But is Cleo Plus worth paying for to unlock all its features? And what do other users have to say about this all-in-one finance app?

Our Cleo review is covering how it works, its pricing, and how to ultimately decide if this app is worth using.

Want more fast money-makers? Checkout:

• EarnIn: Borrow up to $750 against an upcoming paycheck!
• TurboDebt: Get fast debt relief assistance if you have $10,000+ in debt!

Key Takeaways:

• Cleo lets users borrow $20 to $250 in a cash advance
• The app also offers budgeting, saving, and credit building tools
• You can use Cleo's humorous AI chatbot to roast your finances or to ask for advice
• There's no credit check requirement or interest on cash advances
• Cleo Plus costs $5.99 per month and unlocks many of its best features

Is Cleo Legit?

Cleo is legit and helps its members save more money, budget, and take out cash advances if they need a helping hand. The app is also popular, with a 4 star rating on Trustpilot with over 3,200 reviews.

If you're trying to save extra money each month, Cleo's AI chatbot and budgeting tools could be what you're looking for. We also like its cash advance feature since it's similar to apps like EarnIn and Super, which let you borrow up to $750 and $250 respectively.

If you just want a budgeting app, alternatives like Rocket Money are a better choice in our experience. But Cleo is a comprehensive app that also caters to gig workers and freelancers as well as full-time employees.

What Is Cleo?

Cleo is a London-based FinTech startup that was founded in 2016. The Cleo app, sometimes called Meet Cleo, is available on both the Android and iOS app store.

Currently, Cleo has more than 5 million users, and this app is pretty much the fastest growing app the FinTech world has ever seen.

Cleo has been incredibly popular for younger crowds/millennials, and this is by design. The Cleo app has a sleek interface, does all the work for the user, and mixes in witty bits of sarcasm to make managing your finances feel more engaging or humorous.

Its cash advance feature is also incredibly useful. It lets members borrow up to $250 against an upcoming paycheck and doesn't charge interest or require a credit check. And it's even available to gig workers and freelancers.

Overall, Cleo is a great solution if you need cash to pay rent or upcoming bills. And we like that it has a host of budgeting and saving tools for a long-term financial gameplan.

How Does The Cleo App Work?

Users have to connect their banking details to Cleo to allow the AI-powered chatbot to analyze spending patterns and actually get to work. You can use the platform through the mobile app version or Facebook Messenger.

Most major banks are supported, and setup only takes 2-3 minutes. If your bank isn't supported, you can request support with setup as well.

You can connect multiple accounts to the app, and actually using certain features is easy. For example, typing or saying ‘budget' will prompt the app to start working with you to create a budget.

Cleo operates on a freemium model like many other finance based apps. However, users still get some nifty features with the free version of  Cleo, which makes it easy to test out the platform before trying out Cleo Plus (more on why this feature later on).

Here are some of the main Cleo features to know about:

1. Cleo Cash Advances

The Cleo app lets users borrow $20 to $250 against an upcoming paycheck without paying interest or going through a credit check.

First-time users can only borrow $20 to $100. But you can increase your limit over time, and Cleo connects to your bank account to monitor your income and determines how much you're eligible to borrow.

Most cash advance apps require having a full-time job and regular paychecks to qualify. But Cleo works with side hustlers and freelancers, which is certainly a unique selling point.

Once you take out an advance, you have 14 days to pay Cleo back. Also note that funds take up to 4 days to appear in your linked bank account if you don't want to pay fees. If you need money instantly, you pay a $3.99 express fee.

Apps like EarnIn offer higher cash advance limits of up to $750 per pay period. But EarnIn doesn't work with gig workers, so Cleo is certainly easier to qualify for.

2. Track Your Spending

The most basic feature Cleo offers is the ability to track your spending. Once you connect your bank account to the app, you'll be able to view your balance, spending categories, and get an easy overview of your bank account.

This isn't much different than most budgeting apps, like Rocket Money or YNAB. However, you can also ask the Cleo app several questions, such as:

• How much do I spend on a certain category? (Such as food, rent, etc.)
• What's my largest expense?
• How much have I spent on alcohol this month?
• Show upcoming bills.
• How am I doing on my budget?

You get the idea. The Cleo makes it pretty simple to get a general sense of how you're doing for the month in terms of spending.

3. Budgeting Tools

Cleo is more of a financial assistant and less of a pure budgeting app. However, the app still makes it very easy to set budgets for different spending categories and to track your budget throughout the month.

Users can set their own budgets on Cleo or rely on AI-powered recommendations to set spending limits. This feature is great for anyone who struggles with budgeting or wants a bit of a helping hand to make sure their spending isn't off the rails.

Cleo monitors your purchases and alerts you if you are approaching a budget limit. As shown above, you can also ask Cleo if spending on a certain category, like dinner or drinks, is a good financial decision or not.

Additionally, you can set budgets for different time periods, which is useful if you want to monitor your spending during a vacation or a weekend retreat somewhere.

4. Cleo Savings

Cleo now offers a high-yield savings account that currently pays 4.11% APY. It doesn't charge any fees either, and this is a nice way to earn passive income on your emergency fund or idle cash.

Earning 4.11% APY is significantly higher than the national average. Users can set a savings goal, like their total savings target and timeframe, and the app then provides savings reminders to help members achieve this goal.

On top of that, Cleo savings offers 4 savings hacks: Set & Forget, Roundups, Smart Save, and Swear Jar.

These are all different methods of moving money from your paychecks into your savings account. Again, this is part of how Cleo makes financial management a bit more fun.

We also like that Cleo savings provides up to $3 million in FDIC insurance through its partner bank, Thread Bank. There's no minimum deposit requirement which is pretty neat too.

Just note: Cleo savings requires paying a $2.99 per month subscription for Cleo Grow. Alternatively, you can pay $5.99 per month for Cleo Plus, which unlocks all of Cleo's features.

If you want a free alternative, you can check out Current. This savings solution pays 4% APY and also has a nice $50 sign-up bonus for you to snag right now.

Pro Tip: Find the best high-yield savings accounts on the market with Raisin! This platform doesn't charge any fees and lets you find the best savings products for your goals.

5. Cleo Credit Builder Card

Another new Cleo feature is its credit builder card, a secured credit card that helps people improve their credit scores.

The main features of the Cleo Credit Builder card include:

• No minimum deposit requirement
• No fees
• No hard credit checks
• Access your paycheck two days early

You have to put cash into your security deposit to unlock a higher credit limit, but this is how secured credit cards work. But in exchange, you can start to improve your credit score as you use the funds to pay for things like gas, groceries, and everyday expenses.

And Cleo just has a $1 minimum direct deposit requirement, so you don't need to add a ton of cash to your card.

Requirements for Cleo's Credit Builder card include:

• Being 18 or older
• Have a SSN
• Get contacted by Cleo via the app and email to try out the card (it's still in testing)

Honestly, a secured credit card can be a useful tool to improve your credit score if you're struggling, so it's nice to see that Cleo is continuing to add these sorts of services.

Also note that Cleo lets you check your credit score if you're a Cleo Builder or Plus user. You just need to type in “credit score” to Cleo and it will provide your score from Equifax.

Pro Tip: Get a more comprehensive credit score and ongoing monitoring from CheckFreeScore.com. Stay in the loop about your credit score and learn how to improve it faster.

How Much Does Cleo Cost? – Cleo Plus Pricing & Other Plans

The basic version of Cleo is free. However, users have to upgrade to Cleo Plus for $5.99 per month to unlock most features, including cash advances. There's also the Cleo Grow plan for $2.99 per month and Cleo Credit Builder plan for $14.99 per month.

Here's a breakdown of Cleo's pricing and what you get with different plans:

As you can see, the free version of Cleo is really just a budgeting app with some AI-powered humor. And Cleo Grow only unlocks a decent high-yield savings account.

Cleo Plus is where the app really shines. And paying $5.99 per month to access cash advances is pretty competitive with a lot of other apps in the space.

As for the credit builder, it's a bit on the pricey side. We recommend using a solution like Kikoff instead if you're on a mission to improve your credit score.

The Best Ways To Get $500 By Tomorrow.

Is Cleo Worth It?

Cleo is worth using if you want a humorous budgeting app that also provides access to cash advances and a competitive high-yield savings account. However, we think most users should upgrade to Cleo Plus for $5.99 per month to unlock the app's best features.

If you just stick with the free app, there are plenty of better or similar budgeting alternatives out there. And we're fans of solutions like Rocket Money or a simple DIY spreadsheet.

But with Cleo Plus, you get a pretty decent savings account. And cash advances of up to $250 is another selling point.

Get started with Cleo!

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Cleo works with gig workers and freelancers for cash advances
• Humorous AI-powered chatbot puts a fun twist on budgeting
• Competitive high-yield savings account
• Cash advances don't charge interest or require a credit check
• You can try Cleo for free to test it out

Cons:

• Most Cleo features require Cleo Plus
• Expensive credit builder plan
• Cleo's pricing has changed a lot over the years and can be a bit confusing

The Best Apps Like Cleo

We think Cleo is a leading budgeting and cash advance app for good reason. But there are several useful apps like Cleo you should consider, especially if you're fully employed and want larger cash advances.

Some of the best Cleo alternatives include:

• EarnIn (best overall)
• Dave (best for side hustles)
• Super.com (best for cash back plus cash advances)
• Brigit (best for building credit)
• Current (best savings solution)
• MoneyLion Instacash (best for loans)

EarnIn is our overall pick since you can borrow up to $100 per day, for a total of $750, within a given pay period. And it's more affordable than Cleo too. However, Cleo is our number one pick for freelancers or gig workers who don't qualify for most other cash advance apps.

How To Make $1,000 In 24 Hours.

Other Cleo Reviews From Users

Cleo currently has a 4 and 4.6 star review average on the Google Play store and iOS store respectively, and the app certainly generates a lot of great press and feedback.

From the other Cleo reviews I've read, it seems like people generally like Cleo Plus for its cash advance feature. People also enjoy its humorous budgeting tools and how Cleo helps beginners understand a broad picture of their financial well-being and where they spend most of their money.

However, some negative Cleo reviews come from users who are unhappy with cash advances. This is because while Cleo can give you up to $250 in an advance, first-time users get a maximum limit of $100. And many users qualify for a lot less or don't qualify at all.

Again, your cash advance limit depends on your earning history. You can increase it over time, but you won't get a $250 limit as soon as you upgrade to Cleo Plus.

Is Cleo Safe?

Like pretty much any major FinTech product, Cleo uses bank-level encryption and doesn't save your personal information. It's a safe app to use overall.

Cleo also can't make changes to your account when viewing your banking information, and accounts are backed by a $250K guarantee. Confusingly, their support page states it's more of a ￡85,000 pledge, so I have no idea what's actually covered here.

Final Thoughts

I hope my Cleo app review helps you decide if this humorous little AI chatbot is worth using or not.

I love that Cleo continues to add new features, and I think the future is very promising for this app.

Whether or not you upgrade to Cleo Plus or Cleo Crusher is up to you. If you do, I hope the extra features help you stay more on top of your finances!

Get started with Cleo today!

Want more ideas to make money? Checkout:

• Is The Oasis App Legit?
• Is The Dave App Legit?
• Is The Klover App Legit?
• What To Do When You're Struggling With Money.

The post Cleo App Review – Is Cleo Legit & Worth Using? appeared first on WebMonkey.

Plus, being busy with our daily lifestyles or living in the suburbs where everything is accessible by car sure doesn’t help us find time to stay in shape.

However, in recent years, there has been an rise in fitness apps that pay you to workout?or lead a more active, healthy lifestyle. These fitness apps offer a great incentive to give you the motivation to finally achieve your fitness goals. Plus, earning a little bit of passive income for your efforts is never a bad thing!

One app that is making its way to the forefront of the world of monetized fitness apps is?StepBet.

If you struggle with fitness motivation and want the chance to earn money for completing personalized fitness goals, this could be the perfect app for you.

Time to break down exactly how this app works and how much money is on the table in our official StepBet review!

Looking for more money-making ideas? Checkout:

• Uber Eats: Get paid to deliver food via bike, car, scooter, or on foot!
• Branded Surveys: A fun way to share your opinion for PayPal cash and gift cards!

What Is StepBet?

StepBet is an app created by WayBetter that allows you to reach your fitness goals by essentially placing a bet on yourself.

On StepBet, you bet money into a pool of other players on their journey to stay active. Players only recoup their bet if they reach their fitness goals. However, if you don’t reach your goals, you lose all of the money you staked.

If you're looking for an app like HealthyWage and fun way to make money walking, this is definitely the post for you.

This gamification model is what makes apps like StepBet or HealthyWage effective. It's easy to dream up new fitness goals, but in reality, it's hard to keep them.

With StepBet, you actually have something to lose. And, more importantly, there's the potential profits to gain from winning.

Plus, being part of the StepBet community puts you into a group of like-minded people that are all there to motivate one another. So not only are you getting a financial incentive, but you get real people pushing you to reach your goals along the way!

How Does StepBet Work?

StepBet works in 5 easy steps:

1. Get a personalized weekly step goal.
2. Place your bet to reach this goal for the course of a game (most games are 6 weeks long).
3. Join the game.
4. Hit your weekly goal.
5. Earn cash!

To explain each step in depth, let’s break them down into sections.

1. Signing Up For StepBet + Downloading The App

Signing up for StepBet is incredibly easy to do. It is also available on the iOS Store and Google Play store for free to provide wider access to its users.

Once you download the app, you are immediately prompted to hook up your activity tracking through an activity tracking app or device like Fitbit or apple Health.

If you aren’t already connected to one of these, StepBet will ask you to input your information into the app of your choice.

2. Getting Your Step Goal – How Goals Are Calculated

When you connect your step tracker of choice, StepBet creates a goal for you based on your previous activity history and a few other factors like your age.

Goals are calculated using a weekly format, and it's easy to track how many steps per day you should be taking to reach your goal.

There are three main sections for your weekly goals:

• Active Days
• Power Days
• Free Days

Active days are your standard step days. Power days are when you are supposed to push yourself to reach a slightly higher amount of steps. Free days are basically just a rest day (if you choose to use it).

Once you have your step goal, you can then move on to the next step…

3. Joining A StepBet Game & Betting

When you’re all set up with your custom step goals, you're finally ready to join a game and to bet on yourself to reach your steps!

A game consists of a group of players that all bet money into a pot. Winnings are distributed at the end of the game to the players that are left standing (failing to reach a weekly step goal will remove you from a game).

The average game is around 6 weeks long and requires a $40 bet. Keep in mind that this is an average. There are some games that require different cash amounts and duration to reach your goals.

Most groups consist of around 300 players as well. Meaning, if you join this game with $40 bets, that’s a $12,000 pot of cash that will get evenly distributed back to the winners at the end of the game.

However, the only catch is that StepBet takes 15% of the gross amount in the pot. So basically, 15% of the players have to drop out of the game before the winners make any profit.

But, on the bright side, this $40 wager is significantly lower than wagers on apps like HealthyWage. Overall, StepBet is a ‘less risk, less reward' sort of app that prioritizes motivation over winning thousands of dollars.

And again, you WILL NOT lose any money if you complete your goals and win the game. You’ll always get (at least) the money back that you bet with.

4. Cashing Out

When you win a game, your money will be deposited as points into your StepBet account.

These points can either be used to bet on a new game (pretty convenient) or cashed out through a PayPal account within 48 hours. Unfortunately, the points cannot be credited back to a credit card.

If you would like to cashout with a mailed check (in the U.S.), StepBet charges a $5 fee in order to mail it to you.

Those are the only ways to cash out your points at the moment. Points expire after 1 year of inactivity.

Is StepBet Legit?

Yes, StepBet is a legit app that pays you if you complete your step goals. There is plenty of payment proof online, and if you complete the challenge you set for yourself, you win cash. You're not gambling with this app but rather betting on yourself to complete your goals.

You won't make $10,000 a month with this app, but it's a realistic way to make quick money on the side and to get more active.

Stepbet Membership Cost & Perks

Stepbet offers a membership for people who are interested in participating in games more often, as well as different types of games.

Here’s what the membership allows you to do:

• Play up to 3 games at once.
• Join “member only” games (StepBet doesn’t take 15%).
• Extra features (more free days, different bet amounts for some games, etc.)

The same rules of the game still apply to members. However, members have the potential to triple their earnings and have access to other special features.

The membership costs $59.99 annually. It will renew by itself unless a cancellation is requested and can be purchased with a credit card or app store credit.

Is the StepBet membership worth it?

If you’re consistent and take full advantage of what the membership has to offer, then yes, a StepBet membership can be worth it.

As you can see from this Reddit thread, it's possible to recoup your membership cost in just 2 games.

The consensus seems to be that playing member-only Marathon games is the way to make the most money on StepBet.

Marathon games last 8 weeks instead of 6, and there are?zero?free days, so the dropout rate is theoretically higher than standard games.

How Much Money Can You Make With StepBet?

So, what can you actually expect to make with StepBet? Well, that really depends on how often you play games, what the bet amounts are, and if you actually win!

Assuming you're not a member and you win every game, the average StepBet payout seems to be around $5-$10 a game.

Is that a lot? Not really, but don’t forget the whole objective of this app! It’s an incentive to keep you active, not a second job.

Besides, if you’re already going to be active, it can’t hurt to buy yourself an extra lunch every month just by joining a game.

If you’re a member (and actually joining 3 games at a time), your earnings will potentially triple. That’s an average of $15-$30 a month!

Not bad for keeping yourself in shape. Plus,?the flexibility of playing 3 games at once means you can choose some of the easier StepBet games that are going on.

Just note, as you become more active, StepBet will gradually learn to assign harder step goals since they use previous history to make decisions.

Ultimately, this means it will gradually become harder to make money with StepBet. You can get around this by playing easier games or going hard on marathon games (if you're a member), but this isn't an endlessly low-effort way to make money.

But, that's not the point.

StepBet is designed to help players stay motivated to get active. If you factor in how much money you can save by being active, it's probably better to classify StepBet as a money saving?app rather than a money?making?app.

Extra Reading – How To Make $400 A Day.

Other StepBet Reviews

One way to tell if a side hustle idea is worth it or not is to see what other real users have to say about it. And, if you look at other StepBet app reviews on the Google Play store or Apple store, you see generally positive reviews.

For example, StepBet currently has a 4 out of 5 star rating on the Google Play store after getting over 6,000 reviews.

Here's what some other StepBet users are saying about the app:

• Danielle Williams says: “Love the app! Very motivating to get your steps. Canceling my subscription was super easy too when I needed a break. Definitely recommend.”
• Johnny says: “I like the idea of using a competition to motivate me to work harder. It's definitely pushed me to do longer walks more. My aunt suggested this to me and so I decided to try it. My only issue with this app is the syncing between my Fitbit app and this app is very janky and doesn't work for me. One time I got about 13,000 steps but this app decided to log 17,000 instead also the syncing for whatever reason just decides to sync when it feels like it and never syncs when I press sync manually.”
• Rita Cardoza says: “Has a hard time counting step on my Samsung phone, but other then that I can still reach my step if I keep my eye on it.”

Most negative StepBet reviews complain about issues tracking and syncing step counts from fitness devices and the StepBet app.

So, you might encounter some technical difficulties and need to play around with the app, resync your fitness data, or contact StepBet support if you run into problems.

However, on average, it seems like most users like StepBet because it motivates them to stay active.

This StepBet review from YouTuber Potato Wisdom also shares how the app works and her experience and earnings after using StepBet for five weeks.

Ultimately, people seem to really like StepBet since it's a fun side hustle and encourages getting active. But don't expect to make $3,000 a month or anything even close to that with this app.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Low entry fee
• Motivation to stay active
• You can play multiple games and get a StepBet membership
• Cash out with PayPal cash

Cons:

• Low overall earning potential versus other paid fitness apps like HealthyWage
• Some users have difficulties syncing their actual daily step count with StepBet

Frequently Asked Questions

What Devices Work With StepBet?

Rather than a mobile device, it’s really about what fitness trackers work with StepBet and if your mobile device is compatible with any of them. Here are the trackers/devices available on StepBet:

• Garmin Trackers.
• iPhone Apple Health.
• iPhone Apple Watch.
• iPhone Fitbit.
• Android Fitbit.
• Android Google Fit.
• Android S Health.

If your device/tracker isn’t on this list, chances are you can’t connect anything to join the app.

How Is Cheating Prevented?

If StepBet detects suspicious behavior, it automatically flags the account and ask that player for additional proof of tracking.

Luckily, StepBet has a zero tolerance policy and remove any players that are suspected to be cheating from their game.

How Does StepBet Make Money?

StepBet make money in 2 main ways:

1. Taking 15% of gross bets from every “non member” game.
2. $59.99 annual membership fee for StepBet members.

These 2 methods are what make up the majority of their money. Again, if you win a game, you will never lose more than you put in. StepBet makes that very transparent to their users.

How Does StepBet Payout?

Once you win a StepBet game, earnings are deposited as points.

According to StepBet: “You may use your Points in future games or request a PayPal?payout?of unused Points at any time.?Payouts become available within 48 hours of being requested. You cannot have your winnings credited back to a credit card.”

Extra Reading – How To Get $20 PayPal Cash.

What Happens If Everyone Wins?

If everyone wins the game, there will not be any profits to the winners as there is not extra money in the pot from people who left.

For example: 300 players, $40 bet each, and everyone wins. That’s a pot of $12,000 that will then be reduced to $10,200 (after StepBet takes their 15% cut).

This will be redistributed as $34 per person, but REMEMBER, you can’t lose more than you started with. StepBet will sacrifice their cut to make sure you receive your $40 back.

In summary, everyone will just get back their bet amount. Sure, you don't win anything in this scenario, but you still have at least 6 weeks of healthy motivation and steps!

You can checkout my most recent YouTube video which covers StepBet and other similar fitness apps!

Extra Reading – The Best Ways To Make Money With Your Bike.

Can You Play Multiple StepBet Games At Once?

Can you join multiple games at a time and multiply your earnings?

Well, you can if you decide to pay to become a StepBet member.

If you're going to be taking this StepBet thing seriously, you might want to consider getting their annual membership. This will allow you to play in multiple games at once and comes with other features as well.

Other Apps Like StepBet

WayBetter, the parent company of StepBet, has a few other apps in their arsenal that also let you get paid to lose weight through different game ideas.

Here are the apps they have created so far, as well as some other StepBet alternatives.

1. DietBet

DietBet is an app that prioritizes losing weight more than simply staying active.

Similar to StepBet, DietBet allows you to join a game with other players trying to reach a goal to lose a certain percentage of their current weight.

Players have to weigh themselves before the start (with proof, of course) and follow through with motivation from other players to win money after reaching their weight loss goal.

There have been a lot of testimonials and success stories for this app that you can check out on their website.

Checkout our DietBet app review for all the details!

You can also read our post on HealthyWage vs DietBet for a breakdown of these two popular fitness apps.

2. RunBet

I’m sure you can take a guess of what RunBet is about. This app is designed to keep you committed to your running goals.

You join a game, place a bet, reach your running goals, and get paid!

If you’re more into running than walking, you might want to consider this app instead of StepBet.

3. CashWalk

CashWalk is a free passive income app that lets you earn various free gift cards by walking every day and by completing short online tasks like paid surveys.

It takes $5 to redeem a gift card with CashWalk, which is achievable in about 20 to 40 days of active walking for most users.

I like using CashWalk since it has excellent gift card variety, including retailers like Amazon, Target, Starbucks, and Walmart.

Plus, you can earn referral bonuses by inviting your friends to join. And this app doesn't require spending any money unlike StepBet.

Extra Reading – The Best Ways To Make $3,000 Fast.

4. Sweatcoin

One final app like StepBet you can use to earn rewards is Sweatcoin.

Like CashWalk, Sweatcoin pays you passively with points the more steps you take. You can then redeem points for discounts to various fitness and wellness-related brand partners.

Apps like Sweatcoin are useful if you want encouragement to stay active and want to save some money on fitness products. However, it's hard to actually cash out gift cards or PayPal cash with Sweatcoin.

Ultimately, StepBet is a higher-paying app than Sweatcoin. But you can stack both of these apps to maximize earnings.

Who Should Use StepBet?

So, is the StepBet app worth using?

Well, if you want a fun way to stay motivated and potentially make $20 to $100 or so by winning a few challenges, this app is worth using. But, if you want to make hundreds or thousands of dollars per month and quit your day job, StepBet isn't for you.

This app is a fun side hustle,?not?a serious earner.

If you want to make more money while staying fit, my best suggestion is to try various gig apps like delivering for DoorDash or?for Uber Eats.

Both companies let you deliver food as a bike courier, so you can make extra money while biking around your city and getting some exercise!

Similarly, jobs like Instacart involve delivering groceries for people, so you're still getting a lot of steps while you shop at various grocery stores.

Extra Reading – The Top Apps That Pay You Money Instantly.

Final Thoughts

Are you ready to get back into exercise? Are you already exercising, but want to get paid for it?

These are questions you should ask yourself before downloading the StepBet app.

This app isn't going to make anyone rich. However, there's no harm in adding some incentive psychology to the mix and using StepBet for extra motivation.

I hope that this StepBet review has highlighted exactly what you should expect from this app. Fitness apps like StepBet have an awesome mission in mind. Hopefully, you can use StepBet to start leading a more active lifestyle if you struggle to find the time or motivation.

Good luck on achieving your goals… and making some money along the way!

Looking for other money-making ideas? Checkout:

• 20+ Jobs That Make $5,000 A Month.
• WeWard Review – Is This Walking App Legit?
• How To Make $1,000 Fast.

The post StepBet Review 2024 – Can You Actually Get Paid For Walking Everyday? appeared first on WebMonkey.

Since people shop online more frequently these days, there are more automatic ways to save more than ever before.

In fact, there are tonnes of money saving browser extensions that will automatically apply coupons and find the best prices when you shop online.

The Honey browser extension is a major player in the shopping extension place, and for anyone who shops online frequently, the Honey extension is definitely worth considering.

Plus, to date,?Honey has saved me more than $400?thanks to using the extension and referring friends/readers:

Set it and forget it extensions are extremely useful, and Honey is exactly that.

Time to break down if this platform is worth the hype and how to actually save money in our Honey extension review!

What is Honey?

Honey is a free browser extension that saves you money while shopping for things online. Formally known as Honey Science Corporation, the company was founded in October 2012 in Los Angeles, California.

According to Honey's website, the platform is used by 17+ million users worldwide. Honey has also found more than $1 billion in savings, and paid out $8 million to Honey members. The company was even acquired by PayPal for $4 billion, so there's certainly an impressive backing for the Ecommerce company.

The question is, how does Honey work?

How to Use The Honey browser Extension

Honey automatically searches the web when you shop online to look for coupons and the best price. In other words, Honey does all of the heavy lifting for you. Instead of having to search for the best price on your own, Honey helps save money automatically.

Honey also has a pretty awesome cash back component known as Honey Gold, providing even more ways to save (more on this later).

Plus, Honey is free, and figuring out how to use Honey just takes a few steps:

1. Create a free account on Honey with your email address or Facebook account.
2. Download the Honey browser extension (for free).
3. Shop as you normally would and automatically find savings when eligible.

That’s it! Once you’ve finished downloading the extension, you are ready to start saving.

How Honey Woks – Shopping Online

When you shop at your favorite stores online, the Honey browser extension will turn bright orange. This indicates that Honey has found coupons for you to apply when you checkout. When you actually go to checkout and complete your purchase, Honey will give you a little pop-up on the side of your browser, giving you the option to click “Apply Coupons”.

It will then scan the coupon codes on the website to see if any of them are valid for the items in your cart.

If there’s a coupon code that works, the best discount available will be automatically applied to your order. If there isn’t, Honey will let you know that you already have the best deal possible and you can continue through the checkout process.

Honey Gold –? Earn Free Cash Back

Honey has other ways of getting money back into your pocket aside from just applying coupons. It also offers a cash back rewards program called Honey Gold.

Honey Gold doesn’t require anything extra on your end, but you can still earn up to 20% cash back at participating merchants. Currently, over 4,500 merchants offer Honey Gold, so your chances of earning cash back are pretty decent.

How to Earn Gold

When you shop at a qualifying online store, Honey will reward you with a percentage of cashback in the form of Gold. No, it’s not real gold (I wish). It’s what Honey uses as the name for their point system, similar to credit card points.

When you’re eligible for Honey Gold on a site you are shopping at, Honey will show you a percentage amount in a pop-up with the option to activate the rewards. You can also use the Honey Explore page to find current deals and cash back opportunities.

Once you make a purchase, you will see a pending Honey Gold balance in your account. If the purchase is verified and qualifies for gold, your account is credited.

Reward Options

Once you have accumulated enough Honey Gold (1,000 to be exact), you can redeem those points for a $10 gift card at the following stores:

• Amazon.
• Walmart.
• Target.
• Ebay.
• Nordstrom.
• Sephora.
• Groupon.
• Macy's.
• 1-800 Flowers.
• Nike.
• Lowe's.

If you’re an international user, there will be certain stores that are only available for you to redeem Honey Gold depending on the country you live in.

Do not panic if you don’t see the gold in your Honey account immediately. It will appear as pending for up to 2 weeks, plus an additional 60 days to make sure you don’t return anything. Nice try!

Gift card codes are sent electronically via email, and you usually get a code within a couple of minutes.

Honey Gold Bonuses

On top of the regular rewards that you can redeem with Honey Gold, there are also Honey Gold Bonuses (available for U.S. members only).

Honey Gold Bonuses are dollar-based rewards that are usually higher in value than Honey Gold. It is redeemable for new users who have recently signed up for the Honey browser extension.?

The only catch with this bonus is that you have to redeem it quickly. The reward is time-sensitive, meaning you really only have 7 days to claim it.

It is usually worth it if you are going to shop at any of the eligible stores after signing up because these cash back rewards range anywhere from $5-$20. This cash is still transferred into Honey Gold, but keep in mind that $10 is the minimum to cash out. Cashing out quickly is likely to happen considering the bonus is relatively high.

In this example, I was shopping on Udemy for a course and randomly got a Honey gold bonus.

For a $14.99 course, getting $2 back in gold isn't too shabby at all. This might be a one-time offer, but make use of it if you can!

How to Claim A Gold Bonus

There are 2 main ways to claim a bonus. One way is to search through the Honey browser’s list of stores and find one with rewards that you would like to claim. You will then select “Claim my Bonus” to activate it.

You’ll have 24 hours to complete your purchase at the store you activated, and then up to 14 days of pending rewards until it appears in your account.

Another way to claim the bonus is, if you are shopping at an eligible online store, Honey will give you a pop-up showing you that this store is available for the welcome bonus. You can then select to claim your reward this way instead. Same rules apply to this method as the first option.

Other Features

The Honey extension includes some great ways to save and earn rewards. There are a few useful add-ons that can definitely come in handy as well, such as Droplist, Amazon Badge, and their referral program.

Droplist

Droplist is a feature that allows Honey to keep an eye on the products you’re interested in purchasing. It will let you know when your item of interest drops in price.

Another great feature of droplist is the ability to set the price at which you would like to be notified with Honey's Amazon price tracker.

For example, if you’re interested in a pair of shoes that cost $200, you can set a price of $180 with droplist and Honey will let you know if the price of those shoes drop below that number.

There is no limit to the amount of items you droplist, but there is a limit to the amount of time it will be monitored for. The longest amount of time you can choose to watch an item is 120 days.

Chances are though, you won’t be interested in buying something after leaving it on the back burner for more than 4 months. So, this feature can come in handy for short term purchases.

I have found this feature incredibly valuable around the holiday season, when prices rapidly fluctuate on name brand items.

Amazon Badge

If you shop on Amazon frequently, Honey's Amazon price tracking tool is going to be your best friend.

Honey is able to scan every Amazon seller when you shop for an item to ensure you get the best price currently available. If you use this in conjunction with Amazon historical price data with websites like Camel Camel Camel, you're pushing your Amazon savings to the limit.

Referral Program

Another great way to earn with the Honey browser extension is through referral bonuses.

Here’s how it works:

• You share your referral link with a friend.
• Your friends/family download the Honey extension using your referral link.
• Once they receive their first bit of Honey Gold, you will earn your bonus of 500 Gold (worth $5).

You can refer up to 200 friends equaling a whopping $1,000 worth of referral bonuses! Sounds like a straightforward deal to me.

Obviously 200 referrals might be difficult to achieve, but a few friends is definitely possible to make a little cash. Not to mention, you’re helping your friends save money when shopping online.

Is Honey Worth It?

Like any cash back app or website, the more you shop, the more you save. This makes it difficult to definitively say if Honey is worth it.

But, if you shop semi-regularly online, you might as well try Honey. Automatically applying coupons might find you some savings, and the added cash back from Honey Gold partners is nice.

As I mentioned, I've earned over $400 from using Honey after roughly two years. However, roughly $300 is from referrals and the rest is from actually using Honey.

This is indicative of how lucrative the Honey referral program can be, as well as the fact that even passively, Honey can save you a decent chunk of change every year without much effort.

For the average shopper, I don't think saving $50 per year is out of the question.

Extra Reading – Rakuten Review – A Powerful Cashback Program & Referral Program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Honey is a pretty straightforward platform. However, here are the most commonly asked questions about this money saving website.

Where Does Honey Work?

Honey supports sites in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K. Depending on where you live, there will be a slightly different availability of online stores that are eligible to be discounted with the Honey extension.

How Does Honey Make Money?

Honey works with their merchant partners and receives commissions when users activate Honey’s coupons to save them money. They receive commissions from Honey Gold as well.

This allows them to offer their browser extension for free, without selling anyone’s data.

Why is My Gold Pending?

As previously mentioned, your Honey Gold will be pending for up to 14 days to verify the purchase, plus an additional 60 days pending to make sure that there were no returns or cancellations.

If you do return something that you purchased online and received Honey Gold, the rewards will adjust accordingly. For example, if you purchased two shirts for $20 each, and return one of them, you will only receive Honey Gold for $20 worth of rewards.

What Browsers Does Honey Work On?

Honey’s browser extension is currently available on 5 different browsers:

• Chrome.
• Safari.
• Firefox.
• Edge.
• Opera.

Honey is also available on the IOS app store.

What Information Is Collected?

This is the information that Honey does collect in order to ensure a secure and reliable purchasing process:

• Name, Email, General Profile Information.
• Technical Device Information (Ex: Macbook, Chrome Browser).
• Specific shopping site data to find the coupons/rewards.
• Purchase History and Previous Coupon Use.

Here is what Honey does NOT collect:

• Search engine history.
• Emails.
• Website information that is not a retail site.
• Credit card numbers.
• Billing addresses or information.

How Do I Uninstall Honey?

The process of uninstalling Honey is relatively straightforward for most browsers.

Most browsers are as simple as right-clicking the browser extension and selecting “Remove from” to remove it from your browser.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, it doesn’t hurt to have that little square sit at the top of your browser. Will you save lots of money if you rarely shop online? No, probably not. You will save a little, and that might be worth it for you.

Here’s what I will say though…

There’s definitely an opportunity to make some money with Honey if you refer friends and shop online frequently. Honey Gold can add up and be recycled back into your shopping if you go about it the right way.

Honey’s browser extension really is a set it and forget it type of tool. It simply can’t hurt to have it installed. The effort required compared to the savings earned seems to be low risk, low reward.?

Considering that it’s free, I say why not…Give it a try! Hopefully this Honey extension review has helped explain how to use honey and make them most of this platform!

Extra Reading:

• 12 Browser Extensions To Save Money When Shopping Online.
• Rakuten Review 2020 – How I Saved $400+ From Rakukten.
• UpVoice Review – Make $75 For Just Browsing The Web.
• 17 Awesome Passive Income Apps That Pay – 2020 Edition.

The post Honey Extension Review- How Much I Saved After 2 Years of Using Honey appeared first on WebMonkey.

I've covered ways to save money when shopping online before, such as by using money saving browser extensions. However, today I'm going to dive into one of the most popular rewards programs there is: Rakuten.

I've earned over $7,000 by using Rakuten for the last 5+ years. And my Rakuten review is covering everything you need to know about this platform and if it's legit or not.

Looking for more ways to make money? Checkout:

• Branded Surveys: Share your opinion to get gift cards and PayPal money!
• Capital One Shopping: Automatically apply available coupon codes when shopping online!

What Is Rakuten?

Rakuten, formerly known as Ebates, is a Japanese Ecommerce and retail company that was founded in 1997. And it's an easy way to save more money by earning cash back at 2,500+ stores.

While Rakuten is probably best known for their rewards platform in North America, the company is far more than just a loyalty program.

In fact, Rakuten is far more global. The company has a significant presence in Japan's internet and credit card market. It also sponsors the Barcelona Football Club, and has stakes in massive organizations such as Kobo, Pinterest, Lyft, Acorns, and dozens of other companies.

This Rakuten review is going to focus on its money-saving extension, however. And I'm going to share how the platform works and how I've earned $7,000+ in free money with it over the last few years.

How Does Rakuten Work?

Essentially, Rakuten acts as a massive affiliate network for thousands of retailers. When you shop online at a Rakuten-partnered retailer through its website, Rakuten earns commission. Once your purchase is confirmed, Rakuten then splits a portion of that commission with you for shopping through their website.

It's a win-win scenario for everyone!

Rakuten has thousands of partners and new offers every single day, so there is plenty of opportunity to save money. Cash back balance is credited to your account balance as you shop, and the company pays its Big Fat Check every 3 months via PayPal.

How Do I Sign Up?

To get started with Rakuten, all you need to do is to create a free account on their website. Profiles require either a valid email address or a Facebook account to get started.

Note: Rakuten is currently available in Canada, the UK, and the United States.?

Make sure you create a profile on the correct platform to ensure offers match your currency. You can create multiple Rakuten profiles if you shop in multiple countries. I use Amazon in Canada and the U.S. so I have two accounts.

Currently, Rakuten offers a $30 sign up bonus for newly referred users who open an account and spend at least $30 on a qualifying shopping offer. This is an amazing way to get paid for shopping, and the bonus is one of the best parts.

If you want to support WebMonkey and earn an easy $30, I would love it if you sign up for Rakuten with my link!

Is Rakuten Legit? – How I've Earned Over $7,000

Yes, Rakuten is legit, and it's one of the most popular shopping platforms in the world. ?I've also earned over $7,000 in rewards and have always been paid on time. Here's a screenshot of my lifetime earnings for some proof:

Most of my rewards have come from referring family members or readers of WebMonkey. But I've also earned cash back when shopping for things like electronics, flights, hotels, and clothing online.

How much you make largely depends on how often you shop online. But you might as well sign up and download its browser extension so you automatically earn whenever you shop at a partner merchant.

Different Ways To Make Money With Rakuten

Getting started with Rakuten is incredibly easy and free. However, there are several ways to make money you should know.

1. Install The Rakuten Browser Extension

You can save money with Rakuten by shopping directly through its website. However, if you're anything like me, remembering to visit Rakuten before shopping is unlikely.

I have probably forgotten to use Rakuten at least a dozen times. In order to ensure you are eligible for cash back when checking out online, be sure to install the Rakuten browser extension on the computer you do your shopping from.

The extension button highlights red to indicate an online retailer is eligible for cash back. With just one click, the extension redirects you to the same page but flows through Rakuten's system to ensure you are credited.

The extension is available on Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge. The button also automatically applies coupons at checkout, similar to the Honey extension. Plus, the button has a ‘Price Magic' feature which ensures you get the lowest price available across partnered online retailers.

2. Use The Rakuten Mobile App

If you prefer shopping on your mobile phone, you're in luck: Rakuten has a free app for iOS and Android devices!

This app offers several nifty features to help you save more money, including:

• In-store coupon offers.
• App-exclusive cash back deals.
• Cash back on Lyft rides (app exclusive).
• 5% cash back on thousands of restaurants.

Even if you do all your shopping from a laptop, the app is worth trying out for the exclusive deals and cash back on Lyft and restaurants.

3. Shop In-Store

When it comes to cash back rewards, Rakuten is probably one of the most versatile platforms out there. You don't?just?have to shop online to save money. In fact, you can even earn cash back for completing in-store offers.

So, how do you use Rakuten in store?

Well, just follow these easy steps!

1. Select an offer –?Pick the store you will shop at in the app.
2. Link offer and card –?Link a debit or credit card to the app.
3. Pay with a linked card – Make your in-store purchase with the same card. If you're using debit, select ‘credit' when paying.

As you can see from the offers above, there's some pretty decent cash back offers. If you're going on a shopping trip, be sure to check in on Rakuten before leaving!

4. Use Rakuten Travel

If you have upcoming travel plans, you can use the Rakuten travel and vacations portal to score even more cash back.

Rakuten partners with Booking.com for their vacation and hotel deal search engine. Additionally, you can also search for plenty of deals on airlines, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and general vacation packages.

Double-dipping on travel rewards and cash back from Rakuten is definitely the way to go, so don't miss out on the potential for extra savings for your travel plans.

Extra Reading –?How To Make Money While Traveling.

5. Use The Rakuten Referral Program

Rakuten undoubtedly has one of the best referral programs in the online rewards industry. Here's how the program breaks down:

• United States – Users earn $10 to $40 for referring new members after they make a purchase.
• Canada – Users earn $10 to $30 for referring new members after they make a purchase.

As mentioned, I've earned most of my money from this referral program. I think it's a great way to get free money for signing up, and I like that both you and the person you invite earn from this referral bonus.

What Stores Work With Rakuten?

Rakuten partners with more than 3,500 partner stores in the United States and over 750 partner stores in Canada. It keeps adding new partners all the time, so it's easy to save money.

You can checkout the complete store directory to find a particular store. Some of the most notable partners include:

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• Hotels.com
• Macy's
• Walgreens
• Walmart
• eBay
• Nike
• Kohl's
• Target
• LG Electronics
• Expedia
• Shein
• Verizon

You get the idea. Rakuten has the best selection of any online rewards platform, hands down. It also has Double Cash Back deals or special offers for stores on a rotating basis, so checking the website regularly is a good idea.

How Much Money Can You Make?

Many offers on Rakuten pay between 1% and 10% cash back. However, you can find offers paying 10% to 50% cash back or even more, especially for products like software or subscription services.

I also like that Rakuten changes cash-back rates often. If you're patient, this usually means you can snag a boosted cash-back rate for a product you've been eyeing.

Realistically, you can probably earn at least $50 to $100 per year if you are diligent with this platform and don't miss out on savings.

When Do You Get Paid?

Rakuten pays out members quarterly with its “Big Fat Check” program as long as you have at least $5 in your account balance. You can get paid with PayPal cash or via check.

I've always chosen PayPal cash for my payment method, and Rakuten has never missed a quarterly payment. I wish it paid monthly, but I like that it pays real money and not gift cards or sweepstake entries.

Note: While many purchases credit cash back to your account within 48 hours, sometimes, retailers need more time to confirm your purchase. Some partners also want to ensure customers don't make returns. This means it can take 30 days or longer to post cash back to your account.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Free to sign up for
• You can get a $30 sign up bonus
• Works with thousands of retailers
• Browser extension automatically claims cash back
• You can use the mobile app or shop in-store

Cons:

• You only get paid quarterly
• Cash back can take 30 days or more to credit
• The coupon finder functionality isn't the best on the market

The Best Rakuten Alternatives

If you're looking for even more cash back, you can try the following websites that are similar to Rakuten:

• Capital One Shopping – Automatically apply available coupon codes at checkout to save money.
• Coupert – Another excellent shopping extension.
• Drop –?Earn rewards for shopping online and by playing games.
• Pogo – Automatically earn PayPal cash when you shop with a linked card.
• Honey – Another leading coupon-finding extension.
• Dosh –?Another way to earn passive cash back.
• TopCashBack –?A U.S. copy of Rakuten.
• Hoopla Doopla – Earn cash back for shopping at hundreds of partners.
• Kudos – This extension helps you choose the best credit card to shop with.

You can also read my post on the best passive income apps for even more ways to save! Plus, you can try out Rakuten Insight if you want to share your opinion to earn PayPal cash and gift cards.

Extra Reading – Rakuten vs Ibotta.

Note: Capital One Shopping compensates us when you sign up with the provided link.

Is Rakuten Worth It?

Rakuten is worth it if you shop online and want an easy and free way to earn cash back. In contrast, it's not worth using if you never shop online or you want to avoid potentially overspending due to temptation.

However, I think everyone should download its extension at the very least. This way, you never miss out on cash-back opportunities when shopping at an eligible retailer.

Is Rakuten A Scam?

No, Rakuten isn't a scam, and I've earned over $7,000 from using the platform. There's also plenty of other payment proof online, and this is one of the most popular rewards shopping platforms out there.

The main complaints people have are that purchases can sometimes take a while to credit. If you encounter issues, contact Rakuten support to resolve them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Rakuten Safe?

As always, I recommend reading the privacy policy to understand more about the sort of data you're giving up. Rakuten isn't different from other rewards platforms. It collects data, uses it for marketing purposes, and shares anonymous data with its partners. By signing up for Rakuten, you consent to the data collection practices outlined in its privacy policy.

In terms of security, Rakuten is safe. You don't have to link your card to receive payment unless you plan on shopping in-store. Otherwise, a PayPal email address is all you need to provide.

How Does Rakuten Make Money?

Rakuten makes money by earning commission from its partner retailers. In other words, stores pay the company to help market their products and services. When Rakuten drives a sale, it gets paid and passes some of the money on to you in the form of cash back.

How Fast Do I Earn Cash Back?

Most payments are credited within 48 hours. However, it can take up to 30 days for some merchants to verify transactions. If you have a question about a purchase made more than 30 days ago you can reach out to Rakuten support.

What Happened To Ebates?

Ebates rebranded to Rakuten in 2014.

Why Do I Have Pending Payments?

Rakuten's minimum cash out amount is $5.01. Additionally, bonus or signup rewards don't count towards this cash out threshold. Therefore, money will sit in your account until you earn enough cash back? to qualify for a Big Fat Check.

Money is sent quarterly using the following schedule:

Final Thoughts

If you buy most of your gifts, household goods, clothing, and other items on websites like Amazon for example, this website is a no-brainer.

If you're like me and don't shop much, this platform won't earn a lot. However, if you and some friends refer each other, you're still looking at some free and easy money.

That's all for now! Hopefully, my Rakuten review has shed some light onto the benefits of this platform, as well as why everyone is taking advantage of the amazing referral program.

Sign up for Rakuten and maximize the value of every dollar you spend!

Want more money-making ideas? Checkout:

• The 20+ Highest Paying Apps.
• What To Do If You're Struggling With Money.

The post Is Rakuten Legit? How I Earned $7,000+ Using Rewards & Referrals appeared first on WebMonkey.

However, it's important to use reward programs that?actually?pay so you don't waste your time with apps and programs that won't ever let you redeem a reward.

So, if you're looking for a legit, awesome money-making app,?you need to check out the Drop app.

Drop is my absolute favorite rewards app, and I've been using the app to earn rewards for nearly 3 years now.

But is Drop legit? And how much money can you actually make with this app when you shop?

In this Drop app review, I'm sharing my personal experiences with this app, how it works, and what some of the best alternatives are.

Looking for other great money-making ideas? Checkout:

• Branded Surveys: Earn free gift cards and PayPal cash for sharing your opinion!
• Arrived: Invest in income-generating real estate with only $100!

What Is The Drop App?

Drop is a free app that pays you to shop at dozens of your favorite stores and for buying from partnered brands. It began in 2012, and since then, Drop has grown into one of the most popular cashback apps with over 3 million downloads.

The Drop app is also available on both Android and IOS. Currently, Drop is available for download in the U.S. and Canada, and almost anyone with a debit or credit card can join the program.

I've been using Drop since college to save more money. Overall, it's a high-paying app that has a number of ways to earn rewards.

And if you frequently shop on your mobile device, the Drop app should definitely be on your radar.

How Does The Drop App Work?

As mentioned, I've been using Drop for a few years, and I try to earn rewards with it whenever I can.

The app is also very simple and works in just five steps:

1. Download & Sign Up – Create a free Drop account after downloading the mobile app.
2. Connect a Card – Connect your credit or debit card to the app.
3. Shop Online Through Drop – Drop members earn through special offers and (un)Limited Drops, which I explain later on in our review!
4. Earn Drop Points?– Earn points for shopping at Drop partners, by playing mobile games, and from answering surveys.
5. Redeem?–?redeem your Drop points for free gift card rewards.

Realistically, by having this app and shopping online with Drop, you can probably earn $10-$30 in free rewards each year without any effort.

Plus, if you take advantage of some of Drop's more lucrative shopping options, you can definitely earn well over $100.

Time to examine all of the steps to use the Drop app in greater detail!

1. Sign Up & Connect Your Credit & Debit Cards

Once you download Drop from the Apple or Google Play Store, singing up is easy. Just open the app and choose your banking institution to connect your debit or credit card.

Note that you need to enter your banking information to connect your cards. This is what lets Drop track your shopping habits to properly credit you with points.

This may concern some users. However, Drop uses the same level of security and encryption as other top FinTech companies..

Currently, Drop works with the following major banks:

• TD Bank
• Chase
• Bank of America
• Wells Fargo
• Citi
• RBC
• Scoitabank
• CIBC
• Capital One
• Tangerine
• American Express
• Simpli
• Walmart Rewards

Some other banks are on the list, and you can even search for local banks. Pretty much, if you have a debit or credit card, you're good to go!

2. Shop Online With Drop For Special Deals

I'm editing this Drop app review because there has been a?massive?change to how you make money with Drop.

Drop has now removed Power Offers from the app, which was the passive earning option Drop used to have that let you automatically earn cashback for shopping at your 5 favorite stores.

Drop states Power Offers were removed because many members simply don't shop anymore at the original 5 merchants they picked.

Instead of Power Offers, Drop members can now participate in (un)Limited Drops to earn more points. As you can see in the screenshot above, there are plenty of Power Offers and deals at a given time.

The orange lightning bolt in the Drop app launches the Today's Deal?tab.

On this tab, you'll find (un)Limited Drop cards that let you know how many points you'll earn for shopping with a linked card for a specific offer.

You have to activate an offer before shopping, and (un)Limited Drops are share regularly and are personalized to suit your brand preferences.

(un)Limited Drops don't stick around forever, so it's important to enable notifications in the Drop app to get updates when new opportunities are released.

However, you can usually find cashback deals from companies like:

• Nike
• Postmates
• DoorDash
• Walmart
• Target
• Starbucks
• Adidas
• Subway
• Disney+
• Indigo
• Uber Eats
• Chapters

Plus, (un)Limited Drops work in-store and?online as long as you shop with a linked card, so don't miss the chance to earn even more Drop points with this nifty feature.

Drop's removal of Power Offers is a downside since that feature meant Drop used to be completely passive income.

If you're looking for apps that don't require pre-selecting offers to earn, I suggest checking out my post on the best apps like Dosh, which is another easy-to-use reward app.

Extra Reading – How I Saved More Than $400 With Rakuten.

3. Shop For Other Drop Deals

In addition to making use of (un)Limited Drops, you can also earn a hefty amount of Drop points is to actually shop through their app or to shop in-store at a merchant you manually select from the app.

The Drop app regularly lists partnered brands where you can shop to earn additional points. If you ever plan on shopping, it's probably worth checking out the app for offers before deciding to buy.

There are usually dozens of offers available, and many ‘boosted' offers give nice cash back bonuses that are much higher than your normal Power Offers. In fact, I've seen some boosted deals offering as much as 8% cash back.

However, where Drop truly shines is in their high value bonus offers.

If you sign up for various reward programs, credit cards, or even apps, you can actually earn upwards of $75-$100 in Drop points!

This “25,000 points and more” section is where you find all of the highest-paying sign up bonuses, so I definitely recommend checking it out frequently.

Take the above screenshot for an example. Sure, you might not be interested in CoinSmart or a new RBC Rewards Visa, but their Lyft offer is paying $30 right now if you sign up and complete a ride.

I don't know about you, but I already use Uber quite often. It's an absolute no-brainer to sign up and use Lyft once to get a free $30.

4. Refer Friends To Drop

Another way to earn Drop points and get your rewards faster is to refer your friends to Drop.

The app has a “Get $5” icon in the top left corner that you tap to find your Drop referral code.

If you invite friends with your Drop invite code, both of you get 5,000 bonus points, which is worth $5, as long as your referral earns at least 1,000 points by shopping with Drop.

Points from surveys don't count towards this 1,000, so the person you refer needs to basically shop once or twice to get their 1,000 points.

My Drop referral code is?mjxl4, so you can sign up with this code to get a free $5 sign up bonus of Drop points for no effort!

Honestly, $5 for you and your friends is a pretty decent way to kickstart your earnings, so this is a nice feature to use.

Just note: you can only earn up to 10 referral bonuses!

5. Play New Mobile Games

There are a number of apps that pay you to play games, and Drop has now joined that list! This is similar to apps like Mistplay and Rewarded Play, so it's great news if you're a fan of playing mobile games.

A new Drop feature is their games tab. Under this tab, you'll find a plethora of games to download and play in exchange for Drop points.

There's a decent range of game genres, including:

• Strategy games
• Simulators
• Cards
• Survival games

Games generally have a level requirement for you to earn points. However, there are some truly lucrative opportunities.

For example, in my screenshot above, you can see that you can earn $28 worth of points for installing the Rise of Kingdoms app and reaching a certain level.

If you want to make money playing video games alongside shopping, definitely check out this new Drop feature!

Extra Reading – 10 Best Game Apps That Pay Instantly To PayPal.

6. Answer Surveys

With Drop's survey section, you get matched to brand questionnaires after you fill out some demographic information. Surveys are only a few questions long, and if you get disqualified, Drop still pays you partial points.

Recently, Drop has also expanded its paid survey section to include slightly longer surveys that pay 25 to 500 Drop points or so upon completion.

You also know how many points each survey pays making it easy to choose which ones are worth your time.

Survey sites like Survey Junkie or sites like Prolific are still better than the Drop app if you want to make money answering surveys, but it's nice that Drop is expanding its number of ways to earn points.

Extra Reading – 30+ Beermoney Sites & Apps To Earn Free Rewards.

7. Try The Drop Chrome Extension

If mobile apps aren't for you, you'll be happy to know that the new Drop chrome extension is being rolled out in Beta testing for the United States!

Like other money saving browser extensions, the Drop extension allows users to earn points when they shop through their computer.

Other platforms like Honey or DollarSprout already have this system, so it's nice that Drop is expanding their reach and enabling users to earn rewards more easily. With this extension, you just have to shop as you normally would, and you'll earn Drop points that are credited to your mobile app/account.

Pro Tip: You can also try out the Capital One Shopping extension to automatically apply available coupon codes at checkout and earn rewards!

Note: Capital One Shopping compensates us when you sign up with the provided links.

Drop App Rewards

Currently, users can redeem a healthy number of rewards from the Drop store. Popular rewards include gift cards to:

• Apple
• Amazon
• Starbucks
• Dunkin Donuts
• Aerie
• Hotel.com
• Old Navy
• Gap
• American Eagle
• Best Buy
• Boston Pizza
• Groupon
• Sephora
• Lulu Lemon
• Uber Eats

And plenty, plenty more. However, Drop recently changed their reward structure.

Previously, users could redeem points for rewards as low as $1 Amazon gift cards, and there were plenty of $5 reward options as well. Now, in order to unlock lower-tier gift cards, users must use the ‘Shop with Drop' function outlined above at least once.

Again, this isn't a massive dealbreaker since Drop updates their offers all the time and you're bound to find?something?that you were panning on buying anyway. However, it wouldn't be a truly honest Drop app review if I didn't bring up this fact.

Drop is still a rather passive savings app. However, users have to put in a bit of work if they want to maximize this app and earn more than a single reward each year.

My advice is to check the Drop app frequently for deals so you can unlock the lowest tier of gift cards quickly. If you don't do this, Drop requires 50,000 Drop points, or $50, to redeem your first gift card.

Extra Reading – 9 Best Apps Like Fetch Rewards To Earn Rewards For Grocery Shopping.

Is Drop Legit?

Yes, Drop is legit and lets you earn free gift cards for shopping at hundreds of popular brands. I've never had a problem receiving my Drop points or redeeming them for rewards. Additionally, rewards are always paid out on time, and my entire experience with this app has been smooth.

Sure, you won't make $5,000 a month with this app or anything crazy. But it's an effective way to earn quick cash the next time you shop online.

Just note that you might have to wait a while for your points to credit. I suspect this is to ensure you cannot game the system with purchase and return games.

Overall, Drop is a legit app that pays its users, and there are plenty of positive reviews and other pictures out there that prove this app pays.

How Much Money I've Made With Drop

I've been using Drop for the last 3 years. In that time, I have earned approximately?$52.?But I didn't shop very much to earn this amount, so I'm pretty happy with how much I've made by using Drop.

$40 has already been redeemed, as seen in the above screenshot, and the additional $12 are in my account balance (shown in next screenshots).

Additionally, $20 of my rewards resulted from referring other users to Drop, since their referral program gives new users and the referrer $5 each.

This is free and easy to do, but it goes to show that Drop is truly a nice way to make money doing nothing when you shop for products you'd purchase anyways.

So, you get the picture: you can earn some free gift cards with the Drop app, but it won't dramatically change your finances.

However, I don't shop online very often. If you're a frequent shopper, I can see this app clearing $50 to $100 per year in free gift cards, no problem.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Extensive list of partner stores and new ones are added regularly
• Variety of earning options
• Some lucrative shopping offers that pay $50 to $75+
• Extensive gift card rewards
• Decent referral program
• You can get a $5 to $10 sign up bonus during promotions

Cons:

• The Drop app isn't passive anymore like when it began
• A $25 redemption minimum is on the higher side
• You can't redeem PayPal cash or cash out with direct deposit

The Best Apps Like Drop

I thought I would update my Drop app review with some other useful cashback reward apps you can try out if you really love using Drop but want to maximize your rewards.

Some of the top other apps like Drop include:

• Ampli – This is a Canadian-only app that is basically how Drop used to be when it was passive! Checkout my review and earn a $5 sign up bonus as well!
• Fetch Rewards – A leading grocery rewards app that pays you for uploading pictures of your receipts.
• NCP Mobile – Another popular receipt scanning app that pays you with free PayPal money.
• Upside – A leading gas rewards app that pays you up to $0.25 per gallon of gas.
• Pogo – This app pays you with free PayPal cash whenever you shop with a linked card.
• Dosh – Dosh is a U.S. reward app that pays you real cash for shopping at hundreds of stores. Again, this is like Drop when the app was passive.
• Checkout 51 – A popular rebate app for groceries and gas. You have to scan receipts unlike Drop, but it's another nifty way to earn rewards with your smartphone.
• Bumped – This app pays you bits of stock in the companies you spend money at, completely passively!
• Receipt Hog – Another popular receipt-scanning app that pays you for shopping like Drop.
• CoinOut – A rewards app that pays you with cash for uploading picture of any shopping receipt.

Hopefully, this list of Drop alternatives helps you maximize your annual rewards!

If you want, you can also checkout my recent YouTube video which cover the Drop app and other reward programs you can use to earn free gift cards and PayPal cash:

Again, these apps won't let you quit your day job, but it's all free and fun money at the end of the day!

Extra Reading – How To Make $30 Fast – 10+ Best Methods.

Who Should Use The Drop App?

In my opinion, the ideal Drop app user is someone who already shops from their mobile phone and wants a straightforward way to earn free gift cards.

If you barely shop, you can still earn rewards by playing new mobile games on Drop, but this app is definitely a shopping rewards app at its core.

In contrast, if you mostly shop with your computer, browser extensions like Rakuten or Capital One Shopping are a better solution to save money and earn rewards for your shopping.

Personally, I use Drop and check the app every so often for brands I like so I can earn some easy points, but there's lots of ways to earn cash back for shopping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Drop App Safe?

Yes, Drop is safe, and the app?uses Plaid to ensure its app is secure. Plaid is the same technology popular FinTech apps like Acorns and Robin Hood use to protect user data, so this is a great sign.

However, at the end of the day, you have to be comfortable with sharing your data and logging in with your personal banking information.

According to its privacy policy and security documents, Drop:

• Is securely encrypted
• Uses industry leading security. Drop relies on transport layer security (TLS) which basically protects your information by only transmitting it to Drop's servers and not letting it be intercepted.
• Is completely transparent. If you have questions about Drop's security, you can reach out to their support team for help.

Drop also states that they only see your transaction information. They never see account balances or personal info that is linked to your account.

Additionally, to access your transaction data, the drop system “transforms your credentials into a key that is meaningless out of context, even to us. No one will be able to tell from our system which account is yours once linked.”

So, technically your data is just an amalgamated mess that is not tied to you. But, once again, you need to be 100% comfortable with the fact that you are giving up your personal data for financial compensation.

Is Drop Worth It?

In my opinion, Drop is worth it if you're looking for easy, free money. It's an amazing app in the sense that you can use it to double-dip on credit card rewards or other offers.

This app won't revolutionize your finances, but that's not really the point. The point is to score some freebies and to treat yourself or a loved one to some fun gift cards!

So, I'd suggest downloading this app to give it a try, at the very least. Additionally, there are plenty of other apps like Drop that you can use to earn cash back rewards, so find a system that works for you!

How Does Drop Make Money?

Drop makes money when you shop through their app or download new mobile games.

Basically, companies pay Drop in exchange for sending them customers. After it gets paid, Drop passes on some of their earnings to you in the form of cashback.

This is the same model websites like Rakuten use to make money and pay users, so nothing earth-shattering here!

Extra Reading –?The Best Apps That Pay You Money Instantly.

Do Points Expire?

Drop points never expire, which is one thing I really enjoy about this rewards app. So, try out the app, earn points at your own pace, and redeem Drop rewards whenever you get the chance.

Extra Reading – How To Make Money On Autopilot.

Final Thoughts

I hope my Drop app review helps you understand how this reward app works so you can decide if it's worth using.

Personally, I've been using Drop for a few years. And I enjoy using the app and like the fact I can earn a quick $10 or so when I shop through the app.

Sure, the Drop app won't make you rich. But every little bit counts when you want to save more money each month.

If you ever have major shopping trips plan, check the app beforehand for offers. By doing so, you can probably score around $50 of free rewards each year without much work.

Thanks for reading, and have fun on your next shopping trip.

Sign up for the Drop App & Start Earning Free Gift Cards Today!

Extra Reading:

• 70+ Side Hustles To Make More Money Today.
• The Best Ways To Make $2,000 Fast.
• The Best iOS Games That Pay.

The post Drop App Review – Is This Rewards App Legit & Worth It? appeared first on WebMonkey.

Ecommerce is a growing, convenient beast. It doesn't matter if you do nearly all of your shopping online or prefer traditional retail stores, there's no denying that online shopping will continue to be a growing trend.

Since we're entering Black Friday and the Christmas shopping season, I decided to spin up a quick post on the number one price protection app there is:?Earny.

I've already written a post on the best money saving browser extensions to help prepare online shoppers for the next few months of madness.

However, I wanted to write an individual Earny review to tackle this price protection system independently given its popularity and relevance for this time of year.

I also wanted to write this review because I think there are?way?better Earny alternatives out there for most users, and I think the majority of shoppers should steer clear of this money saving platform (more on the reasons why and some great alternatives near the end of this post).

What Is Earny?

These days, many major brands and credit card companies have policies in place that offer consumers price protection guarantees.

Essentially, price protection safeguards consumers from unfairly losing out on significant price drops within a given amount of time. Generally, price protection lasts between 30-60 days for most purchases.

So, as a consumer: let's say you buy a pair of sneakers for $100 with your credit card, only to find out that that same pair of sneakers went on sale three weeks later for $60. If you shop with a popular credit card that offers price protection, you can usually open a claim and receive the difference in price to save some money.

Now, since securing price protection savings requires time and the awareness of price drops in the first place, automating this process is definitely the way to go these days.

That's where popular platforms like the Earny app have found their place in the market.

How Does Earny Work?

Earny is very similar to price protection apps like Parbius.

Essentially, Earny connects to the inbox where you receive the majority of your online sales receipts and automatically monitors your purchases for price drops.

If Earny can find lower deals and your price protection claim is successful, you end up saving money without having to do a thing.

Since people obviously love free money and easy savings, it's isn't surprising that Earny has over 3 million users and has allegedly found savings on more than 85 million purchases, resulting in ‘billions in protected purchases.'

Sounds good so far, but what?exactly does Earny cover?

Earny Partner Retailers

Currently, Earny tracks items purchased from the following retailers according to the Earny support page:

• Best Buy.
• Bloomingdale's.
• Costco.
• The Gap Group.
• Banana Republic.
• Old Navy.
• Athleta.
• JCrew.
• Jet.
• Kohl's.
• Macy's.
• Newegg.
• Nike.
• Nordstrom.
• Overstock.
• Sears.
• Target.
• Walmart.
• Zappos.
• Home Depot.

Earny states they are continually working to update their list of partners, but this is the most recent data provided in July 2019.

Credit Card Price Protection

If you enable Earny credit card protection (which involves connecting your credit card to the app), Earny will also be able to monitor your Amazon purchases to watch for price drops.

Many popular credit cards can offer up to 90 or even 120 days of price protection for their users, and the process of connecting your credit cards to Earny is straightforward: simply find your specific card and bank and enter the your credentials into the app.

Currently, Earny works with all Citibank cards and all Mastercards.

Earny also offers support for the following banks and cards:

• Bank of America.
• US Bank.
• Capital One.
• Barclays.
• First Premier Bank.
• USAA.
• Wells Fargo.
• Fifth Third Bank.
• Chase.
• Visa.
• Discover.

Even if your specific credit card isn't listed on Earny's app or website, you can most likely connect you card through the Mastercard section.

Just note that many Mastercards have a limit of 4 price protection claims per year.

Earny Hotel Savings & Deals

Finally, Earny can also monitor hotel confirmations and help users rebook their stays in lower rates become available. Earny scans many major hotel booking sites and engines, enabling their system to find the best current rates.

Earny also states that their members can enjoy “access to exclusive rates all year round,” but their hotel search engine is just powered by Priceline, so this isn't anything special or exclusive in reality.

Earning Cash Back

Earny has recently put out an update that allows their users to earn cash back by shopping through the Earny app or browser extension.

I've covered different money saving browser extensions before and use several myself, so it's nice that Earny has at least added this new feature to their platform to allow users to save more money.

Earny Pricing & Signing Up

Unlike other price protection platforms, Earny is?not?free.

However, I have to admit, I'm a little confused about Earny's pricing model. When I signed up for Earny and also did some searching around the web, I found a slew of different information regarding how much Earny costs.

Signing up for Earny is free and fast. All you have to do is connect your inbox to the platform and create an account and boom, you're essentially done.

However, if you want to actually save money from price protections or get nifty hotel deals, you'll have to pay.

Personally, my Earny account gives me the option to pay?$1.99/month?to actually start benefiting from the service.

I've seen other Earny reviews state that the cost is actually $4.99 a month or even as high as $7.99 each month.

I'm not sure if Earny somehow knows I'm a student, if this is a temporary deal, or if other reviews are simply outdated. Whatever the case, just know you'll be paying for Earny if you want to reap the possible rewards.

Getting Paid By Earny

Once you've created an Earny account, you can update your profile section to finish linking your Amazon account and to setup your payment options/link any cards you may have.

You can also setup the specific account you want your Earny savings to be deposited to. There will be a small transaction applied to your card to make sure it's legit, but this will be reversed.

How Much Can You Save With Earny?

According to Earny, their average user saves $75 by using their service (according to the homepage).

However, when I checkout my pricing plan page (screenshot above), the potential savings are listed as being in the $160+ range if you factor in hotel deals, late delivery fees (this isn't mentioned anywhere else on their website), and general price drops.

This ultimately leads me to conclude that none of these numbers are exactly trustworthy seeing as their own funnel is full of inconsistencies.

So, what do the good people of Reddit have to say?

Well, it seems like Earny was a pretty decent way to save about a year ago:

Another user also shows a screenshot of over $180 in savings (Earny used to take a 25% fee a year ago).

More recent Earny reviews, however, are generally quite negative.

The final comment in this particular thread also brings up a good point:?cash back platforms might be more powerful.

Sure, automatic price protection is nice, but since you have to pay for a service like Earny, I would only recommend this app to someone who spends hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year on online retailers (that are also Earny partners).

If you only spend a couple hundred bucks, forget it.

Plus, many popular cash back platforms and passive income apps are also free and mostly hands-off anyway, so I personally think your time might be better spent researching these avenues.

Earny Alternatives – Paribus, Cash Back Platforms, & More

If the idea of automatically benefiting from price protection and late deliveries appeals to you, I think Paribus is better than Earny for several reasons.

Firstly, Paribus is completely free, so there's really no downside to hooking this app to your email if you aren't too worried about your personal data (more on this later).

Secondly, Paribus currently monitors 29 retailers for price drops – 9 more partners than Earny can currently offer.

I think the fact that Paribus is free and monitors more retailers makes this decision a no-brainer when it comes to the Earny vs. Paribus debate I've seen online.

In terms of other alternatives or money saving ideas, I think keeping it simple is your best friend.

You really don't need to pay anything to start saving bits of extra money every year. Other than certain credit cards that may justifiably carry fees for the benefits they provide, top-tier companies are often more interested in data collection than monthly fees.

Currently, here is my 100% free money saving regimen for getting the most out of my wallet when shopping online:

Honey –?I use this free browser extension to automatically apply coupons at checkout, and have saved over $70 to date from the platform.

Rakuten –?I use this free cash back portal to earn rewards for shopping at merchants like Amazon. Checkout my Rakuten review to see how I've earned around $400 with the platform.

A Cash Back Credit Card?– I use a basic American Express to earn 1-2% cash back on all my purchases. I don't pay any fees for this card and even had a 6 month signup bonus that granted higher cash back amounts. Shop around for a free credit card and possible signup bonuses if you haven't incorporated cash back into your life yet!

Drop –?I currently earn free Starbucks/Amazon gift cards when I spend money at Walmart, Starbucks, Uber, Shoppers Drug Mart, and the LCBO (Canada's draconian version of liquor stores, for any U.S. reader). Drop is a free app and partners with dozens of merchants, so there's plenty of ways to earn.

That's about it.

You can experiment with other free savings apps or rebate programs, but as long as you can find a few that work for you, you can easily find hundreds of dollars in savings each year.

Just think about it: a cash back credit card alone will save you 1-2% on so many purchases you make per year.

Long story short, don't waste time with Earny or other paid rebate programs unless you spend an insane amount of money online.

Final Thoughts & Privacy Concerns

At the end of the day, if you're getting something for free, you're the product.

Data collection is a massive business these days. In fact, data is now more valuable than oil for the first time in human history.

Personally, I'm alright with selling a decent amount of my user data to companies in exchange for freebies and cash. However, this is ultimately a very personal decision, and an important one.

Yes, companies like Earny are secure and legit. All these apps and services have top level encryption and amalgamate data sets/say they don't sell your personalized data.

Regardless, if you opt-in to these services, you are letting a third party company scan your personal data and transaction history. Keep this in mind when deciding if you want to use price protection services or other money saving apps.

People may recommend platforms like Earny because of juicy $15 referral bonuses.

Hell, half the reason I'm writing this post is because I found some nice keywords and also like promoting Paribus/Honey (I use them both, and they pay me up to $5 for referring people…there I said it!)

Regardless of what people say, just be smart, do your research, and find what works for you! Hopefully, this Earny review helped guide you in the right direction.

Thanks for reading! If you want to find more unique ways to save money, I suggest checking out my post on extra money saving hacks to take things one step further!

The post Earny Review – Is This Money Saving App Worth The Price? appeared first on WebMonkey.

I’ve finally had time to install the app to play around with it and read some other reviews, and I’ve decided to write a quick Hurdlr review since anyone participating in the gig economy might find this useful.

Plus, as tax season and the new year are fast approaching, I think it is a great time to reflect on personal finance matters or side hustle successes from the previous year while also planning ahead for a great year.

I’m not being compensated financially for this post, although I will include a Hurdlr affiliate link which might benefit me financially.

Anyway, onto the Hurdlr review!

This post will contain:

• What is Hurdlr?
• What the Hurdlr app does.
• Hurdlr pricing..
• Who should use this platform.
• Pros, cons, and alternatives.

Let’s get to it!

What is Hurdlr?

Hurdlr is an automatic business expense and mileage tracker that is designed to help entrepreneurs or side hustlers organize their expenses and save money through tax deductions.

The Hurdlr app is available on both IOS and Android, and according to Hurdlr’s website, the Hurdlr app tracks over $8bn in finances and has saved users a total amount of $300 million.

Hurdlr also states that on average, their users can find over $5600 in tax deductions (I assume this is for full-time entrepreneurs or freelancers).

Hurdlr Features – Expense Monitoring, Mileage Tracking, & More.

The Hurldr app is all about automating processes and centralizing data so you can save money and time. In order to accomplish this goal, there are a number of core features that make Hurdlr incredibly useful for side hustlers.

Mileage Tracking

Hurdlr is a great app for mileage tracking app because the app can automatically log your miles with a simple start and stop feature.

If you have frequent business trips or drive a lot for your work, it can be immensely tedious to track your miles manually or with other apps. Hurdlr simplifies this process ensuring you never miss out on potential tax deductions.

This feature is hands down one of the most valuable features. If you drive for Uber or DoorDash, it is vital to track your mileage and expenses so you can claim these as business expenses when filing your taxes (plus these are good numbers to know, anyway).

To track your miles with Hurdlr, simply leave the app running in the background of your phone. Hurdlr will document mileage between start and stop points and all you have to do is inform the app if a trip was related to your business or not.

By tracking your miles meticulously, you can maximize your tax deductions since the IRS rate per mile is currently $0.575/mile as of 2020. This adds up surprisingly quickly, especially if you drive to meet clients or work for a ride-share company.

Automatic Income & Expense Tracking

Hurdlr is a great mileage tracking app, but it’s also useful for entrepreneurs looking to efficiently track their income and expenses while on the job.

Hurdlr allows users to monitor their income, which is an important part of securing as many tax deductions as possible. Once you enter some basic income information into the app, it can also deduct any expenses or income tax from your total income to provide an accurate picture of your earnings.

Additionally, Hurdlr’s API can also connect to payment platforms like PayPal, Sqaure, Freshbooks, and Uber to monitor any side hustle income you are making. Plus, Hurdlr can also connect to pretty much every major U.S. and Canadian bank to further monitor your income.

Once Hurdlr is connected to your payment platform or bank of choice it can start to monitor expenses and categorize them accordingly.

Any time you fill up on gas during business trips or incur some business related expense, Hurdlr can keep track of all the numbers for you. If you pay for a business expense in cash you can also log that information into the app manually.

Ultimately Hurdlr is a decent way to automatically track all of the income and expenses related to your business or side hustle.

Calculate Taxes-Owed

Since the Hurdlr app can track your income, it also has the ability to automatically calculate the amount of taxes you will owe.

Self-employed individuals generally have some different tax requirements than individuals who are employed by a business. According to the IRS: “as a self-employed individual, generally you are required to file an annual return and pay estimated tax quarterly.”

If you aren’t good at tracking your income and expenses as a freelancer, tax time might bring on a whole lot of frustration. Hurdlr simplifies this entire process and is able to give you a general idea of what you should expect for your tax season.

With Hurdlr, self-employed individuals get real-time quarterly tax estimates. Plus, Hurdlr still automatically tracks your income, expenses, and possible tax deductions. This is far easier than manually tracking everything and having a constant worry about how much you owe in taxes.

If you use a CPA (certified public accountant) you can also email Hurdlr reports to them to make life easier for everyone involved. Plus, you can also email yourself reports or monthly breakdowns of your income and expenses to monitor how your business or side hustle is doing.

Hurdlr Pricing – Free & Premium Plans

Hurdlr is a free app that works on a ‘freemium’ model, meaning some of their features are locked behind a paid subscription. However, both the free and paid version of the app are pretty solid.

With the free version of Hurdlr, users can use:

• Unilimited semi-auto mileage tracking.
• Basic income and expense tracking.
• Real-time tax estimates.
• Downloadable/email reports.

With Hurdlr premium, users can also use:

• All free Hurdlr features.
• Fully automated mileage and income/expense tracking.
• Speed tagging (quickly tag an expense as being business or personal).
• Custom rule sets.
• Detailed tax estimates and calculations.
• Work hour scheduling.

Hurdlr Pricing – Premium:

• $8/month for a month-to-month plan. Users can cancel anytime.
• $60 annually, which breaks down to $4.99/month.

Note: these prices are in U.S. dollars!

For Canadians, here is how Hurdlr's pricing breaks down:

• $80 CAD annual plan ($7 a month, most popular)
• $10 CAD month-to-month plan, cancel anytime.

Who Should Use Hurdlr?

At the end of the day, Hurdlr is a immensely useful app but only if you can make the most out of the tax deductions and income/expense tracking.

Hurdlr promotes their app to 4 main categories of people on their website:

• Freelancers.
• Realtors.
• Hosts.
• Drivers or couriers.

When you consider what Hurdlr can offer for each of these industries, it makes sense who should use this app.

Hurdlr is great for anyone who makes a full-time or substantial amount of income from their entrepreneurial side hustles or people in industries (like real estate) where you might have a lot of business expenses.

If you are consistently taking clients out for lunch or driving to home viewings as a real estate agent, Hurdlr could be a great way to log all of your expenses.

Similarly, if you rent out your house on AirBnB or drive a significant amount of hours for Uber, Lyft, or delivery services like DoorDash, Hurdlr can track all of your business expenses and mileage. Seriously, full-time drivers in particular really need to have some sort of mileage tracking app if they want to maximize their income.

If you don’t make a significant amount of income from side hustling or aren’t self-employed, Hurdlr isn’t for you.

Or, in other words, if you only drive for Uber once in a blue moon or rent out your home on AirBnB every few months, you can probably forget tracking everything and just do some…creative accounting…Yeah let’s call it that.

In other words save money through tax deductions by using Hurdlr, but don’t give away more personal information than you have to!

Hurdlr Pros, Cons & Alternatives

At the end of the day, Hurdlr is a freemium app that has a lot of awesome features and can save serious side hustlers a lot of money in tax deductibles. After all, the app does have a 4.5 star rating average across thousands of reviews on the Google Play Store and App Store.

However, Hurdlr also has other alternatives and it isn’t the perfect app for every side hustler.

HURDLR PROS

• The free version of the app offers very useful features and the premium version is not very pricey.
• Hurdlr is a great mileage tracking app that any serious courier or personal driver should consider.
• Income and expense tracking can be very helpful for individuals who struggle to keep track of these things on their own.
• Hurdlr can sync to various payment platforms, not just banks.
• Hurdlr’s automatic tax calculation can help freelancers prepare for tax season.

HURDLR CONS

• You need to run Hurdlr in the background of your phone, so keep this in mind for your battery life.
• Hurdlr isn’t too useful for side hustlers who don’t make significant income and are going to do some creative accounting.

ALTERNATIVE APPS & OPTIONS

If you are looking for other mileage tracking apps or ways to monitor your freelancing expenses besides Hurdlr, you can also research:

• MileIQ – a useful mileage tracking app.
• QuickBooks Self Employed.
• TripLog – another useful mileage tracking app.
• SherpaShare – a great mileage tracker for Uber or Lyft drivers in particular.
• Trackly.
• Stride Tax Mileage Tracker.

Again, since Hurdlr has a decent free version you might as well test it out to see if you like the app, because it never hurts to try before you buy!

Final Thoughts

If you are a serious side hustler who is looking to save money through tax deductions and accurately report your income/expenses, I’d seriously consider researching around to find the right app for you.

If you a fan of Hurdlr or want to try the app out for yourself, you can always start with the free version or on a monthly plan!

By tracking your business expenses/mileage and calculating the taxes you will owe when tax season rolls around, you will be able to save money and have a more accurate picture of how your business is doing. Plus, automating these processes will save you time and aggravation, which is also valuable.

Hopefully my Hurdlr review will help someone out there! I’ve never written an app review before, so let me know in the comments if this is useful content or something you aren’t a fan of!

Sign Up For Hurdlr Today

Thanks for reading! Catch you guys in the next post.

The post Hurdlr Review – Business Expenses & Mileage Tracking for Side Hustlers appeared first on WebMonkey.