How to make money with your phone in 2022 and beyond?
No matter how you earn your living, you'll need money to get by. If you're reading this on your phone, you're in luck because there are many ways to make money from your phone and even earn an extra income stream.
It's an exciting time to be alive. The possibilities have never been greater.
Smartphones are great for keeping in touch with family, friends and accomplishing business goals on the go.
Smartphones give you information when and where you want it, even while swimming in your pool or jogging through the park with your earbuds in, which is music to our busy, multitasking ears.
However, what if there was an additional way to make money using your smartphone? Here is how to make money from a phone using different mobile apps.
The Internet has made it possible to earn a living and pursue your dreams.
It allows you to do this all from the comfort of your home, wherever in the world that might be!
From using apps to freelancing, this list of ways to make money with a phone will give you the resources you need to start earning and top up your bank account extra cash now!
Why do you need a side hustle?
The Internet is blowing up with opportunities and franchises from your own home.
While it's true that you need to do your homework and make wise decisions, we've made it our mission to locate some of the best ways that help build a warm stream of extra cash on the side of your full-time job.
According to a survey from Bankrate, 30% of side hustlers need the extra money to make ends meet.
However, roughly 60% use the money for savings or additional disposable income.
In 2022 one in three Americans had a side hustle.
If you want to start making money on the side, it's important for you to find a side gig that will work for you.
The benefits of starting a side hustle from your phone
Apart from increasing your income, there are some other benefits of starting a side hustle in the digital age.
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You can pay your debt faster.
With a side gig, you're bringing in extra money. This means that you can use that extra income to pay off your debt faster and be free of it all the sooner.
If you're already working full time and you're able to do this, the feeling of being debt-free will be even sweeter.
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You can save more money.
Learning how to make money from your phone is a great way.
As mentioned above, with side hustling, you have the potential to make extra money — or even a full-time income.
Having a side gig not only gives you money in your pocket but is also the perfect way to prepare for an uncertain future.
You can always save up for an important event, like buying a house or having a baby.
Or use this extra income to increase your emergency fund.
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You can explore new opportunities.
Learning to make money from your phone can have many benefits besides money.
The side hustle could give you the freedom to explore where your interests lie, and you might even find yourself with more options in your career and personal life.
In a way, it can be really fun.
It can also help you achieve your financial goals sooner, which is a relief to a lot of people.
Plus, having an extra stream of income can make life less stressful, and that's pretty nice.
How much can you earn with side hustles on your phone?
The short answer is that you can earn a lot if you know the how.
In fact, some side hustles can make you more than $1,500 a month.
Many people use their phones to do these side gigs, which makes it convenient and easy because your phone is always with you.
These side gigs are also great because they usually don't require any set-up or investments since they're done online.
However, how much you earn depends on how much work you are willing to put into that side hustle.
This means you have to try many side hustles first before you decide which one works and helps you earn more money.
(I never said that it's easy making thousands of dollars a month, now… Did I?)
Trying to find a side hustle is like dating.
This means that there are many options out there, and you have to try a few before you find the one(s) that are right for you.
This is one of the first things you have to do if you want to make money from your phone.
After all, side hustling is a numbers game. If you want to get good at making more money or a few bucks on the side, start by trying as many opportunities as possible.
Whether it's freelancing or playing games on your phone – test everything!
Usually, Millenials have been the most significant generation focusing on side hustling.
So, if you are a Millenial or a Gen Z, you can still make the most of your phone for earning some money on the side.
Remember this…
Finding what works and doesn't work for you can quickly determine which side hustles are worth pursuing further and which aren't worth your time.
As with dating, there are no guarantees when it comes to side hustling; but by being a numbers person – try everything – you have an excellent chance of success!
Don't expect to hit the jackpot (at least not at first)
Even though technology will let you bring home more cash from your phone, don't think that it'll necessarily let you retire young.
While it's true that we're entering a world where making a full-time income from your phone—while drinking green smoothies on an island beach in Thailand—could be entirely possible, you may want to hold off on booking that flight quite yet.
Instead, you have to keep things in perspective.
Focus on putting one foot in front of another as you build and refine your skills, network, and knowledge.
If anything, take solace in knowing that no matter how long it takes, you'll find success eventually as long as you remain diligent.
You are already spending a lot of time online, so you may as well make a profit!
Focus on maximizing your earning potential
It can seem a little intimidating, but it's not too hard if you know where to begin.
If you're looking for a general piece of advice, pick up an app or website that you generally use.
These can be used for all sorts of goods or services: from surveys to games.
For most of these side hustles, you don't have to spend a lot of time.
It can take from 5 minutes here and there for small tasks to 15-20 minutes.
Earning extra cash has never been easier!
And finding ways to make money from your phone has never been either.
And remember: putting something into practice is almost always better than holding onto an idea forever.
Soon enough, you'll be able to free up more time at work while bringing home more money—all while on your mobile device!
Some of the ways you can make money from your phone
There are tons of ways to make money from your phone!
These days, there is one thing to do for everybody.
Yes, there are some limitations — you can't launch a rocket into space using your phone — but you can do many things with a smartphone that people would have never dreamed of just 10 years ago.
If you can't get a job that pays more or ask for a raise, you can try to increase your income by starting a side gig.
But not all side gigs are created equal. Some require a lot of money and time to set up, which is something not everyone has.
1. Online customer service
The thing is that you can work in customer service by only using your phone.
You don't need any special equipment (the company provides everything).
The best part of all this is that you only need a quiet room and a good smartphone with a high-speed internet connection.
You just have to talk people through simple stuff like updating passwords or changing credit card information on their account, and for every call/message, you get paid.
This is a great way to make money from your phone, especially if you like solving problems and helping people.
Some companies like Getty Images, U-Haul, Upwork, Delta Airlines, and JetBlue have a dedicated corps of traveling customer service reps who answer calls from their own homes.
2. Investment Apps
Financial investment apps are becoming increasingly popular among millennials or even gen zs.
Some of these apps help you invest directly, which means bypassing Wall Street entirely.
No matter which type of app you choose, it's clear that financial services companies have taken notice and found ways to harness innovation for profit-making purposes.
Millennials—and all other generations—are taking note.
Here's how to make money using these apps:
If you're interested in trading stocks, funds, and other financial products, Robinhood will give you the chance to do so on your phone.
There are no per-trade commission fees on self-directed accounts.
If you're looking to trade on the go, consider downloading this app—it allows you to invest as little as $1 in more than 5,000 stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrency.
This app is excellent if you are unsure where to begin with your investment.
The free investment app smartly links your debit card, credit card, or checking account, so that every time you make a purchase, money gets invested in your account automatically.
It's amazing how adding up those nickels and dimes can add up to real money.
It is a fast and easy way to start investing without changing your spending habits.
Have you seen a better way when learning how to make money from your phone than this?
Acorns makes it affordable to invest small amounts at a time.
The app “rounds up” purchases and invests the change. It offers free, fully-insured investment accounts with no fees and no minimums.
Additionally, the company partners with hundreds of retailers to pay your cashback when you shop online.
Betterment is another investment app that combines smart investing and goal-setting, creating personalized plans to help you reach your goals.
Whether it's paying for a wedding, buying a home, or saving for college, the app allows you to track your investments and make deposits to your portfolio whenever you want.
Setting up an automatic monthly deposit to an investment account you never touch is an excellent option if you want to start saving money and forget about it.
You will be amazed at how much money you can make by doing nothing on your phone.
3. Try cashback apps
Let's learn to make money from your phone using cashback apps.
You purchase something using an app then get a small percentage of your purchase back.
So, the principle behind cashback apps is simple.
You're rewarded for shopping with certain brands or at certain stores or for simply scanning your receipts.
Cashback apps are a great way to earn money on your everyday online shopping.
But you can also use them to make money from your phone — without spending a penny.
Many of the best cashback apps also offer rewards when you shop online, watch videos, play a game, or complete surveys — meaning you can make money directly from your phone.
It's easy. You download the app (I will list some of them below), set up an account, and shop online like you normally do.
Learning to make money from your phone with this method is easy.
The cashback app periodically gives you a percentage of your purchase back in the form of cold hard cash.
These apps are completely free and an excellent way to save money while shopping.
Ibotta pays you to do your grocery shopping! Before a trip to the store, you complete two simple tasks on the Ibotta mobile app related to your favorite brands or products.
After you shop and scan each receipt, you're credited with cashback money when you earn at least $5.
You can cash out via PayPal whenever you've reached $5.
Shopkick is another free app that pays you for just walking into certain stores that you probably already shop at!
By scanning items' barcodes in store a free app on your phone or tablet, you can rack up points for reward cards to use for things you probably already buy there!
You get points whether or not you make a purchase at that store, and the rewards are available immediately.
Simply download the Shopkick app and open it when you're in one of the stores that work with Shopkick.
Scan bar codes at the store and see an immediate tally of your points for that time period.
Earn enough points and redeem them for gift cards from your favorite stores!
Another way to make money from your phone is…
Receipt Hog pays you for your shopping habits.
All you need to do is snap a picture of your receipt from any retailer, play a few games, and take paid surveys…then redeem your points for gift cards or PayPal cash.
It's quick and easy! And most of the items are things you'd already be buying anyway.
4. Become a freelancer
If you can't see a clear route to making money from your skills or expertise, it might be time to hire someone who can.
Freelancers have been disrupting traditional business models for years now, so it's not out of line for you to give it a shot.
Many freelancing sites have built-in online communities where you can post projects for potential clients.
In addition, there are freelance marketplaces like Legiit that let customers find and engage freelancers at all skill levels.
In fact, some websites will even pair up freelancers with businesses based on similar skillsets.
There are a lot of jobs that you can do for other people or businesses from your smartphone.
They might involve skills you have from previous employment, or they could be new tasks that you develop.
The possibilities are endless.
You can set your own schedule and work during times that are convenient for you, provided you meet your clients' deadlines.
Here's how to make money as a freelancer.
You can become an:
- online tutor
- writer/copywriter
- social media manager
- a virtual assistant (answer emails or phone calls)
- graphic designer (you can use simple apps for simple graphics)
There are much more gigs you can offer through your phone; you just have to find them.
5. Take surveys for money
Another way you can make money with a phone is by taking surveys.
Taking surveys for cash on reputable sites, shouldn’t even feel like work.
You'll be helping companies learn about people like you.
How do they do that?
By asking a series of questions about your likes and dislikes (and about products) after you answer a qualifying question.
Doing market research is a great way to make some money online.
It can also help you figure out what sorts of products might interest you—and which ones aren't worth your time.
How does this usually go?
- Sign up: You have to create your free account where you provide details about yourself. The more information you provide, the more surveys they'll provide.
- Verify the account: You have to verify your account and give honest answers. This is the key to unlocking more survey opportunities (which means more ways to earn extra money.)
- Collect points: Normally, you can collect points for every survey you complete. Points are redeemed for gift cards or cash. This is a simple way to make money from your phone.
Not all survey sites are equal, so it's important to pick one that works best for you.
Survey Junkie is among the top 10 highest-paying survey sites. It's free to join and only takes a few minutes to fill out each survey.
You'll be paid via PayPal cash payments or with e-gift cards. This can be an excellent way to make money from your phone for free!
Opinion Outpost offers you the chance to earn cash or gift cards for taking surveys. Each survey focuses on different topics.
For example, you might get questions about the brands you use today.
Tomorrow, you might answer questions about your personal beliefs.
Variety makes each survey fun. You can get the survey junkie app in both Google play and IOS app store.
Not every survey is text-based; Mindswarms is a video-based survey platform paying you to take 10-minute videos.
If you're good at math, you can make $300 an hour!
Even if you aren't great at talking on camera, consider Mindswarms.
6. Use an app to sell stuff
There are lots of ways to sell stuff from your phone.
The most obvious is selling items through apps like eBay or Craigslist that are tailored specifically for mobile devices.
Plus, their respective app stores have thousands of related third-party apps for things like price comparison shopping and shipping.
There's a good chance you have stuff lying around your house that you don't need — and wouldn't miss if it disappeared.
Start by going through your closets, storage areas, and any other place you're likely to collect clutter.
If you come across something that might be worth money, take a picture of it and list it on the app.
If you have old books you want to sell, there is an app for that too.
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Booscouter (to sell books)
If you need money for your books for college, you can sell them back to the store or online.
A well-known app you can use is Bookscouter.
They make it easy to compare buyback prices and find the best offer.
First, scan the book's barcode.
Immediately, you'll be given buyback prices from more than 20 vendors.
Next, when you're finished scanning each book, choose the best vendor.
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Decluttr (for CDs, DVDs, electronics)
Decluttr, an app that buys your used DVDs, CDs, books, and electronics, scans barcodes so you can sell multiple items quickly.
After that, they'll mail you a prepaid shipping label. However, if you don't have shipping supplies, they will mail them to you too.
Every order has a free shipping label, and you'll receive PayPal payment the day after they receive your goods.
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foap (for pictures)
If you're handy with a phone camera, Foap lets you sell your photos online with only an app (or their website).
It's available for Apple and Android devices, and you get paid when a company uses one of your photos for commercial purposes.
Some of the world's most successful companies buy pictures from Foap. They use them in their advertising campaigns and actually pay people to take them!
In less time than it takes to make a cup of coffee, you could earn cash for taking and submitting photos – of anything you like.
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Poshmark (for clothes)
It's easy to make room and cash in when it comes to getting rid of your old wardrobe and shopping for new clothes.
Just snap a pic of on-trend duds with your phone and upload the details.
In a matter of minutes, you can list several items online and get paid when they sell.
No doubt it's easy to make money on Poshmark!
When an item sells, Poshmark provides a prepaid shipping label. Attach it to the package and put it in the mail.
At this point, you can breathe easy—and enjoy the money when they come.
7. Become a language tutor
Language tutoring is an excellent option to make some extra cash because it fits into both a part-time schedule (if you're still working a full-time job) or a busy schedule.
If you have expertise in a particular area or language and want to earn extra money or perhaps start a career, teaching is a great way to make money from home.
You can even teach on your cell phone!
Your students can be anywhere in the world, and you can reach them from your smartphone.
You can use it to set up an online storefront for private lessons or use a third-party service that does the same thing for you.
You don't need to have any teaching experience — just be proficient in the languages you want to teach.
The great thing about this work is that it's usually done on your own time, so it's easy to fit around a full-time job or other responsibilities.
One of these apps is NiceTalk, where you teach students English.
While the pay is not Wow, it is a great way to make some side money.
8. Play Games
Games are more popular than ever, especially among younger people.
In fact, a recent report suggests that mobile gaming revenue will reach $116.4 billion by 2024.
Mobile games are an ever-growing phenomenon, and they're becoming more and more popular as the years go by.
Sure, you could play them for fun, but why not learn how to make money from playing?
No matter how you look at it, playing mobile games is a great way to earn extra money – or at least have a bit of fun whilst wasting time on your phone.
Believe it or not, several apps let you do just that.
They may not make you rich overnight, but they can be a fun way to earn extra cash while waiting in line at the store or killing time when you're bored.
A few of them even offer the option to redeem your earnings for gift cards or other rewards.
In fact, there are so many ways to earn from these apps that it would take us an entire article to list them all.
So we've narrowed it down to our top picks for ways to make money by playing mobile games.
InboxDollars is a mobile app that pays you real cash for the things you do on your phone.
InboxDollars has several different tasks that you can complete to earn money.
You can take surveys, watch videos, surf the web or play a game.
The amount of money that you can earn depends on what type of task you choose to do and how long it will take you to complete the task.
Let's face it: Getting paid to play a game on your phone doesn't get much better than this.
Go ahead and take a second to pick your jaw up off the floor – it's ok, I understand!
It's one of those things that everyone dreams about, but no one ever thinks is possible.
But at InboxDollars, the company believes you should be rewarded for everything you do online – not just what you buy.
And that includes playing online games!
There are a few different ways to use Swagbucks to earn extra cash.
You can download the app and complete easy tasks for cash rewards.
If you refer your friends and family members, you can earn even more money from their online activities through Swagbucks.
The one thing I like the most about Swagbucks is the fact that it's so easy.
All you have to do is download the app and you can start playing games, completing tasks, watching videos and referring your friends to earn free gift cards.
The gift cards range from Starbucks to Amazon and American Express.
The best part about this app is that it earns money for you every time you complete a task.
It doesn't matter if it's as simple as downloading an app or taking a survey.
Every time you complete a Swagbucks activity, it instantly puts money in your pocket!
For another gaming app, check out Play and Win.
It features arcade games, bingo, puzzle games, matching games, card games, and multiplayer games.
It also offers tournaments and challenges to win additional rewards points.
When it comes time to cash in those rewards (or enter sweepstakes), you can get PayPal money or make use of a PayPal Cash Card (which is like a gift card).
Game on, game-aholics!
This is another app that helps you earn money.
Get paid to play games when you download the gaming app Mistplay.
Each week, you'll get a new mix list of games to play—and the more you play, the more points you'll earn.
You can use your points to get gift cards to Amazon, Visa, and Starbucks and become a gift card-earning machine!
9. Other side hustles
With so many ways to earn money using your smartphone and so many apps to choose from, it's tough to pick which ploy to use.
Don't worry, though. We've done the legwork for you and rounded up the best sways for earning cash on your phone.
And, as a bonus, we'll tell you how you can use your newfound free time—once you start making money—to build your side hustle empire even bigger.
These hustles listed in this section can involve the most time commitments.
Moreover, it will probably require some legwork or infrastructure in place.
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Rent your apartment on Airbnb
Airbnb is one of the most popular ways for homeowners to rent out their properties for a short amount of time.
This is a well-known method and with its easy-to-use app, the experience is smooth.
The first step is to create an Airbnb listing.
To do this, you input information about your space, such as where it is located, the price per night, how many people you can accommodate, what amenities are available (such as Wi-Fi or laundry), and when guests can check-in and check-out.
You also need to upload photos of your space and provide details about what guests will find there (such as bed linens, toiletries, etc.).
Then when your listing gets some traction, you can automate the whole process through the app and get yourself a nice income.
However, as you can see, this requires more investment than the other methods mentioned till now.
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Doordash
Doordash is an app that connects local businesses with food delivery drivers.
When a customer places an order through the app, the nearest driver is notified and can accept or decline the job.
It's an easy way for anyone with a smartphone and car to make money on their own schedule, whether during a lunch hour or on nights and weekends.
To do this, you only need good walking shoes or a driver's license and, of course, the app.
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Gigwalk
If you have a phone, you can use Gigwalk to earn money by reporting on local happenings from the pulse of the city.
The app's name comes from the gigs you'll be doing in exchange for payment.
You'll find gigs at local stores, restaurants, and other businesses, where you'll be asked to do a variety of tasks.
You could be asked to price check products at local stores or verify that a store display looks alluring.
Or, you might capture photos of public events and report on whether things run smoothly.
Basically, you'd be the eyes and ears of national companies who want to know what's happening day-to-day in different cities.
There are different methods you can use to make money with a phone but this is one of the coolest.
For your effort, you'd receive payment in PayPal cash.
You can become a gigwalker in most large U.S. and Canadian cities.
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Mystery shopping apps
If you enjoy shopping and are looking for a way to make some extra money, then you may want to consider mystery shopping.
Mystery shopping is a great way to earn money on the side, and there are a number of mystery shopping apps available to help you get started.
Most mystery shopping apps work by giving you assignments to complete at local businesses. Once you complete the assignment, you simply submit your report and receive payment.
Some apps also offer additional opportunities to earn bonus payments, such as by completing tasks within a certain time frame or referring new shoppers to the app.
If you’re interested in becoming a mystery shopper, then be sure to download a mystery shopping app and start earning money today!
To conclude…
A smartphone can be an extremely useful tool, both in terms of applications and money-making abilities.
There are several different ways that you can make money with your phone; the best way, naturally, is the method that you can use to make real money!
The world of application development is huge, and what I covered in this article may just be the tip of an iceberg in terms of making money.
If you want to start making money with a phone, then it's always worth looking at every possible route and giving them a go.
We've examined a few different options for making money from your phone, and most of them can be done from the comfort of your own couch.
In other words, they're a great way to do something productive while relaxing at home.
Even more exciting is that you don't need any specific types of skills—many apps are geared towards helping people with all kinds of interests.
If part-time work is what you're after, it may be well worth your time to investigate one (or several) of these apps.
Great!
Now that you've finished reading our article on making money from your phone using different apps go give one or two of them a try.
Then sit back and enjoy that paycheck roll in
