Free $20 Instantly: 29 Legit Ways to Make 20 Dollars Fast

Need some extra cash but don’t know where to look? Thankfully, there are many ways to make an extra $20 in little to no time. Whether it’s earning some extra cash to save more money or whether you need $20 to pay for a weekend event with your friends, you’ve got options.

These ideas are perfect when you need some cash quickly. Below is a list of ways to make $20 instantly and without any experience or prior knowledge.

Here are several ways to make quick cash, like a free $20 instantly. Choose the free money-making ideas that work best for you, or combine a few different ideas to earn money.

1. Swagbucks ($10 signup bonus)

Swagbucks allows anyone to earn extra funds online to complete simple tasks you already spend hours doing on your phone! Ways to win real cash prizes on Swagbucks include:

• Seeing videos
• Completing online surveys
• Playing games using your phone
• Shopping online at partnered Swagbucks retailers for cashback offers
• Purchasing gift certificates at your favorite stores and getting cash back
• Using exclusive coupon codes on Swagbucks to claim free discounts
• And other related online activities

Financial expert Joseph Lucas highly recommends Swagbucks if you want a legit way to make $20:

“Swagbucks is the most tried and true option on this list to get cash quickly.  I recommend them because they are well known and pretty well trusted (they have a 4.2 on Trustpilot as of the writing of this article).”

Additionally, if you want the fastest way to make money, Lucas shares that Swagbucks and MyPoints make that possible in under an hour.

When completing tasks, you get paid “Swagbucks,” or SB, which can be redeemed for cash or gift certificates.

So, how do you earn money instantly with Swagbucks? Aside from completing the above tasks, which in many cases take only a few minutes daily, you get a free $10 bonus just for setting up your account! That’s free money!

One of the most popular paid survey sites, Swagbucks offers a convenient way to earn some extra income whenever you need it.

2. MyPoints ($10 signup bonus)

MyPoints is a cashback program focusing mainly on shopping at your favorite retailers through your MyPoints dashboard. Once you set up an account for free, you can log into MyPoints, browse the current deals, and search among their many partner retailers to shop at.

When you click on a retailer such as Kohl’s, for example, you’re taken to the website, and any purchases you make earn a percentage cash back in your MyPoints account, allowing you to save money! It’s literally free money!

MyPoints members can receive up to 40% off just by shopping through their MyPoints login. While MyPoints focuses on shopping online and partner retailer deals, they also allow you to get paid extra money for taking short surveys and other small tasks, very similar to Swagbucks.

Once you build up enough points, you can redeem your rewards for gift cards or cash sent to your PayPal account. What’s more, if you set up your account for free with MyPoints today through our partner link, you’ll receive $10 just for signing up! Combine this with the Swagbucks offer if you need to make $20 fast.

Overall, the income potential with MyPoints is a little more limited than Swagbucks, but it’s still a great way to make some extra spending money. I recommend signing up for both to maximize the number of offers available to you.

3. InboxDollars ($5 signup bonus)

InboxDollars is another top website that allows users to make money online by completing everyday activities. 

How does it work? InboxDollars partners with brands that pay them to get input from consumers. InboxDollars then pays you to complete these activities online. You make money online by completing activities such as:

• Taking paid surveys
• Watching videos and TV
• Playing games
• Redeeming free coupons for food and grocery stores
• Shopping at InboxDollars partner retailers

The most significant difference between InboxDollars and other cashback programs is that they will pay you in real cash rewards, not just points that convert into cash. This gives you a better idea of exactly how much money you can make per activity you complete. There’s no mystery about how much money your points are worth.

To help you make that extra $20 instantly, you can redeem $5 for free just by signing up to InboxDollars.

Again, just like Swagbucks and MyPoints, you’ll find unique offers at InboxDollars to earn money online. Having an account at all three sites will make more opportunities available to you.

Need more than $20? You may be interested in these articles:

• How to Make $100 Fast
• How to Make $500 Fast
• How to Make $1,000 Fast

4. Rakuten Insight

Rakuten Insight doesn’t offer a signup bonus, unlike the three sites already mentioned. However, it’s free to create your account, and once you’ve signed up, you can start making money with paid online surveys right away.

Rakuten Insight is one of the best options for anyone looking to make extra income in their spare time. Many surveys are available, and the amount you earn will vary from one survey to the next. Start by completing the current offers with the highest payout to make $20 right now.

While there are a lot of different websites and apps for making money with surveys, each one is a little bit different than the others. Swagbucks, MyPoints, and Inbox Dollars all provide many different ways to earn money, but Rakuten Insight focuses exclusively on surveys for payment.

This will limit your income potential from the site, but if you want to make money from taking surveys online, you’ll definitely want to try Rakuten Insight. It’s one of the best paid survey sites available.

→ Sign up for Rakuten Insight here.

5. Public.com

Public.com is a leading investment app that offers commission-free trades of stocks and ETFs. It’s incredibly beginner-friendly because (in addition to commission-free trades) they have no account minimums, and you can buy fractional shares. Thanks to fractional shares, you don’t need hundreds or thousands of dollars to invest in your favorite company.

Currently, Public.com is offering new users a free slice of stock worth up to $300 for signing up*. To qualify for the free bonus, you’ll need to create and fund your account with any amount of money. You’ll get a free slice of stock worth at least $3, but it could be worth as much as $300.

Aside from the bonus, Public.com is also an excellent money earning option because it features a clean, user-friendly interface and a wide array of social features. The social features are great for connecting with friends or other investors. You can participate in discussions, follow other investors, and learn more about investing.

The clean user interface makes Public.com an excellent choice for beginners and experienced investors.

6. Moomoo

Moomoo also offers commission-free trades of stocks and ETFs, but it takes a different approach than Public. Moomoo offers a wealth of free tools for researching and analyzing stocks and ETFs. Active and technical traders will appreciate the tools available from Moomoo, including stock charts and screeners.

If you’re interested in learning more about investing and the stock market, Moomoo is an excellent resource. Users get free access to educational content, including courses.

Additionally, Moomoo has one of the best sign-up bonus offers anywhere. They offer up to 15 free stocks to new users, and each stock can be worth up to $2,000. You’ll get one free stock for creating an account and up to 14 more stocks for funding your account.

With such a high potential value, this is an offer you don’t want to miss.

7. Webull

Webull is another commission-free trading app with a signup bonus you won’t want to miss. The offer changes occasionally, but currently, new users can receive up to 12 free stocks worth up to $36,000!

You’ll get two free stocks worth up to $3,000 each just for creating your account. Get up to 10 more free stocks when you deposit any amount. It’s one of the best signup bonuses you’ll find anywhere.

Webull is also an excellent app, even without the signup bonus. Like Public.com and Moomoo, Webull charges no commissions on stock and ETF trades. They also have no account minimums, and you can buy and sell fractional shares.

While some apps, like Public.com, take a simplified approach to the user interface, Webull takes a different approach. Webull offers more advanced research and analysis tools than most free trading apps. That’s great for users who want to do detailed analysis, but it also makes the app slightly less intuitive and beginner-friendly.

8. Robinhood

Robinhood was a pioneer for commission-free trading and fractional shares. Thanks to Robinhood, it no longer takes a lot of money to open an account, and it doesn’t take much time to begin investing. Many competitors have jumped on board by offering free trades due to Robinhood setting the trend.

Robinhood is a modern investing app that lets anyone with $5 invest in the stock market. If you want to own just $5 of Amazon, you can buy a fractional share.

Investing in the stock market will help you build wealth and earn more passive income. When you set up a Robinhood account, you will receive a free share of stock. You can win a share of Facebook or other famous companies. All you have to do is follow my partner link here to set up your Robinhood account and claim your free share of stock.

9. M1 Finance ($10 signup bonus)

M1 Finance is another finance app that helps anyone begin investing in the stock market automatically. The app lets you set up an account for free and put your investments on autopilot by building your portfolio, or “pie,” as they call it, and setting up recurring transfers (optional).

Furthermore, M1 Finance provides access to a basic checking account called M1 Spend. It can earn interest on unused cash and everyday purchases when subscribing to an M1 Spend Plus account.

We’ve partnered with M1 Finance to provide you with a free $10 bonus just for setting up your M1 Finance account. Follow this link to take advantage of my exclusive M1 Finance sign-up bonus. You can get halfway towards your goal of making $20 instantly just by creating an account and making an initial deposit.

10. Empower ($20 signup bonus)

If you’re wondering how to get $20 in 5 minutes, this method is for you.

Empower is free software that gives you a visual overview of your total financial scenario in one location. It allows you to see numeric and graphical analyses of your money, current returns, and growth rates and help analyze your budget and spending habits.

Other features include a retirement planner to help calculate your progress toward retirement savings, a net worth tracker to see a visual of how your wealth grows over time, and a customized investment checkup to ensure you’re adequately invested.

If you wish to pay for premium services, you can use Empower’s wealth managers and get added investment and financial planning assistance (this is not required to use the free software).

So, how do you make an extra $20 with Empower? VitalDollar readers get a 20 dollar sign up bonus just for setting up your free Empower account and linking at least one financial account to the service (you must sign up through this referral link). You can link a bank account, credit card, brokerage account, or all of the above.

Once completed, you’ll get a digital gift certificate for $20 at Amazon! It takes just a few minutes, provides one of the easiest ways to get $20 instantly, and gives you access to useful software. Now that’s free money!

Even if Empower didn’t give you a free 20 dollar credit when you sign up, it would still be an awesome tool as a financial dashboard.

→ Sign up for Empower here.

11. Rakuten ($10 signup bonus)

What was formerly known as Ebates is now called Rakuten. Rakuten allows you up to 40% cash back at over 2,500 stores and websites. Stores will pay Rakuten to advertise their products to its members. When you log into your account, Rakuten customers get access to exclusive details and cashback options sent to your account once they purchase at a partnered retailer.

Some popular stores on Rakuten include eBay, Kohl’s Groupon, Target, Nike, Macy’s, and thousands more. A convenient feature of Rakuten is its user-friendly app, which allows you to do everything right from any smart device.

When you build up your cash back on Rakuten, you will receive a payout via PayPal (or a check by mail) once every quarter.

Another way to aid you in making $20 instantly is to sign up for a free Rakuten account here today, and you’ll get a free $10 bonus once you’ve made your first purchase.

12. Mistplay

Have you ever wondered if you could make cash online by playing games? This is exactly what Mistplay allows you to do. Mistplay is an Android app that pays you to play your favorite mobile device games. Through their app, you can:

• Discover new games that are tailored to your unique style and likes
• Earn units for each game you play
• Turn in your units for gift certificates such as Visa cards, Amazon gift cards, and many more

The more games that you play, the more rewards you have the potential to earn. You can even chat with your friends through Mistplay to stay competitive and help each other. As you play more games, you earn badges for completing new competitions, giving you more units to earn more money!

If you’re looking to make 20 dollars as fast as possible without having to really work, then Mistplay is an easy way to get paid a few bucks for having fun, literally.

→ Sign up for Mistplay here.

13. Sell Something You Don’t Need

Perhaps one of the best and easiest ways to make $20 instantly is by selling stuff you don’t need. Ideas of what you can sell range from unwanted books to old clothes and even children’s toys. We’ve all got things we can get rid of, and plenty of people are looking to buy used stuff.

How and where do you sell your stuff? Websites like Amazon and eBay are great starting points to create listings for unused items online to sell and make money. Other ways to sell unwanted stuff are through selling apps like Facebook, OfferUp, or other social media apps.

Of course, you can also take jewelry and other items to a pawn shop if you need money fast. Although this is an easy way to make money, be sure that you won’t regret selling these items.

Almost everyone has something they could sell. Maybe you have stuff piled up in your basement or garage waiting for a yard sale. You could list it online today to get rid of it now and receive payment.

If you’re wondering how to get 20 dollars fast, this is often the best option.

To learn more about selling your unwanted items for some extra money, look at “30 Ways To Sell Your Stuff When You Need Money.”

14. Sell Unwanted Gift Cards

Have you ever received gift cards to stores that you don’t shop at that often, or maybe you just forgot about it? What if there was a way that you could sell your unwanted gift certificates for money? Thankfully, this isn’t an unusual need, so companies like Raise.com allow you to sell your gift cards for extra income! (See our article How to Sell Gift Cards Online Instantly for more details.)

Raise is one of the online marketplaces specifically for people to buy and sell unwanted or unused gift cards. All you have to do is set up a seller account with Raise.com and list your gift cards for sale. The great thing is you can even set the selling price! Once you make a sale, you’ll receive your money via direct deposit, PayPal, or check by mail.

Prepaid2Cash is a bit different in that you can enter your gift card and the respective balance to get an instant quote for your unused gift cards. You’ll get paid by Prepaid2Cash immediately (money in your account in as little as 15 minutes). This is one of the best options if you need to get $20 in PayPal now.

If you have some unused gift cards just sitting around, this is one of the best ways to make $20 instantly that you might want to consider.

15. Rent Out Storage Space

Do you have unused space in your garage, basement, attic, or even your driveway? You can earn funds from that space by renting it out to others who need extra space. Neighbor is an app that lets you rent out unused space to those in need. If you have a driveway with an extra parking stall, you can rent that space out to someone who needs a place to park their car for the winter (for example).

Perhaps a family in the neighborhood needs a place to put their boxes while moving. Thanks to Neighbor, you can rent out your extra storage space in your shed to help them while making some extra income.

This is one of the best side hustle opportunities because you can start making money very quickly. Because it generates passive income, you’ll be responsible for little other than making sure renters have access to the space.
Neighbor handles all of the details like marketing and promotion, as well as the collection and disbursement of payments.

16. Refer a Friend

Chances are you’ve purchased a product or service because a friend or family member told you how fantastic that product or service was.

Some brands will pay you cash rewards for referring friends and family to use their product or service. To determine whether a company allows you to make money for referrals, search the website for “referral programs”.

Take a look at this article If you want to learn more about how to make money through referral programs.

Any easy way to cash in on these offers is to partner with a friend who also wants some easy money. You refer the friend to certain offers and let your friend refer you to others. This is one of the easiest options if you need to get 20 dollars fast.

17. Donate Plasma

Plasma is always needed, especially nowadays when so much sickness and disease are widespread. You can quickly make an easy 20 bucks or more by spending about an hour a week donating plasma at your local plasma donation center.

Some plasma donation centers even provide you a large cash bonus upfront for your first visit, allowing you to often double the amount of money you would typically make for donating.

To be able to make money donating plasma, you need to make sure you meet the following guidelines (source):

• You need to be at least 18 years old
• You should weigh at least 110 pounds
• You must pass a medical examination
• You must complete a medical history screening
• You must test non-reactive for transmissible viruses
• Have an overall healthy diet

If you need some cash fast, donating plasma is an excellent option. It can also serve as an ongoing side hustle since you can donate up to twice per week. As a regular donor, making up to $300 – $400 of extra cash each month is possible.

See this article about how to get paid to donate plasma.

18. Earn Cash Back

Take advantage of cashback programs to earn money fast and increase your earnings. You can make cash back on everything from online shopping and receipt scanning to hotel bookings and more with apps and websites like Honey, Rakuten, and Ibotta. You can effortlessly reach your $20 weekly goal by including these platforms into your regular spending habits, for easy cashback earnings.

19. Proofread

Offering your proofreading services online is a great way to earn extra cash if you are very detail-oriented and fluent in English. If you are good at finding subtle typos and improving sentences, you can make $20 fast as a proofreader.

There is a high demand among writers, companies, bloggers, and non-profits for proofreaders who can check written materials for grammar mistakes. By creating a profile on a website like Upwork or Freelancer and bidding on proofreading jobs, you can set your own hours and choose your location. 

This could be a decent part time job with good earning potential. 

20. Freelance Writing

If you have a gift for words, you could also consider freelance writing. There are many opportunities for freelance writers to earn a living regardless of their area of expertise. Many people and businesses need freelance writers who can produce high-quality content on a variety of subjects to meet the increasing demand for content on their websites.

You can advertise your services on websites like Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer to find clients looking for high-quality written content. With chances for even higher paying opportunities as you gain experience, you can rapidly establish a reputation and get enough writing gigs to reach and surpass your $20 weekly goal if you consistently deliver high-quality work.

21. Flea Market Flipping

Flea market flipping involves getting low-cost items at flea markets, thrift stores, or garage sales and reselling them for a profit. A modest investment can swiftly become a tidy profit if you have a keen eye for valuable finds and understand market trends. 

Search for vintage clothing, collectibles, or exclusive home decor items that could fetch a good price at a later date. You can advertise these items on websites like eBay or Craigslist.

22. Deliver Groceries

Being a grocery delivery driver might be a good fit for you if you would rather shop for food than cook it yourself. Companies such as Instacart and Shipt let you to shop for groceries and deliver them to customers’ doorsteps, a popular and convenient service. 

Earn money as a grocery delivery driver by delivering customers’ groceries through popular apps. Delivering groceries to customers’ doorsteps is as easy as accepting delivery services requests, picking them up from the store, and dropping them off. 

Making good money and maybe even exceeding your goals is possible if you efficiently fulfill orders and give great customer service.

23. Rideshare Driver

Another common way to make some extra cash on your own time is to drive for a rideshare company like Lyft or Uber. You can make a lot of money by offering to drive people around, whether it is your full-time job or you are just doing it on the side. 

In addition to a valid driver’s license and a spotless driving record, the car you want to use as a rideshare driver must also meet the specifications of the app you want to partner with.

After you get your driver’s license, you can start picking up passengers and making money. You can make the most of your driving time and earn over $20 every week by avoiding rush hour and focusing on high-demand areas.

24. Dog Walking Or Pet Sitting

Consider making a side hustle out of pet sitting or providing dog walking services if you have a soft spot for furry friends. There are a lot of pet owners who would pay to have their animals walked or kept company while they are gone. 

Acquiring a reputation for dependability and trustworthiness will help you achieve your goal by drawing in repeat customers and increasing your earnings over time.

25. Rent Your Car

Why let that old car just sit in your driveway collecting dust when you can put it to good use? When you are not using your car, you can rent it out through sites like Turo or Getaround and make some extra cash. 

You can earn some additional cash with little to no work by renting out your car for day trips, weekend getaways, or even just errands around town.

26. Do Graphic Design

If you are skilled at graphic design, consider offering your services to individuals and businesses needing logos, marketing materials, or website graphics. Graphic designers develop ideas and layouts for visual representation in a variety of formats, such as websites, advertisements, and printed materials.

To find clients looking for graphic design services, you can post your portfolio on websites like Upwork and Fiverr. You can make $20 or more per week doing something you love by finishing a few little tasks every week.

27. Transcribe Audio

Transcribing audio recordings into text entails playing back recorded audio and then typing out the text. Many businesses and individuals subcontract transcription jobs to freelancers, making it a viable source of extra income. 

Rev and TranscribeMe are just two examples of websites that allow users to transcribe audio files for a fee. If you have fast and accurate typing skills, completing transcription assignments in your spare time can help you reach your target.

28. Help Your Neighbors

There are times when unexpected sources can provide quick cash. Help out your friends, neighbors, and community members who are in need by offering your services for odd jobs and tasks. 

Anyone can always use a helping hand, whether it is with yard work, shoveling snow, house cleaning, or running errands. Get enough odd jobs to hit your $20 weekly goal by networking and getting the word out about your services through social media or word of mouth.

29. Freelance

Gig work and freelancing can be a great way to earn some more money quickly. The gig economy is a great place to hone your craft if you are good at anything from graphic design to writing, virtual assistant work, or even a handyman. 

You can be your own boss and choose your own hours on websites like Upwork, Fiverr, and TaskRabbit, which pair freelancers with clients looking for temporary jobs.

All you really need are the skills and a strong internet connection, and you can make enough to cover unexpected expenses. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts on How to Make 20 Dollars Instantly

If you’re wondering how to get $20 immediately, the options covered in this article will help you to quickly make some free money. When you need money in your account fast, you can turn to one of these methods or combine a few of them.