14 Best Apps That Will Pay You To Workout

You already know the common benefits of exercising– weight loss, more energy, less stress– but what if somebody offered to pay you to workout?

If cutting cable TV isn’t enough to transform you from a couch potato to a go-getter, maybe these workout apps will!

The truth is, most of us probably should exercise more frequently but we don’t because we haven’t found the right incentive, maybe the prospect of getting paid to exercise will.

These workout apps can be a great side hustle for anybody, even if you don’t think you have time because you work full-time already.

Editor’s Top Picks

Apps to Get Paid to Workout

If you spend any amount of time at the gym or exercising at home, you can be rewarded for your hard work–financially, physically, and mentally.

1. Evidation

More than 1.5 million people have used Evidation (previously Achievement) to get in shape while getting paid.

What makes Achievement even better is that it’s free!

Achievement pays you for the following activities:

• Tracking steps
• Sleep
• Meals
• Tweets

You can use Achievement for over 30 Android and iOS apps including Apple Health, Samsung Health, and Fitbit.

If you’re already counting your steps at the end of each day through the built-in smartphone app, now Achievement will pay you.

2. HealthyWager

HealthyWager lets you participate in individual, team, and corporate challenges.

You make a bet to lose a minimum number of pounds within a specific number of months and you get paid if you meet your goal.

To participate in a challenge, you will have to pay a small wager so you have some “skin in the game.” If you win, you can potentially double your wager; you bet $150 and win $300 for instance.

You will need to get your weight verified by your health club, doctor’s office, or Weight Watchers meeting at the beginning and completion of the challenge so HealthyWage can track your progress.

Challenge can vary in length from four weeks to twelve months in duration. You pay a wager each month but can recoup the money plus profits if you accomplish your goals.

You can potentially win up to $10,000 with the five-person team challenge.

One individual HealthyWage member, Kristin W., won $4,000 after losing 114.5 pounds in 12 months!

Who knew you could lose weight AND make money at the same time?

Your two payment options are PayPal or a mailed check.

3. Sweatcoin

As the internet media waves have been flooded with cryptocurrency posts, Sweatcoin attempts to be the cryptocurrency for the fitness world.

By using your smartphone accelerometer and GPS, Sweatcoin verifies the number of steps you take each day and converts the number of steps into a sweatcoin.

You can redeem your sweatcoins for merchandise like a new smartphone, clothing, or fitness classes. It’s also possible to donate your coins to a charity.

Sweatcoin is free to join and available for Android and iOS devices. If you have an iPhone, it must be a 5s model or newer.

Read our Sweatcoin review.

4. Rakuten

While the other apps will pay after you exercise, the Rakuten app pays you before you exercise.

That’s because you can get cash back for your online fitness-related purchases.

Here are a few examples of how you can get paid to workout with Rakuten:

• $5 by joining Weight Watchers
• 5% back when you join 24 Hour Fitness
• 4.5% back at the Bowflex Shop
• 12% back on athletic shoes at Shoes.com

If you pay online for any fitness products, shop through Rakuten to get paid from the very beginning. And, you’ll get a $10 cash bonus by making your first Rakuten purchase.

Rakuten also offers double cash back at select retailers when you shop with the Rakuten mobile app available for iOS and Android devices.

Rakuten will pay you via PayPal or a mailed check when your rewards balance is at least $5.01.

They also offer reward gift cards for select merchants that offer a redemption bonus.

5. DietBet

DietBet is another app that pays you to bet on losing weight.

You win the money if you accomplish your goal, but you have to pay in the bet if you don’t.

How do you like that motivation?

You can compete in the weekly Kickstarter contests to win money and engage in some healthy competition too. ?

Besides the weekly competition, you can join DietBet’s monthly sweepstakes and participate in member-initiated games too.

You can also get paid to maintain your weight loss once you’ve shed those unwanted pounds with 12-month challenges.

After you verify your final weight, DietBet rewards you with points that can be redeemed for PayPal cash, merchandise rewards, or rolled forward to your next challenge.

6. Walgreens Balance Rewards

If you shop at Walgreens, you can earn bonus rewards points with the My Walgreens program.

You can earn 250 points for creating goals, achieving goals, and linking health devices. You can also earn points for testing your blood pressure or blood glucose, quitting smoking, and (of course) exercising.

In addition to earning Walgreens Balance points, you’ll also have access to expert advice from WebMD to learn more about healthy behaviors and to have some extra motivation to pursue a healthy lifestyle.

Don’t forget to shop at Walgreens with Ibotta to make a little extra money for when you need to buy those healthy items, and you’ll get a $10 bonus when you redeem your first Ibotta offer!

7. Higi

Do you ever use the free blood pressure monitoring machines near the store pharmacy?

Chance are, you’re using a Higi station that are located at food, club, and drug stores across the country.

With Higi, you can track your body stats for free at these Higi stations and earn points for your effort.

With your personal health device or even your built-in smartphone step tracker, you can upload your data to Higi on a daily basis to earn points when you don’t check-in at a Higi station.

For some extra motivation, you can participate in challenges with other higi members and share your progress within their social network too.

Your points can be redeemed for prizes and fitness-related discounts based on the type of challenge.

8. Charity Miles

Maybe you want to help others with each workout through Charity Miles.

If you give to charity on a regular basis, this app can supplement your regular giving.

Through its research, Commit has found that people are 72% more likely to achieve their goal when their own money on the line; hence, why you have to place an initial bet before you attempt your first activity.

By sharing your fitness goals with others, Commit has found that the average person (like you and me) is 33% more likely to accomplish their goals.

Whether you win the fitness bet and get paid or lose and your wager goes to your charity of choice, Commit puts a fun twist on getting paid to exercise. So far, Commit is only available for iOS devices.

9. MapMyFitness

MapMyFitness is a free fitness app from Under Armour that awards prizes to the top monthly performers.

You can also win the grand prize at the end of the calendar year too.

In addition to the prize opportunities, you can also find new exercise routes that other MapMyFitness app users share so you can find a more challenging route or some new scenery.

You can also use the app to create workout routines, training plans, and count calories.

10. Vitality

Vitality partners with employee wellness programs. If your employer doesn’t partner with Vitality, send a request to HR so you can get paid for your healthy behaviors.

By participating in Vitality’s program, you can get a free fitness tracker device–Apple Watch or Fitbit–for free when you exercise on a regular basis.

You can also win additional prizes like Amazon gift cards as an additional reward for your effort.

11. Virgin Pulse

Virgin Pulse is another fitness app that partners with corporate wellness programs.

Ask your HR department about Virgin Pulse too if they don’t offer a rewards-based corporate wellness program yet.

With Virgin Pulse, you can participate in individual and group challenges to win cash rewards and merchandise prizes.

You can track your exercise progress with a pedometer, Fitbit, or your smartphone too.

12. AARP Rewards for Good

The AARP Rewards for Good program, you can also earn bonus points for connecting your Fitbit wearable device and earning points each time you reach a fitness milestone.

Your points can be redeemed for travel rewards and other bonuses including gift cards.

And you earn bonus points the first time you visit the rewards catalog too.

AARP Rewards for Good program is free for anybody at least 18 years old.

Although you must be at least 50 years old to enjoy the full benefits of an AARP membership, this program benefits adults of all ages.

13. Dick’s Sporting Goods ScoreCard

If you shop for fitness items at Dick’s Sporting Goods, their free ScoreCard loyalty rewards program gives you 3% back with each purchase.

Membership is always free and you only need to have the cashier scan your rewards before you pay for your purchase to earn the rewards points.

Like Rakuten, this is one of the few ways where you can get paid for exercising before you ever start!

14. Skillshare

Skillshare can be one way you can earn recurring income from exercising because you’re making a video course for others to watch.

You can teach others the best way to exercise to lose weight, complete a hang clean, or even walk them through a CrossFit workout just to name a few ideas. So, you can get paid to workout and help others in the process.

Summary

Whether you’re a couch potato needing some extra motivation through money and participating in team challenges or a fitness junkie that enjoys counting how many steps you take in a day, now you can get paid for your endeavors.

Since most of these apps are free, you can earn money with your first step or rep.

It doesn’t matter if you want cash or merchandise, you need to use one of these apps to get paid to workout.