Do you want to make a little extra money? By starting a side hustle from your mobile phone, you can make a few extra euros using apps that pay you.
If you have ever wondered how to make money using your smartphone, read on to discover the best money-making apps in Ireland.
Survey apps pay you to answer questions and participate in tasks – check out Opinion World and Irish Opinions. Apps like Swagbucks will pay you to play games.
14 Best Money-Making Apps in Ireland
The apps listed in this guide include all sorts of money-making apps available in Ireland, including survey sites, mystery shopping and gig economy apps.
They might not make you rich, but you have nothing to lose by trying some of these apps for yourself.
1. Swagbucks
Of all the quick money-making apps in Ireland, Swagbucks is one of the most well-known.
Using it involves various online tasks, such as taking part in surveys, completing web searches or watching videos.
Swagbucks also has a cash back, and it too can pay you in Swagbucks. There are plenty of special deals listed there.
Some plug-ins allow you to run Swagbucks while you work.
For example, you can run ads in another window on your PC or tab on your Mac, or Swagbucks can be set as the default search engine.
This means you can earn more with minimal effort.
Of all the Swagbucks tasks you can complete on your phone, completing surveys is the most lucrative.
Once you earn enough, you can trade Swagbucks for an Amazon voucher or be paid via PayPal.
2. Irish Opinions
Irish Opinions is the Irish arm of the global Valued Opinions brand, where the primary way to earn is by completing online surveys.
Surveys are available on a wide range of topics and typically pay 1-4 euros each, taking 15-30 minutes to finish.
Irish Opinions occasionally offers opportunities to test new products and services. Product trials usually pay more at 10-50 euros for giving feedback.
Rewards are earned as gift vouchers for popular retailers rather than cash.
Members must accumulate 10 euros worth of points before being able to redeem a voucher.
Surveys are sent sporadically, so there is no set monthly income potential.
However, dedicated members who complete surveys as they’re received could average 30-50 euros per month in voucher rewards depending on time invested. You can read our full Irish Opinions review here.
3. Opinion World
Similar to Irish Opinions and owned by the same parent company, Dynata, Opinion World Ireland is the Irish arm of a global survey brand.
The main difference is that Opinion World allow you to cash out your earnings via PayPal, so it’s an excellent app for those who want to earn extra cash rather than gift vouchers.
All you need to get started is an internet connection and 10-15 minutes of free time daily.
It’s simple – sign up, download the app and then watch for online surveys in your inbox. These cover all sorts of topics, from current events to new products.
Just answer honestly, and you’ll earn points with each one completed.
Surveys typically pay 1-5 euros each, so the more you do, the faster your earnings add up.
Not just surveys either – get extra points for referring friends or testing new apps/websites. You can even suggest future survey topics that interest you.
It’s totally flexible, too. Do surveys whenever free time strikes, like during TV ad breaks or your lunch hour. No minimum hours are required.
Join Opinion World Ireland here
4. Toluna
Toluna calls its devotees ‘Toluna influencers’, as their input can be used to help shape the way big brands operate.
It is basically a survey app.
Typically a major Toluna survey will take around 15 minutes to complete, and you will be rewarded with 2,000 points +.
You can also answer one-off questions to earn 15 points.
One of the best things about Toluna is the range of rewards you can choose from.
Points can be exchanged for PayPal cash or vouchers for big brands like Amazon.
Like many of these money-making apps, you will have to give demographic information that might affect how many surveys you are invited to take part in.
Find out more about Toluna here
5. Roamler
Roamler is one of the best money-making apps around.
From a Dutch tech company, the Roamler app on Apple and Android allows users to make money by completing small mystery shopping tasks.
There are a couple of initial obstacles – but don’t let that put you off as they’re easily surmountable. Firstly you need an invitation to join up.
This may sound tricky, but requesting one via the Roamler Facebook page will usually do the trick, or you can message them directly via the Roamler app.
You will also need to complete several unpaid tasks before securing paid ones.
Roamler says this ensures that users are committed to making the app work for both parties.
This also works as a type of training, as you learn by performing real tasks what is really required of you.
Initially, you can expect to fail a task or two, but after that it’s easy enough to pick up.
As more tasks are completed, you can reach a higher level. A Which? tester achieved this within just a few days.
At level two and above, you can expect to be offered more paid tasks.
A word of warning – if you fail to follow the instructions to the letter, then you will not be paid. That said, you will soon get the hang of it.
While this might sound like a lot of effort, in reality, most tasks only take a few minutes to complete – so it’s easy money.
If you make regular shopping trips or spend your lunch hour in the city centre, it doesn’t take long to take a quick snap or check product availability.
6. Bolt.eu
The primary ways to earn money on Bolt involve providing transportation services through driving or delivering.
Drivers can offer rides to passengers requesting trips via the Bolt app, earning income from fares and bonuses while paying a 25% commission.
Alternatively, couriers can make deliveries for Bolt Food, getting paid per delivery completed plus incentives.
Bolt provides additional income opportunities through referrals and promotions. Referring other drivers to the platform results in referral bonuses from €50-150.
Regular promotions run that offer drivers and couriers chances to increase their earnings per order, on weekend trips, or by hitting weekly targets.
For all services, Bolt deposits weekly earnings on Tuesday directly to a linked bank account or e-wallet.
Bolt is active in Bray, Cork, Dublin, Dun Laoghaire, Kilkenny, Sligo and Wexford.
7. Surveoo
The primary way to earn on Surveoo is by completing surveys.
As a member, you will receive points for finishing surveys, which can be cashed out as cash rewards.
Survey lengths and points vary, typically taking 15-30 minutes to earn up to €7 (but more like to be around €1.5-€3 mark).
In addition to surveys, Surveoo offers other income opportunities like participating in market research studies and testing new products.
Studies pay more at €5-10 for 30-60 minutes, while product trials range from €10-50.
Surveoo runs promotions where you can earn bonuses by logging in daily or completing a certain number of surveys in a week. These extra points can significantly boost your earnings each month.
Referring other members also provides bonus potential.
Payments are made via PayPal every time you reach the cash-out threshold, which is usually €10-20. Cashing out takes 1-3 business days to process.
8. Fronto
Fronto is another option you could consider. Download the Android app, and you can earn money via your smartphone.
Reward suppliers include Google Play, iTunes, Amazon and PayPal gift cards.
Once you’ve created a Fronto user account, the app automatically becomes your phone’s default lock screen.
You then unlock it by swiping as usual. This triggers ads, which you are paid to view.
In a nutshell, you get paid to use your smartphone just as you usually would.
Unless you are very easily distracted by ads, then it’s an easy way to make a few quid.
If you click through on the ads, you will earn more money.
Again, it’s one of those things that you could use to occupy time while waiting for a train or sitting on the bus or tube.
View the Fronto app here
9. EarnApp
The big selling point of this one – compared to other game apps that pay you – is that it’s all about when your phone is doing absolutely nothing.
According to EarnApp, our phones are idle for an average of 21 hours per day, so why not put this time to good use?
Your phone must have some battery life in it, or be charging, and you must also be connected to WiFi.
Other than that, EarnApp users can make money while literally doing nothing. It’s what is known as passive income.
Once you download EarnApp, the company basically use your phone’s bandwidth to direct secure traffic.
Businesses are apparently carefully vetted by EarnApp, who then route their traffic via your device.
The aim is to increase competition in the marketplace. Put simply, that may help to drive down prices for consumers just like you.
Luminati is the brains behind EarnApp. Their aim – as well as reducing prices – is to protect brands to reduce the incidence of counterfeit goods and fraud.
They also carry out website testing and track search engine performance.
Various factors can affect what you can make when using EarnApp. These include your location, plus the internet speed and connectivity of your chosen device.
Make money with EarnApp today by signing up here
10. Preply
The primary way to earn money on Preply is by teaching online language lessons.
Tutors set their own hourly rates, typically ranging from $10-40USD per hour.
Lessons are conducted live through video calls for 30-60 minutes with individuals or small groups.
To attract students, tutors create detailed profiles showcasing their qualifications and experience in their teaching languages.
Building positive ratings and reviews over time increases visibility and helps gain more bookings.
Preply handles payments weekly.
Tutors’ earnings, minus the platform’s 18-33% commission fee, are directly deposited to a linked bank account or PayPal.
11. QuickThoughts
The QuickThoughts app will pay you in iTunes or Amazon gift cards in exchange for your views.
Surveys are designed to be completed either from home or on the go, so they’re quick and simple to take part in.
Anyone over 18 can sign up before selecting from a broad range of surveys to suit their interests and preferences.
There is no commitment, and surveys vary in length from a few quick-fire questions to more in-depth polls – or even a photo survey.
The companies partnering with QuickThoughts do so because they want to determine what consumers think.
So, if you want to make your voice heard, this is a great app.
QuickThoughts pay up to €3 per survey, with photo polls paying a fee of up to €5 each.
Get started on giving your QuickThoughts to big brands here
12. SweatCoin
SweatCoin is designed to allow users to become healthier as well as wealthier. In a nutshell, this clever app rewards you for walking.
Users earn Sweatcoins by exercising either at home or outdoors, and you can access the app via a smartwatch as well as a smartphone.
Sweatcoin acts as a pedometer, so you can monitor your pace and step count as you go – and it is designed not to drain your phone battery.
Nor do Sweatcoin track your location or share personal details with any third parties.
The Sweatcoins earned can be spent on health and fitness kit, gadgets and other exclusive member deals, or you can donate them to charity if you prefer.
Stay active by signing up with Sweatcoin here
13. Bulbshare
Bulbshare calls itself a creative community of worldwide collaborators, and these users can connect with brands, discover new ‘bulbshares’ from others and share their pictures and video footage.
Users love the variety and the fact that Bulbshare pays out quickly with no minimum amount applicable before doing so.
With offices in London, New York and Hong Kong, Bulbshare provides regular insights and trends to all sorts of businesses worldwide.
Get ready to Bulbshare on Apple here or Android here
14. Prolific
Prolific connects researchers with willing participants for the benefit of both parties.
While the former wants to find out how people feel about all kinds of matters, the latter gets paid for participating in each project.
Sometimes referred to as Prolific Academic, this organisation works with the likes of Cancer Research and The World Bank as well as leading academic institutions like the universities of Oxford and Stanford.
Subjects are selected according to the demographics the researcher requires, and most studies take less than two hours to complete.
Prolific panellists are paid in pounds sterling via PayPal as long as at least £5 has been earned.
Become a Prolific participant by clicking here
Which money-making app will you try?
While it’s true that we all lead busy lives, the average smartphone user spends three hours a day using their phone.
If a lot of your screen time is spent scrolling through social media sites or checking out the latest shopping discounts, why not put that time to better use by signing up for a money-making app?
Read next: 25 Side Hustles to Make Extra Money in Ireland
