With the effects of the economic crisis still heavily felt all over the world, many people scramble to find employment and/or look for extra income streams to make ends meet. Though there will always be Hollywood title loans to assist in providing funds, people still need to look for a secure source of income. Fortunately, this crisis has given birth to a gig economy. On top of that, there are also apps on Android that can help augment people’s incomes. 

 

Ibotta 

Ibotta was founded by Bryan Leach in 2011. It has partnerships with various brands and retail shops so they could offer discounts and rebates on retail goods purchases or restaurant orders. The app was launched in 2012 and has since helped users save money and earn rebates, gift cards, and cash back. To earn, users have to complete task/s. Once a task is completed, users can then make a purchase, and then they can earn cash. A Paypal account is necessary because this is where your cash earnings go. Earnings should reach at least USD 20 before it can be transferred to Paypal. The app is free on Android (and iOS) but is only available in the US.  

 

Shopkick 

In 2009, Shopkick was founded by Cyriac Roeding, Jeff Sellinger, and Aaron Emigh. Users of the app, aka Shopkickers, perform online or on-site tasks to earn points or “kicks.” It is quite easy to earn points. The points are converted as gift cards, which can be redeemed at various stores. In 2017, they expanded their coverage to Shopkick Grocery and Mobile Shopping. 

 

Swagbucks 

Josef Gorowitz and Scott Dudelson founded Swagbucks.com in February 2008. This online rewards platform give users gift cards and cash for things they already perform online. Like other rewards portals, users just need to shop online, watch videos, answer surveys, do web searches to earn points. Points are redeemed as cash through Paypal or as gift cards. Swagbucks also deployed Swagbucks Answer, which is primarily for answering surveys online. 

 

Survey Junkie 

Headquartered in Los Angeles, USA, Survey Junkie has had over 10 million members since its inception. Users must complete a profile so they would be matched to appropriate surveys. Surveys are usually from various companies and brands, across industries. Completed surveys equals points. Survey points range from 20 to 200 each. Points can be redeemed as cash through Paypal or as gift cards. You need at least 1,000 points to convert it to cash. One thousand points is equivalent to USD 10.  

 

Sweatcoin 

Russian fitness enthusiasts Oleg Fomenko and Anton Derlyatka got the idea in 2015. They launched Sweatcoin in 2016. The app encourages people to move. It uses a smartphone’s accelerometer and GPS location to keep track of a user’s movement. Every 1,050 outdoor steps is equivalent to 1 sweatcoin. Users need at least 5 sweatcoins to start earning rewards. Sweatcoins can be used to purchase fitness gear, sign up for fitness classes, or gift cards from the app’s marketplace. Sweatcoin is currently available in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, and Australia.