4 Ways to Make Money Without a Job [2026]: Apps for Earning Cash

For most of us, making money without actually going to work at a traditional job seems impossible. However, many of the most popular money-making apps don't require more than your phone and a bit of patience.

Unlike a traditional job or even some side hustles, earning money using apps requires no ongoing commitment or set schedule. You can choose when to use them or when to take a break.

While you need to set realistic goals for how much you can earn, there are ways to make money without a job on a schedule that works for you.

Ways to make money without a job

Several apps allow you to make extra cash without having to get a job (or a second job), wear a suit, or survive an interview. Some methods, like investing, require only a bit of hands-on time before you can earn some passive income.

Others, like playing games or taking surveys, require dedicated time but aren't particularly difficult.

Generate passive income through investments

Making money through passive investments depends in large part on how much you invest, how long you invest, and what you invest in. I know it can be intimidating to think about investing in the stock market, especially if you've never done it before.

Thankfully, there are apps and traditional brokerage accounts that can help you invest your money, and all you need to do is keep making small contributions each month.

Robinhood

Robinhood is an online brokerage platform with multiple investing options, including U.S. exchange-listed stocks, ETFs, options, and even some cryptocurrencies¹ <p>All investments involve risk including loss of principal. Interest is earned on uninvested cash swept from your brokerage account to program banks. Robinhood is not a bank. For margin enabled customers, to earn interest through the cash sweep program, a cash balance is needed. If you have a margin balance, there is no cash balance to earn interest.</p> . You can sign up for free and start investing for just $1² <p>Bigger instant deposits are only available if your instant deposit status is in good standing.</p> . Robinhood does not charge commissions, but you pay any applicable regulatory fees charged by the investment fund³ <p>Other fees may apply.</p> .

Visit Robinhood | Learn more in our Robinhood review

Stash

Stash⁴ <p> </p><p>Paid non-client endorsement. The paid partner received cash compensation of up to $150.00 (per cost per action) for providing this endorsement. Compensation creates an incentive for the individual to recommend Stash. Endorsements are not representative of the experience of all clients and are not guarantees of future performance or success. For a representative sample of client testimonials, refer to Apple App Store or Google Play reviews To begin investing on Stash, you must be approved from an account verification perspective and open a brokerage account (“Personal Portfolio”). Promotion offer is subject to <a href="https://lp.stash.com/personal-portfolio-5-first-deposit-offer-promoter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Terms and Conditions</a>.</p><p> </p><p>This material is not intended as investment advice and is not meant to suggest that any securities are suitable investments for any particular investor. Investment advice is only provided to Stash customers. All investments are subject to risk and may lose value. All product and company names are trademarks ™ or registered ® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.</p> <p>Investment advisory services offered by Stash Investments LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser. This material has been distributed for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended as investment, legal, accounting, or tax advice. Investing involves risk.</p> <p>What doesn’t count: Cash withdrawals, money orders, prepaid cards, and P2P payment. See full terms and conditions.<br><br>Fractional shares start at $0.05 for investments that cost $1,000+ per share.</p> is a personal finance app that offers both robo-investing and self-guided investing accounts to help you build a diversified portfolio based on your goals. I like the Stash robo-advisor because it automatically transfers funds from every paycheck, helping you invest a little at a time.

The robo-adviser handles investment decisions and portfolio rebalancing. Stash subscriptions start at $3 a month⁵ <p class="">Stash offers access to investment and banking accounts under each subscription plan. Each type of account is subject to different regulations and limitations. Stash Monthly Subscription Wrap Fee starts at $3/month. You’ll also bear the standard fees and expenses reflected in the pricing of ETFs, plus fees for various ancillary services charged by Stash and/or the Custodian. Please see the <a href="https://cdn.stashinvest.com/disclosures/StashInvest_Advisory_Agreement.pdf" target="_blank">Advisory Agreement </a> for details. Other fees apply to the bank account. Please see the <a href="https://cdn.stash.com/disclosures/stride-deposit-account-agreement.pdf" target="_blank">Deposit Account Agreement</a>.<br></p> , and you get to choose how much (or how little) to invest after the initial $5 investment.

Visit Stash | Learn more in our Stash review

SoFi Invest®

If you'd like the convenience of having your bank and investing account with the same company, try SoFi Invest.

SoFi is an online-only fintech that offers traditional banking products and investment and retirement accounts. SoFi Invest's active investing account⁶ <p><b>INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED •&nbsp;</b><b>MAY LOSE VALUE</b></p><p>Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, member FINRA(<a href="https://www.finra.org/">www.finra.org</a>)/SIPC(<a href="https://www.sipc.org/">www.sipc.org</a>).</p> requires just $5 to get started. If you choose the robo-advisor⁷ <p><b>INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE</b></p><p>Automated investing is offered through SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser.</p> , you need $50 to get started.

SoFi doesn't charge fees or commissions⁸ <p class="">Other fees, such as exchange fees, may apply. Please view our fee disclosure to view a full listing of fees.<br></p> on its investment accounts, though you are responsible for any regulatory fees. SoFi members also have access to investment advisors who can help you set your investing goals⁹ <p>SoFi Plus members can schedule an unlimited number of appointments with a financial planner during periods in which the SoFi Plus member meets the eligibility criteria set forth in section 10(a) of the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions. SoFi members who are not members of SoFi Plus can schedule one (1) appointment with a financial planner. The ability to schedule appointments is subject to financial planner availability. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this benefit at any time with or without notice. Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Information about SoFi Wealth’s advisory operations, services, and fees is set forth in SoFi Wealth’s current Form ADV Part 2 (Brochure), a copy of which is available upon request and at <a href="http://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov/">www.adviserinfo.sec.gov</a>.</p> .

Visit SoFi Invest | Learn more in our SoFi Invest review

Take surveys in your downtime

Taking surveys can help you earn money online while sharing your opinion. Several sites will pay you to take surveys and provide honest feedback on products or services.

InboxDollars

InboxDollars is a get-paid-to site that offers multiple ways to earn money, like downloading games, taking surveys, and completing partner offers. It typically pays $0.25 to $3 per survey but occasionally offers higher-paying surveys.

You need to meet the minimum of $15 to cash out the first time and $10 after that. You can receive your earnings via PayPal deposit or a virtual gift card, usually within three days.

Visit InboxDollars | Learn more in our InboxDollars review

SurveyJunkie

Survey Junkie is generally considered one of the best survey sites because it's straightforward and uncluttered.

It also offers the Surf to Earn browser extension, which tracks your browsing activity. If you use Surf to Earn, you could qualify for higher-paying surveys, which could help you get closer to the $5 minimum you need to cash out.

You can choose between store gift cards, bank transfer, or PayPal withdrawal.

Visit Survey Junkie | Learn more in our Survey Junkie review

Branded Surveys

Branded Surveys offers multiple activities to choose from, and like InboxDollars, it lets users download apps and play games to earn points.

You only need to earn $5 to meet the minimum withdrawal requirement, and redemptions usually take between one and three business days. You can choose between PayPal, bank transfer, or gift cards.

One of my favorite things about Branded Surveys is that you can also donate your earnings to a charity directly from the site.

Visit Branded Surveys | Learn more in our Branded Surveys review

Play paid games on your phone

If you'd rather focus on playing games, you can still earn money by entering tournaments and playing for cash prizes.

Just remember, a lot of skill and luck go into winning cash with these apps. And since the prize pools are split among the top three winners, you won't earn as much as you think you might.

Bingo Cash

Bingo Cash is a bingo app that offers cash tournaments. After paying an entry fee, you compete against other players for the chance of winning part of the advertised cash prize. Bingo Cash even offers boosters (like extra time or a free square) to help you increase your score.

If bingo is your game, this is a legitimate app that actually pays out, though you may need to deposit cash to enter bigger tournaments faster.

Visit Bingo Cash | Learn more in our Bingo Cash review

Solitaire Cash

I love Solitaire, and I play Solitaire Cash frequently. It is easy to download, and it uses the same tournament structure and prize pool splitting as Bingo Cash. You can play for free, but making a deposit helps you cover tournament entry fees.

You generally need to win at least $5 before you can cash out, and there's a $1 processing fee.

Visit Solitaire Cash | Learn more in our Solitaire Cash review

Bubble Cash

As you might guess from the name, Bubble Cash is quite similar to Bingo Cash and Solitaire Cash. That's because they're all from the same developer, Papaya Gaming.

Bubble Cash is a fun bubble shooter game, and you win cash prizes by clearing your board as quickly as possible. When you're ready to withdraw your winnings, a refund will be issued to your original deposit method and any additional balance is received via PayPal.

Visit Bubble Cash | Learn more in our Bubble Cash review

Complete tasks for real money

Task apps are great for people who like to change things up and try new activities to earn money. Although similar to the game and survey apps above, task apps add additional options for earning cash or points like product testing, watching ads, or completing partner offers.

Freecash

Freecash pays users to download and play games, take surveys, complete partner offers, and participate in app testing. I primarily use it to try new games, but I have also spent some time watching ads to earn some easy cash.

There are multiple payout options on Freecash, including direct bank deposit, PayPal, gift cards, crypto, and more. But be aware that Freecash charges a 5% processing fee on withdrawals made via PayPal or bank transfer.

Visit Freecash | Learn more in our Freecash review

Cash Giraffe

Similar to Freecash, I use Cash Giraffe to download and play games for points that can be converted to cash. It's another get-paid-to site that offers surveys and product/app testing as a way to earn money. It also pays users for time spent in games downloaded through the Cash Giraffe app.

It's available for Android users and, recently, for iOS devices as well.

You can cash out via PayPal, a store gift card, or trade your points for store coupons or vouchers instead.

Visit Cash Giraffe | Learn more in our Cash Giraffe review

Testerup

Similar to Freecash and Cash Giraffe, Testerup pays users to take surveys, play games, and test products. I like using Testerup as an add-on to Freecash since you can occasionally find well-paying offers for relatively little effort and often earn more by switching between apps.

However, you must earn at least $70 before you can withdraw money via PayPal. Because of that, Testerup isn't my primary app, but I do keep an eye on it and jump on any worthwhile money-making offers.

Visit Testerup | Learn more in our Testerup review

How to choose a side hustle

Using apps and websites to supplement your income can be helpful, but you need to understand how to choose the best option for you so that making extra money from home isn't a waste of time.

Some things to consider when choosing a side hustle:

• Your interests: Choose a task or app that appeals to you and isn't going to be something you dread doing.
• Potential earnings: Research how much you can earn with each app or task before committing.
• Time required: Some tasks can be relatively short while others may take longer, but the amount paid isn't always proportional. Pay attention to how long the task is likely to take and weigh it against the offered payout.
• Schedule and flexibility: Make sure the task or app fits into your life. If you typically only have evenings or weekends available, test out side hustles that fit those time frames and still leave you time for your primary work and time to relax and enjoy life.

FAQs

Bottom line

These days, working a traditional job isn't the only way to make money. With the apps and websites above, you can choose when and how to make money.

From using the best game apps that pay real money to finding the best side hustles that work for you, you get to choose which method fits your life.

To help you earn as much as possible, look for tasks or apps that interest you and that you can reliably commit to using, at least for a while.