If you’re looking to earn some extra cash, there are plenty of ways to earn money. And while local businesses are almost always hiring part-time workers, side hustles offer a far easier way to earn. With a gig app for just about any activity you can think of, all you need is a smartphone and a little drive to make more money.
This review article will cover some of the best ways to earn money with your phone. From taking pictures, to cashing in on your unused garage spot, the possibilities are endless.
20 Best Side Hustle Apps
Here are the 20 best side hustle apps to make money in 2024.
- DoorDash
- Instacart
- Uber Eats
- Uber
- Turo
- Amazon Flex
- Lyft
- Carvertise
- Upside
- Neighbor
- Wag!
- Rover
- Airbnb
- SpotHero
- TaskRabbit
- Thumbtack
- Handy
- Foap
- Swagbucks
- Robinhood
1. DoorDash
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.7 stars (out of 5)
DoorDash is the most popular food delivery service in the U.S. market, which is good news for its drivers. Called Dashers, they dash from restaurants to customers’ homes to pick up and drop off meal orders.
In order to become a dasher, you need a personal vehicle (or bike in some markets), a driver’s license, a clean record, and a smartphone. Dashers set their own hours, so you can work when you have free time and not when the boss schedules you. This flexibility means you can easily dash in addition to a regular 9-to-5 job.
Dashers are paid weekly, but there is the option for same-day cashout. With generous tips and the opportunity to earn guaranteed hourly pay, DoorDash is a solid gig for new and experienced hustlers alike.
2. Instacart
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
- Earning Potential: $15-$25 an hour
Instacart is a popular grocery delivery app that connects at-home shoppers to their favorite grocery stores and supermarkets.
The platform provides flexible hours and working conditions for shoppers who can hustle for Instacart on their own terms. You can work for Instacart as a full-service shopper or as an in-store shopper.
In-store shoppers fill grocery orders in-store. No driving or home deliveries are required; everything is done at the retailer. Full-service shoppers fulfill the orders in-store, check out, and then deliver the orders to the customer’s doorstep. It’s more work, but it’s also more pay.
Additionally, full-service shoppers can pick their shift hours and earn delivery tips. Most full-service Instacart shoppers earn up to $10 per order, which translates to $20 to $25 an hour.
3. Uber Eats
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.6 stars (out of 5)
- Earning Potential: $15-$25 per hour
Uber Eats is one of the best side jobs in the food delivery industry. Couriers deliver restaurant orders to at-home diners using their car, bike, motorcycle, or scooter, giving you the opportunity to get some exercise and cut down on gas and car maintenance costs. Additionally, Uber Eats drivers can cash out their earnings daily making it one of the quickest mobile apps to pay you.
And Uber Eats is a gig you can easily do in addition to other full-time work or side gigs. Many couriers have other full-time or freelancer work, and also driving for Uber X (rideshare) is quite common.
4. Uber
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.8 stars (out of 5)
- Earning Potential: $15-$25 an hour
Uber is the largest and most well-known rideshare service in the world. With passengers who need ride service at all hours of the day, you can do Uber whenever it’s convenient for you — although drivers earn more money during peak hours when demand is highest.
Most Uber drivers can average $15 to $25 an hour, but we’ve talked to some drivers who make up to $50 an hour driving for Uber.
In addition to earning tips and extra money during demand surges, Uber drivers can earn extra through ongoing promotions and generous referral bonuses. And they have immediate access to cash: Drivers can cash out their earnings up to five (5) times per day.
5. Turo
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.85 stars (out of 5)
- Earning Potential: $10,516 per year
Just like an unused bedroom or boat slip, you can rent out an unused (or underused) car. Many rental services connect car owners with car renters, and Turo is one of the most popular and trusted apps on the market.
Known as the Airbnb of car rentals, Turo is an affordable alternative to traditional car rental businesses. Turo owners set the rates and dates of availability for all listed vehicles, which means you don’t need a second car. You can list your own car on days you aren’t using it.
There is some vehicle wear and tear to contend with, and additional insurance considerations, but according to Turo the average owner renting out just one (1) vehicle on the platform can earn $10,516 per year — if they average at least seven (7) rental days per month. Top Turo users rent out several vehicles each year and see annual earning 6-figure earnings.
Many Uber drivers who try Turo end up preferring it to doing rideshare. With either app, you have to put wear on your car but with Turo, it’s less work as you don’t have to drive anyone around.
6. Amazon Flex
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.0 (out of 5 stars)
- Earning Potential: $18-$25 per hour
Gigging for Amazon Flex is one of the best delivery hustles to earn cash. You can handpick your schedule and your wages in advance. Amazon Flex drivers sign up for shifts or delivery blocks several days in advance, picking the shifts they want based on total listed pay, driving distance, number of deliveries, and estimated time to complete the shift.
Most delivery blocks are 2-4 hours in length, but you can often find shorter and longer ones available — especially during peak demand periods. At the start of their block, drivers pick up the orders at a warehouse center or distribution hub and then bring them to customer addresses.
While Amazon Flex drivers typically don’t earn tips, the benefit of knowing exactly where you’ll work and how much you’ll make is huge. This delivery hustle is so popular that in many markets there is a waiting list to drive for Amazon.
7. Lyft
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.4 (out of 5 stars)
- Earning Potential: $18-$25 an hour
Lyft is another great side hustle app if you have a vehicle and a clean driving record. Drivers can set their own hours and work when it’s convenient for them. With customer tips, most Lyft drivers can earn $18 to $25 an hour.
Drivers are automatically paid weekly, but for an $0.85 fee, you can request Express Pay for immediate cashout. Funds are typically available by the end of the day on your linked debit card.
8. Carvertise
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)
- Earning Potential: $300 per month
Carvertise will pay car owners up to $300 a month — sometimes more — for getting ads placed on their cars. The advertisements are professionally wrapped and do not chip or damage the vehicle in any way.
If you’re already driving anyway, this is a great income stream. The amount you can earn depends on your car type, market area, how far you drive, and the times of day that you drive.
Once the ad campaign is over, Carvertise will remove the decal or ad wraps for free, but many drivers choose to get their car re-wrapped and complete a new campaign.
While the app store ratings are rather low, don’t let that deter you. In reviewing the Google Play Store reviews, poor scores center around drivers frustrated they are not receiving ad campaigns. Drivers who do receive them are happy with Carvertise and their earnings.
9. Upside
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.75 stars
- Earning Potential: $148 a year
Upside is one of the easiest ways to earn extra cash. Active Upside users earn an average of $148 in a year according to the app, which shakes out to $12.33 a month.
The Upside app (formerly called GetUpside) pays users for buying gas, groceries, or other eligible goods at over 500,000 participating retailers nationwide. You are already buying gas, so the idea is to reward you with some upside for the things you’re already doing.
Many consider Upside a passive income app because there’s virtually no extra work needed to make money. To claim the reward, you just need to check in or tap-submit your receipt.
10. Neighbor
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.6 stars (out of 5)
- Earning Potential: $15-$600 per month
The Neighbor storage app lets you cash in on the extra, unused space in your home. It’s like Airbnb, but you’re renting out closets and crawl spaces instead of cabins or guest houses. And instead of strangers coming into your home, you’re only hosting their belongings.
Storage hosts can make money by renting out spare bedrooms, closets, backyard sheds, garage stalls, parking spaces, and more. How much you can earn depends on the type of space you have to offer and how large it is.
It’s free to get started on Neighbor, so create a listing today and see how much money could be waiting for you.
11. Wag!
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.25 stars (out of 5)
- Earning Potential: $15-$36 per hour
Wag! is a great side hustle app for anyone who enjoys dogs, fresh air, or walking — or who needs a push to get out of the house and move. Wag! caregivers care for pets when pet owners are away, providing service in the pet’s home or boarding the animal overnight in their home while the owner is out of town.
The most common service you’ll provide is dog walking for a duration of 20, 30, or 60 minutes. Depending on your rates and length of walk, you can earn $12.75 to $36.99 for taking one dog on a walk.
These rates can translate to upwards of $60 per hour, however, you also need to factor in drive time to get to and from pet walking gigs and wear and tear to your vehicle. Additionally, Wag! takes a 40% cut for dog walks and a 30% cut for any other services.
12. Rover
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.8 (out of 5 stars)
- Earning Potential: $20-$40 per hour
Rover is a pet care app similar to Wag. Initially, Wag! had a much larger U.S. coverage area but in recent years Rover has closed the gap and possibly even pulled ahead.
The setup is quite similar to Wag!, where walkers and pet care providers list their available services and hours like pet boarding, dog walking, doggy daycare, and drop-in visits. But unlike Wag!, Rover users can set their own rates for how much they want to get paid whereas Wag! users must choose from pre-set ranges.
Rover will offer suggested pricing depending on your experience and market location, and generally, you’ll need rates similar to what a Wag! provider charges to be competitive. However, the Rover app takes a smaller commission. They take a 20% cut compared to the 30% to 40% cut that Wag! keeps.
13. Airbnb
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.65 stars (out of 5)
- Earning Potential: $20,000-$25,000 per year
Airbnb is, well, the Airbnb of home rentals. Homeowners with an extra bedroom, poolhouse, or other empty home space can let it out and earn a bit of income every month. Some hosts in high-demand areas will let out their own homes when they are away on vacation, or rent out a cabin or vacation property. Many hosts even buy properties specifically to use as Airbnb rentals.
To maximize earnings and minimize frustrations, make sure to do your research upfront. Understand the starting investment costs and how to list, price, and maintain the property — and the work involved with keeping it in rental-ready shape. Also, make sure to pay attention to Airbnb fees, local tax laws, and other factors that can eat up any profits.
Still, many hosts find tremendous success using the rental platform to make money. There are even Airbnb superhosts who make $10,000+ a month.
14. SpotHero
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.65 stars (out of 5)
- Earning Potential: $25-$300 a month
Just like your car, storage space, or house, you can rent out your parking spot and earn cash every month. This is an easy win if you live in a dense area where parking can be a headache. And you don’t have to give up your garage — you can rent out a spot on your driveway, in front of your house, or another assigned parking space that you’re not using.
SpotHero is a popular app where you can list your open parking spot and earn up to $300 a month. Other similar programs include CurbFlip, Spacer, or Neighbor — or you could even directly list your spot on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.
There are no app fees with Craigslist or Facebook, but there is more risk. We recommend using a reputable app like SpotHero so you can tap into the right audience and receive support for getting paid and dealing with any liability issues.
15. TaskRabbit
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.4 stars (out of 5)
- Earning Potential: $10-$100 an hour
Homeowners have their plates full of dreaded chores, and if you’re willing to take them off their plate you could earn up to $100 an hour on TaskRabbit.
As a tasker, you can advertise almost any service — skilled or unskilled — and set your rates and hours. And you keep all of your earnings; TaskRabbit adds a service charge to the buyers and does not take any cut from the sellers.
Popular tasks include cleaning out garages, running errands, furniture assembly, yard work, or home repair. Handyman and yard work tasks — like weeding, raking, or hedging — tend to pay the most with veteran taskers able to earn $100 an hour or more.
And as another win, there are more buyers on TaskRabbit than sellers, which means you shouldn’t have to wait long for someone to hire you.
16. Thumbtack
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.85 stars (out of 5)
- Earning Potential: $10-$40 per hour
Thumbtack is a service app that connects handymen, contractors, wedding planners, photographers, and other tradesmen to customers who need work done. You can list your services for free, but to communicate with interested customers there is a fee. Thumbtack charges anywhere from $15 to $150 per lead. It’s a flat fee per lead, with the price based on a variety of factors including type of service and local market.
While some providers balk at the rate, many find that the leads are generally pretty good and some prefer it to having to use PPC or other forms of advertising to get clients.
According to Zippia, Thumbtack users can earn an average of $41,000 a year with those at the top end getting over $80,000 worth of annual business.
17. Handy
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 6 stars (out of 5)
- Earning Potential: Up to $45 an hour
Handy is a free app that connects handy-doers to people who need work done, like building furniture, painting, mounting TV sets, cleaning, moving, and other home chores. Both certified tradesmen (i.e., plumbers) and non-professionals can find work on the platform.
Handy workers can set their own hours and select only the jobs that look appealing, and most can earn up to $45 per hour plus tips. Payment is made right after a project is completed.
18. Foap
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 3.8 stars (out of 5)
- Earning Potential: $10-$2,000 per project
Foap is a great app for creative types who work in digital marketing, graphic design, or photography — or even casual shutterbugs. It pays users for their smartphone photo and video submissions.
Foap users get paid for winning photo missions, creating and managing albums, or when their individual photos are purchased in the Foap marketplace. Get paid $10 per photo purchased, or up to $2,000 for special missions.
Payment processing can take some time and Foap does take a 50% cut of your earnings. Still, if you enjoy taking photos with your phone, Foap is an easy and fun way to monetize that activity and connect your images to a global audience.
19. Swagbucks
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.3 stars (out of 5)
- Earning Potential: $50-$200 per month
Known as one of the best survey apps, Swagbucks is a rewards program that pays consumers cash and gift cards for surveys and a huge variety of other online activities like playing games, searching the web, scanning receipts, and signing up for new products and services.
Users can earn rewards using the Swagbucks.com website, phone app, or both. Rewards are earned in Swagbucks points called SB, and once you reach at least 300 SB ($3) you can cash out your earnings. Payout options include PayPal cash, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or charitable donations.
20. Robinhood
- App Availability: iOS, Android
- Average App Rating: 4.15 stars (out of 5)
- Earning Potential: $10-$45
Robinhood is a popular app that allows everyday consumers to buy, sell, trade, and invest in stocks, cryptocurrency, and other assets — and without paying any commission fees. It’s considered a micro-investment app as you can buy fractional shares of stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for as little as $1, but you can also invest a lot more.
To encourage new users to try the app, Robinhood is known for offering generous signup bonuses that can range from $10 to $45. In a recent promotion through Swagbucks, Robinhood offered new members a $30 cash bonus in exchange for signing up for Robinhood and making a deposit of at least $5.
Unskilled investors wagering small sums of money aren’t likely to see huge returns, but if you can join when there’s a good signup bonus you can come out ahead and give it a try.
How to Choose the Right Side Hustle App for You
When choosing the best side hustle, consider what activities you regularly do or like to do. If you hate walking outdoors because of allergies, then being a dog walker probably isn’t for you. But if you enjoy spending time with pets, have a fenced-in yard, and experience being around animals, then a pet sitter hustle on Wag! or Rover could be a great fit.
Look for gig work that fits your interests and complements your lifestyle, and then research the different opportunities by reading review articles and app store ratings.
Additionally, consider how much free time you have and when you have free time or apps that you can do while you have free time. This can mean doing two or more hustles at once, as stacking up gigs can boost your potential earnings and offer enough variety that you don’t get bored or burn out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most popular FAQs that readers have about finding the best side hustle apps.
How can I make an extra $2,000 a month side hustling?
To make an extra $2,000 a month side hustle, you’ll want to look for higher-paying gigs like food delivery, dog walking, rideshare — or even freelancer services like virtual assistant work or data entry.
Or you could use a few gigs to get there like driving for Uber Eats on seven (7) days to earn $1,750 (7 x $250), taking surveys in the evenings while watching TV for $200 (30 x $6.67), and getting cash back for your online shopping and in-store purchases ($50).
How can you make $1,000 a day with a side hustle?
It is possible to make $1,000 a day with side hustles, but you’ll probably need a side hustle stack (income from multiple apps) and a little time to build the earnings in order to reach the $1,000 mark.
Here’s a breakdown of how that could work:
- $400 doing food delivery
- $200 walking dogs
- $200 selling goods on Etsy, eBay, or Facebook Marketplace
- $75 renting extra space in your home
- $75 pet sitting in your home (overnight animal boarding)
- $25 residual income — investment apps, referral bonuses
- $25 playing games on your phone
- $15 wrapping your car in advertisements
- $15 answering online surveys
This is one possible breakdown of how you could get to $1K in a day. Apart from walking dogs and delivering food, the other gigs take minimal to no effort. You can flip the free goods that you find on eCommerce sites; you just need to create the listing once and wait for them to sell. And games and surveys you can do from your phone at night while you’re watching TV.
This exact side hustle stack may not be possible for everyone, but it’s not the only way to get there. There are even food delivery drivers who are able, on occasion, to hustle hard and pull in $1,000 in a day.
What is the best side hustle to make money in 2024?
The best side hustle to make money in 2024 is one that you enjoy and that you’ll stick with. If you enjoy driving in your car with music on but dislike having passengers, consider driving for Postmates or Amazon Flex.
If you enjoy writing, advertise your services on Fiverr or Guru, or reach out to your network on social media.
Some side hustles can take time to break into as you build up experience and customer reviews; for others, the demand is more immediate and you can start earning the very day you sign up. To be successful, many gig workers will pick one hustle from each category so right away they have extra income and are building to something they want to do long-term.
What side hustles can you do on your phone?
You can do any side hustle that is internet-based directly from your phone — if it can connect to WiFi. This means that pretty much all side hustles can be done with your phone.
Even for hustles like pet-sitting, you’ll still need your phone with the app turned on so your visit can be tracked. For handyman gigs, you need the app to receive projects, request payment, and submit photos of finished work.
If you don’t want to leave your couch, there are many popular, phone-specific side hustles like playing games, listening to music, scanning grocery receipts, or taking online surveys.
