Get Paid to Workout: 7 Ways to Make Money While Exercising

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Want a way to get paid to exercise? There are a few apps that allow you to do just that. I downloaded them myself and here's how it went.

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Want to make money while exercising?

These are a few of the best ways to make extra money while working out.

This is a list that will help you make extra cash without much effort.

I don't know why you need extra money right now, but heck we all could use an extra 100 bucks.

Ready to see the list of how to get paid to work out?

Let's get into it — here are 7 apps that'll actually pay you cash while you're getting a sweat in.

7 Simple Apps to Earn Money With While Working Out

In case you wanted to get started with some quick wins — here are some legitimate websites that'll pay you just for signing up:

Next, we’ll move on to other apps that'll give you another reason to exercise.

There are a plethora of different mobile apps and websites that can net you easy money while you're on the elliptical, in between sets, or while riding your peloton.

1) Swagbucks

swagbucks

If you want another quick way to make $20 fast during your next workout then give Swagbucks a shot. You'd be silly not too as the site has already paid out $441.9 million to its users.

I usually use Swagbucks in between sets to watch a quick video or take fun polls to reap legit rewards.

Plus, you won't be limited to only surveys with this rewards site — in fact, you can earn easy money fast simply by watching entertaining videos, searching the web, and even playing games. You earn ‘points' that you can redeem for gift cards or for cash through PayPal.

They have an excellent rating on TrustPilot with over 14,144 reviews!

Simply sign up and score a $10 signup bonus then start watching videos or playing games and earn your other $10 to get your $20 fast during your next workout. Don't believe me? A Huffington Post report says users are earning $600 per month with this site.

To chalk it up, Swagbucks is one creative way to earn money at the gym or just when you're on the couch.

Earn around $50 to $1,000 per year
Swagbucks
5.0
$10 welcome bonus

Swagbucks offers a variety of ways to earn money online. You can take surveys, play games, surf the web, watch videos and more to earn points towards gift cards or cash.

Start Earning Swagbucks Review

2) InboxDollars

inboxdollars

InboxDollars is a market research company that'll pay you money to search the web (using their search engine) instead of using Google or Bing.

So if you search the web while you're going for a light walk, you can earn money for those searches. You can also earn money with other tasks you normally do like playing games, watching videos, or taking online polls — you can make extra money online.

While you won't get rich — you can surely make an easy $50 each month by using the site or app.

Making money is no longer a mystery with the help of InboxDollars, and signing up will net you a $5.00 instant bonus.

$5 sign up bonus
InboxDollars
4.5

InboxDollars offers a variety of ways to earn money online. You can take surveys, play games, surf the web, watch videos and more to earn points towards gift cards.

Start Earning InboxDollars Review

3) HealthyWage

HealthyWage is a no-frills app that lets you straight up bet on your weight loss goal. I signed up for the app and bet that I'd lose 10 pounds over the lockdowns and easily hit my goal and won a cash reward.

You can see the payouts options here — but just know that this will only pay you if you hit your goals. The more weight you lose, the more you can win.

HealthyWage

If you don't meet your weight loss goal, you'll lose the money. If you want an easier way to earn money, stick to InboxDollars and Swagbucks.

But if you're interested in getting paid to lose weight, I recommend you sign up for more information from Healthwage here.

HealthyWage

HealthyWage is a program for people who want to start dieting in a way that is fun, competitive, and potentially rewarding. As a member, you and your friends, family, and coworkers can bet against yourselves and potentially walk away with hundreds or even thousands of dollars in your pocket.

See Prize Calculator →

4) Solitaire Cube

solitaire cube

Would you be interested in competing in cash tournaments and head-to-head online (on your phone) to win money fast but don't know where to get started?

Solitaire Cube can help you get your feet wet & if you're already glued to your phone while riding on a stationary bike, why not earn some little side money.

Here, it is basically regular Solitaire but faster and you are playing against someone else for cash.

So it's pretty legit and available on iOS and Android — you will be matched up with people of your same skillset so it's really fair. I deposited $10 the other day and I already won $125!

Solitaire Cube
4.0

Earn cash by playing solitaire against others from your mobile phone. Solitaire Cube is one of the best card games to play to make money. If you're fond of engaging in fast-paced card games that challenge your intellect and offer the opportunity to win cash prizes, consider trying out Solitaire Cube.

Deposit Money and Play → Solitaire Cube Review

5) Instacart and DoorDash

Gig economy workers are the real winners in the pandemic era, as the demand for food delivery is booming.

Here you can get exercise while lifting things, being on the move, and getting out of the house while earning $500 a week or more.

If you wanted to cash in and earn money delivering food — here are the best food delivery apps that pay the most:

  1. DoorDash: DoorDash is the #1 food delivery app to make money delivering food. You can earn on your bike or even by walking and make up to $20 an hour.
  2. Instacart: If you have a car then you can use it to deliver groceries with Instacart. Just log into the app whenever you want to make extra cash and the orders will come. You can earn $20 an hour.

If you do plan to pick a delivery app to make extra cash in your free time, consider driving for multiple food delivery apps at the same time in order to be more profitable and make more money in between orders. If you haven't yet, click here to sign up for Instacart and DoorDash!

Highest paying?
Delivery Jobs

DoorDash provides more stable hourly pay but has lower earning potential. Instacart has higher earning potential but you must book your schedule in advance. Most gig workers sign up for both to maximize their earning potential.

Become a DoorDash Dasher Become an Instacart Shopper

Related: DoorDash Driver Review: How Much Money Can You Make?

6. Fitness Apps

sweatcoin review

Want to get paid to walk? If walking is something you enjoy every day, then there are apps that will pay you to walk.

  1. HealthyWage – HealthyWage will pay you to lose weight. Simply sign up with the app and make a bet on how much weight you want to lose, how long you will take to lose that weight, and how much you would like to bet. Then HealthyWage Prize Calculator will determine your winnings amount. If you then lose the weight, you will get paid to reach your weight loss goal. You can redeem your coins for PayPal cash, or merchandise like Apple devices, sports gear, etc.
  2. Sweatcoin – Sweatcoin is an app that pays you to walk. They will pay you in cryptocurrency. Once you sign up for the app, you will be able to earn 5 Sweatcoins per day for 5,000 steps. But if you choose a higher membership level that is charged monthly in Sweatcoins, you can increase the number of Sweatcoins you can earn per month. You can use your Sweatcoins earned to buy goods and services from brands in the app's marketplace.

7. Game Apps

make money playing games

Bonus: These 3 apps will PAY YOU to play games on your mobile device whenever you've got a minute.

While these game apps to win real money won’t be earning you enough to quit your day job, they can be a nice way to take a break and earn some extra cash.

Download all or most of these free apps today to increase your odds of winning cash for playing games.

  1. Bingo Cash – This app lets you play bingo for money — make $100 today. It is absolutely free to play Bingo Cash and earn real-world rewards and cash prizes when you download through this link.
  2. Mistplay (Android) â€“ If you have an Android device, you can download this app and start getting cash rewards for playing new games.
  3. Solitaire Cash â€“ Earning money by playing games on your phone sounds like a dream. But this app really pays you for playing solitaire with cash rewards.

If you want to make money playing games, consider this ever-growing list of instant cash games and game apps that pay real money that can be played in your spare time.

Best overall
Best for instant wins
MMG Rating:
4.7
MMG Rating:
4.6
Over 107.1K reviews
Over 271K reviews
  • Make money play bingo in your free time
  • Real-money tournaments and no ads
  • Cash out securely using PayPal
  • Earn up to $83 every time you win
  • Free to play with many opportunities to win cash
  • Cash out with PayPal and Apple Pay
  • Cash games not available in all states
  • Entry fees of at least $1 per game
Best overall
MMG Rating:
4.7
Over 107.1K reviews
  • Make money play bingo in your free time
  • Real-money tournaments and no ads
  • Cash out securely using PayPal
  • Cash games not available in all states
Best for instant wins
MMG Rating:
4.6
Over 271K reviews
  • Earn up to $83 every time you win
  • Free to play with many opportunities to win cash
  • Cash out with PayPal and Apple Pay
  • Entry fees of at least $1 per game

What Should You Do With Your Extra Money?

If you’re short on money and need the extra to get the bills paid, then that money is already spoken for.

But if you have some flexibility in your budget, here are smart ways to use that extra cash:

  • Use an Investing App Like Acorns: With Acorns, you are able to earn money over time while having access to investing features to guide you. Acorns offers an exclusive bonus investment of $10 when you sign up through this link and open an account.
  • Invest in Real Estate: Fundrise is a very easy-to-use app that allows individuals to access crowd-funded real estate investing. This option is best for users who want to make money consistently and let their money make them money.
  • Start an Emergency Fund: It now pays to stash cash in a checking account like Aspiration. With Aspiration Spend & Saveâ„¢, get the world’s first cash back account that lets you track the impact of your spending – all managed through one intuitive app. You can earn up to 5.00% APY on your savings if you start an emergency fund here.

Getting Paid to Walk

Depending on your schedule, you can also reach your weight loss goal by taking gigs that force you to walk and be on your feet.

Some examples would be walking dogs with Rover, delivering food as a dasher with DoorDash, or shopping for groceries with Instacart.

Highest paying?
Delivery Jobs

DoorDash provides more stable hourly pay but has lower earning potential. Instacart has higher earning potential but you must book your schedule in advance. Most gig workers sign up for both to maximize their earning potential.

Become a DoorDash Dasher Become an Instacart Shopper

Some of these options pay in PayPal cash, which is even better.

If you plan on being fit, don't forget to utilize Apple Health or Samsung Health to keep track of your fitness and health.

Getting paid to walk is possible with the ideas and apps on this list.

Good luck getting fit, and getting paid!

About the author

Brian Meiggs
Hi, I'm Brian Meiggs! A personal finance expert, entrepreneur, and the founder of My Millennial Guide. My drive is to help others unlock the wealth of freedom and pave the path to financial success. With my bachelor's degree in finance, I help millennials follow the smart money in order to increase their earning potential and start building wealth for the future. I write regularly about side hustles, investing, and general personal finance topics aimed to help anyone earn more, pay off debt, and reach financial freedom. I have been quoted in major publications including Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, NASDAQ, Discover, GoDaddy, BiggerPockets, Fox News, Debt.com, Quick Sprout, Money Geek, MSN Money and many more!