This Side Hustle Feels Illegal… But It’s Paying Me $200+ a Week Just From My Phone

Let’s be real for a second. Every time you search for small business ideas or summer job ideas for teens, you get the same old answers: babysitting, mowing lawns, dog walking, selling crafts, starting a lemonade stand. And while those aren’t bad, they feel kinda outdated, right? Gen Z wants something smarter, faster, and let’s be honest — something that actually pays.

When I was looking up job ideas and ways to earn money online, I stumbled into something I hadn’t seen on any “top 10 business ideas” list before. It wasn’t babysitting, it wasn’t mowing lawns, and it definitely wasn’t selling cookies at a bake sale.

It was something that felt almost too good to be true: getting paid just to test apps on your phone.

Think about it — you already spend hours scrolling, downloading games, trying out photo filters, or bingeing on new apps. What if instead of just wasting time, you could actually earn $25–$35 an hour for it? That’s not pocket change. That’s “buy your own birthday gifts,” “take your crush on a date,” or “fund your dream summer” kind of money.

Here’s how it works: there’s a platform called WriteAppReviews that connects regular people (yes, even teens and beginners) with companies who need honest feedback on their apps. You just sign up, get an app to test, use it like you normally would, and then write a short review about what you liked and didn’t like. That’s it.

I tried it myself. My first review was on a photo editing app — I just played around with filters, wrote a few sentences, and got paid $28. Then a game review — I literally just played a level, talked about graphics and speed, and got paid again. By the end of the week, I had made over $200. And the wild part? I didn’t even “work.” I just did what I was already doing on my phone.

This is why I’m convinced: app testing is the new small business idea for teens and young adults. No babysitting, no awkward door-to-door hustling, no parents chauffeuring you to a part-time gig. It’s remote, it’s flexible, and it’s fun.

So if you’ve been searching Pinterest for things like “summer job ideas for teens,” “date ideas,” or even “birthday party ideas,” here’s my honest take: forget the old-school suggestions. Try something that actually gives you financial freedom and lets you enjoy the stuff you love.

👉 I’ve put together my full experience and how you can start too on my blog here: [WriteAppReviews].

I promise you, this is one of those “why didn’t I start this earlier?” kind of things.