Top 5 Passive Income Apps
Imagine earning money while sleeping, traveling, or spending time with your family. This is what people call passive income — income that keeps coming in with minimal daily effort.
In 2025, your smartphone isn’t just for social media, chatting, or watching videos. It can become a smart tool to create small but steady passive income streams. Whether you’re a student, homemaker, or working professional, you can use apps to build side income that adds up over time.
But with hundreds of apps claiming to pay users, which ones are safe, genuine, and actually work? I’ve researched, tested, and shortlisted the top 5 passive income apps you should try this year. All these apps are free, beginner-friendly, and have real payout options like bank transfer, UPI, or vouchers.
Let’s explore how each works and how you can start.
1. CashKaro
CashKaro is one of India’s most trusted cashback platforms. It helps you save and earn every time you shop online from popular stores like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, and more.
How it works:
Sign up on CashKaro for free.Search for your favorite store inside the CashKaro app.
Click the store link; you’ll be redirected to the store’s official website.Shop as usual; cashback is tracked and credited to your CashKaro account.
Why it’s passive:
Refer friends to join CashKaro, and you earn a commission every time they shop too.
Payout:
Transfer cashback to your bank once you cross ₹250 confirmed cashback.
Use the amount like regular cash.
Tips:Always start shopping through the CashKaro app, not directly from the store.
Combine offers, coupons, and cashback for maximum savings.
Extra benefit:
Works on mobile recharge, bill payment, and food delivery too.
2. Meesho
Meesho is an app that lets you earn by reselling products — without keeping any stock. It turns your phone into a zero-investment online store.
How it works:
Browse products in Meesho’s catalog: clothes, home items, beauty products, and more.Share product images and details on WhatsApp, Facebook, or Instagram.Set your profit margin; when someone places an order, Meesho delivers directly to them.Your profit margin is paid directly to your bank.
Why it’s passive:Share product catalogs once, and friends or followers can buy anytime.
Repeat customers can keep ordering without extra effort.
Payout:
Tips:
Focus on trending products or seasonal items.
Create WhatsApp groups to share new collections.
Extra benefit:
No storage, packaging, or delivery headache — Meesho handles it all.
3. Google AdSense (via YouTube or Blogger)
AdSense is Google’s program to place ads on your content, like blogs or YouTube videos. Once your content is live, ads earn money every time someone views or clicks.
How it works:
Create a free Blogger site or YouTube channel.Share tutorials, product reviews, or educational videos/blogs. Apply for AdSense after meeting eligibility requirements.Once approved, ads show automatically; you earn as people view or click.
Why it’s passive:Old content can keep earning for months or even years.
Income grows as your views grow.
Payout:
Direct bank transfer once you reach minimum $100 (about ₹8000).
Tips:
Focus on evergreen topics (like “how to use an app,” “top tips for 2025,” etc.).
Promote your content on social media to get views.
Extra benefit:
You can combine AdSense income with affiliate marketing later.
4. Groww
Groww is an investment app that lets you buy mutual funds, stocks, and digital gold easily. While it’s mainly for investing, it helps create genuine passive income over time.
How it works: Sign up and complete your KYC. Invest in mutual funds, dividend-paying stocks, or gold .Earnings come from :Dividends (companies sharing profit)Long-term capital gains (stock prices increasing)Interest on debt mutual funds
After investing once, money can keep growing without daily effort.
Reinvest dividends for compounding.
Payout:
Withdraw anytime; amount is transferred to your bank.
Tips:
Start small; even ₹100 monthly SIP builds wealth.
Learn basics of mutual funds and stocks before investing.
Extra benefit:
Groww often offers referral bonuses: refer friends and earn ₹100–₹200.
5. Honeygain
Honeygain is an app that pays you for sharing your unused internet bandwidth. It works quietly in the background; you don’t need to do anything daily.
How it works:
Install the app on your phone or PC. Honey gain shares small parts of your internet connection securely with partner businesses.
You get paid for the bandwidth shared.Why it’s passive:
Runs automatically without affecting normal browsing.Set up once, then forget.
Payout:PayPal or Bitcoin withdrawal once you earn $20 (about ₹1600).
Tips:
Use Wi-Fi, not mobile data, to avoid extra cost.
The more devices and IPs you use, the faster you earn.
Important note:
Honeygain claims data is encrypted and safe; still, always read privacy policies.
How much can you really earn?
Passive income apps won’t replace a full-time job, but combined they can add ₹1000–₹5000 or more monthly:
Cashback (CashKaro): saves and earns money you already spend.
Reselling (Meesho): profit depends on sales; some users earn ₹2000–₹5000/month.
AdSense: earnings grow over time with traffic.Investments (Groww): real wealth builds slowly but securely
Over a year, even a small amount saved or earned each month adds up.
Tips to succeed with passive income apps
Combine apps: Use 2–3 apps instead of relying on one.
Start small: Test what works for you before investing time or money.Stay consistent: Passive income grows with regular effort at first.
Promote smartly: Share links and content in groups and social media.
Track earnings: Use a spreadsheet or note to track payouts and growth.