If you’re looking to make extra money, we all know you don’t have to search much farther than the internet to get started. But with so many work from home options available, you may be wondering which money-making websites are truly legitimate and worth it.
Whether you’re looking to freelance on your own, sell something online, or use a third-party website for your side hustle, there are several options to consider.
Here are 12 money-making websites you should consider if you haven’t tried them before, along with tips to get started and maximize your earnings.
1. Branded Surveys
Branded Surveys is a platform that allows users to earn money by taking surveys and completing offers from various brands. It’s a simple way to make some extra cash while providing valuable feedback to companies.
To get started, sign up for a free Branded Surveys account or download the app from your mobile device. Then, complete your profile and answer initial questions to receive personalized survey invitations. Like with many other survey sites, you should view your account regularly to choose from available surveys, each with an estimated completion time and point value. Branded Surveys allows you to redeem your points for rewards like gift cards or PayPal cash once you reach the minimum threshold.
- Branded Surveys gets a 4.1-star rating out of 5 on Trustpilot.
2. Clickworker
Clickworker connects freelancers with tasks that can be completed online, such as data entry, proofreading, web research, and app testing. The platform offers flexibility, allowing you to work whenever and wherever you want.
Once you sign up for Clickworker and create your profile, you can complete a skills assessment to qualify for various tasks. Once your evaluation is complete, you’ll be able to browse available tasks and select the ones that match your skills. Complete the tasks and get paid weekly via PayPal or bank transfer.
- Clickworker gets a 3.7-star rating out of 5 on Trustpilot.
3. Etsy
Etsy is a marketplace for handmade, vintage, and custom items. If you have a talent for crafting, design, or vintage collections, Etsy is a great platform to showcase and sell your products. Many Etsy sellers also offer digital products such as printable worksheets and stickers. If you’re skilled at creating custom spreadsheets, you can also sell Excel spreadsheet templates on this platform.
Brainstorm a list of creative products you can sell. Then, set up your Etsy Shop with a catchy name and appealing banner. List your products with high-quality photos and detailed descriptions while keeping search engine optimization in mind. Use Etsy’s SEO tools to optimize your listing, and then promote your online store through social media platforms and other marketing channels to get more purchases. Etsy charges a listing fee of $0.20 for each product you list, as well as a transaction fee of 6.5% for each sale you make.
- Etsy gets a 4.1-star rating out of 5 from Glassdoor.
4. Freelancer
Freelancer is another popular platform that connects clients with freelancers for various projects, from short-term tasks to long-term contracts. It offers a wide range of categories, including IT, marketing, data entry, graphic design, proofreading, and content creation.
If you have a freelance service you’d like to offer that can be done remotely, just complete your profile and highlight your skills and experience. Then, you can bid on projects with potential clients that match your expertise. Similar to Upwork, you can communicate with clients, submit work, and get paid through the platform’s secure system.
- Freelancer gets a 4.4-star rating out of 5 on Trustpilot.
5. Respondent
Do you love giving your thoughts and opinions on products and services? They get paid for doing market research gigs with Respondent! Accepting participants from all over the world, they offer competitive rates for their focus groups, surveys, and testing opportunities. According to their website, the average study pays $75, and they launch over 4,000 studies each month, which means there are lots of opportunities for you to cash in.
One thing to note with market research studies is that you will need to be the right target audience for the survey, so it can take a bit of time to qualify for a study. When you’re invited to participate, you’ll want to offer detailed feedback and put your best foot forward, as often the best opportunities go to those participants who provide thoughtful, in-depth feedback. Like the other money-making websites on this list, Respondent allows you to make money on your own schedule.
- Respondent gets a 3.5-star rating out of 5 on Trustpilot.
6. Rev
Rev is an online platform that offers transcription, translation, and captioning services for clients. Whether you’re just getting into transcription work or consider yourself a seasoned pro, finding short jobs on the platform for extra money is easy. You just need an internet connection and some basic typing experience. Transcription work is all about being able to type what you hear accurately and efficiently. Rev pays $0.30 to $1.10 per minute of audio you transcribe and $0.54 to $1.10 per minute of captioning work.
To get started, you’ll need to pass an initial application test. Then, you can claim available jobs and complete them within the specified time frame. Rev offers quick payouts, and contractors receive payments weekly via PayPal or Payoneer.
- Rev gets a 3.9-star rating out of 5 on Trustpilot.
7 Rover
Are you passionate about animals? Perfer a gig where you’re not stuck behind a computer all day? Then, use the Rover app to make money as a dog walker, pet sitter, and caretaker. To start making money with Rover, download the app and create an account. As a trusted resource for pet owners, they want to ensure that all caretakers are appropriately vetted, and this is done through an application and background check, which will cost you $49 to $79 based on your location.
Once the application process is complete, you can connect with pet owners who need your services. The nice thing about Rover is that it is entirely flexible; you choose when you want to work and how much you’re going to charge. You can even board animals in your home when people go on vacation, which tends to be the highest-earning service! Just remember, when you’re pricing your services, Rover will take a 20% service booking fee.
- Rover gets a 4.3-star rating out of 5 on Indeed.
8. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a popular platform where you can earn money by completing various tasks such as taking surveys, taking advantage of offers, shopping online, and playing video games. It’s perfect for those looking to make some easy cash during their downtime, since you can also use the app for iOS or Android phones.
To get started, you can sign up for a free Swagbucks account. Then, simply complete your profile and start earning Swagbucks points by taking online surveys, playing games, scanning receipts, searching the web, or redeeming offers. You can redeem your points for gift cards to popular retailers, such as Amazon, restaurants, or a PayPal gift card, or transfer cash to your bank account if you prefer. Around 500 Swagbucks will earn you a $5 gift card, and 2,500 Swagbucks typically earn you a $25 gift card.
- Swagbucks gets a 3.9-star rating out of 5 on Trustpilot.
9. Teachable
Teachable allows you to create and sell online courses on any topic you’re knowledgeable about. It’s an excellent platform for educators, experts, and enthusiasts looking to share their knowledge and earn passive income.
Teachable makes it easy to choose your course topic, upload lessons, write quizzes, and create a customized sales page. This platform takes a percentage of each course sale as a service fee and charges a transaction fee for the free and basic plans.
You can also earn affiliate income by promoting some Teachable courses. If you know someone with a Teachable course, they can easily set up an affiliate program. Teachable provides affiliates with a unique link and login for tracking. You can promote Teachable courses to potential buyers through blog posts, newsletters to email subscribers, and social media.
- Teachable gets a 4.3-star rating out of 5 on GetApp.
10. Upwork
Upwork is one of the largest freelancing platforms, offering a wide range of job categories, including freelance writer jobs, graphic design, web development, and virtual assistant jobs. It’s ideal for freelancers looking to build a long-term career since you can apply and bid for jobs that interest you. Clients can also reach out to freelancers on Upwork directly to hire them for jobs, so be sure to choose a specific niche to specialize in.
Upwork allows you to set and negotiate rates for each project, and you can communicate with clients directly through the platform. Once you complete each job, you’ll receive payment through Upwork’s secure platform, but the company does take a 10% fee from your freelance earnings.
While Upwork is a legit money-making website, scammers often hide behind fake profiles on the site, so you must be careful when using it. Upwork has a whole article dedicated to avoiding scams on their platform; be sure to read it before you proceed.
- Upwork gets a 4.1-star rating out of 5 on Indeed.
11. User Interviews
User Interviews is a platform that connects businesses with targeted consumer feedback through surveys and focus groups. It’s an excellent opportunity for anyone who’s looking to share their opinions and get paid for their time.
Once you create a User Interviews account, you can browse studies and apply to the ones that match your interests. Focus group studies can be conducted either online or in person, so you may notice that some opportunities require you to live in a specific metropolitan area to qualify. User Interviews pays via PayPal within 7 to 14 days after completing the study.
- User Interviews gets a 4.6-star rating out of 5 on Trustpilot.
12. YouTube Channel
One money-making website that you’re probably familiar with is YouTube. But did you know that if your channel has at least 1,000 YouTube subscribers and at least 4,000 watch hours, you can join the YouTube Partner Program and earn money for the videos you create? It’s true, and some people are making millions like Judy Travis!
While making millions is possible, a new YouTube content creator is more likely to earn $30 to $300 per month as a beginner. The upside of this is that, as a video creator, you can diversify your earnings by adding in brand sponsorships, affiliate marketing, offering paid subscriptions, accepting donations, and even selling custom merch like T-shirts, coffee mugs, and phone cases. You can also repurpose your videos for platforms like TikTok and Facebook, earning money through their respective Creator Fund and ads on Facebook Reels.
You don’t need any special equipment to get started, either, as long as you have a smartphone with a camera, some free video editing software, and great ideas for high-quality content, you’re good to go!
For more about this monetization method, check out our complete YouTube guide!
- YouTube gets a 4.8-star rating out of 5 from Capterra.
Money-Making Websites Wrapup
Lots of legitimate websites and platforms exist for freelancers, side hustlers, and people simply looking to make a little extra money online part-time. Whether you have specialized skills or just some spare time, these platforms offer opportunities that you can stick with long-term. When getting started, consider your interests and goals. How much do you want to make? And how much spare time do you have to dedicate to making money online?
Sometimes, the more challenging part is simply moving forward and getting started. So don’t spend too much time in the research phase since these options are all carefully vetted and reputable. Consider taking the first step and getting started with one or two of these options to earn additional income. Then, assess your progress from there.
