Before you sign up for any earning app, check three things: whether you qualify, when you can actually get paid, and what it will take. Then pick two, try one offer in each, and keep whichever pays you first.
On this page
Three checks first
Every earning app looks great on its sign-up page. The differences show up later, so run three checks before you hand over your email.
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| 1. Do I qualify? | Location, device, age and any screening |
| 2. When can I get paid? | Cash out minimum, payment method and timing |
| 3. What will it take? | Time, spending requirements and permissions |
"I'd start with Testerup, then Freecash and Bigcash personally, but all are good and worth a free sign up to check which apps pay best. It's easy to choose an offer and run it for a few days for extra cash."
Brian MeiggsCompare earning options
Filter by type, then tick "Compare" on two. Details come from each provider's own pages. Where we couldn't confirm something, it says "Check provider".
Testerup
App and game testing
- What you actually do
- Play new mobile games and apps to set goals, and get paid for each goal you reach.
- Who can join
- 18 or older. iPhone or Android.
- Screening or purchases
- A short survey at sign-up matches games to you. An email code check before payout.
- Cash out
- Once you reach the minimum balance. PayPal, gift cards or bank transfer. Payout requests are approved within hours, per Testerup.
- Limitations
- The biggest payouts take real time. Some games push in-app purchases, so stick to the free goals.
Freecash
Earning app
- What you actually do
- Play games, try app offers, take surveys and shop through cash back offers.
- Who can join
- 16 or older. Offers and cash out methods depend on your region.
- Screening or purchases
- An ID check with a selfie before your first cash out. It asks for app permissions, and some offers need one switched on to credit you.
- Cash out
- First cash out needs $5 to $20 in your balance, by region. After that, PayPal starts at $5 and usually lands the same day.
- Limitations
- PayPal cash outs carry a 5% charge. Offer credits can be held for up to 90 days. One account per person and household, no VPN. The $10 is tied to your first offer.
Bigcash
Earning app
- What you actually do
- Play games to set levels, try apps, take surveys and watch videos for coins. Every 250 coins is $1.
- Who can join
- 13 or older, and PayPal needs you to be 18. iPhone app plus the website.
- Screening or purchases
- Check provider.
- Cash out
- PayPal from $1. Bigcash says payouts often arrive within 24 hours, up to 48.
- Limitations
- It can reverse rewards and raise your cash out minimum. One account per household. Make one small cash out early.
This button opens Bigcash on a US phone. On a computer it opens another rewards app instead, so use your phone.
Branded
Earning app (games and apps)
- What you actually do
- Try popular apps and games from a wall of 200+ offers and collect points.
- Who can join
- Check provider.
- Screening or purchases
- Check provider.
- Cash out
- Points add up across every offer you touch. Check provider for the minimum and methods.
- Limitations
- Check provider. The upside: partial progress on an offer still counts.
Survey Junkie
Paid surveys
- What you actually do
- Take online surveys for points. Every 100 points is $1.
- Who can join
- 18 or older, living in the US, Canada or Australia, and able to read and write English well.
- Screening or purchases
- You will be screened out of some surveys, and you may have to pass an identity check before you cash out.
- Cash out
- From 500 points, which is $5. PayPal, bank transfer or gift card. PayPal typically shows up within a few hours.
- Limitations
- The pay is small for the time. Survey Junkie's own example is about $40 a month for three surveys a day.
Swagbucks
Surveys, shopping and games
- What you actually do
- Take surveys, shop through its cash back portal and play games.
- Who can join
- 13 or older (under 18 needs a parent's approval), in 11 countries including the US, Canada, the UK and Australia.
- Screening or purchases
- The $10 needs a $25 or larger purchase at a store in the Swagbucks shop within 30 days of joining. Surveys can end partway if you don't fit.
- Cash out
- Gift cards and PayPal from $5. Check provider for timing.
- Limitations
- Most surveys pay $0.25 to $5. Shopping rewards are released 32 to 75 days after you buy.
InboxDollars
Paid surveys and offers
- What you actually do
- Take surveys and offers, with your balance shown in dollars instead of points.
- Who can join
- 18 or older and a permanent US resident. US only, no VPN.
- Screening or purchases
- A 30-question profile survey to start, and screening questions before most surveys.
- Cash out
- $15 for your first cash out, then $10. Gift cards, PayPal or a prepaid Visa. Payment can take up to 10 business days.
- Limitations
- US only. The wait on payment is longer than most.
Two is plenty. More than that and you'll start offers you never finish.
How to pick between them
Start with the cash out row. A low first cash out, like Bigcash's $1 PayPal minimum, lets you prove an app pays before you sink hours into it.
Then hold the effort row up against your week. Game goals pay the most, and they take days. Surveys pay less and fit in a lunch break.
Bottom line: sign up for two, run one offer in each for a few days, and keep whichever pays you first.
Compare two options. Note the time and costs.
For each one, write down the time one offer takes and anything it asks you to spend. Day 5 turns that into a real hourly rate.
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