16 Best Online Side Hustles to Make Money in 2024

With increased inflation and subsequent financial demands, what better way to spend your day than reading tips on how to earn more money online? Enter online side hustles – additional internet-based gigs for extra cash. 

The rise of online side hustles provides something for everyone and every skill, whether you’re a pro looking to expand your business, a beginner testing the waters, a big dreamer launching something huge, or a student looking for upkeep. We’ve put together the best 16 of 2024 to start you off. 

Everything You Need to Know About Online Side Hustles

Before delving into the next big idea, how about shedding some light on the why and how? We’ll also give you a few valuable tips for a robust foundation for your side hustle to make money online. 

How Will I Benefit From Online Side Hustles?

Remember how the pandemic led to various company closures and job losses? Aside from regular work, additional income from investments and side jobs provided much-needed financial security to help you out in unforeseen circumstances. But side hustles give more than that: 

• Peace of mind. You no longer need to worry about lost income in case of job loss.
• Savings. Online side hustles provide extra income you can save for investments, holidays, a house, or a pension.
• Fulfillment. Imagine exploring your passion while earning from it; you’ll enjoy the whole process and attain a sense of satisfaction and achievement beyond just money.
• Personal and career growth. Online side hustles can help you enhance your skills, learn new things, and grow your networks, increasing your experience and career advancement. 

How Do I Get Started With an Online Side Hustle?

It can be challenging to choose the right side hustle for your lifestyle, but with the right guidance, you can make the right, cost-effective choices, greatly impacting your success and satisfaction. There are many factors to consider when starting an online business to earn extra income.

Identify and Evaluate Your Skills and Interests   

The chances of success are higher if you venture into something you love and are good at. If you don’t like dealing with social media platforms, you’ll probably struggle with social media marketing. But perhaps you’re someone who enjoys writing, so you could try your hand at freelance writing or creating an online course that shares the best tips and tricks for nailing great copy.

Find Out Available Potential Side Hustles in Your Field of Interest 

Choose what best suits your abilities, strengths, and interests. For instance, if you’re camera-shy, you’re better off sharing incredible videos of the places you’ve been to rather than appearing in the footage in person. 

Consider Your Availability 

You want to pick a side hustle that fits your schedule, as some may demand more effort and time than others. This step helps you leave moments for yourself, your regular job, and your loved ones. If you have limited time and skills, you’re still covered with passive income gigs like internet-sharing.

The 10+ Best Online Side Hustles to Explore in 2024

With or without a full-time job, a side hustle is possible. And the good news is all expertise and interest levels apply. Everyone gets a piece of the pie, from writers to fitness trainers, doctors and nurses, students, software developers, travelers, stay-at-home moms, and food connoisseurs! Let’s dive in.

1. Sharing Your Internet  

If you’re looking for the laziest and easiest way to earn money online, it can’t get simpler than sharing your internet. It’s a great side hustle idea that requires almost no effort. All you need to do is download the app, install it on your device, and let it run in the background whenever you’re online.

Pawns.app also makes sure your personal information remains safe and private. The app only replays requests, so no one can use your device or see what you’re doing. Oh, and sharing your internet through Pawns.app won’t slow down your browsing speed.

• Income potential: Your earnings can range from $9.60 monthly to much more, depending on your online hours and number of IPs.
• Skill requirements: None, if you know how to create an account, that’s basically all you need.
• Equipment & tools: Your phone and stable internet connection.
• Tips for success: To maximize your earnings, the best tip would be to set a limit of how much you want to share, but keep the process running in the background.

2. Online Survey Taking

You can earn money by sharing your opinion as Pawns.app offers that too! Companies need people to review their products and services for feedback that can help them improve existing ones or perfect new ones.

Enter online surveys that can pay significant amounts for your responses. So you earn money and become a part of something big: a company’s growth and success. Plus, you’ll learn a lot.

• Income potential: You can earn around $0.25 up to $15 daily.
• Skill requirements: None, though some surveys may require certain skills, but these will be listed individually.
• Equipment & tools: Either your phone, laptop, or PC and a stable internet connection.
• Tips for success: Stay consistent and check available surveys every day, some paid surveys may offer more than others.

3. Dropshipping

Have you ever thought about getting involved in selling products locally and maybe overseas, but the thought of managing production, logistics, and shipping scares you? Then this online side hustle idea is for you. It allows you to source and sell merchandise to clients with minimal logistics, storage, or involvement. 

How does drop shipping work? Identify the supplier, market the products, and once you get a buyer, order from the seller on their behalf, and they’ll deliver directly to the client. You sell, pocket your margin, and run a sustainable business based solely on the internet with minimal effort.

• Income potential: Dropshippers typically could make between $1000-$50,000 per month of net profit.
• Skill requirements: While anyone can start this business, it will help to have some business knowledge and do extensive research on choosing the right partners for product supply and shipment.
• Equipment & tools: To get started, you’ll need a minimalistic ecommerce website, PC or laptop, and your internet. Shopify or Webflow are great choices.
• Tips for success: Establish a simple customer journey with your ideal customer in mind. Make sure your website is fully optimized to help guide your client. Another tip would be to prepare in advance for any worst-case scenarios like chargebacks or refund requests.

4. Freelancing  

This side hustle is a fantastic opportunity if you have existing skills that you use at your current job. Why not offer them to other clients at a fee? You can also learn the required expertise and start freelancing. 

Many online platforms like Upwork and Fiverr can help you get started on your freelancing career. sign up and create your profile, then search the available opportunities based on your interests. There are myriad freelancing options, including graphic design, software development, website building, coding, freelance writing, accounting, or even digital marketing.

The beauty of freelancing is that you decide when to work and who to serve. Most platforms even allow you to set your preferred fees.

• Income potential: Upwork reports that technical writers, for example, make $25-$50 per hour, so this could easily turn into a full-time gig.
• Skill requirements: Freelancing skills require knowledge and experience in a specific field. You can utilize the many tutorials, guides, and free courses online to get started. Engage with free pro bono gigs, and once you can create a simple portfolio, create an account on Fiverr or Upwork.
• Equipment & tools: This could depend on what you want to do, but you’ll likely need to invest in some tools for gigs like software development or coding. But for the most part, the internet is full of free tools, all it takes is the willingness to try them!
• Tips for success: Consistency is key. If you’re just starting, try creating a Google Sheets file with all of the customers you reached out to, gather feedback, and note the process status. Slowly, you’ll start getting some clients, just make sure to grow steadily and not rush.

5. Blogging

This online side hustle is terrific because you can write about what you love or know. For instance, if you’re knowledgeable or enthusiastic about mental health, why not start a blog where you can post articles imparting your knowledge in the field? You can easily build one using online drag-and-drop blog builders like WordPress or hire a site designer.

Sponsored posts allow you to write about related products and services on your blog for payment per feature or purchase. Google ads are another great way to earn extra cash once your site has enough traffic.

• Income potential: According to Indeed, bloggers make around $64,846 per year.
• Skill requirements: Literally anyone can start blogging, even if you don’t have any experience. What’s important is to choose a niche, and be unique and genuine. This way you’ll be creating something new and you’ll surely attract attention.
• Equipment & tools: You can build most blogs completely free. There are loads of website-building platforms to choose from like Webflow, Squarespace, and Wix.
• Tips for success: Yet again consistency wins. It doesn’t matter how often you post a new blog article, just make sure you do it regularly.

6. Monetizing Your Hobby

Do you enjoy making DIY stuff like handcrafted jewelry, painting and drawing, fashion designing, or gardening? You could easily monetize your hobbies. This leverages something you already do, so there’s no hard work involved. All you need to do is take pictures of your products and upload them online. 

You can sell your creations through social media platforms without needing an ecommerce website, making it easy to start. Also, there are online platforms like Etsy, eliminating the need to build a store from scratch. 

• Income potential: One Etsy shop owner made almost $1 million in her first year. But that’s a bit out there, a more realistic range would be between $5,000 to $50,000.
• Skill requirements: The skill to make the product! Some skills like digital planner making can be easily developed, while woodwork could take some time to master.
• Equipment & tools: Choose to monetize a skill that requires little to no tools, like digital products. Most of them can be created for free, especially with the help of Canva.
• Tips for success: Create high-quality and detailed listings to help make it clear to your potential customers about what they’re buying. A good idea would also be to cover refund and return policies in advance.

7. Creating a YouTube Channel

YouTube has 2.6 billion users and content creators on the platform make millions of dollars from advertising revenue. Imagine what a tiny fraction of that would do if it were yours. How? Upload content on YouTube to earn viewers and subscribers by leveraging the existing online population and its interests.

You can monetize your videos once you hit 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours. There’s various content to choose from, like how-to videos, vlogs, live streaming, and product reviews based on your passion or knowledge. 

• Income potential: One estimate states that an average YouTuber in the US makes around $120,226 per year in 2024.
• Skill requirements: This would highly depend on the niche you choose, but to get started, it would be good to learn a bit about video montaging and editing.
• Equipment & tools: While high-quality cameras are great, today’s smartphones have wicked good cameras. The only thing you could consider is a microphone.
• Tips for success: Choose a memorable channel name, post consistently regardless of frequency, and engage with your audience.

8. Online Fitness Training

The pandemic elevated the trend of working from home, leading to the rise of online side hustles thanks to an increased preference for remote services, including the fitness industry. There are endless options for building an online side hustle if you’re a fitness enthusiast or trainer. Here’s how: 

You could organize live online fitness training sessions like aerobics and yoga. You can sell these to individuals or corporations. Another option would be to sell downloadable workout plans, or make fitness videos and upload them on YouTube.  

• Income potential: Online personal trainers can earn an average of around $50,000 per year.
• Skill requirements: To be successful with this approach, you have to have solid experience in fitness.
• Equipment & tools: There are lots of different ways to approach online training, but if you’d like to start small with no investment, you can always choose no-equipment training programs, which are hugely popular, especially after COVID-19. The only things you’d need are a moderately good smartphone camera and a good microphone.
• Tips for success: Be genuine and try to either focus on a single training group profile or provide several programs for different people. Another great tip would be to share your own fitness journey highlights.

9. Writing Ebooks

Ebooks are for you if you have skills, expertise, or know-how about a specific topic or field. Capture everything you know in a digital book and sell it to an audience hungry for knowledge to make money online. This side hustle is fantastic if you prefer to stay in the background instead of speaking directly to clients.

Your ebooks can cover various topics, from quick recipes for working moms, and weight management tips, to how to launch an entrepreneurship journey.

• Income potential: An experienced and self-published author can make $10,000+ per month publishing their own books on Amazon.
• Skill requirements: Writing and editing are essential skills for this full-time gig. To sharpen or develop your skills you can start practicing with a blog.
• Equipment & tools: For writing you don’t really need any tools, but if you want to choose a platform like Amazon or Kindle, these platforms could have their fees, but they’re usually minimal.
• Tips for success: Write informative ebooks, but make sure to always edit for readability, especially if you’re writing about a difficult topic. A good practice is to incorporate visuals to support your points.

10. Becoming an Online Proofreader

Many people write content but need help perfecting it, and that’s where editors and proofreaders come in. You can choose between academic, business, translation, and print media proofreading based on your interests and expertise.

Moreover, there are various platforms where you can sign up to work as a proofreader, making it easy to find jobs from the onset. You’re already a curve ahead if you have excellent language and grammar skills, and most platforms will give you a sample test or reading material to prep once hired.

• Income potential: Editors and proofreaders can make up to $63,400 a year on average.
• Skill requirements: Attention to detail and language proficiency.
• Equipment & tools: You don’t really need any tools, though Grammarly could help catch obvious typos.
• Tips for success: Choose a specific topic to specialize in, this will help build your portfolio, experience, and trust for future potential clients.

11. Online Tutoring  

You can earn from a side hustle teaching students online in your free time. What’s better, this gig is also suitable for non-teachers as long as they have expertise in a particular field or are fluent in a specific language.

There are several different ways you could choose to tutor. For example, you could teach English as a second language (EASL), help students prepare for tests, teach a technical subject like coding, or help students with their thesis and assignments by reviewing them for perfection.

You can start building your portfolio by tutoring students in your school, neighborhood, or your friends’ kids. Alternatively, sign up on online tutoring platforms.

• Income potential: Depends on the subject, your level of experience, and other factors, but you could look at somewhere around $15-30 per hour.
• Skill requirements: Knowledge and experience in the specific subject you want to teach is essential. It would also help you to learn how to teach and explain topics.
• Equipment & tools: For online teaching, you only really need a computer, internet, Google Slides (or other presentation tools), and you’re good to go.
• Tips for success: Establish a teaching system with clear rules. Also, make sure to engage with your students, and offer genuine advice when consulting individually.

12. Selling Your Photos Online

Professional photographer or not, you must have hundreds or thousands of photos in your phone library or pro camera. You can sell them online on stock photography platforms instead of letting them lie idle on your device. 

Some of the best platforms are Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Freepik, and many others. If you want to easily earn money online, you can simply create an account, upload your photos, and enjoy the benefits of these platforms as they’re widely popular with companies and individuals.

• Income potential: Depending on a specific niche, photographers can earn an average of $20 per hour.
• Skill requirements: Photography skills are necessary here. It doesn’t matter whether you’re self-taught or you went to a school, you have to have a firm photography background for this.
• Equipment & tools: You’ll need a moderately high-quality photo camera, especially since most of the bigger photo platforms have strict requirements for dimensions and photo quality.
• Tips for success: Don’t just focus on a single niche, but choose a couple. To maximize your earnings, look at some of the most required images.

13. Managing Social Media Profiles

Social media management is another incredible option in our best side hustle ideas list. Many individuals and businesses have social media accounts but lack the time or expertise to manage them effectively. 

You can venture into this field if you’re knowledgeable about these platforms and offer services like content creation and management, marketing, audience engagement, SEO, and captioning.

This gig is fantastic because you only need your phone or laptop and internet connectivity to work anywhere. And you can manage your time effectively by using helpful tools like content scheduling assistants. 

• Income potential: A beginner can expect to earn around $56,605.
• Skill requirements: Virtually anyone can start managing social media profiles for extra cash, but it would help to learn time management skills and be on top of key social media trends and specifics.
• Equipment & tools: All you really need is a computer and an internet connection. For some, even a smartphone is enough.
• Tips for success: Research the specifics of each social media platform to grow your client’s social media profiles. Also, set up a content calendar with scheduled posts for better post management and planning.

14. Online Coaching

Besides creating digital content like ebooks and YouTube videos, you can interact directly with your audience through live coaching sessions. This side hustle entails teaching a learner one-on-one online. 

You can use pretty much any video or voice-enabled platform like WhatsApp, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook Live, Google Meet, and FaceTime.

Now, when it comes to choosing a field or subject, the most popular online coaching fields include writing, sales and business management, career coaching, wellness tips, and personal financial management.

• Income potential: Usually, online coaches can make between $50,000 and $100,000 per year.
• Skill requirements: Just like when creating an online course, you have to have specialized knowledge to coach other people.
• Equipment & tools: Free online tools are abundant, just have a good internet connection, camera, and microphone.
• Tips for success: Try to be honest, and authentic, and for that, you need to choose a smaller niche or offer something truly unique to your audience.

15. Transcribing Audio Files

Transcription is the conversion of audio or video recordings to written content. It presents a tremendous opportunity for online side hustle seekers. The job would involve listening to clients’ recordings and writing them word-for-word.

To start working as a transcriber, sign up on online transcription platforms as a service provider and wait for assignments. You can also approach people and institutions in your networks who may need the services; businesses, healthcare providers, law firms, lecturers, and students are part of the population that maximizes transcription.

• Income potential: Typically, in the US, a transcriber can earn around $19 per hour.
• Skill requirements: Good listening and language skills, but unlike being a proofreader, here you just need to type fast and without mistakes.
• Equipment & tools: Get a pair of high-quality earphones and this will significantly enhance your ability to transcribe.
• Tips for success: The best thing is to get more and more experience. As you get better, you’ll become faster and thus, transcribe more and earn more money online.

16. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is all about promoting other companies’ products and services. You can venture into this by obtaining links from the service providers or through affiliate programs like HubSpot. 

Once you have the affiliate link, include it in your YouTube videos, social media content, blog posts, or newsletters. You’ll earn a commission whenever someone purchases the product or service through your link.

The advantage of affiliate marketing is that you can do it alongside your other side hustles. Additionally, you can make money selling products without involving yourself in the logistics or deliveries, order processing, or customer service.

• Income potential: The average affiliate marketer earns $8,038 per month.
• Skill requirements: The best skill here is creativity. It will allow you to become more authentic and land better affiliate contracts.
• Equipment & tools: You don’t need any special tools, but one thing you should consider is that affiliate marketing requires you to have at least some follower base and a specialized platform.
• Tips for success: Be proactive in your affiliate marketing actions, don’t just recommend anything without actually trying a product or service.

How Do You Balance Your Online Side Hustle With Your Other Commitments and Regular Job?

Working on a side hustle means you’ll probably have to balance your day job as well. Make sure to plan your time and tasks honestly. This means that it’s better to plan smaller tasks than to set up big goals which can easily lead to overworking and burning out needlessly. 

You don’t want to lose your day job due to a side gig! The same applies to your relationships, social engagements, and other commitments. Here’s what you can do to strike a balance between your side hustles and your job: 

• Be bold and ask for help. Seek assistance if your online side hustle demands a lot of engagement or grows to a vast venture. 
• Allocate working times and set limits. It’s vital not to let your side hustle interfere with your regular work hours. 
• Stick to the boundaries. Stick to your set timelines and resist the urge to stray, like checking your social media account while working.
• Prioritize your activities. The best way to ensure your online side hustle doesn’t come calling with an urgent need during regular work hours is to attend to priority tasks first. 
• Take breaks. You’ll suffer burnout if you don’t take breaks. The result? Illness and the inability to work at all. 

Do Online Side Hustles Come With Any Challenges?

Just like any business, online side hustles also have challenges. Let’s look at some of the common ones and how you can conquer them: 

• Unstable connectivity. To overcome this challenge, invest in a stable connection to ensure reliability.
• Uncertainty and low income. To beat this challenge, diversify your income sources by investing in several online side hustles. 
• Insufficient skills. Whatever you choose to do to earn extra money, there’s a guaranteed free course or guide on the internet to get you the skills you need.
• Difficulty finding clients. This could be one tough nut to crack, but consistency and high-quality work/service is the key.
• Lack of self-discipline. Try to set clear, specific, and achievable goals, this will help you with long-term and stable progress. 
• Tough competition. Don’t let this competition deter you. Focus on creating original content and work. 

Final Thoughts

Online side hustles are a fantastic opportunity to earn additional income. Moreover, you can do them in your spare time, from anywhere, and on your preferred schedule. You only need the skill and knowledge you want to share, a phone or laptop, and internet connection.

Use the tips and 10+ best hustle ideas in this article, and find one or a few ideas that pique your interest and start your entrepreneurship journey. So what are you waiting for? Get moving. Even better, you can start internet sharing right now as you prepare.

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