Key Takeaways
Quickest Method: Taking Paid Online Surveys with Freecash
Highest Earning Potential: Making YouTube Videos
Easiest to Start: Sharing Your Bandwidth
Can I Make Money Online Without Any Investment?
While some online money-making methods require an upfront investment, there are also ways to get started with minimal or no investment. For example, freelancing platforms typically offer opportunities to provide services using existing skills, and rewards platforms such as Freecash allow you to earn money by completing tasks.
How Much Money Can I Make Online?
While the amount of money someone can make online depends on various factors such as the method used, the time invested, and the individual's skills and expertise, we've listed the average earnings per method below.
| Method | Average Potential Earnings |
| Offering Freelancing Services | $20 per hour |
| Developing and Selling an App | $500 and $5,000 per month for independent developers |
| Sharing Your Social Media Expertise | $20.44 per hour |
| Online Tutoring | $24.04 per hour |
| Offering Transcription Services | $25 to $40 per hour |
| Becoming a Virtual Assistant | $25.04 per hour |
| Selling Your Photographs | $20 per hour |
| Making and Selling Music Online | $0.00318 per stream $30 for a 30-minute music lesson $250 for exclusive rights to a song |
| Offering Proofreading and Editing Services | $21.99 per hour |
| Becoming an Online Translator | $20 per hour |
| Creating and Selling a Course | Mini-courses at $50 per courseLarger courses at $200 per course |
| Sharing Your Internet Bandwidth | $0.10 per Gigabyte sold |
| Publishing an eBook | $150 per month |
| Making YouTube Videos | $10 to $500 per month for 1,000 - 10,000 subscribers |
| Creating a Dropshipping Business | 10% to 30% of each sale made |
| Taking Paid Online Surveys | $1.50 to $5 with Freecash |
| Starting a Blog | $0.01 to $0.10 per page view |
| Testing Websites | $10 per test |
| Creating a Podcast | $500 and $900 per 10,000 downloads |
| Selling on Etsy | $100 to $500 per month (parttime sellers) |
Top 20 Methods to Make Money Online
Offering Freelancing Services
Freelancing can be an attractive way to earn money that allows you to take control of your career and work on your own terms. It offers both flexibility and autonomy that many other traditional jobs don't, along with the potential to make good money as you gain experience. If you're interested in getting started:
- Identify your niche based on your skills and passions. For example, if you're good at Photoshop, you could offer freelance graphic design services.
- You will need to create a portfolio that showcases your work and demonstrates your expertise and knowledge.
- After that, you can set competitive and realistic rates based on your experience and other prices in the market.
- Finally, you can register with freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, or promote your services yourself through social media and networking forums.
Over time, as you gain experience and establish your brand, you can build credibility and increase your hourly or flat rate.
| Average Earnings | $20 per hour |
| Time Investment | Joining freelancing platforms can take minutes, but building your portfolio and gaining experience can take anywhere from 3 months to 1 year |
| Difficulty Level | Hard due to the high competition for jobs, managing your own time, seeking out jobs, chasing invoices, and gaining experience |
| General Requirements | A marketable passion or skill, spare time, many freelancing platforms require you to be 18 years old to join |
Developing and Selling an App
Creating and launching a mobile app could be a potentially lucrative way to use your coding skills and earn money online. You can follow these steps to get started:
First, you need to come up with an idea or concept for your app. To be successful, your app must be unique and fill a gap in the market, so you will also need to do a lot of market research. Following this, you will need to determine the main features of your app including security and the user interface. With all this outlined, you can begin the process of coding, testing, and responding to feedback before your app launches.
Once your app is on the market, there are many different ways you can monetize it, including app sales, in-app purchases, subscriptions, or in-app advertising. While this sounds relatively straightforward, there is a lot of work to be done after your app launches, including:
- Developing a strong marketing strategy, and promoting your app through both social media and paid advertising to attract users.
- Continually updating and improving the app based on user feedback and trends.
- As your success grows, you may even want to consider hiring a development team and delegating the maintenance of your app to them.
| Average Earnings | $500 and $5,000 per month for independent developers |
| Time Investment | Usually 4 to 7 months of development before an app can launch |
| Difficulty Level | Hard: coming up with a unique app idea, coding and developing skills, creating a marketing strategy for the app, requires startup funds, app maintenance |
| General Requirements | Some coding knowledge, spare time |
Sharing Your Social Media Expertise
The world of social media can provide many opportunities for individuals to make money online, particularly in the field of social media expertise. Businesses are always on the lookout for social media experts to help them reach as many people as possible through the social network. Usually, social media experts are required to:
- Create high-quality and engaging content
- Plan a social media strategy to attract followers
- Respond to any messages or comments
- Keep updated with the latest trends
Alternatively, you could share your expertise in a freelance capacity by offering online courses or coaching, selling digital products, or becoming an influencer to secure sponsored partnerships. With dedication, strategic planning, and a strong social media presence, you might be able to turn your social media skills into a fruitful online income stream.
| Average Earnings | $20.44 per hour |
| Time Investment | Around 6 months to 1 year to learn a solid understanding of social media principles |
| Difficulty Level | Medium: it takes a lot of work to keep up with trends and to learn and understand social media |
| General Requirements | Skilled at using social media, a creative eye |
Doing Online Tutoring
With the relevant qualifications and experience, you could become an online tutor and earn some money teaching others. The benefit of online tutoring is the fact that it makes you available to a far wider audience for higher chances of earning and is flexible too, meaning it could even be a side hustle to supplement your income.
To get started, identify your area of expertise and the subject you want to tutor, and make sure you have credible proof of your qualifications. Then, register with your preferred tutoring or freelancing websites, where you can set your rates for the services you offer.
| Average Earnings | $24.04 per hour |
| Time Investment | 2 years of professional experience in your tutoring subject |
| Difficulty Level | Medium: most sites require you to have an undergraduate degree in your subject, and lessons must be prepared individually |
| General Requirements | Strong organizational skills, good listening skills |
Offering Transcription Services
Transcription involves the conversion of audio or video recordings into written text, a process that is increasingly in demand across a variety of industries. Offering transcription services online can allow you to earn a high income while having the flexibility to work from anywhere and take on multiple projects simultaneously.
If transcription piques your interest, you'll first need to determine what type of transcription you want to do, whether it's general, legal, or medical, to name a few. Then you can build your resume and start applying for freelance jobs through Upwork and TranscribeMe, or in-house transcription jobs through LinkedIn or Indeed.
| Average Earnings | $25 to $40 per hour |
| Time Investment | A few months to train and become proficient in transcribing |
| Difficulty Level | Easy: If you have a laptop and some typing skills, it is easy to get up to speed, although getting your first job without experience can be more difficult |
| General Requirements | Fast and accurate typing skills, good listening abilities, attention to detail, laptop, headset |
Becoming a Virtual Assistant
Becoming a virtual assistant could be a way to make money online by providing services to clients such as administrative tasks, social media management, or customer service. Like many other roles, virtual assistants have the freedom to work remotely and often flexibly. However, it is a demanding job that requires you to respond to your employer's every need, manage your time efficiently, and be ruthlessly reliable.
Sites such as Fiverr post opportunities for virtual assistants, although your chances of success will depend on having a good portfolio, possibly with some previous experience, networking, and any other relevant training.
| Average Earnings | $25.04 per hour |
| Time Investment | You don’t necessarily need experience, but it can take 2 to 3 months to train on key project management tools, Microsoft Office, and Adobe |
| Difficulty Level | Easy: You don't need a degree and can apply for many jobs easily online, although it can be difficult to land your first job without immediate experience. |
| General Requirements | Requires various skills; from communication, organizational, and personal skills, as well as some training on popular assistant programs |
Selling Your Photographs
Online platforms that allow photographers to sell their work have become increasingly popular in recent years. These platforms include stock photo sites, print-on-demand services, and marketplaces, among others.
When deciding where to sell your photos, there are several factors to consider, including pricing, licensing, and exclusivity. Photographers should also research online platforms that cater to the specific niche of photography they specialize in, as this can increase their visibility and sales potential, such as Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, and Getty Images.
One of the main benefits of selling photos online is that it generates passive income, where the photographer can earn money long after their photo was taken. In addition, it gives photographers exposure and a chance to connect with a global audience, which increases their chances of getting more photo assignments, leading to more income.
| Average Earnings | $20 per hour |
| Time Investment | At least 1 to 2 months to build up your portfolio |
| Difficulty Level | Hard: Due to high competition, it takes a lot of work to take and upload the thousands of photos needed to make a decent income. |
| General Requirements | A high-quality camera, photography skills, and any other photography equipment |
Making and Selling Music Online
There are several ways to make money online from your music.
First, consider promoting your music on streaming platforms like Spotify or Apple Music, where you can earn royalties based on the number of streams your songs receive. You'll need to work with a music distributor like Distrokid to do this, as you can't upload your own songs directly to these platforms.
Another option is to offer online music lessons or to offer your services as a session musician or producer for other artists. Platforms like Preply, Fiverr, and Lessonface allow you to advertise your music lessons or session musician services and help connect you with work.
Finally, you can create and sell your beats or offer your music for movies and games through sites like Ditto Music. Building a strong online presence through social media and YouTube can also open up opportunities for sponsored content, collaborations, and live-streaming performances that can generate revenue through advertising, donations, or ticket sales. Ultimately, a combination of these strategies, along with constant promotion and networking, can help you make money from your music online.
| Average Earnings | $0.00318 per stream $30 for a 30-minute music lesson $250 for exclusive rights to a song |
| Time Investment | Several weeks for the music to become available on streaming platforms |
| Difficulty Level | Hard: due to very high competition and overall low success rate selling music |
| General Requirements | A combination of talent, dedication, and effective promotion of your work |
Offering Proofreading and Editing Services
Offering proofreading and editing services online can be a lucrative way to make money on your own terms. With the ability to work from anywhere and a high demand for these services in many different industries, you can set your own schedule and control your income. Start by building a portfolio of your work and setting competitive rates to attract clients. Platforms like Fiverr or Upwork provide a convenient way to showcase your skills and find potential clients. Remember, delivering quality work is key to building a positive reputation.
| Average Earnings | $21.99 per hour |
| Time Investment | Less than 1 month to complete and obtain proofreading certification |
| Difficulty Level | Easy: overall no specific training is required and is a skill that can be learned easily |
| General Requirements | Some clients will require you to specialize in a certain niche |
Becoming an Online Translator
Translation is more important than ever in our increasingly globalized world, making it an in-demand money-making opportunity. As with many online jobs, translators could sign up to freelance platforms like ProZ or Gengo and set their own rates and preferred hours. Alternatively, they could sign up with a translation agency or even start their own personal translation business.
Those with the most experience and knowledge of specialized languages have the potential to earn a competitive income, but be sure to research other people's rates to ensure you have the best chance of getting hired. To increase your chances of success, it's also important to continue to develop your language skills, build a strong portfolio, and network with other translators to find more work.
| Average Earnings | $20 per hour |
| Time Investment | Depends on your previous knowledge of the language, but it can take several years of study and hands-on experience to build the skills |
| Difficulty Level | Hard: it requires a lot of dedication and practice to become a translator and build your portfolio |
| General Requirements | Requires proof of having , often a bachelor’s degree in your chosen language as the ideal |
Creating and Selling a Course
Creating and selling an online course is a great way to turn your expertise and passion into profit. To get started:
- First, choose a topic that is in high demand and matches your interests and skills.
- Then you can begin to develop a comprehensive curriculum that addresses the needs of your audience and includes engaging multimedia content.
- To promote your course, you can choose a hosting platform such as Udemy, Teachable, or Skillshare.
- Finally, you can market your course through social media, email, and paid advertising. Throughout the process, you should continually improve your content by incorporating feedback and following market trends to retain and attract more customers.
| Average Earnings | Mini-courses at $50 per course Larger courses at $200 per course |
| Time Investment | It can take anywhere from 25 to 500 hours to create a course, depending on the size, with additional time for promotion |
| Difficulty Level | Hard: there is a huge time commitment and competition with creating and selling an online course, but if successful it can generate some passive income |
| General Requirements | Strong and reliable knowledge and expertise about your course subject |
Sharing Your Internet Bandwidth
Did you know that monetizing your internet bandwidth can be a smart way to earn some extra, passive income? By sharing your unused internet data, you can tap into a growing market of users looking for reliable and affordable connectivity. Several platforms and services, such as Pawns, Honeygain, and PacketStream, allow individuals to sell or lease their unused bandwidth and turn it into a passive income stream.
Your earning potential can vary depending on factors such as location and the platform used. However, always research platforms before you start to make sure you are comfortable with their privacy and security policies regarding the use of your information.
| Average Earnings | $0.10 per Gigabyte sold |
| Time Investment | A few minutes to sign up to a bandwidth-selling platform |
| Difficulty Level | Easy: the platforms make it simple and straightforward to get started |
| General Requirements | Requires registering on a certain platform and installing a software/app that must keep running |
Publishing an eBook
Earning an income by writing and publishing an eBook has become increasingly popular for writers seeking to build their careers. Platforms such as Amazon Kindle Direct and Audible Creator Exchange allow you to self-publish your own eBooks and audiobooks and promote your work to millions of readers worldwide. With these platforms, you can keep up to 70% of the royalties from your eBook sales, making it a highly profitable venture.
- To attract as many readers and buyers as possible, you could focus on a specific niche and thoroughly research compelling, in-demand content.
- Use social media, email marketing, and paid advertising to increase visibility and sales.
- Set a realistic and competitive price to ensure customers aren't turned off.
- Publish your eBook on multiple platforms. Just make sure you get your own ISBN (a number that identifies your book) so you can!
| Average Earnings | $150 per month |
| Time Investment | It can take years to write and edit your eBook, though publishing it usually only takes a matter of days |
| Difficulty Level | Hard: writing and then promoting your eBook is a lengthy and complex process |
| General Requirements | Strong advertising strategy to promote your book, writing skills, spare time to write |
Making YouTube Videos
Creating YouTube videos and vlogs can be a fun and fulfilling way to express your creativity while earning some money on the side. Once you have your own YouTube account and have identified your unique content and area to start creating videos and blogs about, you can start monetizing in a variety of ways, including
- Joining the YouTube Partner Program, which gives you access to resources and monetization features on the platform. Keep in mind, however, that you need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 total views to be eligible.
- Allow advertisers to advertise on your videos to generate revenue.
- Sell memberships to your channel for exclusive and premium content.
- Ask for donations through Patreon.
- Create, sell, and promote your own merchandise through your YouTube channel.
- Partner with brands or create sponsored content on your channel.
With that said, making money on YouTube can be a challenging and lengthy process as you build your audience and subscribers on a highly competitive platform. However, with hard work, creativity, and patience, YouTube can be a lucrative endeavor.
| Average Earnings | $10 to $500 per month for 1,000 - 10,000 subscribers |
| Time Investment | It can take longer than 1 year to gain 10,000 subscribers with consistent effort: recording videos, editing and uploading them, and gaining subscribers is a long process. |
| Difficulty Level | Hard: YouTube is very competitive and requires a lot of time and energy with the risk of not succeeding. |
| General Requirements | Video and audio equipment, technical knowledge, content strategies |
Creating a Dropshipping Business
Dropshipping is a retail business model in which the seller does not maintain inventory, but instead purchases items from third-party suppliers who ship directly to the customer. Unlike traditional retail businesses, dropshipping has minimal overhead costs and allows entrepreneurs to start with fewer resources and less risk.
- To begin, it’s important to find a product that belongs to a profitable niche on platforms like Amazon Best Sellers and Google Trends.
- Next, you will need to find a suitable third-party platform selling the product, like Magento, AliBaba, and AliExpress. You can find other suppliers by searching dropshipping directories like Dropship.IO.
- Then you can create your online store with sites like Shopify and set your competitive but reasonable rates.
- Finally, you will need to promote your store to get the best chance of making sales through social media and paid or email advertising.
| Average Earnings | 10% to 30% of each sale made |
| Time Investment | Between a few weeks and a few months of research and store setup |
| Difficulty Level | Medium: while setting up your store is straightforward, finding a niche product and promoting your store can be more challenging |
| General Requirements | A supplier, an e-commerce store, a marketing strategy |
Taking Paid Online Surveys
Paid online surveys allow people to earn money from home by sharing their opinions about various products and services. Companies use online surveys to gather consumer insights and reward users in exchange. At Freecash, we have a number of different survey opportunities that allow you to earn cash, cryptocurrency, gift cards, and gaming skins, to name a few, with completely free registration.
Getting started with paid online surveys is easy: all you have to do is provide some personal information, such as your name and location, and verify your email address, and you're ready to earn. To get the most out of surveys, it is best to be honest with your answers, as some platforms may disqualify you for false answers.
| Average Earnings | $1.50 to $5 with Freecash |
| Time Investment | A matter of minutes - you can usually begin right after you register on a GPT platform |
| Difficulty Level | Easy: simple to sign up, though it’s important to answer questions honestly |
| General Requirements | Answering surveys with honest questions to prevent disqualification, an email address |
Starting a Blog
Blogging can be an excellent way to turn your writing hobby into a full-time job and career. Before starting out, you will need to consider the following steps to create and monetize your blog:
- First you will need to figure out your specific area of interest and the content you want to create. It helps to find something unique so you can stand out from the crowd.
- Then you can build your blog on platforms like WordPress, Weebly, and Wix.
- Before you can start monetizing your blog, you will need to make sure you have a good number of articles and work on your blog to attract an audience. You can use marketing strategies like promoting your blog on social media, email, and newsletter marketing, or buying into paid advertising to increase your readership.
- After this, you can start to monetize your blog by selling ad space, using affiliate marketing links on your blog, creating sponsored posts, and promoting digital products.
| Average Earnings | $0.01 to $0.10 per page view |
| Time Investment | Creating a blog is quick and simple but monetizing can take as long as 5 years for many bloggers. |
| Difficulty Level | Hard: blogging is very competitive and it’s very challenging to gain a big readership in order to monetize. |
| General Requirements | Quality writing skills, publishing and promotion strategies |
Testing Websites
With some technical knowledge, website testing could be another great way to make some money online. Numerous companies and businesses use website testing to ensure their user experience is seamless, to improve their brand perception, and to improve their website's success.
There are different types of testing, including usability testing, functionality testing, and cross-browser compatibility testing. Having some knowledge of codes such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript can help, but a keen eye for detail and clear communication are crucial as you will need to report your findings. Companies like UTest and TryMata host website testing opportunities which you can sign up and apply for, though bear in mind you will have to complete a qualification test before each role.
| Average Earnings | $10 per test |
| Time Investment | Very quick to sign up to a website testing platform |
| Difficulty Level | Easy: straightforward to sign up to platforms and get started, though some technical know-how is useful |
| General Requirements | A PC or laptop able to download software, a mic, and webcam |
Creating a Podcast
Podcasting offers many benefits, allowing individuals to share their expertise, stories, or interests with a global audience and build a loyal following. To create your own, we've listed a few steps to get you started:
As with many online money-making endeavors, you need to make sure you have a niche and distinctive angle for your podcast so you stand out from the crowd. Podcasting is very competitive, so this is crucial. You can research other podcasts and look at podcast charts to get an idea.
Once you have an idea and have recorded some podcast content, you can try to build your audience through social media and by submitting your podcast to directories like Apple, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. You could even try applying to podcasting programs like Audible's Podcast Development Program. Then you can start monetizing your podcast through sponsorships, advertising, affiliate marketing, selling your own merchandise, or offering premium content and subscriptions to loyal listeners.
The key is to create valuable and engaging content to attract potential sponsors and advertisers.
| Average Earnings | If you have 10,000 downloads of an episode you could make between $500 and $900 |
| Time Investment | At least 6 months to see an increase in your audience, but it can take years |
| Difficulty Level | Hard: podcasting is very competitive, requires expensive audio equipment, lots of perseverance and dedication |
| General Requirements | Investment in high-quality equipment, technical knowledge, hosting provider, consistency in uploading episodes, creative skills |
Selling on Etsy
Etsy is a popular e-commerce platform that caters to a global audience and specializes in unique, handmade and vintage items created by independent sellers. Selling your own products on the platform can be a great way to monetize your creativity and craftsmanship.
Setting up a shop on Etsy is easy and straightforward, and sellers can list their products in minutes by following the platform's guidelines. The benefits of selling on Etsy include low overhead costs and exposure to a large audience, which increases your chances of selling. You can also increase your exposure by promoting on social media or opting for paid advertising. If you have a unique product to sell, you too can join the ranks of successful Etsy entrepreneurs by taking the first step today and setting up your own shop.
| Average Earnings | Part-time sellers earn on average $100 to $500 per month |
| Time Investment | A few minutes to set up your shop, but crafting your products can take months |
| Difficulty Level | Medium: creating your products and promoting your shop can be challenging |
| General Requirements | Design, creative, and craft skills, time to produce items, decent camera to photograph your products |
Conclusion
The Internet has opened up a wide range of opportunities to make money online that fit a variety of skills, interests, and availability. The top 20 methods highlighted in this article, from freelance writing to taking paid online surveys, have shown us the vast and often untapped potential of the Internet to increase our income. Overall, remember that no one gets rich quick, so it's important to be consistent, focused, and dedicated when making money online.
