Finding real rewards apps that actually pay can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.
With so many promising quick cash or big payouts, most end up offering just a few cents for your time—or worse, they’re total scams.
That’s exactly why I created this list: to highlight only the apps I’ve personally tried and trust. They’re completely free, actually legit, and—most importantly—worth your time.
Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the 5 top rewards apps you can use to earn extra cash straight from your phone.
1. Rakuten
Rakuten stands out as one of the top cash back websites available today.
They collaborate with thousands of online stores to help you earn money back on your everyday shopping.
Here’s how it works: Rakuten places affiliate links to these stores on their platform. When you click through and make a purchase, Rakuten earns a commission from the retailer.
Instead of keeping all those earnings, they generously pass most of that cash back to you.
It’s a straightforward win-win for both shoppers and Rakuten.
Plus, new users get a nice $30 welcome bonus just for signing up.
You can also boost your earnings by referring friends—each successful referral nets you another $30. Sharing your link on social media is an easy way to spread the word and earn more.
2. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a popular mobile app that lets you rack up points—called SB—that can be exchanged for gift cards or cash.
What’s cool is that many of the ways to earn are things you might already do on your phone daily.
While surveys are a big part of the platform, there are plenty of other ways to collect points, including:
- Playing casual games
- Streaming videos via Swagbucks Watch (similar to YouTube)
- Shopping at partnered stores
- Using their search engine for your web queries
- And more
New users are greeted with a $10 sign-up bonus, which is a nice head start. Just keep in mind that this bonus doesn’t count toward the $5 minimum you need to cash out.
One of the best features? The video watching option. It’s basically passive income—just hit “Play” and let the videos roll on your browser or app without needing much interaction.
Depending on what you focus on, you can earn anywhere from $5 to $12 per hour.
When you’re ready to cash out, you can choose between PayPal deposits or gift cards from a variety of retailers.
3. Ibotta
Ibotta stands out as one of the top rewards apps available—and it’s easy to see why. It’s user-friendly, straightforward, and a fantastic tool to save money on groceries and everyday shopping.
At its core, Ibotta is a cashback app that pays you real money for shopping at a wide range of partner stores.
Besides cash, you can also earn gift cards, discounts, and coupons through the app.
Some of the popular retailers you can shop with include:
- Walmart
- Target
- Hotels.com
- Uber
- eBay
- 7-Eleven
- And many others
Here’s the simple process:
- Before shopping, browse Ibotta’s offers on your phone to see if your desired product qualifies for cashback.
- Purchase the item as usual.
- Open the app to claim the offer and upload a photo of your receipt.
- After about 48 hours, your cashback appears in your account.
Just make sure you buy the product at a participating retailer to qualify.
Recently, Ibotta has added an online cashback portal too, so you can earn money when shopping on the web.
And the bonus? New users get a $20 welcome reward after submitting their first receipt.
Plus, when you share your referral link, you earn an extra $10 every time a friend signs up and uploads their first receipt.
4. Acorns
Not sure where to start with investing? Acorns simplifies it by handling everything for you automatically.
Acorns is a leading robo-advisor app that helps you invest your spare change effortlessly.
Once you link your debit or credit card, Acorns rounds up each purchase to the nearest dollar and transfers the difference into your investment account.
For example, if you buy coffee for $2.75, Acorns will round it up to $3.00, and the extra $0.25 will go directly into your portfolio.
Worried about investing knowledge?
No need to be. Acorns teams up with top financial experts to create diversified portfolios tailored to your comfort with risk.
All you do is fund your account or let spare change accumulate, and Acorns takes care of the rest — making investing practically hands-free.
This makes it a smart way to build passive income over time.
Keep in mind, Acorns charges a monthly fee starting at $3, which covers portfolio management and other features. It’s an excellent option for beginners who want to grow their money without the hassle of managing investments.
Plus, when you sign up and finish the registration, you’ll get a $5 welcome bonus to kickstart your investing journey.
5. Freecash
Freecash is a fun and simple way to earn some extra money online without any complicated steps.
It’s a platform where you can make cash by completing quick tasks like taking surveys, watching short videos, playing games, or trying out new apps.
What I like most about Freecash is that the payout threshold is super low — you only need $2 before you can cash out.
And the best part? They pay out instantly through PayPal, so you don’t have to wait around for your money.
Freecash is perfect if you want a easy way to earn a little side cash during your downtime, whether you’re on your phone or computer.
It’s free to join, and there’s a nice variety of tasks to keep things interesting.
Give it a shot if you’re looking to make some quick bucks with minimal effort.