Legit Online Jobs: 50+ Ways to Make Money Now

Everywhere you turn, there’s a million articles showing us how to make money online as well as working from home. But how do you know which are legit online jobs? A large majority of them are either scams, involve an insane amount of dedication to earn pennies, or you have to pay start-up fees.

Yeah, no thanks.

As we’re nearing the end of paying off our debt, we’ve trimmed back our budget as much as possible. Since we can’t find additional places to save, we have to figure out how to earn more in order tokeep the debt snowball growing.

Which is all fine and dandy, but we both have full-time jobs. And two kids. And a household to run, activities to shuttle kids to, and – gasp! – want two seconds to sit on our duffs and relax. Crazy, I know.

I’ve freelanced and done side hustles since I graduated college in 1998. Maybe it’s the introvert in me (of course it is!), but theidea of going out and picking up a second job at Tim Horton’s or Macy’s or anything involving customer service makes me cringe. (Plus, I’d spend my paycheck on donuts and coffee, no question.)

I much prefer to earn extra money online, rather than picking up a second job at a store or office. This means that I usually end up doing freelance work as a web designer or developer, along with several other easier options listed below.

But what if you don’t have those skillsets, or the time to learn them? There are still plenty of legit ways to make money online, and still have time to relax in the evenings.

Whether you’re looking to make money before Christmas or pay off your debt, here’s the ultimate guide to figuring out which online jobs are legit. These make money at home jobs are grouped from easiest to most time consuming:

Which Online Jobs are Legit?

There are a lot of jobs out there online, and figuring out which jobs are legit can be tricky. Some keep tips to remember when reviewing job postings are:

You should never have to pay into anything to start a job. No legitimate job will ask you to purchase anything like learning materials, buy in, or pay start up fees. Online jobs should always be free. Exceptions would be if they have certain requirements for the computer you use, or if you need to purchase a microphone for recording.
Only apply for jobs through reputable sites. Enough said, right?
If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. Trust your gut – sure, we all want to believe this job is the best one ever, but you have to learn to listen to yourself.
Be weary of providing bank account or personal information. This one is hard, because in order to get paid, you have to provide some type of payment access. Don’t be afraid to ask if they can pay you via PayPal or Venmo.
Research, research, research. If you’re not sure if a company is legit, do a google search as well as checking out the BBB. Always dissect reviews with a critical eye and look for anything that seems “off”.

As to which online job is best, it all depends on what you’re looking for. Some people want a quick way to earn a couple of bucks to put towards their Christmas fund, and others are looking for full-time careers. In this article, I’ll cover both – and every legit online job with no fees in between! The great thing about online work is that they’re always hiring and can be done from anywhere, so it’s easier to find work that you like and pay good money. Plus, no worrying about finding rides or if they’re near you – it doesn’t matter!

What are some good legit work at home jobs?

Let’s start off with the easy ones you can do in your spare time – while you’re waiting to pick up the kids from practice or need a midafternoon break. You can make money online fast with these, which are the easiest jobs to work online from home and get paid. Though, one note to remember is that the easier something is, the less you’re make at it.

Survey Sites and Rewards Programs

Survey sites usually fall into one of two categories: either you just do surveys, or there are a variety of activities you can do to earn cash. The latter usually includes anything from watching videos, taking surveys, filling out forms, clicking through links in emails sent, to playing games. While you generally won’t make much money per task, it can add up every time you complete surveys. These are the best companies to check out thosemake money at home surveys:

Swagbucks is a great way to grab some extra cash while watching TV in the evenings or during some down time. It pays you for a variety of activities, including surveys, watching videos and signing up for different offers. I’ve done some in-home surveys through here that turned out to be pretty fun!
InboxDollars is very similar to Swagbucks as far as the activities involved. I felt like I made more on Swagbucks, but this is a nice alternative to try out as well.
Springboard America emails you when there are surveys available that match your profile. I really liked using this to earn gift cards, because it cuts down the possibility of not qualifying for the surveys, so you’re wasting less of your time. I like that it pays out both via gift card and Paypal.
Survey Junkie is very similar to Springboard America. You can pre-qualify for surveys as well as dig through a large inventory of them available. Points that are earned can be redeemed for gift cards as well as Paypal.
Vindale Research is different in that it has high paying surveys, which other survey sites generally don’t. You earn cash, not points with them, and can redeem by check or Paypal. Survey topics include sports, new technology, travel, shopping, health & beauty, restaurants, and home improvement, to name a few.
Survey Club is a fun site where you can sign up to be matched with available studies in your area. The studies include surveys, focus groups, phone interviews, and even daily polls. There’s an opportunity for a lot of variety here, and having done focus groups, I can say they’re actually fun. Earnings are paid out via PayPal, Amazon gift cards, or check.
MyPoints is a rewards site where you can earn points by shopping online, taking surveys, watching videos, reading email, and more.
Pinecone Research primarily involves doing online surveys, though they occasionally do in-home product testing and panels as well. Points can be cashed out through Paypal, check, a prepaid VISA, or you can use them to shop for products.
Branded Surveys gives you cash and gift cards for your opinion on surveys. With over two million members, it’s a great place to get started with surveys.
American Consumer Opinions not only pays you for taking surveys, but offers you the chance to give feedback on ads and products as well. It’s an easy way to make money without much work!
Toluna Influencers is a community based survey site. Users can create polls and content, as well as make money answering surveys. It’s a spin on the usual survey company, and fun and interesting way to earn cash and gift cards.
MySoapBox is a different survey site than the others because they want feedback on the products that you use, buy or do every day. Get paid in gift cards or cash for your opinion on things you already use!
Opinion Outpost has created a community use can sign up for their online survey platform and get rewards for their opinions. They work with partners all around the world, and offer rewards for online surveys across all sorts of different subjects.
UpVoice pays you to install a browser extension so that they can anonymously analyze the ads you’re displayed while scrolling through social media. Learn more about how UpVoice works here.

Participate in a focus group.

A step up from surveys are focus groups, and they pay a lot more than surveys. Marketing companies use focus groups to get feedback on their clients’ new products. Everything from shopping experiences to food to video games can be the subject of a focus group.

Sell unused gift cards to a site like Raise.com.

Raise.com is an awesome website where users can sell their old gift cards at the price that they set. They can be discounted up to 30% by the seller. On top of that, Raise.com runs specials that discount some cards even further. Amazing, right?

Now, I know exactly what you’re thinking – used gift cards, yikes! But before you jump ship, hear me out. The best part is that Raise.com has a 1 year guarantee for any card purchased. If it doesn’t show up (physical card), has less available than expected, or any other problem, you just contact them within a year of purchase and they’ll replace it. Easy peasy!

More importantly, there are no fees, sales tax, processing or shipping fees ever. So the price you see is the price you pay, period.

Use Ebates, Swagbucks, TopCashBack and other cash back apps on purchases.

Ibotta is an app that gives rebates for everything from groceries to alcohol to booking a hotel room. They’ve recently overhauled the app and have expanded the stores you can submit receipts from, including some online! To use ibotta, you just unlock the rebates you want after purchasing them, scan their barcodes, and submit images of your receipt. It’s that easy! Check out my review and get $10 for just for signing up!
Ebates is a great cashback program for online purchases. There’s even a browser plugin so that every time you visit a site that gives cashback through Ebates, it alerts you to both rebates as well as discount codes for that site. Ebates offer rebates on a large variety of stores, and has recently included the ability to register your credit card so that your purchases in certain offline stores count as well!
TopCashback is very similar to Ebates and works well. It does take a little longer to get your rebates back, but they offer some great rebates. I usually check both sites to see which I can get the higher rebate back from before I make any online purchases.
ShopAtHome pays a $10 bonus after you sign up, and is one of the best places to snag coupons and cash back for your online shopping, including places like Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, and Best Buy, to name a few.
Fetch Rewards pays you for uploading your receipts at the places you normally shop. Whether it’s a physically receipt or an online one, just upload it, earn points, and cash out for some sweet rewards. Fetch is also available in an iOS app.
NCP ReCap allows you to take pictures of your receipts to earn points towards gift cards. You can also take surveys through the app to earn even more.

Install Apps on Your Phone to Earn Money

Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel will pay you $50 to install an app on your iPhone. Just install it and that’s it! The app measures your activity on your phone, tablet or other mobile device. The app won’t affect performance or battery life, and rewards include sweepstakes entries and cash, depending on how long you stay with them.
Google Screenwise Panel helps Google to understand trends in mobile and web usage. They then use that data to improve their products. You get paid per week that you have the extension installed on your browser, and can cash out your earnings for e-gift cards.

Side Hustles with a Qualification Process

These ways to make money online involved more than just creating an login; you have to go through an actual entry process. However, they might be a bit more work in the beginning, but they also pay more without a ton of commitment.These online part time jobs don’t require more than a high school diploma, but do involve some training.

Sell Feet Pictures

Yup, that’s a thing – and it pays well! There are tons of subscription and eCommerce websites where you can sell pictures and videos of your feet. There’s a high demand for these and you can make anywhere from $5 to $100+, depending on the customer, platform you’re selling on, and if it’s a custom request.

To sell feet pics, you’ll need to use social media platforms to build up a following and connect with potential clients. By building an online presence, you can find multiple avenues to sell your pics. There are some sites that provide platforms that are dedicated solely to selling feet pictures, but it’s still important to find your own clientle to bring to the site.

You can generally sell pictures starting at $5 and go up, depending on if it’s a special request, or if it’s a basic stock photo. These images are purchased by anyone – from advertising agencies needs photos for an ad to clients who just like feet. There’s a wide variety of options in how and where you sell your pictures, and to whom. Interested? Learn more about selling your feet pictures online here.

Website Testing

Usertesting.com is a great way to earn money testing websites. You can easily complete the majority of tests in 15 minutes, and get paid $10 a test. You must submit a test review in order to get approved, but once you complete this, you’ll get emails when tests are available. You’ll need a microphone in order to complete tests, as it records your voice and screen. I personally do tests with this company, and it’s one of my favorite legit online jobs that pay weekly.
Whatusersdo is another website testing company that pays $5 a test. Again, you’ll need a microphone and to download their screen recorder. Upon submitting a test recording and getting approved, you can start earning. Earnings are paid out once a month on the 25th.
Enroll is unique in that it’s test are quick, such as deciding which logo you like better or clarifying content. You can take tests from any device, and will get paid through Paypal.
UserFeel lets you earn $10 for each test which lasts about 10 – 20 minutes. You’ll need to submit a qualification test to get approved. Payments are made through Paypal or Payoneer.
TryMyUI pays $10 for each approximately 20 minute test. Payments are sent out every Friday once tests are reviewed and cleared by their graders.

Online Juror

If you’re a big fan of crime shows, you’ll love this. You can get paid to review legal cases from your home and provide feedback via an online questionnaire. You’ll be a mock juror and will help attorneys figure out how to try their cases. Similar to focus groups, you’re paid to study a situation and provide your feedback. Online Verdict is one of several online juror websites that you can try out!

Data Entry

Data entry is a great legit online job if you’re good with repetition, can multitask, and can enter information quickly and accurately. Data entry duties can include work such as transcribing, or entering or updating customer information oraccounting records.There are a ton of online data entry from home jobs available. Upwork is a trusted site for online data entry jobs, along with a ton of other freelance positions.

Sell Your Photography to Stock Photography Sites

Whether or not you’re a professional photographer, there are a lot of opportunities to sell your photos online to make some money. Payment is usually based per purchase/download of your photo. Most companies have you provide samples of your work for review before hiring you to sell your work. Some of my favorite stock photography sites are: iStockPhoto.com, Fotolia, and Deposit Photos.

Resume & Cover Letter Writing

I cannot describe how much I hate editing resume and writing cover letters. I’ve done this so many times in my life, and yet, I can’t seem to make my resume flashy enough, no matter how hard I try. I know I’d pay for a service like this, not to mention millions of other people! This is a job that’s in demand, especially with how much everything has been changing in the workforce since COVID. Start by finding gigs on Fiverr or Upwork.

Amazon MTurk

Amazon MTurk is a site where you get paid for performing simple micro-tasks. If you’re looking for great work with Amazon from home and like to process images, do data verification and clean-up, information gathering and data processing, this might be the job for you. The tasks are listed, and you choose which you want to complete. The longer the task, the greater the payout.

Sell Your Own T-Shirts (or Bags, or Mugs)

Merch by Amazon allows you try your skills as a graphic designer and sell your own designs without any upfront costs. You create and upload your design, set your price, and Amazon handles the printing and shipping of what you sell. You earn monthly royalties based on your sales, and all without having to invest in product! Another similar alternative site is teespring.com.

Online Customer Service Representative

There are a ton of customer service jobs online, everything from answering inbound calls to online chats. Often the hours are flexible and the pay scale can vary, based on each company’s requirements. Working in customer support is one of the best online jobs for college students – they can answer calls while studying.

Creating an Online Business

If you’re going to invest the time into earning money at home with these side gigs, chances are you could look into making them a full-time career eventually. The benefits of working as an independent contractor is that you can choose if you want to take on a freelance job or not. Don’t like the company that’s offering the work? No problem. You can find legitimate work with multiple companies, rather than being stuck with one place. Small business owners can decide who to work with, how much to charge, and can really shape their business to fit their life. While these are the best paying online jobs, they also take more work and dedication to get started.

Transcription, Translation, and Captioning Services

Rev.com offers a variety of services, including medical transcription, translation and captioning. You’ll be sent audio files to transcribe, and can choose to work for extra income, or as a full-time job. You can choose your own schedule, projects, and get paid weekly. You’re considered a freelancer, but work with a team to grow your skillset. Pay varies based on abilities and role:

Transcriptionist: $0.40 – $0.65 per audio minute
Captioner: $0.40 – $0.75 per video minute
Translator: $0.05 – $0.07 per word

While you don’t have to have any prior experience, being able to type fast and understanding how dictation works is key. You’ll have to pass a speed and accuracy test in order to work for companies like rev.com.

Search Engine Evaluator / Internet Analyst

Leapforce offers a variety of freelance positions, including search engine evaluator and Internet analyst. Search engine optimization involves analzying search results and making sure that they’re accurate. They required more work hours than other side gigs, but also pay a bit more per hour. You have to go through a qualification process and potentially a background check, and knowing additional languages is a plus. There are no set hours, and their positions are flexible so you’re able to work around your personal life.

Proofreading & Copy Writing

If you’re a writer-at-heart, there’s lot of copy that needs written or proofing. You can work for anyone from bloggers to large companies all from the comfort of your couch. As a freelance writer, you can find work writing anything from blog posts to technical manuals for products. You can apply for online writing jobs through companies like Fiverr. or FlexJobs.

Become a Blogger

I do not suggest this lightly. At all. Blogging is a ton of hard work, but once you start hitting your goals, it’s amazing. Check out my resources page to see what programs and blogging tools I recommend.

Pinterest VA

Both bloggers and companies often hire virtual assistants to help with their Pinterest accounts. Being a Pinterest VA does require some online courses, but the pay is worthwhile. You can easily build a business out of spending your day on Pinterest for several clients!

Social Media Manager

Like a Pinterest VA, companies pay to have someone handle their social media accounts. Often, being a social media manager means writing content, setting goals, SEO and developing brand awareness.

Affiliate Marketer

Affiliate marketing is selling someone else’s product and receiving a fraction of the sale. There are several different ways you can do affiliate marketing, but the easiest is through Pinterest or your own website/blog. With Pinterest, you can create a pin that links directly to the offer. There’s a lot of ins and outs, but also a ton of affiliate programs out there. Start by promoting products you love to make it even easier.

Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant does anything from scheduling appointments and meetings to answering emails to creating presentations. The job duties, hours and pay vary greatly depending on each position, but at least you know it wouldn’t be boring!

Website Design & Development

With the evolution of HTML, CSS, and CMS setups, website design and development is becoming easier and easier. CMS systems such as WordPress allows you to launch a website in hours, complete with the bells and whistles. Even with minimal knowledge, you can easily get paid to set up websites for others.

Etsy Seller

Etsy provides a great platform for designers, crafters and the like to sell their products through their online store platform. If you already create products, but are struggling to reach the right audience, Etsy might be the perfect platform for you! Learn more about the best selling items to create to sell on Etsy or where to sell your Disney VHS tapes for the most profit.

Bookkeeping

Companies big and small need bookkeepers. If you already know how to run books, you’ll have no trouble finding work. A lot of the positions online are looking for hourly freelancers with experience working in Quicken or Quickbooks.

Learn more about how much $26 an hour is a year here.

Start a YouTube Channel or Podcast

It is impressive how many people are creating their own income by running a YouTube channel or podcast. If you’re not shy about being in front of a camera or microphone, creating a videos or a podcast can lead to some big earnings with YouTube videos.

Become an Online Teacher

VIPKid is a company that provides english teachers and international learning to children whose primary language is not English. It is one-on-one language and content classes, done from the comfort of your home to theirs. The pay is great and ranges from $14 to $22 an hour. This type of work does require a bachelor’s degree to be hired, though not specially in English or languages. Plus, the hours are flexible and you can set your own schedule! Learn more about VIPKidhere.

Other great online teaching companies that offer legit work include:

TeachPartTime
Education First
QKids

Online Tutor

Online tutors can work in their free time and it’s a legit online jobs for students in college, or for teachers to pick up extra work over the summer. Thanks to COVID, we all know how to use Zoom, so it’s even easier to tutor kids in your spare time. Depending your expertise, pay averages around $30 an hour, and then can go to $60 an hour depending on your skillset and the how advanced the subject is. The best thing about being an online tutor is that you can work for yourself, or find a job with a tutoring company. There’s real money in tutoring and a lot of legitimate online jobs for this remote work.

Amazon FBA / Sell Items on eBay

Selling on eBay is of the easiest and best ways to make money online. You can just grab items from around the house, or you can search for stuff to sell at garage sales, flea markets, or thrift stores. You can learn more about how to make money on eBay here.

Amazon FBA is a fulfillment service that you can use when you sell your products through their site. You send your products to Amazon, which they store at their fulfillment centers. When one of your listings sells, they pick, pack and ship the product for you, cutting out the extra work for you.

Some entrepreneurs are able to “flip” products by finding them discounted or on closeout, and then resell them through Amazon FBA. Learn more about Amazon FBA here.

Travel Agent

Becoming an online travel agent can be a great option. Travel agents are paid for the trips they book, and you can work independently or with a company. While a bachelor’s degree isn’t required, it can help you find more opportunities, as well as addtional certification.

Websites to Find Online Side Hustles

These are the most popular sites to find work from home jobs:

No matter what your commitment length or skillset, there are always legit online jobs from home there, and tons of easy online jobs, depending on your skillset. You just have to figure out what works with your schedule, and how much time and how big of a learning curve you want to commit to.

I suggest mixing it up between two or three methods, so that if one dries up, you’re still able to make side money in another way. Plus, it’s a great way to keep from getting bored. Remember, every little bit of income helps with debt repayment!

Love this? Check out these articles on:

Shortcuts to Finding the Perfect Side Hustle Fast
The Ultimate List of Best Side Hustles that Aren’t MLMs
How to Make $1000 a Month Quickly
Jobs Where You Work Alone
Best Paid Focus Groups
100+ Woodworking Projects to Sell to Make Extra Money
How to Earn Money with Neighbor Storage

Do you have a suggestion for other legit online jobs hiring now that I haven’t mentioned? Adds yours in the comments below!

Legit Online Jobs: 50+ Ways to Make Money Now - Debt Free Forties (2024)