If we see today’s digital age, earning online is more affordable than before. Either you are searching for additional income, transition to a full time online career or discover many opportunities. The internet gives a wide range of platforms to achieve your financial goals.
If you are a freelancer or an e-commerce entrepreneur, content creator, or affiliate marketer, there is most likely an online platform to match every skillset and interest. In this email, we are going to cover the top 20 places to make money on the web, how they work, their earning potential, and how to get started.
There are many different places online to make money depending on your skills, interests, and business model. Below is a rundown of the top twenty places to make money online:
1. Upwork
- Overview: Upwork is a well-known freelancing service that connects freelancers with clients in various industries, including writing, graphic design, programming, and marketing.
- Earnings Potential: Your earnings depend on the type of work, your experience, and the client’s budget. Freelancers may charge by the hour or a fixed price.
- How to Get Started: To get started with Upwork, you create a profile that highlights your skills, you apply for jobs and you get hired by clients.
2. Fiverr
- Overview: Fiverr is a platform that connects freelancers with buyers interested in hiring freelance workers. A specific service can be provided by a freelancer, and usually can start at only $5. The services available are incredibly varied so watch out for your niche. (Digital Marketing, Graphic Design, Voiceovers, Programming, etc)
- Earning Potential: Remember, some services cost $5 but you can have premium packages for larger dollar amounts.
- How to Get Started: Sign up, create services, and provide links to share with buyers.
3. Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk)
- Overview: MTurk is a marketplace for human intelligence tasks, often referred to as HITs. HITs can involve small aspects of data validation, surveys, transcription, surveys, content moderation, among others. Generally, HITs involve small payments for fairly simple and mundane tasks that can be completed for a few cents/dollars each. However, if you are able to complete a “bunch” you can accumulate decent earnings.
- Earnings Potential: Although payments per HIT are low, it is possible to turn the task into a small earning opportunity.
- Getting Started: Create an account on MTurk, complete HITs, and earn pay as a worker.
4. YouTube
- Overview: Youtube is a platform where you can create engaging videos, optimize through ads, and sell products or services Many creators these days use youtube to earn online.
- Earning Potential: Your earning is based on views, ads revenue,and other optimizing strategies
- How to Get Started: if you want to earn on youtube then choose a target audience, create engaging content, and optimize your channel.
5. Instagram
- Overview: Instagram is a platform where you can build a following
- Earning Potential: Your earning is based on views, ads revenue,and other optimizing strategies
- How to Get Started: if you want to earn on youtube then choose a target audience, create engaging content, and optimize your channel.
6. Freelancer
- What it is: Another huge freelancing marketplace where businesses publish projects for freelancers to bid on. It offers a ton of job categories – much like Upwork.
- Why it’s awesome: Offers bidding contests – this can be a great way to demonstrate your skills and earn projects. Offers milestone payments on projects.
- Things to consider: You will be competing with other bidders,
7. Toptal
- What it is: A very selective platform that connects businesses with top freelance talent in technology (developers, designers), finance, and product management.
- Why it’s great: They have a very rigorous screening process and only let 3% of applicants in. Because of that you get higher paying projects and better clients.
- Things to keep in mind: The barrier to entry is very high so this is for highly skilled and experienced professionals.
8. Amazon (Seller Central)
- What it is: The world’s largest online marketplace. Anyone — from families to small businesses to large corporations — can become sellers and list their products for sale to a huge global audience.
- No one else comes close to their reach and customer base. Provides access to multiple selling models, including FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon), where Amazon takes care of storage, picking, packing, and shipping.
- Extremely high competition, hidden fees (referral fee, professional monthly subscription fee, FBA fees), selling restrictions and guidelines.
9. Etsy
A global online marketplace primarily for independent artists and makers.
An amazing resource for artists, crafters, and collectors to sell their creative goods. It has an incredibly loyal and passionate community of buyers looking for unique, one-of-a-kind goods.
Monthly subscription fees by level (some include listing fees), transaction fees, payment processing fees. This means you’ll need high-quality photography and thorough product descriptions.
10. Shopify
- What it is: An e-commerce platform that allows you to create your own online store without needing extensive coding knowledge.
- Why it’s awesome: Offers an all-inclusive set of tools to create, manage, and market an eCommerce store. Provides deep flexibility with templating, payment processors, and shipping integrations.
- What to look out for: monthly subscription fee required, and you’ll need to drive your own traffic and do your own marketing.
11. eBay
An incredibly robust, established site for virtually any individual or business to sell their new and used goods via auction or direct sale.
Provides auction and “Buy It Now” formats, giving you the option to sell however you want. Great for selling antiques, electronics, clothes and many other items.
Selling fees, PayPal/Credit card processing fees, extreme competition, mainly for hot selling items.
12. Patreon:
- What it is : A membership platform that allows creators to obtain recurring revenue directly from their fans (patrons) in exchange for access to exclusive content, early access, or other incentives.
- Why it’s great : Provides stable, predictable income for creators who have an enthusiastic follower base. Works well for artists, musicians, writers, podcasters, etc.
- Things to consider: You will need to have an existing follower base who will support this revenue stream. Patreon takes a percentage of the income.
13. Medium:
- What it is : An online publishing platform for writers to share articles and stories. As a member of the Medium Partner Program, writers earn money based on the amount of engagement or reads their article gets from the members.
- Why it’s great : Good way for writers to gain exposure, build an audience, and generate passive income through their articles.
- Things to consider : Individual articles can have huge variations depending on the readership and engagement.
14. Skillshare / Udemy:
- What it is: Online learning platforms for instructors to create video courses on various topics from art, to business and technology, where they can sell the courses to the public.
- Why it’s awesome: Leverage your expertise to create passive-income streams. Get paid for having knowledgeable content that eager learners can access from anywhere in the world.
- Things to consider: You need to have the knowledge, skills to create video production, and some marketing to promote your course.
15. Dribbble / Behance (for Designers):
- What it is: Top online communities and portfolios for creative professionals (graphic designers, web designers, and illustrators). They may not be direct earning platforms, but they are important for showcasing work and connecting with clients.
- Why it’s awesome: They are great ways to create a professional portfolio, gain exposure, and create connections with potential clients and employers. And many clients find and hire designers directly through these platforms.
- Things for thought: They are making a small percentage off of you – you still have to reach out and communicate with potential clients who are looking at your portfolio.
16. CodeMentor / Topcoder (for Developers):
- What is it: CodeMentor connects developers to students or aspiring programmers for 1:1 mentorship or code reviews. Topcoder hosts coding challenges (which are competitions) for cash prizes.
- Why is it great: These platforms offer opportunities for experienced developers to earn money sharing their knowledge or coding competitions.
- Things to think about: You’ll need to be an experienced developer and be knowledgeable in one or more programming languages or concepts and be able to demonstrate your knowledge with tests or examples.
17. Vinted / Poshmark (for Selling Used Clothing):
- What is it: Mobile-first marketplaces built around the buying and selling of used clothing, shoes, and accessories.
- Why is it great: It’s easy to create listings, attract an audience of people interested in fashion, and make money while decluttering your closet.
- Things to think about: If you’re going to sell clothes, you need to be good at taking pictures, writing descriptions, and pricing strategically. The platforms take posts as a percentage of the sale.
18. Chegg Tutors:
- What it is: An online platform that connects students with subject-matter experts in dozens of subjects. Ranging from high school level to college level.
- Why this is good: Flexible scheduling, work from anywhere type of situation, and you will consistently have students to work with.
- What to think about: You must have a strong academic background, as well as pass through an application process.
19. Preply / iTalki (for Language Tutoring):
- What it is: Platforms entirely dedicated to language learning in connecting students with native and experienced language tutors all over the world.
- Why this is good: Lots of need for language tutors, and allows you to set your rates and schedule.
- What to think about: You must have a passable level of fluency in the language you are teaching, and often a teaching certificate or experience.
20. PeoplePerHour:
- What it is: A freelancing platform based in the UK that focuses mainly on connecting businesses with freelancers to work with on project or hourly basis, but is particularly focused in the design / web dev / content creation realm.
- Why this is good: Unique mix of job posting and “hourlies” (pre-packaged services similar to Fiverr Gigs). It’s user friendly and good for local and international clients.
What to think about: A limited number of proposals (free per month), and competition can be heavy.
