Suppose making money while relaxing, sleeping, or even watching your favorite show. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, passive income makes it possible! But here’s the catch – most passive income methods require upfront investment or effort to get started. 

Except for the Passive App! It’s completely free – all you need is WiFi and a phone, and you start earning!

Other ways, like investing, renting, or selling digital products, require money or time upfront before you see returns. But once set up, they can keep bringing in cash with little effort. Want to know which passive income method works best for you? 

Let’s explore the top 10 ways to earn passive income online.

10 Best Passive Income Ways

Rank	Method	How It Works	Upfront Cost
1️⃣	Passive App	Just WiFi & phone, free cash!	Free! ✅
2️⃣	Honeygain	Sell unused internet.	Free but slow.
3️⃣	Swagbucks/MyPoints	Do tasks, get rewards.	Free, takes time.
4️⃣	Crypto Staking	Hold crypto, earn rewards.	Need crypto.
5️⃣	Robinhood	Invest in stocks, earn more.	Need cash.
6️⃣	Fundrise	Invest in real estate.	Paid setup.
7️⃣	Affiliate Marketing	Sell & earn commissions.	Free/Paid.
8️⃣	Sell Digital Products	Sell eBooks, courses.	Paid setup.
9️⃣	Dividend Stocks	Buy stocks, get payouts.	Need funds.
🔟	YouTube Automation	Upload videos, earn ads.	Paid setup.

Now let’s get into the details of each:

1. Passive App (Around $20/month)

The Passive App is a great choice if you’re looking to make money without putting in much work. It’s a totally free app that works quietly in the background while you go about your day-to-day activities.

There’s no need for you to do anything extra to start earning. Whether you’re busy with school, work, or just relaxing, this app can help you make passive income without lifting a finger.
It’s a perfect app for anyone who wants to make money effortlessly. 

The best part is, it’s completely free, and you don’t need to spend anything upfront to start earning.

How Much You Can Earn: Around $20/month

Steps to Use:

1. Download the app and sign up.
2. Let the app run in the background while you do other things.
3. Start earning passive income from various tasks or investments.

Rating: ★★★★★ (4.7/5)

This is your go-to app if you want to earn money passively without any costs involved.

2. Honeygain (Around $15/month)

Honeygain lets you sell your unused internet and get paid without doing anything. It runs quietly in the background, using your extra data to help businesses collect information for research. The app is completely safe and secure, and it doesn’t affect your internet speed much.

The more devices and internet you share, the more you earn. Just install the app, keep it running, and watch your balance grow.

How Much You Can Earn: Above $10/month

Steps to Use:

1. Download and install Honeygain on your phone or computer.
2. Sign up and allow it to run in the background.
3. Earn money while it shares your extra internet with research companies.

Rating: ★★★☆ (3.9/5)

If you have unlimited internet, Honeygain is a super easy way to earn free cash.

3. Swagbucks/MyPoints (Around $50/month)

Swagbucks and MyPoints pay you for doing simple tasks, like taking surveys, watching videos, and shopping online. The more tasks you do, the more reward points (SB) you earn, which can be redeemed for PayPal cash or gift cards.

While it’s not 100% passive (since you need to complete tasks), it’s still a great way to earn money during free time. It’s also free to join, making it a zero-risk option for extra income.

How Much You Can Earn: Around $50/month

Steps to Use:

1. Sign up for Swagbucks or MyPoints.
2. Complete tasks like surveys, watching ads, or playing games.
3. Redeem your points for cash or gift cards.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.1/5)

If you enjoy quick, easy tasks, this is a great way to make extra money online.

4. Crypto Staking (Around $200/month, depending on investment)

Crypto staking lets you earn rewards by holding cryptocurrency. It works like a savings account—you deposit your crypto, and in return, you receive staking rewards. The more you stake, the higher the earnings.

It’s a great passive income source for long-term investors, but it comes with some risk since crypto prices can fluctuate. However, if you already own crypto, staking is a smart way to grow your assets without doing anything extra.

How Much You Can Earn: Around $200/month, depending on investment

Steps to Use:

1. Buy crypto that supports staking (like Ethereum, Cardano, or Solana).
2. Choose a staking platform like Binance, Coinbase, or Kraken.
3. Stake your crypto and earn passive rewards over time.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.8/5)

Crypto staking is perfect for investors who want to make money without selling their coins.

5. Robinhood (Around $500/month, depending on investment)

Robinhood makes investing in stocks super easy for beginners. You can buy stocks, ETFs, and crypto with zero commission fees. You make money in two ways: by selling stocks at a higher price or earning dividends from stocks that pay investors.

Investing in stocks requires some research, but it can become a great source of passive income over time. It’s one of the best long-term strategies for building wealth.

How Much You Can Earn: Around $500/month, depending on investment

Steps to Use:

1. Sign up for Robinhood (free).
2. Buy stocks, ETFs, or crypto.
3. Hold your investments and earn dividends or sell for profit.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.2/5)

If you want to grow your money over time, investing with Robinhood is a smart choice.

6. Fundrise (Around $5- $200/month, depending on investment)

Fundrise lets you invest in real estate without buying property. It pools money from investors to fund rental homes, apartment buildings, and commercial properties. You earn money from rental income and property appreciation.
It’s a great option for beginners who want to own real estate passively. However, you need to invest at least $10 to start.

How Much You Can Earn: Around $5- $200/month, depending on investment

Steps to Use:

1. Sign up on Fundrise (minimum investment: $10).
2. Choose a real estate portfolio to invest in.
3. Earn money from rental income and appreciation.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.1/5)

Fundrise is perfect for those who want to own real estate without managing properties.

7. Affiliate Marketing (Around $1000+/month, depending on sales)

Affiliate marketing allows you to make money by promoting products. You don’t need to create your own products – just share special links, and when someone buys, you get a commission.
It takes time to build, but once your links are online, you earn money passively for years. It’s one of the best long-term passive income methods.

How Much You Can Earn: Around $1000+/month, depending on sales

Steps to Use:

1. Join an affiliate program (Amazon, ClickBank, Shopify).
2. Get your unique affiliate link.
3. Share it on a blog, YouTube, or social media to earn commissions.

Rating: ★★★★(4/5)

If you want high earnings with no upfront cost, affiliate marketing is the best passive income source.

8. Sell Digital Products (Around $5000/month, depending on sales)

If you have a skill or knowledge, you can sell digital products like eBooks, courses, or templates. Once created, they sell over and over with no extra work.
It takes effort at the start, but after that, it’s pure passive income. If you market it well, this can be a six-figure business!

How Much You Can Earn: Around $5000/month, depending on sales

Steps to Use:

1. Create a digital product (eBook, course, template).
2. Sell it on Gumroad, Etsy, or Udemy.
3. Earn money every time someone buys it.

Selling digital products is one of the best ways to earn passive income without limits.

9. Dividend Stocks (Around $500/month, depending on investment)

Dividend stocks pay you just for owning them. Some companies share their profits with investors in the form of dividends, which means you get paid regularly without doing anything.

The more dividend stocks you own, the higher your monthly payouts. This is a great long-term investment that helps you earn passive income while your money grows.

How Much You Can Earn: Around $500/month, depending on investment

Steps to Use:

1. Open a brokerage account (Robinhood, Fidelity, Vanguard).
2. Buy dividend-paying stocks (Apple, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s).
3. Hold your stocks and collect dividend payments every quarter.

Rating: ★★★★ (4/5)

If you want steady, long-term passive income, dividend stocks are a smart choice.

YouTube Automation (Around $1000+/month, depending on views)

YouTube automation is a hands-off way to earn from YouTube without making videos yourself. You hire freelancers to create content, while you just upload and manage the channel.

Once your videos get views, you earn from ads, sponsorships, and affiliate links. It takes time to grow, but once your videos go viral, the income becomes passive.

How Much You Can Earn: Around $1000+/month, depending on views

Steps to Use:

1. Pick a niche (finance, tech, motivation, facts).
2. Hire freelancers to script, edit, and voice over your videos.
3. Upload consistently, monetize with ads, and earn passive income.

Rating: ★★★★ (4.0/5)

If you want a big passive income with no face on camera, YouTube automation is perfect.

Conclusion

Earning passive income doesn’t have to be hard. Whether you’re using dividend stocks, YouTube automation, or even a simple Passive App, there’s something for everyone.
Some methods require investment, while others like Passive App only need WiFi and a phone – no upfront cost at all.

If you want quick and effortless income, start with Passive App or Honeygain. For higher earnings, try YouTube automation, dividend stocks, or crypto staking. The key is to start now and let your money work for you while you sit back and relax.