How To Make Money Online For Beginners

Learn how to make money online for beginners with this list of ways to make money from home that require little to no experience.

Learning how to make money online has become crucial as traditional employment is increasingly impacted by AI and automation.

With over 85 million jobs expected to be displaced by 2025 due to automation, many are searching for ways to make money online, particularly from home.

There are numerous opportunities, from freelancing and affiliate marketing to more unconventional methods like learning how to make money on YouTube or TikTok.

Each platform offers different ways to make money, but for beginners, understanding how to make money online fast or finding real ways to make money from home for free can be challenging.

While many seek easy ways to make money, it’s important to recognize that some popular methods, like affiliate marketing or creating content on YouTube, come with a learning curve.

Searches like “how to make money online” and “how to make money fast” are highly competitive, showing how eager people are to find real ways to supplement their income.

Whether you’re looking for quick ways to make money in one hour or exploring secret websites to make money, the options are vast, but they require effort and strategy.

As the digital economy expands, understanding how to make money from home has become a valuable skill set. While some ways offer fast returns, others can take longer to establish but offer higher earning potential.

For beginners, focusing on easy ways to make money online can provide a great start, with the potential to scale up once they gain more experience.

How To Make Money Online for Beginners

There are several ways to make money from home. Here’s a guide to help you make money online, organized by how fast each option can generate earnings and the personality type it is best suited for.

#1. Online Surveys and Micro Tasks

Difficulty Level: ★☆☆☆☆ (Very Easy)

Skills Needed: None

How Fast It Works: Instant to a few hours

Platforms: Respondent, Swagbucks, InboxDollars, Amazon Mechanical Turk.

Personality Type: Works best for those who are task-oriented, detail-focused, and enjoy repetitive, easy tasks.

One of the quickest ways to earn money online is by completing online surveys and microtasks. Platforms like Respondent, Swagbucks, InboxDollars, and Amazon Mechanical Turk pay you for completing simple tasks like answering surveys, watching videos, or testing products.

You can sign up and make money fast by completing simple tasks like watching videos, filling out surveys, or categorizing images. However, the pay is usually quite low, so this is best suited for someone looking for easy, quick, and low-effort cash, not large amounts of income.

#2. Participating in Research Studies

Difficulty Level: ★☆☆☆☆ (Very Easy)

Skills Needed: Basic communication skills and willingness to participate.

How Fast It Works: Earnings can be realized within a few days to weeks.

Platforms: Respondent, Prolific, User Interviews.

Personality Types: Open-minded individuals and those interested in research.

Participating in research studies involves signing up on platforms like Respondent, that connect you with academic researchers or companies looking for study participants. Once you create a profile, you can browse available studies and select those that interest you.

Typically, you’ll complete surveys, interviews, or focus groups and earn compensation for your time. This method is straightforward and requires minimal effort, making it a suitable option for those looking for quick and easy ways to earn money.

#3. App Testing

Difficulty Level: ★☆☆☆☆ (Easy)

Skills Needed: Basic understanding of apps and websites.

How Fast It Works: Within a few hours to a day

Platforms: UserTesting, Testbirds, TryMyUI.

Personality Type: Works well for those who are curious, enjoy trying new apps or websites, and can give detailed feedback.

How It Works: Test websites and apps, providing feedback on user experience. You get paid for each test completed. Companies need real user feedback to improve their apps and websites, and they pay for it.

Platforms like UserTesting, TryMyUI, and Testbirds offer quick tasks where you get paid to test the functionality and user experience of apps or websites.

You can typically start earning within hours of signing up. The pay is higher than online surveys but still varies depending on the complexity of the test. It’s a good side gig if you enjoy giving opinions and trying new things.

Resources:

Certified Tester ISTQB® Foundation Level (CTFL)

#4. Freelancing

Difficulty Level: ★★☆☆☆ (Moderate)

How Fast It Works: A few days to a week

Skills Needed: Writing, graphic design, programming, marketing, etc.

Platforms: Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer.

Personality Type: Ideal for self-motivated, deadline-driven individuals with specialized skills like writing, graphic design, programming, or marketing.

Freelancing on platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer offers a great way to quickly generate income if you have marketable skills. Beginners may need a few days or a week to get their first gig.

The key to faster earnings is crafting a compelling freelancing profile, setting competitive rates, and starting with smaller, easy-to-complete projects. Once you build your reputation, you can charge more and attract bigger projects.

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#5. Virtual Assistant

Difficulty Level: ★★☆☆☆ (Moderate)

How Fast It Works: One to two weeks

Skills Needed: Organization, communication, admin skills.

Platforms: Belay, Time Etc, Fancy Hands.

Personality Type: Organized, efficient, and good at multitasking. Works best for those who enjoy supporting others with administrative tasks.

A Virtual Assistant (VA) provides administrative support to businesses and entrepreneurs, including managing emails, calendars, and social media accounts.

Becoming a virtual assistant (VA) can provide a steady income stream. A VA handles tasks like scheduling, email management, and social media for business owners or busy professionals.

It may take about a week or two to land your first client. This role works best for people who enjoy structure, organization, and helping others stay on top of their responsibilities.

Resources:

How To Start a Virtual Assistant Business

#6. Selling Vintage Items or Collectibles

Difficulty Level: ★★★☆☆ (Moderate)

How Fast It Works: Earnings can vary, but some sales may happen quickly.

Skills Required: Research skills, marketing, and product presentation.

Platforms: Etsy, eBay, Poshmark.

Personality Types: Creative individuals, collectors, and bargain hunters.

Selling vintage items or collectibles involves sourcing unique products and listing them on online marketplaces. Start by researching popular trends and identifying items that are in demand. Scour thrift stores, garage sales, or flea markets for valuable finds, and assess their potential resale value.

Once you have items to sell, create appealing listings with high-quality photos and detailed descriptions. Promote your listings through social media and engage with potential buyers to enhance visibility. Building a strong reputation as a seller can lead to repeat customers and increased earnings over time.

Resources:

Creative Investments: Diversifying Your Portfolio Beyond Traditional Assets

#7. Peer-to-Peer Lending

Difficulty Level: ★★★☆☆ (Moderate)

How Fast It Works: Earnings can begin within a few months through interest payments.

Skills Required: Basic financial analysis and risk assessment.

Platforms: Prosper, LendingClub.

Personality Types: Cautious investors and those interested in helping others.

Peer-to-peer lending allows individuals to lend money directly to borrowers, bypassing traditional banks. To start, sign up on a P2P lending platform, where you can review loan requests and choose borrowers based on their credit profiles.

As a lender, you can diversify your investments by spreading your funds across multiple loans, which reduces risk. Once you fund a loan, you’ll earn interest on the repayments made by the borrower.

Remember that there’s a risk of default, so thorough research and careful selection of borrowers are essential. Monitoring your investments regularly and reinvesting your earnings can help grow your returns.

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#8. Domain Flipping

Difficulty Level: ★★★☆☆ (Moderate)

How Fast It Works: Earnings can be realized quickly, depending on the demand for the domain.

Skills Required: Market research, negotiation, and branding knowledge.

Platforms: Flippa, GoDaddy Auctions, Namecheap.

Personality Types: Creative thinkers, trend watchers, and strategic planners.

Domain flipping involves purchasing domain names at a low price and selling them for a profit. Research trending keywords and niches to identify valuable domain names. Once you buy a domain, you can hold onto it or develop a simple website to increase its value.

Marketing your domain effectively is key to a successful sale. List it on domain marketplaces, create appealing descriptions, and utilize social media to promote your sale.

Negotiation skills can help you secure better prices when selling. Staying updated on market trends will enhance your ability to predict which domains may become valuable.

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#9. Affiliate Marketing

Difficulty Level: ★★★☆☆ (Moderate to Hard)

Skills Needed: Basic website or social media management.

Platforms: Amazon Associates, ClickBank, Rakuten Advertising, Impact, ShareASale.

How Fast It Works: Two weeks to a month

Personality Type: Works well for strategic thinkers who are patient and skilled in content creation or social media marketing.

Affiliate marketing can take a little time to set up, but provide long-term passive income. Affiliate marketing platforms allow you to promote products via a blog, website, or social media.

You earn commissions when people make purchases through your referral links. Success in affiliate marketing depends on building trust and traffic, which can take weeks or months to develop.

It works best for people who are strategic, analytical, and willing to invest time in content creation.

Resources:

How To Start an Affiliate Marketing Business

#10. Selling Stock Photos

Difficulty Level: ★★★☆☆ (Moderate)

How Fast It Works: A few weeks to months

Skills Needed: Photography, AI Editing

Platforms: Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Alamy.

Personality Type: Creative individuals who enjoy photography and are comfortable with delayed gratification.

Selling stock photos is a great way to generate passive income if you enjoy photography. Platforms like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and Alamy allow you to upload photos that people can purchase for use in their projects.

You’ll need to build a sizable portfolio and ensure your images meet quality standards, so earnings aren’t immediate but can grow over time. This option is best for creative individuals who don’t mind putting in upfront effort for long-term results.

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#11. Sell Online Courses & eBooks

Difficulty Level: ★★★☆☆ (Moderate)

How Fast It Works: Earnings can begin soon after launching your course or ebook.

Skills Required: Subject matter expertise, writing, and basic marketing skills.

Platforms: Udemy, Teachable, Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.

Personality Types: Educators, creative thinkers, and individuals with a passion for sharing knowledge.

Creating and selling online courses or ebooks is a lucrative way to monetize your expertise. Start by identifying a niche or topic you’re passionate about and that others are interested in learning.

Research what courses or ebooks are popular and find ways to differentiate your content. Once you’ve developed your material, choose a suitable platform to host or sell your course or ebook.

Promote your offering through social media, email marketing, or content marketing to attract an audience. Engaging with your students or readers can enhance your reputation and lead to more sales in the future.

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#12. Online Tutoring

Difficulty Level: ★★★☆☆ (Moderate to Hard)

How Fast It Works: A month or more

Skills Needed: Expertise in a subject.

Platforms: VIPKid, Chegg Tutors, Tutor.com.

Personality Type: Works best for patient, knowledgeable, and communicative individuals who enjoy teaching.

Online tutors teach students online in subjects like English, math, or science. You can offer one-on-one lessons or group sessions.

If you have expertise in a particular subject, platforms like VIPKid, Chegg Tutors, and Tutor.com allow you to tutor students online. It can take a bit of time to get started as you may need to complete a verification process and build up a client base.

Once established, tutoring can be highly rewarding and provide consistent income, particularly if you specialize in high-demand subjects. It’s ideal for those who enjoy helping others learn and have the patience to explain concepts clearly.

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#13. Print-on-Demand (POD)

Difficulty Level: ★★☆☆☆ (Moderate)

How Fast It Works: A month to several months

Skills Needed: Basic graphic design.

Platforms: Redbubble, Teespring, Merch By Amazon, Printful.

Personality Type: Best for creative, entrepreneurial individuals with a knack for design and marketing.

Create custom designs for products like t-shirts or mugs on Print-on-demand (POD) platforms like Redbubble, Teespring, Merch By Amazon, and Printful. When someone orders, the platform handles the printing and shipping.

While it’s relatively easy to start, generating significant earnings can take time as you need to market your designs to attract buyers. With persistence, it can grow into a profitable business, but it works best for those with a creative streak and the patience to wait for their designs to gain traction.

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#14. Blogging or Content Creation

Difficulty Level: ★★★★☆ (Challenging)

How Fast It Works: Several months to a year

Skills Needed: Writing, video creation, or podcasting.

Platforms: WordPress (blogging), YouTube (videos), Anchor (podcasting).

Personality Type: Best suited for passionate, patient, and consistent individuals who enjoy writing, video production, or podcasting.

Blogging or creating content on platforms like YouTube and WordPress can eventually become a highly profitable venture, but it takes time.

You need to consistently produce valuable content and grow your audience over several months before you start earning from ads, affiliate marketing, sponsored content, or other blog ideas that make money.

This path works best for those who love sharing their expertise or creativity and are willing to put in the time to build a brand and audience.

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#15. Selling Products Online

Difficulty Level: ★★★☆☆ (Moderate)

How Fast It Works: Six months to over a year

Skills Needed: Basic eCommerce setup and product sourcing.

Platforms: Etsy, eBay, Shopify.

Personality Type: Entrepreneurial, creative, and organized. Works well for individuals who enjoy eCommerce and product sourcing.

Selling products on platforms like Etsy, eBay, or Shopify can be a lucrative long-term business. However, success in this field depends on finding the right niche, sourcing or creating products, and marketing effectively.

Building an online store and attracting consistent customers takes several months to a year. It works best for entrepreneurial types willing to invest in product research and development and comfortable with the challenges of running an eCommerce business.

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#16. Stock Trading

Difficulty Level: ★★★★☆ (Hard)

How Fast It Works: Earnings can be realized quickly, but significant gains often take time.

Skills Required: Market analysis, risk management, and technical analysis.

Platforms: Robinhood, E*TRADE, TD Ameritrade.

Personality Types: Analytical, risk-takers, and individuals with a strong understanding of finance.

Stock trading involves buying and selling shares of publicly traded companies to generate profit. Research stocks and market trends and choose a reliable trading platform. Developing a solid trading strategy and understanding how to read charts and indicators are essential for making informed decisions.

Many traders use stop-loss orders to mitigate risks. To maximize your profit potential, practice with a demo account or invest in fractional shares.

Stay informed about market news and trends that can significantly impact stock prices, and continuously educate yourself on trading strategies and market fundamentals to navigate this volatile landscape.

In the Mastering The Markets Series on MasterClass with Ray Dalio and three other Wall Street titans, you’ll learn about long-term growth, risk assessment, and more to take smart risks and build a diversified portfolio .

Understand how to make smarter investments, rise above the rest, and navigate the market with insight from investors who’ve been trusted with more than $150 billion.

Resources:

Mastering The Markets Series with Ray Dalio & Wall Street Titans

#17. Cryptocurrency Trading

Difficulty Level: ★★★★☆ (Hard)

How Fast It Works: Can yield fast profits, but is also highly volatile.

Skills Required: Market analysis, knowledge of blockchain technology, and risk management.

Platforms: Coinbase, Binance, Kraken.

Personality Types: Risk-takers, tech-savvy individuals, and those who thrive in fast-paced environments.

Cryptocurrency trading involves buying and selling digital currencies to profit from price fluctuations. Start by selecting a reputable exchange where you can create an account and deposit funds.

Research different cryptocurrencies and understand the factors that drive their prices, such as market trends, news, and technological developments. To succeed in cryptocurrency trading, consider using technical analysis tools to identify trends and potential entry and exit points.

Given the high volatility of the crypto market, it’s crucial to set clear risk management strategies, including stop-loss orders to protect your investments. Engaging with online communities and following influential traders can provide insights and support.

In this MasterClass on Crypto & The Blockchain, experts and skeptics at the center of the conversation are sharing critical insight into the ever-evolving landscape.

Resources:

MasterClass on Crypto & The Blockchain

#18. NFT Creation & Trading

Difficulty Level: ★★★★☆ (Hard)

How Fast It Works: Earnings can vary significantly based on market demand.

Skills Required: Creative skills, knowledge of blockchain technology, and marketing skills.

Platforms: OpenSea, Rarible, Mintable.

Personality Types: Creative individuals, tech enthusiasts, and trend-followers.

Creating and trading non-fungible tokens (NFTs) involves making digital art or collectibles that can be bought and sold on blockchain platforms. To start, you’ll need to create a digital asset and mint it into an NFT on a platform that supports this process.

Research current trends to create unique, appealing content that resonates with potential buyers. Once your NFT is minted, promote it on social media and NFT marketplaces to attract buyers.

The value of NFTs can fluctuate widely based on demand, so staying informed about market trends and engaging with the NFT community can enhance your chances of selling successfully.

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#19. Virtual Real Estate

Difficulty Level: ★★★★☆ (Hard)

How Fast It Works: Earnings can vary; some investments pay off quickly, while others take time.

Skills Required: Research skills, market analysis, and understanding virtual worlds.

Platforms: Decentraland, Somnium Space, The Sandbox.

Personality Types: Tech-savvy individuals and those interested in virtual worlds.

Investing in virtual real estate involves purchasing virtual land or properties within online platforms or games. Start by researching popular virtual worlds and the types of properties in demand.

Create an account and look for opportunities to buy virtual land. To profit from your investment, you can hold onto the property until it appreciates or you can develop it with experiences, events, or virtual storefronts.

Networking within the virtual community and participating in events can help increase the visibility of your property and attract potential buyers.

Resources:

Virtual Real Estate: Investing in the Metaverse

Each method for making money online comes with varying difficulty levels, timelines, and personality fit. The fastest options like online surveys and app testing are easy to start with but offer lower income potential.

Freelancing and virtual assistance provide moderate difficulty but can lead to consistent earnings more quickly. Long-term strategies like affiliate marketing, blogging, and eCommerce take more time and effort but can result in substantial, passive income over time.

5 AI-Powered Secret Websites to Make Money

Here are some AI-driven secret websites to make money online:

Remotasks: An AI-based platform that pays users to annotate data, tag images, and perform simple tasks to help train AI systems.
Lionbridge AI: A global crowdsourcing platform where users can get paid for labeling data, moderating content, or testing AI-driven systems.
Kaggle: A data science competition platform where you can earn money by solving complex AI challenges and competing in machine learning competitions.
Clickworker: Offers AI-based tasks like content creation, categorization, and data labeling. Users can earn by helping to improve AI models.
Appen: Provides opportunities to work on tasks that train AI, such as search engine evaluation, speech recognition, and data annotation.

These platforms offer various AI-related tasks; most don’t even require advanced AI expertise to get started! So, which of these diverse ways to make money online are you ready to explore to secure your financial future in an ever-evolving digital economy?

Financial Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Always conduct your own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment or financial decisions. The methods discussed carry varying levels of risk, and past performance is not indicative of future results.

Ways to Make Money from Home

Priya Florence Shah

Priya Florence Shah is a bestselling author and an award-winning blogger. Check out Devi2Diva, her book on emotional self-care for women. In her spare time, Priya writes science-fiction novels and poetry and chills with her two-legged and four-legged kids.

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