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Passive income apps pay you for something you already have: unused internet, everyday shopping, a spare garage, a parked car or a little extra cash. Some run with zero effort after setup and offer a quick way to make money online, while others need money or an asset up front. Here’s what each one costs and pays, straight from each company’s own website.
| App | Type | What you put in | Main fee | Cash-out minimum | How you get paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honeygain | Bandwidth sharing | Unused internet | No Honeygain payout fee; PayPal may charge one | $20 | PayPal; gift cards or crypto through JumpTask |
| Pawns.app | Bandwidth sharing | Unused internet | Some payout methods carry fees (amounts not listed) | $5 | PayPal, Venmo, bank transfer, Bitcoin, gift cards |
| Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel | Data sharing | Your browsing and app-use data | None | Not listed | Points for prizes and gift cards |
| Rakuten | Cashback | Shopping you already do | None listed | $5.01 | PayPal, check, Bilt or Amex points, gift cards |
| Ibotta | Cashback | Shopping you already do | $3.99 every 30 days if inactive 180+ days | $20 | Bank transfer, PayPal, gift cards |
| Fetch | Receipt rewards | Your receipts | None listed | 3,000 points for most rewards | Gift cards |
| Neighbor | Space rental | Garage, driveway, shed or lot | 4.9% + $0.30 per monthly payout | Paid monthly | Monthly payouts to your account |
| Turo | Car sharing | Your car | Turo keeps 10%–30% of the trip price in most markets | Not listed | Not listed |
| Fundrise | Investing | $10 or more | 0.15% advisory + 0.85% management fee yearly | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Acorns | Investing | Spare change | $4, $8 or $12 a month | Not applicable | Not applicable |
These apps run in the background once installed. You don’t spend money, but you do share something: your unused bandwidth or data about how you use your devices.
Honeygain pays you to share the internet bandwidth you’re not using. Install it, keep your devices online and Honeygain uses your spare bandwidth for online tasks, per Honeygain. Worth knowing: it isn’t available on iPhone.
| How you earn | Credits for every megabyte of unused bandwidth you share |
| Earning potential | Up to $20 or more a month per device, per Honeygain — actual earnings vary |
| What you put in | Unused internet and a device left online |
| Fees | Honeygain doesn’t charge a payout fee; PayPal may charge a small transaction fee |
| Cash-out minimum | $20 (20,000 credits) |
| How you get paid | PayPal; send earnings to JumpTask for gift cards or crypto |
| Payout speed | Typically 2–3 business days after you request it |
| Platforms | Android, Windows, macOS, Linux — not iOS |
| Sign-up bonus | $2 starter bonus through Honeygain’s sign-up link |
Pawns.app pays you to share unused bandwidth for passive income and also offers surveys, games and quests if you want to earn faster. You can cash out from just $5. Worth knowing: using a VPN or proxy breaks its terms and gets your account terminated, per Pawns.app.
| How you earn | Bandwidth sharing (passive), plus optional surveys, games and quests |
| Earning potential | Only the most active users may earn up to $500 a month across all earning methods, per Pawns.app — it doesn’t list bandwidth-only earnings |
| What you put in | Unused internet on a residential IP address |
| Fees | Free to use; some payout methods carry small withdrawal fees, but amounts aren’t listed on its website |
| Cash-out minimum | $5 |
| How you get paid | PayPal, Venmo, bank transfer, Bitcoin, Payoneer and gift cards — options vary by country |
| Payout speed | Most arrive within minutes; some take up to 72 hours |
| Platforms | iOS, Android |
| Sign-up bonus | $3 with referral code EARN3 |
Nielsen — the company behind TV ratings — pays panelists in points for letting its app or software track which websites and apps they use and for how long. It doesn’t collect user IDs or passwords, per Nielsen. It’s the most hands-off pick here but also the lowest earner.
| How you earn | Weekly points for keeping Nielsen’s app or software installed and connected |
| Earning potential | Up to $60 a year in points. $30 mobile, $30 computer, plus entries into a monthly $10,000 sweepstakes for computer panelists |
| What you put in | Data on the websites and apps you use |
| Fees | None — no credit card or purchase ever required |
| Cash-out minimum | Not listed on its website |
| How you get paid | Points redeemable for prizes and gift cards |
| Points expiration | One year after they’re credited, or sooner if you’re inactive on your devices for six straight months |
| Platforms | Computer, tablet and smartphone |
| Eligibility | 18 or older and the owner of the device |
These apps pay you back on purchases. They’re only passive if you’d buy those things anyway — spending more to earn cash back costs you money. For more options, compare the best receipt-scanning and cashback apps.
Rakuten pays cash back when you shop at its partner stores online, in-store or through its browser extension. It lists more than 3,500 stores. The catch is timing: it pays out every three months, and most cash back takes weeks to confirm.
| How you earn | Cash back on purchases at partner stores |
| Earning potential | Not a fixed amount — rates vary by store and depend on what you spend |
| What you put in | Shopping you already do |
| Fees | None listed on Rakuten’s help pages |
| Cash-out minimum | $5.01 in confirmed cash back for a quarterly payment; $5 for a gift card |
| How you get paid | PayPal, check, Bilt points or American Express Membership Rewards points (eligible cardholders); gift cards from more than 40 brands |
| Payout schedule | February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15 |
| Confirmation time | Typically 3–14 weeks for online and in-store cash back; 45–120 days for travel |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, web, browser extension |
| Sign-up bonus | $10 welcome bonus advertised — check Rakuten’s site for current terms |
Ibotta pays cash back on offers from name brands and retailers, which you can withdraw to your bank or PayPal. Worth knowing: if you stop using it, Ibotta starts deducting a fee from your balance.
| How you earn | Cash back for redeeming offers on purchases |
| Earning potential | Not listed on its website |
| What you put in | Shopping you already do |
| Fees | Free to use, but $3.99 comes out of your balance every 30 days once your account has been inactive for 180 days — never from your bank account |
| Cash-out minimum | $20, and at least one earning must come from a name-brand offer |
| How you get paid | Bank account; PayPal and gift cards (app only) |
| Payout speed | 4–5 business days to your bank from the app; 0–5 days from Ibotta.com, depending on account type |
| Platforms | Mobile app and Ibotta.com |
Fetch gives you points for snapping almost any receipt within 14 days of purchase, or for linking your email and Amazon account to capture online orders. You trade points for gift cards — there’s no cash option. If that’s a dealbreaker, compare other apps like Fetch.
| How you earn | Points for scanned receipts and eReceipts, with bonus points from featured brands |
| Earning potential | Not listed on its website |
| What you put in | Your receipts |
| Fees | None listed; no credit card needed |
| Cash-out minimum | 3,000 points for most rewards; your first redemption must be a $10, $25 or $50 reward |
| How you get paid | Gift cards, mostly electronic |
| Payout speed | Up to 72 hours to process |
| Points expiration | After 90 days with no receipts, redemptions or GoodRx use |
| Limits | Up to 35 receipts per rolling seven-day period |
| Platforms | iOS, Android — US only |
These can earn more than hands-off apps, but they’re the least passive. You’re handing over space or a car, and you’ll need to handle requests and protect your property.
Neighbor connects you with people who need storage or parking, so you can rent out a garage, driveway, shed, spare room or empty lot. Listing is free, and Neighbor handles payments and includes $1 million in liability protection with every reservation, per Neighbor.
| How you earn | Monthly rent from people storing items or vehicles in your space |
| Earning potential | Not a fixed amount — depends on your location, space type and size |
| What you put in | Unused space |
| Fees | Free to list; 4.9% + $0.30 processing fee comes out of each monthly payout (renters pay a separate service fee) |
| Cash-out minimum | Not applicable — payouts arrive monthly |
| How you get paid | Monthly payouts to your account |
| Protection | $1 million host liability protection |
| Availability | All 50 states |
Turo lets you rent your car to guests. Your take depends on the earnings plan you pick: more protection means a smaller cut. You’ll still need your own personal car insurance, per Turo.
| How you earn | A share of each trip price, plus delivery fees and Extras |
| Earning potential | You keep 70%, 80% or 90% of the trip price in most US markets; 65%–100% in nine markets where the share depends on how far ahead guests book |
| What you put in | Your car, plus your own personal car insurance |
| Fees | Turo keeps 10%–30% of the trip price in most markets, based on your plan |
| Damage responsibility | $250, $1,500 or $2,750 per trip, depending on your plan |
| Cash-out minimum | Not listed on the pages we checked |
| How you get paid | Not listed on the pages we checked |
| Protection | Up to $750,000 in third-party liability insurance from Travelers |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, web |
Investing is the classic form of passive income, but it’s the only category here where you can lose money you put in. None of these returns are guaranteed. To compare more platforms, see our picks for the best investment apps and robo-advisors.
Fundrise lets you invest in real estate, private credit and venture capital funds with a one-time investment of as little as $10. All investments carry risk and may result in partial or total loss, per Fundrise.
| How you earn | Returns from the funds you’re invested in — not guaranteed |
| Earning potential | Varies with fund performance |
| What you put in | A one-time investment of $10 or more, plus optional auto-invest from $10 |
| Fees | 0.15% yearly advisory fee, plus a 0.85% yearly management fee on real estate funds — $10 a year per $1,000 invested; the Innovation Fund’s management fee is 1.85% instead |
| Cash-out minimum | Not applicable — withdrawal terms aren’t on the pages we checked; see Fundrise’s offering circulars |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android |
Acorns rounds up your purchases to the nearest dollar and invests the spare change in a diversified portfolio of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). You pay a flat monthly fee instead of a percentage of your balance. Worth knowing: Acorns’ pricing page now lists $4 and $8 for its Bronze and Silver plans, so older reviews may show lower fees. If retirement is your main goal, compare the best IRA accounts.
| How you earn | Investment growth on your Round-Ups and deposits — not guaranteed |
| Earning potential | Varies with the market; Silver and Gold also earn 3.59% APY on Emergency Savings (variable, as of September 22, 2026) |
| What you put in | Spare change from everyday purchases — no account minimum |
| Fees | $4 a month (Bronze), $8 (Silver) or $12 (Gold); the ETFs in your portfolio also charge their own expenses |
| IRA match | 1% (Silver) or 3% (Gold) on new IRA contributions in your first year; you must keep the money in for four years to keep the match |
| Cash-out minimum | Not applicable |
| Platforms | Mobile app and web |
Less than most ads suggest, unless you’re putting in money or an asset. Here’s what the companies themselves say:
Most hands-off apps won’t replace a paycheck, which is why many people pair them with a side hustle that pays by the hour. Payouts can also take anywhere from minutes to three months, and cash advance apps can cover a short gap before then, often for a fee.
We started with the apps that show up most on top-ranking passive income lists, then checked every fee, cash-out minimum, payout method and platform on each company’s own website. If we couldn’t confirm a detail at the source, we say so. We favored apps that publish their fees up front, pay out in ways most people can use and need little ongoing effort.
Start with what you’re willing to share, then compare the details that affect your take-home pay:
The apps on this list publish their terms on their own sites, but each comes with a tradeoff:
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