7 of the Best Money-Making Apps of 2024
Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
For those looking to earn money in an easily accessible way, apps provide plenty of avenues to consider. You can use your smartphone to take surveys, pick up a side gig, sell your unwanted stuff and more.
Here’s the scoop on seven free money-making apps. NerdWallet considered apps with at least 3.8 stars and 25,000 reviews in both Google Play and the iOS App Store.
7 of the best apps to make money
- Still deciding on the right carrier? Compare Medigap plans
- Conventional mortgage
- VA loans
- FHA loans
- USDA loans
- How to maximize your rewards
- Quick summary of traditional IRA rules
- Fidelity CD rates
- Simplifying tax time with accounting software
- For sailings across the Caribbean, Mexico or Central America: CheapCaribbean
- Online will-writing software
- 1. Earn with ads as a YouTube Partner Program member
- General partnerships
- 1. Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans
- 1. Delay your application
- AtoB
- Through your card or card issuer
- It offers more redemption options
- How does my credit score impact personal loan offers?
- 1. Ibotta
- 1. Pick up freelance work online
- 1. Figure out if you are eligible
- Grants.gov
- Traditional IRA deductions
- Online
- Regular and exclusive use
- Free 24-hour cancellation
- A car dealer marked up your interest rate
- 1. Accounting and bookkeeping
- 1. Keep your charges on each card to a minimum
- Understand the budgeting process
- 1. World of Hyatt
- Eligible for an employer-run account?
- How do I see my credit score for free?
- NVIDIA Corp (NVDA)
- Standard with ads: $6.99 per month
- How scores work in Canada
- 1. Roll your debts onto a balance transfer credit card
- What to know about cash advance apps
- State and local government grants
- Latino: $32.99 per month
- Monthly after-tax income
- Through 'Click to Pay'
- S corporations
- Unlimited sales
- Your credit has improved
- Example savings APYs at select institutions
- CHFA highlights and eligibility requirements
- Why it’s the best
- 1. Donate to a qualifying organization
- Estate planning lawyers
- Looking to set up an individual account?
- Principal place of business
- The bonus categories are broader
- 1. The child has to be part of your family
- 1. Know what you owe and how much you can pay
- SoundHound AI Inc. (SOUN)
- Emirates baggage sizing for checked bags
- 2. Business consulting
- 2. Work longer
- Other uses of Form W-9
- Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs
- Pro: $79.99 per month
- 2. Air Canada Aeroplan
- 50% of your income: needs
- Coast
- Through Google Chrome
- 1. Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
- Standard: $15.49 per month
- Restaurants
- You’re having trouble making payments
- Mortgage type
- The cheapest large car insurance company: State Farm
- For reviews from other cruisers: Cruise Critic
- Your budget
- 2. Decide what type of investor you are
- General liability
- By phone
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Trusts and estates
- Alliant: Best for fast funding
- Refundable tickets
- Retirement benefits
- SBA loans
- Income taxes for single-member LLCs
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- Pro: No monthly payment or interest
- Common size vertical analysis
- Small Business Development Centers
- Elite: $89.99 per month
- 2. Ask for higher credit limits
- 3. Air France/KLM Flying Blue
- Self-employed or a small-business owner?
- Pros
- 2. United Airlines MileagePlus
- Your trips are better protected
- 2. The child has to be under a certain age
- More inventory locations
- Ongoing discount
- 1. Guarantees future insurability
- 3. Marketing services
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
- 2. SBA loans
- 2. Rakuten
- Centralized exchange: Often for beginners
- Roth IRA contributions
- Employee liability
- Through an app
- ETFs
- Will pre-qualifying affect my credit score?
- Premium: $22.99 per month
- Drugstores
- Interest rates in general have decreased
- Emirates checked bag policy for the Americas and Africa
- How credit scores work in the U.K.
- CHFA Mortgage Programs
- 2. Apply for a credit card consolidation loan
- 3. Earn more
- 2. Test websites and apps
- The gym’s location
- EveryDollar
- Minority Business Development Agency Centers
- 1. Calculate the car payment you can afford
- Premier: $99.99 per month
- By email
- 30% of your income: wants
- WEX
- Cons
- Nonrefundable tickets
- Welcome offer
- 4. Real estate business
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
- How much does a surgical abortion cost?
- Common size horizontal analysis
- Compare car insurance rates for 20-year-olds
- 1. The home must be your principal residence
- 1. Account for all possessions
- 4. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- First Tech: Best for co-sign and joint loan options
- 3. The child has to live with you
- What do I need to pre-qualify for a personal loan?
- In-house point-of-sale software
- Other taxes
- Income taxes for multi-member LLCs
- Your car’s value has increased
- Location
- Con: You have to pay all at once
- Why it’s the best
- Needs
- Average monthly car payment by credit score
- 3. American Airlines AAdvantage
- 2. Understand your options
- Business term loans
- Annual fee
- 2. Document your charitable contributions
- All-in-one exchanges: Trade more than crypto
- The quality of the gym
- 3. Choose how much you want to invest
- Credit Karma
- Professional liability
- 20% of your income: savings and debt
- Pass-through allowance
- Straightforward sign-up bonus
- Basic economy ticket
- EARN MORE POINTS WITH A MARRIOTT BONVOY CREDIT CARD
- Why it’s the best:
- 5. Event planning
- Property size and complexity
- Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
- Pro: It’s easier to qualify
- 1.Meet the requirements
- 3. Set up balance alerts to stay on top of spending
- 5. Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
- 4. The child can't provide more than half of their own financial support
- Get ready to make payments
- Commercial real estate loans
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- How much does an abortion pill cost?
- 4. Consider your spouse
- The cheapest midsize car insurance company: American National
- 2. Take a cut with affiliate marketing
- To review several cruise prices at once: CruiseDirect
- Decentralized exchanges: Competitive prices, but more complex
- 3. Learn to use AI tools
- Fast Break for Small Business
- 2. You must have owned the home for at least two years
- Other fuel cards to consider
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- PenFed: Best for a seamless application process
- 4. Virgin Atlantic
- The percentage method
- The anniversary bonus could be more lucrative
- Establishing domicile
- 2. Acts as a savings vehicle for your child
- Travel bonus reward rates
- Emirates checked bag policy for Asia, the Middle East, Oceania and Europe
- Bring a bigger down payment to the table
- Silver elite status
- Buying a put example
- 6. Video production
- CHFA Down Payment Assistance Grant
- 3. Swagbucks
- 2.Pick your path
- The gym’s hours
- 1. Making money
- Goodbudget
- 2. Determine distribution
- Cyber liability insurance
- Wants
- Allow up to 50% of your income for needs
- 6. JetBlue TrueBlue
- 5. The child can’t file a joint tax return with someone
- How long will it take to pre-qualify?
- Unlimited staff accounts
- Equipment financing
- Choosing corporate tax status for your LLC
- Check your credit score and report
- You live near a U.S.-Mexico border and cross frequently
- Con: You’ll likely pay much more than you get
- 1. Open an investment account
- 4. Select a provider to open your Roth IRA
- Premium tax credit eligibility
- 3. You must have lived in the house for at least two years in the five-year period before you sold it
- 2. Calculate the car loan amount you can afford
- Crashes and car theft
- Partnership agreements
- 5. Etihad Guest Miles
- 1. Do you need Global Entry?
- Award ticket refunds
- Take a pre-purchase test drive
- Bring documents showing financial stability
- Example interest checking APYs at select institutions
- 7. Podcasting
- Instant deposit
- 3.Network
- Alternative ways to exercise
- Plan G
- Business identity insurance
- 4. Pay your bill before your issuer reports to the credit bureaus
- 6. The child has to have a certain residency or citizenship status
- Gold elite status
- 3. Farm Credit organizations
- What is backup withholding?
- Common size income statement example
- Why it’s the best
- 3. Don’t miss out on tax deductions for volunteering
- IFundWomen Universal Grant Application Database
- 3. Think about your children
- Navy Federal: Best for military members
- 6. Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- The actual expense method
- American Express Offers
- Find your servicer and set up payments
- Larger footprint
- Cost (and quality) of living
- 3. Covers costs if the worst were to happen
- Arrange an inspection
- Equity REITs
- Consider bringing your own financing
- 3. Tap your home equity for a loan or line of credit
- 5. Investigate divorced spouse benefits
- 4.Start applying for jobs or pitching your services
- Costs and fees to keep in mind
- 2. Choose your investments
- 4. You cannot have claimed the home sale capital gains exclusion recently
- Commercial auto insurance
- Savings and debt repayment
- Your choice of payment processor, plus discounts
- 8. IT consulting
- Plan N
- Price
- Find preapproved auto loans
- 4. Name an executor
- Damage you do to others
- Leave 30% of your income for wants
- United Airlines MileagePlus
- Basis
- The aggregate method
- You'll earn that Companion Pass faster
- 3. Call your lender
- 2. How expensive is your time?
- Shop for your own loan
- Restaurant rewards
- Shop for lenders and the lowest rate
- Mortgage REITs
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- You live near a U.S.-Mexico border and travel internationally frequently
- CHFA Second Mortgage Loan
- 3. Land a brand deal and make sponsored content
- 4. Keep the deadline in mind
- 4. Fiverr
- Your motivation
- Amber Grant for Women
- 5. You cannot have bought the house through a like-kind exchange
- Revocable life insurance trusts
- Within 24 hours
- 9. Catering
- 4. Take surveys for money
- 5. Monitor your total credit utilization
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Other Marriott Bonvoy transfer partners worth considering
- 1. The person can’t be anyone else’s qualifying child
- 3. How often do you fly?
- Multiple storefronts
- Why it’s the best:
- You plan to do some road-tripping in Mexico
- 1% match
- 6. Add your minor child
- Cheapest car insurance after a speeding ticket: State Farm
- For budget-friendly options: Priceline
- Discounts
- Your money management style
- 6. You cannot be subject to expatriate tax
- 3. Set a target purchase price
- Injuries to you
- The simplified version
- Hybrid REITs
- 10. Social media management
- 4. Farm Plus Financial
- Why it’s the best
- 5. Gather your paperwork
- National Association for the Self-Employed Growth Grant
- 1. Figure out your gross income
- 5. Factor in fees
- Commercial umbrella insurance
- Emirates Skywards
- 2. The person has to be related to you or live with you
- Ask about income-driven repayment plans
- After 24 hours
- Alaska
- Redemption value
- Buying a put vs. shorting example
- Saving for a rainy day (or a fun one)
- Common size balance sheet example
- Compare car insurance rates for 35-year-olds
- If you are investing in an S&P 500 index fund:
- Trial periods
- Bonus features
- Commit 20% of your income to savings and debt paydown
- Irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs)
- Chase Offers
- 4. Do you already hold a travel credit card?
- Schedule 1: Additional income and adjustments to income
- Hotels.com® Rewards Visa® Credit Card ($0 annual fee)
- Home appraisal checklist
- 4. Borrow from your 401(k)
- 4. Sell some merch
- On-platform storage: Easy to use, with some risks
- Bizee’s Fresh Start Business Grant
- 2. Find your adjusted gross income
- 6. Make your will official
- British Airways Executive Club
- What do I need for my loan application?
- Publicly-traded REITs
- 11. Business planning service
- 7. Suspend your benefit
- If you are investing in an S&P 500 ETF:
- Account linking
- Your stolen stuff
- Parents who borrowed to help their kids attend college
- If your student loans are in default
- Florida
- U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card
- 5. Upwork
- 5. Make money from your blog with affiliate links
- 2. Managing money
- Iberia Plus
- Fleet expense management tools
- 1. Review your W-4
- Apply for approval
- Schedule 2: Additional taxes
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® (For the best earning rates)
- Other types of savings accounts
- Example CD APYs at select institutions
- 12. Tax consulting
- Cheapest car insurance after an accident: State Farm
- If you are investing in a stock within the S&P 500 index:
- 6. Pick your investments
- 7. Update as needed
- Commercial property insurance
- BankAmeriDeals
- 3. The person’s gross income is below the limit
- Other ways to strengthen your application
- Public non-traded REITs
- Recommended portfolios
- Common size cash flow statement example
- 5. Offer memberships
- Watch the calendar
- Noncustodial wallets: More effort, more security
- Security
- Venmo Small Business Grant
- Borrowers with graduate school debt
- Nevada
- Travel credits
- 8. Use a do-over
- For booking travel experiences beyond the cruise: TripAdvisor
- Top 20 performers in the S&P 500 index
- 3. Add back certain deductions particular to MAGI
- 1. Southwest Rapid Rewards
- 4. You have to provide more than half the person’s total financial support for the year
- Other types of financing
- Schedule 3: Additional credits and payments
- 5. National Funding
- Set cash aside
- 2. Make sure your bonus is actually taxable
- New Hampshire
- 13. PR agency
- 5. Enter a debt management plan
- 6. Sell your wares on Etsy
- Get a referral
- Customer support
- Solar panel incentives by state
- 2. Air New Zealand Airpoints
- Special bonus rewards and statement credits
- Private REITs
- Citi Premier® Card (For good rewards and a low annual fee)
- Why it’s the best:
- The Amplifier Grant
- Comprehensive and auto collision insurance
- High-income borrowers
- Benefits
- 3. Use tax deductions
- Example money market account APYs at select institutions
- Citi Prestige® Card
- How to maximize your rewards
- Where is the best place to exchange currency?
- Consider using a retirement account
- 6. OfferUp
- Piggyback on someone else’s membership
- 3. Frontier Miles
- South Dakota
- 14. Professional organizing
- Cheapest car insurance after a DUI: Progressive
- User experience
- Utility-based clean energy incentives
- Drawbacks
- 4. Contribute to a tax-advantaged account
- How do I find a currency exchange near me?
- Use employee benefits
- FedEx Small Business Grant Contest
- 4. InterMiles
- Tennessee
- 15. Photography
- To match with a vacation planner: Avoya Travel
- 7. Self-publish an e-book
- Reviews
- Allianz Global Assistance
- Head of household filing status
- Where can you exchange currency for free?
- Look for offers
- Tory Burch Foundation Fellows Program
- 1. Live in the house for at least two years
- Business income insurance
- 5. Qatar Airways Privilege Club
- Texas
- Bonzah
- 5. Defer your bonus
- Child tax credit
- Airport lounge access
- 16. Event space
- 7. Poshmark
- 2. See whether you qualify for an exception
- Maximize the best price guarantee
- Understand your financing needs
- Ask about special discounts
- Key person insurance
- Rental Cover
- Child and dependent care tax credit
- Washington
- 17. Interior decorating
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Cheapest auto insurance for poor credit: Geico
- 8. Get advertising revenue from your blog or YouTube channel
- Overall diversification
- Can you pay estimated taxes at any time?
- 3. Keep the receipts for your home improvements
- Why it’s the best:
- 3. Building a budget
- Sure
- Ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy points
- Earned income credit
- Hotel status
- Use coupon codes
- Selling a put example
- 18. Woodworking or furniture building
- Evaluate typical farm loan requirements
- Compare car insurance rates for drivers with a DUI
- What happens if I forget to pay my quarterly taxes?
- Wyoming
- To book a vacation package with an airline or hotel
- Adoption credit
- Gifting large sums of money to family
- Transfer partners
- Sign up for a Hotels.com account for Secret Prices
- 19. Graphic design
- Research and compare lenders
- Tornadoes
- How can I make paying quarterly taxes easier?
- 9. Become an Instagram influencer
- 20. Clothing boutique
- 4. Saving money
- Paying for vacations, cars or other stuff
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Flooding
- 21. Bed and breakfast
- Gather your documentation and apply
- Laid-back loans
- Card ecosystem
- Why it’s the best:
- 22. Food truck
- Cheapest car insurance for young drivers: Geico
- 10. Monetize your Twitch channel
- SBA microloans
- Joint bank accounts
- Sinkholes
- 23. Restaurant or cafe
- 24. Craft brewery
- Friends and family
- Pros
- American Express® Gold Card
- Compare auto insurance rates for drivers with poor credit
- 11. Sell your photography
- Credit required
- 25. Ice cream shop
- Cheapest car insurance for senior drivers: State Farm
- Business credit cards
- Why it’s the best:
- Cons
- 26. Personal chef
- Overseas acceptance
- 27. Landscape services
- Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card*
- Crowdfunding
- 28. Pet grooming
- 12. Become a dog walker with Rover or Wag
- 5. Maximizing your credit cards
- 29. Florist
- 30. Massage therapist
- 13. Sell unused gift cards
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
- Why it’s the best:
- 31. Nutritionist
- For cruise package deals: Costco Travel
- 6. Borrowing money
- Compare car insurance rates for drivers with an accident
- 14. List your spare bedroom on Airbnb
- 32. Personal trainer or fitness instructor
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
- 33. Beauty services
- 34. Life coach
- Directly with the Cruise Line
- Why it’s the best:
- 15. Sell your gently used clothes
- 35. Tutor
- United Club℠ Infinite Card
- 36. Daycare provider
- 16. Trade in old phones, electronics for cash
- 37. Senior care provider
- 38. Interpreter or translator
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
- 39. Housecleaning
- 17. Get a babysitting gig
- 7. Your credit score
- 40. Automotive repair
- 1. Gather your information
- 41. Handyman services
- 18. Rent out your car
- Prime Visa
- 42. Dry cleaners
- 2. Choose the right liability car insurance coverage levels
- 43. Hardware store
- 19. Sign up for TaskRabbit
- 44. Self-storage business
- 45. Freelance copywriting and content creation
- Verizon Visa® Card
- Should you get minimum or full coverage car insurance?
- 46. Rideshare driver
- 20. Become a private tutor
- 47. Website development and design
- 48. Sell clothes online
- 3. Decide if you need full coverage car insurance
- 21. Drive for Uber, Lyft
- 8. Taxes
- 49. SEO consultant
- 50. App development
- 22. Make deliveries for Amazon, Uber Eats
- 9. Paying off debt
- 4. Collect and compare car insurance quotes
- 23. Find work as a housesitter
- Trip cancellation
- Trip interruption
- 24. Sign up to be a mystery shopper
- Trip delay
- Cancel For Any Reason
- 25. Put your drone to work
- Compare car insurance companies
- Baggage delay
- Lost baggage
- Travel medical insurance
- 10. Insurance
- 11. Investing
- 12. Starting or running a business
- 13. Travel
- The NerdWallet Smart Money podcast
The best money-making apps
1. Ibotta
How it works: Ibotta lets you earn cash back on in-store and online purchases at over 2,000 supported retailers. Originally for groceries, it has expanded to include clothing, entertainment and eating out, pet supplies and other categories. Offers can be product or retailer-specific. For others, you’ll need to complete an additional task such as watching a video or taking a poll.
There are three possible ways to earn cash back in stores: Add offers and submit your receipt in the app after your shopping trip (you have 7 days to send in your receipt through the app), link your retailer loyalty accounts or purchase a retailer gift card through the Ibotta app. For online purchases, you shop through the app or with the Ibotta browser extension on your computer.
Payment: PayPal, digital gift card or direct to a bank account.
Pros: You’ll receive cash back on in-store purchases quickly — typically within 24 hours. Ibotta also offers a welcome bonus to new users, referral bonuses and a variety of payment methods.
Cons: Making money can be a slow process. You must have at least $20 in cash back to redeem your earnings (some gift cards require at least $25 in earnings). For online shopping, the pending period for earning cash back varies by retailer. Ibotta also charges an account maintenance fee for inactive (no activity for 180 days) or deactivated accounts. The fee is deducted from your balance, not your bank account.
2. Rakuten
How it works: Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) rewards shoppers with cash back on purchases from well-known retailers, restaurants and food delivery services. Users can also earn cash back on travel, gift cards and more. It’s straightforward: Create an account, tap on the store where you want to shop in the app, then make the transaction through the portal. You can also link a credit or debit card to your Rakuten account to earn cash back in-store — as long as you activate the deal through the app first. Rakuten credits the cash back to your account after it confirms the purchase with the retailer.
Payment: PayPal or "Big Fat Check."
Pros: Thousands of stores and purchases are eligible for cash back, so you’ll likely find deals where you already shop. New users can earn a welcome bonus after their first qualified purchase. You can also earn sign-up and referral bonuses. You can make an impact with your cash back earnings by donating a portion to nonprofit partners.
Cons: As with most cash-back services, you have to spend money to make money. You won’t see your earnings right away, either; Rakuten sends out payments every three months on the company's payment schedule, and you need to hit the minimum cash-back balance to get paid. Unlike other apps like Ibotta, you have to remember to initiate your purchase in the app first. If you forget and make your purchase outside of the app, you can't get credit retroactively.
3. Swagbucks
How it works: Swagbucks is a cash-back and rewards app. You earn points, called "SB," by shopping online (there are over 1,500 participating retailers), taking surveys, watching videos, playing games or fulfilling other tasks through Swagbucks. You can redeem those points for gift cards or get cash back to your PayPal account. The total points awarded can vary by task. For example, surveys are typically worth about 40 to 200 SB points each. The minimum balance required to redeem depends on the payout option you choose, but some gift cards are available for as low as 110 SB.
Payment: E-gift card or PayPal. You can also redeem SB for Bitcoin through the new Cryptovoucher Gift Card options.
Pros: Swagbucks offers many easy ways to earn rewards, and there’s no waiting period to cash in. Payments usually arrive within 10 business days after redemption. You can also get a $10 bonus with a qualifying $25 purchase when you join.
Cons: It doesn’t pay much; one SB is worth about a cent. With many tasks valued at pennies, it can take a fair amount of time and effort to make substantial money. Additionally, you won’t qualify for every survey or task, although users can earn up to 5 SB per day if they disqualify. Users often report getting kicked out of surveys in the middle of taking them. This can be due to demographics or dishonest or inconsistent answers, according to Swagbucks.
4. Fiverr
How it works: Fiverr is a freelancing marketplace that features gigs in over 200 categories, such as programming and video and animation. Create an account first, then you can set your profile as a "seller" highlighting your expertise. Post the gig you’re offering, which will include pricing and a description of your services. Pricing ranges from $5 to $995. Clients, known as "buyers," can click through and place orders. You’ll get paid once you complete the job. Fiverr assigns seller levels based on performance. As you move up each tier, you’ll be able to sell more “extras,” such as a faster delivery time.
Payment: PayPal, direct to a bank account, Payoneer or credit to a Fiverr Revenue Card (a prepaid card). Minimum withdrawal amounts vary, and your payment processor may charge a withdrawal fee, depending on which option you choose.
Pros: You don’t have to worry about tracking down buyers because they come to you. You can also earn tips. Fiverr also boasts its flexibility, allowing sellers to complete gigs in their own time or around their 9-5 jobs.
Cons: Fiverr takes 20% of your earnings for every gig, including tips, and there’s a standard 14-day waiting period to withdraw money after completing an order (top-tier sellers wait seven days for funds to clear).
5. Upwork
How it works: Upwork connects freelancers to gigs in writing, design, marketing and other categories on the marketplace. First, you’ll create a profile. It should include information such as the field you’re interested in plus your qualifications, availability and desired rate. Then, you can submit proposals. Clients will review them and offer projects if you seem like a good fit.
You begin each month with a set number of “Connects,” which are like credits that allow you to contact prospective clients. You can earn or pay a small sum for more Connects, but you won’t be charged when clients contact you. You can get paid on an hourly or per-project basis.
Payment: Direct to U.S. Bank, direct to your bank account, wire transfer, Instant Pay, PayPal and Payoneer. Charges apply to some payment options, so be sure to check Upwork for details.
Pros: Upwork helps take the work out of seeking out clients, establishing relationships and getting paid. The service also gives you the flexibility to set your preferred rate and schedule.
Cons: The app is free to download, but initiating contact with lots of clients costs money. Users also get charged a service fee. Upwork takes a 10% cut of your earnings based on how much you’ve billed a client. The more you earn, the more you get to keep. However, you won’t get paid until 10 days after the billing period ends. Remember, too, that you’re competing with other freelancers on the platform. That means clients may choose those who’ve set lower rates.
6. OfferUp
How it works: OfferUp, which combined with competitor Letgo in 2020, functions as a local marketplace you can use to sell your stuff. If you want to reach a broader audience, OfferUp also allows shipping anywhere within the United States except for Alaska, Arkansas and Hawaii. Create an account and snap a picture of your smartphone, car, sofa or whatever it is you’re selling. Once you add a title, description and price, you can post your listing and chat with buyers directly through the app. Then, you'll ship to or arrange a meeting with the buyer.
Payment: When selling locally, OfferUp recommends sellers take cash from buyers and stay clear of accepting payments by check, cashier's check or using other apps. For shipments, sellers can set up deposits to a debit card or bank account.
Pros: Creating a listing is simple and fast, and you’ll get paid instantly when you make a cash sale. You can also view a prospective buyer’s reviews and ratings to get an idea of how trustworthy they are beforehand. If you ship your item, the buyer pays the cost, and OfferUp provides the label.
Cons: You’re responsible for meeting local buyers in person and handling transactions. Sellers must pay a 12.9% service fee, or a minimum of $1.99, for shipments. To be successful, you’ll likely need to invest in a printer so you can print the shipping labels and mail items to buyers.
7. Poshmark
How it works: The Poshmark app is tailor-made for selling clothes, accessories and even home decor. After signing up, you take or upload photos of your item, fill out a description, price it and share the listing. You can also feature items in the app’s "Posh Parties," which are virtual shopping events centered around particular brands, categories and themes. Poshmark emails you a prepaid and pre-addressed shipping label once a purchase is made. Then, you send the package via USPS.
Payment: Check, PayPal, Venmo, Instant Transfer or direct deposit to a bank account.
Pros: Poshmark facilitates the entire process, from selling to shipping. Plus, you don’t have to meet with strangers to make a sale. The company will cover lost packages and handle issues between you and the buyer. Getting paid is relatively quick, too; Poshmark issues the money within three days of the buyer receiving the order.
Cons: You’ll pay a fee for selling through Poshmark. The company takes a $2.95 commission for sales under $15 and a 20% commission for sales of $15 or above.