[Editor’s Note: Today’s article is a guest post from Lyle Solomon is a licensed attorney in California. He has been affiliated with the law firms in California, Nevada, and Arizona since 1991. As the principal attorney of Oak View Law Group, he gives advice and writes articles to help people solve their debt problems.]
A commonly asked question is, what’s the difference between active income and passive income?
The answer is pretty simple: active income is what you get for exchanging your hard work, time, and skills for a salary.
On the other hand, passive income is any additional income acquired by simply investing and letting your money grow on its own, without putting any effort into it on your part. The investments can be of any type such as:
- financial investments
- affiliate marketing
- product sales
It can even involve making money via shopping, playing video games or even watching movies online.
Let’s take a look at the 13 best passive income apps that you can use to make easy money:
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#1. Survey junkie
Once users create a profile with Survey Junkie, it matches them with them with, you guessed it, online surveys.
You can earn anywhere between $0.20 to $3.50 by completing them.
Generally, they’re for different types of consumer goods and can take anywhere from 2 to 30 minutes to complete.
You can also make money (between $0.25 and $1.00) by completing all of the Survey Junkie tasks. Examples include completing a profile, verifying an email address, and installing a browser, which only a few seconds.
You won’t be able to cash out your earnings until you’ve accumulated 1,000 points ($10.00).
#2. Swag bucks
Swagbucks is a popular loyalty and customer rewards program. Members receive gift cards or extra cash for everyday online activities such as:
- web searching
- gaming
- watching videos
- online shopping
Or anywhere else you can earn money through cashback rebates.
You can exchange your SB points for gift cards or cash, and it costs 100 SB points to get a reward of $1.00.
#3. Drop
The Drop app is the first consumer-driven, innovative mobile rewards platform that focuses on individually tailored member experiences.
Drop members earn points when they shop via the mobile app and can instantly redeem them for rewards from their favorite brands.
Additionally, members can link their credit or debit card to earn points from participating brands. This eliminates the need to scan receipts or enroll in additional loyalty programs.
Every 1,000 points earned is worth $1.00.
Drop’s popular partners include:
- Airbnb
- Walmart
- Starbucks
- Amazon
- Target
#4. Fundrise
Getting an extra passive income stream via rental properties has never been easier – thanks to Fundrise. This is a real estate investments software that invests on your behalf.
You don’t have to worry about taking care of the rental property as they do it for you.
Fundrise provides you with real estate options that are carefully selected and proactively grown to help you build your wealth. This app is one of the best for assisting you in taking the first steps toward financial freedom.
Rather than putting all of your money into one large investment, you’re able to diversify your portfolio by investing small amounts in multiple projects.
The Fundrise app also keeps you up to date on the status of each project in which you’ve invested via their online portal.
#5. Rakuten
Rakuten, previously known as Ebates until 2019, is a cashback app. It has been around since 1998 and is considered one of the best cashback websites/apps.
Rakuten is very easy to use, and there are no forms to fill out or fees to pay. You can earn up to 10% cashback when you purchase from the Rakuten website (This site is affiliated with over 2500 brands).
You can get your cashback through Paypal or a cheque (all payments are sent out every three months).
#6. Public.com
With Public.com, you can invest in the companies you love for any amount of money and without paying any commissions whatsoever.
In contrast to other apps, Public has a social layer that enables users to see precisely how their community’s money is spent.
You can connect with friends and leaders in the app to learn about businesses and discover new stocks.
It’s advisable to look at what other investors are doing in the initial stages of your investment journey.
#7. Acorns
The Acorns app is an all-in-one saving and investment app. It uses a process called “roundups” to make investments and save money.
For example, if you pay $5.25 for something, Acorns will round it up to $6 and then pay the vendor $5.25 before transferring the remaining $0.75 to your Acorns account.
The Acorns Robo-advisor invests and manages your money once you’ve accumulated $5 in your Acorns savings account. It transforms spent money into money saved and invested.
This is an excellent way to build an extensive investment portfolio just by rounding up your purchases on a regular basis. Their portfolio ETFs have access to more than 7,000 stocks and bonds.
#8. Ally Invest
Ally Invest is a multi-asset brokerage firm where you can engage in self-directed investing. You can easily make money through various investments, like stocks and bonds. Ally Invest has over 12,000 mutual funds available, some of which charge a fee.
In contrast to a traditional advisor, Ally Invest’s Cash-Enhanced Robo Portfolios remove the financial barrier to investing. Getting help with your account doesn’t cost you tens of thousands of dollars.
Ally’s trading fees begin at $3.95 and go up from there. Because of their cooperation with discount brokers, more than 500 exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are now available commission-free.
#9. Airbnb
Airbnb is a website that lets homeowners list their properties for rent and connects them with potential guests looking for a place to stay in specific areas.
So, what are the prerequisites for becoming an Airbnb host?
To begin with, you must have a space readily accessible to share with other travelers. Whether it’s an entire home, a spare room, or a comfortable sofa bed, there’s bound to be a guest who will enjoy your space – the objective is to build an Airbnb listing that clearly and accurately shows tourists what to expect.
You must be willing to extend a warm, hospitable environment to your guests, which generally means communicating clearly and promptly. Then provide a clean space with the essential amenities for a comfortable stay, including any extra touches that you believe will make your area unique.
There are no fees associated with listing your home on Airbnb, so it’s a free way to reach potential guests. For the nightly rate, it’s all up to you. Depending on the time of year, the weekend, or any other night of the week, you can set different prices for different items.
This site is a good way to begin making rental income with your own home or property.
#10. AngelList Venture
AngelList is a company that supports and helps small businesses and start-ups grow. AngelList Venture is a part of AngelList that allows you to invest in the companies they’re supporting, thus becoming shareholders in that company.
The minimum amount required to invest is $1,000.
The best thing to do here is not to put a lot of money into just one company. It’s best to spread out investments among different businesses and start-ups.
#11. Dosh app
Dosh is a cashback app that connects to your credit or debit card and helps you earn cashback on purchases. Thousands of stores offer up to 10% cashback, though many only offer 2-5%.
Sephora, Dunkin’ Donuts, Sam’s Club, and Pizza Hut are a few partnering retailers.
Dosh also works with well-known hotel chains, so you can earn cashback when you book rooms.
When you earn $25 on your Dosh balance, you can use it for a PayPal payment, a charitable donation, or a direct deposit to your checking account.
#12. Ibotta app
You can earn cashback rewards from Ibotta by shopping online through the free app, uploading a photo of your receipt, and linking a loyalty account. Completing partner offers can also help you increase your earnings.
Ibotta makes it simple to withdraw the cashback you’ve earned through the app. Their earnings can be redeemed for Venmo or PayPal payments and gift cards.
If you’re unfamiliar with Ibotta, here’s how it works:
- Download it for free
- Open and view the available rebates and try to unlock them for items you were planning to buy
- Shop at the stores you normally would on a daily basis
- Upload your receipts and earn a cashback reward
#13. M1 finance
M1 Finance is a popular financial app among young investors. Based on their various offerings, there are numerous ways to make money or earn rewards.
Here are a few examples:
- Receive a cash bonus for transferring an account to MI Finance
- Make money through asset appreciation
- Purchase stocks/ETFs at a lower price and later sell them for a higher price
Dividends from dividend paying stocks will give you an additional source of income.
M1 Plus customers receive a higher APY on their checking account than others.
Conclusion
Nowadays, it’s a good idea to have extra income coming in from little effort. We all want a comfortable and simple way of life. However, financial obstacles will always be a part of our lives, but it is up to us to deal with them.
There are numerous ways to invest the money you earn from these apps, including:
- opening a savings account
- paying off debt
- paying your credit card bills
- consolidating payday loans
These apps can help with some financial problems, but they should not solely rely on.
About the Author: Lyle Solomon has considerable litigation experience as well as substantial hands-on knowledge and expertise in legal analysis and writing. Since 2003, he has been a member of the State Bar of California. In 1998, he graduated from the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California, and now serves as a principal attorney for the Oak View Law Group in California. He has contributed to publications such as Entrepreneur, All Business, US Chamber, Finance Magnates, Next Avenue, and many more.
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