40+ ways to make money on your phone (that actually work in 2026)

Make money on your phone through content creation, affiliate marketing, surveys, gigs, referrals, and more. Here are 40+ real ways to turn your screen time into income in 2026.

Some of the best ways to make money on your phone include clipping, doing affiliate marketing, and selling digital products. You can do all of these with Whop.

Just think about it. What if your screentime could be profitable?

Most of us scroll, swipe, and stream on our phones for hours a day, distracting ourselves for little (if any) reward. But it turns out, your phone isn’t just for killing time. It's one of the easiest ways to make money online.

Maybe you want to quit your 9-to-5, save for a special occasion, or learn to start a side hustle – whatever it is, your mobile phone can help you get there.

From online surveys and affiliate marketing to content creation and sports betting, there's something on this list for everyone.

Here's how to make money on your phone.

How to make money on your phone

We’ve found 44 of the best ways to make money from your phone (most of which the Whop team has personally tested).

These aren't scams or far-fetched hustles; they actually work.

Content creation and clipping

Creating content is something anyone can do with a smartphone.

Clipping content is super easy to get into with seriously low barriers to entry, offering creators a chance to earn money with little social media experience or clout.

Creating original content can take more work – but allows you to grow a personal brand and sell digital offerings, partnerships, communities, and merchandise, giving you more ways to monetize.

1. Become a clipper

"There are people making 10, 20, even 30 thousand dollars a month by simply making copy-paste clips."

— Dylan Lundgren, Marketing at Whop

You've heard the term 'clipping' before – but what does it actually mean? Basically, you're creating short-form video content from longer videos of a content creator.

Imagine a 2-hour chess tournament where an amazing play happens at the 40-minute mark.

A clipper takes the tournament video, cuts the interesting 20 seconds of it (i.e., clips it), and posts it on social media. This way, the clipper gets views, likes, and follows, and the original content creator is promoted. It's a win-win.

How to start
You can get started as a clipper by joining the Whop Clips community, where you can find tutorials to get started and be part of a community of clippers.

• Earning potential: Thousands of dollars per clip
• Difficulty: Low/medium
• Cost to get started: None

2. Become an influencer

It takes time and persistence, but being an influencer can be one of the most lucrative ways to make money on your phone.

Here are some skills you want to develop to give yourself the best shot at those juicy influencer bucks: 

• Photography and photo editing (Canva, Adobe Lightroom)
• Video editing for TikTok and Instagram Reels (CapCut or InShot)
• Writing for captions and text posts (should be concise but relatable and engaging)
• SEO and analytics (important for understanding how successful posts are) 

How to start
Start by creating or cleaning up your socials, finding your niche, and building a personal brand with consistent content. Be engaging, interact with your audience, and insert yourself into online spaces to get seen.

• Earning potential: Based on the platform you're creating, hundreds or thousands of dollars per viral video or affiliate post
• Difficulty: Hard
• Cost to get started: None

3. Start your own podcast

When many people think of podcasts, they usually imagine a set with cameras and huge microphones.

But you don't need all that, and it's possible to start a podcast using only your phone.

If you're a beginner, I would recommend doing virtual podcasts. You could use a tool called Riverside and host the podcast virtually. Once you start getting some traction, you could build an in-house studio for higher production.

– Brett Malinowski, Founder WGMI Podcast

How to start
Start by deciding on a niche. Write scripts or outlines to stay on topic and cover everything. Apps like Anchor by Spotify, Spreaker Studio, and Podbean are useful for recording, while Audacity Mobile and Adobe Podcast can help you with editing.

• Earning potential: Medium
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None

4. Make money from TikTok

"The best part of making money with TikTok is that if you're posting content, you're already halfway there. The next step if simply growing your account.

The easiest way to do that is simply posting consistently, following trends, and studying the competition so that you can replicate what they do best."

— Tristan from VYRL Premium

If your account has at least 10,000 followers and more than 100,000 views in the last month, you can apply for TikTok’s Creator Rewards Program, which allows you to earn income based on video performance.

But that's not the only way you can make money on TikTok. You can get brand partnerships or sponsors to promote other businesses or products, generating another income channel.

How to start
Create your TikTok account, choose a niche, and start pushing your content. Focus on high-quality, shareable videos several times a day and target a specific community to really make an impact

• Earning potential: Medium
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None

5. Monetize UGC content

You don't need a bunch of followers or a professional studio. All you need is your phone, your personality, and a bit of creativity.

— UGC creator

UGC (user-generated content) is a form of content that's made by individual creators rather than businesses. If you've ever seen an influencer talking about a product in a video posted by the product's brand, that's a business utilizing UGC.

As a UGC creator, the payment per content differs heavily based on the business you're working with. While some UGC creators charge $10 per content, others go up to thousands.

How to start
Create a UGC profile on social platforms like TikTok and Instagram, start creating content using brand products, and tagging the brands

• Earning potential: Depends on the content quality and social media following. Ranges from $10 per post to $1.000+
• Difficulty: Low/medium
• Cost to get started: None/around $10 for subscriptions to mobile video editing apps

6. Sell videos online

Even regular mobile devices are capable of capturing impressive videos.

If you have a device with a quality camera, some video editing apps, and a knack for editing, you should consider selling your video recordings.

The videos you record and sell could be niche-specific, like gameplay or cooking, or general content like city views, nature views, etc.

While Adobe Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve are highly recommended for desktop editing, on mobile, you should consider apps like CapCut and Adobe Premiere Rush.

How to start
Consider stock content platforms or freelance platforms where you can create custom content based on clients' requests. Or, you can create your own whop, showcase your portfolio there, and manage your clients and work in one place.

• Earning potential: Medium/high
• Difficulty: Medium/hard
• Cost to get started: None

7. Make money with YouTube

The money you can make directly on YouTube comes from Google AdSense, where a video with 5,000 views can earn as much as $100.

With consistency, you can make a lot of money on YouTube, just like Leroy in the video above:

I've helped creators get 500+ million views in the last 12 months, long form only. It's probably closer to a billion, but that's neither here nor there.

— Leroy ter Braak, YouTube content strategist and top 1% creator

How to start
Decide who you want your audience to be, plan content, and learn how to edit using CapCut or iMovie. Learn how to optimize your content for SEO and engage with your audience regularly.

• Earning potential: Medium/high
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None

8. Livestream on social media platforms

All popular social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Whop offer livestreaming features, and they're wildly popular.

You even stumble upon them while viewing your feed on some apps like TikTok.

My top way of making money is through sponsors. To get sponsors you've got to have views, and you got to have a loyal community.

It doesn't have to take a long time, you just have to know what you're doing.

— Propernator, twitch streamer with over 20K subscribers

How to start
You can hop on a social media app and start livestreaming from your phone. As you find your niche and start gaining followers, you can monetize your livestream through sponsors and donations.

• Earning potential: Medium
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None

App-based earning

Many apps allow you to earn money or rewards by completing small (or sometimes big) tasks.

These include cashback and reward apps, watching videos for cash, taking paid surveys, and completing gigs.

9. Use Cashback & Rewards apps (KashKick, Cash Giraffe, Rakuten)

If you’re already shopping with your phone, why not also earn money every time you spend?

These money-making apps give you a percentage of your purchase back as real cash or gift cards.

How to start
Simply link your payment method or scan receipts, and shop through their portals or activate in-store offers to watch the rewards roll in.

• Earning potential: $5-$100/month (depends on spending & offers)
• Difficulty: Very Low
• Cost to get started: None

10. Watch videos for cash 

You’re probably already watching video ads on your phones – why not get paid for this instead of letting the platforms make money from your behavior? 

How to start
Sign up and start watching clips that include ads, app trailers, or branded content. You’ll get paid points that are redeemable for cash or gift cards. There’s often a payout threshold that needs to be met, so make sure you know what it is and hit it if you want to cash out. 

• Earning potential: $1-$20/week
• Difficulty: Very Low
• Cost to get started: None

11. Get paid for walking (really)

Believe it or not, your daily steps can translate to cash, gift cards, or merchandise. 

Apps like Sweatcoin, StepBet, and HealthyWage can be downloaded from the app store and pay you for walking certain distances.

Each will pay you slightly differently, but in general, you’ll earn points that you can spend on things like workout gear, tech gadgets, or sometimes convert to cash.

How to start
Download an app, sign up, and start walking

• Earning potential: $10-$50+/month (depending on apps and goals)
• Difficulty: Low
• Cost to get started: $0-$40 (some apps will require a small entry fee or “bet”)

12. App referrals for cash

One underrated way to make money from your phone is through referral programs — lots of apps offer cash or rewards just for getting your friends to sign up.

It can be surprisingly lucrative, and it’s as simple as sending a referral link to earn a bonus. This is basically a form of affiliate marketing.

How to start
Reach out to your friends to sign up. Most of the time, the referral comes with a two-way bonus, meaning that when your referral signs up, they’ll get rewarded too.

• Earning potential: $5-$20 per referral–this can translate to $50-$200+ per month if you get consistent
• Difficulty: Low/Medium (it can be easy to refer initial people, but scaling can be difficult)
• Cost to get started: None, apart from perhaps depositing money into an app

13. Complete tasks on gig apps

You will find the tasks on your phone and then carry them out in person. Typical tasks include mystery shopping, verifying prices, or taking photos of store displays.

Each job typically pays between $3 to $20, depending on the complexity and time required.

How to start
Open the app, read the gig or “mission” details, accept it and complete it. Payment is fast, with some platforms offering immediate payout for a small fee.

• Earning potential:$50-$200+/week, depending on your availability and the number of tasks in your location
• Difficulty: Low/Medium
• Cost to get started: None

14. Become a voiceover artist

Almost all phones have great microphones, and while they're not studio-level yet, they greatly surpass the recording quality of regular headsets or old phones. Like the expert above says;

Voice acting is one of the most overlooked side hustles out there. And all you need is a quiet room, and a free recording software.

— Experienced voice actor

This means that everyone with a phone can be a voiceover artist. You don't have to get to the professional level in a day; you just have to start.

How to start
Use tools like Adobe's Enhance Speech to clear out your recording and freelancing platforms to offer your work, and you can get started with voiceover work. You can also create a whop to offer personalized sessions for your customers.

• Earning potential: Low/medium
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None

15. Become a short-form video editor

Short-form content platforms like TikTok and Instagram mean heaps of apps exist that allow you to create amazing video edits.

These can be cold edits, such as a series of Batman clips with a cool song, or regular video edits of YouTube videos, movies, podcasts, and more.

While organic recorded videos are dominating TikTok across the globe, a huge chunk of the most popular videos are good edits.

How to start
If you have a talent for video editing and you enjoy doing it, you can start making money. Edit your videos and join monetization programs like TikTok's Creator Fund/Rewards Program, or work for clients who are looking for video editors.

• Earning potential: Medium
• Difficulty: Medium/hard
• Cost to get started: None

16. Make money on X

X has a program called Creator Revenue Sharing, which essentially pays you a portion of the platform's earnings from the posts you make.

If you have an X account with a bit of a following, you can get started with this right away.

You'll need an active X Premium subscription, a complete profile, and an account in good standing. You also need to reside in a supported country, be over 18, have at least 2000 verified followers, and achieve 5 million organic impressions in 3 months.

How to start
Getting attention on X is easy. Pick topics that spark debate but aren’t too risky. Interact and repost trending tweets and share your thoughts on them—or even better, ask your audience for theirs.

• Earning potential: Low/medium
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: $8.00 for X Premium

Gaming and online surveys

Playing games and completing surveys for cash is a quick and easy way to make a couple of bucks on the side.

While they don't pay that much, they can be a worthwhile effort to invest an hour each day for surveys/games.

17. Play games for cash

Contrary to what some people might have you believe, it is possible to make money playing games.

There are lots of apps that offer you points for playing games or for hitting milestones within said games.

The general intention is for them to show you ads in the game, so they’re getting something from it too—but the points can be exchanged for cash or gift cards, so those ads are worth sitting through.

How to start
Join an app and start playing. Be mindful, though. A lot of apps are just scams or won't pay out until you've accumulated some crazy amount of money. Read user reviews before downloading.

• Earning potential: Low
• Difficulty: Low
• Cost to get started: None

18. Take paid surveys

Much like app games, you can get paid for doing something that only takes a few minutes every day.

Survey platforms gather information, from shopping habits to favorite YouTube videos. They then sell this information to companies to help them better understand the demographics they’re marketing to. 

Paid online surveys are a great way to earn a little bit of extra cash on the side to pay some of those extra unexpected bills or cover those rising grocery expenses.

- Keisha Singleton, Whop

If you want to keep your virtual workspace organized, you can make a dedicated email for the surveys to be sent to.

You can sign up for one or all of the survey websites, and compound the money you make by doing surveys for all of them. 

These survey apps definitely rank among the best apps you can make money with, but you're not going to make a living using them. Treat them as a tiny little side hustle to supplement your other sources of income.

How to start
Sign up for one of the above survey apps

• Earning potential: Low
• Difficulty: Low
• Cost to get started: None

19. Participate in paid research interviews

As we've established, paid surveys aren't exactly going to make you rich – but doing paid research interviews is often a better alternative.

In these interviews, you'll trade more of your time and insights for more money. These studies are much more serious: the goal is to test a new product or get early feedback on something that's still in the works.

Many research groups are looking for a certain kind of participant, so you might not score too many of these. But, once you do, you'll get paid a decent amount of money, often equalling $50 or more per hour.

How to start

Sign up for as many of the platforms listed above as possible and apply to studies.

• Earning potential: Low to medium
• Difficulty: Low
• Cost to get started: Usually none

Education and tutoring

The online market for education and tutoring is huge - in fact, consumers are expected to exceed 1.1 billion by 2029.

One of the best things about online tutoring and education businesses is that they can be scaled - more content, more customers, more money.

20. Make and sell online courses

If you're in a career and you've been doing that career for a long time?

The next logical step is always going to be to teach others how to do what you do, and create an additional source of income for yourself.

— Volky, Digital Nomad Community

If you have knowledge or a skill you can teach, then making and selling courses online is a good online business that you can run right from your phone.

You can create any kind of course online: video lectures, text-based coursework, and even supplemental material like quizzes and presentations.

Selling courses with Whop is completely free and only takes a few minutes to set up.

How to start
Follow these steps to create a course to sell

• Earning potential: Medium/high
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None with platforms like Whop

21. Offer online tutoring

Tutoring doesn’t mean lugging textbooks around or meeting students in person anymore – you can run an entire tutoring business from your phone.

Platforms like Wyzant, Varsity Tutors, and Kadama let you list your services – but you’re competing with thousands of other tutors on their terms, not yours.

The easier way is to build your own tutoring business on Whop. With Courses, Events, and Chat, you can run lessons, drop homework, host live study sessions, and manage every student in one place.

It’s simple, scalable, and gives you total control over what you teach and how you charge.

How to start
Join a tutoring platform or start your own tutoring business with Whop

• Earning potential: Low/medium
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None with platforms like Whop

22. Teach languages

If you're bilingual, why not share with the rest of the class? Your class, in this case, because you can easily make money by teaching people languages using only your phone.

There are lots of apps that help you make this happen.

Some will require qualifications, such as a college degree or even a background in teaching.

Others pay less, but are also much less restrictive when it comes to what they expect from you in order to get started.

How to start
Join one of the above apps. If you're feeling more entrepreneurial, you could take matters into your own hands and start your own business. Teaching languages is easy with Whop: You could sell online courses, one-on-one sessions, and video content for people to review and study along.

• Earning potential: Medium
• Difficulty: Medium/hard
• Cost to get started: None

Online services and skills

There are countless ways to make money online by providing services and monetizing your skills.

These ways range from creating small businesses, like an ecommerce store and scaling them to skill based gigs or jobs like social media management and translation.

23. Try trading

I myself started trading with just a $20 deposit, and I kept depositing just a little more here and there with each paycheck, just as I could afford to.

— Michael Poarch, online trader and creator

Trading stocks or crypto requires an initial investment, but you can always start small.

Once you get the hang of it, you'll have an extra stream of income that's very scalable and doesn't take up a lot of time. 

How to start
Join a trading platform, deposit money, and wait. If you want to really give trading a go, join an online trading community. This is the safest way to learn. You'll be able to chat with experts and beginners alike, get access to helpful tools, and hear about new trades as soon as possible.

• Earning potential: Low to (very) high
• Difficulty: Medium/hard
• Cost to get started: None

23. Start an ecommerce store

This one might give you pause, but yes, you’re reading that right — you can start an ecommerce store using only your phone.

Most web-based ecommerce platforms also have phone apps, which means you can build, manage, and monitor your store easily. 

Clothing's a cool business to get into. It is so f*cking rewarding.

– Marshall Crews, founder Tamed Psychotic

How to start
A lot of running a store online is also just marketing yourself. Building a social media presence can help you convert followers into customers, so take advantage of organic marketing and set up all your socials ASAP.

• Earning potential: Medium/high
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None

25. Make money with dropshipping

We find products that people already love—common stuff that you can find on places like AliExpress.

Let's say a pair of sunglasses costs $7. Instead of just slapping these online we build a brand round it.

— Ronnie, Savage Ecom

Dropshipping is a way to sell products online without holding inventory or doing any of the shipping.

To sell these products, you'll have to market them, usually by posting videos on social media apps.

As such, it's a gig that can be done entirely on your phone, and it's highly profitable if you pick the right niche.

How to start
The idea is to find a supplier who will handle everything, and then sell the products at a premium. You're essentially the person who connects the buyer with the seller.

• Earning potential: High
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None

26. Try micro-investing apps

Micro-investing apps make it easy to start small (literally) with just a few spare cents.

These apps automatically round up your everyday purchases and invest the difference into diversified portfolios, so you’re building wealth without even noticing.

Over time, those tiny amounts add up to real money. It’s one of the simplest ways to dip your toes into investing without stressing about timing the market or picking the “right” stock.

How to start
Download a micro-investing app like Acorns, Stash, or Robinhood’s fractional shares feature. Link your debit/credit card, turn on round-ups, and choose your preferred portfolio. That’s it — the app handles the rest.

• Earning potential: Low to medium (think long-term wealth building rather than quick cash)
• Difficulty: Very low
• Cost to get started: As little as $1 (some apps charge small monthly fees)

27. Sell ebooks

When it comes to marketing ebooks I do organic sales — meaning I don't run ads, I don't have any paid advertisement.

I just use my following on social media whether it be YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, to drive sales directly to these books.

— Jeremie Lander, 3 x published ebook author

The global ebook market is valued between $18-27 billion, and is projected to reach $23-46 billion by 2030. Sheesh.

If you’re motivated by making money on your phone as quickly as possible, pick a subject or genre that has a proven audience, such as travel.

How to start
Write your ebook (remember you can use AI to speed this up). Once you're done with the writing, use a design app like Canva or Adobe Spark to make a cover. 

• Earning potential: Low
• Difficulty: Low using AI
• Cost to get started: None

28. Translation apps

Unlike traditional translation, app translation only requires you to translate short strings of text.

If you're fluent in at least two languages (one of them should be English in most cases), translating an app or a website won't be challenging for you (unlike books, blog posts, articles, etc.).

How to start
You can find freelance app translation work in freelancing platforms like Fiverr and Upwork. If you have previous experience, you can even create your own platform using Whop (free) or your website (paid) to attract new customers.

• Earning potential: Low/medium
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None

29. Manage social media accounts

If you already run your own social media, then congratulations: you can be a social media manager for other people.

You'll work with entrepreneurs, small businesses, and even large companies, helping them build their online presence on platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), or Facebook.

If your own profile doesn't reflect your abilities, your experience and your creativity, then you have a very low chance of being hired.

— Karina Egle, Whop

How to start
First, focus on your own socials. Then make a professional portfolio and website before you start reaching out to potential clients.

• Earning potential: Medium
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None

30. Test apps and websites

In this gig, you'll be helping devs make sure that their apps and games are as good as they can be.

Platforms like UserTesting, TryMyUI, Userlytics, and Testbirds exist as intermediaries to connect you as a tester with multiple different testing opportunities.

The tasks usually just involve navigating an app or a website and passing on your feedback on what worked well and what didn’t.

How to start
Search through app testing platforms and apply for work.

• Earning potential: Low
• Difficulty: Low
• Cost to get started: None

Community and coaching

Running paid communities and selling coaching services is a popular way to make money online – they hold a large percentage on social platforms like Whop, Discord, and Telegram.

Let's take a look at the four ways you make money on your phone by running community and coaching businesses.

31. Take part in affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is the perfect money-making option for someone who already has a following online or doesn’t mind putting in the work to create one.

Sign up for affiliate marketing programs on Amazon Associates, ClickBank, TikTok, Whop, or ShareASale, and start getting paid for each referral. 

I used to be a TikTok affiliate, and I used to promote these massagers on livestream. I would just sit and have the massager massage my back while I would talk about it. And you can promote stuff. And every time you promote something that sells, you get a commission.

– Patryk Karwasz, TikTok Creator

How to start
The key to successful affiliate marketing is just to have an audience that you engage with enough that they’re receptive to your marketing. It's also important to hit the right affiliate niche.

• Earning potential: Low/medium
• Difficulty: Low
• Cost to get started: None with the Whop Affiliate Program

32. Moderate an online community

Big online communities, be they Discord servers, Telegram channels, or whops, need mods to keep the peace and help everyone out. That could be you!

How to start
Check out the above sites to look for paid work. Before applying, familiarize yourself with your platform of choice. Mods, aka moderators, are expected to be the pinnacles of any community, so you'll need to know your stuff.

You can even set your resume apart with certifications from organizations like Community Roundtable or HubSpot Academy. 

• Earning potential: Low
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None

33. Start your own paid community

Over the last few years, everyone's led with ads, they've led with spending money to get leads, and they haven't led with brand or community. I think you build things that people really value, you build trust, and you build community first. Then you can worry about how to monetize things.

— Mike Bromley, founder of Australian fragrance community Scent Assembly

Instead of moderating someone else's community (and helping them collect all the profits), why not build your own? Not only is it more fun, but it's also way better money. 

The benefits of running a paid community are plenty. People will join your group to interact with others who share the same interests, or even just to chat with you directly if you're an established content creator. 

How to start
With Whop, you can set up your community and get paid for it in just a few minutes. Whop also handles the invitations and the payments, giving you time to scale your community instead.

• Earning potential: Medium/high
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None with platforms like Whop

34. Offer coaching services

Becoming an online coach doesn't require much else than your phone and internet access. Coaches and trainers of all kinds can easily meet up with their clients online, which means that you're good to go with just your phone.

Whop is the best platform to run your offer. Check out links, financing, coaching calls, direct DMs, one-on-one calendar bookings, and industry-low fees – which is why the biggest creators in the world, like Iman Gadzhi, TJR, Shelby Sapp, Blake Rocha, and thousands more creators, use Whop to run their entire coaching business.

– Brett Malinowski, Whop Head of Marketing

How to start
As long as you're a pro at something, you can easily set up a whop and start offering coaching services. This includes one-on-one calls, webinars, Q&A sessions, online courses, ebooks, and downloadables—all of which can be prepared on your phone.

• Earning potential: Low/medium
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None

Creative services

Everyone is creative in their own way - and you can monetize it.

There are countless things you can use your creativity on to make them better, whether that be selling photos online or creating templates.

Here are five ways to use your creativity to make money using only your phone.

35. Sell phone photos online

Snapping pics left and right is something many of us already do, and surprise — you can actually get paid for that.

Study the best photo editing apps and figure out what photography niche appeals to you most, then start making stock photos.

When you get ready to share your photos with the world, do your research and find the best sales platform for you. Compare the commission rates, audience, and submission guidelines. 

How to start
Organize your photos and sign up for the above platforms, then fill out your profiles and upload your images.

• Earning potential: Low
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None

36. Become a graphic designer

Graphic design is another hustle that, believe it or not, is doable from a smartphone (with the right capabilities).

If you asked me a few years ago, I'd have told you that you needed a PC, or at the very least a tablet, in order to become a graphic designer.

But you don't need either of those things anymore.

The easiest way to get your first client is to network with people you already know. My first logo design projects were for an old university tutor who was launching his own portal for interns.

– Olivia Carr, Whop Content Writer

How to start
Heaps of apps, such as Canva, Adobe Photoshop Express (and just Express), Procreate Pocket, Sketchbook, Pixlr, Desygner, and Figma Mobile, can help you create all sorts of graphic design projects. This includes logos, social media templates, photo editing, UI/UX design projects, wallpapers, brand assets, and more.

• Earning potential: Medium
• Difficulty: Medium/hard
• Cost to get started: From $0 to ~$20 (for Adobe Photoshop or Canva subscription)

37. Create custom CapCut templates

You can make money by selling CapCut templates that creators use for quick, high-quality edits.

CapCut is one of the most popular video editing apps out there, especially since it works directly with TikTok.

One of the coolest things about CapCut is that it offers templates: video bases that you can upload custom images to and render the final result.

This saves creators time and money, and makes you some sweet cash.

How to start
If you're in the US, you can join the CapCut Creator Program, which allows template creators to upload designs to the CapCut library and be paid commissions. Or, if you want to monetize your work further, you can set up a Whop with 1:1 Coaching Calls app and deliver custom templates to your customers.

• Earning potential: Low
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None

38. Sell Notion templates

You can make money by selling Notion templates that help people organize their day, track goals, or streamline workflows.

I love Notion, but if there’s one thing I hate fiddling around with, it’s setting up spaces. It’s fiddly and time-consuming.

From daily planners to fitness trackers to budget sheets and workflow automations, Notion templates can be designed entirely from your phone (using the Notion app and Canva for visuals) and sold on any digital marketplace.

Like any digital product, once your templates are built and listed, they become passive income. 

And you don’t need to be a pro designer for this: simple, clean templates sell surprisingly well. Just make sure they’re functional and look polished on mobile.

How to start
Create your Notion templates, list on multiple platforms, and start promoting.

• Earning potential: $20-$300+/month
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: None

39. Subtitle videos for creators

You can offer subtitling services as a bundle (think 5 subtitled videos for $30) and sell directly through Whop or other marketplaces.

We’ve all seen the awkward moment when auto-generated captions butcher a word. It’s distracting, makes creators look sloppy, and kills engagement. 

That’s why clean, well-timed subtitles are a must for TikToks, Reels, and Shorts – and most creators would rather pay someone to do them than fix the mess themselves.

How to start
Using mobile apps like CapCut, Captions, or Veed, you can generate subtitles automatically, then tweak them for clarity and style, all from your phone. Then, go back through and clean up mistakes, add personality with bold text, emojis, or custom colours, and fix the timing. 

• Earning potential: $50-$500/month
• Difficulty: Low
• Cost to get started: None

40. Publish sticker & emoji packs

You can make money by designing and selling emoji or sticker packs for messaging apps.

We've all got that one friend who communicates entirely in emojis. Whether that's you or not, you can be the hero emoji addicts deserve and create emoji/sticker packs for various chat apps.

Creators, fandoms, small brands, and even just group chats will happily pay for unique or cute packs. You can lean into the latest memes with these, or hit a certain aesthetic, or even create these on demand.

You can design and sell sticker and emoji packs right from your phone, offering themed sets.

How to start

Use apps like Procreate Pocket, Canva, or PicsArt to draw or edit existing stickers. Export them with transparent backgrounds and bundle them into packs (from 10 to literally thousands). Upload them on your own whop or platforms like Etsy.

• Earning potential: $50-$800/month
• Difficulty: Low to medium
• Cost to get started: Depends on whether you pay for an app to design the emoji with

41. Run a print-on-demand shop from your phone

You can start a print-on-demand business right from your phone, creating designs for print-on-demand products like tees, hoodies, totes, phone cases, and more.

While you might love the idea of ecommerce, not everyone wants to deal with inventory, shipping, and packing orders. That's where print-on-demand (POD) comes in.

If you have a knack for some basic graphic design (or at least a good sense of humor), you can make cute or funny designs that a print-on-demand service will put on products for you. That means socks, phone cases, shirts, hoodies, totes, and so on.

There are platforms for POD, but you can also just upload your designs on Whop and let your customers figure out the printing. That's a great source of passive income.

How to start

Use mobile design apps like Canva, Procreate Pocket, or PicsArt to create simple, catchy designs (quotes, aesthetics, fandom themes, pets, niche humor).

Connect your store to a print-on-demand platform such as Printify, Printful, Redbubble, TeeSpring, or Gelato.

Upload your designs, choose products, and set your prices.

• Earning potential: $100-$2,000/month
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: $0-$50 (potential platform and app fees)

AI and tech

You can make money by teaching people how to use AI or by selling AI-powered tools and workflows.

Most people have no idea where to start, so if you understand prompts, automation, or AI tools, you’re already ahead.

Here's how you can use those skills to make cash from your phone:

42. Make money with AI

Making money with AI is a good way to embrace the changing times while padding your bank account. This involves using various chatbots, such as ChatGPT or Gemini, to create something that would otherwise take you ages to do.

In general, stick to things you already kind of know. AI still makes lots of mistakes, so if you ask it to do something you're unfamiliar with, you might end up with a subpar product.

How to start
This all depends on the niche you choose.

• Earning potential: Medium
• Difficulty: Low/medium
• Cost to get started: From $0 to $20 (for AI subscriptions in the long run)

43. Become a prompt engineer

"I just spent the last hour compiling a list of the most profitable digital products that I can sell to make an extra $10k a month in my business, and one thing stood out more than the others: AI prompts."

— AI prompt engineer

If you're interested in making money online from your phone, there's almost a zero chance you haven't heard of prompt engineering.

While everyone can write prompts, prompt engineers know how to style their prompts in such niche ways that they get much better results from AIs.

Since the launch of ChatGPT spawned a lot of AI-focused businesses, there's a demand for prompt engineers.

How to start
After doing research, taking courses, and overall improving your prompt engineering skills, you can sell consultations, get a job as a prompt engineer, or do freelance work. You're not limited to LLMs like ChatGPT or Claude, you can work with generative image AIs as well.

• Earning potential: Low
• Difficulty: Low
• Cost to get started: From $0 to $20 (for AI subscriptions in the long run)

44. Build and monetize Whop apps

You can make money by building apps for the Whop App Store – small SaaS models that creators install to power their communities, offers, or workflows.

Instead of hunting for customers on your own, you build once and tap into thousands of creators who already need tools for their audience.

Whop apps can be almost anything: fitness trackers, AI prompt libraries, trading simulators, quizzes, dashboards, niche utilities, automations – if creators use it to deliver a better experience, you can build it.

One creator installs your app, shares it with their members, and your user base grows automatically. 

More installs = higher Whop App Store ranking = more visibility = more revenue.

Learn more about how devs can monetize Whop apps here.

How to start
Use Whop’s developer documentation to build your app, publish it to the App Store, and choose your monetization model: installation fee, revenue share, or subscription pricing.

• Earning potential: Medium/high
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost to get started: $0

Make money on your phone with Whop

Most money-making apps only hand out spare change, but Whop creators average over $7,500 a month, all from their phones.

Getting started takes minutes: sign up, create your whop, and choose what to offer, from chats, forums, and courses to ebooks, coaching, and events.

Whether you want passive income or a full-time business, Whop makes it possible to sell, share, and get paid, all in one place.

Join Whop today and start turning your phone into your business.

Make money on your phone: FAQs

1. How can I make cash on my phone?

To consistently make money on your phone, combine passive and active income strategies, build a schedule, and stack your income streams.

Passive methods (set it and forget it)

These apps earn you money with little to no effort:

• Cashback apps like KashKick and Rakuten give you money back just for shopping through their platforms.
• Swagbucks and InboxDollars pay you for watching videos or viewing ads.

You can do this while waiting in line, commuting, or relaxing. While the income is small, it’s enough to cover things like subscriptions.

Active methods (More work, more pay)

With a bit of effort, you can earn a lot more:

• Whop Content Rewards: Create and post short videos. A good clip can earn you hundreds—even thousands.
• Referrals & microtasks: Get paid to refer friends to apps or complete small gigs from your phone.

Use a mix of these to build a solid income stream over time.

Build a money-making schedule

Consistency is key. Here’s how to create a schedule that fits around your life:

1. Start passive: Download cashback and reward apps. Check in daily as part of your routine.
2. Time block for active work: Set calendar slots (10–30 mins) for video editing, referrals, or gigs.
3. Keep learning: Spend time weekly exploring new opportunities. Whop adds new content rewards daily.
4. Improve your skills: Especially for clipping. Better editing = more views = more cash.

Stack income streams

Don’t rely on one method — combine them:

• Passive base: Run cashback, video, and survey apps like Rakuten, Upside, and Swagbucks in the background.
• Active scaling: Add clipping, referrals, and small jobs for faster growth.
• Use leverage: Focus on high-reward tasks. For beginners, clipping is the best way to earn big, fast.

2. How can I make $50-$100 the same day on my phone?

If you need cash now (more than just pocket change that Swagbucks and other apps might pay) and want to get it just by using your phone, focus on clipping to earn Whop Content Rewards, micro-task gigs, and referral bonuses.

Clipping to earn Whop Content Rewards

Head over to Whop’s Content Rewards to see the freshest opportunities of the day (there’s never a shortage of them).

If you start earlier in the day, you can post your video and when the views rack up, you can submit for review and payment before the end of the day. A single viral video will pay you at least $50.

Use referral programs

Send over your referral links for apps to friends who haven’t signed up yet, and make them feel motivated to sign up today.

For example, if you’re telling them to sign up for a trading app, you could say that there’s an asset listed on a specific app that could be worth buying now before it potentially goes up.

Since referrals often pay $5-$20, just a few of these can get you to your goal of $50+ fast.

Complete high-paying tasks or gigs

Open your gig apps and look for local missions that pay $10+ each. Once you complete your tasks, you can opt for instant payment and get paid the very same day (although you’ll likely have to pay a small fee for instant transfer).

If you’re in a pinch and need money fast, your phone has plenty of ways to get it to you even on the same day. With a combination of these strategies, you can make $50-$100 or even by midnight the same day if you start earlier in the day.

3. What’s the best way to make money with your phone?

The best method is the one that fits your time and your interests.

• Only have a few minutes? Try paid surveys, testing apps, or cashback tools.
• Willing to invest more time? You can earn more by creating eBooks, online courses, or running a paid community.

You don’t have to choose just one. Combining different income streams gives you stability, even if one slows down.

Products like courses or eBooks are great for building passive income. They take effort upfront but can keep earning while you focus on your next project.

TL;DR: Pick methods you enjoy, fit your schedule, and build some passive income — so you can grow while still earning.

4. Is it possible to make money on your phone?

Yes, you can absolutely make money on your phone. Honestly, there’s no reason why you can’t get started the moment you finish reading this article. 

Making money on your phone is easy, and we're not just talking about a few dollars here and there. It's possible to make a living from it, as long as you enjoy the entrepreneur lifestyle. If you're just looking to make a little bit of extra money, that's even more doable.

But, you do need to keep a few things in mind! The internet is full of scams, and you don’t want to get drawn into them. Avoid anything that promises to make you rich with little time and effort. If something feels fishy, it probably is.

Find more inspiration with this list of ways to make money online.

5. What’s the number one money making app?

When it comes to money-making apps that you can download on your phone, it’s hard to beat Whop.

Not only can you earn instantly with Content Rewards and Bounties, you can create your own whop that you can use as a storefront for just about any digital product you can imagine.

With the ability to earn from easy tasks like clipping and performing bounties in addition to a thriving marketplace that is making many creators serious money, Whop is a top pick, and best of all, it’s free.

6. Can I get paid just for being on my phone?

While you can get paid by being on your phone, sometimes by basically doing nothing, you’ll need to register for the right app and make sure you do what it takes to qualify to get paid with it.

In some cases, with earning methods that are more passive, you can get paid by doing what you’re already doing already–this can be shopping, watching videos, or even walking.

So, while you shouldn’t expect to make hundreds sitting around doing nothing, you can stack a few dollars here and there without much active input using your phone.

7. What app pays real money instantly?

If you need earnings from an app on your phone that you can withdraw almost instantly, you have a few options. Microtasks or gigs often give you the option to be paid out immediately upon completion, for a fee.

Also, Whop Content Rewards will pay out the moment your clip hits a certain number of views and is submitted for review–approval is normally quite fast and you also have the option to cash out immediately from the Whop app.

However, when it comes to apps with methods that have payout thresholds, you won’t be able to cash out until you hit them, which can take some time.