The 16 Best Apps That Pay You Real Money Instantly

If you want an easy online side hustle, then using money making apps is definitely something you can consider.

These days, there are so many gpt sites and money-making apps you can use to earn gift cards and cash in your spare time. And I’ve personally been using these sorts of apps since college to make some pocket money.

However, one common problem with many paid survey sites or money making apps is that they don’t pay you instantly. In fact, some can take weeks or months to cash out with due to high cash-out requirements.

Thankfully, there are still some legit apps that pay you real money instantly if you want to make money online but get paid fast.

If you’re ready to make money with your phone or laptop and want to get paid right away, this is the post for you.

Let’s get to it.

The Best Free Apps That Pay You Real Money Instantly

As mentioned, I’ve been testing out paid apps and surveys ever since my phone farming days back in college. And I’ve found that most apps aren’t worth your time and barely pay.

But there are some exceptions out there. And after testing dozens of different apps and websites over the years, I’ve highlighted some instant paying apps that are perfect for making some extra money to help with groceries or buy you lunch every now and again.

You won’t get rich with these apps, but they’re a fun and easy way to make quick money without much effort.

1. Swagbucks

One of the most popular, free apps that pays you instantly out there is Swagbucks, a leading rewards platform.

I’ve used Swagbucks since college to earn free cash and gift cards. It’s incredibly easy to use, and it’s number one on this list because of the number of earning options it has.

With Swagbucks, you get paid for completing a range of online microtasks, including:

• Answering surveys
• Watching ads
• Downloading apps and games
• Shopping online
• Inviting your friends

I also like Swagbucks since it often has various sign up bonuses if you create a new account and earn a certain number of points.

It also has plenty of free gift card rewards starting at $1, so you can cash out instantly if you complete a few offers. And PayPal rewards only take $5 to redeem.

My post on the best Swagbucks hacks shares some tips I use to make more money with this site, so I definitely suggest giving it a read as well.

Get started with Swagbucks!

2. Branded Surveys

Like Swagbucks, another free app that pays real money instantly that you can use is Branded Surveys.

This popular survey panel lets you earn PayPal cash and gift cards for sharing your opinion. And you can cash out at just $5, which is possible to reach in a day if you grind out a few surveys.

I like using Branded Surveys since it pays you bonus cash every month the more surveys you answer through its Branded Elite loyalty program.

You can also sign up if you live in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the UK.

The desktop version of Branded Surveys is easy to use, but you can also use it on your phone or download the iOS app if you prefer making money with your phone.

Get started with Branded Surveys!

3. Mistplay

If you like playing games on you phone and have an Android, then Mistplay is another excellent, legit app that pays you instantly that you can use.

This leading gaming reward app lets you earn free gift cards for trying new games. I’ve used Mistplay several times over the last few years, and the game variety is what makes the app so popular.

You can play all sorts of games, ranging from strategy to arcade games. And Mistplay has dozens of free gift cards to choose from.

Rewards like Amazon gift cards also start at just $0.50, so you can realistically cash out the same day and get paid instantly with Mistplay.

Try out Mistplay or read my Mistplay review for more details!

4. Pinecone Research

Another popular instant payout app you can try out is Pinecone Research, a premium survey panel open to people living in the United States, Canada, France, and Germany.

Pinecone Research has revolutionized the survey space by offering a guaranteed $3 per survey! In comparison, most survey platforms only pay $0.25 to $1.50 per survey you complete.

You can also cash out instantly, redeeming your cash for rewards like free Amazon gift cards or bank transfer payments.

The downside is that Pinecone Research is an invite-only survey site. This means that you have to apply and get put on a waitlist until you’re accepted.

Acceptance is determined by your demographics, so you can either get accepted immediately or receive an email about when you can join.

The reason this app is so exclusive is because they are testing emerging concepts and products that aren’t released yet.

But with a $3 guaranteed $3 payment per survey and instant cashout availability, it’s definitely worth signing up for!

Sign up for Pinecone Research!

5. Honeygain

Out of all the free apps that pay real money instantly, Honeygain is one of the most interesting.

This passive income app and website lets you make money by selling your unused internet bandwidth. All you have to do is sign up for Honeygain, download its app, and then run it on your computer or phone to begin earning.

Honeygain helps businesses and companies use different IP addresses from around the world for things like ad verification or price comparisons.

As you share your internet, you gradually earn Honeygain credits; you get $3 for sharing 10GB of traffic.

You can then redeem your credits for PayPal cash or crypto, and payments process quickly. If you choose to cash out through PayPal, you’ll need to reach the $20 threshold first. When choosing the cryptocurrency JumpTokens, you can get your payout immediately.

How much you earn depends on how many devices you run and where you live. But this is a legit app that pays instantly as long as you keep it running and you can share your internet bandwidth with others.

You can check out Honeygain to get started! Or, sign up for Honeygain and use the code ‘thisonlineworld’ to get a free $5 bonus!

6. Rewarded Play

Like Mistplay, Rewarded Play is another one of the best apps that pays you instantly if you’re a frequent Android gamer.

With Rewarded Play, you download new games and then play them to earn points. You can then redeem the points you earn for dozens of free gift cards to companies like Amazon, Best Buy, and Target.

Rewarded Play is available in the United States and Canada, and it has hundreds of different games you can play to earn.

New games also get added all the time, and you only need 5,000 points to cash out a $5 reward. It’s possible to earn this much in a day, so I consider Rewarded Play an app that pays you instantly.

Try out Rewarded Play or read my Rewarded Play review for more information.

7. Steady

Steady is another popular app that pays real money, and it’s ideal if you’re looking for high-paying gig work in your area.

With Steady, you can find local jobs, cash gigs, and money-making opportunities that match your skills and schedule. And according to Steady’s website, its members earn about $5,500 per year is additional income!

Once you sign up for this free app, you explore a list of money-making gigs in your area.

A lot of the gigs are popular ones like driving for DoorDash or Amazon Flex. But you can also find part-time jobs, cash gigs, and lucrative sign up bonuses from different companies.

Start making money with Steady!

8. Qmee

If you’re still looking for free apps that pay real money instantly, then Qmee is definitely worth considering.

Qmee is a popular Get-Paid-To (GPT) website that pays you for sharing your opinions on various topics and products. It also lets you earn cash back for shopping through their platform.

And the reason Qmee is an excellent app that pays you real money instantly is because it doesn’t have a minimum cash out requirement.

In other words, you can cash out with $0.01 in your wallet. This is very rare for GPT apps since most of them require $5 to $25 in earnings before you actually get paid.

Qmee pays competitive rates as well, and most surveys and questionnaires take between 5-20 minutes to complete and pay out an average of $0.75 per survey.

I also like using Qmee since it pays you to shop with cash-back rewards at hundreds of merchants, similar to shopping extensions like Rakuten.

You can redeem your rewards for free PayPal cash, dozens of gift cards, or donations to charity.

Overall, Qmee is a legit app that pays you instantly, and it can be a nice source of beermoney on the side that’s easy to start.

9. EasyShift

EasyShift is a unique app that pays you to “shop, eat, and explore in your city”. And it’s an excellent app that pays you cash instantly if you want to get out and complete odd jobs around your city to get paid.

Examples of gigs you can complete to make money with EasyShift include:

• Taking a photo of a storefront
• Checking inventory of certain products
• Searching grocery isles for products
• Check prices
• Review Promotions
• Confirm expiration dates

Most tasks pay between $2-4 on average and pay you real cash instantly through PayPal. Payments (usually) only take 2 business days to reach your account as well.

Because the app offers nearby tasks, getting jobs is heavily based on where you live.

For example, if you live in a very small town, you’re a lot less likely to receive tasks. However, major cities have a lot of tasks with a lot of competition.

The main advantage of EasyShift is that it pays more than a typical survey site. However, gigs can be a little inconsistent, so don’t expect steady money from this instant pay app.

10. Premise

If you like the idea of Instashift, then Premise is another excellent app that pays real money instantly you should have on your phone.

With Premise, you can earn real cash for completing short tasks in your city and by answering in-app surveys. And the app is completely free to download on iOS and Android.

Examples of tasks you get paid to complete on Premise include:

• Taking photos of stores
• Taking photos of in-store displays
• Confirming the prices of various products
• Answering surveys

Premise lets you cash out with PayPal money or Bitcoin at just $10. And many of the tasks pay $5 to $10+ depending on how many steps are involved, so you can cash out instantly sometimes.

Read my Premise review for more information or try out the app!

11. 1Q

It’s impossible to write a post on apps that pay you instantly without mentioning 1Q. And that’s because it’s a simple survey app that’s known for its instant PayPal payments.

With 1Q, you get a push notification when you’re eligible to take a quick survey. Surveys pay $0.25 per completion, and you can cash out instantly for PayPal money or a charitable donation.

While this survey rate is low, 1Q usually has more available surveys than other traditional survey apps.

Plus, the push notifications make it a no-brainer to just keep in the background of your phone and take surveys as they become available.

Even if you complete an average of 1 easy survey per day, that’s still a free meal every few months. And it’s a super simple way to make money online without needing any skills.

Granted, 1Q has some mixed reviews, but a lot of that is reliant on demographics. Some people will get more surveys than others. Unfortunately, that’s just how it works.

I recommend installing the app and seeing if you get any bites with surveys. If you don’t get any after a month, just uninstall and forget about it.

At the very least, you can have it in rotation with other apps that pay instantly.

12. Field Agent

Field Agent is an app for Android and IOS that lets everyday shoppers earn money by taking photos, videos, surveys, and providing other retail information to help popular brands understand their consumers.

Similar to EasyShift, you earn money with this app by completing jobs outside of your house.

There are four main types of jobs to choose from on Field Agent:

1. Common Job Audits: Require going to a store, taking a picture of a product or display, and answering a few questions. Pays around $3-$8 per job.
2. Scavenger Hunts: Require finding a specific item in the store without knowing where it is. Usually pays around $3-$10 per job.
3. Precision Audits: These are very similar to common audits, but usually involve more steps and feedback. Usually pays around $5-$12 per job.
4. Ticket Jobs: Can be completed anywhere by answering basic questions/surveys in exchange for a raffle ticket. Monthly prize pays between $100-$500 if you win.

Some users that hustle with Field Agent can make a few hundred per year with this app, making it one of the more lucrative instant paying apps out there.

And Field Agent is a legit app that pays instantly. All you have to do is connect a bank account of bank transfers, and there’s thousands of positive app reviews and payment proof online.

The app is similar to high paying apps like Gigwalk and Premise, so you can check out these mystery-shopping type apps for even more opportunities.

At the moment, this is the only way you can cash out with the app. And remember that major cities have more jobs than rural areas, impacting earning potential.

13. InstaGC

InstaGC is a fast paying survey site and app that most people can use around the world. Plus, it’s very international friendly, which isn’t always common amongst these kinds of platforms.

Like most other beermoney sites, InstaGC lets you earn money through:

• Paid surveys
• Referring new users
• Downloading games
• Clicking on ads
• Watching ads
• Entering sweepstakes

What makes InstaGC great is that it has a minimum payout threshold of $1. While this is more than most thresholds on this list, just one hour of tasks will usually get you to $1.

The app works on a points system where 100 points = $1. Signing up will get you 10 points immediately, and a few surveys get you the rest of the way to cashing out.

If you’re familiar with Grindabuck, then InstaGC will make a lot of sense to you. Personally, I prefer Grindabuck over InstaGC, but the minimum payout is way higher on Grindabuck.

That’s why this app is much better if you’re looking to get paid quickly with PayPal cash or free gift cards.

14. Cashyy

Cashyy is a gaming rewards app that lets you earn PayPal money and a variety of gift cards for downloading and playing new mobile games.

If you’re more into video games or mobile games, then Cashyy is one of the best apps that pays real money instantly that you can use.

To earn rewards with Cashyy, you typically have to complete tasks like:

• Reaching a certain level in game
• Playing for a certain amount of time per day
• Accomplishing a specific goal in game
• Having the app downloaded for a day

Usually the rewards aren’t too difficult to accomplish.

The only thing I would consider is whether or not you actually enjoy mobile games. You have to already like testing new games on your phone if you want Cashyy to be worthwhile.

If you do, then Cashyy can make you $10 here and there for playing during your spare time.

The app has a minimum cashout requirement of less than $1 in most countries, so you won’t have any trouble cashing out fast.

Overall, Cashyy is similar to apps like Mistplay and JustPlay. But the fact it pays instantly, or close to, is what makes it very popular.

15. AppNana

Similar to Cashyy, AppNana is a free gaming app for iOS and Android that lets you earn gift cards for playing mobile games. Each game you download has different requirements to earn points, just like Cashyy.

For example, one game might say “reach 5 million mighty points to earn a reward” and another might say “play at least 5 minutes to earn credits”.

You can redeem your points for a variety of free gift cards, and rewards start at just $1, so you can cash out pretty quickly.

And one unique feature of AppNana is that you can also earn points for watching videos and ads on the app. These apps pay significantly less than playing games, but they’re consistent and great for reaching cashout requirements.

Definitely consider AppNana if you love playing mobile games more than taking surveys.

Extra Reading – The Best Gaming Apps That Pay You Instantly.

16. QuickRewards

QuickRewards is one of the best apps that pay you real money instantly because they have a minimum payout of $0.01! In other words, you can cash out right after your first task.

And like apps like Qmee, Quick Rewards offers a few ways to make money on its platform:

• Completing surveys
• Playing new games
• Shopping online
• Watching videos and ads
• Completing paid offers

The company has paid out over $7 million to their users since the app was founded and have been a legit rewards app for over 20 years!

It’s one of those platforms that has everything in one. Most users can expect to earn around $10 per month with consistent use of QuickRewards.

Their most popular way for you to make money is by watching ads, so if you prefer to make money on autopilot, you can use QuickRewards to earn some easy passive income on the side as well.

Tips For Using Apps That Pay You Instantly

After using instant payout apps for several years, I’ve found that most of them don’t pay much and aren’t worth your time. However, you can maximize your earnings if you use a few tips and tricks:

1. Leverage Sign-Up Bonuses: GPT apps and sites often have small sign-up bonuses, so take advantage of these to get paid even faster. Our post on $25 sign-up bonuses and sign up bonus apps are great resources for finding some offers.
2. Try Multiple Apps: The earning potential for instant paying apps often goes down over time, so it’s good to try a few apps to cherry pick the best offers.
3. Try Other Side Hustles: Apps that pay real money instantly are useful for making a bit of money on the side. But the earning potential is low for this side hustle, so keep this in mind.

This last point is honestly very important, and it’s something I learned while testing these apps out over the years.

Instant paying apps are fun and easy. But side hustles like gig economy jobs or freelancing pay way more.

And some gigs can pay the same day or instantly as well. For example, both DoorDash and Uber Eats let you cash out daily earnings for a small fee, and your hourly pay is higher than these money-making apps.

Ultimately, just have realistic earning expectations for these instant money apps. And don’t be afraid to try out a combo of apps to find which ones you like most.

Extra Reading – The Best Jobs You Can Do From Your Phone.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully you can utilize these apps that pay you instantly to start a new, fun side hustle.

And like I said, remember that you can combine all or most of these apps at the same time. For example, if every app makes you $0.25 per day on average, having 8 of these apps in rotation will make you $2 per day.

Are there better ways to make money online? Of course.

Using a gig economy app like DoorDash or Instacart will make you significantly more than these survey and gaming apps.

However, getting to cash out instantly is a luxury of very few platforms, so take advantage of them when you can!

Happy hustling!

Looking for even more ideas to make extra money? Checkout:

• The Best Ways To Make Money With A Laptop.
• The Best Ways To Make $1,500 Fast.