From Facebook ads to personal finance sites, many places advertise ways to get rich — or at least earn extra cash — from your phone. Some of the suggestions involve playing games like BINGO to win real money or using shopping apps like Honey and Rakuten to earn cash back. The ads look glamorous, showing young and beautiful people in loungewear, relaxing on their sofa and smiling as they check their growing Paypal balance.
Turns out, even ChatGPT said these games are “not a real path to getting rich.”
I Asked ChatGPT: The Best Passive Income Ideas of 2025
Learn More: Warren Buffett: 10 Things Poor People Waste Money On
“Most of these apps pay pennies per hour of play, often through point systems that translate into gift cards instead of cash,” it said. “If your goal is to ‘get rich off your phone,’ these apps won’t move the needle.”
So what did ChatGPT recommend when I asked, “How can I get rich off my phone?”
The AI platform offered some viable options, but most won’t make you rich. The vast majority require a unique skillset or tools beyond just using your phone to earn money. Nevertheless, here are some of the options ChatGPT suggested for building wealth from the comfort of your own phone.
Run a Side Hustle or Start a Small Business
ChatGPT recommended what countless finance experts online often suggest: start a side hustle. It pointed out that gig apps like DoorDash, Instacart, Rover and TaskRabbit “won’t usually make you rich long-term, but they put cash in your pocket quickly.”
Likewise, if you have marketable skills, you can earn money on freelancing platforms like Upwork or Fiverr. “Once you land clients, you can work entirely from your phone,” ChatGPT said.
I’m a Self-Made Millionaire: Here’s How I Use ChatGPT To Make a Lot of Money
Expert Take
GOBankingRates has previously profiled side gigs that can earn $1,000 per month or more. But, as ChatGPT said, you most likely won’t “get rich” with a typical side hustle.
“It’s an easy way to earn extra income to create wiggle room in your budget, but you won’t become a high earner doing it,” agreed Melanie Musson, finance expert at Quote.com. She pointed out that, for gigs like DoorDash, Uber or Instacart, you’ll also need a vehicle.
As far as writing articles, building websites or doing graphic design for income through freelancing platforms? “You’re really going to need a keyboard because working these platforms from your phone isn’t ideal,” Musson said.
Sell Items Online
ChatGPT also recommended selling items on marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Poshmark. It said this endeavor “can scale into a small business if you keep sourcing inventory.”
Expert Take
“Some people who have a good understanding of the market and what sells can earn a decent income doing this,” Musson said.
However, Resume Now career expert Keith Munson recently cited “online reseller” as one of the side gigs that could struggle in a high-tariff economy. “If your side hustle involves sourcing products from overseas, such as electronics, clothing or beauty items, you may see your margins shrink,” he said in a previous GOBankingRates article.
Create Monetized Content for Social Media
Have aspirations of becoming an influencer? ChatGPT listed “creating monetized content” as one of a few “reliable wealth-building methods” you can do from your phone, noting there is “potential for passive income once content gains traction.”
Expert Take
GOBankingRates recently shared statistics on average income for social media influencers from ZipRecruiter. The average salary, in general, for a social media influencer in 2025 is $57,928, but TikTok influencers earn an average of $131,874.
There’s definitely money to be made, but Musson warned it may not make you rich. “It’s important to remember that content creation is a job,” she said. “You put in time and effort, and you may be rewarded, but you’re not going to make money if you’re not actively creating content.”
Take a Course
Like creating social media content, taking a course is another way to build wealth slowly. The generative AI said, “High-income skills = higher earning potential.” Suggesting you can “level up your skills with mobile learning,” ChatGPT said taking a course through Coursera or even learning online through YouTube “puts you in a position for better freelance, remote or entrepreneurial work.”
Expert Take
Enhancing your skills, in theory, should increase your earning power. Finance experts from Jaspreet Singh to Warren Buffett have recommended investing in self-education.
But choose wisely. “This strategy can help you earn more money, but not every course will have the desired effect,” Musson said. “You need to understand what is going to help you and where it will help.”
Use Cash-back Apps
Like many finance websites, ChatGPT recommended using cash-back or rewards apps to make some easy money quickly. “Rakuten, Ibotta and Honey give you money back on everyday purchases,” it said. “If you put those savings into investments instead of spending them, they can grow into real wealth.”
Expert Take
In this case, Musson agreed. “It’s not going to hurt to use these rewards apps, but you’re not going to earn much,” she said. “At the same time, it’s nice to earn money with minimal effort.”
Invest Directly from Your Phone
ChatGPT pointed out that investing is one of the best ways to build long-term wealth through your phone. “Apps like Robinhood and Acorns let you start investing with small amounts,” it said. “Many offer fractional shares, so you don’t need thousands to buy into big-name stocks.”
Expert Take
Most GOBankingRates readers don’t need an AI program or even a finance expert to tell them that investing is one of the best ways to build long-term wealth.
Still, Jared Hubbard, fintech product manager at Plynk, an investing app, broke it down by the numbers for us. “If you have $100 invested and it grows by 7% over a year, at the end of the year you have $107–that’s a growth of $7. Now, say the next year your $107 grows at the same rate. At the end of the year, you have $114.49 — your investment has grown by even more. This increase may become really powerful over the long term,” he said. “Of course, 7% growth is a hypothetical example, as every year in the market is different. In some years it’s higher, and in other years it’s lower.”
Bottom Line
Using an app on your phone that allows you to invest in fractional shares, and even roll cash-back earnings into investments, makes it easy to put your money to work for you. That’s an important element to remember when you’re trying to build wealth.
“You can ‘get rich’ off your phone,” ChatGPT concluded. “Not by staring at Instagram all day, but by turning it into a tool for investing, earning and learning.”
More From GOBankingRates
- 6 Costco Products That Have the Most Customer Complaints
- 5 Ways Trump Signing the GENIUS Act Could Impact Retirees
- Mark Cuban Tells Americans To Stock Up on Consumables as Trump's Tariffs Hit -- Here's What To Buy
- These Cars May Seem Expensive, but They Rarely Need Repairs
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I Asked ChatGPT How To Get Rich Using Your Phone — Here’s What It Said
