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Flip App Review: Is Flip the Best Alternative to TikTok for Earning Money?

January 19th might be a game-changer for anyone relying on TikTok to make money. With the government threatening to shut down the TikTok app in the U.S., it’s hard not to feel a little panicked. I mean, I just got accepted into TikTok’s influencer program and started posting videos last week. Seriously, I’ve barely dipped my toes in and haven’t even made my first dollar yet!

But here’s the thing about me: I love a good side hustle. If there’s a way to make extra cash, I’m already dreaming up ways to try it.

Over the years, I’ve dabbled in all kinds of side gigs. My husband and I host a room in our house on Airbnb, I casually sell on Poshmark, and I flip thrift store finds on Facebook Marketplace. I've also been an Amazon Influencer for the last few years, where I create product videos that I earn a commission on if people purchase a product after viewing my video. On top of that, I manage social media for two schools in Denver, two chiropractic offices, and my husband’s gym (where I also run all the marketing). Oh, and I’m a part-time health coach! Busy? Always. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

So when I stumbled across the Flip App, I thought, “Why not add one more stream of income to the mix?”


My First Day on the Flip App: A Timeline


Here’s a play-by-play of my first day (Friday, January 10th) on the Flip App:

  • 8:30 AM: Downloaded the Flip app and signed up. Upon logging in, I noticed I already had around $8.45 in my account as a sign-up bonus.

  • 8:30–10:50 AM: Watched videos casually while working on my regular job. These included Home DIY projects and tutorials about the platform, and occasionally they would throw in some strange videos here and there, which I would either thumbs down it or keep swiping. By 10:50 AM, my account balance from watching videos had increased to $32.64.

  • 11:40 AM: Continued watching videos in the background. My balance grew to $40.44.

  • 12:30 PM: Made my first purchase to unlock the ability to post videos. I’ll explain my shopping experience plus if I think you can really get free products down below.

  • 1:00 PM: Posted my first video on the platform.

  • 1:30–2:30 PM: Posted three additional videos, tagging a couple of products in two of them. These items were not purchased directly through Flip.

  • 3:10 PM: Posted my fifth video of the day, reaching Flip’s daily posting limit or at least what they say is recommended to post on their FAQ.


By Sunday, I checked the app again and saw that I hadn’t gained any new views or earnings from my videos—my total still stood at $0.17 from views. While this was a bit discouraging, I knew the app’s earning potential likely depended on consistent effort over time.

On Monday at 6:15 PM MST, I attempted to post another video but was met with a black screen and a notice. Flip stated they were experiencing a surge of new users and had to limit access to the app while scaling their infrastructure. They advised users to check back in 15–30 minutes. I refreshed until 7:00 PM and still could not get in the app. I went on TikTok and searched “Flip App down” and I found posts as far back as Sunday of users saying they couldn’t get in the app. Many users expressed their frustration that they couldn’t get in the app which did not breed confidence that this would be a good replacement option for TikTok if it goes down on Sunday

My First Flip App Purchase

When I made my first purchase on Flip, a $13.99 Mavwicks Fragrance Luxe Scent (2oz), I quickly realized that the $40+ in my account wasn’t entirely usable. Flip allowed me to apply $9.09 of my balance toward the purchase, but the remaining costs—$0.25 in taxes, $1.99 shipping, and a portion of the product cost—meant I still paid $7.14 out of pocket.

While the purchase was a good introduction to how Flip operates, it also led me to explore their “On the House” program, which promises free products as a reward for engaging with the app. The program seemed like the next step in maximizing my Flip experience, but I quickly discovered some limitations.

At first, this sounds amazing—who doesn’t love free products? They offered me $100–$200 worth of “free” items. But here’s the catch: You have to spend an equal amount of money on other items to unlock the free products.

To claim On the House products, users must add paid products to their cart, with the value of free items tied to their tier and spending.

For example:
If you want a hammock priced at $195, they’ll give it to you for “free” if you add $195 worth of additional items to your cart that you pay for. So, in reality, it’s more like a buy-one-get-one-free deal, which might work for lower-cost items but feels much less appealing for higher-priced ones.

Here’s another example:
They offered me a set of marble candlestick holders for $69.90 as my “free” item. To get these, I’d need to spend an additional $69 on other items. However, these same candlestick holders—or nearly identical ones—can be found on TikTok for around $30 plus $8 shipping or on Amazon for around $30 with free shipping.

The bottom line? Flip’s “free” items often end up costing you more than they would elsewhere, especially considering their prices seem inflated compared to TikTok and Amazon.

Flip App’s "On the House" Tier System

Flip’s “On the House” program claims to reward users with access to “free” products by shopping, posting, and engaging with the community. Once you watch 100 videos or post a review, you unlock the program, which offers four reward tiers:

  • Silver: Earns $0.50 toward On the House products for every $1 spent.

  • Gold: Earns $1 for every $1 spent.

  • Platinum: Earns $2.50 for every $1 spent.

  • Icon: Earns $4 for every $1 spent.

Posting My First Videos

Between 1 PM and 3:10 PM, I posted my first five videos. Even though they only earned me $0.14 from a few views, it was fun seeing those pennies add up. What’s great about Flip is that you get paid per view—$0.01 per view, to be exact—so there’s immediate gratification.

For creators like me who are already used to making videos for Amazon and TikTok, Flip offers a chance to repurpose content and earn in new ways. But it might be too good to be true.

Flip App’s Earning Potential

While my results have been little to none so far, I’ve heard from other creators that they’ve made several hundred dollars in a single week through video views and product sales. The potential is there, but it seems to depend on how much effort and consistency you’re willing to invest. It also might be more beneficial for other larger creators to send their current audience there to get an influx of views, small creators may not receive this benefit. This app has been around for a couple of years so it’s not completely new, but it seems to be evolving in order to compete with TikTok.

Additionally, I received a text on Monday at 9:02 AM confirming that the item I purchased on Friday had shipped. Actually, now that I think about it, when I received that text message, I was able to click into the app and watch a couple videos. So it appears that the Flip app blackout did not affect me until later in the afternoon on Monday.

Once the item arrives, I plan to post a review video to see if tagging items I purchased directly through Flip gets me more views and engagement compared to items I didn’t purchase on the app.

Flip vs. TikTok: Can It Take Over?

With TikTok’s future in the U.S. uncertain, many creators are looking for alternatives like Flip. But can Flip truly take TikTok’s place? Here are a few things to consider:

  1. Earnings Potential

    • TikTok: The TikTok Creator Fund pays between $0.02 to $0.04 per 1,000 views. That’s about $20–$40 for a video with 1 million views.

    • TikTok Affiliate: The TikTok Shop affiliate pays a certain percentage commission which is set by the seller per item that is purchased by users watching your content. This seems to be anywhere from 5%-20% per item.

    • Flip: Flip App’s fee payouts are based on views, engagement, and sales. Creators earn $15–$25 per 1,000 unique 3-second views in the first 30 days and 5–15% of product sales for 12 months. Metrics like add-to-cart actions and watch time determine performance, with consistent earning rates for all users.

  2. Audience

    • TikTok’s audience spans every niche, from comedy to education. Flip in the past has been laser-focused on shopping, making it ideal for creators in product-driven spaces. However, they now are encouraging videos of all sorts to be more like TikTok.

  3. Scalability

    • TikTok has proven it can handle millions of users at once, while Flip is already struggling to manage a sudden surge. If TikTok shuts down, Flip will need to scale quickly to accommodate the influx of new users.

Can You Really Make Money on the Flip App?

The short answer is maybe, but it might take more time and effort than it initially seems. While some creators report making hundreds in a week, Flip’s current infrastructure issues and earning model suggest that consistent posting and interaction are key to maximizing your income.

The question is: Can Flip sustain its cash payouts as more people join the platform? That remains to be seen.

My Thoughts on Flip’s Future

While I’m cautiously optimistic about Flip’s potential, there are a few lingering concerns:

  • The “On the House” Program: Free items aren’t really free. You’ll need to spend an equal amount of money to claim these “free” products, making it more of a buy-one-get-one-free deal. With inflated prices on many items, this perk feels less valuable than it first appears.

  • Scalability: The app’s current limitations during peak usage could pose a big problem if TikTok users flood to Flip.

  • Effort vs. Reward: While minimal effort has yielded minimal earnings for me so far, creators willing to dedicate time could see bigger returns.

So, will Flip take the place of TikTok if it goes down on the 19th? It’s possible, but Flip has a lot of work to do to handle the potential influx of users and ensure creators can continue earning sustainably.

Have you tried Flip yet? Drop a comment below or tag me on any of my social media accounts, I’d love to hear about your experience!

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