or looking to diversify, Fundrise offers an easy and flexible way to grow your money while investing in properties nationwide.
- Earn passive income with real estate investing starting at just $10
- Easy-to-use app for seamless access to crowd-funded real estate deals
- Perfect for those who want their money to work for them
3. Survey Junkie
Next up is Survey Junkie, one of the highest-paying survey sites out there. We even ranked it as one of the best beer money sites! You’ve probably heard about survey sites before, so I won’t go into too much detail.
Right now, you can snag a $5 welcome bonus after completing your first five surveys when you sign up through this link. Plus, you can earn 10% of your friends’ earnings for the lifetime of their account when you refer them. Survey Junkie also rewards you for playing games, watching videos, shopping online, and, of course, answering surveys.
- Share your opinion to help brands deliver better products and services
- Fast payouts, legit, and our favorite survey site
- Has paid out more than $25 million to its members
4. Swagbucks
Swagbucks lets you share your opinions and earn extra cash in various ways, like cashback, watching videos, and completing surveys. You can even earn a $10 bonus just for signing up! To qualify, all you need to do is spend at least $25 through the Swagbucks shop within your first 30 days. Redeem your rewards for gift cards or PayPal starting at just 300 SB (Swagbucks). It's a simple and fun way to turn your free time into extra money!
- Paid out over $627 million to users since 2008
- Earn with surveys, cash back, testing apps, watching videos, and playing games
- $10 bonus when you spend at least $25 in the Swagbucks shop
5. Nielsen Mobile
If you’re looking for an effortless way to earn extra cash, Nielsen Mobile is one of the simplest options. All it takes is registering your devices, installing the app, and continuing to use the internet as you normally would. There’s no need to take surveys, watch ads, or complete tasks. Once it’s set up, you’re earning passively without any extra effort.
I’ve used it myself and typically make around $60 just for having it running in the background. It’s free, safe, and requires almost nothing from you after the initial setup. If you’re already spending time online, this is an easy way to make a little extra money without changing anything about your routine.
- Sign up your computers, smartphones and tablets to earn up to $60 in reward points for gift cards
- Exclusive invitations for survey and research opportunities
- Legit passive income opportunity
6. InboxDollars
If you’re looking for a simple way to make some extra cash in your free time, InboxDollars is a solid option. It pays real money, not points, for watching videos, taking surveys, and doing other easy tasks. It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme, but spending just 5-10 minutes a day, like during a lunch break or while watching TV, can add up to an extra $50 a month with minimal effort.
What makes it worth trying is that it pays in actual cash, not just gift cards or points, and even gives you a $5 sign-up bonus just for joining. There are multiple ways to earn, so you’re not stuck doing just one thing. If you’re already spending time on your phone, you might as well make a little money while you’re at it. It’s free to sign up, so there’s really nothing to lose.
- Get paid up to $225 a month while watching viral videos
- Been around for 20 years
- Paid its members more than $59 million since 2000
7. Branded
Branded is wildly underrated for how much it actually pays. Sign up, pick from available app testing offers, complete them, and get paid. Some tasks take just minutes, like downloading an app or playing a game to level 5. Others take a few days of casual use but pay $100 or more when you hit the milestone. The more offers you complete, the more high-paying tasks unlock. It is free to join and pays out via PayPal. If you only add one app testing platform to your routine, make it this one.
- Get paid to test apps and games
- Earn up to $300/week
- $1 sign-up bonus, as seen on CBS
8. Bigcash
Bigcash is the fastest way to see real money hit your PayPal today. Over 3,000 app testing offers are available right now. Download a shopping app, play a mobile game to level 10, or test a fitness tracker. Standard offers pay $3 to $15. Premium tasks go up to $170. The $1 cashout minimum means you don't have to grind for weeks before seeing a dime. Sign up today and grab your $15 welcome bonus after your first cashout. Their support team actually responds within 12 hours if an offer doesn't track, something almost no other app can say.
- $15 welcome bonus just for signing up
- 3,000+ live offers including app testing, tasks, and games
- Cash out fast with low minimums
Side Hustle App FAQs
What are the top 5 side hustles?
The top 5 side hustles really depend on whether you want to be making money online and setting your own rates or finding odd jobs around your community or earning locally. Most BeerMoney readers prefer to use easy to use apps or websites to earn money fast.
What are the highest paying side hustles?
The best paying side hustles are selling items locally, doing odd jobs, using a secret shopper app, being a full service shopper at Instacart, using receipt apps, watching videos for money using apps, or using the side hustle apps in this guide.
What apps give you real money?
Swagbucks is probably the most popular app that'll give you real money in your free time. Swagbucks usually pays more than other money making apps. The brand is also very popular among the BeerMoney community and pays out of 7,000 free gift cards each day.
Best Side Hustle Apps to Make Extra Cash
A ton of people are searching online for the best side hustle apps for 2025.
Well, look no further, because if you wanted more ways to make money online besides these side hustle ideas, here's one of my favorite resources to make money online: Genius ways to make $500 fast!
If you wanted to get more money making ideas, we have you covered with our list of 22 Apps That Pay You Real Money via PayPal.
Before you go, I keep a free spreadsheet of legit ways to earn extra income that I personally use and update regularly. Grab it here if you're interested.
