Easy way to make money online
Making money online is easier than ever from selling products to offering services, the opportunities are endless. But with so many options, figuring out the best ways to make money online can be tricky.
That’s why we’ve sorted the best choices to help you get going. In this article, you’ll find 20+ practical ways to earn extra cash complete with earning potential and ways to start now.
How to make money online
1. Pick up freelance work online
Make money online through websites such as Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer.com. These sites offer opportunities to do a variety of freelance jobs, such as writing, programming, design, marketing, data entry and being a virtual assisstance.
Fluent in a second language? Check translation sites such as Gengo or Blend Express, or drum up business through a site of your own. No matter what freelancing you do, keep track of the going rate for the kind of work you provide so you know what to charge.
A recent report from Freelancer.com found that computer security jobs had the fastest growth in listings on its site in the second quarter of 2024, up 27.1%.
Jobs involving writing skills are also in high demand. Although generative artificial intelligence (AI) is being used more for content creation, it can’t fully do the work of human writers. Companies are looking for writers who know how to edit AI content and who have at least a basic understanding of search engine optimization learning or beefing up SEO skills could be a lucrative side hustle. Some freelancers are charging $100 an hour or more for their freelance writing services.
2. Test websites and apps
Another way to make money from home is on sites like UserTesting.com. You get paid for your thoughts on how well or not so well certain websites and apps work. You’ll have to complete a short test to be accepted by UserTesting, then you’ll be paid depending on the test type.
3. Learn to use AI tools
The use of generative artificial intelligence is on the rise. Research from PwC estimates that the North American economy will see a $3.7 trillion impact by 2030, thanks to the AI market.
So there’s no better time to learn how to make money by using AI tools. Some AI-related side hustles include:
Integrating AI tools as a freelancer, to help you create digital products or to edit AI content for a client.
Improving your advertising, marketing efforts and management of your existing small business.
4. Take surveys for money
You can make money from home by taking online surveys, but don’t expect to earn a lot. Survey sites don’t typically offer a big payoff, and many sites are more useful for earning gift cards than cash. Some of the more popular survey sites include Swagbucks and Survey Junkie.
5. Make money from your blog with affiliate links
If you’re a blogger who gets decent traffic, you could make money by joining an affiliate network. Affiliates (that’s you) get paid when someone clicks through from the website to the partner site and buys something there. Some bloggers make a lot of money this way, particularly those who do affiliate marketing full-time. You can use social media or a platform like pintrest to drive traffic to your blog.
6. Sell your wares on Etsy
Have a penchant for woodworking, jewelry-making, embroidery or pottery? Sell your crafts on Etsy, the go-to site for artisans selling home goods, art and knickknacks. According to Etsy, the company has more than 96 million active buyers and grossed over $13 billion in merchandise sales in 2023.
7. Self-publish an e-book
Writing a good book is tough, but the internet makes it easy to bring it to market. If you’re a writer who can churn out pages, you can use Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing to sell your books(s) on the Kindle store. It’s free to publish a book, and you can earn up to 70% of each sale in royalties. Write your book, enter a clear description and the details to be displayed and upload your manuscript. Set the price and see if it sells.
8. Get advertising revenue from your blog or YouTube channel
Turn your cat videos into cash videos. If your YouTube videos or blog posts draw a big audience, you may be able to make money from advertising. YouTube sets 1,000 subscribers as the benchmark for applying to the YouTube Partner Program if you want to place ads on your channel. You can apply with 500 subscribers for other monetizing features like channel memberships. You can also use Google’s AdSense, the same ad platform on YouTube, to put relevant ads on your blog or website for earning potential.
9. Become an Instagram influencer
Companies are using Instagram influencers people with large, dedicated followings on the platform to rep their products. You can get in on the action by applying for opportunities via a marketing platform like Open Influence or Aspire, or by contacting the brands you want to work with.
10. Monetize your Twitch channel
Gaming could be a way to make money from home if you have a steady following on Twitch, the go-to site for gamers. Streamers can receive money from viewers’ virtual cheers, or “Bits,” and even get a share of subscription and ad revenue if they reach Affiliate or Partner status.
11. Sell your photography
Turn your photographs into cash via sites like Fine Art America, which lets you upload your images to sell as prints, T-shirts, phone cases and more. Other marketplaces for photographers include SmugMug, 500px and PhotoShelter. Some sites require a subscription but may provide features ranging from cloud storage to password-protected galleries and a customized website.