Losing weight takes motivation. The process can be lengthy, and sometimes encouragement is necessary. If you are looking for a little extra incentive on your weight-loss journey, you can get paid to lose weight.
Yes, you can make money losing weight. Since money can be a strong motivator when doing something you find challenging, there has been a growth in diet bet apps that reward you for reaching your weight loss goals.
Many weight loss programs are available, but not all of them are equal. As with anything health-related, do your research before moving forward.
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5 Apps That Pay You to Lose Weight
Losing weight takes time and can be a challenge to accomplish. It requires work and motivation.
Frugal Rules founder John Schmoll lost 100 pounds on Nutrisystem. The key for him was staying motivated when he wanted to give up.
Weight loss bet apps recognize this and inspire people by tying a dollar amount to your desire to get in shape.
While there are many different platforms to choose from, here are five awesome options to consider if you want to earn money for losing weight.
1. HealthyWage
HealthyWage is a great weight loss challenge app. The service allows people to place a bet on themselves to improve their health.
How It Works
Choose the amount of weight you want to lose and decide how much money you want to wager.
When you open an account, use the HealthyWage prize calculator to determine how much time you’ll give yourself to lose the weight as well as the amount you can win.
If you reach your goal, you win cash. However, you should be prepared to lose money if you give up on your goal or don’t reach it.
It’s possible to extend your bet by purchasing more time if needed.
If you find that losing weight with others provides more motivation, you can choose the team challenge option.
This lets you team up with others to lose weight. There is a $25 monthly charge to do this, but you can win up to $10,000.
The team challenge requires weight verification via video or in-person at a WeightWatchers (WW) location.
*Related: Read our WeightWatchers vs. Nutrisystem analysis to see which weight loss program is best.
Pros
HealthyWage pays out a significant sum of money if you lose weight. Their site claims the average winner earns $1,400 after reaching their goal.
Unlike other diet bet apps, there is no need to convert points for gift cards. When you reach your goal, you earn cash via PayPal or check. You can also win money by maintaining your weight or referring friends.
Cons
Unless you become pregnant, there is no way to cancel or suspend the bet once you begin.
Read our HealthyWage review to learn more.
Does HealthyWage Really Pay Out?
Yes, HealthyWage is a legitimate way to get paid to exercise and lose weight. After you verify your weight loss, you can choose either check or cash via PayPal.
HealthyWage charges $7 for checks and nothing for PayPal. However, PayPal may charge a fee.
How Does HealthyWage Verify Your Weight?
HealthyWage requires weight verification at the beginning and end of challenges. You can verify your weight by:
- Uploading a video through the HealthyWage mobile app
- Filming a weight check-in and uploading it to their website
- Having a fitness or health professional verify your weight and complete the VerifyMe! form available on the HealthyWage site
- Having a WW staff member complete the VerifyMe! form on your behalf
Regardless of the method you choose, your information is private.
2. DietBet
Dietbet is another legitimate fitness app that allows you to get paid to lose weight. You won’t win as much as you can with HealthyWage, but you can snag a sizable amount.
How It Works
Decide whether you want to reach a short or long-term goal by selecting one of three weight loss programs:
- Kickstarter – lose four percent of your body weight within 28 days
- Transformer – lose ten percent of your body weight within six months
- Maintainer – keep your weight loss off for 12 full months
Similar to HealthyWage, you can do this as an individual. While this may be a good way to lose weight by yourself, you can also join a team.
However, if you join a team, you must pay based on how many people are competing with you.
DietBet charges the following fees to start:
- 25 percent fee for bets under $100
- 20 percent fee for bets $100 – $249
- 15 percent fee for bets $250 – $500
- 10 percent fee for bets over $500
You should expect to pay at least $25 to try to lose weight with DietBet.
Pros
The long-term challenges make it easier to earn weight loss rewards. DietBet discourages users from losing weight in an unhealthy manner to game the system and instead promotes a long-term view of health.
You can win money and receive payouts via PayPal. This means you do not need to convert points for gift cards.
Cons
The amount you can win with DietBet varies depending on the number of people competing with you. When more people compete alongside you, earning opportunities decrease.
*Related: Want to exercise without spending a small fortune? Read our guide on how to find cheap gym membership deals near me to save money at the health club.*
Unlike HealthyWage, DietBet does not communicate how much you can earn. This may be a detractor if money is a significant motivator for you.
3. Stickk
StickK is an app that pays cash for doing healthy things like exercising or competing in a marathon. If you just want to get fit, it’s a reliable platform.
How It Works
When you open an account with StickK, you bet against yourself to lose weight or follow a specific workout plan.
Users sign a “commitment contract” acknowledging potential winnings will be forfeited if they give up on a goal.
StickK assigns a “referee” to verify your weight loss or progress towards your health goal. The app also allows you to invite friends or family to cheer you on.
If the goal is longer-term, you must provide a weekly progress report. If it’s short-term, you only need to submit a report at the end.
Upon finishing, the referee determines whether or not you reached your goal. If you don’t reach your goal, the amount you bet goes to either a charity, StickK, or an individual you choose.
Unlike other weight loss bet apps, you do not earn anything with StickK.
Pros
The app is available on both Android and iOS-based phones. You get to determine the amount you bet.
Additionally, having a referee assigned to your goal helps increase your chances of success.
Cons
You won’t get paid to lose weight or reach any other health goal.
StickK operates on the premise that negative reinforcement of losing money will encourage you to continue trying to lose weight. This may hold some people back.
However, payment isn’t collected at the beginning of the bet. You only pay if you don’t reach your goal.
4. myWalgreens
MyWalgreens is a program that pays users to pursue healthy living goals. These can either be losing weight or lifestyle, like exercising or any form of physical activity.
The program is free to join and runs in increments of four weeks.
How It Works
When you sign up for the myWalgreens Health Goals program, you track your progress manually or through their app. You can also link your account to a health device, like a FitBit, to monitor your progress.
The app gives you Walgreens Cash rewards for each challenge week you complete.
You can earn Walgreens Cash rewards in various ways, including:
- Connecting a FitBit or other device
- Walking, running, cycling, or other physical activity
- Getting a vaccination
Every week you complete a healthy challenge earns you $.25 Walgreens Cash rewards, up to $1 total, added to your account. If you successfully complete all four challenge weeks you can earn a bonus prize wheel spin worth up to $2 Walgreens Cash rewards. The Walgreens Cash rewards can be redeemed for savings at participating Walgreens locations.
While this won’t directly pay you for losing weight, the service does encourage you to live a healthy lifestyle and achieve weight loss success.
Pros
There is no risk because the program is free to join.
If you shop at Walgreens, it can be a terrific way to earn rewards you can use at the store.
Cons
Compared to other diet bet apps, you won’t earn a ton with this option.
Additionally, earnings can only be used at Walgreens.
5. Achievement
Achievement is the final app that lets you make money by losing weight. The platform takes a holistic approach to improving your health.
However, it doesn’t directly pay you to shed pounds.
How It Works
Available for both Android and iOS-based devices, you can connect the service to things like FitBit or MapMyRun to monitor your activities and earn rewards for various tasks, including:
- Exercising
- Keeping track of your steps
- Eating right
- Getting enough sleep
- Losing weight
The app pays you in points for completing different activities. For example, you can earn up to 80 points each day for exercising.
You can also earn up to six points per day for logging the food you eat or weighing yourself.
The service is free to use. Once you reach 10,000 points (equal to $10), earnings are redeemable via PayPal.
Pros
There is no risk when using the service because it is free. Points can be earned in multiple ways, not just by losing weight.
You can earn cash since earnings are redeemable via PayPal as opposed to gift cards.
Cons
It can take several months to earn enough points to redeem your earnings. For example, it will take just over three months to earn enough points for $10 if you earn 100 points each day.
Other Ways to Get Paid to Lose Weight
Weight loss apps aren’t the only way to earn money by losing weight. Here are a few alternatives to get fit.
Office Challenges
Weight loss challenges are the perfect choice for small office settings. Try recruiting co-workers to work together or challenge each other to lose weight.
You can set the timeframe to be as short or as long as you want. Additionally, you can determine if you want to use total weight lost or overall percentage lost to evaluate progress.
Pool the money and determine prizes for first and second place.
Health Insurance Reimbursements
Losing weight is a terrific way to improve health. Insurance companies know this and often use money as a motivating factor by letting you get paid to workout.
While reimbursements vary, they often include discounted or free gym memberships. This will cover the membership fee for a weight loss plan or pay for other physical activities.
Work With Your Friends
Friends can be a great resource to help you improve your health. Why not work together to get healthy and lose weight?
Similar to office challenges, you will need to monitor each other. You may also want to bet a smaller amount, such as $10 or $20, to keep it friendly.
Whoever wins gets the pot.
How to Stay Motivated to Lose Weight
A lot of effort is necessary to get in shape. Motivation can ebb and flow. Here are some ways to stay ahead in the battle.
Don’t Do It Alone
Studies show that partnering with someone else makes you more likely to succeed. Find someone to work with as you pursue your goals.
A spouse, sibling, co-worker, or friend are all great options. Make sure to encourage each other and hold one another accountable.
If money is a motivating factor, HealthyWage is a helpful app that pays you for losing weight. Better yet, you can do it in teams to ensure you’re not alone.
Make It Social
Don’t be shy about your weight loss goal. Share your goal with friends and family so they can encourage you.
Social media is a great way to do this. You can even create a private Facebook group so your friends see your progress.
If you use a weight loss plan like Nutrisystem, this is built into their platform. This feature makes it even easier to share your goals and progress.
Pick a Plan That Fits Your Lifestyle
It’s important to do your research because there are numerous ways to get paid to lose weight. If you pair it with a weight loss plan, choose one that fits your needs and goals.
Using a plan that doesn’t fit your preferences may only cause frustration and lead you to quit.
Celebrate Your Successes and Embrace Your Setbacks
Losing weight can be a long journey. Break up your goals into smaller chunks and celebrate each milestone.
Acknowledge that you will experience setbacks. Rather than quitting, use setbacks to challenge yourself. Work through them and keep pushing towards your goals.
Find an Exercise You Enjoy
Physical activity is usually necessary to lose weight. There are many ways to exercise, so find something you enjoy that fits your schedule.
It can be something as simple as walking. You can also try something more vigorous.
Choose a form of exercise you like and that you can sustain long-term. Once you’ve done that, challenge yourself to exercise regularly.
You can even use free workout apps to manage your exercise plan.
Can You Get Paid to Lose Weight?
Yes, it is possible to make extra money shedding pounds. For example, HealthyWage is one of the best weight loss apps that let you put a wager on reaching your fitness goals.
Users can earn up to $10,000 with the service, and the average winnings are $1,400 per person.
If you prefer not to place a weight loss bet on yourself, there are other apps that let you earn rewards for reaching fitness goals.
These options won’t make you rich, but the potential earnings can be a helpful tool to reach your goals.
Summary
You may think it’s too good to be true to get paid to lose weight. Fortunately, it’s not. There are apps that help you get in shape while paying out real rewards and cash.
A significant part of losing weight is staying motivated and hearing the success stories of others.
If you have a goal to lose weight or become healthier in the new year, consider pairing it with a financial incentive to increase your chances of success.
Which apps have you used to get paid to lose weight? How do you plan to achieve your one significant health goal next year?
Choncé is a Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI), personal finance freelance writer, and blogger who focuses on helping others manage their money better in order to live a life with more possibilities and fewer limitations. Her work has been featured on Business Insider, LendingTree, Credit Sesame, and Barclaycard.
