how to earn money online?
Legitimate Ways to Make Money Online
Some methods of making money online pay higher rates than others, so choose the ones that best suit your lifestyle. Here are some ideas and resources to get started learning how to make money online for free.
1. Participate in market research
Online surveys won’t net you a hefty income, but you can earn a few dollars here and there. Many survey sites pay in gift cards, but some, like Branded Surveys, allow you to cash out your earnings via PayPal or direct deposit. By consistently taking surveys and earning points, you’ll become a Branded Elite member and qualify for additional bonus points and rewards.
We’ve ranked dozens of paid survey sites, many of which are scams purporting to represent legitimate entities, so be careful when handing out personal information to a brand you haven’t heard much about.
2. Sell your unused internet connection
It sounds weird, but hear me out. Companies like Honeygain will literally buy your bits of unused data and internet resources so they can power their Content Delivery services for the partner Fortune 500 companies they work with. Your computer becomes part of a larger “hive” of computers and internet connections that help power the network.
By installing the app on two devices and sharing about 5 GB per day, Honeygain estimates the average user will earn $45 per month in passive income.
If you have an unlimited data mobile plan, cable, fiber, or DSL, odds are you’ll have some extra bandwidth to donate. Better yet, new users also get a free $5 gift when they register online. Check out their website to learn more.
3. Earn cashback and rewards online
Cashback apps and browser extensions help you save money on everything from groceries to books. Again, you won’t earn a fortune, but you will save money on things you already buy. My personal favorite is Capital One Shopping because it works with my favorite stores like Overstock, Vitacost, and eBay.
If you already use Capital One, you can create a Capital One Shopping account using your regular banking log in. If you don’t use Capital One, signing up is still a quick process. Once you create an account and get the browser extension, Capital One will let you know while you’re shopping if there’s a deal available for that retailer. You can cash in your rewards for gift cards to Walmart, Redbox, Sephora, and other retailers.
Note: Capital One Shopping compensates us when you get the Capital One Shopping extension using the links provided.
Related: 16 Best Cash Back Apps to Earn Max Rewards
4. Start a blog
Making money by starting a blog is more realistic than you may think. Bloggers make money by advertising for companies they’re affiliated with. When users click an affiliate link and make a purchase, the website owner earns a commission. There are other ways to make money blogging such as by displaying advertising, selling your own products, or writing sponsored content.
Blogging platforms such as HostGator provide a simple, affordable way to start your own digital business from home for less than the cost of a cup of coffee each month. (It’s the same way we built DollarSprout into a seven-figure brand.)
Related: How We Made $347,675 Blogging in 2 Months
5. Monetize your location data
Ever received one of those push notifications from Starbucks asking if you want a drink if you’re within a stone’s throw of a physical location? Recall apps on your phone asking for permission if they can use your location data?
Odds are you have over a dozen apps on your phone currently tracking every step you’ve ever made. Now it’s time to monetize it.
With Tapestri, users can earn up to $25 per month simply by turning on their location sharing.
Tapestri then partners with massive brands to help them gain insight into consumer behavior and shopping patterns. The location data is completely anonymous, and as we mentioned earlier, you’re already sharing it with a number of other apps — at least with Tapestri, you’ll get paid for it.
6. Become a proofreader
Proofreaders help authors, bloggers, and even court reporters ensure that their content is grammatically correct and error-free. A proofreader’s role is to be an extra set of eyes after the author and editor have finished their job. They scour content for any errors that may have previously been missed. With a modest list of clients, a freelance proofreader can reasonably expect to earn several hundred to even several thousand dollars per month working in their spare time.
Tori Gellino, a DollarSprout reader and avid side hustler, earns an average of $1,200 per month moonlighting as a virtual proofreader. She recently shared her best tips for finding a stable of 5 to 10 reliable clients and the training she completed before bringing them on board.
Ready to start? Caitlin Pyle offers a free webinar and training course — Proofread Anywhere — for people interested in starting a freelance proofreading business from home.
7. Manage Facebook Ads for businesses
One of the ways Facebook makes money is by allowing companies to advertise its products and services in users’ news feeds. Most small business owners don’t realize the value of running Facebook ads for their business. By learning to communicate the value of ads in reaching new clientele and building brand awareness, you can earn $1,000 to $2,000 per month for each client you book.
Start by reaching out to small business owners in your area or by taking an online course that teaches you how to manage ads on Facebook and start booking clients.
8. Work as a virtual assistant
A virtual assistant is an all-encompassing title for someone who offers online services for companies and small businesses. Services can range from graphic design, to blog management, to email marketing.
A good friend of mine started working as a virtual assistant once she had her first child. She makes $35 an hour offering copywriting and email management to local companies. Working as a freelancer will increase your hourly rate but comes with the downside of having to find your own work. Another option is to work with well-known virtual assistant companies that have a steady stream of clients, but at a lower hourly rate.
Related: How One Woman Makes $3,000 per Month as a Virtual Assistant
9. Transcribe audio files
The most common transcription jobs fall into three categories: legal, medical, and general. Companies in the medical or legal realms may require that you have some knowledge or experience in the respective field. As a transcriptionist, you’ll listen to audio files and transcribe them into written content. Pay varies depending on the industry and your level of experience. If you’re interested in transcription, here’s a free 7-day course that includes more details about what it takes to work as a transcriptionist and how to get started.
10. Bank hop
“Bank hopping” is one of the more savvy ways to make money online, but it often requires a little bit of capital to work with. The gist of it is pretty simple: banks offer sizeable deposit bonuses if you open an account — often with a minimum deposit — and hold the money within the institution for a certain period of time, often around 90 days.
For example, Discover Bank currently offers a bonus of $150 or $200 if you open a new online savings account and make a qualifying deposit within 30 days of opening. You’ll need to use code OB222 when opening the account but that’s a pretty small ask for a sizeable chunk of free money.
11. Invest in fine art
When people think of investing, they imagine the usual: stocks, bonds, real estate, etc. But you can also invest in physical items, such as fine art. Up until now, it wasn’t possible for most ordinary people to buy famous and original works of art from artists like Picasso, Monet, or Rembrandt.
Masterworks is a company that makes it possible to buy “shares” in a painting, just as you would buy shares of stock. It’s a good way to make money online if you know your art and don’t need the money right away.
Related: 4 Profitable Ways to Invest in Fine Art
12. Teach English as a second language
Having been a VIPKid teacher myself, I can honestly say it’s a legit way to make money online. VIPKid hires native English speakers to teach English to children, most of whom are based in China. Your pay is based on your level of teaching experience and how well you do in the demo interview. When I worked for the company I had zero experience and regularly made $1,500 to $2,000 per month teaching part-time.
Related: How One Retired Teacher Makes $2,500 per Month as an English Language Tutor
13. Host a digital course
Digital courses are one of the top ways to make money online today. Outschool is a teacher-recruiting platform specifically designed to help online course creators monetize their knowledge. Its classes range from architecture to yoga to learning about Pokémon characters. According to the site, the average teacher earns $40 per hour, and you don’t need experience teaching to use Outschool.
14. Sell your unused gift cards
If you have gift cards lying around that you don’t want, you can sell them one of several popular gift card exchanges. When you enter your gift card on a site like Raise, they’ll give you a suggested selling point. You can change this to set the price at whatever you believe is fair. It’s free to list your gift card on Raise, but once it sells, the site will keep 15% of the selling price and you’ll receive the remaining 85%. For example, if you list a gift card with a $50 balance for sale at $45, Raise will keep $6.75 and you’ll receive $38.25.
15. Buy and sell domain names
Ever since I started my own website in 2016, I’ve purchased domain names whenever I think of one that could be worth something. Recently, I sold one of them on GoDaddy for $1,200 — a domain I originally purchased for $12. If you have a penchant for thinking of unique names for websites or businesses, domain flipping could potentially be a lucrative way to make money online. Here’s a great how-to guide by GoDaddy that shares tips for flipping an inexpensive domain for thousands.
16. Become a private tutor
With the variety of online tutoring sites available, you can earn money online by teaching anything you know. Some sites dictate the amount you can charge while others allow you to set your own rate. You can start booking clients by creating profiles on sites like Wyzant or Tutor.com. Depending on your subject area and whether you prefer to teach in person or online, you could also advertise on Craigslist or at local schools.
17. Get paid to test websites
Website testers give their opinions on a website’s design and user experience. This allows companies to make changes to their websites in order to provide a better experience for their users (and hopefully increase sales). With sites like UserTesting, you can earn $10 for every 15- to 20-minute test you complete. Tests involve recording your screen with feedback and answering follow-up questions. Check out other places you can get paid to test websites.
18. Write for websites and business owners
Writing is one of the fastest and most accessible ways to make money online. You don’t need perfect grammar skills or a padded portfolio to become a freelance writer. You can use personal blog posts, newsletters, or stories you’ve written in the past as samples of your work. Join the ProBlogger and Freelance Writing job boards to start pitching your services to clients.
19. Pick up freelance work
I’ve earned thousands in extra income over the last three years as a freelance writer, web developer, and, most recently, project manager. The fastest way to sell your services online is to offer what you already know. If your day job involves managing social media, or if you learned to edit podcasts from working on your own personal podcast, those are legitimate services you can offer to clients. Sites like Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer.com offer a network of professionals looking for freelancers with your skillset.
20. Flip Facebook Marketplace finds
I love following furniture flipping accounts on Instagram, like Whitney Hansen’s Unsophisticated DIY. The main thing I’ve learned from these accounts: not all flips require significant work. If you can find good enough deals, you can purchase a piece, then turn around and sell it for profit within a week. Apart from furniture, keep an eye out for other flippable items you can sell like clothing with tags, antiques, and vintage collectible items like baseball cards or gaming systems. Professional flippers like Rob and Melissa of Flea Market Flipper — who make over $100,000 per year flipping yard sale hauls — have a flipping course that teaches people how to extract the most value out of high-margin items they find.
Related: I Spent $100,000 Flipping Pokémon Cards During the Pandemic. Here’s What I Learned
21. Complete micro tasks
Micro tasks are one of the easiest ways to make money online. But micro jobs come with micro pay. You can earn a few dollars a month with Swagbucks by watching videos, playing games, and using the Swagbucks search engine. Other micro job sites pay users for reviewing content, verifying data, or testing apps and websites.
22. Sell what you make on Etsy
Etsy is known for its variety of handmade and vintage items, but users have seen success selling everything from handmade knitwear and upcycled jewelry to budget printables and home organization binders. Whatever your talent is, there’s a chance that you can sell your crafts digitally and earn some extra income.
23. Create YouTube content
YouTubers primarily earn money through ads, which average $0.01 to $0.03 per view, or $3 to $5 per 1000 video views. If you create consistent, engaging content and build a following, you can make money on YouTube with Google AdSense. It’s free to start a creator account, but you must meet YouTube’s minimum requirements before you can monetize your videos.
24. Sell your gently-used clothing
Another of the easiest ways to make money online is by selling things you no longer use. If your clothes are designer and in high demand, you may earn more by listing them individually on Poshmark or eBay. On the other hand, if your items aren’t in as high demand or you don’t want to deal with the hassle of selling them yourself, you can order a Clean Out Kit from thredUP. Pack the bag, and collect your earnings when they sell. For a local alternative, try Plato’s Closet or Buffalo. (From my experience, however, you won’t earn as much as selling your clothes online.)
25. Work as a matchmaker
Tawkify matches online love-seekers based on shared values, interests, and other dating preferences. As a matchmaker, you’ll work one-on-one with clients and line up their next date with handpicked matches based on these factors. You don’t need experience in the field to apply. According to its website, some of the qualities Tawkify looks for in matchmakers include empathy, intuition, and high EQ.
26. Teach business owners how to use Asana
Many small and large businesses alike have trouble organizing and managing projects and teams, which is where project management software like Asana can help. As an Asana consultant, you’ll help business owners set up their teams, streamline and optimize projects, and train them on Asana best practices. After your first year of consulting with businesses, you can apply to become an Asana Certified Pro. Certification comes with in-depth training, and you’ll be featured on Asana’s Certified Pros page to make it easier for clients in your area to find and work with you.
27. Start a dropshipping business
Dropshipping businesses have become an extremely popular way to make money online over the last decade. Dropshippers source products from manufacturers, then sell the product through their online store. When a customer places an order, the item is shipped from the manufacturer directly to the customer’s home. You never have to store inventory or manage orders. Shopify, one of the most well-known eCommerce platforms online, offers a free 45-minute workshop on how to start and launch a dropshipping business.
28. Create an app
You don’t need to be a software engineer or developer to create an app. If you have a great idea, find someone on Freelancer, Upwork, or Fiverr with the technical skills who can help you bring it to life. You can also use a platform like Build Fire or Appy Pie to create your app with no coding skills needed. Once your app is live, you can make money by displaying in-app advertisements, offering a premium version, or selling your app to a larger company.
29. Trade in old phones or unused technology
I used to have a habit of holding on to all my old laptops and cell phones, even after I upgraded to a newer model. That changed when I discovered Buyback Boss and sites like it where you can sell your old electronics.
I recently got $60 for trading in my old iPhone 7 that’s been sitting in my closet for two years. Buyback Boss gives you an instant quote and offers a highest-price guarantee. If you find a better deal on another site, send it your quote and it’ll match it, no questions asked.
Related: 7 Best Places to Sell Used Electronics
30. Start a paid membership community
I’m a member of several paid membership communities — some in life coaching and personal development and others related to online business. Membership sites can be a great way to share your knowledge, build a community, and create recurring revenue. A membership typically includes some form of core content, such as a course. The ones I’m a member of also release weekly or monthly content, including live coaching calls where members can volunteer to be coached in front of the community. For more information, check out this in-depth guide on how to create a paid membership site.
31. Sell your personal photos
If you enjoy taking pictures or have images on your camera roll that you’re not using, you can make money by selling them online. You only need a smartphone camera to get started. Some apps will pay you for your selfies while other sites, like Shutterstock and Adobe Stock, pay for stock photography they can sell to business owners. Learn more about how to get paid for your pictures.
32. Offer virtual interior design consults
One of my favorite Instagram accounts to follow is Galey Alix. Galey documents her interior design projects — a business she started and runs on the side of her full-time finance job. Her successful business is proof that you don’t need a degree or experience to start a business or offer services in a new area.
Start by working with friends and family for free. Document your work online and on social media, and collect testimonials. Once you have some experience and a feel for your process, you can create service packages and sell them to new clients.
33. Self-publish an eBook
Self-publishing has become popular among new authors. If you already have a blog or personal website, you can use it to sell your book. The most common method seems to be self-publishing through Amazon with Kindle Direct Publishing. Once you’ve written and formatted your book, you can upload it directly to your Amazon KDP account. Learn more about how to publish and sell an eBook.
34. Become a voice-over artist
Voice-over artists provide their voice for professional audio work such as games, commercials, and cartoons. If you have a voice for radio, this could be an easy way to make money online. You can find voice-over work on freelance sites like Fiverr or niche sites such as Voices.com.
Earning money online has truly opened up opportunities for many. From freelancing to affiliate marketing, there are so many ways to start. Also, don’t forget, decluttering your home can help too—you can schedule Salvation Army donation pickup and turn unused items into cash or tax benefits!
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