FundriseBest for hands-off real estatefrom $102
NielsenBest for zero effort and zero dollarsup to $60 a year3
CIT BankBest for cash you already have3.65% APY4
ArrivedBest for owning a slice of a rental homerent paid monthly5
MobileXpressionBest for the phone already in your pocket$5 in week one6
RaisinBest for chasing the top savings rateup to 4.25% APY7
CurrentBest if your paycheck can land there4.00% on up to $6,000The best passive income apps are the ones you set up once and then leave alone: real estate investing apps, background data panels and high-yield savings accounts. They pay you in rent, rewards or interest for something you own or something your device already does, not for tasks you complete.
Three questions sort the options. Do you have money to put to work, or only a phone and a laptop? Can that money stay put for years, or do you need to reach it next month? And how much checking in are you willing to do? The quick picks below line up all seven by what you set up, what each one pays and how hands-off it really is.
The 7 Best Passive Income Apps at a Glance
| App | What you set up | What it pays | How passive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fundrise | A recurring deposit | No set rate | Set and forget |
| Nielsen | One app per device | Up to $60 a year in rewards | Set and forget |
| CIT Bank | One transfer | 3.65% APY, variable | Set and forget |
| Arrived | Shares in rental homes | No set rate, paid monthly | Set and forget |
| MobileXpression | One phone install | $5 gift card in week one | Weekly check-in |
| Raisin | One savings marketplace login | Up to 4.25% APY | Set and forget |
| Current | Direct deposit plus Savings Pods | 4.00% on up to $6,000 | Set and forget |
What Makes an App Passive
Here is the test every app on this list had to pass. You set it up one time, and it keeps paying with little or no work from you after that. If you only earn while you are tapping, answering or playing, it is not passive. It is a side gig with a nicer name.
That rules out survey sites, game apps and task apps. Some of them pay well, and a few are covered near the end of this page, but they pay for your time. For ideas that go beyond apps, like dividend stocks or a rental of your own, see our full list of passive income ideas.
The Best Passive Income Apps, One by One
Each card shows what you set up, what the company itself says it pays, what it costs and how you get your money out. Open the details on any card for the honest downside.
1. Fundrise
Best for hands-off real estateThe most hands-off way to own real estate.
Fundrise pools your money with other investors and puts it into private real estate and other private assets. You pick a plan, add money, and its team does the buying and managing.
Open an account and pick a plan
Fund it with $10 or more
Turn on a recurring deposit so it grows without you
What it pays, what it costs and the honest downside
$10 minimum. Values and income can go down as well as up.
2. Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel
Best for zero effort and zero dollarsThe closest thing to free money for doing nothing.
Nielsen measures how people use the internet. You install its app on your computer, your phone or both, and it runs quietly while you go about your day.
Register your devices
Install the Nielsen app on each one
Leave it running and redeem your points
What it pays, what it costs and the honest downside
Free. Up to $60 a year in rewards, per Nielsen.
3. CIT Bank Savings Connect
Best for cash you already haveInterest is the most passive income there is.
A high-yield savings account pays you for money that is already sitting still. Move your emergency fund here once and the interest shows up on its own.
Open the account online
Move in $100 or more
Let the interest build
What it pays, what it costs and the honest downside
3.65% APY, accurate as of July 1, 2026. The rate is variable and can change.
Savings Connect: APY (Annual Percentage Yield) is accurate as of July 1, 2026. Interest rates for the Savings Connect account are variable and may change at any time without notice. The minimum to open a Savings Connect account is $100. Fees could reduce earnings on the account. Platinum Savings is a tiered interest rate account. Interest is paid on the entire account balance based on the interest rate and APY in effect that day for the balance tier associated with the end-of-day account balance. APYs (Annual Percentage Yields) are accurate as of July 1, 2026: 0.25% APY on balances of $0.01 to $4,999.99; 3.75% APY on balances of $5,000.00 or more. Interest rates for the Platinum Savings account are variable and may change at any time without notice. The minimum to open a Platinum Savings account is $100. Member FDIC. For complete list of account details and fees, see our Personal Account disclosures.
4. Arrived
Best for owning a slice of a rental homeRental income without being the landlord.
Arrived lets you buy shares of individual rental homes. It finds the tenants, collects the rent and handles the repairs, and you get your share of the rent.
Create an account and browse the homes
Buy shares in the ones you like
Collect your share of the rent
What it pays, what it costs and the honest downside
Long-term money only. Rent and home values can fall.
5. MobileXpression
Best for the phone already in your pocketA second background panel that stacks with Nielsen.
MobileXpression is a market research panel for phones. You install its software, it studies how the mobile internet gets used, and you collect credits for staying in.
Install the software on your phone
Claim your credits each week
Trade credits for eGift cards
What it pays, what it costs and the honest downside
Free. Gift cards, not cash, and a quick weekly claim.
6. Raisin
Best for chasing the top savings rateOne login, more than 100 banks and credit unions.
Raisin is a marketplace for savings accounts and CDs. You open one Raisin account, then move money between partner banks whenever a better rate shows up.
Open one free Raisin account
Pick a savings account or CD
Fund it from your bank
What it pays, what it costs and the honest downside
Free to use. Rates vary by bank and can change.
7. Current
Best if your paycheck can land thereA strong rate, if you can route a paycheck through it.
Current is a spending account with Savings Pods built in. Turn on the Boost feature, send part of your paycheck there, and the pods earn a bonus on what you save.
Open a Current account
Point at least $200 of your paycheck to it
Move savings into your pods and turn on Boost
What it pays, what it costs and the honest downside
4.00% on up to $6,000 with a qualifying deposit. Otherwise 0.25%.
How to Stack Passive Income Apps
Start with what costs nothing. Put Nielsen on your computer and your phone, then add MobileXpression on the phone. That is two installs and maybe fifteen minutes. The rewards are small, but they arrive whether you think about them or not.
Next, fix the cash you already have. If your emergency fund sits in a checking account that pays nothing, moving it to CIT Bank, Raisin or Current is the biggest quick win on this page. On $5,000, the gap between 0% and about 4% is roughly $200 a year. We keep a wider comparison of high-yield savings accounts if you want more choices.
Last, add long-term money. Once your emergency fund is set, a small recurring deposit into Fundrise puts you in real estate without any landlord work. Keep it to money you will not need for at least five years. Values and income can go down, so this is the layer you add after the safe ones are in place.
That is the whole stack: free panels first, savings second, investing third. Set aside one afternoon to open them, then check in a few times a year.
Not Passive, but Worth Your Time
These apps did not pass the test above, because you only earn while you are doing something. They are still some of the better ways to make extra money from your phone, so here they are with the right label.
Testerup pays you to try new games and apps and hit goals inside them. You get a $10 welcome bonus after sign-up, and you can cash out by PayPal, gift card or bank transfer. It is active work, and the bigger goals take real playing time.
BigCash works the same way. You pick an offer, play the game or test the app, and get paid when you finish the steps. Good for spare minutes on the couch, not for money while you sleep.
Branded pays for answering surveys. Every dollar comes from a survey you sat down and completed, so think of it as a small hourly gig.
Upside gives you cash back on gas, groceries and restaurants. It is close to passive, but you have to claim an offer in the app before each purchase, so it only pays when you remember to use it.
If active earning is what you are after, our roundup of the best money making apps goes deeper.
Passive Income Apps FAQ
It depends on what you are starting with. If you have money to invest for the long run, Fundrise is our top pick, with a $10 minimum and nothing to manage. If you have no money to put in, the Nielsen panel is free and runs in the background. If you have cash sitting in checking, a high-yield savings account like CIT Bank Savings Connect pays interest with no risk to your balance up to FDIC limits.
Yes, but the amounts are modest. Nielsen says its panel is worth up to $60 a year in rewards. A savings account near 4% APY pays about $40 a year on every $1,000. Investing apps can pay more over time, but nothing is guaranteed and you can lose money.
Nothing for the data panels. Nielsen and MobileXpression are free. Raisin has a $1 minimum deposit, Fundrise starts at $10, and CIT Bank Savings Connect needs $100 to open.
No. You only earn while you are answering questions or playing, so they are active income. Apps like Testerup can still be worth your time, and it pays a $10 welcome bonus, but do not expect them to earn while you are away from your phone.
In most cases, yes. Interest from a savings account and income from investments are taxable, and rewards can be too. Keep the tax forms each company sends you and report the income on your return.
The Bottom Line on Passive Income Apps
No app will replace your paycheck by itself. What these seven can do is pay you a little from several directions without taking your evenings. The free panels add up to gift cards and a bit of spending money. The savings accounts pay real interest on cash you already hold. The real estate apps can build something larger over years, with real risk attached.
Pick the one that matches what you have today. No spare cash? Install Nielsen. Cash sitting idle? Open a savings account. Ready to invest for the long run? Start small and automate it.
