You’re already doing unpaid work all day. What if some of those everyday mom tasks could actually pay you?

I’m not talking about adding another side hustle to your schedule or learning a new skill. I’m talking about apps that pay you for activities you’re already doing, like driving kids to practice, clearing out closets, or scrolling through your phone while your toddler watches Bluey.

Here are 8 legitimate apps that pay you for being a mom, organized by the activities you’re already doing. I’ve included what each app actually pays, what tasks qualify, and how to verify they’re trustworthy before you waste your time.

Side Hustle Apps for Parents

App	Best For	Avg. Earnings	Time Required	Trust Verification
Poshmark	Selling outgrown kids’ clothes	$100-$500/month	2-3 hours/week	70M+ users, BBB A+
Mercari	Quick sales of toys/gear	$75-$300/month	1-2 hours/week	50M+ downloads
Care.com	Childcare gigs	$15-$25/hour	Flexible shifts	Background checks required
Scribie	Transcription (nap time work)	$5-$25/hour	30min-2hrs/day	Trustpilot 4.2/5
Rover	Pet sitting while home with kids	$20-$40/visit	1-3 hours/booking	Insurance included
Instacart	Grocery shopping with kids	$15-$25/hour	2-4 hour blocks	In-app safety features
TaskRabbit	Errands you already run	$20-$60/hour	1-3 hours/task	Verified tasker profiles
Survey Junkie	Phone time during kid activities	$1-$3/survey	5-15 min/survey	10M+ members

Poshmark: Get Paid for Closet Purges You’re Already Doing

What You’ll Do

Take photos of outgrown kids’ clothes, post listings, and ship items when they sell. You’re already bagging up clothes for donation. This just routes them to buyers instead.

Realistic Monthly Earnings: $100-$500

One winter coat nets $15-$40. A bundle of barely worn Old Navy toddler clothes brings $30-$50.

You won’t hit $500/month selling generic Target basics. Brand names (Gap, Mini Boden, Hanna Andersson) and like-new condition drive sales. Expect your first $100 in 2-3 weeks if you list 20-30 items right away.

How to Get Started

1. Download the app and set up your profile with a clear photo and brief bio
2. List 10-15 items using the app’s camera (takes photos, suggests pricing, auto-fills descriptions)
3. Price items at 60-70% of retail for like-new condition, 40-50% for good condition
4. Share your listings daily in the app’s community feed to boost visibility
5. Ship sold items using prepaid Poshmark labels (they email you the label)

Red Flags to Watch For

• Buyers who ask you to complete sales outside the app
• Requests for additional photos sent via text or email
• Lowball offers on brand-name items (counteroffer instead of accepting)
• Scam reports of “damaged” items after delivery (photograph everything before shipping)

Bottom Line

Most sellers see their first sales within 1-2 weeks. Best for families with multiple kids generating regular hand-me-downs. Combine with Mercari to list bulkier items that Poshmark doesn’t accept.

Also See: 12 Money Apps Your Kids Can Actually Use to Learn and Earn

Mercari: Turn Old Toys and Baby Gear Into Quick Cash

What You’ll Do

List toys, books, baby gear, and household items you’re already decluttering. Ship items using prepaid labels or offer local pickup. Get paid within days of the buyer receiving the item.

Realistic Monthly Earnings: $75-$300

Baby gates sell for $20-$40, barely used toys for $5-$15, and strollers for $50-$150.

Mercari takes a 10% fee plus payment processing (2.9% + $0.30). A $30 sale nets you about $26 after fees. Shipping costs $7-$15 for most items, but the buyer usually pays.

Expect first sales in 1-2 weeks if you price competitively and list 15-20 items. Reach $100/month by listing one item daily.

How to Get Started

1. Download the app and create an account (links to your bank for direct deposits)
2. Take 3-5 clear photos of each item against a plain background
3. Use the barcode scanner for books and boxed toys (auto-populates details)
4. Price items 50-60% below retail for used condition
5. Choose whether you’ll ship or offer local pickup
6. Package items within 3 days of sale using the provided shipping labels

Red Flags to Watch For

• Buyers requesting off-app transactions via Venmo or PayPal
• Shipping heavy items without calculating costs first
• Listing recalled or broken safety items (car seats, cribs)
• Buyers who claim “item not as described” to force refunds

Bottom Line

First $100 typically takes 3-4 weeks. Works best for one-off sales of bulky items that don’t fit Poshmark’s focus on clothing. Combine both apps to maximize decluttering profits.

Care.com: Get Paid for Childcare You’re Already Providing

What You’ll Do

Set your availability for babysitting, nanny work, or playdate care. Families book you through the platform, which handles payment processing and background checks.

Realistic Monthly Earnings: $400-$600

Pay ranges from $15-$25/hour depending on your location, number of kids, and experience. Most jobs are 2-4 hour evening shifts or weekend blocks.

One Saturday night (6:00-10:00pm) babysitting two kids pays $80-$100. Three regular weekend gigs per month = $240-$300. Add weeknight emergency sits and you’re at $400-$600/month.

Building a client base takes 1-2 months. Families want references and background checks. Expect irregular bookings for the first month.

How to Get Started

1. Create a detailed profile with childcare experience, certifications (CPR if you have it), and availability
2. Pay for the background check ($20-$35, required by most families)
3. Set your hourly rate based on the local market (Care.com shows average rates in your zip code)
4. Respond to job postings within 2-4 hours (families book fast)
5. Message families to introduce yourself before accepting jobs
6. Track hours through the app and get paid via direct deposit weekly

Red Flags to Watch For

• Families who want to hire you “off the books” to avoid Care.com fees
• Jobs that don’t specify the number of kids or special needs
• Rates significantly below your area’s average
• Requests to meet at locations other than the family’s home for first meetings

Bottom Line

Most caregivers book their first job within 2-3 weeks of profile approval. Best combined with other apps since bookings are irregular at first. Expect $400-$600/month after 2 months of steady availability.

Scribie: Transcribe Audio During Nap Time

What You’ll Do

Listen to short audio files (usually 6-10 minutes long) and type what you hear. Work during any quiet window, whether it’s naptime, after bedtime, or while the kids watch TV. Get paid per audio minute transcribed, with weekly deposits to PayPal.

Also See:  Easy Ways To Make Money in 15 Minutes While Your Kids Nap

Realistic Monthly Earnings: $200-$400

New transcribers earn $5-$10/hour as they learn the system. Experienced transcribers can reach $15-$25/hour by working faster and taking on higher-paying files.

A 6-minute audio file pays $0.60-$1.80 and takes 20-30 minutes to transcribe as a beginner. As you improve, that same file takes 15-20 minutes. Complete 4-5 files during a 2-hour nap = $5-$9.

Reaching $400 requires consistent daily work for 2-3 months as your speed improves.

How to Get Started

1. Sign up at Scribie.com and complete the qualification test (2-minute audio file)
2. Read the style guide (15-20 minutes, covers formatting rules)
3. Claim your first file from the available queue
4. Use Scribie’s built-in editor to type the transcription
5. Submit completed files for review (graded for accuracy)
6. Build your grade average above 4.5 to access higher-paying files

Red Flags to Watch For

• Files with heavy accents or multiple speakers (takes 2-3x longer)
• Rejections for not following the style guide exactly (read it carefully)
• Expecting $20/hour immediately (takes 2-3 months of practice)
• Working during distracting times (accuracy matters for pay)

Bottom Line

The first $100 takes most beginners 3-4 weeks, working 1 hour daily. Best for those who can carve out consistent quiet blocks. Combine with phone-based apps for flexibility.

Rover: Pet Sit While You’re Home With Kids Anyway

What You’ll Do

Offer drop-in visits, dog walking, or pet sitting in your home. Families book you for vacations or workdays when pets need care.

Realistic Monthly Earnings: $200-$1,000

Drop-in visits (30 minutes, feeding and playtime): $20-$30 per visit. Dog walks: $15-$25 per 30-minute walk, and overnight pet sitting in your home: $40-$60/night.

Two drop-in visits daily plus one dog walk = $55-$85/day. Doing this 3 days per week = $660-$1,020/month. Overnight stays during holiday weeks can add $280-$420.

Building regular clients takes 2-3 months. First-time Rover sitters often discount rates by 20-30% to get initial reviews. Expect $200-$400/month for your first 2 months.

How to Get Started

1. Create a Rover profile with photos of your home and any pets you own
2. Complete a background check (takes 5-7 days)
3. Set your services and rates (start 20% below the area average for the first 5 bookings)
4. Respond to booking requests within 1-2 hours
5. Meet pets and owners before accepting overnight sits
6. Use Rover’s messaging and payment system for all communication

Red Flags to Watch For

• Clients who want to book you directly to avoid Rover fees
• Aggressive dogs without disclosed behavior issues
• Owners who don’t provide emergency vet contact info
• Requests to care for pets in the owner’s home if you’re not comfortable with their neighborhood

Bottom Line

Most sitters get their first booking within 3-4 weeks. Best if you’re already home during the day and comfortable with pets around your kids. Combines well with childcare apps for diverse income streams.

Instacart: Shop With Your Kids, Get Paid for It

What You’ll Do

Accept grocery shopping orders through the app. Shop the store with your kids in tow (bring snacks). Deliver groceries to customers’ homes and collect payment via app.

Realistic Monthly Earnings: $400-$900

Instacart pays $7- $10 per order, plus tips. Most orders take 45 minutes to 1.5 hours from acceptance to delivery. Average earnings: $15-$25/hour, including tips.

A 3-hour block (2-3 orders) nets $45-$75. Doing this twice per week = $360-$600/month. Add a weekend morning shift and hit $600-$900/month.

Peak earning times are weekday mornings and weekend afternoons when tips are highest. Evening orders often have lower tips.

How to Get Started

1. Download the Instacart Shopper app and complete the application
2. Pass a background check (takes 3-5 days)
3. Watch training videos on how to shop and deliver orders
4. Accept your first batch during a time when you’d normally run errands anyway
5. Use the in-app scanner to find items and mark replacements
6. Deliver to the customer and take a photo of the drop-off

Red Flags to Watch For

• Orders with heavy items (cases of water, bulk pet food) that are hard to manage with kids
• Long-distance deliveries that eat into your per-hour earnings
• Customers who remove tips after delivery
• Working during rush hour when driving with kids is stressful

Bottom Line

Most shoppers complete their first order within 1 week of approval. Best for those already running errands 2-3 times weekly who can bring kids along. Combine with other apps for flexible earning.

TaskRabbit: Get Paid for Errands You’re Already Running

What You’ll Do

Accept tasks like grocery pickup, package delivery, furniture assembly, or organizing. Many tasks overlap with errands you’d run anyway, like Target runs, post office trips, or tidying up.

Realistic Monthly Earnings: $400-$700

TaskRabbit pays $20-$60/hour depending on task type and location. Simple errands (grocery pickup, package drop-off) pay $20-$30/hour. Organization or assembly tasks pay $30-$60/hour.

One furniture assembly job (2 hours) = $60-$120. Three errand tasks (1 hour each) = $60-$90. Work 8 hours/month = $240-$480. Add weekend tasks and hit $400-$700/month.

You set your own rates, but starting 15-20% below average in your area helps you get initial reviews. Expect irregular bookings the first month while building a reputation.

How to Get Started

1. Apply at TaskRabbit.com and select skills you’re comfortable with (start with errands and organization)
2. Pass a background check and attend an online orientation (2-3 days processing)
3. Set your hourly rate and availability in the app
4. Accept tasks that fit your schedule and location
5. Communicate with clients through the app’s messaging system
6. Complete tasks and get paid via direct deposit

Red Flags to Watch For

• Tasks that require special tools or equipment you don’t have
• Clients who want to negotiate lower rates after you arrive
• Jobs in unfamiliar or uncomfortable neighborhoods
• Requests to work off the platform to avoid TaskRabbit fees

Bottom Line

The first task typically happens within 2-3 weeks. Best for those who don’t mind bringing kids on simple errands or can schedule during child-free windows. Combine with delivery apps for higher weekly earnings.

Survey Junkie: Get Paid for Phone Time During Soccer Practice

What You’ll Do

Complete surveys on your phone about products, shopping habits, or media consumption. Work during waiting time, including school pickup lines, dance class, and doctor’s offices. Redeem points for PayPal cash or gift cards once you hit $5 minimum.

Realistic Monthly Earnings: $40-$100

Most surveys pay $0.50-$3.00 and take 5-15 minutes. Longer surveys ($5-$10) take 20-30 minutes but are less common.

Complete 3-4 short surveys during a 45-minute gymnastics class = $2-$8. Do this 4 times weekly = $32-$128/month.

You’ll get screened out of 30-40% of surveys based on demographics. The pre-screening questions don’t pay.

How to Get Started

1. Sign up at SurveyJunkie.com and complete your demographic profile (takes 5-10 minutes)
2. Link your PayPal account for cash redemptions
3. Check available surveys daily (new ones posted throughout the day)
4. Answer pre-screening questions honestly to avoid disqualification
5. Complete full surveys during waiting time or while kids are occupied
6. Redeem points at $5 increments (500 points = $5)

Red Flags to Watch For

• Survey invitations via email asking you to click external links (work only within the Survey Junkie platform)
• Surveys requesting credit card or social security numbers
• Rushed completion that leads to inconsistent answers and account suspension
• Expecting $200/month (realistic cap is $75-$100 even with daily use)

Bottom Line

The first payout (at a $5 minimum) takes 1-2 weeks of consistent survey-taking. Best as a “filler” app while waiting, not a primary income source. Combine with higher-earning apps to supplement monthly totals.

Start With What Already Fits Your Life

Have 2+ hours of quiet time daily? Start with Scribie. Already decluttering monthly? Start with Poshmark or Mercari. Running errands 3+ times weekly? Start with Instacart or TaskRabbit. Home during weekdays with a yard? Start with Rover.

Pick one app and test it for 30 days. Track actual earnings per hour, not just total income. If it’s not hitting at least $12-15/hour after the learning curve, swap it for a different one.

Start with the app that requires the least mental shift from your current routine. That’s usually the one you’ll actually stick with long enough to see real money. Once you have one app generating $100-200 monthly, add a second. Build your ecosystem one predictable income stream at a time.