35 ways to make money with your phone: Passive and active income

Your screen time could be the answer to spare cash. You know that, right?

Reality check: your phone isn’t just for consuming content. It’s the easiest way to start creating, engaging, sharing, selling, and earning. 

In this guide, I’ll cover 35 ways you can use your phone to start making money both passively and actively – because I know building a full-on business isn’t for everyone.

We’ll cover everything from creative gigs to social media opportunities, rideshare apps to taking surveys. 

Let’s take a look!

You can start making money online with just your phone

A lot of people avoid starting a side hustle because they picture themselves chained to a desk in their spare time, working around the clock.

But you can make money easily right from your phone–if you adjust the way you spend time on it. From pretty passive ways to stack cash to more active hustles, it's all there at your fingertips – literally.

But here's the catch: Passive income is easier to earn, but pays less. Active takes more effort, but has higher earning potential.

Passive vs. active income: What's the difference, and how can you make both?

That’s why I’ve listed a mix of both below, as well as a snapshot of the earning potential for each, and what you’ll need to get started.

Thank me later.

How to make money with your phone in 35 different ways

1. UGC content creation

UGC (user-generated content) is arguably one of the easiest ways to make money from your phone these days. 

Influencer marketing stats show that almost one in two people have bought something just because an influencer recommended it. Huge.

But now, overtly obvious influencer deals are out, and UGC is in. Brands keep chasing creators to film authentic content to promote their products. And that creator could be you.

Also, you don’t need a huge following. If you have a portfolio (or UGC on your social profiles already), you can pitch to brands directly with that. The content is usually reposted on brand accounts, so follower counts don't matter as much as creativity and authentic storytelling.

Social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Whop’s content rewards have heaps of opportunities for UGC creators. 

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Medium to high (depending on brand deals and engagement)
Startup cost: Low (you just need your phone, creativity, and social media accounts)

2. Clipping

If you’re looking to make money from content without having to create it yourself, look no further.

By sharing clips, highlights, or reposting content from top creators, you can earn money based on the number of views your clips get.

With content rewards, you can sign up for Whop, start clipping, and earn today.

You don’t need a huge audience – this is content that’s already performed well and has a high chance of going viral. Most clippers start new clipping accounts from scratch.

Simply head to Content Rewards, filter 'type' by 'clipping', and start creating and submitting your content. Join the 'Whop Clips' whop to find clipping opportunities and learn how to create high-performing content.

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Medium to high (some of our clippers are earning in the thousands per month)
Startup cost: Low

3. Livestreaming

TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Discord, Whop, Twitch – your options are endless. If you’ve got any kind of social following to leverage, you can livestream on your phone and make money. 

Even without an audience, you can grow one pretty quickly on TikTok Live. And you can earn from them in heaps of ways: donations, virtual gifts, partnerships, and sponsorships. The more engaging you are, the more you can earn. 

Whop users can create paywalled streams, meaning followers have to pay upfront to watch.

This hustle has active and passive potential: engage live, but also continue generating income after the streams end. 

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Medium to high (based on following and engagement)
Startup cost: Low

• How to make money on TikTok Live: Methods to earn from your streams
• Best livestreaming platforms for creators
• How to livestream on Whop

4. PLR products

PLR could be your easiest entry into making money online with digital products - and you can totally do it from your phone.

ICYMI: PLR = private label rights. As in, you buy digital products that have already been built by somebody else, and resell them under your name. Pretty cool, right?

You can (and should) tweak, rebrand, and edit your PLR products to make them your own (think Canva or similar apps), and then you can sell them on digital marketplaces like Etsy and Whop. 

Active or passive: Passive (after initial purchase and setup)
Earning potential: Medium (depends on demand, product quality, and marketing efforts)
Startup cost: Pretty low! You can buy PLR products online for cheap and market them for free using organic social media.

Best PLR products to resell online

5. Affiliate marketing

You don’t need a huge following to start affiliate marketing (but it can obviously help).

Even if you don’t, you can share affiliate links to products with your friends and family, on your social media stories, on blogs, and in forums, and earn commissions when people purchase.

Then, sign up for affiliate marketing platforms that let you find products to promote right from your phone. If you have the following, you can pitch to brands directly.

P.S. A lot of companies have affiliate programs available on their websites for customers to sign up for (hi).

Join Whop Affiliates and learn how you can make money referring users and creators to Whop.

Active or passive: Both
Earning potential: Medium to high
Startup cost: Low

• Does affiliate marketing work (and can you make good money doing it)?
• 100+ Affiliate marketing statistics
• Whop Affiliates - Earn recurring income by referring whops

6. Watch videos and ads

Here's a hustle you can do while chilling on the couch or lying in bed. 

Platforms like Swagbucks, InboxDollars, and MyPoints reward users for watching videos and clicking through ads.

You won’t make a ton of cash here, but it’s an easy and passive way to earn pocket money. You’ll probably be watching ads you already see, anyway.

Plus, you can tune out and do something else while they play. 

Active or passive: Passive
Earning potential: Low
Startup cost: Low

FInd out how you can get paid to watch videos

7. Sports betting

Sports fans: you can make money while watching your favourite games. Yup, from your phone.

If you’re into sports and have some basic knowledge or insight, you could profit from it. From footy tipping to NBA bets, Formula 1 to fantasy football – they all hold the potential to make you some sweet side cash. 

Sure, this one is a little higher risk, but it can become pretty profitable if you know what you’re doing. 

And if you're good? You could start selling your betting tips to others on Whop, and really make money.

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Medium to high (if you’re skilled at predicting outcomes, or find a community that is)
Startup cost: Medium (initial deposits for bets that you’re comfortable with potentially losing)

• Best sports picks whops
• Best sports betting Discord servers
• Sports betting terms: The ultimate bettor's glossary

8. Do microtasks 

You can complete small tasks on your phone like data entry, categorizing photos, transcription, proofreading, and more for quick cash. You can also use your phone to find IRL microtasks, like changing somebody’s light bulb or mowing lawns, too. 

For digital microtasks, head to websites like Amazon Mechanical Turk and Clickworker. To find more hands-on tasks from your phone, you can use Airtasker or Craigslist. 

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Low to medium (depending on the tasks you choose to do and the time you commit)
Startup cost: Low (just your phone and time)

9. Sell your old sh*t 

I know you’ve got old sh*t lying around that you don’t use anymore. Sell it.

Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, Depop, eBay, and Craigslist all allow you to list and sell your secondhand items right from your phone. Tech, furniture, clothing, books, jewellery – you name it. 

This is a really easy way to make money from your phone from things you already own (so long as you’re ready to let them go). 

Fact: 20% of Gen A and Gen Z flip clothes online as their primary hustle.

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Medium (depends on the value of the items you sell, and how many)
Startup cost: Low (just your phone and the stuff you already own)

• The best products to resell on eBay
• Reselling on Poshmark 
• How to sell on Depop

10. Mobile app testing 

User experience is the key to successful apps, and companies pay for feedback on the apps and updates they’re getting ready to launch to the public. 

You can sign up for platforms like UserTesting and Testbirds to test apps and websites right from your phone, and get paid for your thoughts on how they perform. 

Easy, phone-friendly, fun. 

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Low to medium
Startup cost: Low (phone and time, that’s it)

11. Sell photo presets

If you know your way around photo editing, you can create and sell photo presets. Apps like Lightroom and VSCO let you create custom filters and presets, which you can package and sell to other content creators, photographers, or everyday social media users. 

Active or passive: Passive (once your presets are built and listed)
Earning potential: Medium (depending on your marketing skills)
Startup cost: Low (maybe the purchase of some editing apps to get started)

12. Rent clothing

If you’re not able to sell that vintage trench coat or pair of YSL heels, you could still make money from them by renting them out. 

If you have trendy, vintage, or designer clothing, why not rent it to others and make some cash on the side?

Platforms like Rent the Runway and Poshmark allow users to rent out their clothing on their terms and at their chosen pricing.

They’ll usually hold onto the items you choose to rent on your behalf and cover logistics. Plus, you’re protected by them if something goes wrong. 

Active or passive: Passive (once items are listed)
Earning potential: Medium to high (depends on value of clothing and demand)
Startup cost: Low (just the clothing you already own)

13. Delivery gig work

Look, you do have to get out and about for this one. But your phone is essential.

Apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Postmates give you the chance to earn money by delivering food and groceries from your phone. 

You can drive, bike, or scooter – this is a flexible hustle you can do on your own schedule. 

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Medium
Startup cost: Low (just a phone and transport)

• How much do delivery drivers make?
• Find out how much you can make with DoorDash
• Instacart for shoppers: How much can you earn with Instacart?

14. Voiceover work

Some people just have those voices, you know? If you’ve got it, flaunt it (and make some money).

You can make money doing voiceovers for ads, videos, audiobooks, and more. Use platforms like Fiverr or Voices.com to find work.

Best part? You can not only use your phone to find work, but also to record the audio itself. If your mic isn’t good, get one that plugs externally into your charging port or microphone jack. Easy. 

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Medium
Startup cost: Low (phone and maybe an external microphone)

15. Paid surveys

Paid surveys are not going to bring in the big bucks, but it’s something! 

Survey apps like Swagbucks and InboxDollars reward you for taking surveys online – yes, on your phone. However, don’t expect it to make you rich. 

Still, those morning coffees add up – and it can definitely cover a few of those.

Active or passive: Active (but minimally)
Earning potential: Low
Startup cost: Low 

• Survey Junkie review: Can you really make money with online surveys?
• KashKick ultimate review: Get paid for playing video games & taking surveys
• Best survey apps to make money online

16. Play games and apps

Similarly, you can use platforms like Mistplay, Lucktastic, or PlayReward to literally earn cash (or gift cards) for playing games on your phone. 

You sign up and earn points per game played. Once you’ve earned enough points, you can redeem them for cash, prizes, or gift cards, depending on the platform. 

If you like games, it’s a fun way to earn some cash when you have a spare minute. 

BTW: Check out the 'Play' tab in your favourite whops, which often have prizes.

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Low
Startup cost: Low 

The best apps that pay you to play games

17. Join referral programs

Many apps and platforms offer referral bonuses for getting others to sign up – which might be cash, or sometimes gift cards or discount codes. Still, money saved is money saved, am I right? 

This is the most basic form of affiliate marketing.

You can join referral programs on apps like Uber, Airbnb, and even some investment apps. Refer friends, and earn rewards when they join and use the service.

Active or passive: Passive
Earning potential: Low to medium
Startup cost: Low

Find the best apps with instant referral bonuses

18. Earn cash back

Spend money through the right platforms and links, and earn cash back.

Rakuten, Dosh, and Ibotta are all sites that reward users for shopping through their links. You don’t have to do anything special, just shop as you normally would and earn a percentage back.

Active or passive: Passive (as you’d be doing it anyway)
Earning potential: Low to medium (depending on your shopping addiction)
Cost to get started: Low

19. Be a content creator

Becoming a content creator on platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram, or even Whop gives you a chance to earn money from ads, brand partnerships, and even tips from your audience. 

You can create content straight from your phone and start monetizing once you build a following; it’s really that simple. 

Pick a niche, figure out your message, and start posting.

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Low to high (depending on following, consistency and efforts)
Startup cost: Low

• AI content creation: What is it, why does it matter, and can it make you rich?
• How to make money on TikTok
• Instagram monetization

20. Sell your knowledge (guides, courses, ebooks)

People pay for access to knowledge – it's that simple.

Business plans, content creation advice, holistic health guidance, astrology interpretations, the list goes on. 

That’s the thing: you don’t need to be a genius or any kind of expert to create online courses or info products. You just sell what you know. Mino Lee (in the video above) makes over $20k per month sharing his knowledge about growing social channels.

With Whop, sell access to closed communities, masterminds, livestreams, courses, digital downloads, ebooks, coaching, and more. We're giving you more ways to monetize your knowledge.

All you need is a phone.

Active or passive: Passive (once content is listed)
Earning potential: Medium to high
Startup cost: Low

21. Become a community moderator

Online communities are often hunting for reliable mods to help manage chats, enforce rules, and keep the vibes high, generally. 

If you’re already active in online spaces, you can monetize your screentime by reaching out to groups and communities and asking if they need any mods. 

You can also find listings on job boards, too.

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Low to medium
Startup cost: Low

22. Offer online coaching

Got experience in a niche area? Fitness, mindset, content, career advice, business? Whatever it is, you can offer coaching sessions online through DMs and video calls. 

A lot of coaches host one video call a week and communicate via DM the rest of the time. Essentially, it’s easy to do from your phone and your phone alone.

Promote your coaching services on your socials, build a whop, chat with clients and book all calls directly from your phone. Simple.

With chat features, DMs, livestreams, and file sharing? Whop has everything you need to launch an online coaching business.

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Medium to high
Startup cost: Low

23. Sell AI prompts

You’re probably already playing with AI tools in your day to day life (ChatGPT, MidJourney, Gemini, Playground, etc). 

Well, you can create high-performing prompts that actually get people the results they want, saving them time, money, and frustration.

Prompts could be for image generation, marketing purposes, writing, code, and more. Package them up and sell as digital products or apps on Whop. 

Active or passive: Passive once created
Earning potential: Medium
Startup cost: Low

Find more ways to make money with AI side hustles

24. Sell video templates

Know your way around CapCut or InShot? 

You could make cash from your phone by creating reusable templates for Reels, TikTok, and Shorts. Creators and brands always look for ways to speed up the content production process, so this way, you’re giving them a plug-and-play solution.

Active or passive: Passive
Earning potential: Low to medium
Startup cost: Low

25. Create and sell digital planners

Designing aesthetic and functional digital planners is easier than ever with mobile apps like Canva, PS and GoodNotes. 

You can sell digital planners on Etsy and Whop, you just need to market them to the right people. If you can do that, you’ve got a passive income stream that keeps ticking over. 

Active or passive: Passive
Earning potential: Medium
Startup cost: Low

How to create and sell a digital planner, a step-by-step guide

26. Sell your photos

FYI: You can use your phone to sell your work in heaps of ways.

From stock imagery to print-on-demand products like wall prints and clothing, the options are pretty open.

Plus, you can use your phone to shoot some pretty cool imagery, too, if you have a good model. 

Landscape, travel, textures, experimental, lifestyle, fashion, editorial. Find a niche you enjoy and use your phone to make some cash from your skills.

Active or passive: Passive
Earning potential: Low to medium
Startup cost: Low

27. Test products

All from your phone, delivered to your door, tested from home. 

Sign up for product testing apps and get paid to try out new products before they hit the market. In some cases, you get to keep the product — in others, you’re compensated for your feedback.


Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Low to medium
Startup cost: Low (but usually you have to qualify)

28. Try pocket investing

You won’t need to be a finance whiz — most of these apps guide you through everything. It’s not an instant income, but over time? It adds up.

This one is kind of fun because every time you round up a purchase or invest a small amount, you get to watch it grow right on your phone screen, which motivates you more.

Active or passive: Passive
Earning potential: Low to high (depending on invested amounts and market performance)
Startup cost: Low (you can start investing with as low as $5)

• Best trading courses on Whop: Stock, day trading, Forex, options, and cryptocurrency
• Acorns vs. Robinhood: Comparing the two investing apps

29. Drive rideshare 

If you’ve got access to a car, driving for Uber or Lyft is still one of the most straightforward ways to earn money, and nearly everything is managed through the app on your phone. 

You set your own hours and can cash out earnings instantly.

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Medium to high
Startup cost: Medium (you’ll need to have a car and meet other driver requirements)

30. Sell lockscreen widgets

With the introduction of iOS 16+ and Android’s KWGT, widgets are growing again in popularity.

You can design custom widget layouts (think: clocks, calendars, quotes, weather, photos) using apps like Widgetsmith, Color Widgets, or KWGT directly from your phone. These widgets are super popular with users who want a clean, themed home or lock screen.

Active or passive: Passive
Earning potential: Low to medium
Startup cost: Low 

31. Subtitle creator videos

Auto-captions suck, and we all know it.

That’s why subtitling is something people are willing to outsource. It’s simple to do on mobile with the right apps (CapCut, MixCaptions) and it makes videos way more watchable (and bingeable).

You can find clients on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Whop, or promote your subtitling services on X and Threads.

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Low to medium
Startup cost: None

32. Mobile dropshipping

You don’t need to store inventory to sell stuff online. You don't need to be bent over a computer 24/7, either.

With mobile dropshipping, you can run a product store straight from your phone and have suppliers ship orders directly to customers.

TikTok and Instagram are popular platforms for finding customers, especially if you lean into trends or viral products – you can even dropship directly on TikTok Shop.

Not sure how to get started? Discover dropshipping mentors and communities on the Whop marketplace.

Active or passive: Mostly active
Earning potential: Medium to high
Startup cost: Low (but expect ad costs later)

33. Astrology and tarot readings

Guys: mystical services, including astrology, generated an estimated $2.3 billion in revenue last year, mainly on social media.

If you’ve got a knack for astrology, tarot, or intuitive readings, there’s a big online audience for it – and many are happy to pay for clarity, guidance, or just a good vibe check.

You can offer mini tarot pulls via DMs, sell full chart breakdowns through voice notes, or even do video readings from your phone. Some creators batch content for “pick a card” reels, then upsell private readings in the comments or bio.

Active or passive: Active
Earning potential: Low to medium
Startup cost: None

34. Monetize a meme page

Meme pages are still gold in 2025, especially on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and even niche Discords. They grow fast, they build trust with followers, and they get insane engagement.

Monetization kicks in once you’ve built a decent following. You can sell shoutouts to small brands, run affiliate links in your bio or story highlights, or promote viral products through meme-format ads.

Some meme pages even launch merch, digital products, or paid communities – Instagram meme page @clementineberet funnels users through their link in bio to a storefront of merch and candles.

And since most of your content is reposts, text-based, or simple edits, you don’t need to show your face or spend hours creating.

Active or passive: Both
Earning potential: Medium to high
Startup cost: None

35. X Creator Revenue Sharing

If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can earn money directly from your X posts.

It’s all managed inside the app, so everything from writing to payout lives on your phone.

Monetization scales with attention. That means the more likes, replies, and reposts you get, the more you earn. Creators cash in by posting viral threads, polarizing takes, daily memes, or even curated news recaps.

Many combine ad revenue with other income streams, too. Use pinned tweets to drive traffic to affiliate links, digital products, your Whop storefront, or other content.

If you’re consistent, know your audience, and post at the right time, this can turn into a reliable (and scalable) income source.

Active or passive: Both
Earning potential: Medium to high
Startup cost: None

Choosing the right mobile-friendly side hustle for you

There you have it: 35 ways to make money, all from your phone.

But you’ve probably noticed some earn chump change, while others have real earning potential and room for growth. 

Sure, you can make a few bucks doing surveys, watching ads, or reselling your old stuff. But if you’re looking for real income? 

The highest earning potential lies in things like clipping, content creation, and digital products. These are the hustles that pay. The ones that scale. The ones worth investing your time into. 

Dude, check out the video above. AJ started clipping via content rewards, and within a month, he quit his job at Walmart and copped a Tesla. Like what?

Make money with your phone and Whop

Want to get paid to clip viral content? Launch your own course? Build a coaching business? Create and sell digital products 24/7?

You can do it here. Plus, we actually have the tools, resources, and support systems to help you succeed. 

And we’re 100% phone-friendly, mobile-first. Our developers have poured everything into making sure our app functions as efficiently as possible for sellers on any scale. 

Ditch the hustles that lowball you and start making real money from your mobile phone, with Whop. 

Making money with your phone FAQs

Can I make money with my phone as a student?

The best way to make money with a phone as a student is to sell digital products, specifically study guides. If you have study tips or know a college course really well, you can create a guide for other students and make some nice bucks from it.

Can I make money using only my phone?

You can start by downloading some online survey apps to make a few quick bucks, or sharing links for referral bonuses. If you have a car or a bike, consider using a rideshare or food delivery app like Uber or DoorDash. If you’ve gathered an online following, you should create a paid community and sell access to it.

Do I need to invest anything to make money on my phone?

Not really. A ton of the side hustles in this guide, like clipping, UGC, surveys, and subtitling, don’t need any startup cash. You need your phone, some free apps, and WiFi. That said, if you’re doing something like dropshipping or launching a digital product, you might drop a bit on tools or marketing.

How much can I actually earn using my phone?

Totally depends on what you choose and how much effort you put in. Clipping and UGC can scale to thousands a month if you’re consistent and good at it. Some people earn decent passive income selling digital products or running paid communities. Others stack a few side gigs together to hit $500–$2K/month.

TLDR: You won’t get rich overnight, but you can build something legit.

Do I need a following to make money on my phone?

Nope. Most of the methods here don’t care about clout. You can make money with 100 followers or none. Clipping is all about finding viral content, not being famous. UGC is about how you film, not how many people follow you. And if you’re selling templates, courses, or digital products? It’s more about reaching the right people, not a huge crowd.

How do I start clipping for Whop?

Join Whop Clips (it’s free), take the crash course on how to make great clips, and start submitting to content rewards. Some people make a couple of hundred a week. Some make thousands. It’s all about consistency and picking up what works.

What's the easiest way to start making money on my phone?

Easiest? Probably surveys or games. But worthwhile, in terms of cash? Go with clipping or UGC. Both are beginner-friendly, don’t cost anything to try, and let you learn by doing. Don’t overthink it: make a few test pieces, follow the briefs, and see what sticks.