There are over 3.4 billion people on the Internet. It’s numbers like that which make earning money online not just possible, but lucrative. But with so many opportunities to make money online, how do you know which ones are worth your time?
We have you covered. Read on to find out how to make money online without paying anything.
Table of Contents
Work a Remote Job
Working remotely has all the perks of a traditional job without the regular schedule that can bog you down. The trick is finding a reputable company to work for. Lucky for you, we’ve compiled a list of said companies.
1. Shopify
Shopify is an eCommerce business with remote workers all over the world. The positions vary widely, with jobs in everything from general customer support to senior partnership manager roles available.
2. Buffer
Buffer is a social media management business with an all-remote team spread all over the world. A position with this company is highly sought after—and for good reason. Buffer offers unlimited time off, stock options, free devices, and a learning stipend to its employees.
3. Cisco
Cisco is a Fortune 500 global leader in IT with employees spread across the globe. Remote positions with the company range from general customer support to various leadership positions.
4. DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo is a widely used search engine that, unlike Google and Bing, doesn’t track its users. It employs people from all over the world to work remotely, and offers multiple perks to those it brings under its wing.
5. Intuit
Intuit is a financial and business software company. If you’ve ever filed your taxes online or used money management software, odds are you’ve used an Intuit product or service.
Intuit hires multiple remote workers all around the globe. If you have a background in services like accounting or tax preparation, work at this company can be an especially lucrative work-from-home opportunity.
6. Kaplan
Kaplan is a student education business that administers over 100 different exams. Their remote employees come from a range of backgrounds and industries, not just education.
Work for this company varies, with remote employees hired to fill positions that range from entry-level to senior leadership.
7. Mozilla
If you’ve ever used FireFox, congratulations, you’ve used a Mozilla product. This company hires remote workers world-wide, offering them market-competitive salaries and cash-based incentives. If you have an eye for tech work then Mozilla is a great work-from-home opportunity.
8. Zendesk
Zendesk is a customer service software and support system used extensively around the world. It’s also one of the best remote jobs to be found, with an emphasis on work/life balance and various perks offered to its employees.
Work Gig and Freelance Jobs
Working freelance is a great way to earn money and stay flexible. With the advent of the internet, freelancing has taken off, giving many people the means to work where they want, when they want.
Here are some of the best online platforms for freelancing.
1. Fiverr
Fiverr is one of the best freelancing websites in the world. A new gig is bought every 5 seconds on the platform, and over 25 million projects have been completed since they launched their website. Everyone from writers and developers to video editors and voice-over artists make a living on the platform.
2. Upwork
Upwork is another of the most popular freelancing sites in the world, used by companies like Dropbox, Airbnb, and more. Demand is high on Upwork, with clients not afraid to pay a premium for good quality work. If you have a marketable set of skills, then Upwork can be a great platform to sell them on.
3. Freelancer.com
Freelancer.com boasts a 95% rehire rate, making it one of the best platforms to use as an online freelancer. It currently hosts more than 14 million jobs and offers 24/7 support to both freelancers and posters.
4. 99 Designs
If you have experience as a designer, then 99 Designs is a great place to earn money as a freelancer.
Bonus: Interested in building a side hustle of your own? Click here to find out how to build your own business in 30 days!
Write Content
Content marketing is a lucrative business, so it stands to reason that the content creation is as well. Content writers write for people looking for specific content. Everything from website copy and blog posts to magazine articles falls under the dominion of the content writer.
There are a few options for finding work as a content writer. One is to sign up to a freelancing site like the ones above. Another is to find work on a writing specific platform, such as the following.
1. iWriter
iWriter is a freelancing platform where writers can earn money writing online. The writer simply chooses their article from the market and writes it within the specified time period.
2. Textbroker
Textbroker is an online content mill that lets freelance writers earn money from content writing on their platform. It works similar to other platforms on this list, letting writers choose from a pool of writing assignments to complete within a set time-frame.
3. Copify
Copify’s aim is to bring clients and writers together to produce specific copy. The types of projects vary, with content jobs on everything from blog posts to press releases and product descriptions.
Bonus: Interested in creating a blog of your own? Click here to find out how to start and monetize a successful blog!
Become an Affiliate Marketer
Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing. You earn money through linking to products and then earning a percentage of whatever sale results from that link.
There are a number of platforms that facilitate affiliate marketing. Some of the best include:
1. Amazon Associates
Amazon’s affiliate program is second to none, allowing users to earn money whenever people buy products through Amazon. The percentage earned varies according to the product category, but is usually around 5% of the sale.
2. ShareASale Affiliates
ShareASale has been running for more than 17 years, making it one of the most established programs on this list. Its marketplace is plentiful, featuring merchants catering to just about every market you can think of. If you’re looking to break into affiliate marketing, then ShareASale is a great platform to launch from.
3. eBay Partners
Another big name associate program, eBay partners caters to every market you can think of (provided the product is sold on eBay). If you’re looking for an established business to market to, then eBay is it.
4. Shopify Affiliate Program
Shopify is one of the biggest eCommerce platforms currently available. For those of you in niches where your audience will be trying to sell online, the Shopify affiliate program is a great tool to have in your arsenal.
5. Clickbank
Clickbank is similar to ShareASale in that it’s a diverse marketplace filled with a range of merchants. You simply choose which products you want to promote and go from there.
Bonus: Check out our list with 9 Affiliate Marketing Programs for Beginners (Make Money Online!)
Create Online Courses
If you’re particularly skilled in a specific area then teaching others can be a great way to make money online without investment. While the initial creation of the course will take a bit of time and effort, once it’s up it can be an excellent source of passive income.
Here are a few of the best platforms to host an online course.
1. YouTube
Youtube is the largest video platform online and hosts everything from music videos to web series to —yes— online courses. If you choose to host your course on YouTube, you’ll monetize it through advertising – short paid promotions that will play before each of your videos.
2. Skillshare
Skillshare is an online platform that hosts educational courses on a range of subjects. The courses are available through subscription, and you can earn a pretty sum hosting your learning material there.
3. Udemy
Udemy is much like Skillshare in that it hosts online courses across a variety of subjects. It boasts over 14 million users, making it one of the best platforms of its kind.
Sell Second-Hand Items
Thrifting has come a long way since the advent of the internet. Nowadays you can buy just about anything second-hand online. Lucky for you, you can also sell just about anything as well.
There are some tried and true platforms that can help you sell second-hand items, such as:
1. eBay
eBay is one of the biggest online retailers on the internet. You can sell just about anything on this platform, making it an ideal marketplace for flipping thrifted items.
2. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook boasts over 2 billion active monthly users – that’s a lot of potential buyers for those willing to put in the hard yards selling second-hand on the platform.
3. Gumtree
Gumtree is a British online classified advertisement and community website. You can list just about anything on the platform, with options to sell through free or paid advertisements.
4. Poshmark
Poshmark is a U.S. based commerce marketplace where people can buy and sell new or used clothing, accessories, and shoes. If you’re based in the United States, this is a great platform to move thrifted fashion.
Now You Know How to Make Money Online Without Paying Anything
Learning how to make money online without paying anything isn’t difficult. Whether you choose to sell secondhand items, practice affiliate marketing, build your own online courses, or write content, all these methods are great ways to earn money without fronting any cash of your own.
Bonus: Check out our list with 7 of the Best Ways to Make Money Online With Google
What to learn how to make money from blogging? Here’s a post that’ll help you do just that.
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