Making money from iphone

28 Money Making Apps (#5 Will Pay You to Watch YouTube)

by Saeed — Last Updated January 31, 2017 (This post may contain affiliate links.)

There are tons of useful apps out there.

But to money conscious people, like us, the most useful ones are the apps that pay you.

I have talked about getting paid to try apps where you join a site and earn money for downloading and testing new apps.

But today we’re going to talk about apps that will actually pay you for using them regularly, doing things you already do – grocery shopping, playing games, watching movie trailers and videos, etc.

Here are some of the best apps that you can use to earn real cash and rewards such as gift cards.

Table of Contents

– iPhone apps that make you money

These are apps available only for iPhone& iPad both of which run on iOS platform.

But I am sure we will see an Android version of them coming out pretty soon as well.

1. Zaarly

This app connects individual buyers and sellers for jobs that need to be done.

Users have to verify their personal information and connect to Facebook.

Clients who need to hire local service experts provide their locations and the price they are willing to pay.

You can initiate a two-way conversation to settle on an agreed price and the transaction method.

Payments are made via PayPal or ACH transfer once a transaction fee is made for Zaarly.

2. Location Panel

You can use this app to help stores and restaurants that want to decide on their next new location for opening. This way you earn cash or rewards.

You will be participating in research that is location-based in your area.

When you shop, you will be earning rewards if you allow the app to track you during your shopping.

Answer questions such as why you skipped certain stores.

You then receive location-based offers and coupons.

3. Field Agent

This app pays you to report specific information on the places that you go.

The jobs you get pay you between $3 and $12 each time.

You as the “agent” will be notified when there are new jobs in your area.

The first person to accept the job will have two hours to complete the job.

Payments are made via PayPal.

4. EasyShift

This app provides assignments called “Shifts” and they include taking photographs, giving opinions and recording the prices of products.

When you have completed several of the tasks, you get promoted and you are able to unlock the higher-paying assignments, among other perks.

You get paid through PayPal but the process is within 48 hours.

5. Mobile Rewards

All you need to do is sign up for free services, watch videos on YouTube or talk about a product on your Facebook wall.

You get to earn credits that can be redeemed via PayPal.

Earn 100 credits for every friend who signs up with your referral link. You also get 10% of their earnings.

6. TaskRabbit

You get access to thousands of tasks here while getting paid to do odd jobs and run errands for other people.

To be a TaskRabbit, prepare of for a federal background check and also to undergo a video interview.

Once you have reached $25 in your account, you can get a cash payout via PayPal or have the check mailed to you.

– Android apps that make you money

These are apps available only for Android.

But again, depending on how successful they become, we can expect the iOS version pretty soon as well.

7. Cash King

Earn money using this app to download and try other free apps that include new games.

You also earn when you watch videos or take surveys.

You are paid via PayPal or with Amazon gift cards.

8. Get Paid to Play

Use this app to earn money by watching video advertisements, downloading and playing new games.

You also register on certain websites.

Payments are made via PayPal.

– Apps for both iPhone & Android

These apps are available for both Android and iOS devices.

9. GymPact

If your resolution is to get fit and healthier, check out this app that helps you to commit to exercise.

You use cash incentives with this app. Commit to the number of days you want to exercise and check in with this app the next time you hit the gym.

When you fulfill your commitments, you earn cash rewards that are actually paid by those who did not work out.

The rewards range from $0.50 to $0.75 per workout.

10. Gigwalk

You get to do fun things to get paid using this app.

You only need to take photographs of displays at the stores, test mobile apps, do some mystery shopping or review delivery services.

You receive notifications when there are new jobs available in the area.

Payments of between $6 and $220 can be made via PayPal.

11. ShopKick

Use this app to earn rewards via store check-ins, scanning various products and when you make purchases.

You redeem your points for gift cards, music downloads, movie tickets and Facebook credits.

You will also love the discount offers for certain stores.

12. CheckPoints

Set aside a minute to scan the bar codes when you check in at a grocery store. This app pays in rewards.

You can also redeem points for iTunes and Amazon gift cards and Alaska airline miles.

There will never be short of deals with the participation of thousands of retailers.

13. Phewtick

Use this app to get paid to meet people.

Install it on your phone and scan a QR Code when you meet up with a person.

With the points you have earned, you can cash it out or make a donation to UNICEF or the Red Cross.

14. ESPN Streak For The Cash

Do you think you know your sports team well enough?

You can test your skills by naming your predictions for each game.

Also, make sure you get the most winning streak for the month.

For a tougher challenge, predict for 10 different sports and try to maintain your streak.

The most winning streak for a team or player will walk away with the monthly grand prize of $50,000.

15. App Trailers

Preview video trailers of apps with this app and get points.

Just watch the videos and get paid for it.

Payments are made via PayPal or Amazon gift codes.

16. NPolls

This is an app that pays you for your opinion so this is your opportunity to voice out on what you have to say on a particular topic.

You earn money each time you complete a survey.

You can also share your opinion and view the results of other respondents.

The first reward is $10 for the first 50 surveys answered as they pay $0.20 per survey.

You are paid via PayPal.

17. JunoWallet

This is one for the gamers.

You get to play games or watch videos or complete surveys to earn the rewards.

Earn more when you invite your friends to use the app.

There are various rewards via Invites (3 levels) that come as gift cards for games, food, beverages such as coffee and movie tickets.

18. Viggle

Don’t just be a couch potato in front of the TV. Use this app to make some money!

You get to earn rewards when you check in to your favorite shows the next time you sit down in front of the telly.

Watch live TV that comes with real-time interactive questions, polls to take part in and also voting related to what is happening onscreen.

Earn your rewards for Best Buy, Burger King, Fandango, and others.

For more points, you need to play games, watch videos or take part in the quizzes.

19. Receipt Hog

Now don’t throw away those grocery receipts. They can come in handier than you think.

Use this app to get paid for taking photographs of your receipts and earn points for every receipt.

You can redeem your collected “coins” for cash and donations.

The data from your receipts are made anonymous and will be summarized in market research reports.

20. Nexercise

To exercise and to achieve for that body shape that you strive for, you need motivation.

Think no more and get this app which motivates you to work out by earning rewards.

You earn points when you log in for at least 15 minutes’ of exercise.

When you go to the gym or work out outside, check in with this app and have your phone on yourself so that it detects motion.

The more points you collect, the better your rewards.

21. Panel App

The Panel App collects your location data for the purpose of analytics.

This data is then pooled with data collected from thousands of other panelists to gives third party companies meaningful insight.

You can also earn more points for taking surveys.

Your points can be redeemed for Amazon and Visa gift cards, Cash Via PayPal, Google Play and more.

22. Jingit

This is another app that lets you earn cash when you go to places and scan the selected products.

You can also earn cash when you take surveys or watch videos.

Cash is obtained through its Jingit Visa debit card.

You may begin with a $5 earning limit per week and then increase it to $10 if you share Jingit on Facebook.

23. FanCake

Sports fans should check out this app. This is a live social game that rewards fans when they watch sports shows on TV.

You simply check in to a game on Facebook and play along with the action and win stuff after that.

The rewards range from game tickets, gift cards to sports gear among others.

24. Surveys On The Go

Earn cash for your valuable opinions when you use this app.

Take part in the surveys that pay from $0.25 to $5. They usually pay $1 though.

Do not worry as your information is kept safe with them and protected.

Payments are via PayPal.

25. iBotta

To use iBotta, you will have to select the products that you are buying when you shop. Then earn money by completing the tasks associated with the products you bought.

The tasks could be answering a question on the product and earn $0.50 or read up one fact on the product and earn $0.25.

You can also earn $1.25 when you put up postings on your Facebook page about the product.

You then shop at one of the 35 listed national retailers. Snap a photo of your items and the corresponding bar code to verify your purchase.

The iBotta app will then add money to your account. You can withdraw your earnings via PayPal or donate it to any school in the United States.

26. SavingStar

This app allows you to link your grocery store loyalty cards and you get to enjoy some savings.

After downloading the app, select the eCoupons you like to be linked to your cards.

When you shop, use your card at checkout and money will be added to your SavingStar account.

When you have saved $5, your options include PayPal, cash deposit into your bank account, Amazon gift card or make a donation to a charity.

27. iPinion

With this app, you earn reward points for taking part in market research surveys with your mobile device.

The survey topics range from movies, technology to specific research panels.

Every 100 points equal $1. What’s great is that you can get up to 450 points for some surveys.

You redeem your points for cash or store gift cards.

28. Iconzoomer

This is an interesting app where you need to take photos of food and fashion products and trends.

All you need to do is take photos according to your assignment. It could be what you are eating for lunch, what you are drinking or the shoes you are wearing.

You earn money for each photo. You then write a comment about your snapshot. This allows you to provide feedback to the manufacturer.

You are paid via PayPal or receive free merchandise. You can also opt to donate to charity via UNICEF.

Bottom Line

Using some of these apps regularly can easily earn you a little extra spending money.

Who knows, maybe what you make from these money making apps will even help with your phone bill!

Источник

The reality of making money from iPhone apps

I previously shared my research into developing iPhone apps. The clear message was making money from iPhone apps is not easy.

Of course, before you can make money from your iPhone app, you need to develop the app in the first place.

It’s hard to get a feel for how difficult this would be in practice – the developers of the iPhone apps on the iStore range from one-man bands to multinational software companies.

• Would I need to effectively start a small software studio to create an app?

• Or could I hire a friend or two to do the deed, taking on the funding, development risk, project management and marketing in exchange, hopefully, for the rewards?

For some answers, I dropped a line to programmer Paul Dias, who created one of my favourite new iPhone apps, Tube Changer.

Paul’s simple-to-use app tells you where to get on a London Underground train so that you’re correctly placed for the exit at the other end of the journey.

It sounds pretty nerdy, but as a true Londoner I consider it my sworn duty to hurtle through the system as rapidly as a banker running towards a bonus. Tube Changer can save you valuable minutes being stuck behind mobs of Spanish students blocking the platform.

Tube Changer is also interesting because it was created by one man in his spare time – the sort of cheap development process I’d require to keep the risks down and to maximise rewards in the shape of a passive income stream.

To find out more, I batted a few questions back and forth to Paul on email. He was kind enough to reply with pretty extensive answers, as collated below.

It’s a pretty long interview, but if you’re considering making an iPhone app but have no experience it’s quite illuminating.

An interview with an iPhone app developer

The Investor: Thanks for taking the time to share some of your experiences Paul. To start off, how long did it take to create Tube Changer, and on what sort of workload?

Paul Dias: Having previously written a small iPhone app for a third-party, I decided that I was going make my own app towards the end of 2008.

I didn’t start work on it immediately, believing that I would have plenty of time and that no-one else would have had the same idea. As well has hopefully making some money, my aim was to write the app that I would want to use, so I wasn’t going to rush it.

From start to finish the project took about six months, but the amount of work I was able to put in varied from a few hours week to getting on for 30 hours per week.

“The project took about six months, but the amount of work I was able to put in varied from a few hours week to getting on for 30 hours…”

However, after about two months of work, not one but two competing apps came out!

Why did you carry on after you saw these rivals?

I could have abandoned my effort, but my decision to carry on writing my app was based on a few factors:

a) I had already spent a lot of time on it and didn’t want it to be wasted
b) It was good development experience for me for potential future iPhone development work
c) My app was the one I wanted to use myself
d) It would be interesting to see how it would fare in the iTunes App Store, and whether it could or would be discovered by anyone, given the dominance of one of the competitors in the ‘top 20 paid travel apps’ list.

I wanted to test the idea that if the app is of sufficient quality it would somehow ‘rise to the top’ of its own accord, via sufficient favourable user ratings or reviews.

In addition I found that to add the kind of polish that I felt was required for a good iPhone app took extra time.

What sort of extra polish?

Well, I generally didn’t accept my first attempt at any of the user interface – this was partly because this was my first substantial app, so I was learning as I went.

Everything was done several times to try and find the best performance and the best appearance. This includes placement of text, the heights of the rows in the tables and the design of the various graphical elements, like the tube line colour-coded line header bars.

How different is the App market now compared to when you started?

The App Store has changed a lot in the 12 months since my first app came out – that app was a custom web browser for a client’s web site, and it was one of the first 10,000 apps in the store (a milestone reached around the end of November 2008).

Twelve months on there’s now an order of magnitude more apps in the store – the 100,000 milestone was announced by Apple at the beginning of November 2009.

“It’s much harder for new apps to get noticed now, at least by users just looking in iTunes…”

One of the big changes I’ve seen is that it’s much harder for new apps to get noticed, at least by users just looking in iTunes.

On the day that Tube Changer went live, there seemed to be about 60 new apps in the Travel category on that same day. My app only ever appeared on page 3 of the ‘most recent apps’ list.

As this list is one of the most important ways of getting your new app noticed, adjusting the release date of your app to make it appear on the first page was one trick that many developers used. Apple has recently changed the way this works, and now the release date of your app is no longer under your direct control and gets automatically set to the date that it goes live in the App Store.

How then can potential customers find your app in the store?

The main way I think is via the top lists. For example, my app has been in the list of top 100 paid apps for the travel category – though I don’t know if users even look at that list, or whether they only look at the top 20 that is displayed on the front page for the travel category in iTunes.

It’s even harder when you’re looking in the store on the iPhone itself, as the small screen size means that only four or five apps can be seen at a time.

With thousands of apps in each category (there are over 7,000 in the travel category) it would make a lot of sense for Apple to add more levels of detail.

For instance, within travel there could be additional categories for the UK, and then for London and other cities, plus categories for apps relating to public transport, or travel planning. At the moment it’s just one big flat list. Games is the only App Store category that has subcategories at the moment.

Apple’s also recently introduced keywords that you have to enter to describe your app. These will be used for searches, instead of the descriptive text that users see in iTunes. This will hopefully improve the quality of search results, and stop the kind of ‘SEO’-style tricks that had been employed in the past (e.g. mentioning the name of a more successful app in the description of your app in order to get into search results).

The new ‘Genius’ feature is also meant to recommend apps based on those you’ve already bought, but again this is out of the developer’s control.

The other places where an app could be highlighted are on the front page of the app store in iTunes, or the ‘Featured’ tab on the phone. This includes sections like ‘New and Noteworthy’, ‘What’s Hot’ and ‘Staff Favourites’. How you can help yourself get into these sections is anyone’s guess, though, I’m afraid.

“The lesson is that you can’t rely just sitting back and hoping customers will find you on the iTunes App Store…”

The lesson is that you can’t rely just sitting back and hoping customers will find you on the iTunes App Store – you’re going to need to do some marketing to spread the word.

The apps I’ve downloaded seem to always be getting updates. Do you have plans for upgrades to Tube Changer?

Yes. Firstly there will be inevitable updates to the tube exits data itself, either in terms of mistakes or typos in the data, or changes in the actual tube network (e.g. closed stations reopening).

Then there are new features: I have a few things in mind, and there are always features that don’t make your 1.0 release, otherwise you’d never ship it.

I’m not aiming to make the app do everything one could think of, though. I agree with the idea that with the iPhone it’s best to do one thing really well rather than attempt to cram every feature you can think of into your app. Many of Apple’s own apps follow this philosophy.

How well has the Tube Changer app done so far?

I think it’s too early to say, after only a couple of weeks. It has been selling steadily though. Some customers have given it a rating in the App Store, but it needs more such feedback before it starts to climb up search results and maybe even appear in the top 100 or top 20 lists.

Also, the free cut-down ‘Lite’ version has just come out, which will enable people to try before they buy. This approach has been shown to be successful on the App Store in the past, and will hopefully stimulate further sales.

Are you making money? Has it matched your expectations?

Yes, in a way: every sale gets me some cash, once Apple has taken its 30%. I didn’t seriously keep track of costs, though, treating this as a spare time/hobby activity. And when those two unexpected competitors appeared earlier this year I had to drastically re-evaluate any expectations I had formed.

As a project it had to be recast as something of an experiment rather than as a potentially large money-spinner.

“Every sale gets me some cash, once Apple has taken its 30%….”

I am still hoping that by spending the necessary time to make my app exactly as I wanted it in terms of performance and quality it will compare favourably to the established market leader. Whether this will translate into sales in the App Store remains to be seen!

Thanks for your time Paul, and good luck with those sales!

(For more on Tube Changer, see Paul’s dedicated Tube Changer website).

iPhone apps not an easy way to make money

From my previous research into App development, and the candid input from Paul above, I’m not inclined to go into iPhone app development right now.

The competition sounds intense. I’ll check back with Paul in a few months to see if sales took off, but it sounds like a crowded marketplace that’s getting worse by the day.

Perhaps this and my previous article on making money from iPhone apps have had the opposite affect on you, in which case I wish you the best of luck.

Indeed, if you enjoy programming in your spare time – as Paul seems to – then why not create an iPhone app? There’s always a chance you’ll strike gold.

Another option would be to look at Google Android, or even the Blackberry, which seem to have less competitive app stores, at least for now.

As for iPhone app development, it looks as risky as starting any other business.

If you’ve got a great idea and you’re passionate about it, then it might be worth taking the risk. But beware of the opportunity cost – and definitely don’t think it will be easy.

All the evidence says that if it ever was easy to make money from iPhone apps, it certainly isn’t now.

Thanks for reading! Monevator is a simply spiffing blog about making, saving, and investing money. Please do check out some of the best articles or follow our posts via Facebook, Twitter, email or RSS.

Источник