Apps, formally known as applications are an integral part of mobile as well as computers, which helps the device to function more efficiently. For instance, MS Word is also a type of app, that is built for both mobile and PC, which enables a user to create documents, flyers, and various other stuff. Plus, there are many apps available, that can help you accomplish different tasks. Although in this crowd there are some apps, that claim to pay you rewards in the form of real money and gift cards, which in turn raises this particular question, “Are apps that pay you legit?”
Let’s find out!
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Are Apps that Pay You Legit?
It will sound crazy but there are some seriously good apps available in the market, which can help you earn legitimate money in real-time. Moreover, many money-making apps pay you rewards in the form of gift cards and coupons, which can be redeemed while shopping.
However, thorough research is much advised before installing them, because many apps have been reported as fraud, or have shut down their operations without paying out to their users. Also, there have been incidents where users were kept in the dark about the minimum threshold limit.
Now that you have understood the risk involved with such types of apps, you may now proceed to the next segment where I will give you a brief overview on how exactly these apps that pay you work.
How do the apps that pay you work?
So, this idea of making money through apps was a kind of surprise to me, like, how can an app pay you just for using them and completing tasks? Therefore, I decided to dig into the matter to find out how exactly these apps work.
And well, I got the answer. It is very simple, when a user downloads these kinds of apps, he/she has only one motive, i.e., to earn money or rewards by completing the tasks and surveys given by the app. Now, when a user tries to answer surveys or play games, the app company earns huge income through the data provided and the number of ads viewed by the user, from which users are given a certain part, maybe a few cents as rewards.
Moreover, users are often asked to reach a threshold limit that can be as less as 5$ to 30$, to redeem their earnings, which eats much more time than required.
Usually, the payment is done through virtual wallets like PayPal, Razorpay, and Amazon Pay.
What type of rewards a user can earn through these apps?
Many money-making apps pay you real money, that is, cash, but there are also many app companies who reward you with gift cards from companies like; Amazon, Dominos, Pizza Hut, Gucci, Zara, etc, through which a user can easily get a discount or benefit when he/she visits those outlets.
Moreover, some apps also consider paying the users with cashback offers. For instance; apps like Amazon, Uber Eats, Ibotta, and Checkout 51 Inc., provide its users with cashback offers whenever they make online purchases. While coupon extensions like Honey Coupons, when installed on your browser, check for any discount code during the checkout, so that you can save money on your online purchase.
By the way, there are also some apps that pay you to be fit. Sounds insane right? Well, it is true, because they measure the steps and efforts that you invest into your fitness journey, and then reward you with cash prizes and coupons accordingly. Some renowned fitness apps are; Sweatcoins, Stepbet, Charity Miles, and PK rewards.
In short, if you care about partial income or want a source to earn money, you can always try installing these apps that can pay you well for your input in surveys and random gameplays.
Which are the apps that pay you?
After this long-long discussion on the legitimacy of such apps, I am pretty sure you would like to know their names as well. So, I will recommend some of them, but again, I advise you to run a thorough background check before installing them.
- Google Opinion Rewards.
- Mistplay.
- InboxDollars.
- LOCO.
- Swagbucks.
- Survey Junkie.
- Ebates.
- Healthy wage.
- Sweatcoins.
- Stepbet.
- Charity Miles.
- PK rewards.
- Checkout 51 Inc.
- Ibotta.
- Capital One Shopping.
The above are a few of my recommendations. That said, below is something that might be of interest to you.
Security risks of apps that pay you
Paying apps aren’t without security concerns. Here are some of the most common risks to consider before you get hooked:
Scams
Some apps that pay start out fine but scam users after a short while. These are commonly known as Ponzi schemes.
They lure people into paying a fee with the promise of doubling their earnings. But, as soon as most users upgrade to paid memberships, the app will vanish from all stores. The financial losses can be devastating.
Hackers
Legit paying apps can be exciting. However, be aware of cybercriminals that can get away with your hard-earned money.
Hackers usually prey on such platforms because they’re easy targets. They infiltrate user accounts secured with weak passwords and transfer cash.
Additionally, they might steal your personal information and use it to impersonate you.
Privacy violations
Legit apps won’t ask for strange permissions once you install them. If the service demands access to your call logs or something similar, treat it with suspicion.
It could be monitoring your activities and silently harvesting useful information. That includes your browsing history, apps that you use, location data, etc. Malicious services usually sell this info to third parties.
Spyware, trackers, and adware
Some apps that pay rely on cheeky methods to keep their services afloat. During installation, they may set up additional scripts without your knowledge, such as:
- Spyware — gathers your data and sends it to third parties
- Trackers — monitor your browsing preferences and forward the information to marketers
- Adware — spams you with targeted ads based on your online behavior.
How to stay safe
Staying safe when using legit apps that pay should be your priority. Here are some easy tips to follow:
- Check out app reviews before downloading them. Pay close attention to negative comments and any security-related issues.
- Avoid services that promise things that seem too good to be true. Likewise, stay away from the ones with Ponzi-like tendencies.
- Review app permissions like access to call logs, location history, camera, microphone, etc. Only grant the ones that are necessary.
- Check the service’s privacy policy to know what data it collects and how it’s used.
- Secure your account with a strong username and password combination. Moreover, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) if it’s available.
- Always update the money-making apps and your device’s OS to benefit from the latest security patches.
- Install an antivirus to prevent malware infection.
Final remarks on the legitimacy of apps
So, are apps that pay you legit?
You can find trustworthy services that will let you earn money. Unfortunately, it’s very easy to fall for fake apps and scams.
Still, if you follow our security recommendations, you should be in the clear! Most importantly, you should research the service you’re interested in. Always check out the user reviews and privacy policy.
Stay safe and good luck!