Making extra money in your spare time is appealing to almost everyone.
Whether you want to pay off debt, build savings, or put some extra cash in your pocket, finding creative ways to boost your income can make a big difference.
The internet has opened a world of money-making opportunities that allow you to earn cash while still maintaining your normal work schedule. While well known money-making platforms like Uber, Fiverr and Etsy get a lot of attention, there are actually a number of secret websites to make money that fly under the radar.
In this article, we will uncover some of the best secret websites to help increase your income and provide actionable tips to maximize your earnings potential.
From micro tasks and freelance gigs to passive income channels and sellable digital goods, prepare to explore an array of money-making platforms you probably didn’t even know existed. Let’s dive in.
Freelancing Websites
Freelancing websites connect freelancers or contractors with clients looking to outsource work. They provide a platform to find and bid on jobs globally in your skillset, build your profile and portfolio, and get paid for your services.
Here are some top freelancing websites:
Upwork
Upwork is one of the largest freelance marketplaces with over 12 million registered freelancers and 5 million registered clients. You can find freelance jobs in fields like writing, programming, design, marketing, and more. Upwork takes a service fee from each transaction, but joining and bidding is free.
Fiverr
Fiverr is another popular site to sell your services starting at just $5. Freelancers offer premade service packages called gigs. Fiverr takes a 20% commission on each transaction. You can build your profile, portfolio and grow your freelancing business through Fiverr’s expansive marketplace.
Freelancer
Freelancer has over 40 million registered users and jobs in 1000+ categories. You can bid on projects for free, but paid memberships allow you to have more bids and highlighted proposals. Freelancer charges fees when you are awarded projects. Overall, it’s a great option to find new clients globally.
Freelancing websites enable you to monetize your skills and find work opportunities from anywhere. With diverse options like Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer, you can start freelancing online and boost your income.
Microtask Websites
Microtask websites allow you to earn money by completing small, paid tasks online. Here are some top microtask platforms to consider:
Amazon Mechanical Turk
Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is a marketplace where businesses post simple jobs like data entry, surveys, content moderation, etc. As a “worker”, you can browse available tasks and complete them for pay. Tasks pay anywhere from a few cents to a few dollars, and you can work as much or as little as you want.
To get started, create a free MTurk worker account and take a short quiz to be eligible for tasks. Once approved, you can start searching and completing jobs at your convenience.
The key is finding reputable tasks with fair pay rates for your time. It may take some hunting, but many people earn supplemental income through MTurk.
Clickworker
Clickworker connects businesses with freelancers to complete microtasks like data entry, research, writing, surveys, and more.
After creating a free account, you can qualify for “jobs” by taking assessment tests. Available tasks will then appear in your dashboard and you can complete as many as you want to earn money.
Most jobs pay a few cents up to a few dollars, similar to MTurk. However, the tasks on Clickworker may be a bit more complex, like writing product descriptions. You must meet quality standards to keep earning, so precision is important. Payments are sent weekly via PayPal.
Microworkers
Microworkers operates like MTurk, providing an interface to browse and complete quick online jobs posted by companies. Tasks may include proofreading, data entry, feedback surveys, and more.
To start earning, create your profile and take a brief evaluation to qualify for jobs. Microworkers claims users can make around $250 a month, with jobs paying $0.05 – $0.50 generally. Payments are sent to Paypal weekly as long as you meet the $9 minimum.
The advantage of microtask websites is the flexibility to work anytime, from anywhere. You can do a few tasks during downtime to earn extra money here and there. Just don’t expect to replace full-time income with these platforms.
Passive Income Websites
Creating passive income streams is one of the best ways to generate money online. With passive income, you put in the initial work and then continue earning money from that work over time.
Here are some great passive income website options:
Teachable
Teachable allows you to create beautiful online courses to sell.
You can upload your content, set your own pricing tiers, and even create “drip content” to automatically deliver lessons over time.
Once your course is set up, customers can purchase and access the material on their own schedule. You earn money while you sleep! Many online entrepreneurs make over $1 million per year selling courses on Teachable.
Gumroad
Gumroad makes it simple to sell digital products like ebooks, courses, memberships and more. It provides you with tools to quickly build a sales page and start accepting payments.
You can even enable monthly subscriptions.
Gumroad takes a 10% transaction fee but the rest of the earnings are yours. Some digital creators earn over $50,000 per month using Gumroad!
Podia
Podia offers an all-in-one platform to create, market and sell online courses and memberships. You can bundle digital downloads, locked content, private community access and more into robust learning programs.
Podia also provides marketing tools to promote your offerings through email sequences, affiliate programs, and webinars.
Top Podia creators make over $20,000 per month on autopilot.
Setting up multiple passive income streams through sites like these can help you earn money while focusing on other projects.
The initial effort pays dividends for years to come.
Marketplace Websites
Marketplace websites allow you to sell products or services directly to buyers. They provide a platform to showcase your offerings to a wide audience.
Here are some of the top marketplaces for earning income:
Etsy
Etsy is a popular marketplace for selling handmade, vintage, and craft supplies. You can open your own online shop for free and sell physical or digital products like artwork, jewelry, clothes, craft supplies, printable templates, and more.
Etsy charges a listing fee and a small transaction fee. With over 60 million active buyers, it’s a great way to earn money from your creations.
eBay
eBay is one of the largest online auction sites. You can sell new or used items across thousands of product categories.
eBay charges insertion and final value fees per transaction.
You’ll need to take high-quality photos, accurately describe your items, determine pricing and shipping, and provide good customer service to succeed.
Craigslist
Craigslist is a popular classified ads site to buy and sell locally. You can list items, gig services, job offers, and find housing for free.
It has high traffic but requires more effort to stand out.
Take appealing photos, write engaging descriptions, price competitively, and respond to queries promptly. Meet up locally for transactions.
Gig Economy Apps
The rise of the on-demand economy has created many opportunities to earn extra money in your spare time. Apps like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash allow you to leverage your car, time, and local knowledge to generate income.
Uber
Uber allows users to work as rideshare drivers whenever it’s convenient for them. You’ll need a relatively new 4-door vehicle and have to pass a background check, but once approved you can choose your own schedule.
The Uber driver app shows you ride requests nearby that you can choose to accept or reject. Pay varies based on location and demand, but drivers typically earn around $15-25/hour after expenses.
Lyft
Lyft offers a similar opportunity to earn as an on-demand rideshare driver.
The requirements are comparable to Uber, though pay might differ slightly based on your market. Lyft encourages drivers to be friendly and provides the ability to earn tips through their app.
Like Uber, Lyft allows you to work according to your own availability.
DoorDash
For those without a suitable vehicle for rideshare driving, DoorDash enables users to earn income by delivering food from local restaurants. You’ll need to be 18+ years old with a valid driver’s license and insurance. The DoorDash driver app shows you available orders and estimated pay for each one.
You can choose which deliveries make sense for your schedule.
Pay averages around $15-20/hour but depends on tips. It’s possible to earn over $25/hour during busier times.
Gig economy apps provide flexible ways to supplement your income when you have spare time available. Driving for Uber or Lyft and delivering food with DoorDash are accessible options that leverage your existing assets.
Just be sure to account for costs like gas and increased vehicle wear when estimating your potential earnings.
Survey Taking
Taking surveys in your free time can be an easy way to earn some extra cash. There are a few reputable websites that pay users to complete surveys, product tests, and provide feedback.
Swagbucks
Swagbucks is one of the most popular survey taking sites.
They offer cash and gift cards in exchange for watching videos, taking surveys, playing games, and more. You can expect to earn around $0.10 to $1 per survey depending on the length, with some opportunities for higher payouts.
Swagbucks has paid out over $500 million to its users.
InboxDollars
InboxDollars is another well-known survey site.
You’ll get paid for reading emails, taking surveys, playing games, and searching the web through their platform.
Members typically earn $5 to $15 per month.
Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie connects you with brands and market researchers to share your opinions through online surveys. Each survey pays between $0.50 and $10, which can add up quickly. Survey Junkie has over 4.5 million members and has paid out over $50 million since launching in 2005.
The key to maximizing earnings through surveys is being consistent and selective about which surveys you attempt. Focus on higher paying surveys that are a closer match to your demographics. Setting aside time each week to take surveys can result in decent side income over time.
Selling Stock Media
Selling stock photos, videos, music and more on stock media websites can generate passive income with the content you create.
Here are some top stock media sites to consider:
iStock
iStock is one of the largest stock photo and media sites, owned by Getty Images. Contributors earn royalties when their approved content is licensed.
iStock has an exclusive contributor program that provides higher royalties along with tools to help create content that sells well. You retain ownership of your work while iStock handles the licensing transactions.
Shutterstock
Shutterstock is another leading stock media marketplace.
As a contributor you earn royalties when your photos, video clips, illustrations or music are downloaded. Their contributor portal allows you to easily upload and manage your portfolio. Shutterstock provides data on popular and high-earning content types to help inform what to create.
Pond5
Pond5 specializes in stock video footage in addition to photos, music and sound effects. Video creators are well compensated with 50% royalties on licenses.
There is a review process for video clips with criteria focused on quality and commercial appeal. Pond5 actively promotes contributors through their social channels to increase visibility and sales.
Selling your original stock media is a great passive income source.
With the major stock sites you have access to millions of potential buyers worldwide. The key is creating appealing and high-demand commercial content tailored to these marketplaces.
Rental Income
Renting out unused space or items you own is another great way to earn passive income. Here are a couple rental platforms to consider leveraging:
Airbnb
Airbnb allows you to rent out extra rooms or your entire home to travelers. You set your own rates, availability, and house rules.
Income potential varies greatly based on location, space size and amenities. But in popular areas, renting out a private room could earn $1,000+ per month.
Entire home rentals have even higher earning potential.
It does require some effort to manage bookings, clean and prepare the space between guests. But overall, Airbnb is a more passive earning source compared to active gig work.
Rent Out Equipment/Tools
Websites like Rent My Equipment and Fat Llama let you rent out equipment, tools, electronics, and more. You simply list what you want to rent with your pricing and availability details. Income potential depends on the items, but expect to earn 50-80% of the rental price.
For seasonal equipment like lawnmowers or snowblowers, you could earn a nice side income without much effort beyond the initial listings. Just make sure any expensive items are properly insured in case of damages.
Best Sites to Make Money: Conclusion
This article covered 23 unique websites that offer opportunities to earn extra money. From freelancing and microtask platforms to passive income and gig economy apps, there are numerous ways to supplement your income online.
The key takeaway is that you need to find the right platform that matches your skills, interests and schedule. Setting up profiles on multiple websites gives you flexibility to earn in different ways.
Start small to build experience and track your progress.
With consistent effort, these websites can become steady income streams. The earnings potential varies greatly based on the time and energy you put in. Be strategic in selecting the opportunities that offer the best return on your time investment.
Diversify your online income sources for maximum results. Some require active participation while others are more passive once set up. Build up a portfolio of websites tailored to your needs and abilities.
The options highlighted in this article are just a subset of the money-making websites out there today. Keep exploring and experimenting to unlock your full earning potential. Small amounts can add up over time into significant extra income.
Now that you know of these secret websites to make money, it’s time to get started! Determine your goals, pick a few websites that fit your skills, and dedicate time each week. With perseverance and hard work, you’ll be on your way to boosting your earnings for sure.
