Passive income apps and sites in the UK let you earn a decent amount of spending money with almost no effort, but they will not make you rich. Below I show how each option earns for you, when you can cash out and how it pays.
My top 3 ways to earn passive income in the UK
-
#1 Pawns
Best for: Passive earning plus surveys
You earn in the background by sharing your unused internet, and you can boost your earnings quite a lot by also taking paid surveys.
- Cash out from
- $5
- Paid via
- PayPal · Payoneer · Bitcoin +2 more
-
#2 Swagbucks
Best for: Cashback when you shop online
Its passive way to earn is cashback offers. If you want more, you can also earn with surveys, paid offers and much more.
- Cash out from
- $5for PayPal (£5 or €5 in some countries); some gift cards from $1
- Paid via
- PayPal · Gift cards
-
#5 Ember Fund
Best for: Mining Bitcoin with one tap a day
You press a button once a day, and the app mines Bitcoin for 24 hours. You can also earn with free contests, surveys and small tasks.
- Cash out from
- $50around 50K sats
- Paid via
- Bitcoin
Not in the UK? See my list of the best worldwide passive income apps.
On this page6 sections
Compare all 9 ways to earn passive income in the UK
| Site | How it earns for you | Cash out from | Paid via | Join or read review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passive appShares your unused internet (computer only), plus surveys | $5 | PayPal · Payoneer · Bitcoin +2 more | ||
| Cashback when you shop, plus surveys and offers | $5for PayPal (£5 or €5 in some countries); some gift cards from $1 | PayPal · Gift cards | ||
| Claim free crypto daily, or stake your crypto · app | Any timewithdraw to your crypto wallet | Crypto | ||
| Interest on money or crypto you deposit | Not clear yetyou need to deposit money to earn much | Crypto | ||
| Passive appOne tap a day to mine Bitcoin, plus games and tasks | $50around 50K sats | Bitcoin | ||
| Passive appShares your unused internet | $0.50 crypto$0.50 gift cards$20 PayPal | PayPal · Crypto via JumpTask · Gift cards via JumpTask | ||
| Passive appTap once a day to mine LUM · Android app | No cash-out yetLUM has no value yet | LUM tokens | ||
| Passive appSoftware or app that collects data on the websites you visit | Depends on the rewardrewards change from time to time | Gift cards · Products · PayPal (some countries) | ||
| Passive appRecognizes TV, radio and outdoor ads, plus surveys · app | Depends on the reward | Gift cards |
No site on this list matches these filters.
9 Best ways to earn passive income in the UK
Now that you know what to expect from this kind of earning opportunity, we can start discussing the best ways to earn passive income in the UK. Take note that these aren’t the only options available.
Instead, these are options that I have personally tested and found worth it. I will keep updating this list, so make sure to bookmark this page and check back from time to time for new opportunities.
#1 Pawns
- How it earns for you
- Passive appShares your unused internet (computer only), plus surveys
- Cash out from
- $5
- Paid via
- PayPal · Payoneer · Bitcoin +2 more
Pawns offers both a passive and an active way to earn some extra money online in the United Kingdom.
To earn passively, you just need to install it on your computer or phone (or both), and then you will earn in the background by sharing your unused internet every time you are online. You can then boost your earnings quite a lot by also taking paid surveys.
You only need to earn $5 to withdraw your earnings, and if you join through the link below, you will get a $1 joining bonus into your account right away.
#2 Swagbucks
- How it earns for you
- Cashback when you shop, plus surveys and offers
- Cash out from
- $5for PayPal (£5 or €5 in some countries); some gift cards from $1
- Paid via
- PayPal · Gift cards
Swagbucks is a Get-Paid-To (GPT) site that offers plenty of ways for you to earn. Most of its earning opportunities will require some effort, but it also offers a passive earning method in the form of cashback offers.
You will only need to earn $5 in order to withdraw your earnings via PayPal or convert them to gift cards. The good thing about this site is, if you don’t like any of the cashback offers available, you can still earn by answering surveys, completing paid offers, and much more.
So, you won’t run out of things to do to earn from this site. This is the main reason why it is one of the most popular GPT sites around today.
#3 Crypto.com
- How it earns for you
- Claim free crypto daily, or stake your crypto · app
- Cash out from
- Any timewithdraw to your crypto wallet
- Paid via
- Crypto
Crypto.com is another cryptocurrency platform that will let you earn cryptocurrencies in several ways. It has some passive options where you can earn crypto with no effort. You can claim free crypto daily, or you can place your cryptocurrencies for staking so you can earn without lifting a finger
What I like about Crypto.com is that you can withdraw your earnings to your crypto wallet anytime you want. Plus, the app will work with Android and iOS devices, and it is very easy to use.
#4 Nexo
- How it earns for you
- Interest on money or crypto you deposit
- Cash out from
- Not clear yetyou need to deposit money to earn much
- Paid via
- Crypto
Nexo is essentially a cryptocurrency bank where you can deposit US dollars, Sterling pounds, Euros, or different cryptocurrencies. Then, you will earn interest of up to 20% in cryptocurrency for the amount you deposited.
That’s it. That’s all you need to do. What makes it a bit more unique from a normal bank is the interest rate it offers. It offers very high interest rates compared to normal banks.
It’s free to join, but of course, you need to invest a bit of money if you want to earn a significant amount. Or you can use some of the options on this list that pay in crypto and then take it out into Nexo and grow it further there.
#5 Ember Fund
- How it earns for you
- Passive appOne tap a day to mine Bitcoin, plus games and tasks
- Cash out from
- $50around 50K sats
- Paid via
- Bitcoin
If you are looking for a free and passive way to earn Bitcoin in the UK, then Ember Fund can be a great option.
All you have to do is click a button once per day, and then you will mine BTC for 24 hours even if your phone is off. You can also earn by participating in free tournaments and by taking paid surveys.
Once you reach the payout threshold, you can transfer your Bitcoin to any wallet, or you can invest it in crypto inside the Ember Fund app.
#6 Honeygain
- How it earns for you
- Passive appShares your unused internet
- Cash out from
- $0.50 crypto$0.50 gift cards$20 PayPal
- Paid via
- PayPal · Crypto via JumpTask · Gift cards via JumpTask
Honeygain will allow you to earn passively simply by installing their program/app on your device. What it does is it allows you to earn by sharing your unused internet bandwidth.
All you have to do is install the software on your computer or mobile device and set it up. Once it is set up, you just have to let it run in the background in order to earn. You will get paid for every gigabyte of data you share.
Then, when you’ve earned at least $20, you can withdraw your earnings via PayPal. It also offers another payment method where you can get paid in JMPT (another form of cryptocurrency). If you choose this method, you can get paid instantly.
And if you join through the link below, you will also receive a $5 sign-up bonus.
#7 Mirex Network
- How it earns for you
- Passive appTap once a day to mine LUM · Android app
- Cash out from
- No cash-out yetLUM has no value yet
- Paid via
- LUM tokens
Mirex Network is a blockchain project that lets you earn LUM (Lumira tokens) by simply clicking a button daily. When you click the button, it will start mining LUM tokens.
It is still in its early stages, which means the LUM coins you will mine don’t have any monetary value yet. So, you’ll have to wait until it gets publicly traded if you want to convert it to cash or other cryptocurrencies.
Its app only works on Android devices. To sign up, you’ll need a referral code. You can use mine – MikeM, so you don’t have to search the internet for Mirex Network referral codes.
#8 Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel
- How it earns for you
- Passive appSoftware or app that collects data on the websites you visit
- Cash out from
- Depends on the rewardrewards change from time to time
- Paid via
- Gift cards · Products · PayPal (some countries)
Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel is a platform that will allow you to earn by installing their software on your computer or mobile device. What the software does is it collects data regarding your internet usage.
It will gather data anonymously, so you it won’t really be a cause for concern because your sensitive information won’t be collected. All it collects are data regarding the websites you visit. Then, the data collected will be used by various companies for their market research to improve their products and services.
The setup process only takes a few minutes and all you have to do is let it run in the background. Then, you will earn points which you can redeem for rewards. The available rewards will vary from time to time as well as the number of points required to redeem them.
#9 THX app
- How it earns for you
- Passive appRecognizes TV, radio and outdoor ads, plus surveys · app
- Cash out from
- Depends on the reward
- Paid via
- Gift cards
THX app can be a great way to earn a bit of extra on the side in the UK.
You just need to install it, and then you will be able to take part in TV and radio or outdoor advertising surveys by enabling automatic content recognition or location sharing – and this will be completely passive.
You can also earn more actively by taking surveys about different topics. In addition to getting paid in gift cards, the app also has lotteries for active users with some great prizes.
What does passive income mean?
The term passive income is often misused in the United Kingdom. Websites often use it to attract people and sell them something, while in reality you have to put in a lot of continuous effort to earn.
Passive, as I use it
A method that lets you earn without doing anything extra. You usually install software or an app, and the program does the work for you.
Not passive
If you have to put in effort every day to earn, then that is not passive income, in my definition.
- A few clicks a dayThe most you will have to do every day is click a few buttons. That takes only a few seconds.
- Some need more setupOther methods need a bit more setup and are a bit riskier, but the effort is still negligible.
How much can you earn?
These options need very little effort, so expecting a lot from them would be wrong. The rule of thumb is that the more time and effort you invest, the more you earn.
You will not get rich
Temper your expectations, so you do not get disappointed in the end.
Decent spending money
You can still earn a decent amount of spending money, provided you join the right sites.
Join 5 to 7 sites
Joining several sites gives you access to more ways to earn. That is the best way to get the most out of these passive methods.
Some need a bit of money
Most of these options are free to join, but some, like Nexo, need a bit of cash investment before you earn a significant amount.
How I choose the sites on this list
I only put a site on this list when I have tested it myself. I test hundreds of sites every year, and I keep this list updated.
What I look at
- Little or no daily effort
- Tested by me and worth it
- Legit and mostly free to join
- Works in the UK
Ready to start?
Most of these options are free to join; some, like Nexo, need a bit of money to get started. I recommend you join 5 to 7 sites, so you get access to more ways to earn. It is very doable, as each option takes very little time and effort.
I keep this list updated, so bookmark this page. Know a site that belongs here, or have a question? Leave a comment below.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best passive income in the UK?
For most people, apps you install once and let run are the easiest. On Pawns and Honeygain, you earn by sharing your unused internet. Nielsen Computer & Mobile Panel and the THX app reward you for data their software collects in the background.
What is the best app for earning passive income?
Pawns is my top pick on this list. You earn passively by sharing your unused internet from your computer, and you can boost your earnings with paid surveys. You can cash out from $5.
What is the easiest source of passive income?
Installing software or an app that does the work for you. As I use the term, passive income means you earn without doing anything extra. The most you do every day is click a few buttons, like the daily tap on Ember Fund or Mirex Network.
How to make extra $1000 a month in the UK?
Not with the options on this list. They need very little effort, so you cannot expect a lot from them, and you will not get rich. You can earn a decent amount of spending money if you join the right sites. To earn more, you need to invest more time and effort.
What is the best app for earning money in the UK?
If you do not mind some effort, Swagbucks gives you many ways to earn in the UK, such as surveys, paid offers and cashback when you shop. You can cash out to PayPal from around £5.