Make Money Online 36 top paying sites and apps
If you've a computer or smartphone, there's a host of ways to boost your coffers. You could earn £1,000s/year from your sofa, with no special skill needed.
This guide lists 36 (legit) ways to make money online. You can get paid just to watch videos, write, search on Google, make your own YouTube clips and much more.
Making money online - quick tips
Before you become an online earner, there are a few things worth knowing. The key is while some of these sites pay small amounts, add them all together and it can turn into an annual bonanza of £1,000s.
Don't store cash in online-earning accounts
Set up a dedicated email address
Don't expect to be instantly rolling in it
Don't forget the taxman'll want his share
Spend gift vouchers ASAP
Get paid to click
Watch videos, play games and earnSwagbucks
Swagbucks* is a fun survey site that pays you for completing short online tasks in virtual cash - you can then exchange this for real money, Paypal credits or gift cards to spend at Amazon, M&S and more. The site's huge in America, and here in the UK many MSE forumites are dedicated users.
Usually you get only a few points for registering, but newbies who register via this MSE Blagged Swagbucks* link will get bonus points worth £10 if they earn £5 (849 SB - we reckon about four hours' 'work') within 30 days of signing up. So that's a total of £15.
Usually you get only a few points for registering, but newbies who register via this MSE Blagged Swagbucks* link will get bonus points worth £10 if they earn £5 (849 SB - we reckon about four hours' 'work') within 30 days of signing up. So that's a total of £15.
Tasks include filling in polls, watching videos and searching using its page instead of Google. Advertisers pay Swagbucks to publicise their wares or do market research, and the site passes a cut to you. The more dedicated you are, the more you earn, though every task pays a different amount.
For motivation, join other points-chasers in the forum's popular Swagbucks Challenge 2017 thread. One committed 'swagger' from the forum, cally6008, says:
Swagbucks is one of several online earning sites I use, but it's one of my favourites. I know for a fact that you can earn £25 a month using the site, because I do so nearly every month.
- cally6008
How do I get my free £10?
See a full list of ways to earn Swagbucks
Online survey sitesEarn up to £800/year to give your opinion
Willing to give views on Justin Bieber, washing-up liquid or politics? If so, it's possible to earn £100s a year, without any special skill or talent.
It's all about stashing cash by filling in online surveys. For a full rundown of 25 of the top free sites see the Online Survey Sites guide.
Get paid to GoogleQmee
It's possible to get paid hard cash just for searching the web with Qmee*. It just involves downloading an add-on that sits on your internet browser. You then search online as you normally would on Google, Amazon, eBay, Yahoo, Bing and Tesco.
Qmee will show extra results or adverts alongside normal search results (see picture). Some firms pay Qmee to appear in these ads, and Qmee gives you a cut of the cash. If the Qmee result interests you, click it and you'll earn a few pence, usually 7-15p (though searches can pay up to £1 each).
Forumite The_Jakal says:
I've been using Qmee for three weeks and I'm on £14 now.
- The_Jakal
Quick questions
What exactly do I have to do?
Can I boost earnings by repeating searches?
What does Qmee do with my data?
Why does Qmee sometimes pay for clicks to MoneySavingExpert.com?
Earn hard cash for fun tasksGift Hunter Club
Online earning site Gift Hunter Club doles out points for watching videos, doing polls, entering competitions and completing other easy tasks.
You can convert these into cash through PayPal, Amazon vouchers and more. Just sign up and check the 'earn points' section. It shows the tasks available and what they pay.
MoneySavers reckon the site's fun, payment is quick and they earn a decent amount each week. Forumite mizzame says:
I made £10 in PayPal cash very easily last week, £8 the week before. Mainly from videos and easy tasks. My best earning site at the moment!
- mizzame
Aim to redeem your points on rewards giving better value
A £10 Amazon gift card costs 1,690 points. But 10 US dollars in cash (£8ish) via PayPal is 1,000 points, which can be better value, depending on the exchange rate. While Gift Hunter Club lists cash payments in US dollars, PayPal converts the cash into pounds.
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Get paid to watch videosMaximiles
It's possible to earn high street vouchers just for watching videos through Maximiles. Clips are short adverts, for example, Andrex promos or Cheryl Cole videos.
New vids come up every day, so visit often, plus forumites post the latest ones in the Maximiles thread. One thing to watch out for: make sure you're logged in when you rate the videos, or you won't get points.
You can cash in points for gift vouchers. For example, 6,460 Maximiles can get you a £25 John Lewis voucher.
Stick to free points offers
Get paid to watch videos, search & moreGiftHulk
Similar to Swagbucks above, GiftHulk pays for a host of web activities, including watching videos, answering polls and searching via its site instead of Google.
Many MoneySavers are fans. You get paid in Hulk Coins, which you then convert into rewards including Amazon vouchers (make sure you select vouchers in GBP, rather than US dollars).
Special codes give extra points - forumites post them in the GiftHulk thread.
Enter contests as a cash-boosting hobbyUse our 40+ insider comping tips
From cars to £20,000 cash, five-star USA holidays to £10,000 of Tesco gift cards, MoneySavers have won it all. It's all about 'comping', a potentially profitable online hobby for the lucky.
It's about systematically sourcing and entering hundreds of the right contests. To learn the techniques, see our 40+ Insider Comping Tips.
Grab FREE cashbackGet cash for clicks - no need to buy
Cashback sites work by giving you a cut of the cash they earn for channelling web traffic. Yet you don't have to buy anything to earn cash via these sites - they often pay you just for clicking links on the internet.
Eg, TopCashback pays £2 for a Gocompare home insurance quote. Its free cashback section lists the top offers. For a full explanation, see Top Cashback Sites.
Get paid to read adverts on your mobileQustodian
Free smartphone app Qustodian pays you to read adverts. Simply download the app, and plug your likes and dislikes into your profile. It then sends adverts matching your interests to your Qustodian inbox. You get paid cash when you view messages, respond to questions or watch videos.
It pays cash via PayPal or via BACS into your bank account when you earn £10. Forumites report the slow trickle of messages means it takes a while to hit this, so this app's just one for committed online earners.
Quick questions
What's the best way to access the web on my mobile?
What does Qustodian do with my personal data?
Get paid for easy tasks
Earn by checking prices & snapping photosField Agent iPhone app
Ever fancied being a secret agent? If you’ve got an iPhone, a free app called Field Agent could be your chance. When companies need a small market research task done, it's sent out via the app.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to check prices in stores, take photos of products and pen reviews. It typically pays £4.50 per task, but can be between £2 and £10.
You're competing against others for jobs and won't get lucky everytime, so don't get too excited. But it's well worth signing up in case they do come up.
Quick questions
How do I get started?
How can I earn maximum cash?
Earn free Amazon vouchers window shoppingJob Spotter app
If you’re partial to a spot of window shopping then there’s a new smartphone app that could earn you Amazon vouchers, just for snapping pictures of job ads as you walk by.
The free ‘Job Spotter’ app launched by job site Indeed rewards you for simply taking pictures of job vacancy adverts at shops and restaurants. See MSE Sam's blog for full details on how to Grab free Amazon vouchers for just a spot of window shopping.
Earn free Amazon vouchers reporting derelict properties in LondonYouSpotProperty
Spot an empty or derelict property in London (within the M25), and you could earn a £20 Amazon or M&S voucher if you're the first person to report it to YouSpotProperty.
What's more, if the development company behind the website goes on to buy the property, it will give you 1% of the purchase price - potentially £1,000s for a house in the capital.
It might sound too good to be true, but there have been big successes reported in the news. One woman earned £3,500 for spotting an empty house in Peckham and another got a whopping £6,500 for reporting an empty home in Hendon.
How does it work?
Once you've spotted a derelict house or flat, you need to fill out a form online at YouSpotProperty. It will ask for the address of the property, and any photos you're able to take of it.
If you're the first person to report the property, and it meets YouSpotProperty's criteria (privately owned, not up for sale and no planning permission applied for recently - see the full list below), you can choose either a £20 Amazon or M&S e-voucher. It's normally issued within a month of you reporting the property.
If the company goes on to buy the property, you'll receive 1% of the purchase price. It's worth bearing in mind however, that a purchase can take time to negotiate and complete - in the past it's ranged from a few days to three years after the property was spotted.
What criteria does the property have to meet?
What is YouSpotProperty?
YouSpotProperty is run by property developers looking for houses they can do up and sell on at a profit. So the site's generosity isn't purely for altruistic reasons. However, it does donate £500 to a local charity in the same borough as each property it buys, on top of the 1% cut it offers property spotters.
YouSpotProperty also says it wants to help improve neighbourhoods, as empty properties can be dangerous and bring down the value of houses nearby.
It can be difficult for individuals to get mortgages on derelict properties, meaning they stay empty for years. But the company has enough money in its 'property fund' to buy the houses outright and clean them up ready for people to live in again.
How big is this?
YouSpotProperty was set up in 2014, and since then it says about 2,700 vouchers have been awarded to property spotters. Only 42 people have received the 1% bonus for a spotted property being purchased (the largest payout to date was £8,800 for an empty house in Balham).
Currently the site is only looking for properties inside the M25, but it's looking to expand further north in the future, and into commercial properties as well as residential ones.
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Get paid to snap photos, count stock & moreRoamler smartphone app
Fancy getting paid to buy beer? Free app Roamler pays for tasks such as counting stock in shops, snapping menu cards in restaurants and even buying a beer to photograph how it's served.
As with Field Agent, when firms need easy market research done, it's sent out via the app. Roamler typically pays £4 per task, but it can vary between £2 and £10.
The catch is the app is invite-only. Roamler's press office says it's pretty easy to get one if you monitor its Facebook page for hints on how (or you might get lucky if you request one).
Get paid to take photos of products and rank shop displaysYoobic smartphone app
Like a mildly addictive video game, app Yoobic sends its ‘explorers’ on small quests such as snapping products in shops or ranking marketing displays. Missions pay in real-life cash, typically £4-£8 for 10 minutes’ work.
To get earning, download the app from the App Store or Google Play, create an account and search for quests near you. It lets you reserve up to 10 jobs at a time, and you must complete them in a set time.
It's a French company, but pays UK users in pounds.
Get paid for easy market research tasksStreetspotr app
Billed as a ‘grown-up treasure hunt’, Streetspotr is another app (for both iPhone and Android) that connects market research clients with users who carry out small tasks. Some MoneySavers have pocketed £15 for buying a hot drink at a muffin shop, though most tasks pay about a fiver.
Other jobs could include photographing supermarket product displays or checking restaurant menus.
Streetspotr is a German company that pays UK users in GBP. As with other location-based apps, the closer you are to a high street, the more jobs are up for grabs.
Get paid for small research tasksTask 360 iPhone app
Fancy a change from the same old shop-based research tasks? Then have a gander at Task 360, an iPhone-only app from the people who brought you Field Agent above. You can download it from the App Store.
The app focuses on helping companies solve logistical problems, such as giving sat nav firms info on new no-left-turn signs or checking billboard ads’ lights work.
It typically pays £5 to £10 for 15 minutes’ work. To bag the best jobs, check every morning before 9am, especially on Mondays.
Get paid for small tasks in shopsClic and Walk smartphone app
Another free app that pays you to complete small tasks in shops, Clic and Walk is available via the App Store and Google Play.
This is one of the lower-paying apps. It's a French company but you get paid in pounds - the amount for shop-based tasks is normally 5 euros so you'll typically get £4ish.
Get paid to test companies' websitesWhat Users Do
Companies are desperate to make their websites better places for people to visit, so user testing is big business.
Sign up to What Users Do* and you can earn £5 for 15-minute website tests. These involve easy tasks such as trying to find something on a site or feeding back on a new homepage.
The company records your screen and voice, so you can feed back throughout the test. You need a computer with a built-in or separate microphone. But don't worry, your face isn't recorded, so you can still do it in your jim-jams.
Forumite kattybunny says: "It's a great website! I've earned about £500 with them since starting 10 months ago."
A serious remote-working jobLionbridge
“Legitimate work from home job. Earn £££s!” Adverts in the back of mags pulse with promises, yet often the reality's disappointing or even dodgy. Yet one work-from-home job that MoneySavers have had more luck with is Lionbridge.
You usually need a degree to apply, but heaps of MoneySavers have been accepted. It says it usually has 150 jobs on offer at any one time, though occasionally there are no jobs advertised for the UK. It's well worth checking back though, as new jobs are posted each month.
What's the work like?
The web firm offers several part-time posts, most aimed at helping companies improve their search engine results. Tasks can include checking search results, gathering data and testing mobile apps.
You choose your hours and don't have to travel from A to B, perfect if you want to earn cash while staying at home with the kids. You must work a minimum of 10 and maximum of 20 hours per week.
Forumite Ghost_2005 says:
It's a genuine work-from-home opportunity that pays real money. There are precious few of them, so if that's what you're looking for, it's a good opportunity. In the grand scheme of employment, there are better and more fulfilling jobs. In the grand scheme of home-working opportunities, it's a decent job.
- Ghost_2005
On the downside, others say it's about as exciting as a hangover on a rainy Sunday.
I can honestly say when I had the job I had never felt so bored. An hour's work felt like three hours. Be aware of what you're actually applying for – it demands concentration!
- daz501
Stay motivated with other forumites in the Lionbridge forum thread.
Quick questions
What qualifications do you need?
How do you apply?
Got a top way to earn cash online that we haven't listed? Feed back in the Earn cash online discussion.
Grab free products for telling friends about themBzz Agent
While it doesn't pay cash, you can earn loads of free products through marketing company Bzz Agent. Forumites have grabbed everything from Vanish stain remover to E45 lotion and even electric toothbrushes.
The catch? As an 'agent', once you receive products, you must start "meaningful and authentic conversations" about them with online buddies and real life friends.
Many MoneySavers are fans. Forumite Mummybaker says:
I have had steam generator irons, wet ladyshaves, free cookies and all sorts. It's worth it - not much effort involved and they like you to be genuine about your thoughts.
- Mummybaker
See our Earn Freebies For Testing Products guide for more sites to sign up to.
Quick questions
What exactly does this involve?
Is this just about spamming my friends?
Get paid to scan shopping receipts (invite-only)Shop and Scan
Market research site Shop and Scan is a great way to give your finances a boost. Each time you buy something, you log on and scan the receipt with the specialist barcode scanner it sends you.
Forumites report Shop and Scan pays about £10 in points a month. You can then cash them in for vouchers, including Amazon, Next, Debenhams and Argos.
Shop and Scan's press office wouldn't confirm any details with us, as market research is a secretive area. So many of the tips here come from our forum users.
Forumite hedgesparrow says:
I would totally recommend Shop and Scan. I get £1.60 a week for scanning my barcodes. After six months, I still find it fun blipping the barcodes. Once your total's £10, you get a £10 voucher, which takes about six weeks, but is only an hour and half of my time.
- hedgesparrow
Quick questions
How do you sign up?
How can I max my earnings?
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Grab freebies in exchange for your viewsClicks Research
It's possible to earn masses of freebies from Clicks Research. The site doles out free products in exchange for feedback on whether they work. MoneySavers have blagged everything from anti-ageing creams to chocolate bars.
Respond at speed, as places fill up fast. Clicks Research says products are all safe. It just wants to know how to improve them. Once you've signed up, Clicks Research sends you invites via email.
Even if not selected, each time you take part in a survey it pays Clicks points (usually between 25-200 per survey). Once you've earned 2,500, you can exchange them for £25.
Matched bettingExploit online bookmakers' free betting offers
This is something we thought hard about before including. Yet as many who know exactly what they're doing make serious risk-free cash, we wanted to include it.
It's all about taking advantage of the offers betting sites run to encourage new players, usually involving free bets (eg, "bet £30 and we give you a free £30 bet"), and the fact different bookmakers offer different odds.
Thus, in some circumstances, by betting on all outcomes you guarantee a profit, whatever the outcome. However, this is complex and dangerous, and most people should run a million miles.
Don't ever contemplate attempting it unless you've done detailed research.
Here are the key points:
- Warning! This is NOT about gambling. Gambling is not MoneySaving; the bookies always win in the long run (see Gamblers Anonymous). This is only about manipulating gambling introductory loopholes.
- How much? With time and care, it's possible to make £1,000 over the year. Please don't go for it if you're desperate for cash. This is only for those with patience and who aren't under money pressure. Otherwise, you'll end up drawn into real gambling - and losing.
- How do I do it? Read the Matched Betting Introduction and FAQs discussion in the Matched Betting board and the other sticky threads at the top. Remember it's an open forum, anyone can post. Just because someone sounds like they know what they're doing, it doesn't mean they do.
Earn money online from internet researchAQA
Internet companies such as AQA ('Any Question Answered', formerly 63336) are occasionally on the lookout for researchers. It works like this: a customer sends a text to researchers to ask the answer to a random question. The researcher - you - replies with an answer.
The beauty of this work is that you can generally choose the type of questions you answer, and the hours you work. Check for vacancies on the AQA site or on its Facebook and Twitter pages. You'll have to pass a test before you get an interview.
The site pays roughly 25p per question. Some can take just a few moments to answer, meaning that experienced researchers could rake in up to £100s - though of course, it depends how much time you're prepared to put in. Join the AQAdiscussion.
Got a top way to earn cash online that we haven't listed? Feed back in the Earn cash online discussion.
Reclaim lost assets and inheritencePotential payback of £1,000s
There's BILLIONS of pounds-worth of unclaimed money out there. Whether it's yours or an unknown inheritance from a deceased relative, it can usually be reclaimed free.
Our Reclaim Lost Assets guide shows how to quickly check if you're in line for a windfall.
Flog what you've got
Do you have unused assets worth £100s or £1,000s? Stop hoarding, and declutter for cash. Here's some inspiration:
- 40+ eBay tricks 'n' tools. Our 40+ eBay Selling Tricks guide offers a crash course, from cutting eBay fees by tweaking start prices and using no-charge listing weekends, to adding extra pics with special tools. Plus there are tools to create multiple listings in advance and bulk-upload them.
- Sell for free on Facebook. Local Facebook selling groups are fast rivalling eBay as the place to earn cash by flogging unwanted stuff. The best bit is there are NO fees. Our Facebook Selling guide shows how to find the right local groups and get the best price, plus make sure you stay safe.
- Safely sell old gold for max cash. TV ads yell "sell old gold for cash". Yet many are kicked in the crown jewels as they get a fraction of the promised price. Amid the scrap, though, are shining examples. Our Top Gold Selling Sites takes you through it.
60+ more ways to boost your income
If you're looking to rake in a little more, our 60+ Tricks To Boost Your Income guide can add to the coffers. Here's a taster:
- Become a mystery shopper. High street retailers are desperate to check their customer service is up to scratch, so mystery shopping agencies pay you to visit specific shops or restaurants to rate quality.
- Send pics to mags. For example, Love It! magazine pays £50 for a shameful shot of yourself on holiday or even £50 for readers' shirtless fellas (Mrs MSE's been banned from sending 'em in).
Rent it - spare rooms, storage, parking spaces
The Rent It Out For Cash section of our Boost Your Income guide lists easy ways to earn extra from your property. Here's a taster:
- Rent your driveway for up to £200/mth. Live near a city centre, airport, train station or football ground? It's possible to earn up to £200/mth or more renting out your drive. See Rent Your Parking Space for a full how-to and the top free-to-list online marketplaces.
- Get cash for spare storage space. If you've unused space in a loft, garage or spare room, website Storemates lets you rent it out to others looking for cheap storage. See Rent Your Storage.
- Rent out your home. Airbnb and other sites could help make you TENS of thousands of pounds from letting your home or spare room temporarily to holidaymakers – and some new tax breaks can really boost the gain. See Rent Out Your Home for a crash course in safely renting out your spare room or entire property for short periods.
- Rent your spare room. The 'rent a room' scheme means you can take in a lodger to live in a furnished room in your home. It has a special exemption meaning you won't have to pay tax on the first £7,500 each year. See Take A Lodger and 20+ Airbnb Renting tips.
Give yourself a money makeoverPut thousands back in your pocket
While most people earn a max £200 a day, taking a day to sort your finances leaves many a grand a year better off.
Always think in terms of annual savings - £15 a month doesn’t sound much but it’s £180 a year. Here’s some OOMPH! to get you going.
- Owed £10,000s in PPI? If you've had a loan or credit card, check if you were mis-sold PPI. Don't worry if you don't have the paperwork, see the FAQs in Reclaim PPI for Free.Proof from Steverandall1965:
You inspired me to claim. Put it off for ages, then downloaded the template, sent it off and got £12,225, no fuss or bother.
- Steverandall1965
- Slash car insurance costs. Prices are expected to go up by 10% this year, so now's a good time to get a quote and see if you can lock it down. You might be able to halve costs by combining the results of comparison sites. See Cheap Car Insurance for a full step-by-step guide.
- Can you cut your mortgage cost? If you’ve decent equity in your house and aren’t locked into a deal, speak to a mortgage broker. See the MSE Remortgage Booklet: Instant PDF | Printed
- Save £100s with a water meter. If your home has more or the same number of bedrooms as people, check our Water Meter guide. Helen Bevington tweeted:"Thanks to MSE, we've water-metered. Monthly DD down from £80 to £25." That's £660/year less.
Those are just the start. For a detailed checklist of over 30 quick ways to cut bills, see the Money Makeover guide.
Get paid to write and create content
Get paid to writeTextbroker
Always wanted to have a crack at the old writing game? Now's your chance. Textbroker pays for content for adverts, websites and newsletters. The company acts as a middleman between clients and writers, taking a cut from each piece sold.
Typical payments are £5 to £30 per article, and forumites have written about everything from sport and wildlife to finance and casinos. Some MoneySavers have suggested that article approvals can be patchy and it's often slow to accept new writers - a couple of things to watch out for.
We're not talking Stephenie Meyer's Twilight sums. But some forumites, such as Sinkorswim, are turning over a grand a year:
I've been with Textbroker for nine months, and have made over £1,000. It's a godsend, as I had to give up my part-time job due to a back problem. I got another job, but am reluctant to stop writing, as I really enjoy it.
- Sinkorswim
Forumite Farmers-wife says:
I have recently started with Textbroker as a writer. Six articles down and I'm hooked. As a stay-at-home mum and farmer's wife it's lovely to be doing something for myself. Getting praise for writing is doing wonders for my confidence.
- Farmers-wife
Quick questions
How do I get accepted as an author?
How can I earn maximum cash?
Is it worth pitching to papers and mags too?
Get paid to write, enter data & moreClickworker
As well as paying for written content, Clickworkeroffers other jobs, including data entry, web research, product reviews and data tagging.
MoneySavers report there's heaps of work on offer. They've penned Groupon adverts, travel destination descriptions, flight adverts and fashion articles, to name a few.
You must complete a test before you can work, and most jobs require a score of at least 90%. You can earn between £2 for shorter jobs and £5 for longer ones.
See more tips to earn maximum cash
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