In his book Twilight of the Idols, the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said: “Without music, life would be a mistake.” So how great would it be if you could get paid to listen to music?
Well, it’s not a pipe dream. You can, in fact, get paid to listen to music in your spare time – though it’ll require a little effort.
As great music lovers, we decided to compile a list of platforms that pay users to listen to music. And because we know you love your music too, we’re posting our list for your viewing pleasure.
Can You Really Get Paid to Listen to Music?
Absolutely!
It sounds odd on the face of things, but there really are ways to earn money by listening to music. All you need to do is sign up for one or more of the websites you’ll find in this guide, create a profile, and hit play.
While you’re listening, try to pay attention. To get paid, you might need to leave some reviews on the music you’re listening to.
By doing so, you’ll be helping new, up-and-coming artists get valuable feedback. Who knows – you might help the music world’s next big thing find the direction they need!
Best Get Paid to Listen to Music Apps
We’ve narrowed our list down to just 9 apps and website platforms that pay users to listen to music. And to help you navigate our guide a little quicker, we decided to single out our top 5 picks.
A quick word of advice before we get started. Even though there are lots of people making new music every day, there aren’t that many opportunities to get paid for listening to their creations.
If you’re hoping to make some extra cash, you’d do well to sign up with as many of these platforms as possible.
1. InboxDollars
InboxDollars is one of the best “Get Paid To” websites available. There are several different ways to earn money with InboxDollars, which is open to any US citizen over the age of 18.
One of those ways is, of course, by listening to music. InboxDollars Radio will connect you to RadioLoyalty (which also made the list – keep reading to find out more). You’ll need to complete a CAPTCHA when you first open it up, as well as periodically thereafter, so they know you’re actually listening.
It isn’t really worth it to join InboxDollars if you’re only going to use it for listening to music. You might as well just skip straight to RadioLoyalty in that case.
2. FusionCash
FusionCash definitely earns its place as one of the best apps for getting paid to listen to music.
Similar to InboxDollars, FusionCash is a “Get Paid To” website platform that offers several ways to earn some extra cash. They also direct you to RadioLoyalty, so once again, skip the middleman if you’re only interested in the music.
As long as you have parental permission, you can join FushionCash at the age of 13 if you’re a US citizen.
3. Slice the Pie
When you listen to music via Slice the Pie, you’ll need to do more than just complete a CAPTCHA. This is because the platform pays users to leave reviews.
While it’s more involved, it’s also more exciting. You’ll be listening to new music by artists looking for honest feedback.
As long as you can sit through at least 60 seconds of each song and leave meaningful reviews (no fluff), you’ll get paid up to $0.20 every time one of your reviews is accepted.
4. RadioLoyalty
If you’re only looking to make money by listening to music, you’ll have skipped past InboxDollars and FushionCash (though hopefully not Slice the Pie). This is because RadioLoyalty is the platform both redirect you to.
As you already know by now, you need to periodically complete a CAPTCHA (usually every 3 minutes) so they know you’re still listening.
You’re also going to hear advertisements every so often – that’s how RadioLoyalty can afford to pay you for every 10 minutes you spend listening to music.
It’s like YouTube, except instead of just watching music videos, you’re also earning money.
5. Earnably
Earnably is another “Get Paid To” platform that uses RadioLoyalty. But, as is the case with the others we’ve mentioned, there are other ways to earn cash here.
One thing we do like about Earnably – and which earns it its place in our top 5 – is the payout threshold is much lower than its competitors.
So while we’d still suggest going directly to RadioLoyalty if you’re only interested in the music, if you’re going to go the long way around, do so through Earnably.
Other Ways to Make Money Listening to Music
We promised a few more ways to make money while listening to music and here they are. While these 4 platforms didn’t make it into our top 5, they’re certainly good enough to warrant a spot in our top 9!
Remember – you’ll want to join as many of these as possible to make the most of this opportunity.
6. Research FM
Research FM is also available as an app download for Android and iOS, so you’re able to earn some extra cash and listen to music online while away from your computer.
It’s also a little different from the other platforms we’re featuring in 2 key ways. First of all, membership isn’t open to just anybody – you can only join by invitation.
This doesn’t mean you should skip this entry, though! They have a contact form on their website for interested parties to fill out. As soon as they have some open spots, they’ll start sending those invitations.
Secondly, you can’t just log in and start earning. Research FM will send you a survey via email, which you need to fill out to provide feedback on the linked songs by new artists.
This does mean it can take a little longer to earn enough for a payout, which you receive in the form of an Amazon gift card. But it’s definitely worth trying to join.
7. HitPredictor
If you’re looking for a more frequent opportunity to help new artists receive valuable input before they make it big, then HitPredictor is the platform for you.
Simply sign-up on their website (it’s absolutely free to do so) and let HitPredictor know what type of music you like to listen to.
You have the opportunity to listen to samples and write a review so artists, DJs, managers, and even record labels can get a real feel for the target market’s opinion.
The payout is pretty great too: you earn about $0.33 for every review accepted. This might not seem like much, but all it takes is 15 songs – about the average length of some albums – to earn a $15 Amazon gift card. You can also save up your points and win select prizes.
As is always the case with paid reviews, you can’t expect to submit fluff and get paid. HitPredictor needs you to put some decent effort into the feedback you give.
A major bonus is you can also earn bonuses if you’re able to review a set number of songs within a specified time frame. And no matter where you are in the world, as long as you’re 13 or older, HitPredictor will let you sign-up.
8. Musicxray
Musicxray is yet another platform where singers, songwriters, and bands can submit their music to get exposure to their target market.
And if you’re a musical artist yourself, you’ll be happy to know you won’t be restricted from earning money by listening to others on Musicxray. It’s a great way to help pay for listing your own music on the platform, especially as fans are allowed to leave you a tip if they want to.
But Musicxray is even more than just that for artists. A lot of talent hunters make use of the platform too, so if your music is gathering a lot of followers, there may be a record deal in the mix!
Even if you’re not a talent hunter or a musician yourself, it’s still a great site to try joining. After all, you might end up discovering your new favorite artist and get to introduce them to your friends long before most people have even heard of them.
You only get $0.10 per song, but you can skip a track after 30 seconds if you aren’t enjoying it. Plus, there’s minimal effort – no need to leave feedback of any kind (though you can, of course).
9. The Nielsen App
This one’s a little bit of a cheat on our part, to be honest. You see, the Nielsen app isn’t exactly one that pays you specifically for listening to music.
Instead, they pay you $50/year just for letting their app run in the background. It’s completely unobtrusive, won’t take up much space on your phone, and won’t record any private information.
The only thing the Nielsen app does is take note of the way you use your phone and/or computer – what apps and websites you visit.
Sound a little too good to be true? We assure you, it’s not! The Nielsen app is 100% legitimate. They aren’t selling your information on the black market.
Instead, they’re conducting market research on smartphone and computer user trends. App and web developers pay them for that kind of information so they can adjust their designs accordingly, for usability as well as market appeal.
It might only be $50/year, but it’s also a truly passive income that requires zero effort on your part beyond installing the app. And you get paid to listen to the music you have downloaded on your phone already. How neat is that?
How Much Do You Get Paid?
If you’ve been paying attention throughout this guide, you’ll have noticed opportunities are fairly scarce, the competition fierce, and the pay is pretty low. You absolutely aren’t going to become rich or be able to quit your day job by getting paid to listen to music.
But that’s the beauty of it – it’s a great way to earn some extra cash by doing what you’re probably doing every day already.
Whether you’re simply raking in your $50 from the Nielsen app every year or earning between $0.02 and $0.33 per song using the other apps and platforms we’ve featured, that little bit can go a long way.
Especially if you’re smart with your money. While not all of the platforms have a cash option (some only allow for gift cards, but many do pay via PayPal), you can easily invest your earnings and let it grow.
Conclusion
Nietzsche isn’t the only one who thinks life without music would be a mistake. We know without it, we’d probably go crazy too!
So if you’re a music fan looking to make a few extra bucks, go ahead and sign-up for as many of these platforms as you can. Be sure to let us know how successful you’ve been in the comments below.
