You’ve probably heard the saying there’s no such thing as a free lunch. But have you ever heard there’s no such thing as free PayPal money?
Probably not. I know I haven’t.
Maybe that’s because free PayPal money does exist thanks to a growing number of ways to earn PayPal money instantly.
If you ever sent money to someone online or used eBay before, chances are that you've used PayPal in the past. PayPal is a great way to send money (actually #1 ranked money transfer app).
If you think it's crazy to get free money — think again.
There are some websites, gigs, and apps that'll pay you cash via PayPal for doing little tasks or simply signing up. They are basically incentives for using the site or app, but you don't have to. That's up to you.
22 Legit Ways to Earn Free PayPal Money Instantly
If you think I've gone crazy for thinking you can get $20 PayPal now (or more) in your account – then take a look at these fool-proof methods.
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links and at no additional cost to you, I’ll earn a commission. Know that I only recommend products and services I’ve personally used and stand behind.
1. Survey Junkie
How it works: So, let me preface by saying I’m not a fan of wasting my time taking boring surveys. But Survey Junkie is one of the best ways to make money on your phone, quickly. It is one of the most popular online survey sites and has a beautiful interface that makes it easy to earn money online.
Payment
You can get paid around $3 per survey and once you hit $10 you can cash out via PayPal.
Pros
Survey Junkie lets you get paid for taking online surveys from brands you use every day. You can also participate in focus groups, try new products (free stuff, yay!) and get paid to listen to new music.
Cons
Not a lucrative sign up bonus offer like Swagbucks or InboxDollars.
Survey Junkie is one of the highest-paying survey sites available. Complete three or more surveys a day, and you can earn as much as $100 monthly. With $76 Million paid out to date, Survey Junkie is one of the best survey sites available.
2. Mistplay
Getting paid for playing games sounds like a dream. But if you download Mistplay, and then download games from it and play, you earn free PayPal money.
This is a great opportunity for those looking to get paid for something they enjoy, like winning free gift cards and cash for playing games. I use it and it is legit and has over 35,404 positive reviews in the Google Play store. If you’re interested, I recommend you download the app from the Google Play store for free by clicking here.
Payment
As you level up you can earn more money for cash rewards or gift cards.
Pros
We all heard the old saying “time is money” right? Instead of playing games on your phone like everyone else and feeling bad for wasting your time — now you can get paid PayPal cash for it.
Cons
Not available for iPhones.
Earning money by playing games on your phone sounds like a dream. But Mistplay really pays you for playing new games with free gift cards. It is 100% free to play and you never have to deposit any money.
3. Branded Surveys
Branded Surveys is one of the world's leading market research communities – rewarding you for your opinion. Branded Surveys asks for information about you so that they can match you with fitting surveys. At up to $5-10 a pop for some surveys and a free 100 points for signing up, it pays to check in daily to see which ones are available to you.
Payment
Cashouts are through PayPal or gift cards. You'll earn money just for signing up and they pay you straight cash via PayPal.
Pros
Branded also offers a rewards program (Bronze, Silver, and Gold) where you can level up by collecting credits, which is exhilarating. As you level up, you can unlock higher earning opportunities to earn even more.
Cons
As with other competitor sites, some surveys will require you to visit another website to complete the task. The sites they route you to can be more difficult to use than Branded's site, which is a downfall. Also, they do not have a mobile app available, but you can take surveys on mobile web or your desktop.
Branded Surveys is quickly becoming one of the top survey sites. At up to $5-10 a pop for some surveys and a free 100 points for signing up, it pays to check in daily to see which ones are available to you.
4. InboxDollars
InboxDollars lets you can earn cash for taking surveys, playing games, searching the web, and watching videos. Yes, it is possible! InboxDollars allows you to earn PayPal cash for watching tv and movie previews. If you sign up before the end of this month, they also give you a $5 free bonus just to give it a try right into your PayPal account or another payment method. More people should be using this money-making app.
Payment
By spending just 5-10 minutes per day on this (either on your lunch break or during TV commercial breaks) you can earn and earn an extra $50 per month and get paid via PayPal, gift card or check.
Pros
InboxDollars offers a plethora of ways to make money, including getting paid to play games. It was listed highly on our list of game apps to win real money, it's a legit money maker.
Cons
It'll require a ton of time to reach the minimum payout of $30.
InboxDollars offers a variety of ways to earn money online. You can take surveys, play games, surf the web, watch videos and more to earn points towards gift cards.
5. Swagbucks
There are a lot of sites like Swagbucks but nothing can beat the king of reward apps. Here you can earn a special currency called Swagbucks for completing offers, answering surveys and logging online activity.
You can redeem the currency for gift cards or cash rewards once you’ve accumulated enough. This is one of the best apps that pays you through PayPal. You can read our full Swagbucks Review here.
Payment
Swagbucks offers a great opportunity to earn free PayPal money with little work. A popular way to earn is through referrals. You and your referral get a 300 SB bonus when your referral earns 300 SB within their first 30 days. Plus, you'll also earn 10% of their SB earnings for the life of their account (cha-ching).
Pros
I personally use it and usually earn money taking surveys while watching TV, and it does add up. They even give new members a $10 sign up bonus with a qualifying $25 purchase.
Cons
You won't qualify for every task or survey and users often report getting kicked out of surveys randomly.
Swagbucks offers a variety of ways to earn money online. You can take surveys, play games, surf the web, watch videos and more to earn points towards gift cards or cash.
6. MyPoints
MyPoints has it all — whether you want to shop at all your favorite retailers from the convenience of your phone or take surveys on the go, the MyPoints app has you covered. You can even find coupons and deals for many big-name retailers including Amazon, Target, and Best Buy.
Find a fancy hotel or shop for a new pair of kicks at your favorite retailer. Shopping not your bag? Like to share your opinion? Who doesn't? Share feedback on a variety of topics including movies, TV shows, shopping experiences and even new products and services. Reward yourself with great experiences as well as free gift cards with MyPoints.
Payment
Paypal or gift cards.
Pros
You can earn money through cash back shopping and through taking surveys, reading emails, watching videos and more. They offer a $10 welcome bonus for new members if you make two qualifying purchases through MyPoints during your first 30 days of membership.
Cons
MyPoints is limited to those who live in the US or Canada.
MyPoints pays you when you shop online at your favorite stores and delivers the rewards through free gift cards. You can also earn $1 on average per survey you complete. Offers over 10 different ways to earn money. Pays by gift cards, PayPal & travel miles.
7. Ibotta
With Ibotta, you'll get paid to shop by receiving lucrative cash back offers. Ibotta pays you real money on your everyday purchases. Download the free app to receive offers and earn real cash back in stores and online. Download the app and start a free account to browse deals in your area.
You can get cash back at any bar and liquor store, retail, grocery store and more. This app is so good there are a ton of apps like Ibotta that try and copy it. However, nothing beats the original grocery rebate app.
Payment
Once you reach $20, you can cash out via PayPal or gift cards. Eazy peezy.
Pros
It's a great way to save time and earn cash, even get a $10 new user bonus which you can cash out via PayPal.
Cons
No cash back on gas.
Ibotta pays you cash back for shopping at over 500,000 retailers, which you have to do every month. So why not get paid for it? Get started saving today.
8. Swagbucks Live
Swagbucks Live (available for iPhone and Android) is a live, multiplayer trivia game app you play from your phone! You'll be ‘paid' in Swagbucks points (shortened to ‘SB') which can then be redeemed for gift cards or PayPal cash.
For example, what is the most popular drink in the world that does not contain alcohol? What the official national anthem of the United States of America? What is the Capital of Australia? If you answered coffee, star-spangled banner, and Canberra, then you may want to look into the new trivia app that pays you huge cash prizes for your smarts.
Payment
Today’s prize is worth over $1,000 — which you can cash out for PayPal if you win. If you are interested in playing, click here to download the free trivia app and start winning free PayPal cash daily.
Pros
One of the best trivia game show apps running.
Cons
Even if you win you'll share the earnings with the pool of other winners which can make it not worthwhile.
Swagbucks LIVE is the live trivia game show where you test your knowledge daily to win huge cash prizes. It's free. Download the app to play and win!
9. Dosh Rewards
Dosh is a free cash back app that finds you money for shopping, dining out, and booking hotels and travel activities with more than 100,000 merchants and brands nationwide. This company not only allows you to get cash back on everyday purchases, but no receipt scanning required.
Those who are interested can read an informative Dosh Review to see how much cash back they are eligible to earn starting today.
Payment
Direct to a bank account, PayPal, or Venmo
Pros
No receipt scanning is required and it is one of the best rebate back apps that I personally use on a daily basis. Members who join can link their first credit card or debit card for a $1 instant bonus added to their Dosh wallet.
Cons
None, one of the best money-saving apps available to consumers currently.
10. Rakuten
Rakuten is where you can get cash back for shopping at over 2,500 stores. Stores pay Rakuten a commission for sending you their way, and Rakuten shares the commission with you as cash back. You can get paid every three months, plus earn a cash bonus when you join and shop. Rakuten is a popular way to get cash back whenever you shop online and right now they are offering a $10 sign-up bonus through this link.
Payment
Every time you shop online, start at Rakuten and then get cash back deposited into your PayPal account. Hello, free PayPal money.
Pros
Thanks to the internet, there is an endless number of ways to make money online (and offline) for free. Did you know that you can get cash back for items you would have bought anyway? You can do this by shopping online with Rakuten.
Cons
Rakuten members receive their Big Fat Checks or PayPal payments every three months for cash Back from store purchases. This is a long time to wait.
Rakuten offers cash back for shopping at over 3,500 stores, free to join, and shares commissions with members as cash back, paid quarterly. Members also get a $30 sign-up bonus. Since 1998, Rakuten has paid out over $1 billion in cash back.
11. PrizeRebel
PrizeRebel is a rewards site where members earn points by doing a variety of tasks that include answering paid surveys, watching videos, and completing offers. Surveys are your best bet at making money on PrizeRebel. They are the simplest and easiest way. The answers to these surveys are anonymous and confidential. The responses are used to help research companies and organizations figure out better ways to market and understand habits.
Payment
The points earned are used to exchange for PayPal cash or free Walmart gift cards, Amazon gift cards, Target gift cards, or Starbucks gift cards at a 1 point to 1 cent ratio.
Pros
The tasks that PrizeRebel offer are a great way to earn money in your free time.
Cons
PrizeRebel cons are that some rewards pay only a few points and demographics affect which surveys you can take.
Complete paid online surveys. Earn points & redeem for CASH & gift cards from eBay, iTunes, Starbucks, Visa, PayPal and more.
12. Upside
Upside is a gas rebate app that saves you money on things you need – like gas & groceries – and restaurants you love. Getting paid for getting gas sounds like a dream. But this free cash back app for gas is saving users an average of $124 in a year. There is no minimum for cash outs, but a $1 fee will be made on withdrawals under $15.
To score the best gas prices, grocery prices, and restaurant offers with Upside, all you need is your phone and your receipt. There’s no limit on how much you can earn, and you can even use it with other coupons, discounts, and loyalty programs.
Payment
Paypal or gift cards.
Pros
It's a free app, and thousands of gas stations are offering cash back.
Cons
You can earn cash back on gas in over 40 states, but if you want to earn using its grocery stores and restaurants features it is more limited.
Upside (which used to be called GetUpside) lets you save up to 25 cents for every gallon of gas you buy at certain gas stations. You can also get up to 35% back when you shop for groceries or eat out at over 45,000 places that work with Upside. If you use the app a lot, you might earn more than $100 in a year.
13. Fetch Rewards
Fetch Rewards works directly with popular brands to bring you everyday savings on thousands of products throughout any grocery store. You can earn points and save without jumping through hoops. Buy what you want, where you want, and save.
They work directly with popular brands to bring you savings on thousands of products every day, no matter where you get your groceries. Just scan your receipts and make money fast. Once you scan your first receipt, you'll get 3,000 points which you can claim for a $3.00 Visa Gift Card. If you want to get cash from a Visa gift card, you may have some options.
Payment
Visa gift cards or retailer gift cards.
Pros
You can use this cash back app with any receipt. The app's interface is marvelous to use and earning money with Fetch Rewards is fun as they offer plenty of incentives and monthly bonuses/sweepstakes.
Cons
Your cash back earnings can't be withdrawn via PayPal, however, you can convert your Visa gift cards to cash if you really wanted to.
Fetch is one of the top apps for scanning receipts that we've tried. It's great because it always gives you the same amount of points for each receipt, at least 25 points, and you only need to earn a little ($3) before you can take your money out. You can scan up to 35 receipts every week, so if you shop a lot and keep using the app, you could get a few free gift cards each year. Get 250 points when you use the code C1JAV during sign-up.
14. Drop
The Drop app tracks your purchases when you link up your credit card and debit cards to the free app. Then, it automatically adds Drop points to your account when you spend at certain merchants you’ve picked from their list. It's simple. When you reach a certain threshold, you can redeem Drop points for gift cards to popular retailers.
You can read a full Drop Review to get more insight into the app.
Payment
PayPal or gift cards.
Pros
Even if you are using Dosh or Ibotta, you can still use Drop in order to maximize your cash back efforts.
Cons
Drop only gives you the option to redeem your points for gift cards. Compared to other cash back apps on this list, it is a slower earner.
15. Sweatcoin
On the off chance that you need some additional inspiration to get out the door and take a walk, or in the event that you as of now love strolling/running, you might need to download Sweatcoin.
This innovative app pays you to walk. Every step you take is converted over into Sweatcoins.
This app is legit, here are some reviews from top publications:
- Techcrunch: “Sweatcoin has risen to the top of the App Store for helping folks get something more than just a glow for taking those daily steps”
- New York Times: ‘Sweatcoin’s “first premise is that physical movement has economic value”’
- Forbes: “New UK health app Sweatcoin launched in the Apple app store this week and has been an instant hit”
- Reuters: “New Apple app launches in Britain that pays people to get fit”
- Daily Mail: “The app that PAYS you to get fit: Sweatcoin rewards people for the number of steps they make every day”
- The Telegram: “If ever you've needed an incentive to exercise, a new app could give you a much-needed boost to get active.”
Payment
For each 1,000 steps, you will earn 1 Sweatcoins, which are redeemable for gift cards, app downloads, physical things (for example: iPhones) and, here and there, PayPal money.
Pros
Getting paid for walking, what's not to love?
Cons
Really slow earner, don't expect to make much unless you can refer a ton of friends.
Sweatcoin wants a healthier you on a healthier planet. They achieve this by converting your steps into a currency to spend on cool products and services.
16. Fiverr
Fiverr is an independent freelancing website. Probably the most prominent “gigs” on the site are regular independent employments like copywriting, editing and visual computerization. In any case, there are so many different categories where you can post a gig to earn money via PayPal.
Payment
Fiverr offers a couple of various payout choices, however the least expensive and most advantageous one is cashouts through PayPal. Once you're paid your money will be in “pending” status for 14 days during a processing time. When that period is finished, you can move them to your PayPal account and get it in seconds.
Pros
It's called Fiverr because gigs start at $5, but you can set your costs to anything and likely earn $40+ hour in whatever field you specialize in.
Cons
A competitive marketplace for newbies, as most gigs start at $5. If you're an experienced freelancer, switch to taking gigs on Upwork.
17. UserTesting
With UserTesting, you get paid to offer feedback on a website. The pay is $10 per test, and it involves visiting a website, completing some tasks, then recording your feedback about the user experience. The tasks take about 10 to 20 minutes to complete. You will normally watch a short video, visit a site or app, complete many basic undertakings, and record your criticism by means of video or sound.
Payment
PayPal installments are sent every week after finishing your tasks.
Pros
It's a pretty straightforward method of earning free PayPal money. And the site does not ask you to pay anything to get enrolled as a tester.
Cons
The income is variable. At most, you can likely make $80 per week. Definitely more of a cash supplement than a legitimate work-at-home job.
18. Prolific
Prolific offers you a few unique ways to earn, it sends you reviews and surveys from top organizations and colleges, which can be a decent change in pace from a portion of the other (increasingly conventional) ways to earn money.
Payment
Keep in mind that a majority of Prolific's studies pay at least $6.50 every hour and offer payments through PayPal. That is not a lot of money, but it is better than some alternatives.
Pros
The earnings are definitely better than most survey sites. You can just keep the Prolific site up and it'll notify you of any new surveys from top organizations to take. This site has a bunch of positive user reviews on Reddit.
Cons
The studies and surveys are hard to come by, you may go weeks or months without an offer.
19. Field Agent
Field Agent allows you to do fun shopping tasks around your neighborhood and earn some instant Paypal cash into your account. All you have to do is bring the ordered items in time and you're getting money in your PayPal account. It's a great way to make money in a small town where not a ton of options may be available to earn.
Payment
You can likely make $150 a year by using it passively, based on honest user reviews and cash out via PayPal.
Pros
Field Agent is worth downloading to earn extra money. It’s mostly good for when you’re already going to the store or can use something they want you to try.
Cons
Not the largest payouts but there are always jobs available.
20. Points Prizes
Points Prizes pays you to complete downloads, signing up for app bonuses, and joining newsletters for which you will receive reward points, which can be converted into Paypal cash.
Payment
PayPal or gift cards
Pros
You can earn a lot by referring people and friends.
Cons
A royal pain in the a** to cash out.
21. S'more
S'more is a lock screen rewards app that allows you to earn money in exchange for placing ads and content on your lock screen. You can really make money by placing ads on your Android mobile device or tablet. To maximize earnings, opt to display ads and promotions every time you check your device.
Payment
Once you hit $10.50, you can redeem your earnings for PayPal cash or your choice of a gift card.
Pros
Truly a passive income app, if you wanted to see other passive income ideas you can see our list here.
Cons
Not available for iPhones.
22. Grindabuck
Grindabuck offers 15 unique approaches to profit from home. You can watch recordings, audit promotions, take studies, attempt new items, complete micro-tasks, and the sky is the limit from there.
Payment
When you have enough points, you can convert them to PayPal money. You can also have the alternative option of being paid in Bitcoins if you wanted to.
Pros
When you join you, you will start off with 100 free Grindabucks.
Cons
You're out of luck if you don't live in the list of allowed countries.
Free PayPal Money FAQs
You can free money deposited into your PayPal account by getting paid to watch videos, take surveys, online shopping using sites like Swagbucks, InboxDollars, or Survey Junkie.
PayPal themselves do not give you free money, and there is no such thing as a working PayPal money generator.
You can get $10 fast from PayPal by using the apps and sites listed in this article. Consider using one that has a low minimum withdrawal amount so you can get your PayPal deposit rather quickly. We suggest going with Survey Junkie or Swagbucks.
One of the easiest ways to get free PayPal money without doing anything is downloading a browser extension like Honey or Rakuten, which can give you cash back for shopping. You can get money without doing anything, other than your normal shopping.
There are several keywords to use on search engines like Google to find helpful articles on ways to make money online, including: free $5 instantly 2023, free $100 PayPal code 2023, PayPal $5 offer 2023, PayPal free money $5, earn $5 PayPal, free $100 PayPal money instantly, free $100 PayPal code 2023, PayPal $5 offer 2023, free $100 dollars PayPal, and earn $25 PayPal.
The Bottom Line
Ever since the digital world evolved, PayPal has become one of the easiest methods of sending money across the world.
From grocery bills to sending payments, all kinds of transactions take place on PayPal.
But you can also use the platform to earn free money. Just make sure you are up to date on the best ways to avoid PayPal fees so you can maximize your earnings.
There are so many ways to earn free cash via PayPal — so what's stopping you?
PayPal is a payment platform with a website and a phone app that enables payments between parties through online money transfers.
