Can You Watch Ads and Get Paid to M-PESA? EXPLAINED!

Last updated on June 13th, 2024 at 03:41 pm

Getting paid to watch ads through M-Pesa offers some great benefits for users in Kenya such as:

• Instant payments – You can cash out your earnings instantly to M-Pesa, unlike other sites where you need to wait for payments via PayPal. This is perfect if you need money urgently.
• Low thresholds – Most apps and sites that pay through M-Pesa have low minimum cash out thresholds, some as low as Ksh 50. This allows you to cash out frequently.
• Works with basic phones – You only need a phone that can access the internet to use these apps and sites. Most feature phones can do this.
• Convenience – Earning through your phone allows you to make money on the go, whenever you have some spare time.
• Variety – There are various apps and sites paying through M-Pesa, so you can switch between them to earn more.
• Referral programs – Some platforms give you bonuses for referring friends allowing you to increase your income.

Overall, getting paid to view ads through M-Pesa is a convenient way to make extra money easily through your phone without huge time investments. The instant payments make it favorable compared to other online money making methods.

Popular Apps and Sites that Pay Through M-Pesa

Here are some of the most popular platforms that allow users in Kenya to earn money by watching ads and get paid via M-Pesa:

1. Watch Ad Earn Money App

This is a popular Android app that rewards users with points for watching ads, quizzes, and other tasks. The points can then be redeemed for M-Pesa cash.

Benefits:

• Instant payments to M-Pesa
• Earn up to Ksh 300 daily
• Low cashout threshold of Ksh 50
• Referral program

Drawbacks:

• Must have Safaricom number active for M-Pesa
• Some users complain slow points accumulation

2. Daily Watch And Earn Money App

This app pays you daily for watching ads and doing other simple internet tasks like polls and quizzes. You can cashout your earnings instantly via M-Pesa.

Benefits:

• Quick daily payments
• Low cashout threshold of Ksh 20
• Runs frequent contests with cash prizes

Drawbacks:

• Must watch a certain number of ads daily to earn bonus
• Payment delays reported occasionally

3. Ad Earn Cash App

This app has options to watch ads, complete surveys, participate in contests and play games to earn money. You can get your cash instantly in M-Pesa.

Benefits:

• Instant M-Pesa withdrawals
• No limits on how much you can earn daily
• Regular contests give a chance to win extra

Drawbacks:

• Must complete profile fully to earn
• Sometimes runs low on survey options

4. InboxDollars

InboxDollars allows members worldwide to earn cash for everyday activities like reading emails, taking surveys, playing games, watching videos, searching the web, and more. You can redeem to PayPal or M-Pesa once you hit the minimum threshold.

Benefits:

• Lots of earning options like games, surveys, searches
• Free sign-up bonus of Ksh 50
• Chance to win additional cash through contests

Drawbacks:

• Must earn up to $30 minimum to cash out
• Full cashout to M-Pesa can take over a week

5. Toloka

Toloka pays users to complete simple online tasks like photo moderation, data cleanup, transcription, etc. You can cash out to M-Pesa directly.

Benefits:

• Wide variety of tasks available
• No minimum threshold for M-Pesa withdrawal
• Can earn over Ksh 2000 per week with consistent work

Drawbacks:

• Need to pass an exam to qualify for higher paying jobs
• Tasks availability depends on demand

6. Neevo by DefinedCrowd

Neevo pays users to complete AI training related tasks like speech transcription, text recordings, translating sentences, and more. You can redeem to M-Pesa immediately.

Benefits:

• Interesting AI oriented tasks
• No minimum for M-Pesa payouts
• Well-paying tasks often available

Drawbacks:

• Need good English skills for most jobs
• Task availability is inconsistent

Tips to Maximize Earnings

Here are some handy tips to help you earn more when getting paid for watching ads through M-Pesa in Kenya:

1. Use multiple apps and sites

The easiest way to boost your earnings is to use multiple apps and platforms consistently. This increases the number of ads and other tasks available to you. For instance, combine using 1-2 apps with a site like InboxDollars or Toloka.

2. Complete full user profiles

Most apps require you fill out your full user profile to qualify for higher paying tasks and ability to cash out. So take time to provide details like ID number, M-Pesa number, demographics etc to earn more.

3. Watch ads fully

Don’t skip or click away from ads before the time is up, as this can lead to your views not getting registered on most ad platforms. Watch each video fully to get credit.

4. Refer friends

Referral programs on apps like Watch Ad Earn Money can help you earn referral bonuses. Share your referral codes with friends interested to earn extra.

5. Participate in contests

Apps like Daily Watch and Ad Earn Cash routinely hold contests where you can win extra cash bonuses. Partake in these to maximize income.

6. Do extra tasks

Don’t just stick to watching ads. Take advantage of additional tasks like surveys, games, and data tasks which pay well on sites like InboxDollars and Toloka.

7. Qualify for high paying jobs

On microtask sites like Toloka and Neevo, take tests to qualify for better paying tier 2 and tier 3 jobs to earn more.

8. Cashout frequently

Once you hit the minimum threshold, cashout your earnings instead of letting it accumulate to avoid losing any money.

9. Cashout on weekdays

Cashouts on weekdays and non-holidays are faster as there is less volume on M-Pesa. So avoid redeeming earnings over the weekend.

10. Have patience

Don’t expect to make big money instantly. Be patient and consistent with using the platforms to start seeing decent earnings.

Factors Affecting Earnings

Several factors can impact how much you earn when getting paid for watching ads via M-Pesa. Being aware of these can help set realistic expectations.

1. Number of ads watched

Earnings are directly proportional to the number of ads you watch. Users who watch more ads earn more money compared to those who just view a few ads. Watch ads consistently through the day to maximize income.

2. Ad platform used

Some ad platforms and apps pay more per ad than others. Experiment with various platforms to find out which ones pay better rates. This can help boost your income significantly.

3. Ad duration

Longer ads tend to pay more than very short 5-10 second ads. However, longer ads also take more time. Finding the ideal ad length for maximum earnings per hour is key.

4. Tasks completed

On microtask sites like Toloka, completing more tasks means you earn more. Work hard to complete the daily/monthly quotas to get the full payment.

5. Profile completion

Fully completing user profiles allow access to better paying tasks and instant cashouts. Incomplete profiles can limit earnings.

6. Referrals completed

Successful referrals can earn you good bonuses. The more referrals you get to sign up and use the app, the higher your bonus amount.

7. Cashout frequency

Cashing out earnings frequently instead of letting it pile up prevents loss of money in case anything goes wrong with the app or your account.

8. Phone features

Phones with larger screens and faster processors allow for more ad views and task completion compared to low end phones. This impacts potential earnings.

9. Internet speed

Faster/uninterrupted internet ensures ads load smoothly leading to more earnings. Slow/poor connections lead to wasted time and lost income.

10. Time of day

Peak ad viewing times like evenings and weekends tend to have more ads available across platforms. Scheduling ad viewing during high traffic periods can be beneficial.

11. Demographic

Your demographic factors like age, gender, race, location etc also impact the ads and tasks available leading to variable earnings for different groups.

12. Luck

Random factors like lucking out on high paying contests and tasks provides earnings boosts occasionally. But this is unpredictable.

So in summary, earnings potential depends on effort factors like ads viewed and tasks done as well as technical factors like internet speed and device used. Consistency is key for good returns.

Problems and Risks

While getting paid to view ads via M-Pesa has benefits, there are also some potential downsides and risks to keep in mind.

Low earnings

Most ad platforms and apps pay very low per ad viewed, from just Ksh 0.10 to Ksh 1. So even viewing 100+ ads a day provides low earnings of Ksh 50 or less for the majority of users. Patience and persistence is needed to accumulate reasonable earnings.

Delayed payments

There is risk of payment delays and non-payment in some cases despite instant cashouts being promoted. Technical issues and verification processes can hold up M-Pesa transfers.

Hidden costs

While this method seems free, it does use small amounts of internet data for each ad viewed which adds up over time. There is also the opportunity cost of time spent that could be invested in other money making methods.

Account banning

If ad platforms suspect bot traffic or cheating, they can ban user accounts leading to loss of accumulated earnings with little recourse for users.

Scam apps

Some scam apps claim to pay for watching ads but never actually pay out. They disappear after accumulating user data and money. Sticking to established apps reduces this risk.

Ad quality

You may be subjected to low quality ads including annoying, disturbing and explicit content. Users have little control over the ad content shown.

Overstated claims

Apps promote unrealistic claims of high earnings through watching ads which rarely match real user experiences. Actual earnings are quite low.

Tax implications

If earnings from ad viewing cross certain thresholds, this income may need to be reported for tax purposes just like other freelance work.

Data privacy

To earn, you end up providing personal data like IDs and phone numbers. This data could potentially be misused by unethical apps and platforms.

Redemption obstacles

Factors like changing M-Pesa regulations, KYC requirements, and telecom issues can complicate redeeming earnings to M-Pesa even if you have earned the money.

Overdependence risk

People may become overdependent on ad earnings for daily needs which is unwise given the fluctuations and unreliability of returns. Earnings should be treated as supplementary income.

Distractions

Excess ad viewing can lead to wasted time, distraction from work, and reduced productivity if not managed properly.

So in summary, while watching ads for money has upsides, expectations need to be kept realistic. Patience and security awareness is required to earn sustainably via this method. As they say, easy come easy go.

Key Takeaways

Here are the key takeaways from this detailed guide on getting paid to watch ads via M-Pesa in Kenya:

• Instant payments to M-Pesa make this appealing for quick cash needs
• Using multiple apps and sites can enhance earnings by increasing ad volume across platforms
• Income potential varies depending on number of ads viewed and user demographics
• Fully watching ads, cashouts at low thresholds, and referrals improve earnings
• Watch out for overstated claims, delays and bans to avoid disappointments
• Low per ad earnings means you won’t get rich but can earn useful supplementary income
• Be patient and persistent as earnings accumulate slowly but surely over time
• Do not overdepend on ad earnings due to unpredictability and fluctuations
• Manage distractions and data privacy risks for long term sustainable earnings

Overall, getting paid to view ads via M-Pesa has potential with proper effort and realistic expectations. Use it as a side income source but not the only income source.