Making money online has never been easier. There are tons of different ways you can utilize your skills and time to turn them into moneymakers. Plus, we all have access to mobile phones - most of you are probably reading this on your phones right now.
This is why I decided to write up a few ways you can use your phone to make money, which I’ve looked into over the past decade.
Rest assured, there are plenty of methods to make anything from pocket change to earning a full-blown wage.
How to make money with your phone in 25 different ways
As you’ll see below, these 25 moneymaking ways cover a bunch of different categories, from reselling and digital products to more trad methods, both active and passive.
No more yapping from me; let’s get to it.
Use rideshare and delivery apps
Got a bike or a car? You can turn either into a moneymaker. There are various rideshare and delivery apps out there.
The only caveat is that these have a set of fees each, which can range from 10%-15% all the way up to 25%-30%. But they’re still worth a try.
Uber
If you’re in the US, Uber is the best app to turn your car and your driving skills into money-making assets. You’ve probably used Uber dozens of times by now, so you can imagine how great of a gig it can be.
Plus, with Uber, you can work as many hours as you’d like, whenever you’d like, making an awesome side gig to do when you have some time to spare.
DoorDash
As a food delivery app, DoorDash (just like Uber Eats, which I mention below) is a great way to earn some money on the side, and you only need your phone and a mode of transport to get started.
All you’ll have to do is pick up orders and deliver them to customers across your area. It’s a pretty easy gig you can do for an hour or two a day and make some good money.
UberEats
If you’re already giving a shot at Uber, you could also try UberEats, their food delivery counterpart.
The concept’s the same with DoorDash, which is good for you, as you can have both apps installed on your phone and alternate between the two to see which one works for you best.
Lyft
Lyft, much like Uber, is a rideshare app where you essentially become a taxi driver with your own car. The premise is the same, and, money-wise, they’re more or less the same.
Again, it’s best you give both of these a shot and see what works for you best.
Instacart
Instacart is a little bit different from the other delivery apps I mentioned above in that you primarily deliver groceries rather than takeout. All 3 apps allow you to deliver groceries and food, but Instacart is more targeted to the former.
This is a good thing for you, as you can usually focus on delivering from 1-2 stores, which will save you some time, increasing your earnings.
Resell goods with ecommerce apps
Now, I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest fan of rideshare and delivery apps. They’re great moneymakers, but I usually go for more online gigs, which I’ll be covering from now on.
To start, you should definitely give reselling a shot, as there are plenty of ecom apps dedicated to different items that can net you some good profits.
eBay
Let’s start with the king of reselling, eBay. I’ve personally used eBay quite a lot to resell all kinds of stuff, like trading cards, old consoles, etc. The platform’s the best regarding security, and thus far, I’ve not had any issues receiving payments or sending the items.
With it being a huge marketplace, you can also try to spot deals that you can then resell through it.
Poshmark
Poshmark’s my go-to when it comes to clothing and fashion-related items. You might even be the one I buy from next. As is the case with Depop, which I’ve mentioned below, reselling on Poshmark is pretty easy.
My suggestion for these types of apps is to check out thrift stores that sell vintage pieces at a bargain, fix them up, and resell them for a nice profit.
Mercari
When I first found Mercari, I considered it a mix of AliExpress and eBay, and that’s pretty much what it is. You can pretty much resell anything on there, as it’s a pretty broad marketplace.
The edge you have is that they charge minimal seller fees compared to some of these other apps.
Decluttr
Decluttr is one app that I hadn’t heard of before. Big mistake on my part. The app is basically a tech reseller's heaven, as you can sell any tech items you don’t use directly to the platform and get a set quote for them.
While you won’t get the best bang for your buck, you won’t have to handle any shipping or communication with the customers, as you’re essentially selling to the company behind the app.
Depop
While Poshmark is my go-to for everyday clothes and whatnot, Depop is the place for more vintage and unique pieces. Again, the best way to make money through the app is to source unique clothing from thrift stores (or your old clothing) and resell them on here.
A big plus is that Depop is mostly targeted to niche communities, which allows you to potentially make much larger profits.
Take online surveys
If there’s one way that I’d consider the best starting point to making money with your phone, that’d 100% be taking online surveys. These were my first side gig, and while I wasn’t qualifying for too many surveys, I still played around with dozens of different apps.
One thing I have to point out is that many of these apps are only good for making some pocket money, nothing too big. The most I’ve managed to cash out from these is $100-$150 after using them on and off for a year. But plenty of folks online consistently make that much per month.
SurveyJunkie
SurveyJunkie has been amongst the top online survey apps for as long as I can remember. It was big all across the late-2010s and early-2020s, and for a good reason. You take a survey, you get paid through a gift card or cold hard cash (well, PayPal, not actual cash).
Simple. Is it gonna make you millions? No. But it’s a good place to start, and these surveys are so easy to complete that I’d consider them passive income.
Swagbucks
Here’s another name that I’ve been well-acquainted with since 2016-2017. Swagbucks is basically a must-have app for taking surveys and doing some get-paid-to tasks, which can range from playing some games until you reach a certain level to searching queries on the web.
It works slightly differently from other apps in that you earn Swagbucks, which you can then cash out for cash through PayPal or gift cards.
KashKick
Onto a newer app, KashKick is pretty similar to Swagbucks in that you can take surveys and do other tasks to get paid. Many of the earning opportunities you’ll find there will be similar or exactly the same as SB, and they might even pay more at times.
InboxDollars
Now we get to an oldie, InboxDollars. ID has been around for two decades and was one of the first apps I tried. As it’s owned by the same company as Swagbucks, many of its features, its UI, and offers are pretty much identical. So, you can use both apps simultaneously to cash out as much as possible.
Lightster
I hadn’t heard a lot of buzz around Lightster, which is odd, as it’s a pretty good app for online surveys. Instead of the usual surveys, Lightster is a user testing app. So, as soon as you answer some questions, you’ll be matched to projects to test out new products, apps, or websites.
It’s a pretty neat way to get started with user testing, and let me tell you. There are tons of apps and platforms that you can use to do the same thing and make tons of money in the long run, like UserTesting (a pretty fitting name).
Sell to your fanbase
Here’s the deal. Thus far, I’ve covered a few ways to make some pocket change, maybe even a few hundred bucks per month, through your phone. But, truth be told, the real money lies in accumulating an audience and selling them products and services.
If you’ve gathered up a following on social media, or you’re just starting out, these apps and platforms are perfect to start selling to your audience.
Whop
Whenever I cover anything about making money online, Whop is hands down the best place. The reason is simple. The best way to monetize a following is to either create a digital product (I go over this right below), or create a paid community.
When it comes to the latter, Whop has all the tools you need. All you have to do is set up your whop, add a paid “Chat” channel to it, jazz up your digital storefront, and voila. You can now share this with your followers and get them to sign up.
Even if you don’t want to go down that route, Whop has an awesome affiliate program where you refer users to other whops and get a nice commission out of it. That way, you straight up “sell to your fanbase”, in that you refer them to other communities and digital products.
- What is a whop? A complete guide to whops
- How to Create a Whop Product - Monetizing your content with Whop
TikTok
If you’ve built your following on TikTok, it’s reasonable that you’d like to keep your entire business operations there. For example, with TikTok Shop, you can sell your merch to your viewers.
Or, you could get affiliated with other products, create your TikToks, and earn commissions. In either case, TikTok is definitely one of the best ways to make money with your phone. So many have done it already, and many more will do it as well.
- Make money on TikTok: Ways to create a TikTok cash machine
- How to monetize TikTok: tried-and-tested techniques
- Complete guide to the TikTok affiliate program: How you can earn commission on TikTok
The philosophy is the same with every social media app, be it TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, etc. IG has its own built-in subscription system that you can sell to your fans. Much like TikTok, you can also post ads for products by just using your phone and get paid either through commissions or brand deals.
YouTube
YouTube is arguably the best platform for building up a dedicated audience and then selling them products, be it your own, or others’ through affiliate marketing. My only tip here, as with the other apps, is to make sure that whatever you sell aligns with your content.
- Do YouTube shorts really make money? Find out how much here
- YouTube channel ideas that can make you money online
You’d think that after so many years, Facebook would have fallen off to other social media platforms. But it’s still going strong, and it’s a great place to grow an audience that you can then monetize.
If I were to go down that route, I’d create a group around a general topic, like entrepreneurship, and get affiliated with experts and vetted course creators, like the ones you can find on Whop.
- How to monetize a Facebook page (your guide to making money online)
- How to promote your Facebook group (and make money with it)
Make passive income with your phone and digital products
Up until now, I’ve gone over methods that are mostly active. Yes, surveys are rather passive, in my book, but you still have to dedicate your time in exchange for cash.
Well, it’s time to get into some passive stuff. And, no, I won’t be preaching about investing in index funds this time around. You can do that once you have made some money from these methods.
In my opinion, the best way to make passive income with your phone is through digital products. Memberships will require some time, so I’ll exclude these for now. In contrast, templates, courses, and ebooks only need some upfront time and effort, and after that, they’re passive as long as you automate your marketing practices.
Whop
When it comes to digital products, Whop has got your back. While, yes, every platform has its benefits, Whop just has more than everyone else. You can literally sell any type of digital product you have in mind, and setting up a “storefront” takes minutes.
That’s not the biggest benefit, though. Whop has an app for any kind of digital product you want to sell. And you can sell all of them through just one whop (or two, or three, it’s up to you).
Let’s say you start off with a simple ebook. You can upload it directly to your whop with the help of the “Files” app. How about a course? The “Courses” app is super intuitive and it’s really simple to upload every module and lesson. And what about templates? There’s an app for that, too.
On top of all this, Whop handles pretty much everything for you. Payments? Check. Merchant of Records? Check. Some sort of marketplace with hundreds of thousands of visitors each month to get even more visibility? Check.
Kajabi
Now, while Whop is the best, that doesn’t mean that other apps aren’t doing amazing work out there. Kajabi, for example, is excellent when it comes to selling courses or coaching services. However, it also comes with fees - even if you don't make a sale, you still have to pay Kajabi.
In contrast, Whop is completely free to use, just taking a small cut when you make money.
Etsy
You’d be surprised to learn that Etsy is a pretty good app to sell your digital products. When I first used Etsy, I mostly bought some handmade jewelry, so I thought all the sellers focused on the physical side of things.
To my surprise, Etsy does indeed allow you to sell digital products. Is it as intuitive as platforms dedicated to these, like Whop or Kajabi? Not necessarily. But if you want to sell both physical and digital stuff, Etsy might just be the best place for you. Just beware of the complicated Etsy fees.
Gumroad
Gumroad is another notable name in the digital product scene and for a good reason. You can sell anything digital there. What I’ve found is that Gumroad is mostly for creatives.
Don’t get me wrong, you can still sell ebooks and courses, and they’re pretty good when it comes to hosting your podcast there. But, from the consumers' side, I’d expect to get something like design tools, artistic templates, and whatnot from Gumroad.
Payhip
If you’re looking for a more traditional app, Payhip is the one for you. By traditional, I mean that the platform basically allows you to build your storefront with a unique domain and allows you to sell a plethora of digital products.
It’s as great as all the other digital product apps, to be fair. It’s a great way to get started and try selling different products if you’ve yet to choose your specific niche or type of digital product.
The best way to make money with a phone? Digital products
I just went over some of the best digital product platforms for a reason - the absolute best way to make money with a phone is by selling digital products.
You make them once and sell them forever. You usually don’t have to spend a dime to create them, as you’re selling your knowledge and/or skills. And, they are the most profitable products you can sell at the moment.
There are tons of opportunities in the market right now. PLRs are essentially doing the work for you, and all you have to do is add your touch to them and sell them to your followers. Courses are huge, regardless of your niche. Check out the best digital products to sell for a deep dive into over 75 types of profitable products.
The question now is, where do you start?
Make money with your phone and Whop
Now, you probably don’t need me to tell you that there are dozens of ways to make money with your phone. I’ve already covered 25, and I could add another 25 to that, but at that point, it’d be tiring for you, and even myself, to read.
From taking surveys for a couple of bucks to driving Uber or reselling your old clothes, you’ve got plenty of options. But, if I were you, the path is clear. Digital products are the way to go. And you need the best platform to sell these. I’ve said it twice already, so the third time’s a charm. Whop is THAT place.
Your whop is the one hub where you can sell any digital products you can imagine. From courses, to memberships, coaching services, and everything in between. There’s a dedicated app for all of these. You can paywall your entire whop or set individual payments on different products. It's your business, you run it your way.
Everything you’ll need to know is right there on your dashboard. You’ll handle your payments with Whop Payments. You can even make a checkout link and send that out. All this won’t cost you anything upfront, as Whop takes a 3% cut only when the cash starts flowing on your side.
Are you ready to make the big bucks with your phone? Then, create your whop now. It only takes a few minutes, and once you’ve set everything up, you can immediately start selling your digital products.
Making money with your phone FAQs
How to make money with your 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.
How to make money with just your phone?
You can start by downloading some online survey apps to make a few quick bucks. 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.
