Your phone can realistically put an extra $20–$2,000 a month in your pocket depending on how much time you’re willing to invest. At the passive end, stacking cashback apps like Rakuten and Drop earns $20–$60 a month with almost zero effort. Survey apps like Swagbucks and Leger Opinion push that to $50–$200 for a few hours a week. And at the active end, gig-work apps like DoorDash and TaskRabbit pay $15–$50/hour — genuine side-hustle income that adds up fast, though it comes with self-employment tax obligations. The key is knowing which category of app matches the time you actually have, and avoiding the too-good-to-be-true scams that promise thousands for no effort.
Best Money-Making Apps by Category
Survey & Rewards Apps
App
Earning Method
Expected Monthly Income
Min. Payout
Payout Method
Swagbucks
Surveys, videos, shopping
$50–$200
$5
PayPal, gift cards
Leger Opinion (LEO)
Market research surveys
$50–$100
$20
Cheque, gift cards
Angus Reid Forum
Opinion surveys
$20–$50
$10
Cheque, points
Prolific
Academic research studies
$50–$150
$8 USD
PayPal
Branded Surveys
Consumer surveys
$30–$80
$5
PayPal, gift cards
Ipsos i-Say
Market research
$20–$60
$10
Gift cards, PayPal
Maru Voice Canada
Consumer surveys
$10–$40
$25
Gift cards
Cashback & Shopping Apps
App
How You Earn
Expected Monthly Income
Best For
Rakuten
Cashback on online shopping
$10–$30
Online shoppers
Drop
Card-linked cashback
$5–$15
Automatic, effortless
Caddle
Grocery receipt scanning
$5–$15
Grocery shoppers
Checkout 51
Grocery receipt scanning
$5–$10
Grocery savings
PC Optimum
Points on Loblaw purchases
$10–$30 in points
Loblaw/Shoppers shoppers
Selling & Marketplace Apps
App
What to Sell
Fee
Best For
Facebook Marketplace
Anything (local)
Free (or 5% for shipped)
Furniture, electronics, general items
Kijiji
Anything (local)
Free (promoted ads extra)
Local classifieds
Poshmark
Clothing, accessories
20% commission
Fashion resale
Depop
Vintage/trendy clothing
10% commission
Younger demographic
eBay Canada
Anything (ship or local)
13.25% + payment fee
Niche/collectible items
Gig Work & Freelance Apps
App
Type of Work
Expected Hourly Rate
Requirements
DoorDash
Food delivery
$15–$25/hr
Vehicle or bike, smartphone
Uber Eats
Food delivery
$15–$25/hr
Vehicle or bike, smartphone
Skip The Dishes
Food delivery
$12–$22/hr
Vehicle, smartphone
Uber
Rideshare
$15–$30/hr
Vehicle, licence, background check
TaskRabbit
Handyman, moving, cleaning
$20–$50/hr
Skills-based; set your own rate
Rover
Pet sitting, dog walking
$15–$30/hr
Love of animals
Instacart
Grocery shopping/delivery
$12–$25/hr
Vehicle, smartphone
Realistic Monthly Earnings
Effort Level
Apps Used
Hours/Week
Expected Monthly
Minimal (passive)
Rakuten + Drop + Caddle
0–1 hr
$20–$60
Casual
Swagbucks + cashback apps
2–5 hrs
$80–$200
Active (side hustle)
Surveys + selling items
5–10 hrs
$200–$500
Gig work
DoorDash/Uber + surveys
15–20 hrs
$800–$2,000
Bottom Line
Passive cashback and survey apps won’t replace a paycheque, but $100–$200 a month adds up to $1,200–$2,400 a year — enough to max out a TFSA contribution or cover a few months of groceries. If you want real income, gig-work apps are the move. Whichever route you choose, track your earnings and expenses carefully: anything beyond casual cashback is taxable self-employment income in Canada.
Top money-making apps in Canada (2026)
App
Category
Earning potential
Notes
Rakuten Canada
Shopping cashback
$20–$100+/month
Passive; applies to regular online shopping
Checkout 51
Grocery cashback
$10–$40/month
Upload receipts after purchase
Drop
Linked card cashback
$5–$20/month
Connects to your existing cards
Wealthsimple Cash
HISA interest
Depends on balance
4%+ interest on cash — not “earning” but saves
Fiverr / Upwork
Freelancing
Unlimited
Skilled work only; taxes apply
Rover
Pet sitting
$20–$50/day
Dog walking, pet sitting
Uber Eats / DoorDash
Food delivery
$800–$2,000/month
Flexible hours; self-employment income
Mechanical Turk (MTurk)
Micro-tasks
$2–$8/hour
US-based; lower Canadian income
Task Rabbit
Local tasks/handyman
$25–$75/hour
Depends on skills and demand
Tax rules for app-based income
All money made through apps (beyond passive cashback rewards, which are generally not taxable) is taxable in Canada:
Delivery and gig income: Reported as self-employment income on line 13500 of your T1
GST/HST registration: Required once you earn more than $30,000 in a 12-month period from self-employment
Expense deductions: Eligible deductions include phone costs, car expenses (mileage), and home office (if applicable)
Cashback rewards: Not taxable (considered a discount, not income) unless tied to business spending
Frequently asked questions
Which app pays the most in Canada?
High-skilled freelancing platforms (Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal) offer the highest earning potential — experienced professionals can earn $50–$150+/hour. For low-effort passive income, Rakuten and Checkout 51 are reliable but modest ($100–$500/year for most users).
Is selling on Facebook Marketplace taxable in Canada?
Selling personal used items at a loss is generally not taxable. Regularly buying and reselling for profit is business income — taxable and subject to GST/HST once above $30,000. Selling new handmade products, vintage items, or goods you purchased specifically to resell is typically business income.