BEST FOR RIDE SHARING

The ridesharing service, Uber, has become a household name and has transformed transportation options as we know it. Uber connects drivers and passengers through their mobile app. Passengers can secure a ride quickly, while Uber drivers can make extra money in their free time, with resources they already have.

If you have a relatively new car, a smartphone and a clean driving record, driving for Uber could be a good side hustle for you. Driving for Uber offers a flexible schedule, allowing drivers to make money driving any time and any day of the year.

How much you make can vary, and Uber offers incentives to keep their drivers happy and earning more money. The most notable incentive for drivers is well-known to Uber users—“Surge Pricing,” which allows drivers to earn more when there is a high-demand.

How much you can earn: In the most popular markets, Uber drivers can earn more than $19 per hour.

A driver’s license for a year (three years if under 23 years of age)

A smartphone

A qualified 4-door vehicle (each location will have its own vehicle requirements)

Car insurance

A Taxi and Limo Commission license and registration (for New York City drivers)

Vehicle registration

Must be 21+ years old

Downsides to consider:

You pay for your own gas (though you may be eligible for an IRS mileage deduction)

Dealing with unruly or inebriated passengers

Unforeseen downtime between calls 

BEST FOR SHOPPING

Going to the grocery store is something you’re probably used to doing. Why not get paid for doing it for other people? Through Instacart, you can earn more money by doing just that. You can sign up to become a driver + shopper and get assigned gigs through their app.

You sign-up for a time frame to work in a certain area and you’ll get a notification about which grocery store to go to and which items to pick up. Using a credit card, you make the purchase and then deliver the items to the customer. And you can choose shifts that work with your schedule.

How much you can earn: Up to $10 to $20 per hour

A car

A smartphone

Patience to deal with finding and scanning items

Ability to carry 40 or more pounds

Be at least 21 years of age

Downsides to consider:

Wear and tear on your car

Dealing with products not being available

Having to carry heavy groceries

Potential low call volume

 

BEST FOR FOOD DELIVERY

Postmates is an on-demand delivery app that connects couriers with customers. Customers can order food from their favorite restaurants and get it delivered straight to their door within the hour. Couriers pick-up the items at the restaurants and deliver them to residential homes, apartments and offices.

Unlike many of the other sharing economy apps, you don’t have to have a car to work as a Postmate courier. You can drive, walk, or bike as a courier and earn up to $25 per hour. Like other apps, you can work anytime you want and maintain a flexible schedule.

How much you can earn: Up to $25 per hour

A smartphone

A bike (optional)

A car (optional)

Downsides to consider:

Low call volume

Far distances between pickup and delivery (especially if you’re walking or biking)

BEST FOR ODD JOBS

Do you have a knack for doing odd jobs and getting things done? TaskRabbit might be the right platform for you. “Taskers” can sign up on TaskRabbit, attend an introductory orientation, and then get connected to gigs in their area.

Many of the gigs are related to moving, delivery, cleaning, IKEA furniture assembly, and more. Taskers use the app to check out local gigs and get booked with clients in the area. After performing the job, Taskers can then submit an invoice for payment.

How much you can earn: You can set your own rates for various gigs.

A smartphone

Transportation to get to gigs

Tools (may be necessary for handyman and assembly gigs)

Downsides to consider:

High competition

Based on availability of gigs

There is a $25 registration fee, which covers the cost of processing your background check 

BEST FOR CLEANING & REPAIRS

Do you love cleaning, or are you great fixing things around the house? Becoming a housecleaner or handyman using Handy could be a good side hustle for you.

Handy connects professionals with clients in the area. Unlike other gig apps, Handy requires you to have previous paid experience. If you do, the pay could be good. According to their website, housecleaners can earn up to $22 per hour, and handymen (or handywomen!) can earn up to $45 per hour.

Using Handy, professionals can have control of their own schedule and take on work when it makes sense. Additionally, Handy streamlines payment by depositing your earnings into your bank account when the job is done.

How much you can earn: Up to $22 to $45 per hour or more.

A smartphone

Cleaning supplies (if applying as a cleaner)

Tools (if applying as a handyman)

Transportation

Previous experience

Downsides to consider:

You’re responsible for supplies

Based on availability 

BEST FOR DOG LOVERS

Are you more of a dog person than a people person? There’s a side hustle for you, too. You can sign up for DogVacay to become a sitter, taking care of pooches while their owners are away.

You can decide which types of dogs you’d like to care for based on their age, size, and breed. As a sitter, you can set your own rates and offerings as well. To get started, you need to create a profile, set up your availability and services, and get to work.

The good news is you can decide whether to watch pets in your own home or at the owner’s home and offer an array of services like dog walking, grooming, overnight care, and more.

How much you can earn: You set your own rates but can earn $20 to $50 per night.

A smartphone

Photos of your home, if hosting dogs there

A love of dogs

Downsides to consider:

High competition

Based on availability in your area

There is a 20% service fee 

BEST FOR SELLING

If you’re looking to declutter your home and earn more money, you can use the app OfferUp to sell your used goods. You can download the app for free on Google Play or the Apple store.

The way it works is simple. You can take a picture of your item through the app and list it in a matter of minutes. Before, you might have to take a photo, upload it to an account and wait. Using OfferUp, you can quickly take photos of your items, create a short description and start selling your stuff all from the comfort of your smartphone.

OfferUp has user ratings for buyers and sellers, so you can make sure to do business with people that have positive ratings. You can also chat with potential buyers using their secure messaging system in the app, without divulging your personal contact information.

How much you can earn: You can set your own rates for the items you list.

A smartphone

Items to sell

Downsides to consider:

Market may vary by location

Potential for flakes and scammers 

An app is a good way to quickly and affordably start a side hustle that may turn into a business, remain a side hustle, or just be a hobby for fun. You can download these apps to your smartphone and decide which side hustle is right for you. These apps were created with different types of gigs in mind and can put you in touch with clients looking for handyman, cleaning, or petsitting services or a ride across town.

Some of these apps are completely free, others charge registration fees, and certain ones take a percentage of your profits. You may pay a $25 registration fee to cover the processing of your background check. Some apps require you to buy your own supplies, such as gas or cleaning products, and other apps charge a 20% service fee. 

Typically, apps to start side hustles are free or low cost, so are worth using. However, with the apps that charge registration fees, make sure you know what you’re getting into and maybe try the free options first. Remember to calculate all of your costs, including supplies and processing fees, before deciding whether the side hustle is right for you and makes sense financially. 

Side hustles are a popular way to make extra money, so there are plenty of apps out there. We chose the best ones based on their costs, ease of the sign-up and registration process, the features they offer, and the potential for making money.