We all know the moment when the month is coming to an end and your balance is starting to shrink more and more. Because of that, I've found and tried 7 legit ways to make $5 a day.
The short version
If you want to make money online, and you don't want a traditional job, there are several low-paying but reliable options.
The easiest method for most people is a paid task platform like Freecash, where you can earn money completing surveys, testing mobile games, and trying new apps.
You will not earn as much as a job with a task platform, but how much you earn depends on the tasks you complete.
Earn Rewards Playing Games
Did you know you could earn rewards by playing the games on your phone? Might sound a bit too good to be true, but here's how it actually works.
Game developers pay to bring more players to their games, and when you play the game, they pay you a portion of what they earn to have you on their platform, in hopes you stick around and play for the long term.
If you like playing games on your phone, why not try it out? On Freecash, pick a game from the library and get rewarded for completing the listed tasks. Here are examples of tasks below.
Each offer has its own set reward, with bigger payouts at later milestones. New accounts also get a $10 welcome bonus.
If you enjoy being on your phone, you really don't need to spend extra time on these tasks. The library of rewarded tasks includes thousands of games, including genres like
- Action and Adventure
- Puzzle
- Arcade
- Strategy
- ROGs
- Card games
- Tycoon
And many more. All are free to install and play on your phone or desktop.
Pros
- Large gaming catalog for multiple player types
- You get rewarded for something you are already doing
Cons
- Some games take more than one day to complete
- First withdraw requires $25 minimum
Of course, if you want to earn more, playing more games and using your phone more often is the key. For a full breakdown, read the guide on how Freecash works and what it pays.
Check Old App Balances
It sounds simple, but checking old app balances can uncover money, credits, or vouchers you’d forgotten about.
Think about apps you used in the past:
- payment apps (e.g paypal, cashapp)
- reward programs
- restaurant vouchers
- cinema vouchers
Or any service where you might have built up a balance. You may have already earned something; you just need to find it.
Start by checking apps you haven’t opened in a while. Do you have unused credits? An old balance? A voucher for a meal, movie, or another purchase?
I'd keep withdrawal fees in mind if you need it instantly. I know PayPal, for example, if you want Instant, costs 1.75%, with a $0.25 minimum (as of August 2026).
If you have more than $5, then the instant fee might not be a significant issue for you.
Pros
- You may have already earned or accumulated value
Cons
- Withdrawal fees could be high if you want it instantly
Take Online Surveys
I get it, you've probably seen this already on another list. But seriously, you have an opinion anyway; why not get rewarded for it?
Paid online surveys matter because companies use your opinions for marketing research on products, subscriptions, personal, and more. They pay you so they can know how to improve a certain experience.
You will typically get rewarded from $0.50 to $3.00 which means you may need to fill out and complete from 2 to 10 surveys to reach $5 in a day.
There are actually a few decent platforms that I've tried, and I think these are worth giving a shot.
- Qmee has no minimum at all and pays through PayPal or Venmo, usually within an hour or two. (as of August 2026)
- Curious Cat pays through PayPal, and it says that works in every region it covers. You cash out at 100 points. (as of August 2026)
- AttaPoll is a phone app, and its minimum is around $3.00, depending on your country. You don't fill in an application or upload an ID. (as of August 2026)
- Opinion Outpost is US only and pays in gift cards. It publishes 100 points for a $10 Amazon card, so you need twice the target. (as of August 2026)
Each survey wall shares a limit on how many you can qualify for. You may get rejected to finish them sometimes, and I've never qualified for everything I've applied for.
Freecash also offers surveys, although it is not the highest-rewarding area like gaming. But it could be a good place to start.
Pros
- You have an opinion anyway, so you can get rewarded for sharing it
- Surveys can work as a side activity alongside other ways of earning.
Cons
- You may not always qualify, so answer truthfully to reduce disqualifications.
- Reaching an amount like $5 may require completing multiple surveys.
Earn Cashback Shopping Daily
This is the most underrated option on this list, in my opinion. When you shop through a cashback offer, the merchant pays the cashback provider a commission for sending them your purchase.
The provider then shares some or all of that commission with you as cashback. Unlike a standalone cashback site, cashback on Freecash lands in the same balance as your offers and surveys, so it all goes to one cashout.
You still pay for the purchase, but if it’s something you were already going to buy, why not get a slice back?
Last month I earned $20 in cashback alone, which makes earning $5 a day look even more doable.
- Freecash: Multiple cashback options like CVS and DoorDash, available if you use the app consistently (US and DE only as of August 2026)
- TopCashback (US): you can cash out by PayPal, Venmo or bank transfer with no minimum amount. It gives you the full amount and keeps nothing back (as of August 2026)
- Quidco (UK): you can cash out from $1.00 to your bank or PayPal. Gift cards arrive the same afternoon. (as of August 2026)
- Swagbucks Shop and Earn (US, UK, nine more): 300 SB points get you a $3.00 Amazon card, the cheapest reward here. Points land 32 to 75 days later. (as of August 2026)
- Ibotta (US): it rewards you for groceries you already buy, but holds your money until you reach $20. Pair it with a site that pays out sooner. (as of August 2026)
If you go with Freecash, finish at least one offer so you can see the Deals page with all the cashback options. While cashback is only available in the US and Germany, keep an eye out for future potential new regions.
Pros
- You were already going to shop, so you get a piece back
- No extra time wasted, you already make purchases daily
Cons
- You still have to spend upfront
Get Paid for an Hour of Local Work
You probably don't see this as a suggestion everywhere else, but posting an hour of local work legitimately pays and is a decent option. I have done this myself a few times, and the set up is rather easy.
You can do a lot of different tasks like:
- Yard work
- Setting up a tv
- Screwing in lightbulbs
- Fixing a dishwasher
- Cleaning a house or event center
It takes maybe 30 minutes to set up an account, figure out a service, then post your availability.
Post your offer in the morning and get on with something else, until someone responds. A couple of places you could post would be:
- Nextdoor lets you offer to do small jobs for your neighbours. It limits how often you can post the same offer, so you get one good try.
- Craigslist has a gigs board, but you pay to post there. A service ad costs $5, and a gig ad costs $3.00 to $10.
Before you start any of these small jobs, make sure to follow basic safety rules. A very important one is: take the money before you start.
Pros
- Only an hour from your day
- Tasks are fairly simple work that anyone could really do.
Cons
- You rely on someone elses need
- Some days may be harder than others to earn $5
Scanning Receipts
Are you going grocery shopping soon? Receipt-scanning apps pay you for photos of your shopping receipts. Companies use that information as consumer research data.
Some platforms offer extra rewards when you buy from partner brands. Each app also limits how many receipts you can scan per day, so using more than one app can help you scan more of your everyday purchases.
Some platforms pay extra when you buy from partner brands, which is where most of what I earned came from.
Apps to get started:
- Fetch
- Ibotta — see how it compares in the Freecash vs Ibotta breakdown
- Receipt Hog
- Shoppix
Check each app’s redemption requirements before getting started. Fetch, for example, asks for 3,000 points before you can redeem, and its minimum redemption options can affect how quickly you access what you earn.
This guide also better covers how to earn money by scanning receipts.
Pros
- Easy to do on the phone
- It turns purchases you are already making into rewards.
Cons
- Each platform limits how many receipts you can scan per day.
Sell Things on a Marketplace
We all have things at home we no longer use. Look around your room and think about what you have not touched in the last six months like old consoles, discs, trading cards, lamps, small furniture, unused clothes, or anything else taking up space.
Once you have a few items, choose a marketplace that fits what you are selling:
- Facebook Marketplace: One of the easier spots to sell something. I've sold over $300 here within a month.
- CeX: quotes you from the barcode before you post anything, $5 minimum per online order, postage free both ways.
- eBay: eBay has an AI selling tool, which automatically posts your items in the right searches, making sales smoother and easier.
- Vinted: zero selling fees, withdrawals from $0.10, and catalogs for Home, Electronics, Books and Media, and Hobbies and collectibles.
Out of all these options, I highly recommend at least trying out the eBay AI selling tool, as it makes selling so much easier than doing the listing manually.
Pros
- You already have items you don't use, so turn it into cash
Cons
- You may need to meet a buyer or arrange shipping
Reaching $5 on a given day comes down to spreading your effort across multiple options; however, Freecash, cashback, and surveys are the easiest ways to get $5 in a day online without having to work.
Before you commit an evening to any of them, I'd check the withdrawal minimum and the payout schedule. Earning the money and having it in hand the same day aren't always the same thing.
