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Working online is becoming increasingly popular thanks to the flexibility, diversity, and income-earning potential that online jobs provide.
Plus, the start-up costs are minimal, and there are a variety of gigs depending on your interest and skill set. In fact, when I started my online business a few years ago, it cost me almost nothing, and I had little experience.
But through trial and error and a lot of hard work, I’ve been able to make a full-time income from my online jobs.
If you’re interested in starting your own online gig, there are plenty of opportunities available.
28 Legitimate Online Jobs
With the number of online job options, it’s hard to know which ones are legitimate and which ones aren’t worth your time. This list covers some of the most popular and potentially lucrative choices.
Most of the jobs in this entire list are suitable for anyone, but I’ve divided them into categories for students, moms, kids, and teachers for easy sorting. This first list is best for anyone simply because there’s such a wide variety of successful people working these online jobs, and they don’t require any special degrees or certifications.
1. Product tester
Pay: $5 to $15 per hour
Product testing is a fun online job that allows you to make money working with products that you already want or need. As a paid product tester, you can test and review both physical and digital products.
Product testing opportunities periodically arise on Swagbucks Discover; checking in on both platforms from time to time will maximize the odds you’re eligible for an offer. Once you receive and test a product, you’ll follow the instructions and complete a survey [or similar task] to provide your insights and feedback.
You’ll be paid in cash, gift cards, or get to keep the product you’ve tested. This isn’t a full-time online job opportunity, but it can make a good side hustle.
Related: Where to Find Product Testing Jobs
2. Online seller
Pay: $40 to $60 on average per box of items
You can sell almost anything online. Furniture, unused makeup, old cell phones, and other tech are all viable options.
If you have children, you can easily sell their gently used shoes, clothes, toys, and gadgets once they’ve outgrown them. If you enjoy this type of online job, you can start scouting local yard sales, flea markets, and Facebook selling groups for items to resell.
When you find a used item at a steep discount, you can sell it on a site like Decluttr to flip for a profit. The more often you do this, the more money you can earn.
3. Blogger
Pay: $1 to $2,000+ per month
Blogging is an online job where you can make money on a part-time schedule. If you enjoy writing and helping others, and you know how to be persistent even if you’re not making money, blogging might be a good fit for you. It usually takes at least 6 to 18 months to start making money from a blog.
The fun thing about blogging as an online job is that you can choose a topic you’re truly passionate about, and the opportunities from blogging are virtually limitless.
The four main ways to make money from blogging include:
- Advertising – You get paid for putting ads on your blog.
- Affiliate Marketing – This is where you get paid a commission for any products that you sell via your blog.
- Digital Products – You can sell your own eBooks, courses, etc.
- Services – If you like to work one on one with people, a blog can be a great way to generate leads for coaching, consulting, etc.
Recommendation: HostGator is one of the most affordable options to get a money-making blog up and running. It makes it simple and easy to get started (and have everything you need all in one place), which is why it’s a great option for new bloggers.
4. Facebook ads manager
Pay: $1,000 to $2,000+ per month
Many local business owners know they need to advertise online, but they don’t know how or don’t have enough employees to work on it. If you have Facebook and are familiar with its advertising platform, or if you’re willing to put in the time to learn, you can start contacting local businesses to offer Facebook ad services.
That’s what Bobby Hoyt did. An avid digital marketer and blogger, he started offering Facebook ad management services to local businesses in his area and eventually turned that operation into a sizable income for himself. He launched his own FB Side Hustle Course that teaches others how to do the same. You can do this as a side hustle or turn it into a full-time job.
5. Transcriber
Pay: $10 to $36 per hour
Transcription services are in high demand and have a low barrier to entry. Even if you have no experience transcribing, you can still find work.
There are many large companies that hire transcribers, but the pay is generally low. For instance, Scribie.com pays $5 to $25 per audio hour and TranscribeMe.com pays $15 per audio hour.
As you gain experience, you can look for sites that pay more. These companies are a bit harder to get accepted into but are worth the wait:
- Rev.com ($24 to $39/audio hour)
- GoTranscript.com ($36/audio hour)
- Speechpad.com ($24/audio hour)
You can take a free mini-course on transcription to see if this online job is right for you.
6. Dropshipper
Pay: $25 to $500+ per item sold
With dropshipping, you set up a storefront on a platform like Shopify, list your products, and then have the orders shipped directly to a customer from the supplier.
This is an amazing option for anyone looking for an online job because it allows you to work in sales without touching the physical product during a transaction and earn a good income at the same time.
You can sell anything from T-shirts to event tickets and consulting services, so this is an incredibly flexible online job.
Though the profit margin of dropshipping isn’t as high as when stocking and shipping your own physical products, the benefits of a completely hands-off method make it worthwhile.
Related: How to Start a Dropshipping Business in 8 Easy Steps
Online jobs for students
These online jobs for college students provide flexible options and offer a balance between concentrating on your studies while earning some extra cash.
7. Online personal trainer
Pay: $30 to $50 a session
If you love working out and teaching others, becoming an online personal trainer can be a fun side hustle. Plus, you can keep these clients even after you graduate.
You can offer virtual sessions via Zoom or FaceTime and create a YouTube channel with free workouts that show off your work to potential clients. Some trainers will also create meal plans for their customers.
8. Online beauty advisor
Pay: Varies; depends on the referral program
If you’re constantly getting compliments on your makeup or love talking about skincare products, then consider making money with this skill as an online beauty advisor. You’ll get paid when someone purchases the beauty products you recommend.
Here’s how it works. Let’s say you have a YouTube channel or social media account where you recommend certain products. You use your specific referral or affiliate code when linking to these products. When someone buys that product using your link, you get a percentage of how much they spent.
You can also take on virtual clients for one-on-one consulting.
9. Freelance writer
Pay: $50 to $500+ per article
If you love writing and can find clients that need content, then becoming a freelance writer may be a good online job for you.
It’s ok to start on a platform like Fiverr or FreelanceWriting.com, but you won’t find high-paying freelance writing jobs on these sites. To earn a decent income, you’ll need to work directly with websites, companies, or online magazines.
You can also search for clients by connecting with blog owners, local businesses, and local newspapers who might need writers. Another way to find jobs is to join writing Facebook groups. The competition can be fierce, but you’ll do well if you’re persistent and want to improve.
Once you’ve established a solid portfolio, client roster, and testimonials, you can raise your prices.
10. Proofreader
Pay: $10 to $45 per hour
There are many online jobs for college students that allow you to make money proofreading, but you shouldn’t overlook the opportunities on campus.
Consider seeking out fellow students who could use a proofreader before turning in their next paper.
Proofreading is less in-depth than editing. Rather than making extensive corrections and suggestions, you work as a second set of eyes, looking for typos, spelling errors, and other minor issues to clean up their papers before they’re submitted for grading.
Caitlin Pyle, the creator of Proofread Anywhere, offers a free 76-minute webinar explaining what it takes to make money proofreading.
11. Textbook seller
Pay: 15% to 50% per book sold
Students are perfect candidates for book scouting or selling textbooks online. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of students on college campuses who have no interest in reselling their own textbooks.
You can take advantage of their lack of time or motivation and offer to sell those books for your friends on a site like BookScouter. Negotiate a selling price, along with the fee you get per book, and do the work for them. As time allows, you can even scout online book prices and buy/sell during the prime textbook season (before the start of each new semester).
Related: Where to Sell Textbooks for the Most Money
12. Social media manager
Pay: $15 to $40 per hour
If you’re an avid social media user, you can put your skills and time to good use by starting an online job as a social media manager.
Managing a business’s social media is similar to managing your own Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. In order to be visible and well-known on social media, you have to be not just active, but interactive. When someone posts a comment or private messages you, you need to reply quickly.
Businesses often fail at social media because they don’t have someone dedicated to staying active on various social media platforms. They often don’t have staff available to respond to comments, create new and engaging posts, or monitor conversations within their communities.
Local businesses offer prime opportunities for finding an online job as a social media manager. You can send an email, but it may be good to call or visit local businesses or introduce yourself through their social media pages as a college student looking to help.
Some businesses won’t be interested, while others may jump on the opportunity to get more exposure online.
13. Consignor
Pay: 40% to 60% per item sold
Most people have stuff that they no longer need, but rarely take the time to sell it to make extra cash. Instead, they donate or trash it.
When you start an online consignment business, you work as a middleman between people looking to sell their stuff and customers wanting to buy it. You can get started by offering to consign items for other students and sell them online for cash. There’s little inventory involved, and you only make money when you make a sale.
Install selling apps like thredUP or eBay on your smartphone, and keep a good record of consignees and their contact information. If something doesn’t sell, simply return it to them or have them sign a waiver to donate the item to a local charity once the listing has expired. You should also have in writing your commission if the item does sell.
Thanks to smartphones and selling apps, it’s much easier to consign for friends and family than it was even a few years ago.
14. Data entry specialist
Pay: $10 to $17 per hour
Data entry jobs are legit options for college students, but you should think carefully before applying. They’re easy, but they tend to pay less and require more time than other options.
The best thing about data entry jobs is that the work is flexible and can be done in your spare time. You can take on as much or as little work as needed depending on your schedule.
If you’re interested in finding a data entry job, start with a platform like Clickworker or DionData Solutions.
Online jobs for moms
If you’re looking for online jobs that are perfect for moms, consider some of these options. Keep in mind that any of the work-from-home jobs can be tweaked to work for you as well.
15. Subscription box creator
Pay: Depends on the box and your profit margin
If you have a great idea for a subscription box, you can turn it into reality with CrateJoy. This service lets you build your subscription box service without actually keeping the inventory yourself. You design, market, and promote the boxes without having to turn your garage into a subscription box warehouse.
This can be a fun way to explore having your own online business without needing an influx of capital and a lot of space.
16. Virtual assistant
Pay: $19 to $25 per hour
Becoming a virtual assistant to an already established online business is one of the best online jobs to try, and you can start almost immediately.
Virtual assistants often handle things like scheduling, customer support, administrative assistance, email marketing, social media posting, blog management, and much more.
You can offer whatever services you feel comfortable doing, and you can add more to your menu of services as you gain experience. Or, if you prefer, you can specialize in just one or two areas.
Reach out to small business owners and online entrepreneurs, or connect with other VAs in Facebook groups. They might have leads for your first few clients or tips on how to maximize your earnings.
Once you’ve built your client list, you may find that you’ve maxed out your schedule while making a great hourly wage.
17. Graphic designer
Pay: $25 to $50 per hour
You don’t need an art degree to become a graphic designer. There are online jobs that require graphic design skills for projects like creating printable sheets, flyers, announcements, ads, or Pinterest images.
If you have an eye for design and know how to use tools like Canva or PicMonkey, there’s an online job waiting for you. Creating beautiful Pinterest and other social media images is in high demand among bloggers and website owners and can help almost any business attract fresh traffic to its website.
18. Niche website creator
Pay: $100 to $10,000+ per site
If you’re well-versed in search engine optimization (SEO) and understand how to get a site ranked on the first page of Google, you could make money creating niche websites. From hiking and mountain climbing to babyrearing, there’s no limit when choosing a topic.
A niche website isn’t like a typical blog where you have to add fresh content weekly. Instead, you set up a few landing pages that sell affiliate products in a single niche. There’s no guarantee that a certain niche will be profitable, but you can start brainstorming topics that you think are being underserved.
After you’ve built the site and made it profitable, you can keep it to earn passive income or sell the site on a marketplace like Flippa.com.
Setting up a niche site is similar to establishing a regular blog. If you know how to do that, you can get started creating your niche site right away.
19. Website designer
Pay: $20 to $100 per hour
It’s possible to learn how to design blogs and e-commerce websites without any formal training thanks to drag-and-drop builders that easily integrate with platforms like Shopify. If you’re technically inclined and can spot the differences between a good-looking website and a bad one, you might be able to start designing and building websites for others.
Designing websites doesn’t mean you need to reinvent the internet or create complex-looking websites. It means you need to know what looks good, is user-friendly, and meets your clients’ needs.
Although it’s a simple process, many people are overwhelmed by the thought of creating their own website, and it’s a gap you can fill while earning a good income.
20. Social media influencer
Pay: $20 to $100 per hour
If you like sharing your favorite deals, books, clothes, and other products on social media and have built a loyal following, you can find work as a social media influencer. With this job, companies will pay you to promote their products to your audience, and you’ll earn a percentage of the sales they make from your affiliate or referral links.
It doesn’t take much to become a social media influencer if you choose a niche that’s profitable and one you’re passionate about it. You’ll need to post on your social media channels consistently and engage with your followers to grow your influence and your income.
There are companies like the Amazon Influencer Program and ShopStyle.com that allow you to post paid links on your profile.
21. Amazon seller
Pay: $15 to $100+ per hour
Everyone shops on Amazon these days, which is why you can make a good income through Amazon as well.
The concept of Amazon arbitrage is simple, but the process can be tedious. You find discounted physical products at your local stores and sell them at a profit on Amazon.
Though it sounds easy, your profits can quickly decrease due to Amazon’s sellers’ fees, shipping expenses, and time spent. However, if you already spend time thrift store shopping or bargain hunting, then this online job might be for you.
22. Budgeter / bookkeeper
Pay: $20 to $60 per hour
Budgeting and bookkeeping are similar, though budgeting relates more to individuals and bookkeeping to businesses.
If you’ve successfully created, managed, and stuck to a budget in your own life and are willing to share your methods with other families, consider marketing your budgeting consulting services on Fiverr, social media, or your own website.
If you like organizing finances for businesses, consider working as a bookkeeper.
As a bookkeeper, you’ll work with businesses on keeping their financial matters in order. You may record income and expenses, prepare financial reports, create and send invoices, and collect payments from clients. You can do this either by hand or using bookkeeping software. It’s flexible enough that you can work from home for local or online businesses. Taking a class online will help you gather the basics and learn how to pitch to clients.
You can additionally market your services by joining Facebook groups or visiting local businesses in person. Facebook ads would be a great way to advertise what you offer as well, and it adds another skill to your resume.
Related: 38 Creative Ways to Make Money Fast
Online jobs for teachers
Teaching in a school isn’t the only way to make money as a teacher. If you love to help others learn, consider sharing your knowledge with these online jobs.
23. Tutor
Pay: $14 to $22+ per hour
Online jobs where you can tutor students is a fantastic way for teachers to make money fast. You can sign up at any of these sites and tutor students on the subjects of your expertise
- Outschool (doesn’t require teaching experience; average pay is $40 per hour)
- VIPKid (bachelor’s degree required; pay is $14-$22 per hour)
- Wyzant (set your own rate)
Related: 10 Best Online Tutoring Jobs to Supplement Your Income
24. Course creator
Pay: 30% to 70% of the purchase price
While you don’t have to be a teacher to create an online course, it’s a great option for teachers to earn extra income. You can create a course in any topic you know well; it doesn’t have to be in a subject you teach at your day job. If you want to create a course teaching students how to knit a sweater or plant a garden, you can.
“How-to” courses are the simplest way to start because they walk students through a series of steps in an easy-to-follow way. You can create short, easy-to-edit videos for each step and put them together in one complete package to sell on a platform like Outschool.
Unlike other platforms like Udemy or Teachable, Outschool is geared toward K-12 learners and you can create individual lessons, courses, and even summer camps for students. You can choose how many students you teach at once, the price of your lessons, and the class schedule. Its flexibility makes it a great platform for anyone 18 years of age or older who can pass a background check and who enjoys teaching kids.
After publishing your course, take the time to create a marketing strategy and connect with affiliate partners to sell your course and earn residual income.
25. Pick up online gigs for teachers
Pay: $10 to $20+ per hour
If you’re looking for side jobs to fit with your daily teaching schedule, consider picking up gigs that are specifically designed for teachers. You can set up an account with GigEd.co and TeacherEd.co to find jobs that interest you.
Related: 6 Google Jobs That are Worth Your Time to Apply for Now
Easy online jobs for teens
There are some online jobs that are perfect for teens who want to make extra money or save toward a car or college and don’t have the time to commit to a more traditional, in-person gig.
26. Photographer
Pay: 15% to 45% of every image copy sold
If your teenager has a talent for photography, they might be able to make some cash selling pictures, taking senior shots, family portraits, or even wedding photos. There are also many places to sell photos online that can bring in some passive income.
They may not even need to buy professional equipment. There are plenty of sites they can use to make money taking pictures with their smartphones.
Related:
- 4 Ways to Get Paid to Take Pictures
- How One Photographer’s Side Hustle Became a $330K a Year Business
27. YouTube channel creator
Pay: $0 to $2,000 per month
Kids making videos on YouTube is a huge industry right now. Ryan, the star of Ryan’s World, made $22 million in revenue in one year. With the help of his mom and dad, his channel became popular with kids everywhere.
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Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as recording a video, uploading it to YouTube, and watching the money roll in. YouTube made some changes to its minimum subscriber and view requirements before a channel can start making money. Once those minimums are met, then you can place ads on the videos to create an income stream. That’s why promoting your YouTube channel on other platforms is also important.
If your kids are driven and ready to be in front of a camera, then they might love the idea of making a profitable YouTube channel. You most likely won’t earn the same amount of money as Ryan’s World, but you can earn something.
28. Amazon eBook publisher
Pay: Up to 70% of each copy sold
Publishing a book on Amazon Kindle is easy and simple, but it’s not a guaranteed way to make a lot of money. The books need to be well-written, edited, have a catchy cover, and have a clear marketing strategy. However, if you have a good idea, eBooks provide a way for your aspiring writer or illustrator to start earning some income.
If your teen has a talent for writing stories or drawing cartoons or picture books, you can help them start creating and uploading books to sell. This may be a fun way for them to earn money with their creativity.
Find Something You Like and Run With It
If you’re interested in earning money online, there are plenty of options. To find the right one, brainstorm and think about your hobbies, skills, and talents and pick one that works with those. If you can’t find an existing job, you can even create one.
The best part about online jobs is that you can make good money from home by doing more than one gig or job at a time. If you want to have a blog and tutor, or you want to have an Etsy store and a YouTube channel and can fit it all into your schedule, you can. The more you can do to maximize your income to achieve your financial goals, the better you’ll be in the long run.
