Source: The College Investor
So, you’re looking for secret websites to make money? You’re not alone.
Between 40% and 50% of Americans worked a side hustle last year. Side hustles have been on the rise for decades, but Covid-19 and the years since really emphasized the benefits of building additional income streams.
People with side hustles often see an additional $500-$1,000 per month or more, depending on the work they do. Bankrate clocks the average side hustle income at $810 a month. Want to know how you can do that, too?
Maybe you work from home and don’t need the typical 40 hours a week to do your job. Or maybe you find you have extra time on your hands and want to use it in a productive way.
Whether you’re considering a side hustle to take on a new passion project or just to pad your monthly budget, we’ve compiled a list of 25 money-making websites that you can get started with today.
We’ve divided the list of websites into two categories: Active income and passive income. Check out the options to see which one works for you.
Active Income Websites
Active income is the term used for earning money by doing a side hustle or job. You are actively engaged in activities that produce the wage you earn. This can take many forms, including salaries and wages, commissions, and bonuses.
The following websites can help you earn active income:
1. Swagbucks
You can get paid to complete online surveys from the comfort of your living room, or wherever you happen to be. There are many online survey websites out there, but Swagbucks is one of the most popular. Other top sites include Survey Junkie and Inbox Dollars. Swagbucks pays a $5 welcome bonus, and you can convert the points you earn (called Swagbucks) into gift cards or cash. Keep in mind that you won’t get rich taking online surveys, but if you’re looking for a few extra dollars to cover your coffee habit or Netflix subscription, give Swagbucks a try.
Learn more about in our full Swagbucks review.
2. Rover
Are you a dog lover? If so, you can get paid to spend time with dogs in your local community. Rover connects pet owners with animal lovers who are interested in making money as pet sitters and dog walkers. Rover lets you find clients, set your own rates, and manage the various aspects of your business.
Learn more in our full Rover review.
3. Prolific
Websites like Prolific and Respondent pay users for sharing their knowledge and experiences through online research studies. Studies span a range of topics, including social sciences, psychology, and consumer behavior. Just sign up with your email address, personalize your skills and interests, then get started with a study.
4. Etsy
If you enjoy creating handmade items, you can set up an online shop with Etsy and make money from your craft. The beauty of selling on Etsy is that you don’t gave to go through the process of purchasing and establishing your own website domain. Etsy is optimized to help connect buyers and sellers.
Don’t worry if you’re not that crafty. Many people make thousands of dollars selling E-printables on Etsy each year. This Etsy Sellers Course from Gold City Ventures that shows you exactly how to do it.
5. Shopify
Shopify is an ecommerce platform that allows anyone to start and scale their own online store. There are a few different ecommerce models you can use, but one of the most popular is called dropshipping; a form of retail where the seller doesn’t store any inventory on-site or handle any of the shipping responsibilities.
With dropshipping, when a customer purchases an item, the seller processes the order and uses a third-party supplier to prepare and ship the product. Dropshipping allows you to start an online store quickly, with minimal overhead and high scalability.
Related: Best Bank Accounts For Shopify Sellers
6. Amazon Associates
Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, runs the Amazon Associates program, which is the world’s largest affiliate marketing network. Affiliate marketing works like this: you find a product you enjoy, establish a marketing agreement with the brand that owns that product, then you promote that product in your preferred method (e.g., via blog, social media).
You, the affiliate, earn a commission each time one of your readers/followers purchases the item through your unique link. Success with affiliate marketing takes time and hard work, but there is no ceiling on how much money you can make.
7. Sweatcoin
Do you spend a lot of time working out? If so, here’s a way you can make money while being active. Sweatcoin is a website and app that pays you to exercise by tracking your steps each day and allowing you to redeem tokens for products or services on the app’s marketplace.
8. Upwork
Upwork is a freelancing marketplace that connects independent contractors with individuals or businesses who are in need of the services they provide. If you have a specific skill, there’s a good chance you can make money by offering your services on Upwork. Some of the more lucrative jobs include freelance writing, editing, graphic or web design, and virtual assistant services.
9. VIPKid.com
If you have a bachelors degree and at least two years of experience, you can make money by teaching English online through VIPKid.com, a website that specializes in 1:1 English lessons for kids between 4 and 15 years of age. VIPKid Instructors are certified teachers from the U.S. and Canada.
10. Tutor.com
You can teach more than just English online. Websites like Tutor.com hire teachers with experience in a variety of subjects. The online learning platform, which is owned by The Princeton Review, pays tutors an above average wage. However, you must be a qualified teacher and be willing to pass a subject matter examination before you’re approved to teach.
11. TranscribeMe
If you type quickly, consider transcribing audio files or captioning videos online. You can do this at multiple sites, including TranscribeMe and Rev.com.
12. Second to None
You can make extra income by signing up as a secret shopper with Second to None, a mystery shopping company that provides customer feedback, employee engagement surveys, and brand reputation monitoring to companies that are striving to improve their products and services. Mystery shopping is a great opportunity to make money doing the things you would normally be doing anyways: shopping and eating out.
13. Current Rewards
Through Current Rewards, you can earn rewards by listening to music, playing games, or watching videos. You can withdraw your earnings as a gift card or directly into your PayPal account.
14. UserTesting
You can make money by testing websites, apps, and other digital products, and then providing your feedback to sites like UserTesting or Enroll As a tester, you’re given a set of tasks to complete and then asked to share your feedback with companies looking to improve their product.
15. Rent My Equipment
The sharing economy has transformed the way we use everyday items. For example, millions of people are renting out space in their homes (or their entire home) through Airbnb, and you can rent out your car with apps like Turo. Rent My Equipment is a website/app that takes the sharing economy a step further, allowing you to make money in your neighborhood by renting out your tools or heavy equipment to people who need to use it for a home renovation or other project.
16. ClickWorker
ClickWorker is a gig economy app that pays you for micro-jobs, including paid surveys, text creation, online research, app testing, mystery shopping, and more. It won’t make you rich, but the barrier to entry is low, and it’s an easy way to snag a few extra bucks.
17. Fiverr
Fiverr is similar to Upwork in that it’s a freelancing marketplace that helps you find clients who need your set of skills. Most Fiverr jobs will be one-off opportunities, but you may earn repeat business. If you have a marketable skill (chances are you do), consider listing your services through Fiverr.
18. TaskRabbit
TaskRabbit is a gig app that connects people who need help with a task to those with the skills to complete the task. Typical jobs include cleaning and furniture assembly. The beauty of TaskRabbit is that you get to set your own rates and choose the tasks you want to do.
19. Medium
Medium is an online publishing platform that’s open to the public not just for reading content but for creating it, too. The concept works like this: writers make money by earning a portion of the monthly membership fee other readers pay to access guarded content. The amount you earn is based on how many readers engage with your content.
Passive Income Side Hustles
Passive income is the term used for earning money either automatically or with minimal effort. Passive income can take many forms, such as dividends and interest, rental income, royalties, or capital gains.
Consider the following websites if you’re interested in earning passive income:
20. Teachable
If you have expertise in a certain area, you can use Teachable to create an online course and sell it to prospective learners. While you’ll have to put in work upfront to build the product, online courses can become a passive income stream requiring little maintenance.
21. Amazon KDP
If you love to write, but aren’t interested in building an online course, you can create an e-book, instead. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, or Amazon KDP, allows you to self-publish e-books, paperbacks, and hardcover books for free, and sell it to a global audience. Unlike many traditional publishers, you get to keep 100% of the rights to your written work. You’ll need to figure out how to market your book effectively to make money, but Amazon KDP gives you the platform to do it with.
22. Shutterstock
If you’re talented photographer with a nice camera, you can make money by uploading and selling your photos onto stock photo websites like Shutterstock. There are thousands of individuals and businesses willing to pay for original works that they can use in a variety of applications.
23. Rakuten
Cash back websites like Rakuten allow you to earn valuable cash back when you shop online at your favorite retailers. All you need to do is create a free Rakuten account, then start shopping through their website.
Rakuten has more than 3500 retail partners, and while their offers are constantly changing, you can earn up to 12% cash back on your purchases. Getting paid with Rakuten is easy. Every quarter, they will send you your cash balance via Paypal or a check in the mail.
For more information, check out our Rakuten review.
24. Western Alliance Bank
Western Alliance Bank offers a high-yield savings account. If you’ve got excess cash sitting in a checking or savings account earning little to no return, open an account with Western Alliance Bank online, and earn a little extra income each month without any work on your part. Most high-yield savings accounts are currently offering APYs over 4%.
Learn more in our Western Alliance Bank review or check out our list of the best high-yield savings accounts.
25. M1 Finance
One of the best ways to earn passive income is by investing in the stock market through an online brokerage, like M1 Finance.
M1 Finance offers commission-free stock and ETF trades, no account fees with a standard membership, fractional shares, and several account types. In addition individual and joint taxable accounts, you can open traditional, Roth, or SEP IRA accounts, and Trust accounts.
Keep in mind that there is risk to investing in the stock market, and that you should always invest with a long-term mindset. You can earn a lot of passive income in the long run, but all stock market investments fluctuate in value and returns are not guaranteed.
Learn more in our M1 Finance review.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, our list of money making websites. While some side hustles are more lucrative than others, all of the websites on our list offer legit opportunities to make money.
Before you get started, remember this. Whether you’re looking for extra income for two months or two years, be upfront and honest with yourself about your skills, interests, and availability. And don’t be afraid to try something new if that’s what it takes. Happy hustling!