Make Money Side Hustles

Get Paid to Watch Ads: 7 Apps That Will Pay You

You won’t get rich getting paid to watch ads, but they can be a good filler when you want some extra income.

Smiling young woman using cellphone
Updated Sept. 28, 2024
Fact checked

We receive compensation from the products and services mentioned in this story, but the opinions are the author's own. Compensation may impact where offers appear. We have not included all available products or offers. Learn more about how we make money and our editorial policies.

Everyone hates ads, but did you know you could get paid to watch them? Most people just tune them out, but there are ways to make money by watching short videos. Although you might not earn enough money to replace your paycheck, watching ads could be a lucrative side hustle.

Instead of mindlessly scrolling through your social media feed, reading emails, or watching TV shows, check out this list of the best apps and sites that you can use to get paid to watch ads.

InboxDollars

Trustpilot rating: 4.1/5 stars

iOS rating: 4.5/5 stars

Google Play rating: 4.3/5 stars

InboxDollars started as a platform that paid users to watch ads. Today, you can make money doing other things, like playing games, taking surveys, and shopping online.

You won’t make a ton of money, usually one to four cents per playlist, but it’s supplemental income for doing next to nothing.

You’ll need to have at least $15 in your account to cash out the first time, and you can cash out in increments of $10 or more after that. You can redeem earnings for virtual gift cards or deposited into your PayPal account.

InboxDollars offers a refer-a-friend program that allows you to earn $3 per referral once they earn $3, plus 10% of your referral’s lifetime earnings.

Visit Inbox DollarsRead our full InboxDollars review.

MyPoints

Trustpilot rating: 4.3/5 stars

iOS rating: 4.2/5 stars

Google Play rating: 3.6/5 stars

MyPoints sends ads via email and pays users five points to watch them. It takes less than a couple of minutes and helps you accumulate more points. Not to mention that MyPoints offers a $5 welcome bonus for signing up as a new member.

Cashing out is easy and only takes a few clicks. Once you accumulate enough points, you can redeem them for a variety of gift cards for popular retailers such as Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Starbucks. You can also get a PayPal cash payment.

To help boost your earnings, MyPoints also offers a referral program. For every friend who joins using your unique referral link, you’ll earn:

  • 480 points when your referral earns 300 points within 30 days
  • 750 points when your referral spends $20 in one transaction
  • 10% of your referral’s earnings for the life of the account

Sign up for MyPoints  | Read our full MyPoints review.

Swagbucks

Trustpilot rating: 4.0/5 stars

iOS rating: 4.4/5 stars

Google Play rating: 4.4/5 stars

Swagbucks is a get-paid-to site like MyPoints and pays users to do things like watch ads, answer surveys, shop online, and play games. The app uses a point system with 100 points equalling $1. Members can redeem points for various rewards, including PayPal cash ($5 minimum) and gift cards ($1 minimum).

For every person who joins Swagbucks using your unique referral link, completes their profile, and earns 300 SB within 30 days, you’ll earn 300 SB plus 10% of their earnings for life.

Visit Swagbucks | Read our full Swagbucks review.

GrabPoints

Trustpilot rating: 4.6/5 stars

iOS rating: Not rated

Google Play rating: 2.6/5 stars

GrabPoints is a rewards site that pays users for completing tasks, watching videos, and taking surveys. The company has a low minimum payout of just $3 (3,000 points) and offers rewards like gift cards and PayPal cash.

Unlike other platforms, GrabPoints does not require personal information beyond a name and valid email address. This makes it quick and easy to sign up and start watching videos. You can get paid to watch ads by flipping through their channels until you find videos that interest you. Watching videos, downloading apps, or filling out surveys can earn you from two to 10,000 points, depending on the task.

You can also earn 5 to 10% of your family and friends’ earnings by referring them to join GrabPoints depending on the country you live in. If you know people who like watching videos and would like a little extra cash or free gift cards, you can earn some extra points through the GrabPoints referral program.

Sign up for GrabPoints

FusionCash

Trustpilot rating: 2.4/5 stars

iOS rating: n/a

Google Play rating: n/a

FusionCash pays a $5 signup bonus just for confirming your email and completing a brief survey. Although it has just a few mixed reviews on Trustpilot, with some users complaining about customer service, it still may be worth a try.

You can earn money with FusionCash in several ways, including watching videos, taking surveys, and shopping online. You can redeem rewards for PayPal cash when you reach the $25 minimum.

You can also earn points by referring friends and family to join FusionCash. This lucrative referral program offers $1 for a referral who confirms their email, $2 for a referral who completes a “Paid to Sign Up” offer, and $5 every time a referral cashes out.

Sign up for FusionCash

ySense

Trustpilot rating: 3.5/5 stars

iOS rating: 3.0/5 stars

Google Play rating: 3.3/5 stars

Formerly known as ClixSense, ySense is another company that pays you to watch ads on your phone. From taking surveys and shopping online to watching videos and playing games, ySense has a wide range of easy ways to earn money.

To start earning, sign up with your email address and start completing short surveys and watching videos. You can earn two to three cents for every video card you complete. You can cash out your earnings through PayPal or a variety of gift cards.

Share your referral link with your friends and family to earn even more money. Each active referral will earn 10 cents or 30 cents (depending on your country) and there is no limit to the number of referrals you can have. You can also earn an extra $2.00 bonus when your referral earns their first $5.

Sign up for ySense

QuickRewards

Trustpilot rating: 4.0/5 stars

iOS rating: N/A

Google Play rating: 2.8/5 stars

QuickRewards pays you to watch videos, take surveys, and shop online. Each activity is worth a different number of points, depending on the complexity and length of the task, but the nice thing is you can cash out with as little as one cent if you’re cashing out via PayPal.

The rewards QuickRewards offers in addition to PayPal include Amazon gift cards, and in-store gift cards to 50+ retailers, but you must accumulate $5 before you can cash out. For reference, though, 100 Quick Points, as they call their currency, is worth one cent. They currently don’t have a referral program.

Sign up for QuickRewards

FAQs

Can I earn money from watching ads?

Yes, you can earn money from watching ads. However, because it’s very easy to earn money, you won’t see huge payouts. Although you can make some pocket change, it won't be able to provide a full- or even part-time income. Similar to completing surveys and other small tasks, the more ads you watch, the more you can earn.

How do I get paid to watch ads?

The most typical way to get paid for watching ads is through a points system, where you can earn points by watching videos, completing tasks, and referring friends. Once you've accumulated enough points, you can redeem them for PayPal cash, gift cards, or other prizes.

What is the best way to get paid for watching ads?

The best way to get paid for watching ads depends on what you like to do. You can sign up for multiple services that pay you to watch ads and then earn money by referring family and friends when they become new members.

How much can I make from ads?

How much you can make from watching ads really depends on which services you sign up for and how much time you spend watching. Casual watchers may only earn a few bucks. If you dedicate enough time to watching ads, you could certainly earn a nice side hustle income. The income depends on the person and the service, so there is really no set amount you can make.

Bottom line

Watching ads is one of the best side hustles and can be a great way to make some extra money. Fortunately, there are plenty of reputable companies to choose from. Although you won't get rich, you can make money online in legit ways in your spare time.

Keep in mind that it may take some time before you start seeing significant earnings, but it’s a great way to generate passive income in your free time.

SurveyJunkie Benefits

  • Over $55,000 paid to members daily
  • Earn up to $130 a month taking 4 or more surveys daily
  • $76 million paid out to date
  • 20M+ lifetime members and BBB accreditation

Author Details

Rebecca Neubauer

Rebecca Neubauer is a personal finance and science freelance writer who specializes in writing about managing money, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and alternative living. Rebecca is an avid traveler focused on helping others live location-independent lifestyles, make money on the road, and travel the world through her website www.lifepothesis.com

Author Details

Samantha Hawrylack

Samantha Hawrylack is a writer with more than five years of experience. Her work has been published in Newsweek, MarketWatch, USA Today, Rocket Mortgage, BiggerPockets, Crediful, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Master of Business Administration from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and she was previously a brokerage investment professional with Series 7 and 63 licenses at Vanguard.