You may have heard about phone farming as a way to earn passive income. The concept is simple: run money-making apps on multiple smartphones, let them run in the background, and earn money without doing anything. It sounds like an ideal passive income stream, right?
The reality of phone farming in 2024, however, is quite different from the hype you might find online. While it is technically possible to earn money through phone farming, it's important to understand the realistic earnings, costs, and time commitment involved.
What Is Phone Farming?
Phone farming involves running passive income apps on multiple smartphones simultaneously. These apps typically earn money by:
- Watching advertisements
- Completing surveys
- Testing apps
- Sharing your internet connection
- Viewing content
- Participating in market research
You run these apps in the background on old or cheap smartphones, and theoretically earn money without any active effort.
2024 Reality Check: Profitability Has Declined
⚠️ Important Note: Phone farming profitability has declined significantly since its peak in 2018-2020. Many apps have shut down, reduced payouts, or implemented stricter requirements.
If you're reading older articles claiming £1000+ monthly earnings from phone farming, be skeptical. Here's what realistic 2024 earnings look like:
Realistic 2024 Phone Farming Earnings:
- Per device: £1-5 per month
- 5-10 devices: £5-50 per month total
- 10-20 devices: £10-100 per month maximum
Compare this to older claims of £100+ per device monthly, and you'll see why profitability has plummeted.
Why Has Profitability Declined?
Several factors have contributed to reduced phone farming earnings:
- App shutdowns: Many major money-making apps have ceased operations or eliminated phone farming
- Stricter detection: Apps now better identify and ban emulated devices or phone farming activity
- Reduced payouts: Ad networks have decreased per-impression payments significantly
- Increased competition: More people attempting phone farming has saturated the market
- Regulatory changes: Stricter data privacy laws have reduced advertising opportunities
Apps That Still Work in 2024
If you're determined to try phone farming, here are apps that still operate:
Tier 1 (Better payouts):
- Earnin – Pay advance app (requires work history)
- Ibotta – Cashback on groceries (requires actual purchases)
- Fetch Rewards – Receipt scanning (requires actual purchases)
Tier 2 (Lower payouts):
- Google Opinion Rewards – Short surveys (if still available in your region)
- InboxDollars – Various tasks and surveys
- Swagbucks – Points-based rewards platform
Critical warning: Most older apps mentioned in phone farming guides (Panel App, MobileXpression, etc.) have shut down or stopped paying out.
Costs of Phone Farming
Before you invest in phone farming, understand the costs:
- Devices: £50-150 per smartphone (second-hand)
- 5-10 devices: £250-1500 initial investment
- WiFi/data: May increase your internet bill by £10-20/month
- Electricity: Minimal but non-zero (charging devices)
- Time: Troubleshooting apps, reinstalling, managing devices
Total investment: £300-2000+
Monthly ongoing costs: £10-30
The Math Doesn't Work
Let's do the math on a realistic phone farming setup:
10-device setup:
- Initial investment: £1000
- Monthly earnings: £20-50
- Monthly costs: £15-20
- Monthly net profit: £0-35
Payback period: 30-100+ months (2.5-8+ years)
At best, you're looking at a £20-30/month return on a £1000+ investment with significant risk of device failure, app shutdowns, or account bans.
Better Alternatives to Phone Farming
Instead of phone farming, consider these higher-yield passive income strategies:
- Dividend investing – Invest in dividend-paying stocks or funds for 4-8% annual returns
- High-yield savings – Put money in a savings account earning 4-5% interest
- Cashback sites – Earn 1-2% cashback on purchases you're already making (TopCashback, Quidco)
- Content creation – YouTube, blogging, or podcasting (higher effort, higher reward)
- Rental income – Rent spare room or parking space (requires effort but better returns)
Even a £1000 investment in a dividend-paying fund would generate more reliable income than phone farming.
Should You Do Phone Farming in 2024?
Don't bother if:
- You're looking to earn £100+ monthly
- You want a truly "passive" income (apps require management)
- You have limited capital to invest
- You value your time
Consider it only if:
- You have old smartphones already lying around
- You're genuinely curious about the experiment
- You can tolerate earning £5-30/month
- You have free WiFi and room to set up devices
- You're willing to accept account bans
Conclusion
Phone farming sounds appealing in theory but is generally not worth the investment in 2024. Profitability has declined dramatically, payouts are minimal, and the time and effort required to manage multiple devices often outweigh earnings.
If you're interested in building passive income for your emergency fund or financial goals, you'll find far better returns through dividend investing, high-yield savings, content creation, or even the side hustles discussed in our other income-boosting articles.
The lesson here: not every "passive income" opportunity is worth pursuing. Focus your time and money on strategies with proven, sustainable returns.
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