While some diseases or conditions are unavoidable, prevention is still the best defense you have to ward off illnesses and protect yourself from expensive health care costs.
According to the National Institute of Health, an inactive lifestyle may weaken your immune system and increase the risk of many chronic diseases. Yet 28% of Americans over the age of 6 are considered physically inactive.
Thankfully, you don’t have to find the motivation to work out all on your own. You can actually make some extra income while pounding the pavement thanks to various apps that pay you to walk.
The Best Apps That Pay You to Walk
Chances are, you have your smartphone on you most of the time. If you need a daily reminder to get off the couch and want to earn some extra cash at the same time, consider installing the following apps.
1. Achievement
- Pros: Additional earning potential through logging daily activities
- Cons: Maximum earning potential of $30 per year
- Compatible Trackers: Over 20 devices and apps including Fitbit, Garmin, Apple Health, Daily Mile, and MyFitnessPal
Achievement is a popular fitness app with over 3 million downloads on the Google Play store and iOS app store. Achievement pays users for staying healthy while collecting data for use in research studies about human health.
Achievement works by using a model that’s fairly standard among walking apps. To make money with Achievement, you must:
- Download the Achievement app.
- Connect a fitness tracking app or device to allow Achievement to monitor your activity.
- Earn points for walking.
- Redeem points via PayPal, direct deposit, or a charitable donation.
Achievement allows users to earn up to 80 points per day for activities such as walking, running, biking, or swimming. You need 10,000 points to cash out at a rate of $1 per 1,000 points.
You can also earn points for logging daily activities such as food intake, weight changes, and your sleep schedule in the Achievement app. However, you only earn six points for doing so. Consistency is the key to earning here.
If you earn 86 points per day, this means Achievement pays you about $30 per year. But earning 86 points each day requires never missing a day of activity, so it’s more realistic to make $10 to $20 per year from Achievement.
2. StepBet
- Pros: Fun competitive element
- Cons: Requires a buy-in to enter; large player pools and low buy-in amounts typically result in low earnings for winning a game
- Compatible Trackers: Garmin, Apple Health, Fitbit
StepBet is an effective way to earn money for walking as long as you’re willing to bet on yourself to achieve personal fitness goals.
Here’s how StepBet works:
- Download the StepBet app and connect it to a fitness tracker.
- The app calculates your personal weekly step goal based on your previous activity levels.
- Buy in to a StepBet game with other players.
- Hit your step goal for a certain number of consecutive weeks, and you’ll split the total prize pool with other successful players at the end of the game.
There are a few catches worth noting.
First, most StepBet games are six weeks long and require a $40 bet to enter. Many games have several thousand StepBet players competing simultaneously. Generally, players earn around $5 to $20 in profit for winning a game.
Second, StepBet takes 15% of the prize pool for nonmember games. Non-StepBet members can only play in one game at a time. StepBet members can join three games at once, including members-only games. However, a StepBet membership costs $50 per year.
That said, StepBet doesn’t want players to lose their money. If you win a StepBet match, you will never lose your bet. StepBet actually forfeits their 15% cut if there are too many players left at the end of a game to prevent players from losing money.
StepBet pays rewards through PayPal. It’s a competitive way to boost your activity levels and make money by walking.
3. Sweatcoin
- Pros: Diverse range of rewards
- Cons: Earning cash is highly unlikely; earnings are more likely in the form of free trials or samples
- Compatible Trackers: Built-in phone GPS tracking or Apple Watch (no fitness trackers)
Sweatcoin is a free app for iOS and Android phones that pays active users through Sweatcoins (SWC), the app’s cryptocurrency.
Sweatcoin rewards users for outdoor and indoor steps — a new feature for the app that previously only worked outdoors. However, indoor steps only credit on Android devices or iPhone 7s or newer.
Sweatcoin is easy to use. Once you download the app and connect it to a fitness tracker, it monitors your outdoor activity with no further input needed from you.
You can sign up for one of four different Sweatcoin membership levels depending on your activity level. Paid levels don’t cost you anything out of pocket; instead, you “pay” for them in steps.
- Mover: Earn up to 5 SWC per day (free)
- Shaker: Earn up to 10 SWC per day (costs 4.75 SWC per month)
- Quaker: Earn up to 15 SWC per day (costs 20 SWC per month)
- Breaker: Earn up to 20 SWC per day (costs 30 SWC per month)
A new level, Trouble Maker, is in the works but not yet released.
One thousand steps equal 1 SWC, minus a 5% commission. The maximum number of Sweatcoins you can earn per day is 19 SWC, or 20,000 steps on the Breaker plan.
Sweatcoins are redeemed through the in-app shop. Reward options typically include free trial access to streaming services or apps, discounted fitness products, and free offers from subscription box companies.
Sweatcoin offers an iPhone X or $1,000 prize for 20,000 SWC, but that’s not exactly a realistic goal. Even with the Breaker membership level, it would require 1,000 days of 20,000 steps, which is nearly three years.
The bottom line is that Sweatcoin is useful for staying motivated to get active and to get discounts for fitness products, apparel, and electronics. It isn’t a direct way to make extra money for most users, so keep this limitation in mind.
4. FitPotato
- Pros: Fun competitive element
- Cons: Requires a small bet to enter; smaller player base than StepBet means potentially lower earnings; must sync steps before each weekly challenge ends; iPhone only
- Compatible Trackers: Built-in iPhone GPS tracker
FitPotato is a free iOS app that rewards you for walking or running.
FitPotato is almost identical to StepBet in that players place a bet to join a group fitness challenge. However, unlike StepBet, FitPotato games only last one week. If you complete three fitness “sessions” within seven days, you make it into the winning group for a challenge.
To complete a session, you must reach 10,000 steps within a 24-hour period. If you regularly hit this step count multiple times per week, FitPotato should be an easy app to win with.
Games require a $5 bet to enter, and the prize pool varies depending on the number of players in a game. But on average, expect earnings of under $1 to around $5 for winning a weekly challenge.
You must sync your steps within the app before a weekly challenge is complete, so don’t forget this crucial step. You can cash out earnings to your bank account at any time.
5. myWalgreens (Formerly Walgreens Balance Rewards)
- Pros: Earn cash back at Walgreens; complete health challenges for bonus cash back
- Cons: Health challenges have a low earning potential
- Compatible Trackers: Over 20 apps and 40 devices are compatible
If you regularly shop at Walgreens, joining myWalgreens is an excellent way to get paid to walk and to save money on your next shopping trip.
Becoming a myWalgreens member is free and requires creating an account on Walgreens’ website. As a member, perks include:
- Earning 10 points in Walgreens Cash for every $1 you spend (1% cash back) on most non-Walgreens-branded purchases
- Earning 50 points in Walgreens Cash for every $1 you spend (5% cash back) on Walgreens branded products
- Saving time and getting in-store or curbside pickup orders from your local Walgreens in just 30 minutes
Online orders also qualify for cash back. It takes 1,000 points to redeem $1, and you redeem points for in-store and online savings.
If you want to earn more points, you can also complete monthly health challenges that include physical activity and lifestyle goals. Examples of activity goals include walking 10,000 steps in a day or biking each week. Lifestyle goals include challenges like taking time to meditate or eating more fruit.
You self-monitor your progress for many challenges. For example, if you eat fruit in the morning, the idea is to log that activity in the Walgreens app to track progress. For fitness challenges, Walgreens syncs with over 20 apps and 40 fitness devices to monitor your activity.
You earn $0.25 for every week of a challenge you complete. You can complete one activity and one lifestyle challenge simultaneously for a total of $2 per month in bonus points.
Earning cash back on everyday purchases in-store and online at Walgreens is the main reason to become a myWalgreens member. But if you want to save even more at Walgreens and get weekly reminders to stay healthy, the fitness component of the program is worth trying.
6. LifeCoin
- Pros: Diverse range of rewards
- Cons: Low earning potential; high redemption minimum for gift cards
- Compatible Trackers: Phone GPS tracking, Google Fit
If you want to earn free gift cards for walking, LifeCoin is another app that’s worth downloading.
Once you download LifeCoins for Android or iOS, you convert your daily steps and other physical activity, like running or hiking, into LifeCoins. The app tracks your steps by syncing with your phone’s GPS or Google Fit.
It takes 1,000 steps to earn 1 LifeCoin. You can only earn up to 5 LifeCoins per day unless you pay for a premium membership, which lets you earn up to 10 LifeCoins per day. A premium membership costs $39.99 per year.
In terms of rewards, LifeCoins are redeemable for prizes like:
- Gift cards to retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Sephora, and Uber
- Gadgets like headphones and speakers
- New smartphones
Gift card rewards begin at $50 and require approximately 2,500 LifeCoins to redeem. The other prize categories are around 7,000 LifeCoins, which isn’t exactly realistic to obtain. After all, at 5 LifeCoins per day, it takes around 500 days to earn a $50 gift card assuming you hit 5,000 steps every day.
Like other apps that pay you to walk, LifeCoins isn’t going to make you rich. But if you’re already using several other fitness apps, add LifeCoins into the mix to slowly work toward your first gift card.
7. Charity Miles
- Pros: Over a dozen charities to support; earn more per mile than most fitness apps
- Cons: Requires manually starting each workout to earn
- Compatible Trackers: Phone GPS tracking, Apple Health, Strava
There are numerous benefits to charitable giving, like meeting new people in your community and securing tax deductions. And now, thanks to Charity Miles, you can also focus on getting fit while supporting a charity of your choice.
Charity Miles is a free app for Android and iOS. After downloading the app, you select a charity to support through your future athletic activity. Charities you can support include:
- Alzheimer’s Association
- American Diabetes Association
- Charity Water
- Feeding America
- Habitat for Humanity
- Save the Children
- The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
- Wounded Warrior Project
- World Wildlife Federation
Charity Mile donates to your charity depending on how much you exercise. You earn up to $0.25 per mile you walk or run and up to $0.10 per mile you bike. If you run and walk 10 miles per week, that’s $130 toward the charity of your choice per year. Just note that your Charity Miles earnings aren’t tax-deductible.
The app uses your phone’s GPS to track activity and also works with apps like Apple Health and Strava.
You have to start a workout session within the app before exercising, so Charity Miles doesn’t automatically give you credit for all your daily activity. But as long as you remember to instruct the app to track your workouts, you can get your sweat on and make regular donations to a charity you care about.
8. WinWalk
- Pros: Multiple earning options; diverse range of rewards
- Cons: Slow moneymaker if you only walk and don’t try the other earning options; Android-only
- Compatible Trackers: Uses your phone’s built-in pedometer
WinWalk is a free pedometer app for Android that lets you earn free gift cards for exercising. You don’t have to create an account or provide an email address to get started; simply download WinWalk, exercise, and begin earning points for your daily steps.
You can earn up to 100 coins per day, and 1 coin requires 100 steps. If you walk 10,000 steps per day, you’re maximizing how many coins you earn. Coins are redeemable for a variety of free gift cards to retailers like:
- Adidas
- Amazon
- Best Buy
- CVS
- Domino’s
- Nike
- Starbucks
- Target
Gift cards are redeemable when you earn 16,000 coins, which is worth $10. This means you can redeem a $10 gift card every 160 days if you maximize your daily coins. If you’re a less active individual, WinWalk is likely a $10-per-year side hustle.
If you want to earn coins faster, you can enter sweepstakes by paying 65 coins for the chance to win $5 gift cards. WinWalk also has a Missions section that lets you earn by:
- Watching video ads
- Answering surveys
- Downloading new mobile games
Some download offers pay several thousand coins, and this feature makes WinWalk similar to Mistplay, which also pays you for downloading mobile games. Finally, you earn 3,000 coins for referring friends to WinWalk after your referral earns their first 100 coins.
Ultimately, the variety of earning options makes WinWalk unique compared to most other walking apps that pay. If you don’t mind answering surveys and playing new games, you can regularly earn free gift cards with this app.
Weight Loss Apps
While some apps pay you mainly to walk, others focus on weight loss, which daily walking can help you achieve. If you want to tackle a weight-loss challenge alongside thousands of other people and potentially earn money in the process, the following apps are worth downloading.
9. HealthyWage
- Pros: Highest earning potential of any fitness app; option to do team challenges; allows between six and 18 months to reach your target
- Cons: Requires a $100 minimum bet; must lose at least 10% of your starting weight
According to a 2008 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, monetary incentives improve people’s likelihood of reaching weight loss completion goals. In the real world, apps like HealthyWage apply this concept to help participants lose weight to earn cash.
The HealthyWage model is similar to StepBet’s:
- Calculate Winnings. Enter your weight loss goal, time frame, and monthly wager amount to calculate your potential earnings.
- Enter Stats. Input your gender, current weight, age, and height to learn your potential reward.
- Place a Bet. Enter payment information and place your bet.
- Verify Starting Weight. Use the video feature in the HealthyWage app or submit a video recording of your weigh-in to verify your starting weight.
- Lose Weight and Win. If you meet your weight loss goal within the time frame of your bet, verify your end weight and win.
There are some important rules to know about bets and eligibility.
First, HealthyWage requires a $100 minimum bet. Additionally, your minimum weight loss target must be at least 10% of your starting weight. You have between six and 18 months to reach your target.
Second, you can’t participate in a HealthyWage challenge if you’re pregnant or a professional trainer or athlete.
If you’ve previously won $200 or more with HealthyWage, you must start future challenges at the same bodyweight or below as the end of your last challenge. This feature is in place to prevent rapid weight gain and shedding for the sake of winning.
HealthyWage has an impressive number of success stories on its website. Unlike other fitness apps that pay relatively low amounts, HealthyWage pays up to $10,000 for completing challenges. Plus, HealthyWage hosts team challenges, which reward teams of five players for having the highest total weight loss amount in a challenge.
Individual challenges can also be lucrative, but your prize depends on how ambitious your goal is. For example, a 200-pound, 5’11” male who loses 20 pounds in six months betting $50 per month can win $326.77, but that’s only $26.77 in profit. In contrast, a 240-pound, 5’7” female who loses 65 pounds in 10 months betting $200 per month can win $3,560 for $1,560 in profit.
Of course, you should set a weight target to become healthier rather than chasing a specific dollar figure. But if you want to hold yourself accountable for losing excess weight and potentially earn some meaningful extra cash, this is a great platform to try.
Read our HealthyWage review for more information.
10. DietBet
- Pros: Low monetary commitment in return for motivation and potential to earn money; must only lose at least 4% of your starting weight; additional earning potential with Transformer games
- Cons: Requires a $35 bet to enter; lower earning potential than HealthyWage; you only have four weeks to achieve your weight loss goal
DietBet is in the WayBetter family of apps, which also includes StepBet. This app works on a similar premise as HealthyWage and allows users to bet on themselves to lose a certain amount of weight.
However, unlike HealthyWage, most DietBet games only require players to lose at least 4% of their weight within four weeks. Additionally, many games only require a $35 bet to enter, which is significantly lower than Healthywage’s minimum bet amount of $100.
DietBet also offers Transformer games, which require players to lose 10% of their weight within six months. Players are not allowed to lose more than 12% of their total weight in a regular DietBet game or in a single month of a game.
The winners of a DietBet game split the entire pot, minus a 10% to 25% cut from DietBet based on the total pot amount. However, if you complete your goal, it’s impossible to lose money because DietBet forfeits its take to ensure winners earn money.
Your prize amount varies depending on the number of winning players and the total pot size. Typically, you win between $10 and $25 for winning a DietBet game.
DietBet uses a dual-photo weight verification process to prevent cheating. Users submit a photo of themselves standing on a scale with their weight readout clearly visible.
Additionally, they must post a full-body shot of themselves standing on a scale with lightweight clothing. If DietBet judges suspect cheating, they ask for a video weigh-in.
Ultimately, if you want to take part in short weight loss challenges to start earning extra cash, DietBet is the perfect app to try.
Gig Apps That Involve Walking
Thanks to the gig economy, there are a number of on-demand job apps that involve physical activity or completing errands around your city that can easily involve walking.
As a bonus, these gig apps generally pay more than fitness tracking apps, so consider the following options if you’re looking to make a more meaningful income.
11. Rover
- Pros: High hourly pay
- Cons: Must love dogs; must be willing to walk in all conditions
Rover is an on-demand app that connects dog owners with dog walkers and sitters who are willing to take care of dogs for payment. If you want to get paid to walk, walking dogs with Rover is an effective and lucrative option.
Rover is available in the United States, Canada, the U.K., and several European countries. If you enjoy dog walking and getting fresh air, it’s also a lucrative side hustle idea. According to Glassdoor, Rover dog walkers earn an average of $16 per hour.
To become a dog walker with Rover:
- Complete a Rover profile.
- Wait for Rover to approve your profile, which typically takes five business days, according to Rover.
- Pass a background check.
Rover workers must be at least 18 years old. Applications take several business days to complete. Once you’re cleared, you can start making money with Rover and simultaneously boost your weekly activity level.
12. Wag
- Pros: Offers a solid hourly wage; can work for both Wag and Rover simultaneously
- Cons: Not as lucrative as Rover; must love dogs; must be willing to walk in all conditions
If you want to double down on walking dogs for extra cash or can’t find enough work through Rover, Wag is another dog walking app to consider.
Wag is available in hundreds of cities across the United States. The application process for becoming a Wag dog walker is simple. To start working for Wag, your must:
- Submit an application and mention any prior dog care experience.
- Demonstrate your knowledge of dog safety and control to a Wag worker in your city.
- Complete your Wag profile, where you can upload a profile photo, link to references, and craft a personal bio.
Wag charges a nonrefundable $25 application fee. Additionally, you must provide your Social Security number and a photo of a valid U.S. ID, such as a passport, state ID, or driver’s license.
According to Indeed, Wag dog walkers earn an average of $14.41 per hour. You can work for Rover and Wag simultaneously as an independent contractor.
13. Shopkick
- Pros: Multiple ways to earn; many gift card options
- Cons: Only useful for frequent shoppers or those who also make use of the cash-back feature
If you’re responsible for the majority of the shopping for your household, Shopkick is an effective way to earn money while you’re out running errands.
Shopkick is a combination mystery shopping and cash-back app. Overall, the app is incredibly versatile and offers six different ways to earn Kicks, the term for Shopkick’s point system:
- Walk Into Stores. Earn Kicks for walking into specific stores the Shopkick app promotes.
- Scan Barcodes. Scan specific in-store items to earn more Kicks.
- Submit Receipts. Like Ibotta or Fetch Rewards, Shopkick pays users for buying specific products and uploading proof of purchase.
- Earn Cash Back. Earn Kicks for shopping at Shopkick partners.
- Shop Online. If you shop at Shopkick partners online through the app, you can earn even more cash back.
- Watch Videos. Earn Kicks for watching sponsored videos within the Shopkick app.
Kicks are redeemable for a variety of free gift cards, including at merchants like Amazon, Best Buy, Starbucks, and Target. Most $1 gift cards cost 250 Kicks. However, certain gift card denominations have better or worse rates, and it’s sometimes better to save up your Kicks to purchase higher-value gift cards.
Shopkick won’t make you rich. But if you want to make money while walking around stores anyway during a shopping trip, it’s a fun and easy app to try. The option to earn through in-store or online cash back is another benefit of this app.
14. Field Agent
- Pros: Potential to earn free meals or products plus compensation
- Cons: Volatile job availability
Field Agent is a leading mystery shopping app with over 1 million shoppers, according to its website. Like Shopkick, it offers a variety of ways to make money.
Jobs typically involve visiting a specific store and auditing a product or display. These are Audit Jobs, the most common type of task you can complete as a Field Agent.
The Field Agent app offers surveys as a way to make money too. There are also higher-paying jobs, but these may have special requirements. Examples of special tasks include recording a video of a store, ordering food from a specific restaurant, or buying a specific product.
Typically, gigs pay between $3 and $10. For gigs that require making a purchase, Field Agent states in the job description if it reimburses you fully or partially and whether you also get paid extra for your time.
It’s easy to filter through available jobs in your area and sign up for a task. Once you complete a job and Field Agent verifies your answers, payment appears in your in-app wallet. Field Agent pays through direct deposit and there isn’t a minimum withdrawal requirement.
Field Agent is a fun way to make money while exploring your city. However, job availability may fluctuate depending on where you live. Field Agent is currently available in North America, Ecuador, South Africa, Australia, and the U.K.
15. Gigwalk
- Pros: High earning potential
- Cons: Volatile job availability
Another way to make extra money while walking around your city is to use Gigwalk, a popular mystery shopping app.
As a Gigwalker, you provide feedback to companies by being their eyes and ears on the ground. Popular types of jobs you find on Gigwalk include:
- Auditing retail stores and product displays to check whether stores have enough inventory
- Mystery shopping tasks
- Inspecting properties, which can include finding how many floors and elevators a building has and getting the property manager’s contact information
- Testing websites and rating your shopping experience
- Answering location-based surveys
To find local gigs, download Gigwalk for Android or iOS and create an account with your email. The in-app map shows local gigs with pin icons. Tapping on a pin displays gig location, time requirements, dates you can complete the gig, and the task details. Gigs also show much they pay, and Gigwalk states jobs pay between $3 and $100.
Major cities typically have the most gigs. Additionally, you often find scores of similar gigs that are likely posted by the same client.
For example, in Jacksonville, there are dozens of $10 jobs that involve reporting the number of floors and elevators in an apartment complex and taking a photo of the building. Each gig estimates 30 minutes of work, so you can realistically earn $160 for an eight-hour day with Gigwalk in this example.
Gigwalk clients approve your submission before you get paid. The approval process takes several days or even a few weeks. After approval, you get PayPal cash for your efforts.
Ultimately, Gigwalk is one of the higher-paying options to make money walking around your city. If you want to hustle on your own schedule and like mystery-shopping-style jobs, this is the app for you.
16. Postmates
- Pros: Easy to complete small delivery orders in your spare time
- Cons: Job availability, feasibility, and pay are highly location-dependent
Postmates is an on-demand delivery app that makes it easy to order a wide variety of products right to your door. Fast food, alcohol, groceries, and clothing are a few examples of delivery categories.
Postmates is available in hundreds of U.S. cities. As a Postmate courier, you can earn money for delivering goods via car, bike, or by walking. If you live in a densely populated area of your city or are comfortable taking transit to complete a delivery, Postmates is a viable way to get paid for walking.
Plus, you can join Postmates if you’re 18 or older and pass a background check, so hiring requirements are lenient.
Just note that you need car insurance and a valid driver’s license, even if you only deliver by bike. Postmates doesn’t have specific vehicle requirements, so you just need something that’s functional.
Because Postmates orders can entail delivering almost anything, you’ll have to monitor jobs to find small delivery requests that are feasible to complete on foot. However, for simple fast food delivery or small orders, walking shouldn’t be a problem.
Postmates pays couriers in four ways:
- A variable amount for each delivery pickup
- A variable amount for each delivery drop-off
- A per-minute wait fee for time spent waiting at the pickup location
- A per-mile rate for travel distance
Workers also keep 100% of their tips. Specific rates vary by city, so check your market to view pay rates. According to Indeed, delivery drivers earn $13.04 per hour on average. If you’re looking for a flexible side hustle that also lets you bike or walk, Postmates is worth signing up for.
17. DoorDash
- Pros: Easy to complete small delivery orders in your spare time
- Cons: Job availability, feasibility, and pay are highly location-dependent
DoorDash is a popular food delivery service that operates in thousands of cities across the U.S. and Canada. Unlike Postmates, DoorDash solely focuses on restaurant and grocery delivery. According to DoorDash, there’s nothing stopping food couriers from delivering on foot.
To become a DoorDash courier, you must:
- Be 18 or older
- Have car insurance and a driver’s license if you deliver with a vehicle or bike
- Pass a background check
Unlike ridesharing apps like Uber, DoorDash doesn’t have vehicle requirements.
DoorDash uses a slightly different payment model than Postmates. Dasher pay consists of a base pay ranging from $2 to $10 (or more), promotions, and any tips a courier receives.
Order distance, delivery time, and order desirability influence base pay. DoorDash couriers keep 100% of their tips. According to Indeed, DoorDash drivers earn $18.08 per hour on average.
DoorDash runs monthly challenges that reward couriers for completing more deliveries within a specific time frame. Additionally, delivering during peak order times nets you Peak Pay, which adds more money on top of your base pay.
As with Postmates, if you live in a densely populated area with many restaurants within walking distance, working on foot as a courier is a realistic way to earn money while getting your steps in.
18. Instacart
- Pros: Flexible job positions, easy to complete small delivery orders in your spare time
- Cons: Job availability, feasibility, and pay are highly location-dependent
Working as an Instacart shopper is another way to make money while staying active. Instacart is one of the most popular grocery delivery services on the market, and there’s are two ways to make money with it:
- Full-Service Shoppers. These shoppers are self-employed contractors who are responsible for fulfilling grocery orders for Instacart customers. Full-service shoppers handle every step of the delivery process, from picking out groceries to delivery drop-off.
- In-Store Shoppers. In-store shoppers are W-2 Instacart employees who work at Instacart grocery store partners. Unlike full-service shoppers, in-store shoppers are only responsible for fulfilling orders, checking out, and handing groceries off to delivery drivers.
Full-service shoppers earn anywhere from $10 to $21 per hour, according to Glassdoor. In-store shoppers are Instacart employees and are therefore entitled to minimum wage. However, hourly pay varies depending on your state.
According to Glassdoor, in-store shoppers earn $13 per hour on average. As long as you’re 18 or older, have regular access to a vehicle, and can lift at least 50 pounds without assistance, you’re eligible for either role.
Ultimately, both roles provide an easy way to make money while walking around stores gathering items. Instacart is also available in over 5,000 cities in the U.S. and Canada, so it’s an incredibly accessible gig job.
Read our Instacart shopper review to learn more about the hiring process and what to expect on the job.
19. Shipt
- Pros: Easy to complete small delivery orders in your spare time
- Cons: Job availability, feasibility, and pay are highly location-dependent
Shipt is a nationwide grocery delivery service that’s available in approximately 5,000 cities. Shipt workers are independent contractors, and it’s easy to schedule your shifts and accept orders as they come in through the app.
To become a Shipt shopper, you must:
- Be 18 or older
- Have a valid driver’s license and car insurance
- Have a 1997 or newer model vehicle
- Be capable of lifting at least 45 pounds without assistance
Like other grocery delivery jobs, Shipt involves a lot of walking, so this is another great side hustle for anyone looking to boost their activity levels. With lenient hiring requirements and a fast onboarding process, becoming a Shipt shopper is also ideal for quickly boosting your monthly income.
Shipt shoppers earn between $14 and $15 per hour, according to Glassdoor. Read our Shipt shopper review to learn how to start making money with Shipt.
Final Word
Investing time and energy in your well-being is never a bad idea. Being active has an incredible number of health benefits and greatly reduces the risk of many diseases. Plus, from a financial perspective, a healthy lifestyle can help you avoid costly medical bills.
To make the most of your steps, keep a few tips in mind. First, invest in a solid pair of running shoes. They don’t have to cost a fortune, and they’ll serve you well in the long run by preventing pain and possible shin splints when you rack up the steps.
Second, double-dip on money-making opportunities when you can. For instance, if you walk dogs for Rover, install other apps that pay you for walking, like Achievement, to maximize your earning potential.
Finally, have realistic expectations. Most fitness apps are not incredibly lucrative. The primary focus of many of them is to provide motivation, and monetary rewards are just an extra incentive.
If you’re tight on cash, turn to gig jobs boost your monthly income in a more significant way. But if you’re just in need of motivation, any one of the apps above can be a great way to build a healthy habit and earn a few extra bucks.
