Sick of the feast-or-famine roller-coaster of freelancing? You’re not alone. Freelancers like us are constantly trying to figure out how to keep a steady paycheck. And in between projects, or Netflix binges, it’s just really important.
And here’s the kicker: passive income apps are revolutionizing the game by 2025. AI-fueled platforms and the gig economy are ascending.
These apps earn on while you freelance, pick up coffee, or sleep.
No matter your gig — be it a creator, designer, developer or any type of freelancer — the following apps will help you generate passive income. The best part? They require little maintenance once established!
Are you also set to make your smartphone a passive generator of income? Let’s dive in! 🚀
Table of Contents
Best Passive Income Apps For Freelancers
1. Google Opinion Rewards
Google Opinion Rewards is a fast, easy way to make some extra money or Google Play credit through short surveys. You receive surveys to fill out based on what you’ve been doing and where you’ve been, and each pays between $0.10 and $1. It is one of the best passive income apps.
Most of the surveys here are super quick, often 30 seconds or less. The app’s smart technology will push you surveys that align with your shopping habits and use of Google services.
Usually you can make between $50 and $150 a year. Payments are made via PayPal or as Google Play credit.
To do so well, simply keep your answers truthful and your location services on.
2. Nielsen Mobile Panel
This app works discreetly in the background, monitoring all internet and app activity.
You can make up to $50 a year just by having it installed, and you get entries into monthly sweepstakes with prizes that top out at $10,000. There’s nothing for you to do once you set it up — it’s a really easy way to earn passive income.
Nielsen makes sure your data is safe with robust security measures, and the information it gathers is anonymized for market research. Stick with it for a long time, and you might be rewarded with bonus perks or special incentives.
3. SavvyConnect
SavvyConnect allows you to get paid for sharing your digital behavior data. You can download the app on a maximum of three devices and make up to $5 per device per month. Which means you could earn up to $180 a year!
The app works well and doesn’t bog down your gadgets. You’ll also get access to exclusive, higher-paying surveys.
The real secret is using it regularly over the long term. And many users get their earnings boosted with loyalty bonuses and special research opportunities.
4. UpVoice
UpVoice allows you earn up doing your regular browsing. When on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Amazon, you are creating tokens.
These tokens can be exchanged for gift cards or plain old cash. You made as much as $75 in your first year.
It is a browser extension that runs quietly in the background and does not require any additional effort. This is a plus, especially for freelancers who are on the internet 24/7. It’s an easy way to earn some extra cash.
Allow me to introduce you to the other apps in the exact same way.
5. Rakuten
Rakuten is one of the big guns in the world of cashback. They partner with more than 3,500 stores around the world. You can get kickback rates between 1% and 40%. There are also stores that pay special event bonus rates. Get cash back for shopping online or in a store.
Simply link your credit card and start earning.
Earn cash back while you shop online with Rakuten’s quick-click browser extension. Its best feature is the “Big Fat Check” system. It pays out your earnings every quarter through PayPal or via a printed check after you’ve scored $5. New users often are eligible for welcome bonuses of $30 or more after a qualifying purchase.
Veteran shoppers increase their earnings by timing for double cashback events and using special store promotions. And the Rakuten referral program is also great, coming in a $30 per new person referred.
A lot of savvy users earn a few hundred dollars a year, which they accumulate by cross-referencing shopping with referrals.
6. Drop
Drop makes reward shopping excursions even sweeter. Just link the app to your credit or debit cards. Shop from your go-to brands like Starbucks, Target or Uber. Points accrue automatically whenever you make a purchase. No scanning of receipts or activating of offers required.
Drop likes to host special events and challenges to allow you stack up even more points. The points you earn can be redeemed for gift cards at retailers you love, from a minimum of $5.
The best part? Once you add your cards, you can start earning points without lifting a finger.
Most users earn $15 to $30 a month simply by etc. shopping as usual. You can make even more during bonus times. And there are additional rewards for successfully completing specific shopping challenges and for staying engaged with the app.
7. Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie doesn’t take a comission on users earnings, members keep 100% of the rewards they earn from completing surveys. The platform itself makes money by working with market research firms, not by taking a cut from users’ points.
Other tips to increase your income:
- Fill Out Your Profile Completing your profile in full will qualify you for many more similar surveys.
- Check on It: Log in regularly, because survey opportunities can go quickly.
- Turn on Notifications: Let the app or email tell you so you don’t miss high-paying surveys.
- Join Focus Groups: Every once in a while, Survey Junkie has focus groups or product testing that can pay a lot more than regular surveys.
- Be Honest and Steady: By answering honestly, responsibly and consistently, you can improve your chances of getting more invitations.
Survey Junkie is great for making a few bucks a week but not much more than that if you’re going to take it seriously as a full-time opportunity.
8. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a legit rewards platform on the internet that let you earn money by doing some simple tasks like surveys, watching videos, shopping, and playing games. Users are rewarded points, or “SB,” which can be exchanged for money through PayPal or for gift cards.
Commissions And Fees: Swagbucks doesn’t collect any fee for your earnings. You 100% keep all of the SB you earn. But a few redemption choices, such as PayPal transfers or specific gift cards, may have minimum thresholds or processing times.
Ways to Maximize Earnings from Swagbucks:
- Reach Your Daily Goals: Swagbucks has the daily goal meter that rewards you with bonus SB if you hit that set amount of tasks or earn points.
- Earn in More Ways: Earn with surveys, cash back shopping, searching the web, you earn SB’s for watching videos.
- Special Offers: Swagbucks often posts deals and bonuses to sign up for services or purchase items through their site.
- Refer Friends: Earn extra SB which referring friends who register and begin earning.
- Stay Active: Just like with any account, the more you use it, the better condition it remains in and you open using it may do you good.
Swagbucks is a great way to make some extra cash in your free time as you have fun and diversify your tasks with tasks available across dozens of categories.
9. BigCash
BigCash gives more money than normal for simple activities. You can try out apps, play games, or complete surveys. The pay is between $0.50 and $20 per task.
The app has a tier system. The more you spend, the more you make back. Occasionally, they’ll run special events that allow you to earn double or extra rewards. You can cash out with as little as $10, via PayPal or gift cards.
Regulars tell me they can make $50-$100 per month by cherry-picking tasks and attending events. And the referral program is strong. Some make decent money as referrers, building a network of participants.
10. HeyCash
HeyCash is fast-paying micro-tasks and immediate rewards. It’s ideal for quick tasks such as testing apps, watching videos and taking surveys. It’s one of the best apps to make passive income.
HeyCash is unique here because it pays out instantly and lets you withdraw with only $5. You earn bonus points by maintaining daily activity streaks and tackling special challenges.
The app has a super user-friendly interface that makes it easy to see high-paying gigs, and you can keep track of how much you’re making, too. Stay active and choose tasks wisely, because if you do that you can typically earn between $20 to $50 a week.
And there’s a leaderboard where top earners rake in extra bonuses every week.
11. Pi Browser Extension
With the new Pi Browser Extension, your regular web browsing could actually make you earn some money. It pays you for browsing habits, and rewards you for visiting partner websites, preforming “jobs,” and participating in targeted marketing campaigns.
The extension is lightweight and won’t slow down your browsing. Typically, you can make between $15 and $40 a month, although you may make more during special promotions.
And it provides you with helpful data on your browsing habits, in addition to how much you could save with partner retailers.
12. Fundrise
Fundrise has reinvented real estate investing and opened it up for everyday investors at low $10 entry level.
The platform allows you to invest in a combination of real estate, as managed by pros. You can invest in commercial or residential real estate all across the U.S.
You earn income via quarterly dividends and potential appreciation in the value of the property. Historically, returns have been, on average, between 8-12% per year. Specific portfolios do even better when the market is strong.
There are a few reasons Fundrise is a standout here, but it’s because of easy-to-understand fees and an easy-to-use website. Not only do they manage the properties, but they also deal with tenants and handle maintenance, letting you sit back and collect your passive income. Everyday investors adore the detailed reports and ability to check in live through the mobile app.
13. Acorns
Acorns Acorns has made micro-investing incredibly convenient with their cool round-ups feature and automatic investment features. Just add some credit or debit cards and the app will round up the change from your purchases to the nearest dollar and invest the spare change in diversified ETF portfolios.
The Found Money feature is pretty great too. It provides additional investments when you shop with its partner brands. And The “Grow Magazine” has techniques to help you become a savvy investor.
The average Acorns user accrues roughly $300-$500 per year from round-ups. And that’s not even taking into account the additional dough from regular contributions and market gains!
14. Sweatcoin
Sweatcoin found an interesting way to monetize movement. They have a totally sweet movement-tracking algorithm. The app converts your steps outside into a digital currency. Take a walk, and you’ll be rewarded with about one sweatcoin for every 1,000 steps you take.
You can exchange your sweatcoins for a variety of rewards, including physical goods, digital services, money deposited into your PayPal account and charity donations. The app continues to pile on new things and special deals to its marketplace. Sign up for marathon challenges and special events to earn extra sweatcoins.
If you are active, you might make around 5-10 sweatcoins a day. Keep at it and participate in special challenges to earn more. There’s a social element too, so you can challenge friends and share victories.
15. Fiverr
Fiverr isn’t only for working freelancers. Not to mention, it’s a good way to earn some passive income on digital products and gig extras. You can create and sell digital assets, templates, courses and software. Those can earn money without your doing much of anything once they’re produced.
High-quality products that solve a problem or fill a gap in the market is what the most successful sellers aspire to. Extras and upgrade packages can help you make extra money as well.
A ballpark for my freelancer friends is between 500 to 2000 a month on passive sales, they advise. Some make quite a bit more when they do smart marketing and get the product positioning right.
16. Oppy
Oppy is really turning the market research world on its head. They blend traditional polling with fun, interactive exercises. You could make more, especially if you belong to certain demographics or stick with it long-term — some studies pay up to $50 a pop.
Their reward system is also pretty neat. You receive instant payouts, with long-term bonuses. Some special projects may allow you to earn more with focus groups and product tests.
They say they make $80 to $150 a month, if they hit it hard and qualify for high-paying studies.
Getting paid is easy. When you reach $10, you can cash out via PayPal or a bank transfer.
17. Earnin
Earnin has a nifty financial service. It isn’t quite passive income, but it’s a supersaver for freelancers. The app allows you to access your earned wages before payday. And, there are no traditional borrowing fees or interest payments!
As a freelancer, you can withdraw a maximum of $500 every pay period. If you responsibly use the platform and demonstrate good repayment history, this limit increases. The platform verifies your employment and income by reviewing your bank statements and tracking your location.
The app also provides balance alerts, overdraft protection and assistance with negotiating health bills. A frequency of users who tell us the app’s early access features allow them to save hundreds on overdraft fees and payday loans.
BONUS PASSIVE INCOME APPS FROM REDDIT
Here are more apps that are often recommended in r/passive_income, r/beermoney, and r/sidehustle and other subreddits in this space.
16. Mistplay
Freelancers can cash out up to $500 per pay period. If you’re conscientious with your money and have a good history of paying on time, that limit grows. It verifies your job and income by looking at your bank statements and your location using GPS.
The app also provides balance alerts and overdraft protection. And it will negotiate your health bills.
Many users claim that they save big on overdraft fees and payday loans through savvy use of the app’s early access features.
17. Current Rewards
Lix is the music streaming app that allows you to earn money by listening to music and completing simple tasks. You gain points by streaming tracks, watching videos and completing surveys.
Many people on Reddit claim they earn $20 to $50 a month from just listening to music in the background while working.
With payment options including PayPal or gift cards, payments are fast.
18. Honeygain
This app will pay you in exchange for sharing some of your unused internet bandwidth.
You can earn up to $20 a month per device just for letting it run in the background. It’s especially popular for those lucky enough to have unlimited internet plans.
They also have a transparent data usage policy so things will be secure.
19. JumpTask
JumpTask is a colorful way to make crypto. You may participate in micro-tasks, sell your internet, or contribute in research tasks. I’ve heard people claim that they earn between $30-$100 a month by performing these tasks.
20. Pi Network
The app promises you can mine cryptocurrency without using up the battery. All you have to do is login daily to keep mining. It’s still in the pre-launch stage, but a lot of Redditors are staying with it, in the hope that it will somehow be worth something down the line.
21. UserTesting
They pay users anywhere from $10 to $60 per test. All you have to do is critique websites and apps. Most tests last only 15-20 minutes.
It’s not completely passive income, but folks say they make $100-$200 a month with a super-low effort.
22. Dscout
Dscout conducts research missions, and you can earn $50 to $150 if you qualify and complete them. You simply submit video responses to their research questions and take part in long-term studies. Regulars say they earn from $200 to $500 a month.
23. Public
Public is similar to Robinhood but with a social element. It is where you can invest in both stocks and cryptocurrencies. And you can also make money through their referral program. Its educational resources and community functions are beloved by Reddit users.
24. Yotta Savings
Take a look at this awesome savings app with a gamified twist! It provides prize-linked savings accounts. When you save, you get tickets for drawings. You could be eligible to win weekly prizes of as much as $10 million.
It’s what redditors are talking about. They’re bragging that they make an average APY of 2-4% because of the prizes. That’s a lot higher than traditional savings accounts!
25. Medium
It takes a little getting used to, but the work you put in is well worth the reward of a passive income that keeps going.
Users on Reddit have reported earning from $50 to $500 per month from articles they wrote a long time ago.
The secret to success is selecting the right subjects and generating quality material.
