The best money-making apps for 2022
Reach your savings goals quicker with these easy and intuitive money-making apps.
6 min read
Picking up some additional income from a money-making app can mean reaching your savings goals even faster. From landing a side hustle to earning cashback on your purchases, there are plenty of ways these apps can help boost your bottom line. To get you started, we’ve done some research and compiled a list of the best money-making apps out there.
With one (or two, or three…) of these apps in your toolkit, it should be easier to put aside a little extra each month. But before we get into our picks, let’s quickly review how money-making apps work.
Your travels covered
How do money-making apps work?
No surprise here—money-making apps are all about helping you make money fast. But there are several types of money-making apps, and they all work slightly differently. Here are some general categories to look out for:
- Cashback apps. These apps may give you a rebate on an item you’ve already purchased, or they may work in collaboration with certain brands to give you exclusive discounts. In this sense you could count N26 as a cashback app, as the N26 bank account offers perks from partner brands that suit your lifestyle, and the N26 business bank accounts for freelancers actually offer cashback directly to your account every time you use your N26 card to make a purchase.
- Freelance marketplace apps. These apps essentially function as an online freelancer marketplace. You can list a service you’re offering (e.g., copywriting, graphic design, or film editing) in exchange for a one-off payment.
- Survey apps. These apps offer rewards, perks, or cash in exchange for filling out a survey (usually on behalf of a company).
- Discount apps. These apps send you exclusive discount offers for certain brands or services. While they don’t exactly “make” you money, they can be a great way to save on expenses you were already planning for.
What are the best money-making apps of 2022?
This list covers the full spectrum of money-making apps, so you can pick and choose the ones that work best for you. All of these apps are available within the EU, and we explicitly state if they’re not available EU-wide.
Best money-making app for in-app points and rewards: Payback
Availability: DE, PL, IT, AT, HRV, SK, SI, CZ, and HU
Payback is a cashback app that allows you to claim money back on purchases from over 70 different stores. Plus, you can earn points, get access to exclusive discounts, and earn credit rewards—all from within the app.
You can use Payback to get money back on everything from groceries and retail shopping to flight bookings and hotel stays. Simply download the Payback Pay app onto your phone, use it to make contactless payments, and earn cashback when you purchase something from one of Payback’s partners!
Download Payback for Android /iOS.
Best money-making app for cashing in on side hustles: Fiverr
Availability: EU-wide
Fiverr is the digital marketplace for freelancers. Whether you’re a copywriter, programmer, personal assistant, graphic designer, or practically anything else, it’s a great place to begin a lucrative side hustle.
To get started, simply list your services and your rates. If a client (known as a “buyer”) wants to hire you for a job, they’ll place an order with you. Once you complete a job, you’ll be paid and your work will be rated by the buyer. The better your rating, the more jobs you’re likely to secure in the future—so make sure to stick to those deadlines!
Download Fiverr for Android / iOS.
Best money-making app for earning money the fun way: Roamler
Availability: DE, FR, NL, BE, IT, PL, ES, SE, and GBR
If you like the idea of making some money while playing a mystery game, Roamler may be the best money-making app for you!
Roamler works by sending you different tasks to complete in supermarkets and shops around your city. This usually entails taking photos of certain products or answering questions about whether a shop has a particular brand in stock.
As a dedicated “Roamler,” you’ll be sent tasks in line with your experience level, your language, and how close you are to the task at hand. All communication takes place within the app, and tasks typically take no longer than a few minutes to complete.
Download Roamler for iOS / Android.
Best money-making app for earning in a variety of ways: Swagbucks
Availability: EU-wide
Swagbucks is both a cashback app and a rewards app. You can use the app to claim money back on purchases made at partner stores and cash in on a wide variety of discounts and offers.
The app works by encouraging you to earn points by completing certain tasks. A “task” could mean anything from filling out a survey to playing a game or even watching a short video. Each of the tasks are worth a different amount of points, and you’ll be rewarded accordingly. Once you redeem your points, you’ll receive your payment via gift card or PayPal within 10 business days.
Download Swagbucks for Android / iOS.
Your travels covered
Best money-making app for established freelancers: Upwork
Availability: EU-wide
Similar to Fiverr, Upwork is also a freelance job marketplace. However, while Fiverr caters to smaller, on-the-fly projects, Upwork tends to focus on larger projects.
Both are free to sign up, but both charge commission costs on projects. For Upwork, these costs comprise 5–20% of your earnings; for Fiverr, it’s a flat fee of 20%.
Freelancers on Upwork bid for a project that a client posts. Upwork is more skill-focused than Fiverr, so you’ll be encouraged to disclose more information regarding your skills and experience. As a result, Upwork may be a better way to make some additional revenue if you already have some freelance experience.
Download Upwork for Android / iOS.
Best money-making app for photographers and videographers: Foap
Availability: EU-wide
If you’re a photographer or a videographer, Foap offers a great way to turn your work into a lucrative side hustle.
Here’s how it works: upload your photos and videos to your profile, and if a brand, agency, or individual client likes your work, they’ll pay you to use it. You’ll split your profits 50/50 with the platform, but you’ll also have the opportunity to sell the same work repeatedly—making for a nice passive stream of income!
Download Foap for Android / iOS.
Best money-making app for cashback at stores: LetyShops
Availability: EU-wide
With LetyShop, you can get cashback on products or services from over 3,845 partner stores! The app’s huge range of cashback partners includes Etsy, Adobe, Levis, AliExpress, Microsoft, and Booking.com.
Before you download the LetyShop app, set yourself up with a PayPal account. This is the only way you can withdraw money from the app.
Download LetysShops for iOS / Android.
Best money-making app for online deals: Groupon
Availability: EU-wide
Groupon is the world’s largest platform for online deals, so it’s the go-to app for snapping up a bargain. Groupon offers local deals for restaurants, shops, dentists, chiropractors, socks, and much more.
There’s a daily deal that’s only available for 24 hours, but there are also great deals that are available for a few days or more. Simply select your city and start scrolling through the special offers in your area.
Download Groupon for iOS / Android.
Get rewarded with N26
As an N26 customer, you can enjoy a wide range of money-saving deals with N26 Perks. In the past, we’ve partnered with the likes of Headspace, Booking.com, Adidas, and others to bring you offers tailored to your lifestyle.
Plus, as a premium customer, you can create multiple sub-accounts with Spaces to help you reach your savings goals. Choose the right plan for you.
Your travels covered
Find similar stories
By N26
Love your bank
How modern couples manage joint finances
6 min read
Related articles
These might also interest you
Beyond Veganuary: How a greener diet could lead to a greener wallet
Reaping the financial rewards of a more plant-powered life.
How modern couples manage joint finances
Whether you’re polyamorous or monogamous, married with kids or parenting pets, money matters in every relationship. But the way partners organize their finances can differ greatly.
Women and financial literacy: Closing the gender gap
Financial literacy is a critical tool for women to build wealth and secure their future. However, many women lack the knowledge they need to get ahead. We explore why that’s the case!