There are so many choices out there when it comes to viable and legitimate side hustles that can earn you income, and nowadays, many of these can be accessed through your smartphone. App-based side hustles come in all shapes and sizes, from the tired and tested stalwarts like eBay’s auction services or Uber’s ridesharing program to relatively new kids on the block, such as renting your car with Turo or selling books through BookScouter. There are side hustles for everyone: read on for the best side hustle apps to boost your income!
1. Airbnb
💼 Side Hustle: Vacation rentals
💰 Earning Epectations: US$US500 upwards, monthly.
📱 Available On: App Store | Google Play
Airbnb has gone from being a fringe player in the travel and tourism industry to having over two million people stay with them each night. If you have a spare room or even a spare property, then using Airbnb to rent it out can become a valuable side hustle, especially when your rental location is in high demand.
With Airbnb, you don’t have to be a full-time bed and breakfast host, cooking meals and changing sheets. You set the level of the service you provide and price your offering accordingly. Some hosts opt to outsource all aspects of the stay to intermediate companies.
2. BookScouter
💼Side Hustle: Book valuations and marketplace.
💰 Earnings Expectations: US$20 to US$1,000 monthly.
📱 Available On: App Store | Google Play
A great side hustle for the bookworms amongst us, BookScouter provides a flexible and comprehensive marketplace for valuing and selling your books. If you have books you don’t read anymore or have no intention of ever opening, then BookScouter can help you value them and provide a market for selling them or renting them out to people.
As with many side hustles, BookScouter can be useful in generating a little bit of cash, but if you have enough books lying around, the app can help you become a trusted and experienced book trader! (Feel free to read our article on how to sell books with BookScouter).
3. DoorDash
💼 Side Hustle: Food delivery.
💰 Earnings Expectations: US$1,000 upwards, monthly.
📱 Available On: App Store | Google Play
DoorDash represents around 60% of the US food delivery market. To start with DoorDash, all you need is a vehicle such as a bike or a car, pass their background checks, and you can work as little or as much as you want to, delivering food to hungry customers.
DoorDash incentivizes its riders through various schemes like ‘challenges’ and rewards you if you deliver to high-popularity areas or during peak hours. Therefore, using the app at the right times can prove to be a lucrative money spinner.
4. eBay
💼 Side Hustle: Internet auctions
💰Earnings Expectations: US$15 upwards, monthly.
📱 Available On: App Store | Google Play
eBay has been around since 1995 and is well-known as one of the internet’s primary auction websites. Those looking to use eBay as a side hustle can use the website in two ways. Firstly, you can declutter your life and sell things you don’t need on eBay (famously, the first ever product sold on the site was a broken laser pen).
Secondly, if you are a collector of antiques or other items, you can get a little business buying and selling to specialist audiences. Whereas you can drop in and out of eBay, making a few dollars here and there, making thousands per month in passive income is also easy.
5. Fiverr
💼 Side Hustle: Technical freelancing.
💰Earnings Expectations: US$40 upwards, monthly.
📱 Available On: App Store | Google Play
Fiverr is a freelancing app that enables you to set up gigs and complete work for clients. If you have a particular talent that is going to waste or some free time to enable you to execute high-quality work for those who order from you, then Fiverr can be a great side hustle app.
Fiverr accepts many types of gigs, such as proofreading, article writing, graphic design, translation services, or web design. So, the chances are that if you are skilled in something, you can freelance it out here. You can set your own prices and how much work you complete.
6. Neighbor
💼 Side Hustle: Spare space rentals.
💰 Earnings Expectations: US$20 and US$700 monthly.
📱 Available On: App Store | Google Play
Think of Neighbor like Airbnb, but for storage, not people. If you have extra space or rooms in your home that aren’t doing anything, then you can make money renting these spaces out to those who can use them. You can list anything from closets, spare rooms, and even garages or parking spaces.
Neighbor allows you to set the asking price for your spaces and is a passive income source. All communication between you and the customer is routed through the app, maximizing safety and trust for all parties.
7. Rover
💼 Side Hustle: Pet-sitting and dog walking.
💰 Earning Expectations: US$500 to US$1,000 monthly.
📱 Available On: App Store | Google Play
If you’re an animal lover and have enough spare time to allow you to pet sit or get out and about for dog walks, then Rover could be the perfect side hustle app for you.
Rover requires you to pay a US$35 fee (as of May 2023) to set up a profile and will complete background checks on your behalf. After this, you can set your availability, what services you offer, and set pricing. Rover operates a robust review system you need to ensure you can take the responsibilities that come with looking after a pet seriously.
8. Swagbucks
💼 Side Hustle: Surveys, games, videos.
💰 Earnings Expectations: Between US$1 and US$5 per day.
📱 Available On: App Store | Google Play
Swagbucks has been in the side hustle game since 2008 and offers some of the easiest ways to make money. Users of Swagbucks can participate in surveys, play games, watch adverts or videos, and search for terms on the internet to earn money. You can also access retail discounts, earn cashback, and earn vouchers for online shopping.
Swagbucks’ app is easy to use, and there are plenty of different ways to get your side hustle going. Whereas the earnings can be lower than other side hustles on this list, those who spend a few hours a day on Swagbucks can earn higher amounts of money.
9. Turo
💼 Side Hustle: Peer-to-peer car rental.
💰 Earnings Expectations: US$ 500 upwards, monthly.
📱 Available On: App Store | Google Play
Turo is like Airbnb for cars. If you have a car that is only occasionally used, or perhaps a rarer or sportier car that people might like to rent as a treat, then Turo can be an awesome side hustle. You list your car and set the rates as well as their availability. After that, Turo’s clients will arrange with you how to collect the car. You build up your reputation through reviews as you go along.
Turo offers some decent passive income as a side hustle, and the app offers renters significant protection and insurance when their car is on the road.
10. Uber
💼 Side Hustle: Ridesharing
💰 Earnings Expectations: US$1,000 upwards, monthly.
📱 Available On: App Store | Google Play
For many people, Uber provides a significant primary source of income, but for those who enjoy driving or getting out and about meeting people, the quintessential ridesharing app can be a fun little side hustle. Using your own car, you sign up on Uber’s app and complete verification checks that guarantee the safety of you, your car, and your passengers. After that, you can pick your own hours and get paid weekly.
With Uber, you will need to factor in your expenses into your side hustle, such as tax, gas, cleaning, insurance, car maintenance, and any finance owed on the car.
Conclusion
With all these side hustles being available on apps, and many of them needing little or no experience, getting your side hustle underway has never been easier. Whether you have a specific talent, have things to sell or space to rent, or simply wish to monetize your free time, download these apps and get your side hustle going!
Want to learn more about the best side hustles? Check out our lists:
8 Legit Side Hustles to Make Money Online
Top 10 Side Hustles for College Students
15 Side Hustles Ideas for Humanities Degree Students
