The digital gig economy is steadily growing. Last year, the Pew Research Center reported that 16% of Americans had worked on a gig economy platform online in 2021 alone.
For many people, working online offers many benefits, including the ability to make their own schedules, earn money whenever they like, and get paid in smaller increments.
However, only some know where to look and scam websites.
Thankfully, we’ve researched for you. This guide offers a comprehensive list of the best online small tasks you can complete to earn cash quickly.
If you’re interested in completing tasks online, this guide will provide everything you need to get started.
The online gig economy is an increasingly popular resource for workers seeking additional income—and those looking to replace their income altogether.
There are many benefits to working from home, including the following:
Data entry is a small task allowing you to earn money online.
Research reports that the average data entry worker in the United States earns nearly $18 an hour, which is much higher than the national minimum wage.
Data entry typically involves typing information into an electronic platform or document database. These are often higher-paying tasks, and they may include:
Remember that most data entry jobs require a high school diploma or GED to qualify, though you may only need to provide proof to some prospective employers. You should consider listing any office-related positions you’ve held and your experience with computers.
Additionally, you’ll likely need to be able to type quickly (and prove that you can do so). Most data entry jobs require you to meet a certain WPM (words per minute) threshold.
You can find data entry tasks on FlexJobs, SolidGigs, or other gig economy websites. While they don’t pay high enough wages to cover all your expenses, they can be a lucrative side gig.
See Related: How Much is $45,000 a Year Hourly? (An Hourly Wage Analysis)
Human intelligence tasks are tasks you complete for a given company or organization. The term “human intelligence tasks” indicates the absence of artificial intelligence.
Sometimes, human intelligence workers train artificial intelligence in their tasks. These tasks typically involve repetitive behaviors such as:
Human intelligence jobs are perfect for those who prefer consistency and predictability. However, they are also ideal for people who consistently learn and gain exposure to new things and experiences.
There are two ways you can earn money from these tasks:
If you have not gained experience, you may wish to work for an agency first. You can typically find human intelligence tasks on traditional gig economy websites or job recruiting boards. They usually offer some incentives like coupons and gift cards.
See Related: Best Part-Time Online Jobs to Make Money
Most people don’t believe you can earn money from watching videos online—it seems too good to be true. But there are many sites on which you can watch videos—for free and for money.
This task is typically available on websites that offer additional micro charges like surveys, games, and more.
Most platforms work in the same way. You first sign up for an account; then, you can complete different tasks relatively quickly. Some charges may include advertisements, while others focus exclusively on entertainment content or videos.
There are other platforms where you can earn cash and contribute to charitable causes and fundraisers.
Swagbucks is one of the best websites for watching videos, taking surveys, and playing games for money. This all-in-one solution allows you to engage in different activities and tasks and earn points. You can then receive a direct deposit into your bank or PayPal accounts.
Taking surveys is one of the best ways to earn money online. You can incorporate surveys into your daily routine if you’re on your computer often.
First, it’s relatively easy—most surveys are branded or census surveys asking questions about your personal beliefs, opinions, and more. This can be fun if you like reflection exercises and writing about yourself.
Additionally, you can often access online survey opportunities on Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, and more. Some companies will let you know when a new survey is available.
These platforms are typically fun and easy to use. Survey Junkie and Swagbucks function in the same way. You take surveys, earn points, and redeem those points for gift cards.
Unlike Swagbucks, Survey Junkie only offers gift cards, but you can get gift cards from stores like Starbucks. Wal-Mart, and more.
There are many different benefits and drawbacks to earning money from surveys online. While you aren’t likely to make much per survey, you can undoubtedly take a bunch in a row and earn more. Taking surveys is easy for most people, so you can do it while watching television or looking after your household or children.
See Related: Make Money Online: The Definitive Guide (100+ Ways)
If you like working with people, consider working in customer service or quality assurance. The job is essentially the same whether you work for an agency, an individual business, or a brand.
You are on call for a given amount of time (typically, you get to choose your hours) and simply wait for calls to come into your phone.
When they do, you follow a strict protocol for helping the person on the other line. You’ll be expected to know the basic ins and outs of the brand and industry you work for, though you likely won’t need too much specialized knowledge.
Customer service is increasingly transitioning online, so there will likely be many jobs in this field soon. You can work full-time or part-time in customer service and another job simultaneously! However, ensure you don’t become overwhelmed while juggling these jobs.
See Related: Best Handyman Apps to Make Money
In all likelihood, you already spend time online shopping—most people do.
As the economy transitions into the digital realm, more and more people are shopping online. Few know, however, that they can find coupons or earn cash back on select purchases using online shopping apps and software (or extensions).
Innumerable apps help you save money on online shopping you would do regardless. For example, you can use extensions like Rakuten or Capital One Shopping to find the best deals on most items.
Alternatively, you can shop through platforms like Swagbucks or LifePoints. LifePoints even allows you to try product testing, so you can earn money from testing out select products without investing your money.
Remember to verify any extension or app you use—particularly if it asks for your personal information. Failing to do so may result in identity theft or compromised credit card information.
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Freelancer writers contribute an estimated $1.2 trillion to the economy each year.
As many publications transition online and businesses turn to the digital economy to sell their products, there is a growing demand for copywriters, bloggers, and more.
You can quickly get started freelance writing online on a website like FlexJobs. This gig economy platform allows businesses and freelancers to connect on writing projects. You can work on tasks like:
If you enjoy writing or are interested in getting better at it, this may be your job.
Freelance writing pay can vary depending on your skill level, expertise, and whether you work for yourself or someone else.
You’ll need to demonstrate your writing ability, so having a resume that highlights your writing-related competencies and skills is a good idea. Additionally, you may have to take a qualification test or complete various writing-related tasks.
Consider creating a writing sample if you don’t have one so your prospective clients have something to consider when considering your application.
See Related: Getting Started As a Freelancer: Everything You Ought To Know
Since eBay changed the world forever, thousands of global online marketplaces have come and gone. Many online marketplaces are available, but Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, and Amazon are the most commonly used.
Most of these websites are platforms that allow businesses and creators to create storefronts and advertise their products. While this doesn’t exactly consist of doing tasks for money, it can be a great way to monetize your creative hobby or branch out into a new field.
You can sell nearly anything online, including:
You can even buy and resell products from a supplier.
If you enjoy selling on an online marketplace, you can create your online store with a comprehensive eCommerce site builder like Shopify.
Graphic design is an excellent, engaging, creative way to earn money online. The average graphic designer earns a highly competitive pay rate of nearly $50,000 yearly at a starting salary.
Graphic designers create and execute digital marketing campaigns, visual art designs, fashion prototypes, architectural models, and more.
They typically work with software like Adobe Photoshop, PaintShop, or Crello.
You should have no problem finding work online as a professional graphic designer. If you still need to, you can learn visual design basics from YouTube or take a course online.
Once you have the requisite skills, simply create a profile on a freelance website like FlexJobs or SolidGigs.
Most platforms require you to create a profile, add your credentials and resume, and feature a picture of yourself and some personal information on your profile.
Then, you can comb through job boards or wait for employers to contact you, depending on your chosen platform.
Playing games is easily the most fun way to earn money.
If you’re already a video game connoisseur, this may be the position for you. If not, you might want to improve your skills by playing games for cash.
There are many different ways to earn money playing video games. First, you can become a full-time video game tester. This full-time position may require experience and credentials but is generally fully remote.
Alternatively, if you’re looking to perform quick tasks for money, you can use websites like Swagbucks.
On Swagbucks, you can play different types of games across all different genres and earn points. You can then redeem those points for cash sent directly to your bank account.
Remember that you will likely earn less from a platform than a full-time position, but it’s a quick and easy way to make extra cash.
See Related: How Much Can You Really Make With Online Surveys?
Consider becoming a personal assistant if you’re looking for a lucrative, fun way to earn money.
The pay range for a personal assistant is between $30,000 and $40,000 a year, and the demand for US-based personal assistants is always high since many personal assistants typically come from overseas.
Virtual assistants may perform any number of tasks, including:
Some personal assistants work directly with clients, while others operate through an agency. Alternatively, you may work with one person or switch.
You can look for personal assistant positions on job boards like FlexJobs, but remember that you may have a less flexible schedule than you would with other jobs.
If you love learning new things, data research is for you.
A data researcher is a person who completes short tasks related to data collection. A data collector compiles and sorts through data from numerous sources. Data researchers are often specialists in specific fields but can also specialize in multiple areas.
As a data researcher, you’ll probably spend most of your time reading briefs, gathering evidence and data on a given topic, and reporting it to the client.
Although it is an exciting job, it also isn’t too demanding. Most research tasks are relatively simple on such platforms and require you to search websites to find all the information you can.
Some jobs require you to analyze the data, though most likely will not, since data researchers are increasingly contracted freelancers rather than full-time workers.
To find data research jobs, check out job boards like FlexJobs.
If it seems everyone left their jobs for freelance work, that’s because they did.
In 2022, there were 23.9 million independent workers in the United States—nearly a 200% increase from the previous year.
Most people leave their jobs because freelance work allows for more flexibility. You can choose your hours, work on your own time, and earn as much or as little as you want or need.
You can turn it into a freelancing opportunity if you have any skills.
For example, if you are a teacher, you can offer tutoring. If you are a mechanic, you can create simple videos on how to solve common automotive problems.
The opportunities are endless! Once you’ve decided on your interest, you can begin posting on job boards or platforms.
Ultimately, freelance work requires more effort than some of the micro tasks on this list, so keep this in mind before launching your freelance career.
See Related: Can You Make Money With Link Posting Jobs?
The demand for intelligent people who can answer complex questions is high. If you have specific niche interests or feel qualified to answer crowd-sourced questions, you can sign up on a platform like Swagbucks or Survey Junkie.
You’ll quickly find hundreds of online surveys on various topics on those websites.
Additionally, you’ll be able to access branded questionnaires from companies seeking to understand their clientele better or individual questions posted from third-party sources.
If you prefer to work with people directly, you can opt for a freelance exposition with a tutoring website like HelpOwl.
You can also earn extra money completing short tasks on question-and-answer websites. Though some may require credentials, others do not. Many sites connect students with questions to experts in specific fields.
Most people have yet to learn that they can earn money from pesky robocalls. Robocalls are technically illegal—soliciting agents cannot contact you without your consent. There is only one stipulation here, however: You must be on the national do-not-call list.
The process to do so is straightforward. Simply navigate to the government website and enter your personal information. You must specify that you want to avoid receiving calls from telemarketers and other soliciting agencies.
Once you have done so, simply wait to receive a robocall. You can begin to note the company’s information and pursue legal action when you do.
They are often obligated to pay you compensation if you choose to pursue them, which you can easily do by:
Pursuing action against these invasive companies can earn you up to $1,500, and it will also help dissuade them from continuing the practice.
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Last updated: December 22, 2024
