8+ top paying sites and apps for making extra cash

If you've a computer or smartphone, there are a host of ways to boost your coffers. You could earn £1,000s/year by clicking and swiping, with no special skill needed. This guide lists 30+ (legit) ways to make money online – you can get paid just to watch videos, write, search on Google, sell photos, make your own YouTube clips and much more.

In this guide

• Make money online: quick tips

• Get paid to click

• Watch videos, play games

• Online survey sites

• Get paid to google

• Enter competitions

• Get paid for easy online tasks

• Earn by snapping objects in your home

• Get paid for odd jobs you can do OUTSIDE



Quick tips for making money online

Before you start earning money online, there are a few things worth knowing. The main thing to remember is that while some of these sites only pay small amounts, add them all together and you could be looking at an annual bonanza of £1,000s.

Don't store cash in online-earning accounts

Companies that offer you the opportunity to earn online aren't banks. There's no protection if one goes under, taking your cash with it. So withdraw your cash as soon as you reach the payment threshold.

Do set up a dedicated email address

Set up a dedicated email address for online earning. When it comes to powerful free options, Gmail is among the best. Doing this is also a quick way to check when new paid tasks become available.

Don't expect to be instantly rolling in it

With some sites, it can take a while to earn enough to be able to withdraw your money. And if you give up, it means you did the tasks for free.

For this reason, it's important to understand it's not quick cash. But it is nice extra income, provided you're consistent and have a little patience.

Do spend gift vouchers ASAP

If you're given the choice, opt to get paid in cash. If you get paid in gift vouchers, spend them ASAP. Doing so reduces your chances of being left with invalid vouchers should the retailer go bust on you. Plus it means you can't lose them or forget about them until they go out of date. For more info on this, see our Gift Voucher Warning.

Before you start counting the dosh, don't forget to check if some may belong to the taxman

For most people this won't be the case, especially if you're just doing it as a bit of extra cash. But get serious with it, or already have income from self-employment, and you might need to pay tax.

The trading allowance means you don't have to report the first £1,000 you earn from self-employment or selling goods/services 'for profit'. However if you earn more than a grand from the tricks in this guide, or have income over £1,000 from this and other self-employment, you'll need to declare it to HMRC, regardless of whether you're self-employed or PAYE.

HMRC told us everyone must do this by registering for Self Assessment, if not already registered, and filling in a tax return. If PAYE, it says it can collect your tax bill through a change to your tax code, providing you meet specific criteria.

Get paid to click

• Watch videos, play games and earn



Swagbucks* is a fun site that pays you for completing short online tasks such as watching videos and answering polls. You can then exchange this for gift cards, cash via PayPal or other rewards. The site's huge in the USA, and here in the UK many MSE Forumites are dedicated users.

We've blagged a boosted bonus for newbies. Sign up via our MSE Blagged Swagbucks* link to get bonus points equivalent to £20 in Amazon (or other) gift cards once you've earned 1,300 SB (equivalent to £10) – giving you a total of £30.

You'll need to earn your SB (points) within 30 days of signing up. This offer is ongoing for the time being. See more on how to get your free £20 bonus.

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 Swagbucking 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

• See a full list of ways to earn Swagbucks

Quick summary

• Who's it good for? People who want to grab quick cash for fun tasks

• Typical earnings: £25/month

• Payment method: Cash or Amazon voucher

• Amount you need to earn before it pays: £3ish (depends on reward)

• Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Swagbucks forum thread

• Online survey sites

Willing to give views on mask-wearing, 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 Top Online Survey Sites and Apps guide.

• Get paid to google



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, Chrome, eBay, Safari and more.

Qmee will show extra results or adverts alongside normal search results. 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 7p-15p.

You can also download its app on Google Play or the iTunes Store, which focuses on surveys, usually paying 10p to £1.50. You can also see these on the 'surveys' tab of its desktop site.

Forumite scarab2019 says:

I am at £600 total, average £30 a month. Great little earner this is. 
- scarab2019

Quick summary

• Who's it good for? Folks with the patience to click ads for a few pence

• Typical earnings: £5/month

• Payment method: Cash via PayPal or a range of gift cards

• How much you need to earn before it pays: No minimum

• Have you tried it? Share your experiences in the Qmee forum thread

• What exactly do I have to do?

• Can I boost earnings by repeating searches?

• What does Qmee do with my data?

• Earn hard cash for fun tasks, for example, watching videos



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 or buy Amazon vouchers with your points. Just sign up and check the 'earn points' section. It shows the tasks available and what they pay. It also has an Android app, which lets you do similar from your mobile. 

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 1,000 points or a $5 PayPal payment costs 530 points. While Gift Hunter Club lists cash payments in US dollars, PayPal converts the cash into pounds.

Quick summary

• Who's it good for? Those already using Swagbucks who want to join a similar site

• Typical earnings: £7/week

• Payment method: PayPal, Amazon vouchers and more

• How much you need to earn before it pays: £4ish

• Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Gift Hunter Club forum thread

• Enter contests as a cash-boosting hobby

From cars to £20,000 cash, five-star 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+ Comping Tips guide.

• Grab FREE cashback

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.

For example, Topcashback often pays you to take out free trials of products – its free cashback section lists the top offers. For full info, see Top Cashback Sites.

Get paid for easy online tasks

• Earn up to £10 for tasks such as snapping bananas in your home



Free money-making app Mobeye pays for small tasks such as snapping photos of objects around the house or checking products' availability in shops. It pays up to £10 per 'mission', though these high-paying jobs are rare. Tasks that pay 50p-ish are more common – on the upside, they are usually super quick. 

To get involved, download the app on Android or iPhone, then complete a quick test task. You can then check the map to see missions near you. Once you book a job, you have two hours to venture out and complete it. You just take the requested pictures and fill out the info.

The jobs seem to involve less effort than other apps. We've heard of tasks such as 50p to taking a photo of any brochure to 10p for taking photos of banana in your house. We've even heard of people getting paid to take photos of the sky! See a full Q&A.

Quick summary

• Who's it good for? People who prefer quick and easy tasks

• Typical earnings: 50p to £5

• Payment method: PayPal

• How much you need to earn before it pays: £7

• Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the earning apps forum thread

• Get up to £10 for simple tasks in shops, for example, asking managers about coffee



The BeMyEye app pays you to carry out quick and simple market research via your mobile. Simply download for iPhone or Android and check it regularly for upcoming jobs in your area.

We've seen tasks including browsing shoe shops, interviewing shop managers about coffee consumption and sending photos of how razor blades are displayed in a pharmacy. When we logged on in August 2021, tasks seemed plentiful in the locations we tried. 

BeMyEye typically pays £3-£10 per task, depending on the difficulty. Tasks can range from a quick photo to a more involved 20-minute interview with a store manager, asking for their opinions.

In some cases you may be asked to buy products and reclaim the cost, so make sure you keep hold of any receipts. Payment can take three to four days.

Jobs are snapped up quickly, so consider turning on notifications on your phone so you get alerts as they're issued.

This is definitely one of the better-paying apps we’ve seen, as Forumite Lenore13 found: 

I've signed up to several micro-job sites within the last six weeks and the one I've had the best luck with is BeMyEye – I've earned £42.10.
- Lenore13

Quick summary

• Who's it good for? People based near shops and restaurants

• Typical earnings: £3-£10 per task

• Payment method: PayPal or bank transfer

• How much you need to earn before it pays: £5 (PayPal payments) or £20 (bank transfer)

• Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the earning apps forum thread

• Get paid up to £11 per market research job, including taking photos of shop displays



One of the better-paying small-task apps, EasyShift gives you as much as £11 per job for snapping mouthwash displays and other small errands in high street stores. Download the app on iPhone or Android to sign up.

It will show a map with tasks near you – the green pins are available, grey are taken. To bagsy a task, just select reserve (it's first come, first served). You then have a certain amount of time to complete the job, for example, eight hours.

It can be a nice little earner. Tasks we saw included £8 to snap beer displays and £11 to take photos of beauty products. Most tasks take about 10 minutes. It pays automatically within two working days of a completed 'shift'.

As well as cash, the app awards points. The more points you gain, the more tasks you can reserve at a time.

EasyShift jobs are more involved than some other apps', but the pay is still good (typically £5-£6 for around 15 mins work).
- Lenore13

Quick summary

• Who's it good for? People based near shops and restaurants

• Typical earnings: £5-£11 per task

• Payment method: PayPal

• How much you need to earn before it pays:

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Make money online

30+ top paying sites and apps for making extra cash

Jenny Keefe | Edited by Steve Nowottny

Updated 24 August 2021

Share

If you've a computer or smartphone, there are a host of ways to boost your coffers. You could earn £1,000s/year by clicking and swiping, with no special skill needed. This guide lists 30+ (legit) ways to make money online – you can get paid just to watch videos, write, search on Google, sell photos, make your own YouTube clips and much more.

Get paid to click

Quick tips for making money online

Before you start earning money online, there are a few things worth knowing. The main thing to remember is that while some of these sites only pay small amounts, add them all together and you could be looking at an annual bonanza of £1,000s.

Don't store cash in online-earning accounts

Companies that offer you the opportunity to earn online aren't banks. There's no protection if one goes under, taking your cash with it. So withdraw your cash as soon as you reach the payment threshold.

Do set up a dedicated email address

Set up a dedicated email address for online earning. When it comes to powerful free options, Gmail is among the best. Doing this is also a quick way to check when new paid tasks become available.

Don't expect to be instantly rolling in it

With some sites, it can take a while to earn enough to be able to withdraw your money. And if you give up, it means you did the tasks for free.

For this reason, it's important to understand it's not quick cash. But it is nice extra income, provided you're consistent and have a little patience.

Do spend gift vouchers ASAP

If you're given the choice, opt to get paid in cash. If you get paid in gift vouchers, spend them ASAP. Doing so reduces your chances of being left with invalid vouchers should the retailer go bust on you. Plus it means you can't lose them or forget about them until they go out of date. For more info on this, see our Gift Voucher Warning.

Before you start counting the dosh, don't forget to check if some may belong to the taxman

For most people this won't be the case, especially if you're just doing it as a bit of extra cash. But get serious with it, or already have income from self-employment, and you might need to pay tax.

The trading allowance means you don't have to report the first £1,000 you earn from self-employment or selling goods/services 'for profit'. However if you earn more than a grand from the tricks in this guide, or have income over £1,000 from this and other self-employment, you'll need to declare it to HMRC, regardless of whether you're self-employed or PAYE.

HMRC told us everyone must do this by registering for Self Assessment, if not already registered, and filling in a tax return. If PAYE, it says it can collect your tax bill through a change to your tax code, providing you meet specific criteria.

Get paid to click

• Watch videos, play games and earn



Swagbucks* is a fun site that pays you for completing short online tasks such as watching videos and answering polls. You can then exchange this for gift cards, cash via PayPal or other rewards. The site's huge in the USA, and here in the UK many MSE Forumites are dedicated users.

We've blagged a boosted bonus for newbies. Sign up via our MSE Blagged Swagbucks* link to get bonus points equivalent to £20 in Amazon (or other) gift cards once you've earned 1,300 SB (equivalent to £10) – giving you a total of £30.

You'll need to earn your SB (points) within 30 days of signing up. This offer is ongoing for the time being. See more on how to get your free £20 bonus.

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 Swagbucking 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

• See a full list of ways to earn Swagbucks

Quick summary

• Who's it good for? People who want to grab quick cash for fun tasks

• Typical earnings: £25/month

• Payment method: Cash or Amazon voucher

• Amount you need to earn before it pays: £3ish (depends on reward)

• Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Swagbucks forum thread

• Online survey sites

Willing to give views on mask-wearing, 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 Top Online Survey Sites and Apps guide.

• Get paid to google



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, Chrome, eBay, Safari and more.

Qmee will show extra results or adverts alongside normal search results. 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 7p-15p.

You can also download its app on Google Play or the iTunes Store, which focuses on surveys, usually paying 10p to £1.50. You can also see these on the 'surveys' tab of its desktop site.

Forumite scarab2019 says:

I am at £600 total, average £30 a month. Great little earner this is. 
- scarab2019

Quick summary

• Who's it good for? Folks with the patience to click ads for a few pence

• Typical earnings: £5/month

• Payment method: Cash via PayPal or a range of gift cards

• How much you need to earn before it pays: No minimum

• Have you tried it? Share your experiences in the Qmee forum thread

• What exactly do I have to do?

• Can I boost earnings by repeating searches?

• What does Qmee do with my data?

• Earn hard cash for fun tasks, for example, watching videos



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 or buy Amazon vouchers with your points. Just sign up and check the 'earn points' section. It shows the tasks available and what they pay. It also has an Android app, which lets you do similar from your mobile. 

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 1,000 points or a $5 PayPal payment costs 530 points. While Gift Hunter Club lists cash payments in US dollars, PayPal converts the cash into pounds.

Quick summary

• Who's it good for? Those already using Swagbucks who want to join a similar site

• Typical earnings: £7/week

• Payment method: PayPal, Amazon vouchers and more

• How much you need to earn before it pays: £4ish

• Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the Gift Hunter Club forum thread

• Enter contests as a cash-boosting hobby

From cars to £20,000 cash, five-star 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+ Comping Tips guide.

• Grab FREE cashback

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.

For example, Topcashback often pays you to take out free trials of products – its free cashback section lists the top offers. For full info, see Top Cashback Sites.

Get paid for easy online tasks

• Earn up to £10 for tasks such as snapping bananas in your home



Free money-making app Mobeye pays for small tasks such as snapping photos of objects around the house or checking products' availability in shops. It pays up to £10 per 'mission', though these high-paying jobs are rare. Tasks that pay 50p-ish are more common – on the upside, they are usually super quick. 

To get involved, download the app on Android or iPhone, then complete a quick test task. You can then check the map to see missions near you. Once you book a job, you have two hours to venture out and complete it. You just take the requested pictures and fill out the info.

The jobs seem to involve less effort than other apps. We've heard of tasks such as 50p to taking a photo of any brochure to 10p for taking photos of banana in your house. We've even heard of people getting paid to take photos of the sky! See a full Q&A.

Quick summary

• Who's it good for? People who prefer quick and easy tasks

• Typical earnings: 50p to £5

• Payment method: PayPal

• How much you need to earn before it pays: £7

• Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the earning apps forum thread

• Get up to £10 for simple tasks in shops, for example, asking managers about coffee



The BeMyEye app pays you to carry out quick and simple market research via your mobile. Simply download for iPhone or Android and check it regularly for upcoming jobs in your area.

We've seen tasks including browsing shoe shops, interviewing shop managers about coffee consumption and sending photos of how razor blades are displayed in a pharmacy. When we logged on in August 2021, tasks seemed plentiful in the locations we tried. 

BeMyEye typically pays £3-£10 per task, depending on the difficulty. Tasks can range from a quick photo to a more involved 20-minute interview with a store manager, asking for their opinions.

In some cases you may be asked to buy products and reclaim the cost, so make sure you keep hold of any receipts. Payment can take three to four days.

Jobs are snapped up quickly, so consider turning on notifications on your phone so you get alerts as they're issued.

This is definitely one of the better-paying apps we’ve seen, as Forumite Lenore13 found: 

I've signed up to several micro-job sites within the last six weeks and the one I've had the best luck with is BeMyEye – I've earned £42.10.
- Lenore13

Quick summary

• Who's it good for? People based near shops and restaurants

• Typical earnings: £3-£10 per task

• Payment method: PayPal or bank transfer

• How much you need to earn before it pays: £5 (PayPal payments) or £20 (bank transfer)

• Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the earning apps forum thread

• Get paid up to £11 per market research job, including taking photos of shop displays



One of the better-paying small-task apps, EasyShift gives you as much as £11 per job for snapping mouthwash displays and other small errands in high street stores. Download the app on iPhone or Android to sign up.

It will show a map with tasks near you – the green pins are available, grey are taken. To bagsy a task, just select reserve (it's first come, first served). You then have a certain amount of time to complete the job, for example, eight hours.

It can be a nice little earner. Tasks we saw included £8 to snap beer displays and £11 to take photos of beauty products. Most tasks take about 10 minutes. It pays automatically within two working days of a completed 'shift'.

As well as cash, the app awards points. The more points you gain, the more tasks you can reserve at a time.

EasyShift jobs are more involved than some other apps', but the pay is still good (typically £5-£6 for around 15 mins work).
- Lenore13

Quick summary

• Who's it good for? People based near shops and restaurants

• Typical earnings: £5-£11 per task

• Payment method: PayPal

• How much you need to earn before it pays: No minimum

• Have you tried it? Share your experiences on the earning apps forum thread

• Get paid for odd jobs, for example, checking the outside of buildings



Free app Shepper pays £5-£15 for quick odd jobs. It works with big brands such as Aviva and Airbnb. Tasks are as varied as spot-checking unoccupied properties, checking billboards for graffiti and checking how much space there is outside buildings for queues.

Shepper says users are fully insured, and it takes precautions to ensure your safety, including reviewing every booking that it receives. It may be worth taking extra steps too, such as telling a friend or family member where you'll be and arranging to contact them after you finish the job. 

To sign up, download the Shepper app for iPhone or Android. You'll need to fill out a 10-minute application form and show your passport or driving licence. See full info on becoming a Shepherd.

The site's newish, so we haven't yet had much feedback from Forumites (give us yours here), but what we've seen from users elsewhere is decent.