Sometimes, speed is what matters. When it comes to these ways to get paid instantly, you might not make much money, but you can make it with relatively low effort – and, yes, get paid today.
Here are some free online jobs that allow you to work from home and get paid daily:
1. Take online surveys
Online surveys allow you to make extra money by offering your honest opinion and experience. Surveys span various topics, so there’s an interesting option for everyone. Some surveys take as little as five minutes to complete.
Companies often use survey data for market research, so you may answer questions about specific goods and products. Generally, you’ll earn points for each survey you take, which are worth a small monetary value, and you’ll need to earn up to a certain threshold to withdraw.
You may be paid in cash or by gift card to a major retailer. Again, it won’t replace your regular job, but surveys are a convenient option if you have nothing else to do and want to earn money online. Here are some paid survey sites to check out:
- Survey Junkie is a well-known survey site that allows you to take surveys for points. You can also share your online activity with its Pulse program to earn points passively. Each point equals about one cent of value, and once you earn 500 points ($5), you can cash out. Survey Junkie estimates that those taking three surveys daily could earn as much as $40 a month on the site.
- Branded Surveys is another survey option to consider. Like Survey Junkie, you can cash out using PayPal, your U.S. bank account, or a gift card once you reach 500 points ($5).
- Pinecone Research matches you with surveys to take based on a profile you create. While surveys pay at a higher rate than some other sites – $3 per survey, according to some sources – fewer are available to each taker, so you may only take three or four surveys per month.1
- Opinion Outpost is another option offering users cash rewards for participating in market research surveys. The amount you’re rewarded depends on the survey. Opinion Outpost offers an average of 10 points per survey, but some are worth up to 250. You can choose from many different gift cards for payment or set up a PayPal transfer.
2. Make a video of your opinion
Don’t want to take surveys but willing to make a short video of your opinion in response to someone else’s?
Mindswarms allows you to earn up to $50 per 10 questions answered on video, all while helping shape the future of brands, products, and services you know and love.
3. Get cash back and rebates
Want to get paid for buying things you already planned to purchase? It’s possible using these platforms:
- Ibotta is a rebate program that offers cash back for purchases ranging from home goods to groceries and everything in between. You can download the app onto your phone or add the extension to your browser to see which items have rebates available. Once you buy them, snap a quick picture of your receipt to score your rebate. The app can also alert you to real-time nearby cash back opportunities.
- Upside, formerly GetUpside, offers cash back on groceries and restaurants, as well as gas. You could earn up to a quarter back per gallon of gas you purchase, and you can cash out once you reach $10.
- Ratuken is a helpful way to get cash back for online shopping at retailers like Target, Kohl’s, Ulta Beauty, and many more. Simply download its browser extension or app or shop through the site’s portal to earn cash back on purchases. Your earnings are paid out via PayPal or physical check.
4. Be human
Yes, AI is responsible for more and more tasks, but some things are best done by humans. You can get paid for research, data validation, content moderation, and more by signing up for Amazon Mechanical Turk, or Amazon MTurk. These human intelligence tasks (HITs) are paid once the requester approves your work.
5. Play online games
Yes, really. Swagbucks, which combines several earning opportunities outlined above (like surveys and rebates), also offers users points for playing games online.
Game developers eager for new players partner with Swagbucks and come up with rewards based on play behavior – for example, you might earn a dollar for installing a new gaming app, or $50 for playing up to a certain level within a certain time frame.2
Games include everything from Wheel of Fortune to Yahtzee, and plenty of games you haven’t discovered yet.3
You just might find your new favorite – especially since they pay!
