Best Side Hustle Apps: Earn More in Your Spare Time

Starting a side hustle from scratch can sometimes be intimidating because you’re essentially starting your own part-time business. Side hustle apps, on the other hand, allow you to quickly get started earning money as an independent contractor with an already-established business.

The best side hustle apps offer high earnings, a flexible schedule, and often allow you to have fun at the same time. I personally use some of these apps to fill in the gaps when I have free time. I encourage you to choose the ones that allow tasks you are passionate about and it won’t feel like a job, but rather something you can do for fun. Here are the top picks.

How we evaluate products

The companies we chose for our best side hustle list are popular side hustle apps. We did not review all companies in the market. When evaluating these companies, we considered factors such as earning potential, ease of use, time commitment, and who might benefit most from a particular side hustle.

We included a variation of side hustles, including those that might earn you pocket change as well as those that could help you pay the bills. Each app we chose had specific eligibility criteria which we stated, and we tried to list varied tasks so that there is something for everyone.

The best side hustle apps

• DoorDash
• Uber Eats
• Instacart
• Uber
• Lyft
• Airbnb
• Fiverr
• Rover
• TaskRabbit
• Turo
• Amazon Flex
• Etsy
• InboxDollars
• Survey Junkie
• Swagbucks

Best side hustle app comparison

App	Best if…	Earnings potential
DoorDash	You don’t mind driving and delivering food	Medium
UberEats	You prefer a more flexible schedule	Medium
Instacart	You want some exercise during the day	Medium
Uber	You want the most rideshare opportunities	Medium
Lyft	You prefer a more upscale rideshare clientele	Medium
Airbnb	You have a spare room or vacation home	High
Fiverr	You want to offer a wide range of services	Medium
Rover	You love pets	Medium
TaskRabbit	You’re skilled at offering in-person services	Medium
Turo	You have a spare car you don’t mind lending out	High
Amazon Flex	You like to deliver packages	Medium
Etsy	You’re skilled at creating things	Medium
Inbox Dollars	You don’t mind campy ads and need something to do in your spare time	Low
Survey Junkie	You prefer a more streamlined survey-taking experience	Low
Swagbucks	You want a gamified side hustle that offers lots of options to earn money	Low

DoorDash

• Potential earnings: $16 to $17 an hour (plus tips)
• Eligibility: 18 years old, have reliable transportation and a smartphone, and pass a background check

DoorDash is great for people who don’t mind driving and dealing with potentially long wait times at restaurants.

The idea is simple: you drive to a restaurant, pick up a customer’s order, and deliver it to them. DoorDash provides Dashers with a starter kit including a food-warming bag after making their first delivery. There are no vehicle requirements, and you can schedule shifts ahead of time or use Dash Now and work when you want.

A few great ways to increase your earnings include:

• Sign up for peak shifts
• Participate in challenges
• Give great customer service and earn higher tips

Find out more in our full DoorDash review.

Uber Eats

• Potential earnings: Varies depending on location and other factors
  
• Eligibility: 19 years old, have a reliable vehicle, have a driver’s license, and pass a background check

Uber Eats is a popular option when it comes to food delivery apps, and it has the advantage of letting you work whenever you want — no need to worry about signing up for shifts in advance. You also don’t need to worry about meeting strict car requirements if you’re driving an older model with less curb appeal.

Like DoorDash, there are several ways to increase your earnings, including:

• Sign up for peak shifts
• Participate in promotions or challenges
• Give great customer service to earn higher tips

Find out more in our guide to delivering with UberEats.

Instacart

• Potential earnings: $18 an hour (plus tips)
• Eligibility: 18 years old, have a reliable vehicle, and pass a background check

Instacart is a grocery delivery service. It offers two types of work:

• Full-service shoppers (who are independent contractors who shop and deliver the orders)
• In-store shoppers (who are actually classified as part-time employees and only shop within stores).

Full-service shoppers are what most side hustlers do when using Instacart, though they typically earn a lower rate. It can be a nice break from the normal daily stress, shopping for someone else’s order is like shopping with someone else’s money and can be satisfying.

Check out our guide to earning with Instacart for more info.

Uber

• Potential earnings: Varies depending on location and other factors
• Eligibility: Have a valid driver’s license, have three years experience if under 25, or one year if over 25, have a reliable 4-door vehicle that meets state standards, and pass a background check

If you don’t mind interacting with strangers and you have a newer-model car, Uber is a great way to make extra money, and it remains one of the better-paying side hustles. My favorite way to use the best side hustle apps is to take an Uber route, and then fill in the gaps with other apps, like UberEats while waiting for a ride back.

Be aware though, Uber is not without safety concerns. If you’d be uncomfortable being alone in a car with strangers — some of whom may be intoxicated — then it may not be the best side hustle for you. That said, you’re still free to choose when and where you log into the app, so you can easily avoid popular areas during weekend nights if you want.

Lyft

• Potential earnings: $16 an hour (plus tips)
• Eligibility: Must be at least 25 years old, have a valid driver’s license, a reliable 4-door vehicle that meets state standards, and pass a background check

Riders who don’t like using Uber often prefer to use Lyft instead, and that can bring some higher-end riders in some cases. Otherwise, the two platforms operate pretty much the same, and you can even have both apps open at the same time while you wait for fares to double your earning potential.

Lyft generally takes a slightly smaller cut of your pay than Uber. Even so, most drivers still report earning more with Uber due to the sheer number of people using the platform.

Airbnb

• Potential earnings: Varies depending on type of rental, location, and other factors
• Eligibility: Must be at least 18 years old, own an eligible property, provide proof of identity and residence, have a valid bank account

If you have a spare room or even a spare property, Airbnb can be a great way to supplement your mortgage payments. You can schedule bookings as much or as little as you like, and block off dates when you will be using the property.

However, keep these factors in mind:

• You may be required to file extra tax forms at the end of the year, depending on how much you use the platform.
• Airbnb guests can sometimes be rowdy.
• Airbnb investors have been blamed for housing shortages, which has led to it being banned in some areas.

Fiverr

• Potential earnings: $27 an hour
• Eligibility: Must be at least 18 years old and prove your qualifications

If you’re a creative person who’d rather stay at home, Fiverr might be a better choice for bringing in extra income. You create a profile and can choose from a list of more than 200 gigs to offer.

For example, if you’re into graphic design, you could offer book cover design services, graphics for streamers, or social media designs. You’re allowed to select up to four gigs to start, increasing over time up to a maximum of 30 gigs once you reach “Top Rated Seller” status.

The opportunities are abundant on Fiverr, but that’s another double-edged sword. With so many people on the platform, it’s often a race to the bottom in terms of rates, especially for easily completed gigs. If you can differentiate yourself with a specific niche or a highly sought-after offering, you may be able to earn more.

An additional downside is the fact that Fiverr keeps 20% of your earnings as a service fee for using the platform.

Find out more about making money online with Fiverr in our Fiverr guide.

Rover

• Potential earnings: $20-$28 per service per animal
• Eligibility: Must be at least 18 years old, pass a background check, and provide a complete profile

Taking care of people’s pets has been a side hustle since, well, people started living with them. You can offer pet sitting services directly in your community and advertising in local Facebook groups. however, Rover offers two advantages for the casual side hustler:

• You’ll get access to an emergency support line if anything goes wrong, such as if a pet needs veterinary help or a dog gets loose.
• You’ll be protected by the Rover Guarantee, which covers up to $25,000 in veterinary care if the animals you’re watching suffer a malady.

You are in control when you list your services on Rover. For example, you can offer dog walking services, pet sitting in the owner’s home, or open up your home for pet sitting services.

However, like other apps on this list, Rover keeps 20% of your earnings as a fee for using the platform.

Learn more in our guide to Rover.

TaskRabbit

• Potential earnings: Varies by task
• Eligibility: Must be at least 18 years old, pass a background check, provide a complete profile, and have a checking account

TaskRabbit is an app that pairs you up with clients to offer small services from a list of more than 50 options, such as doing laundry, assembling IKEA furniture, doing odd jobs around the house, or pet sitting. Unlike Fiverr, most of these tasks are designed to be done in person at your customer’s home.

It can be a good way to practice your skills, though TaskRabbit only operates in around 60 large cities nationwide. With so many people concentrated in such a small area, some users say rates can be quite low for common services.

Keep in mind that TaskRabbit has a $25 fee, but they don’t take a cut of your earnings like most gig apps do.

Find out more in our guide to TaskRabbit.

Turo

• Potential earnings: $583 to $1,141 per month
• Eligibility: Your car must meet eligibility requirements, you must carry proper insurance, and complete the Turo orientation

If you have a car you don’t regularly use, Turo can be an excellent way to put it to good use. You set your prices, policies, and when your car is available for customers to book it.

However, keep in mind you are letting strangers drive your car, and though it’s rare to run into problems, you can’t control how they’re using it in the meantime. Turo is only available if your car meets certain requirements, so it’s not an option for everyone. Finally, Turo will require you to pick from its own insurance plans, which feature a tradeoff between higher deductibles or a higher cut of your pay.

Check out our guide to Turo to learn more.

Amazon Flex

• Potential earnings: $18-$25 per hour
  
• Eligibility: Must be 21 years of age, have a 4-door midsize sedan or larger, and have a valid driver’s license and Social Security number

Amazon Flex is a program that allows you to deliver Amazon packages to people’s homes using your own car. Because you won’t be driving passengers around, the vehicle requirements are more relaxed, but you need enough room for the packages.

Currently, Amazon Flex is hiring in over 100 cities, but some Amazon Flex drivers report it can be tough to sign up for a delivery shift in some overcrowded markets.

If you want to drive for Amazon Flex and they aren’t recruiting in your city, you can get on their waitlist, letting them know you’re interested.

Etsy

• Potential earnings: Varies based on what you sell
• Eligibility: Must be 18 years old and eligible for Etsy payments (United States residents are eligible)

If you like creating things, Etsy can be a good way to sell to a worldwide audience. But as with any craft-related side hustle, you should be mindful of your costs. There is a lot of competition on Etsy, so you might feel like you should lower your prices, but to earn a profit, you must consider:

• Materials
• Time spent making the items
• Shipping costs
• Etsy fees

Keep in mind that Etsy charges a 20-cent listing fee for each item, as well as a 6.5% fee of the final sale price. It can be hard to come up with novel ideas that aren’t already listed on Etsy, but watch out for copycats who try to steal from your success.

Discover more in our guide to starting an Etsy shop.

InboxDollars

• Potential earnings: $0.25 to $5 per survey
  
• Eligibility: Must be 18 years old and have a valid email address

InboxDollars is a popular rewards app that pays you to do things such as take online surveys, play games, or read emails. InboxDollars pays a $5 signup bonus to get you started, but you can’t withdraw funds until you earn $15.

You aren’t going to pay the bills with InboxDollars, but it can be a fun filler. I use it when sitting on the couch at night, in waiting rooms, or in line at the grocery store. The surveys are the highest paying task on the site, but they go fast. Reading emails and playing games are more for fun and to earn spare change, but every penny adds up.

Find out more in our full InboxDollars review.

Survey Junkie

• Potential earnings: Varies significantly
• Eligibility: Must be 18 years old and live in the United States, Australia, Canada, or the UK

Survey Junkie is just what it sounds like — another app that lets you fill out surveys in exchange for cash. The nice thing is Survey Junkie pays you a few points as a consolation prize if you don’t pass the survey screeners. Of course, the real benefit is when you qualify for surveys and earn a few dollars for giving your opinion.

You cash your points in for PayPal deposits (which you can, in turn, transfer to your bank account) or as gift cards to popular retailers such as Amazon.

Survey Junkie also offers a second option to earn money through SJ Pulse, which lets the company view your browsing history on your computer and mobile app if you’re comfortable with that. You must download the app or free browser extension to participate.

Find out more in our full Survey Junkie review.

Swagbucks

• Potential earnings: $0.04 to $2.00 per survey
• Eligibility: Must be 13 years old or older (with parental permission) and have a valid email address

Swagbucks is one of the best side hustle apps for earning extra cash, and for good reason. It offers a larger assortment of ways to earn money than any other survey-focused side hustle app.

You can earn points (called Swagbucks) for using Swagbuck’s search engine, playing games, answering surveys, shopping, and watching videos. It even has a browser extension you can download that offers more ways to earn Swagbucks.

You can earn a decent amount with Swagbucks. But as with most other survey-based side hustle apps, it’ll only provide spare pocket change each month because it requires no special skills to get started.

I suggest using multiple get-paid-to-sites like Swagbucks and InboxDollars to maximize your earning potential in your free time.

Find out more in our guide to Swagbucks.

How to choose the best side hustle app

It can be tough to choose the best side hustle apps with so many options to consider. Here’s a good strategy for narrowing down the best side hustle app for you:

1. Weed out side hustle apps that require things you don’t have, such as an extra room in your house, a car, or driver’s license.
2. Cross out any side hustle apps you’re not interested in, such as caring for pets, being a handyperson, or driving strangers around.
3. Circle any side gigs you know you’d be comfortable doing, such as shopping for someone’s order or filling out surveys.
4. From the remaining options, choose the side hustle you’re most interested in that has the highest earning potential.
5. Consider using multiple side hustle apps to diversify your income and reach your financial goals.

FAQ

Products that didn’t make our list

This list of the best side hustle apps is just the start. There are hundreds to choose from, here are a few that didn’t make the list but deserve a quick mention:

• FlexJobs: FlexJobs is a site that aggregates all remote job listings, including side hustles. You can find jobs doing just about anything on the site; however, there is a significant subscription fee to use the service, which is why it didn’t make our list of the best side hustle apps.
• Upwork: Upwork is like Fiverr, a freelance marketplace where clients and freelancers can connect. You can list your services on Upwork and connect with clients; however, Upwork requires you to pay for “connects” to apply for tasks that clients list.

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  Bottom line

  It’s a good idea to try several different side hustle apps if you’re undecided on how to make money. The best side hustles are things that you enjoy doing, allow you to create your own schedule, and offer a good return for your time. Often, you won’t know what a great side hustle for you is until you actually try one out.