With so many easy ways to make extra cash using the best side hustle apps, there's no reason to leave money on the table.
A second income stream isn’t just a luxury anymore—it’s a necessity. Whether you’re covering unexpected expenses, saving for something big, or just padding your wallet, gig apps make it easier than ever to earn on your terms.
Think about it: what if an unexpected bill pops up at the end of the month? What if you need money fast? A reliable side hustle can be your financial safety net. Even Forbes says having multiple income streams is one of the smartest financial moves you can make.
The best part? You don’t need special skills or experience. These legit gig apps are tested by real users on Reddit, and they pay.
We’ve rounded up the top side hustle apps to help you start earning today. Check them out, pick the one that works for you, and start making money right now.
Best Side Hustle Apps for 2025
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. DoorDash
If you’re looking for a flexible way to make extra money, becoming a delivery driver is one of the easiest and most consistent side hustles out there. It’s especially profitable during peak pay hours, when you can earn more per trip.
One of the most popular apps for food delivery is DoorDash, with millions of people using it to order food every day. As a driver, or Dasher, you get notified when a customer places an order, pick it up, and deliver it. You don’t have to wait around for gigs—just turn on the app and start accepting deliveries.
The best part is you can work whenever you want and get paid per delivery, plus tips. Whether you drive a car, bike, scooter, or motorcycle, you can start earning right away. All you need is a smartphone and a way to get around—DoorDash handles everything else. If you want an easy side hustle with total flexibility, this is one of the best options.
- Work on your schedule
- Keep 100% of tips
- Cash out quickly
8. Branded Surveys
Branded Surveys pays you for your opinion—no gimmicks, just straight-up cash. Companies need real feedback, and they’ll pay up to $5 per survey to get it. If you take a few quick surveys daily, you could pull in around $140 a month. Signing up is free and takes less than a minute, and once you hit $5, you can cash out fast through PayPal, direct deposit, or gift cards. They’ve already paid users over $20 million, and the top earners make a few hundred bucks a month. It’s legit, rated “excellent” on Trustpilot, and if you sign up now, you’ll even get a 100-point welcome bonus (worth $1).
- Earn gift cards or PayPal cash just by answering simple surveys
- Join over 3 million members who’ve already received $37 million in rewards
- Get 100 points as a welcome bonus
8. Acorns – $20 bonus investment
Looking for easy, hands-off beer money? Acorns might be right up your alley. It’s a simple way to invest without the hassle: Acorns automatically rounds up spare change from your everyday purchases and puts it into a diversified portfolio.
To give you a sense of the growth potential, investing just $50 a month could balloon to around $75,000 over 30 years, assuming a 8% average annual return with monthly compounding—proof that small steps can lead to big rewards.
Right now, Acorns is offering a $20 sign-up bonus (direct link here) when you create a new account, link your bank, and set up recurring investments (minimum $5). After your first successful deposit, you’ll receive $20 within 10 days of the following month. It’s a legit, low-effort way to start investing.
- $20 bonus just for getting started
- Auto-invest your spare change from daily purchases
- No investing experience needed — set it and forget it
9. Rover
If your best friend is a dog, you should definitely sign up for the best dog walking app, Rover, to make money. The average part-time salary reported from three different sources as a Rover dog walker/sitter is about $1,000 per month. It's best for individuals who might be studying or working full-time since the hours are very flexible. Rover recently acquired DogVacay so it's two best side gig apps in one!
Sign up for Rover if you love dogs and want to take care of them when their owners are away! The Rover app best fits individuals who study or work full-time because the hours for dog walking or pet sitting are flexible. Rover can be great for getting extra spending money or even for starting your own dog walking business, or offer overnight pet boarding.
- Get paid to walk dogs on Rover 🐶
- Set your own hours and rates
- Easy cash if you love animals
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.
