It goes without saying that I absolutely love making money with phones.
I mean, This Online World started because of phone farming – a unique experiment in turning old smartphones into a passive income stream.
For some reason, apps have always fascinated me.
Once I caught the money-making bug in college, I’ve always just had a sweet spot for this sort of stuff.
Anyway, over my time in college, I’ve experiment with a frankly ridiculous amount of Android apps that make money.
From reward apps to apps that pay you to play games, there’s definitely a lot of opportunity out there to turn your smartphone into a nice bit of extra income.
So, if you’re looking for a fun new side hustle and have an Android, this is absolutely the post for you!
Time to break down the best Android apps that pay you!
Passive Income Earners
If you’re just getting started with these types of apps, passive income apps are your best friend.
You can install these apps, sit back, and start earning humble albeit easy bits of cash each day.
Just note: you should be comfortable selling your data to marketing companies and cellphone providers if you go down this road!
1. Mobile Performance Meter
Mobile Performance Meter is one of my all-time favorite passive income apps, and that’s because it’s reliable.
Once you install Mobile Performance Meter, you start earning meter points for running the app in the background of your phone.
Most users earn 10 points, or $0.10, per day, which works out to an easy $36.50 in free money each year.
However, some users report earning 20 to 40 points per day, meaning this app can potentially earn more than $100 per year…not bad for selling your mobile data for market research!
To date, I’ve earned a decent amount from Mobile Performance Meter, so I know it’s legit:
Only certain Android models work, but if you have a fairly new phone, there’s a strong chance you get into the program.
Checkout our Mobile Performance Meter review to learn more!
2. Panel App
Panel app is another simple passive income earner that pays you for sharing your data and answering short surveys.
Like Mobile Performance Meter, you need to run this app in the background of your phone to earn.
Unfortunately, Panel app is less lucrative than Mobile Performance Meter. Realistically, this app earns about $1 to $2 per month, tops.
However, if you’re already using Android apps that make money, you might as well add Panel app to the list.
Rewards include free Amazon gift cards and sweepstake entries, and I’ve earned a decent sum from using Panel app on several of my phone farming phones:
Again, this app won’t make you rich, but it’s a legit app that pays out users, so it’s worth considering.
Checkout our Panel app review for more information!
3. Cash Magnet
If you have an old Android phone laying around, you can turn it into a $15 per month passive income device by running CashMagnet!
In a nutshell, CashMagnet turns your phone into an autosurfing device that crawls different websites around the web.
It’s definitely a tad sketchy since this means your phone is really a node in a bot network, but hey, beermoney is weird sometimes.
In exchange for running in the network, your phone earns meter points, which are redeemable for PayPal cash, free gift cards, and Bitcoin.
You can actually run 4 CashMagnet phones per month, for a total of $60 in potential monthly earnings.
I ran CashMagnet in the past during my phone farming days and earned about $100 in passive income for my efforts.
The app is legit, but note that payments can take a few weeks to process.
Additionally, the app has some bugs. Plus, I wouldn’t install it on your personal phone since the app is somewhat questionable.
Installing also has some quirks, so checkout our CashMagnet app review to learn all the details!
Need somewhere secure and easy to deposit your Bitcoin?
4. MobileXpression
Another easy Android app that pays you is called MobileXpression.
Like CashMagnet, MobileXpression is a tad finicky to get working.
Additionally, while there is an IOS version of the app, it doesn’t work nearly as well as the Android version, so keep this in mind!
Anyway, MobileXpression is a data collection app that pays you with credits for running in the background of your device.
Credits are redeemable for free gift cards to Amazon, Best Buy, Starbucks, and other retailers. Plus, you get a $5 bonus after running the app for your first week.
Realistically, you can earn about $30-$40 or so by running this app consistently throughout the year.
I’ve always had trouble running MobileXpression for more than a few months without having to create a new account. However, the app is legit and pays out users.
Plus, you can run it alongside apps like Panel app and Mobile Performance Meter, turning your Android into a decent source of pocket money.
5. S’More
Lockscreen apps that pay have always been an Android-only money making idea.
Simply put, Apple doesn’t let as many shenanigans take place on their app store. Therefore, lockscreen apps have always been blocked.
Google is also cracking down on this, and as a result, S’more is pretty much the only app left standing that works.
So, what is S’more?
Well, S’more essentially pays you to put advertisements on your lockscreen.
In exchange for doing so, you earn $0.10 per day for unlocking your phone. That’s all there is to it.
You don’t have to interact with ads, and unlocking your phone multiple times doesn’t change how much you earn.
So, you’re looking at the easiest $36.50 in passive income you’ve ever seen.
You can boost your earnings by answering surveys, but that’s not required.
The best part is that you only need $1.50 in points to cash out, so you actually benefit from the app.
Reward options include gift cards to Amazon, Target, CVS, free Google Play credit, and many other retailers.
If you don’t mind the cluttered look, I definitely recommend trying out S’more!
Read our S’more app review to learn how to maximize your earning potential.
6. Current Rewards
The Current App is another nifty passive income earner that actually pays you for listening to music stations!
Once you download Current Rewards, you can start earning points for listening to thousands of different radio stations online and offline.
Current Rewards actually claims you can make $600 per year with their app.
This is probably a bit high, but plenty of Reddit users report making an easy $20+ per month from the app.
You can also earn points by answering surveys, playing games, and shopping online. However, music is where Current Rewards shines.
Checkout our Current Rewards App review for all of the details!
Get Paid To Play Apps
One of the most straightforward ways to earn money with an Android device is to install apps that pay you for playing sponsored games.
Now, I’ve covered apps like this before on This Online World, but a word of caution – you need to actually enjoy playing games on your phone for this to be worth it.
After all, if you’re an avid mobile gamer, these apps are an easy way to earn free gift cards!
Plus, Androids have way more opportunity for this category since Apple devices typically block apps from recording over other apps; which is how most game apps track your playtime and rewards.
7. Mistplay
Mistplay is a leading gaming app for Android that brands itself as the loyalty program for gamers.
On Mistplay, the process is quite simple: you simply download sponsored games and earn points the longer you play and for leveling up in-game and your overall Mistplay account.
Once you earn enough points, you can redeem a variety of free gift cards to stores like Amazon, Best Buy, Starbucks, and others.
Thankfully, Mistplay has a decent variety of games, including genres like:
- Strategy.
- Survival.
- Card & slots.
- Adventure games.
As mentioned, you won’t get rich by using Mistplay.
However, that’s not really the point. As long as you regularly play games, you might as well earn some rewards for your time!
Checkout our official Mistplay app review for all the info you need to get started.
Alternatively, Download Mistplay and start earning free gift cards!
8. Coin Pop
Coin Pop is essentially a carbon-copy of Mistplay, but for avid gamers, this just means you have more earning options at your disposal.
Plus, Coin Pop is also an incredibly popular app in its own right, with over 160,000 reviews on the Google Play store.
Like Mistplay, Coin Pop rewards you for trying out new sponsored games and sinking some time into them.
This is also an Android-only app because it needs to request permission to track the usage times of your apps, which Apple dislikes.
There’s a decent selection of games, and reward options include free gift cards, Google Play credit, and free Steam codes.
5,000 coins equals $0.50 on Coin Pop, and you should expect to grind out a game for a bit before you earn some decent money.
However, the cashout requirement is only $0.50, which is a massive perk for this gaming app.
You definitely won’t get rich with this app.
But, if you want to make money playing video games, it’s worth checking out!
Read our Coin Pop review for the rest of the details!
Cashback Reward Apps
While reward apps that pay are available for Android and IOS devices, there’s absolutely zero reason not to give these apps a try.
Reward apps essentially pay you cashback for purchasing things you were already going to buy anyway, making them an easy way to save money.
There are also some very popular reward apps for Android I think are worth a mention.
9. Drop
Drop is a leading reward app that is available in Canada and the United States.
While Drop has undergone some changes and isn’t nearly as passive anymore, the app is still an easy way to earn free gift card rewards for shopping (and so much more).
Drop is basically a mobile version of Rakuten, and lets you earn Drop points for shopping online at dozens of Drop partners.
You can also earn points for answering surveys, playing mobile games, and shopping in-store for special deals.
Plus, Drop also has some insanely lucrative signup bonuses ranging from $50 to $100+ for trying new services from their partners.
I’ve earned more than $50 from using Drop on and off over the years, and I barely shop online:
Ultimately, how much you earn from Drop boils down to your shopping habits.
The app has dozens of gift card reward options, so enjoying the fruits of your labor is the easy part!
Checkout our Drop review to learn more about this leading reward app!
10. Dosh
If you want a more passive approach to earning cashback rewards, the Dosh app is a must-download app.
See, Dosh works similarly to how the older passive version of Drop worked.
Basically, once you connect your credit and debit cards to Dosh (which is secure), you earn small amounts of cashback for shopping at Dosh partners.
Since Dosh has plenty of partners, this is a zero-effort way to earn cashback as you regularly shop.
Some popular Dosh partners include:
- Walmart.
- Dunkin’ Donut.
- Pizza Hut.
- Sephora.
- Instacart.
In fact, Dosh states there’s over 100,000 locations across the U.S. where you can earn cashback from shopping…not bad!
You can redeem your cashback rewards once you reach $25 through direct deposit, PayPal, or Venmo.
If you want to earn cash instead of gift cards, this is probably one of only Android apps that pays real money.
Checkout our post on other apps like Dosh for even more passive income ideas!
11. Ampli
Alright, time for my absolute favorite Canadian rewards app that’s also relatively new to the scene.
If you haven’t heard of Ampli, you’re seriously missing out!
This cashback app pays you for shopping at dozens of your favorite brands and stores, and it’s completely passive because you don’t have to pre-select offers before shopping!
Ampli is also available for IOS, but this is hands down my current favorite Android app that pays money since it takes no effort.
I’ve only had Ampli for a few weeks and I already have around $5.50, just for shopping like normal.
If you want to earn more, you can also complete spending challenges for certain brands to earn bonuses, which is pretty neat.
PLUS, you can signup for Ampli with the code WORLD5 for a free $5 signup bonus!
Texting Apps
Alright, time to go even deeper into this whole topic.
While it might surprise you, there are actually several apps that pay you for receiving SMS messages.
These apps won’t make you rich, and it’s definitely a tad annoying, but hey, maybe this is up your alley.
12. McMoney
Out of all texting apps, McMoney is probably the most popular option for Android phones.
McMoney states that they want to “test and improve mobile operations,” and that’s why they send test messages to your phone.
Companies also send SMS messages to verify new users or suspicious logins, and may use McMoney to test out their service.
Every text you receive earns a couple of pennies, and in most countries, it takes $6 to cashout through PayPal. Some countries let you redeem your balance at $1, however.
Like other passive income apps, the idea here is to earn small bits of income without having to lift a finger.
Will you get rich? Absolutely not, but that’s definitely not the point of these Android apps.
Plus, you can set hourly restrictions so McMoney doesn’t wake you up in the middle of the night with a text verification from Uber or something stupid.
Checkout our McMoney review for all the details!
13. Money SMS
Money SMS is another Android-only app that pays you for receiving text messages.
Like McMoney, you receive a mixture of test messages from Money SMS and then verification tests real companies send out.
You get paid €0.02 per text, and you need 2 Euros to withdraw through PayPal or various cryptocurrencies…not great, but if you’re already using McMoney, you might as well download this app too.
You can also refer friends to Money SMS to earn 30% of anything they withdraw, although this app isn’t a powerhouse for earnings regardless of how you look at it.
If you’re worried about security, here’s what Money SMS states on their homepage:
“A lot of Telecom SMS providers and Mobile Network Operators need to send SMS test messages to foreign countries to verify and ensure the proper delivery of their SMS. You actually get paid because we use your phone number to provide such testing services. Please note that we do not read your private messages.”
Personally, these apps aren’t my cup of tea, but you’re free to try them out if you want another Android money-making app!
Checkout our Money SMS app review for all the details.
Other Apps To Try
If you’re still looking for more Android options, you’re in luck: there are a few more nifty ways to start earning with your smartphone.
14. Honeygain
I’ve talked about ways to sell internet bandwidth before. And, out of all the methods, Honeygain is probably one of the most popular.
With Honeygain, you can turn your Android device into a node in a VPN network.
As people from around the world use Honeygain’s services, they might connect to your particular node and use your IP address to conduct their business.
Honeygain states this is completely kosher, but again, becoming part of a VPN node with your computer or phone is somewhat sketchy.
Additionally, people have fairly mixed results with Honeygain in terms of how much you actually earn.
According to Honeygain, you earn $1USD per 10GB shared. If you don’t live in a popular country where people want to connect, don’t expect too much.
Honeygain states their average payout is about $26, but again, people seem to have very mixed results, so I’d take this with a grain of salt!
Checkout our Honeygain review for all the details!
15. Food Delivery Apps
While food delivery apps aren’t only for Android devices, gig apps are generally your best option if you want to make more serious income.
It doesn’t matter if you drive for DoorDash or Uber Eats; if you work smart, most food delivery jobs pay at least minimum wage or slightly more.
Some delivery options to consider include:
1. DoorDash – Make money delivering food as a DoorDash courier. Read our DoorDash driver review to learn more!
2. Instacart – Full-service Instacart shoppers earn $13 per hour on average and are independent contractors, but you can earn $20 or more with tips and by getting lucky.
3. Postmates – Deliver everything from fast food, to groceries, to clothing. Checkout our DoorDash vs Postmates comparison to get the details.
4. Shipt – Shipt is a U.S. grocery delivery service where you can earn up to $22 per hour!
There’s no single best company; how much you earn really depend on your market, how efficient you are, and if you work during surge pricing.
Extra Reading – 27 Apps That Pay You To Drive!
16. Survey Apps
I’ll admit: I really don’t like online surveys.
In fact, I think they are largely a waste of time and often have too high of an opportunity cost to be worth it.
However, if you want to make money while on the go and don’t care about the low payouts, you can consider using the right survey apps to at least earn something.
Two popular and reputable options include:
- Survey Junkie – Lets you cash out through PayPal after earning $5, which is lower than most survey websites.
- Google Opinion Rewards – Answer short surveys to earn Google Play credit.
Again, I don’t recommend installing these unless you have unlimited data and just want to answer surveys when you’re out an about.
However, I felt like they deserved a mention in this article just because of how popular they are!
Extra Reading – 22 Best Microtask Websites For Fast Cash.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, you’re not going to make a full-time income from your smartphone.
However, I think people are too quick to dismiss some of the earning options that are out there for mobile phones…especially Androids.
I was addicted to these sorts of apps back in college, and honestly, the stream of free gift cards definitely helped out and brought a smile to my face.
So, while you might not make hundreds with these sorts of apps, make what you can.
Even the passive income ideas in this article add up fast, and I think it’s realistic to earn at least $100 to $200 per year just from your phone.
I hope this list of Android apps that make money has proved helpful!
If you have a favorite app that you recommend, definitely let me know!
I’ll catch you guys in the next one.
Tom is a full-time blogger and freelance writer with a passion for side hustling, passive income, and the gig economy. His work has appeared on dozens of personal finance websites like Money Crashers, The College Investor, Investor Junkie, and more. This Online World is all about providing people with honest ways to make and save more money by using technology. To learn more about Tom, read his About Page!
If you’re interested in freelance writing services or want to partner with This Online World, please use our contact page to get in touch!