Over the years, there has been a significant increase in the number of apps that pay users for their data.
These apps collect browsing history, location, and usage data and sell them to companies looking to gain insights into consumer behavior.
And since we end up sharing data with the many websites we visit, why not get paid for it?
After putting several to the test, I am here to explain some data collection apps that pay for your information that are part of passive income apps that pay real money.
These apps provide unique side hustle opportunities by collecting data from your mobile device or computer.
No matter the reward’s size, every amount counts toward your income.
The apps discussed have different modes of payment, requirements, and earning potential.
Some have restrictions based on location, age, or other factors. This article will discuss each app's features and what makes them unique from others in the market.
Let’s dive in.
1) Tapestri
Tapestri is an app that collects anonymous consumer location data to better understand human movement and shopper behavior at points of interest.
They collect personal information such as email IDs and cell numbers but exclude real names.
The app also collects demographic information like gender, age, location, and device information such as model and operating systems.
To earn with Tapestri, you must install the free app on Google Play or Apple Store.
With this app, you can earn anywhere from $5 to $25 monthly. The amount varies with geographic location and the time the app is installed.
Another way to earn is through the Tapestri Affiliate Program. However, you must subscribe to the program and pay a fee of $9.95 per month.
Although the rewards may vary, the Tapestri app is available worldwide.
2) Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel Review
Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel is a mobile app that tracks users' internet behavior on their internet-connected devices, like smartphones and tablets.
It is available for both Android and iOS users.
The app collects data about the websites visited, the time of day visited, and the general online activity of the user.
The app also collects the names and birth dates of the members of the user's household.
Upon collection, the data is stripped of any personally identifiable information.
From my observation, Nielsen uses a points-based reward system for its users.
You accumulate points, which can be redeemed for gift cards to retailers like Amazon, Target, and Starbucks.
You need to accumulate about 800 points (equivalent to $5) before they can cash out. The app has a $50 earnings cap.
Also, as a user, you are entered into sweepstakes every month to qualify for a $10,000 giveaway split among 400 winners.
The rewards vary from country to country for users outside the U.S.
Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel is available in many countries, including the United States, England, Spain, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, and more.
3) MobileXpression
MobileXpression is an application available on Android and iOS.
This data collection app requires registration and downloading the software on your phone to collect data.
The software, when given accessibility, collects information about your web browsing activity, messaging services used, and the names of the apps and files you download.
According to their website, they reward individuals for helping them improve the internet by collecting their data.
To qualify for rewards, you must maintain an active membership with MobileXpression and keep the MobileXpression app installed on your device with the "Accessibility" feature turned on.
Once a week, a push notification is sent to your mobile device to inform you that credits are available to claim.
Simply click on the notification, and you will be directed to your MobileXpression account, where you can redeem your credits for eGift cards of your choice.
A wide range of gift card options are available, including popular brands such as Amazon, Dunkin Donuts, and Home Depot.
The MobileXpression app is available for users at least 18 years old and can enter a binding agreement.
Users also need access to a mobile device and internet access.
Regrettably, MobileXPression does not accept member registrations from all countries worldwide.
Membership is only available to the United States, Canada, Malaysia, India, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom residents.
Upon registration, users in the USA receive a $5 Amazon gift card one week after signing up. The reward amount may differ for residents of other countries.
With $5 worth of gift cards every week, MobileXpression has the potential to make you at least $20 worth of gift cards a month.
These are not life-changing rewards but can be used to settle essential home purchases for use.
4) Honeygain
Honeygain is a data collection app that uses your internet connection to get information online and sells it to third-party companies.
You can easily download Honeygain on Android, iOS devices, and Windows from all over the world. The great thing about this app is that you can download it on multiple devices.
There’s a limit of up to 2 devices, and you can earn from data collected from all. The amount of money you make is estimated by the total GB of the traffic you share.
On average, people have reported earning $19 to $25 monthly. The traffic that is sent to your devices is what largely affects your earnings.
On their website, they state that what influences your traffic flow is your location, network speed, and the number of IP addresses.
You can also earn by referring users to the app. You’ll get 10% of the earnings of your referrals.
Honeygain allows you to spend your rewards through money, free gaming, or covered monthly subscriptions.
The money rewards are paid via PayPal and crypto. Money is great for earning passive income or paying monthly expenses.
If you choose the free gaming route, you get free Xbox Live, free game skins, twitch prime, or free in-game currency.
Finally, you can also get Honeygain rewards through payment of subscriptions to either Netflix, Amazon Prime, Spotify Premium, or YouTube Premium.
5) Dosh
Dosh is a free cash-back app that rewards you for shopping, dining out, and booking hotels.
It is available for iOS and Android and can be used for in-store and online purchases.
One of the unique features of Dosh is that rewards are automatically earned when shopping in-store without the need to upload receipts.
Rewards vary depending on the retailer and can range from 1.5% to 15% cashback just like other best cashback apps I have previously covered.
You must link your credit or debit card to the app to earn automatic rewards.
The rewards for online shopping can be earned by clicking through offers within the app.
Another way to earn rewards is by booking hotels through the Dosh app. Booking through the app promises up to 40% savings on rates.
This feature of the app is exclusive to US citizens.
Rewards accumulated are deposited into your Dosh wallet and can be cashed out once $25 is reached, with no fees for cashing out.
Transfers are made to your PayPal, Venmo, or debit card account.
Dosh also offers a referral program where you can earn $10 for referring others to the app.
The newly-referred users can earn a $5 reward after linking their first card.
Using Dosh is free. However, inactive accounts will be charged a $4.99 maintenance fee after 12 months.
6) Permission Research
Permission Research is a research community owned by Comscore Inc.
It allows its members to earn money using two main avenues: by answering surveys or installing software that monitors their internet activity.
Unlike the previous options, Permission research is only available on your computer and available worldwide. The software is not compatible with mobile devices.
The software collects internet usage habits which helps companies make informed decisions about marketing and product development.
As a participant, you can also earn money by answering surveys sent to them via email.
What makes this data collection platform unique is the payment method.
Instead of cash or gift cards, members are rewarded by having trees planted on their behalf around the world.
The company partners with Trees of the Future to plant an average of 50,000 trees monthly.
Only special surveys may offer cash via check or gift cards as a thank-you for participating.
The site also offers monthly sweepstakes with a grand prize of $25 to $10,000 (not available in all countries).
7) Datacoup
Datacoup is a personal data marketplace allowing users to share and sell personal data anonymously.
You connect your social media profiles and debit card to the platform to use the service.
The application is available on Android and iOS devices.
The app is available to anyone worldwide as long as they have the necessary social media accounts and a debit card.
Datacoup enables you to make up to $8 per month sharing your data, which is $96 a year.
Earnings are redeemed for cash, cryptocurrency, or by donating to charitable organizations.
8) National Consumer Panel
National Consumer Panel (NCP) is a joint venture between Nielsen and Iri, two leading market research companies in the USA.
It collects opinions and shopping data to help manufacturers and retailers.
There are 3 main ways to earn some money from this app.
From my experience, you earn rewards using the NCP app, which allows you to scan receipts and barcodes of items purchased from any store.
You also earn more points by taking surveys about the products you buy.
Also, each receipt scanned counts as an entry into monthly giveaways.
The National Consumer Panel also offers occasional special panels and a quarterly $5,000 cash giveaway.
The number of points earned depends on the length of surveys, and any bonuses earned.
The maximum points that can be earned per week are 500, and the minimum payout is 5000 points, equivalent to $5.00.
However, waiting to cash out for larger amounts costs fewer points and can result in higher earnings.
The points are then redeemed in the form of sweepstake entries or gifts. There’s a gift catalog by the National Consumer Panel available.
NCP is only available in the USA, and membership is not guaranteed even for US residents.
One must apply and be accepted to become a panelist.
9) Reklaim
Killi, now Reklaim, is an online application that allows individuals to protect their data while earning rewards.
It collects data through surveys, tasks, and videos.
You need to open an account, share your information, and earn points to earn an income.
Reklaim is available on Android and iOS devices in the USA, Canada, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.
You can earn up to $10 every week by completing online surveys.
The amount you earn depends on your activity and the number of surveys you complete.
For every 100 points, you earn $1, and 500 Killi app points are worth a $5 gift voucher.
You can redeem your Killi points via gift cards, PayPal, cryptocurrency, direct bank deposit, or charity donations.
10) OnMyWay
OnMyWay is a free mobile application available on Android and iOS platforms.
It enables you to earn money while driving. OnMyWay encourages safe driving without being distracted by phones.
The app locks the phone, preventing you from texting while driving, and disables phone calls unless you can answer them with Bluetooth.
It operates in four easy steps: download and sign up for the app, drive without using your phone, refer friends to earn more, and redeem your earnings.
You earn $0.05 for every mile you drive; a $10 bonus is awarded when you download the app.
By referring friends to the app, you can earn a $2 referral bonus and $0.02 for every mile your referred friends do not use their phones while driving.
Redeeming earnings includes gift cards, cash cards, travel perks, raffles, and discounts at various OnMyWay app sponsors.
11) Sweatcoin
Sweatcoin is a free fitness app available on iOS and Android platforms.
It tracks your outdoor steps and converts them into Sweatcoins.
These Sweatcoins can be redeemed for physical products or gift cards from the app's 600 partners.
You earn one Sweatcoin for every 1,000 verified steps taken and the app takes a 5% commission.
To maximize earnings, you can walk more, take advantage of daily bonuses, or consider a subscription for higher earning potential.
You can also earn by inviting others to join Sweatcoin.
12) SavyConnect
SavvyConnect monitors and collects information about your online behavior and search activity while you browse the Internet.
In return, SavvyConnect pays $5 per month for each device that has the software installed.
The software application can be downloaded on your laptop, mobile phone, and tablet both Android and iOS.
The payments are made by check in US dollars and mailed out to United States residents.
Apart from earnings from installing the app, you can earn money by participating in surveys.
SavvyConnect also offers sweepstakes throughout the month, allowing you to win prizes.
The potential income depends on the number of devices connected to the program, how often you participate in surveys, and your luck with sweepstakes.
SavvyConnect is only available to users in the United States.
13) Paribus
Paribus is an app owned by Capital One.
It helps you to earn back a percentage of what you spent on online purchases.
The app collects data from the user's online shopping accounts to identify opportunities for refunds and discounts from major retailers.
Once a refund is identified, Paribus will send the payment directly to your bank account.
It is designed to work with users and popular retailers in the USA.
The potential income from using Paribus depends on your shopping habits and the retailers' policies.
14) Mobillio
Mobilo, developed by Dolphin Technologies, is a unique app that pays to keep you safe. This is because it rewards you for keeping off your phone when driving.
When continuously at a speed of more than 12 miles per hour for 2 minutes, it detects this and starts tracking.
If you start using your phone, a point is deducted.
When you’re using your phone for navigation, music, or podcasts, fix it in a stable position, such as a cradle, to minimize movement, which might be interpreted as phone use.
You earn a point for every minute you don’t use the phone. To use this app, download and activate the GPS on your phone.
The points you earn are exchanged for Mobilio, a new cryptocurrency. This currency is minted by drivers who use the app and have proven to drive distraction-free.
Using the Mobilio currency in the app’s marketplace will soon be possible. You’ll be able to pay for services and products the marketplace participants sell.
This application is available for Android and Apple smartphone users.
15) Cocoon MDR
Virtual World Computing LLC owns the App. Cocoon My Data Rewards (MDR) collects behavioral data anonymously.
You need to head over to your app store, install the application, and create an account for free. It is available on both iOS and Android.
The app collects your data as you go about your activities. Whether you are shopping, going to school, or working, it records this without taking note of specific details that might expose you.
It only collects geolocation data. You’re able to stop sharing easily by setting the data-sharing feature off. This gives you control.
There’s also a Desktop version of the app that enables earning by sharing your browsing data.
The app allows earning by sharing in several ways.
You can transfer payment in cash without providing any bank information.
The amount is automatically transferred to PayPal once you reach the minimum threshold of $5.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you know how much can you sell user data for?
The amount of money you can make by selling your user data depends on various factors, such as the data type, the dataset size, and the demand for the data.
User data can be sold anywhere between a few cents to a few dollars per record. You can make $25 to $100 a year from your data from the data collection apps.
What Kind of Data Can Be Sold?
Almost any kind of data can be sold, including demographic data, browsing history, location data, search queries, purchase history, and social media activity.
Advertisers and marketers are interested in consumer behavior, preferences, and interests data, as it helps them target their advertising more effectively.
However, certain data types, such as medical records, financial information, and personally identifiable information (PII), are subject to stricter regulations. They cannot be sold without the explicit consent of the user.
Wrapping Up
You’re able to make money using data collection apps. There are several apps available to choose from.
The apps vary with the data they collect, mode of use, and payment. Most of the data apps provide anonymity- your identity is protected.
Some of the apps give you the freedom to choose the companies that make use of your data.
Finally, the money you earn from the data collection apps that pay for your information is not enough as a single source of income.
However, it provides a surplus that may go a long way in easing your way of life.