10 Legitimate Ways To Make Money Online From Home

Opportunities to make money from home make me so happy! Now more than ever, having ways to earn money online can be a game-changer. This post will cover 10 legitimate ways to make money online from home so you can start earning a remote income as soon as possible!

After working online for over three years (while almost exclusively wearing pajama pants), I love helping other people discover online jobs they can do from home! Whether you’re looking for a side hustle to make some extra cash or want to transition to a fully remote lifestyle, these practical online job opportunities are a good place to start.

Teach English Online

Teaching English online is a great way to make money online from home! Teaching English online jobs are diverse and abundant, so there’s a good chance you can find something that fits your credentials.

Most online English teachers choose to work for an existing company as a freelancer or independent contractor. Some platforms are more structured and provide teachers with lesson plans, materials, and a set pay rate.

Other platforms are more free-flowing and conversation-based. These companies allow teachers to create their own lessons and market themselves to students independently. The vast majority of companies allow teachers to make their own schedules and choose the hours that work best for them, making this a flexible option.

Whichever way you choose to go, teaching English online is a great way to make money from home while impacting the lives of students around the world.

This post breaks down 25 popular online teaching companies in-depth.

Requirements

To teach English online, you must be a fluent or native English speaker. You’ll also need a teaching device such as a laptop or tablet, as well as a reliable high speed internet connection.

Some companies require a BA degree, TEFL certification, or previous teaching experience. But there are many that don’t require any previous experience or credentials. I highly recommend looking through the companies in this post to learn more about your options.

How Much Can You Make?

Most online English teachers make around $10 – $25 USD per hour. There are also platforms where you can set your own pay rate, so it’s possible to earn even more than this over time. With most companies, there are no minimum or maximum teaching hours. This means you can work as much or as little as you want.

Teach Another Subject Online

Online teaching isn’t just for English speakers! There are several websites where you can teach a language other than English to students around the world.

Some of these websites operate as learning marketplaces. You create a teacher profile and list out what classes you offer. Students can browse through teacher profiles and book a lesson with someone who appeals to them. You are responsible for doing your own marketing and attracting students, but on the flip side, you have more flexibility with what you teach and your pay rate.

If languages aren’t your thing, you can still earn money online as a teacher of another topic. I’ll list some companies below that hire instructors for a variety of subjects. With most of the platforms below, you’ll be responsible for creating your own lesson plans and materials.

• Preply: Teach any language and over 100 subjects online to adults around the world, create your own lesson plans, set your own pay rate. Read my Preply Review.
• CafeTalk: Teach languages or other subjects to adults in Japan and Korea, create your own lesson plans, set your own pay rate
• iTalki: Teach any language online to adults and children, create your own lessons, set your own pay rate. Read my iTalki Review
• Lingoda: Teach English, Spanish, French, or German online to adults, lesson plans provided, pay is $8-$13 per hour

Requirements

You must be a native or near-native speaker in the language you wish to teach. You should also have some kind of expertise in the subject area you are teaching if not teaching a language. These platforms require that you create a teacher profile and have access to reliable internet.

How Much Can You Make?

Teachers on the platforms listed above can set their own pay rates. Teachers typically earn anywhere from around $8 – $20 USD per hour. Keep in mind that for marketplace teaching platforms, the company will often take a percentage of your lesson fee as a commission.

Teach Online With Outschool

Outschool has become very popular lately since students are transitioning to remote schooling. Outschool is an educational marketplace platform geared toward English speaking students. Teachers can create classes about any subject they are passionate about and school-aged children can sign up.

With Outschool, you will create a class about a specific topic and write a detailed breakdown of what will be covered. Then, you’ll set a class meeting day and time. You can create one-time classes, recurring classes, or an entire course.

You’ll also choose how many students can join and what age group the lesson is for. Parents can browse through available classes and book yours if it’s the right fit for their student.

One of my favorite things about Outschool is the variety of class topics available. I browsed through the current class listings and saw cooking lessons, music classes, book clubs, jewelry-making classes, as well as more traditional academic subjects like history, geography, and science.

A friend of mine combined her love of teaching and fitness and now she teaches yoga classes on Outschool!

I’m planning to create a class about bullet journaling and doodling because it’s a hobby of mine. (You can read about how it went here!) If you have expertise in an area, there’s a good chance you can teach it!

If you’re interested in joining Outschool, you can read my Outschool Teacher Review here and sign up here!

Requirements

Outschool teachers must be 18 or older and speak English fluently since the primary teaching language is English. You must live in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom and be able to pass a background check.

Formal teaching experience and a degree are not required for Outschool. Teachers should, however, have knowledge about their subject area and be willing to create an engaging lesson for their students.

How Much Can You Make?

As an Outschool teacher, you can set your own pay rate per student that joins your class. They typically recommend charging around $10 per hour per student but you are free to adjust this rate if needed. Outschool keeps 30% of the payment as comission and you’ll keep 70%.

For example, let’s say you created an hour-long class and had five students join. If you charged $10 per student, you would earn $50 for the class. After Outschool takes their 30% commission, you would take home $35 for the hour-long lesson.

Apply to Outschool here!

Become a Virtual Assistant

If you love marketing, social media, writing, organizing, or helping people remotely, you might make a fabulous virtual assistant! Virtual assistants fill all kinds of roles and can do jobs like:

• Pinterest management
• Social media management and engagement
• Website/Tech assistance
• Blog Post writing and editing
• Graphic design work and creative work
• Podcast editing and management

Basically, you’ll help out behind the scenes for another business or brand!

But how do you get started with a VA job? There are some very popular virtual assistant training programs that can help you set up your VA business quickly and correctly. With guidance from an experienced VA, you’ll be able to start working faster and make money sooner.

Some of the best Virtual Assistant courses are:

• 11 Best Virtual Assistant Courses! Start your own VA business the right way
• 90 Day VA: The 90 Day VA program by Esther Inman has excellent reviews! A friend of mine did this course and started working as a VA quickly after. (Read my full 90 Day VA Review here.)
• Pinterest VA Ninja: VA Ninja is another Virtual assistant training program specifically designed for people who want to become Pinterest Virtual Assistants! (Read my VA Ninja Review here.)

You can also read a first hand account of what it’s like to work as a VA written by the fabulous Amanda Kime!

Requirements

While there aren’t traditional requirements for a VA position, you should be well versed in the area of assistance you’re offering. For example, you’re going to need to be pretty social media savvy if you want to be hired as a social media manager.

As with all online jobs, you’ll need to have a device to work from as well as reliable access to internet.

How Much Can You Make?

You can charge whatever you want for your virtual assistant services, but you want to make sure you’re not pricing yourself unreasonably high or low. To find out how much you should be charging, look through remote work and entrepreneurial Facebook groups to see what price similar packages go for.

For example, most full-service Pinterest managers charge around $350 USD per month per client. This usually includes scheduling all pins through a service like Tailwind, creating a set number of new pins per month, and participating in Pinterest sharing and promotion groups.

If you’re unsure of what to charge for your services, I’d recommend looking in the Facebook groups mentioned above. Find a post where someone is looking for a VA who does the same kind of work you want to do. Most people will leave a link to their website or package page and you can see what others in your field are charging.

Discover the 10 Best Virtual Assistant Courses to help you get started!

Appen Online Jobs

Appen is another interesting option for finding remote work. When you sign up for Appen, you can work on small task-based projects or longer-term projects as a search engine evaluator, social media evaluator, translation evaluator, and more.

You’ll fill out a basic application and then be able to apply to bigger projects or one-off tasks as they become available. Some people just do occasional tasks for Appen while others use it for a full-time income.

You might do tasks like:

• Evaluate the relevancy of internet search results
• Give your feedback on sponsored Facebook ads
• If you’re multi-lingual, you can give feedback on the accuracy of the language-translation

This post on the Digital Nomad Wannabe blog goes more in-depth about Appen and what you can expect.

Requirements

To apply to Appen, you must have a computer, a smartphone, a reliable internet connection, and a Payoneer account where you can be paid. This will allow you to have a basic Appen profile and you can see if you qualify for specific projects and tasks. The requirements for each project or task vary depending on what it is.

Appen hires people from around the world and there are no nationality or language requirements.

How Much Can You Make?

Your pay rate will vary based on where you’re located and the task you’re doing. Rates are anywhere from $3 – $13/hour.

See Appen Online jobs now!

User Testing

User testing is another way you can make money online. As a user tester, you will review a website or app that wants customer feedback. You will follow a set of instructions and say what you are thinking out loud. This is recorded and provided to the business or company so they can see what potential customers think.

While it would be difficult to make a full-time income this way, it’s a great way to make some cash here and there. I have a friend who does it regularly and earns anywhere from $50 – $100 extra dollars per month. I started last month and was able to make a bit of extra cash too. The tests pay well and it’s really fun to do, but getting tests that you qualify for can be hit or miss.

Think of this as a fun way to make a bit of extra money, not a full-blown income source.

To start, you’ll fill out the application to become a tester. Once you’ve been approved, you’ll fill out demographic information. Then, you’ll see a list of tests in your User Testing pannel. You’ll need to answer short screener surveys to see if you qualify for each test.

You’ll probably need to answer a lot of screener questions before getting a test, but usually, the screeners take less than 10 seconds to fill out so it’s not too big of a deal.

The reason why it’s a bit hit or miss is that sometimes you might see many tests to choose from and other times you might not have any. It’s important to check back regularly to see if there are any new tests you qualify for. You’ll also have to do a lot of screeners between each test you get selected for.

For this reason, it’s best to have the user testing website pulled up in a separate tab while you’re on your computer doing other things. You’ll get a notification chime whenever there is a new test available and you can quickly answer the screener questions.

If you’re approved, great! You can make a bit of cash. If not, it’s no big deal and you can go back to what you were doing to wait for the next chime.

Requirements

To become a user tester, you must have a computer and reliable internet connection. Some tests require a mobile app so if you want to qualify for those, you’ll also need a smart phone. You’ll also need a microphone to record your thoughts as you test. All applicants must be 18+ and able to speak in English.

How Much Can You Make?

You’ll be paid $10 per test. Tests are 20 minutes of recording your thoughts and four follow up questions. The downside is that there’s no way to know how many tests you’ll qualify for. Some days you might see several available and some days none. For that reason, User testing should be a source of extra money, not your primary income.

User testing only pays via Paypal so make sure you’re able to create a Paypal account before signing up.

Learn more and apply here!

Transcribing

As an audio transcriber, you’ll convert audio files into written text. TranscribeMe is a popular transcription platform where you can make money with extremely flexible hours.

With TranscribeMe, clients upload audio files that need transcribing. The company breaks the files down into smaller segments so you don’t end up stuck with monotonous hours of work. Those sections are made available to transcriptionists on the platform.

There are no minimum or maximum hours you must work with TranscribeMe, but since the projects are based on what is received from the client, there might be times when audio files aren’t available for you.

Requirements

To join TranscribeMe, you don’t need any formal experience. You just need to pass an English exam. You’ll also need to have a computer or laptop with a reliable internet connection.

How Much Can You Make?

TranscribeMe pays $15 – $22 USD per audio hour transcribed.

Learn more about TranscribeMe here!

App Jobs Online

AppJobs is a job listing marketplace that has some unique options. The website includes in-person listings as well as online opportunities, but it’s easy enough to filter for remote only.

To get started, you’ll type in your nearest city. Under the search bar, you’ll see categories to filter by job type. I selected “work from home” and any other category that sounded like it could be done online. Scroll down and you’ll see job listings as well as requirements and pay for each opportunity.

Requirements

Since there are tons of different jobs on AppJobs, there isn’t one set of requirements. You’ll make an account and fill in your information once in order to make applying quicker and easier. If you apply to online jobs, you’ll need a device and an internet connection.

How Much Can You Make?

Again, this will depend on the listing you choose. You can find longer-term remote positions or one-time task-based jobs like completing a survey or leaving feedback. What you make will depend on the listings available.

You can see current App Jobs listings here.

Freelance

If you have a skill set that could benefit others, you can offer your services on a freelance basis. Platforms like Upwork make this easy to do and help you connect with clients so you aren’t having to do everything yourself.

In the past, I’ve hired an editor from Upwork to review blog content and it was easy and quick. I typed in what I was looking for and a list of freelancer profiles came up. I chose the person who felt like the best fit for the job and she did awesome work.

Freelancers on Upwork do all kinds of online jobs from home like design, writing, editing, proofreading, sales, translation, and website development, and technical assistance. The upside of Upwork is that you’re connected with prospective clients easily. The downside is that there is a lot of competition and the platform keeps a percentage of your fee as commission.

Learn more about working as a freelance copywriter in this post!

Requirements

To become a freelancer and list your services on a platform like Upwork, you should have a background in the service you offer. Having samples of your work or previous client testimonials can be helpful for attracting clients.

How Much Can You Make?

One of the upsides of freelancing is that you can set your own rates. While it’s helpful to do some market research to get a ballpark figure of what your services typically go for, your rate is up to you at the end of the day. If you use a freelance platform like Upwork, they keep 20% of the fee you charge as commission.

Start Freelancing on Upwork

Start Blogging

Okay, honesty time. Unless you’re very very lucky, you probably won’t make much money when you first start blogging. It takes a long time to build up an audience and start bringing in the big bucks, but having a blog can be a source of passive income in the future.

I’m including this on the list because even though it’s difficult, it is possible to make money blogging. And the only way to eventually make money blogging is to actually start a blog. If being a blogger sounds like a dream, start a blog in addition to one of the online jobs listed above. That way you’ll have an income sources to lean on until your blog starts earning money in the future.

Bloggers write about all types of topics. You can write about travel, fashion, parenting, gardening, cooking, cleaning, cars, education, stuffed animals, drawing, anything you like! You’ll need to set up a website and you should enjoy writing, but as far as site design, look, and topic go, the sky is the limit.

Blogs make money in a few key ways:

• Advertising: On this blog, for example, the ads throughout the content are placed there by an ad management company and I make money per view or click.
• Affiliate Marketing: My favorite! Bloggers get a commission for recommending a product or company that they like. For example, I write a blog post about my favorite online teaching headset. Throughout the post, I include an affiliate link to the product. If you click that link and go buy it, I get a small commission for referring you.
• Sponsored Content: A company or brand might pay you to write about them on your blog. In the travel space, this could mean getting comped a free trip in exchange for writing about it or even getting paid while on assignment. Digital Nomad Wannabe has an awesome free resource with more information about how to make money on sponsored content here.
• Product Sales: Some bloggers have products, courses, merchandise, digital downloads, e-books, etc that they use to make money. I have digital products that I sell in my Etsy shop and an online course. I mainly promote these items through my blog.

If you want to start blogging, this Step-By-Step Blogging Guide covers the basics you’ll need to get set up.

And if you’d like to start travel blogging, I’d highly recommend you look into the SuperStar Blogging Business Course offered by Nomadic Matt. This program will show you how to build your blog on a solid foundation so you can make money in the future.

Requirements

There are no formal requirements to become a blogger. You will need a computer and internet access to set up your website, and you should also have expertise and interest in the area you’re writing about.

How Much Can You Make?

It depends on a lot of factors. Your niche, how long you’ve been blogging, and whether or not you get lucky enough to “go viral” along the way will all play a huge part in how much money you eventually make blogging. This is a long process but it can be profitable over time and a fulfilling creative outlet too!

This post talks about how much money bloggers make and where it comes from. It’s an interesting read and helpful for those wanting to get started. You can read it here.

Check out the best blogging courses to help you get started here!

Final Thoughts Make Money Online Jobs

There are so many interesting ways to make money online in 2020! It can take some trial and error to figure out which online job is right for you, but it’s so worth it when you do. By getting started now, you’ll be one step closer to a remote income and location independent lifestyle!

Remote Work Tips

Want to learn more about working online from home? The posts below will cover some tips and job platforms to make your transition smoother!

• Online Job Ideas: See all online job posts on this page
• My Work From Home Essentials: The best gear and technology for your home office
• Online Teaching Guide: This page is packed with everything you need to know to become an online teacher
• Pinterest Courses for Bloggers: Make money on Pinterest with these tips!