Turn Screen Time Into Cash: 16 Apps That Actually Pay

Spending hours on your phone anyway? Might as well get paid for it. Here’s the real deal on money-making apps—from game apps to cashback rewards.

Games That Actually Pay Cash

Solitaire lovers, listen up: Solitaire Cube, Solitaire Cash, Solitaire Clash, and Solitaire Smash all let you win real money playing head-to-head tournaments. Solitaire Cash tops out at $83 per tournament. Solitaire Clash lets you play cash games without initial deposits—earn gems first, then convert to cash entries. Blackout Bingo (4.5-star rating) goes further with 400+ games where you can win real prizes across all titles.

Cashback & Shopping Apps

Swagbucks dumps points straight to PayPal or Amazon gift cards. New sign-ups get 1,000 free SB (that’s a $10 card right there). Rakuten pays quarterly cash deposits, with travel bookings and referrals hitting $30+ per person. Ibotta requires $20 minimum withdrawal but works in-store and online. MyPoints matches up to 20 points per dollar spent.

Survey & Research Apps

Not exciting, but it works. Opinion Outpost pays roughly 10 points per survey (100 points = $10 gift card), with some hitting $25. Toluna Influencers needs 30,000 points for $10—slower payout but premium surveys can earn 290,000+ points. Dscout actually pays better ($75-$100 for video interviews), if you’re comfortable on camera.

The Sleeper Picks

Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel pays $60/year just for letting them track what you watch. Mode Earn gives you a phone for $4.99/month and pays you through it. InboxDollars stacks multiple earning methods—$5 signup bonus, surveys, shopping, games all combined.

Bottom line: Most apps cap out your earnings unless you’re grinding daily, but combined? You’re looking at $50-200/month of actual money back.