Earning extra money can help you on your road to financial independence. However, if having a side hustle doesn’t fit into your schedule, you can get paid to watch ads in your free time instead.
While it may sound like a scam, there are many legitimate sites that can put extra cash in your pocket. Here’s how you can watch ads for money.
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Ways to Earn Money by Watching Ads
There are several platforms that let you earn cash and gift cards by watching advertisements or completing other short activities.
1. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is one of the leaders in the online side hustle space. You can earn rewards points for shopping, gaming, watching videos, and other small tasks.
Some of the video ad categories include:
- News and Politics
- Health
- Technology
- Parenting
- Fashion
- Hobbies
You can leave a positive or negative rating for the videos and earn rewards points for your effort. Admittedly, ad watching earns fewer points than other platform activities.
It’s possible to redeem your rewards for free Amazon e-vouchers with a $1 balance (140 points). PayPal cash and other gift card rewards require a $5 balance.
Swagbucks gives you $5 when you open an account, and you can earn $3 for each friend you refer.
Trustpilot score: 4.3 out of 5
Read our Swagbucks review to learn more.
2. InboxDollars
InboxDollars is another top site since you can watch up to 30 money-making videos daily.
The ad content is usually something as simple as a movie trailer or promotion for a new product. You typically will watch content from different retailers.
InboxDollars has worked with companies that include:
- Target.com
- Publishers Clearing House
- Walmart
- H&R Block
Viewing videos even lets you win instant cash prizes with virtual scratch cards.
The platform is also one of the best to earn cash by taking paid online surveys and completing other activities like playing games or trying product offers.
Additionally, you can get paid to receive emails through InboxDollars.
New members receive $5. Rewards can be redeemed for gift cards or cash once you reach $30.
Trustpilot score: 4.3 out of 5
Read our InboxDollars review to learn more.
3. MyPoints
MyPoints is another terrific way to get paid to watch ads. You can earn up to 500 points per day with videos. Amazon gift cards with a $1 balance require 250 points for redemption.
Most gift card rewards to stores and restaurants start at $5 (700 points). PayPal cash rewards are available with a $10 minimum balance.
The online rewards site offers other ways to earn money, including:
- Paid surveys
- Online games
- Scanning store receipts
- Sponsored emails
Like other apps, you will need to watch a series of videos to earn points. You may need to view between three and 12 offers to earn up to five points.
The content explores a variety of topics, including:
- Active living
- Entertainment
- Financial news
- TV commercials
- World news
You can also earn a free $10 Amazon card when you open an account and make a qualifying $20 purchase through their shopping portal within the first 30 days.
Trustpilot score: 4.4 out of 5
4. Ibotta
Ibotta lets you earn rewards points by scanning grocery receipts and shopping online. You will watch grocery item commercials as you activate shopping offers.
This approach is different from other money-making apps since you must buy participating items to make money on the side. However, the rewards potential can be higher than other platforms.
Consider this app if you want to make money by scanning receipts from grocery stores and local retail stores.
The online shopping portal lets you earn rewards points for these activities:
- Grocery pickup and delivery
- Shopping at online retailers
Cash and gift card redemptions start at $20. New members can earn a $5 bonus after making a qualifying purchase.
Trustpilot score: 3.9 out of 5
Read our Ibotta review to learn more.
5. Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel
Consider Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel if you want an effortless way to earn money online. You can install an app on your computer, phone, or tablet to share your internet usage.
The platform lets you earn up to $50 per year, and gift card redemptions start at $5.
You could also win the $10,000 monthly cash sweepstakes.
This app is one of the easiest ways to watch ads for money if you’re comfortable sharing these details:
- The URLs for the websites you visit
- How long you visit a web page
- Other device activity
You will get paid to watch ads, surf the web, or stream movies.
It’s free to join, but there isn’t a registration bonus.
Trustpilot score: 3.7 out of 5
6. Shopkick
Shopkick gives users a chance to earn by shopping online or in-store.
You can earn rewards points by:
- Walking into participating stores
- Scanning product barcodes and verify retail price
- Shopping online
- Scanning purchase receipts
Getting paid for watching video ads is another way to earn points without buying items. You can access these ads from home or while shopping.
Every 250 kicks you earn equals $1, and you can redeem for gift cards once you reach a $2 balance. PayPal cash redemptions require a $10 balance.
You can earn money faster with a $5 bonus for signing up by using the code FRUGALRULES.
Trustpilot score: 3.8 out of 5
7. InstaGC
InstaGC offers gift card rewards as low as $1. Thanks to this minimal payment threshold, this can be one of the best sites to make money watching videos and ads.
There are several activities that can earn rewards:
- Ads and videos
- Online shopping
- Surveys
- Web searches
You can redeem your rewards for gift cards to over 300 stores and restaurants. Unfortunately, cash rewards are unavailable.
New members receive a bonus of 10 cents when they register.
Trustpilot score: 3.5 out of 5
8. FusionCash
FusionCash is similar to other platforms on this list as you have a variety of ways to earn extra money in your spare time.
You can earn PayPal, direct deposit, and check payments with a $25 rewards balance. Gift card prizes are unavailable.
This micro job site pays you to perform these small tasks online:
- Product testing
- Taking paid surveys
- Using their online shopping portal
- Reading sponsored emails
- Playing games
Video ads aren’t as plentiful on this site, but there are enough to make it worth your effort.
If you participate in product testing, make sure you know what’s expected before joining a trial. Some opportunities require you to purchase a service and cancel before the free trial period ends.
New members can earn a $5 bonus for signing up.
Trustpilot score: 2.3 out of 5
9. Valued Opinions
With Valued Opinions you can get paid to watch ads, but they also offer a couple of other ways you can earn extra money. Here are other tasks you can complete to earn rewards with Valued Opinions:
- Product testing
- Taking paid surveys
Once you complete a free registration form and open an account you can earn up to $5 credit for completed surveys. After your account balance reaches a minimum of $10 you can redeem the credit for gift cards from Amazon.com, Macy’s, Target, or many other brands.
You must be at least 17 years old to join Valued Opinions.
Trustpilot score: 3.7 out of 5
10. Viggle
Viggle is a great app to get paid for watching TV and completing activities during commercial breaks, such as real-time trivia.
You receive points when you check into the app and when you’re watching a show or movie on Netflix, Amazon, or Hulu.
The amount of points you receive depends on the length of the show and the number of segments. When you are ready to start, simply press “Check-In.”
You can then begin earning while watching your favorite show.
It’s possible to use Viggle on most recorded shows as well, so you don’t have to watch shows in real-time to earn points.
The point offers and earning opportunities vary by show or movie.
You can redeem points from one of over 800 retailers, or you can get cash for a prepaid Visa cash card. Gift card redemptions start at $1.
Trustpilot score: N/A
11. AppNana
AppNana primarily pays users to try new mobile apps on Apple and Android devices. You earn points known as “Nanas” for achieving in-game milestones, but the app also allows you to get paid to watch ads.
You can redeem Nanas for gift cards with a $1 balance or earn free Google Play credits. In-app purchases are another redemption option.
It does take longer to earn points through this app, so it’s best to pursue other options on this list first.
If you like playing mobile games, you can use AppNana to make money for your effort.
Trustpilot score: N/A
12. AppTrailers
With AppTrailers, you receive points immediately after you register and confirm your email. After you get your first 50 points for signing up, you can watch video ads for money.
The movie trailer videos are about a minute long and can be for these topics:
- DIY Videos
- Funny Videos
- Celebrity news
- Gaming Videos
- Upcoming games, shows, and movies
You can also play trivia and other games right from the home screen to earn extra points on the app.
Rewards options include gift cards and PayPal cash with a $1 minimum redemption.
Trustpilot score: 3.8 out of 5
13. QuickRewards
QuickRewards can be the best option to earn free PayPal money as there isn’t a redemption minimum. You can cash out daily if you want.
Gift card redemptions require a reasonable $5 minimum balance.
The platform pays you for these activities:
- Watching ads on your phone
- Taking paid surveys
- Playing games online
- Using their shopping portal
There are a variety of video topics you can watch, including lifestyle and pop culture plus product advertisements.
The app offers customizable search filters to find your favorite offers. For example, you can block product trials that require a purchase.
Trustpilot score: 3.8 out of 5
How Much Can I Make Watching Video Ads?
Making money watching ads is easy and doesn’t require special skills or purchases. You can expect to earn several cents per video and perhaps a few dollars each day.
While the pay is relatively low, ad watching only takes a few minutes. You can also earn enough to afford small purchases or reach a savings goal sooner.
It’s a good idea to compare the opportunities on several platforms. Also, consider joining a platform that offers other activities that pay more for your efforts.
Bottom Line
It’s important to be realistic when you try to get paid to watch ads on your phone. You won’t replace your day job, but you can earn extra cash on the side with minimal effort.
Earnings can help supplement your income or make progress towards a goal. If you have a lot of free time in your week, this is an excellent way to be productive.
What do you do to make money on the side? How much free time do you have in a typical week?
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