Quick answer: The most reliable ways to make money from your phone are reselling apps (fastest cash, lowest effort), cashback apps (small but genuinely passive), and freelance platforms (highest long-term earning ceiling). Survey and micro-task apps are legitimate but pay far less than most marketing promises – plan on $20–$80 a month, not $50 an hour.

Roughly one in six American adults has ever earned money through an online gig platform, according to Pew Research Center, so this isn’t a fringe activity, it’s become a normal way to supplement income. But “normal” doesn’t mean “equally worth your time,” which is the point of this guide.

Search “make money from your phone” and you’ll find lists promising 28, 40, even 46 different methods. Most of those lists pad their word count with app-testing gigs that pay $0.30 a task and “opportunities” that require you to first buy something. This guide cuts that down to 15 methods that produce real, verifiable income, along with what you should actually expect to earn from each one, because the gap between marketing copy and reality is where most people waste their time.

None of these will replace a full-time salary overnight. A few of them, done consistently, can become a meaningful second income stream. The rest are better thought of as ways to convert spare minutes into spare cash.

The quick list

1. Sell items you already own
2. Take paid surveys
3. Stack cashback apps on purchases you’re already making
4. Drive or deliver through gig-economy apps
5. Freelance an existing skill
6. Get paid for user testing and feedback
7. License your photos and videos as stock content
8. Launch a print-on-demand shop
9. Create short-form video content
10. Try affiliate and creator-commerce links
11. Rent out things you’re not using
12. Pet sit or dog walk through a marketplace app
13. Pick up local task-based gig work
14. Transcribe or caption audio and video
15. Tutor or coach online

A quick word on scams

Because this space attracts so much hype, it also attracts a disproportionate number of scams. The FTC has specifically warned about “task scams,” where an app shows a fake, ever-increasing earnings balance and then asks you to deposit your own money often in crypto to “unlock” a withdrawal. Its broader guidance on avoiding side-hustle scams is worth a skim before you hand any app your bank details: research the company first, and treat any offer promising big money for minimal effort as a red flag.

Here’s how each one actually works, and what it realistically pays.

1. Sell items you already own

The lowest-effort entry on this list is also the fastest to cash out: list what’s sitting unused in your closet or garage on a resale app.

Which app you use matters more than it used to, because the fee structures have diverged. Poshmark charges a flat 20% commission. Mercari takes about 10%, plus a buyer-side processing fee. Depop currently charges 0% seller commission in the US, though that’s worth double-checking before you build a shop around it, since eBay is in the process of acquiring Depop and fee structures tend to shift after an acquisition closes. For general household items, electronics, and anything outside of fashion, Mercari or eBay typically finds a wider buyer pool than the fashion-focused Depop or Poshmark.

Realistic income: Highly variable, but sellers who list consistently across two or three platforms report 30–50% higher monthly revenue than single-platform sellers, since different apps skew toward different buyers.

2. Take paid surveys

Survey apps are the most oversold item on almost every “make money” list, so it’s worth setting expectations before you download anything. Legitimate platform Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, Toluna, InboxDollars, and the invite-only Pinecone Research – pay real money, but the hourly rate is closer to pocket change than a side job.

Realistic income: Casual users earn roughly $20–$80 a month running two or three apps for 15–30 minutes a day. Academic-style research platforms like Prolific occasionally pay closer to $10–$15 an hour for longer studies, but availability is inconsistent. Treat anything promising more than that as a red flag.

3. Stack cashback apps on purchases you’re already making

Cashback apps don’t ask you to do anything new, they pay you a small percentage back on spending you’d do regardless. The category has consolidated around a handful of reliable names: Rakuten for online shopping (1–10% at most retailers, paid quarterly), Ibotta and Checkout 51 for grocery receipt-scanning, Fetch for a lower-effort version of the same thing, and Upside for gas station cashback.

The real value comes from stacking. Scanning the same grocery receipt into both Ibotta and Fetch, on top of a cashback credit card, can turn a $100 grocery trip into $15–$20 of combined rebates.

Realistic income: $10–$40 a month for casual use; up to a few hundred dollars a year for households that shop deliberately around active offers.

4. Drive or deliver through gig-economy apps

Uber, DoorDash, and Instacart remain the three largest platforms for phone-based driving and delivery work, and all three let you work whenever your schedule allows. Pay varies significantly by city, time of day, and vehicle costs, gas, maintenance, and depreciation eat into take-home pay more than most new drivers expect.

We’ve covered the earnings breakdown for delivery apps specifically, base pay, tips, and how the economics compare across platforms in our dedicated delivery-apps earnings guide, since it deserves more space than a single list entry.

Realistic income: Wide range depending on market and hours worked; expect this to require the most active time of anything on this list, in exchange for the highest per-hour ceiling.

5. Freelance an existing skill

If you already have a marketable skill like writing, graphic design, bookkeeping, video editing, virtual assistance – Fiverr and Upwork both have functional mobile apps that let you message clients, deliver work, and manage payments from your phone. This won’t replace a laptop for the actual work in most cases, but it’s enough to land clients, negotiate scope, and handle client communication on the go.

Realistic income: The most scalable method on this list. Beginners often start with $15–$30 per small gig; established freelancers with a portfolio and reviews can charge professional day rates for the same skill.

6. Get paid for user testing and feedback

Companies pay for real people to test websites, apps, and prototypes and record their reactions. UserTesting and similar platforms typically pay a flat rate often $10–$60 per completed test, depending on length and complexity. The catch is availability: tests are assigned based on your demographic profile, and you may go days without matching one.

Realistic income: $20–$100 a month for occasional testers; higher for those who qualify for longer paid research studies.

7. License your photos and videos as stock content

If your phone camera is decent, apps like Foap, EyeEm, and Snapwire let you upload photos directly from your phone and earn a royalty typically 20–50% of the license fee every time someone buys one. Foap also runs brand-sponsored “missions” with fixed cash prizes for the winning submission, and EyeEm distributes accepted photos to Getty Images for additional reach.

Realistic income: Casual contributors earn roughly $50–$300 a month with a growing portfolio; income scales with volume and how commercially useful the subject matter is (business, lifestyle, and diversity-representative photos tend to outperform scenery).

8. Launch a print-on-demand shop

Print-on-demand [POD — a model where products are only manufactured after a customer orders, so you never hold inventory] lets you design custom products t-shirts, mugs, phone cases and sell them online without upfront cost. Printify’s mobile app covers the core workflow: browsing the product catalog, uploading a design, previewing mockups, and connecting the shop to an online store.

Realistic income: Highly dependent on marketing and niche selection; this is closer to running a small business than a quick side gig, with income potential that scales well beyond the rest of this list if a design or niche catches on.

9. Create short-form video content

TikTok’s Creator Rewards Program pays eligible creators based on video performance rather than a flat pool, which was the old model under the discontinued Creator Fund. To apply, you’ll generally need at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 video views in the past 30 days, an account in good standing, and videos of at least 60 seconds. Payout works out to roughly $0.40–$1.20 per 1,000 qualified views [RPM — revenue per mille, or earnings per 1,000 views], depending on niche, audience location, and engagement.

We’ve written a more detailed walkthrough of building a TikTok income stream including strategy for reaching the follower threshold in our TikTok money-making guide, since the mechanics deserve their own space.

Realistic income: Meaningful only past the eligibility thresholds; below that, LIVE gifts and brand partnerships are more accessible starting points than platform payouts.

10. Try affiliate and creator-commerce links

Once you have any kind of audience – a TikTok following, an Instagram page, or even a group chat people trust for recommendations – affiliate links let you earn a commission on products you point people toward. Amazon’s Influencer Program and platforms like LTK (formerly LikeToKnowIt) or ShopMy are built specifically for mobile-first creators to build shoppable link pages.

Realistic income: Negligible without an existing audience; scales directly with trust and reach once you have one.

11. Rent out things you’re not using

Apps like Turo let you rent out a car you’re not driving every day, while apps like Neighbor connect people with unused garage or storage space to renters who need it. Both operate on the same principle as home-sharing platforms, applied to smaller assets.

Realistic income: Highly asset-dependent; a car in a high-demand market can generate meaningful monthly income, while storage space rental tends to produce smaller, steadier amounts.

12. Pet sit or dog walk through a marketplace app

Rover and Wag connect pet owners with sitters and walkers nearby, with everything booking, messaging, and payment handled through the app. This is one of the few entries on this list with genuinely flexible, set-your-own-hours scheduling.

Realistic income: Typically $15–$25 per walk or $25–$75 per overnight stay, depending on market and the sitter’s ratings.

13. Pick up local task-based gig work

TaskRabbit and similar apps connect you with people who need help with furniture assembly, moving help, minor home repairs, or errands. Pay is set per task or hourly, and you choose which jobs to accept.

Realistic income: Varies by skill and local demand; taskers with in-demand skills (furniture assembly, handyman work) tend to out-earn general errand-runners.

14. Transcribe or caption audio and video

Rev and GoTranscript both pay per audio minute transcribed or captioned, and both have mobile-friendly workflows for claiming and submitting short jobs. This is genuinely a phone-compatible task for short clips, though longer transcription work is still easier on a full keyboard.

Realistic income: Roughly $0.30–$1.10 per audio minute depending on the platform and job type, which translates to modest hourly pay for fast, accurate transcribers.

15. Tutor or coach online

If you have subject-matter expertise, a language, a school subject, a musical instrument, test prep – apps like Preply and Wyzant connect you with students for paid video sessions, bookable and manageable from your phone.

Realistic income: Typically $15–$40 an hour depending on subject and experience, with established tutors commanding more once they’ve built a review history.

More ways to earn (smaller payouts, still legitimate)

The 15 methods above are the ones worth building a routine around. The methods below are lighter-touch, smaller, more passive amounts, but still real and worth knowing about if you want to round out the list.

16. Refer friends to apps you’re already using

Many of the apps already covered in this guide – cashback apps, survey apps, delivery apps offer a cash or credit bonus for referring someone who signs up and completes a first action. It costs nothing beyond sharing a link.

Realistic income: $5–$20 per successful referral; adds up mainly for people with a genuinely large network, not as a standalone strategy.

17. Get paid for walking or exercising

Apps like Sweatcoin, StepBet, and HealthyWage convert daily steps or fitness goals into cash, gift cards, or wagered payouts. These reward activity you might be doing anyway, rather than paying a real hourly rate.

Realistic income: A few dollars a month in most cases; HealthyWage-style wager formats can pay more but require putting your own money on the line first.

18. Join a research panel that pays for anonymized usage data

Market research firms – Nielsen’s consumer panels are the best-known example – pay a small amount for permission to passively track anonymized app or browsing usage in the background. This is the most hands-off method on this list, but it’s worth being clear-eyed about the trade-off: you’re being paid for data access, not a task, so read what’s actually being collected before opting in.

Realistic income: Typically $5–$15 a month or occasional gift cards; not meaningful as a standalone income source.

19. Round spare change into automatic micro-investments

Apps like Acorns round up your everyday purchases and invest the difference. This isn’t really “earning” money from your phone – it’s automating small, regular investing, and like any investing, the balance can go down as well as up. It’s worth including on this list only with that distinction clear: this is a savings habit, not guaranteed income, and it’s worth talking to a financial advisor before treating it as an income strategy rather than a savings one.

Realistic income: Not applicable in the same sense as the rest of this list — outcomes depend on market performance, not effort.

20. House-sit or plant-sit through a marketplace app

Platforms like TrustedHousesitters connect homeowners who need someone to watch their house (and often pets or plants) while traveling with people willing to stay there for free or for a fee.

Realistic income: Often non-cash (free lodging) rather than a fee; occasional paid arrangements exist but are less common than the unpaid house-sitting-for-lodging model.

21. Sell unused gift cards for cash

Sites and apps like CardCash and Raise buy unwanted gift cards at a discount to face value, which is still better than letting them expire unused in a drawer.

Realistic income: Typically 70–90% of the card’s face value, paid out once the card is verified.

22. Rent out a driveway or parking space

In cities with limited parking, apps like Neighbor also list parking spaces and driveways alongside storage space, connecting owners with drivers who need a spot.

Realistic income: Modest and highly location-dependent; most valuable in dense urban areas near event venues, stadiums, or transit hubs.

23. Get paid to recycle old electronics

Kiosk networks like ecoATM pay cash on the spot for old phones and other devices, based on condition and current resale demand.

Realistic income: One-time payout per device, not a recurring income stream, but a fast way to turn a drawer of old phones into cash.

Getting started without wasting time

The apps on this list fall into two categories: ones that pay for time (surveys, testing, transcription, gig driving) and ones that pay for an asset you already have (unused items, a spare room in your camera roll, a skill, an audience). The time-based methods are the fastest to start and the easiest to quit; the asset-based ones take longer to build but scale further.

Most people who make meaningful money from their phone aren’t running all 15 of these at once – they’ve picked two or three that fit their schedule and their existing skills, and stuck with them long enough to build momentum.

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Galaxy Surfactants shares hit a 20% upper circuit at Rs 2,505.60 on the BSE on Friday after the home and personal care specialty chemicals maker reported a strong Q1FY27 performance, with record quarterly operational earnings and more than doubling of net profit.

The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 165.9 crore for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, up 108.7% from Rs 79.5 crore in the year-ago period. Net profit also surged 165.8% from Rs 62.4 crore in Q4FY26. Revenue from operations rose 38.5% year-on-year to Rs 1,785.2 crore and 35.8% sequentially.

Operating performance set a new milestone for the company. Galaxy Surfactants achieved its highest-ever quarterly EBITDA of Rs 252.5 crore, up 86.9% year-on-year from RS 135.1 crore and rising 107.1% sequentially.

Operating profit margin broadened to 14.1% during the quarter, compared to 10.5% in Q1FY26. Operational efficiency was also evident in its unit economics, as EBITDA per metric tonne jumped to approximately RS 35,458 per MT, compared to RS 20,009 per MT in the same period last year.

The company delivered mid-single-digit year-on-year volume growth overall. India led the recovery, returning to low double-digit growth, while the Rest of the World (ROW) segment maintained mid-single-digit volume expansion. By product vertical, performance surfactants generated Rs 1,178.7 crore in revenue, while speciality care contributed Rs 603.2 crore. Both segments recorded mid-single-digit volume growth year-on-year.

Despite supply chain headwinds and geopolitical developments in West Asia, volumes in the Africa, Middle East, and Turkey (AMET) market declined only in low single digits year-on-year and staged a strong sequential recovery. Management attributed the overall quarterly gains to a better product mix, higher contributions from specialty care products, disciplined pricing actions, and demand recovery among Tier-1 FMCG clients.

Galaxy Surfactants Growth Outlook

Managing Director K. Natarajan highlighted that strategic risk management, supply chain agility, and disciplined commercial decisions allowed the firm to navigate raw material price volatility and global logistics challenges effectively.Also read: Tata Motors PV shares fall 5% after weak Q1 results. What are Morgan Stanley, Nomura, others saying?

Looking ahead, management expressed confidence in its long-term growth trajectory. While remaining watchful of geopolitical developments and their impact on global supply chains, the company sees strong demand in India and recovery in core client segments. Continued international demand for specialty care products is also expected to support growth through FY27.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

Shares of Sammaan Capital fell nearly 4% to the day’s low of Rs 155 on the NSE after the company reported a 27% decline in consolidated profit to Rs 243 crore in the first quarter ended June.

According to a filing with the exchange, the company’s consolidated profit declined by 27% to Rs 243 crore in Q1FY27 from Rs 334 crore in the same period a year ago. Total revenue from operations was reported at Rs 1,651 crore in Q1FY27, compared with Rs 2,409 crore in the same period in FY26.

Total income was reported at Rs 1,682 crore. The total disbursement by the company was Rs 3,875 crore across five products to 12,000 new customers, of which 97% were secured loans. The capital adequacy ratio stood at 20.1%.

Also Read | Karnataka HC quashes ED money laundering case against Sammaan Capital

Under credit costs, gross recovery stood at Rs 424 crore, while net recovery was Rs 240 crore. The company had total assets under management (AUM) of Rs 56,239 crore, with Residential Housing Finance, including Affordable Housing & Mortgages, accounting for Rs 31,390 crore in AUM.

Nearly Rs 840 crore of Commercial Real Estate loans were disbursed in partnership with one of Asia’s leading Alternate Credit Funds.
“This quarter marks an important milestone for Sammaan Capital as our first quarter as part of the IHC Group. With the capital infusion now in place, a strengthened balance sheet and the backing of a global parent, we believe Sammaan Capital is well positioned to move decisively onto its next phase of growth. Our focus remains on growth-oriented disbursals within clearly defined risk guardrails, ensuring that growth is both calibrated and sustainable,” said Gagan Banga, Managing Director & CEO of Sammaan Capital.“Technology remains at the core of our strategy. Our digital-first approach is creating a platform for all individual and MSME product segments.”

“As we look ahead, our priorities are clear to accelerate growth responsibly, strengthen earnings, progressively reduce our cost of funds, leverage the capabilities of our parent, deepen our technology-led distribution platform and maintain disciplined risk management,” Banga further said.

The company completed $63 million in bond buybacks as part of its efforts to reduce costs and strengthen asset-liability management. Secondary bond yields have also tightened, while its borrower base has diversified to include private banks, foreign banks and domestic institutions.

Looking ahead, the company expects its cost of funds to decline from 10.0% in Q1FY27 to around 9.3% by the end of FY27, with a further reduction to 8.9% in FY28 and 7.8% by FY30. The lower funding costs are expected to improve net interest margins and support profitability as the company expands.

The company aims to achieve disbursements of Rs 30,000 crore in FY27, with Rs 10,000 crore targeted in the first half and Rs 20,000 crore in the second half. Disbursements are expected to rise further to Rs 40,000–50,000 crore in FY28 and Rs 50,000–92,000 crore annually by FY29-30.

Also Read | LG Electronics shares jump 5% after robust Q1 earnings. What are Jefferies, other brokerages saying?

The company plans to expand its product portfolio in phases. Digital personal loans, micro loans against property (LAP) and rural home loans are expected to be launched in H2FY27. Gold loans, two- and three-wheeler financing, and retail e-commerce lending are planned for FY28, followed by expansion into core rural individual loans and consumer durable financing in FY29-30.

In the last one month, the stock was up 1.72%, while in the current calendar year, the stock is down 1.30%. In the last one year, it gained 4.05%, following a jump of 40.25% and 67.78% over the last three years and five years, respectively.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times.)

The scheme would be built near a vast M&S distribution unit which is also on the site

Plans to build a vast logistics unit at a major industrial estate near Bristol have been submitted by developers. Canadian real estate business Epta Development Corporation (EDC) and its development partner Stoford have entered a reserved matters application for the huge new unit at Axis Works in Severnside.

Vancouver-based EDC says the scheme could support more than 700 jobs during construction and operation, and generate nearly £12m a year for the economy.

Proposals include the development of a cold storage logistics facility with ancillary office space, service yard and parking on an 16-acre plot.

The application sits within the wider Axis Works masterplan, which has hybrid planning consent for around two million sq ft of industrial and logistics development. It comes less than a year after building work on a 390,000 sq ft unit for M&S got under way at the site.

Chris Tsakumis, principal at Epta Development Corporation, said: “Axis Works continues to attract leading occupiers seeking scale, connectivity and best-in-class facilities.

“This application marks another significant milestone in the site’s evolution and reinforces our vision of creating a world-class industrial and logistics destination in one of the UK’s most strategically important markets.”

Located at Central Park in South Gloucestershire, near Junction 22 of the M4, the 101-acre site forms part of the Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area and is one of the South West’s most significant logistics locations.

Development activity is already underway across the site, with EDC and Stoford delivering a 209,319 sq ft last-mile logistics unit for an undisclosed company, plus the M&S facility. Both buildings will be accessed via a new internal estate road and are scheduled for completion in October 2026.

Dan Gallagher, joint managing director at Stoford, added: “This marks another important step for Axis Works, where we are seeing sustained occupier demand for high-quality and environmentally sustainable logistics space. We’re pleased to bring forward plans for another development that will boost the regional economy, supporting local jobs and investment.”