30 Ways To Make Money Online for Beginners in 2023 – Shopify

Are you dreaming of building your own business or simply looking for ways to make extra money on the side? 

With modern technology advancing before our eyes, there are more ways than ever before to make money on the web. Whether you’re selling your used clothes on a local marketplace site, creating merch to sell to your social media fans, or starting a business from a place of passion, there are tools to help.

And if you don’t have an idea in mind yet, this list will show you ideas for making money online—no matter your skill level. Ahead, explore 30 creative money-making ideas, including everything from beginner side hustles to advanced business models.

💁🏽‍♂️ User guide: This list is split into three sections: how to make money online, how to make money online for beginners, and how to make money fast. Each idea within is accompanied by the information you need to act on it today, including effort level and time required to start.

How to make money online

The ideas within this section are for those looking to make money in a long term, sustainable way. These businesses will require effort and passion to pay off, but they are also some of the most rewarding and fulfilling ways to start making extra money online. 

💡 Looking for low-effort ideas for beginners? Skip to the next list.

1. Develop and sell a unique product

When you think of most direct-to-consumer brands, this is what comes to mind: original products that make meaningful improvements to well-known items. You too can develop and manufacture a unique product to sell. Consider designing a prototype for a product that solves a common problem then finding a manufacturer to create it.

Startup time: Several months from design to prototype to manufacturing.

Effort level: High to start. Medium ongoing effort to maintain.

Time to first payment: After you sell a product, expect a wait period of around five days to receive funds in your bank account on most platforms. 

What to know:

  • Manufacturing domestically means you have more control over quality and sustainability, but your costs may be higher.
  • Research manufacturers carefully to find the right fit for your product and brand.
  • Be sure to consider labeling laws in every region where you plan to sell.

Requirements:

  • Most ecommerce platforms require that you are at least 18 years of age.
  • Requirements vary by country and region, but some products may require you to have licenses, permits, or certifications.

2. Create and sell handmade or custom products

Making products by hand is a great way to turn a hobby or passion into a business. You are already an expert at your craft—why not sell your work? Or, explore a new hobby and learn a hands-on skill that you can monetize. Hand-making goods gives you full control over product development and quality, but can be time consuming. Also consider allowing customers to customize each order to their specifications. This is called bespoke, or one of a kind (OOAK).

Startup time: It will take just an hour or two to set up your ecommerce store

Effort level: Depends on whether you already produce goods. High effort to maintain.

Time to first payment: After you sell a product, expect a wait period of around five days to receive funds on most platforms. 

What to know:

  • While this is a rewarding small business idea, scaling this model is challenging. To grow, consider bringing on other artists you can train.

Requirements:

  • Most ecommerce platforms require that you are at least 18 years of age.
  • Requirements vary by country and region, but some products may require you to have licenses, permits, or certifications.

👓 Success Story: How a Crafter Scaled Her Eyewear Business

Kerin Rose Gold started designing her own sunglasses before being spotted by top celebs. Now she employs other artists as she grows her brand, A-Morir.

Read Kerin’s story

3. Sell digital products

Selling digital products is a great way to earn cash with low ongoing effort and cost. These products include guides, ebooks, templates, music samples, plans, printables, and tutorials that can be delivered digitally, in formats like PDF or via log-in access to a portal. This is a great option for creatives looking to sell music or sell art online. 

Another example of digital content is recipes and meal plans. Food blogger Lauren Fit Foodie sells this content to her audience through Instagram.

Startup time: Once the asset is created, it takes a couple hours to get up and running online.

Effort level: Medium to high, depending on product and ability to grow a customer base. Low effort to maintain.

Time to first payment: After you sell a product, expect a wait period of around five days to receive funds on most platforms. 

What to know:

  • Digital goods are scalable, with no limit to the number of times you can sell the same asset.
  • If you want to license your product or use licensed materials, be sure to consult with a lawyer or research licencing laws.

Requirements:

4. Become a reseller 

Reselling existing products can take a number of forms. Whether you buy and resell vintage or collectible items or become a certified distributor of a brand in a specific region, you can start selling products without making any of your own. Another option is to curate products from other brands through your own ecommerce store—say your favorite skin care products for problem skin.

💡 Tip: This model assumes you will be carrying and managing inventory. For a lower-investment option, jump ahead to dropshipping.

Startup time: Varies depending on what you plan to resell. 

Effort to start: Low to medium, as you don’t need to create your own products

Time to first payment: After you sell a product, expect a wait period of around five days to receive funds on most platforms. 

What to know:

  • You can find brands to resell by consulting wholesale directories or simply reaching out.
  • AliExpress is another option for finding generic trending products to sell under your own brand. These can even sometimes be customized and considered white label products.

Requirements:

  • An online platform to sell your products.
  • In some cases, you may sign contracts with brands in order to resell. 

5. Monetize a blog

While many businesses use blogs to help drive traffic to their products, did you know that you can make money online with a blog alone? You can monetize a blog in a number of ways, including selling ads, using affiliate links, writing sponsored posts in partnership with a brand, or selling merch or custom products to an audience. 

Startup time: A few hours.

Effort to start: Medium to start, but it will take a lot of effort to maintain.

Time to first payment: Varies depending on how you are monetizing your blog.

What to know:

Requirements:

  • A blogging platform.
  • An interest or skill you want to write about—consider a topic where you can bring a unique perspective and offer value to readers.

🎈 Success Story: This DIY Blogger Monetized her Following

Jordan Ferney started Oh Happy Day as a blog first, eventually opening her own online party supply store once she built a massive audience.

Read Jordan’s story

6. Create online courses and workshops

Online workshops and courses are another form of digital product that you can create to earn income from your expertise. This is a great idea if you are a subject matter expert on a topic people are willing to learn. Selling online courses is made easier using a course platform or your own website. A digital delivery or course app can be installed in your Shopify store to help sell courses online.

Startup time: It can take weeks or even months to write, shoot, and edit an online course.

Effort level: Very high to start. Medium effort to maintain.

Time to first payment: Varies, depending on your course and platform’s payment structure.

What to know:

  • Research your competition: What value can you create beyond what’s already available online?
  • Use free gated content to build your customer list and give potential customers a sample of your offering.
  • Live elements like instructor office hours or exclusive Q&A sessions help sell your course.

Requirements:

  • Audio and video equipment and editing software.
  • A platform to sell and deliver course content. 

7. Monetize a YouTube channel

Top YouTube influencers like Cassey Ho, Wil Yeung, and Katie Carson all started where you are: with an idea. Each of these YouTubers built audiences through authentic content before monetizing their channels. 

Once you’ve reached 1,000 subscribers, you can try YouTube ads. You can also offer a paid product placement or become a brand affiliate. Selling products like your own branded merch is a great way to build your personal brand. Create your own website and link it to your channel to sell t-shirts, hats, and other swag to your fans.

Startup time: It will take an hour or two start a YouTube channel.

Effort level: High. YouTube requires an ongoing effort to create and publish video content. 

Time to first payment: Once you’ve reached 1,000 subscribers, you can start earning revenue from ads to make money on YouTube. Time to first payout via other methods varies. 

What to know:

  • Finding a niche with an underserved audience is a great option for your channel’s angle. Understand this audience and create content that adds value.
  • YouTube Shorts offer a way to keep your page fresh with shorter and more casual content.

Requirements:

  • Audio and video equipment and editing software.
  • Parental permission to start a YouTube channel if you are between 13 and 17.
  • A sales channel or online store platform to sell merch (must be 18 to open a store).

8. Become an influencer

Influencer marketing is popular with brands looking for clout with audiences that resemble their target customer. Brands are clamoring to sponsor content by productivity and stationery creator Amanda Rach Lee. But you don’t need to have Amanda’s two million followers to get paid as an online influencer. You will need an engaged following, but influencer marketing statistics show that influencers with as few as 1,000 followers—considered nano influencers—can get brand deals on platforms like YouTube and Instagram. 

How to get paid as an influencer:

  • Open a store online and sell merch to your fans.
  • Sell sponsored posts to brands or become a brand ambassador or affiliate.
  • Make ad revenue.
  • Offer exclusive content through platforms like Patreon.

Startup time: Varies, but generally, about three to four months.

Effort level: High. Popular accounts need fresh content to keep audiences constantly engaged.

Time to first payment: Varies, depending on the type of monetization you pursue.

What to know:

  • The Shopify Starter Plan is perfect for creators who want to get selling fast without building a website. Or, you can also use a tool like Linkpop to superpower your social bio and push fans to your store. 

Requirements:

  • Meet minimum age requirements for each platform account.
  • A flair for content creation and being an on-camera personality (video and photo editing skills are a bonus).
  • An ecommerce platform for selling fan merch.

9. Sell services or consulting

While it may be most common to think of selling physical products online, you can also sell non-tangible things. Consider selling a virtual service like online personal shopping, home décor consulting, or one-to-one personal training. Set up your own ecommerce store and visit the Shopify App Store to find an app that integrates to help with appointment booking and live chat.

Startup time: Several hours to set up your website.

Effort level: Hard. This will require ongoing effort to build your client list, perform services, and maintain your website.

Time to first payment: After you sell a service, expect a wait period of around five days to receive funds on most platforms. 

What to know:

  • Reviews and testimonials are your friend. Ask happy clients to write or record reviews and post them on your site.

Requirements:

  • A website or ecommerce store.
  • Expertise in a particular field.

10. Write and sell books or ebooks

In the same way that you can monetize your expertise with an online course or your influence as a YouTuber, you can also earn cash selling books or ebooks online. There are a number of formats and genres, from novels to memoirs to self-help books. Try using a print-on-demand book service to print and sell books online on your own ecommerce store, or use a service like Amazon Direct Publishing to sell ebooks. 

Startup time: Varies by book, but could take years to write, edit, and publish.

Effort level: Hard to start. Medium ongoing effort to market and sell the book.

Time to first payment: Depends on how and where you sell your books.

What to know:

  • Grow a following for your personal brand as an author.
  • Digital delivery apps can be useful if you plan to sell ebooks directly to customers on your own website.

Requirements:

  • A publisher or print-on-demand service to print physical books.
  • A platform for selling your book or ebook.

🍜 Success Story: How a YouTube Chef Became a Published Author

Serial entrepreneur and self-taught vegan chef Wil Yeung built his business with a YouTube content strategy. He now sells his recipes as books, ebooks, and courses online.

Read Wil’s story

11. Livestream on Twitch (or other platforms)

While the first platform that comes to mind for livestreaming may be Twitch, a popular site for gamers and other content creators, many other platforms now offer native livestreaming, including YouTube and Instagram. You can livestream everything from game play to recipe demos to bike tours. Hone in on a niche to build an audience around a particular interest or skill.

You can monetize your livestream on Twitch a handful of ways:

  • Selling products like merch directly to fans
  • Brand sponsorships
  • Fan donations
  • Exclusive content subscriptions
  • Twitch ads

Startup time: An hour or so to create an account.

Effort level: High to start as you build an audience. High ongoing effort to create consistent content.

Time to first payment: Varies depending on streaming service. Twitch pays out 15 days after the end of each month.

What to know:

  • Stay consistent by regularly broadcasting at the same time of day or the same day every week.
  • Monetize your Twitch channel by selling products using the Shopify Starter Plan—this is an affordable alternative to a full ecommerce website plan.

Requirements:

  • A camera, microphone, and livestreaming software or platform.
  • Twitch is recommended for ages 15+, but many monetization options may require you to be over 18. Consult each platform’s terms of service for details.

12. Sell photos online

Whether you’re shooting on the newest iPhone or the latest Canon DSLR, you can sell photos online as a photographer. Partner with a local printer to print your photos on specialty paper or other materials, or invest in a high-quality home printer. You can ship and sell numbered and signed versions of your photos directly to customers through your website. 

💡 Looking for a more hands-off or beginner-friendly way to sell your photos? Jump to print on demand or photo licensing.

Startup time: A few weeks or months to build your portfolio.

Effort level: High to start as you build your portfolio and website. Medium ongoing effort to maintain the business and develop new products

Time to first payment: After you sell a photo, expect a wait period of around five5 days to receive funds on most platforms. 

What to know:

  • Build awareness for your brand by growing your following on social media.
  • Use other method of selling photos (like licensing to stock sites) to generate interest in your work.

Requirements:

  • A camera and photo-editing software.
  • An ecommerce platform plan.

13. Become a social media consultant

Are you Extremely Online? Do you jump on every new social media platform and trend? Have a knack for spotting trends, writing great copy, or attracting audiences? 

As a social media consultant, you can work with brands to brainstorm creative ideas, develop a content strategy, produce videos or graphics, and write copy. Once you gather clients and experience, you can become an official Shopify Expert, marketing your skills to brands looking for your unique expertise.

Startup time: Several hours to reach out to prospective clients.

Effort level: High. You’ll need to be consistently maintaining client relationships and working on projects in order to be profitable. 

Time to first payment: After you invoice a client, in most cases they will have 15 to 30 days to pay you, depending on the terms you set. 

What to know:

  • Build your own social following first and use it as a portfolio to demonstrate your ability.
  • Networking will help you land new clients. Be proactive with your outreach.

Requirements:

  • Experience creating a successful social media presence that makes money.
  • Social media accounts and a website.

💡 Tip: rather than building a website, you can use Linkpop to consolidate links to examples of your work and all your social media accounts.

14. Start a podcast

By the end of 2024, the number of podcast listeners worldwide is predicted to grow to over 500 million. This popular audio format for consuming stories, comedy, news, and opinions continues to grow. If you have a great voice, love to talk, and have a particular interest or talent to share, podcasting could be a great way to make more money.

As you build your following, there are many ways to monetize your podcast:

  • Sponsorship deals
  • Premium (paid) content offerings
  • Donations and tips
  • In-podcast ads
  • Selling merchandise to fans through an online store

Startup time: Average nine to 14 hours per episode, including editing.

Effort level: High.

Time to first payment: Varies, depending on how you are monetizing your podcast.

What to know:

  • Once you have an audience, they will expect regular episodes to keep them engaged.
  • Building a following will require work and time. Pay attention to feedback and make adjustments to your production quality and content accordingly.

Requirements:

  • Audio recording equipment, including a professional microphone and editing software.
  • An account with a podcast service like Spotify, Stitcher, or Apple Music.

How to make money online for beginners

To start making money online, you’ll often require specific know-how or experience. But some ideas are designed for beginners. If you’re new to selling online, the ideas below are lower effort and require fewer technical skills than launching a brand from scratch.

1. Sell print-on-demand products

Print on demand (POD) allows artists and creators to customize white label products with their own designs without the need to hold inventory. When a customer places an order, a print-on-demand company will print your design on a product, fulfill the order, and ship it to the customer. POD options include t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, or fan merch. This model lets you create customized products quickly, making it a low-risk, low-investment way to earn extra income.

Startup time: A few hours to set up an ecommerce platform and print-on-demand integration.

Effort level: Easy to start if you already have designs to upload. Easy to medium to maintain.

Time to first payment: After you sell a product, expect a wait period of around five days to receive funds on most platforms. 

What to know:

Requirements:

  • Most ecommerce platforms require that you are at least 18 years of age.
  • Requirements vary by country and region, but some products may require you to have licenses, permits, or certifications.

2. Sell products through online marketplaces

Online marketplaces are often launch points for many now-successful brands, because they come with built-in audiences seeking specific products. For example, Etsy is a go-to source for buyers looking for handmade and vintage items, while Amazon is a global destination for product discovery and research. You can get up and running quickly because there is less pressure on the seller to drive their own traffic or build a brand. 

🚀 Level up: Take your online business to the next level by building your own store. You can even sell products on both Etsy and Shopify, syncing inventory with an app like Etsy Marketplace Integration.

Startup time: An hour or two to set up your account and add products.

Effort level: Depends on your product and business model.

Time to first payment: Anywhere from the day after to 14 days after you make a sale, depending on the marketplace. 

What to know about selling on marketplaces:

Requirements to sell on marketplaces:

  • Most marketplaces require that you are at least 18 years of age.
  • Sellers between 13 and 18 years of age may use Etsy with the supervision of a parent or guardian.

🥄 Success Story: Old World Kitchen’s Leap From Etsy to Shopify

The Polder family started their handcrafted wooden spoon brand by selling door to door before launching on Etsy. Now, they sell both through the marketplace and a standalone ecommerce store.

Read the Polder family’s story

3. Start a dropshipping business

Dropshipping is a low-cost business model where products are shipped to customers directly from the vendor or manufacturer. This is a popular way to make money online for beginners as, as the seller, there is no need to handle inventory or shipping—you’re simply responsible for driving traffic and customer service. Due to the ability to be nimble, dropshippers can follow trends and sell trending products as they emerge.

Startup time: A few hours to set up a store and source vendors.

Effort level: Medium to start and grow the business. Low effort to maintain.

Time to first payment: After you sell a product, expect a wait period of around five days to receive funds on most platforms. 

What to know:

Requirements:

  • Most ecommerce platforms require that you are at least 18 years of age.
  • Requirements vary by country and region, but some products may require you to have licenses, permits, or certifications.

4. Become an online tutor

If you are knowledgeable in subjects like biology, math, or languages, you could earn income on the side with online tutoring. With sites like TutorMe and Fiverr, you can easily find students who need your help. Or set up a simple website and use social media and peer recommendations to drive traffic and sign-ups.

🚀 Level up: If you find success with tutoring, try creating your own courses and selling them through a dedicated ecommerce store.

Startup time: A few hours to set up a website or an account on a tutoring platform

Effort level: Medium to start. Ongoing effort level depends on how many students you take on.

Time to first payment: Varies, depending on how you bill your students. 

What to know:

  • Most freelance sites require proof that you are skilled in the subject matter. 
  • Expect transaction fees on tutoring platforms.

Requirements:

  • Knowledge of subject matter. 
  • Necessary licenses or diplomas required by each platform and subject.

5. Try affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing involves sharing affiliate links that you receive from brands to promote their products on your site or social accounts. When someone buys the product after clicking your affiliate link, you’ll receive credit for the referral, along with a commission. A solid content marketing strategy around your affiliate links will help you drive visits, clicks, and buys.

Startup time: A couple hours.

Effort level: Medium to start. Very low effort to maintain.

Time to first payment: Varies, depending on the success of the affiliate links and the payment terms you set with the brands.

What to know:

  • Sign up for Shopify Collabs to get access to brands offering affiliate programs to creators and influencers.
  • Disclaimers are required by the Federal Trade Commission and most reputable affiliate programs. You are required to let your audience know if you are being paid to promote a product.

Requirements:

  • A website, blog, or social media presence where you can promote products. 

6. Become an Airbnb host

Have an unused spare bedroom, in-law suite, or carriage house? Create a cozy guest experience and invite travelers into your home. Make even more money by selling products to your guests. 

🚀 Level up: Try using QR codes in your house manual to sell products seen in your home (throw pillows or scented hand soap) via affiliate links. Shopify Collabs can help you find brands to work with. 

Startup time: Your listing will appear in the search results 72 hours after you publish your listing.

Effort level: Medium at startup. High effort to maintain the property/space and manage guest communication.

Time to first payment: Airbnb sends host payouts 24 hours after each guest checks in.

What to know:

  • Go to the Airbnb host page and follow the prompts to publish a new listing.
  • Learn local laws, restrictions, and regulations for your area related to short-term rentals.
  • Account for any occupancy taxes relevant to your region.

Requirements:

  • Necessary permits required by your area to rent out your space on a short-term basis.
  • A free Airbnb account.
  • A room, home, cottage, or other dwelling that you can legally rent.

7. Rent your belongings

The sharing economy is upon us! There’s no need to buy things like lawnmowers, small power tools, cars, and household appliances if you only need them for a short while. Your house could be filled with underused things that others would like to rent. Sites like FriendWithA make it possible to rent products like this and earn extra cash.

🚀 Level up: Finding success with renting your belongings? Why not build your own clothing brand and rent a specific type of product like wedding dresses or tools?

Startup time: An hour or two to upload your products to relevant sites and to browse listings.

Effort level: Low.

First payout: Usually immediately, but check the terms of each rental platform.

What to know: 

  • Get insurance or choose a site that offers insurance on your products in case they become damaged or lost. 

Requirements:

  • Rental platforms usually require both renters and rentees to be 18 years of age or over. 

8. Start freelancing

An increasingly popular home business idea is offering freelance services to clients online. Copywriting, graphic design, translation, and digital marketing are common freelance opportunities offered by businesses today. Use freelance marketplaces like Upwork, 99Designs, or PeoplePerHour. And, set up a simple website to showcase your portfolio of work. 

🚀 Level up: Templatize your expertise and sell it as digital products like PDF guides. That’s how Jack Butcher scaled his brand, Visualize Value.

Startup time: Low. You can start freelancing through a marketplace even without a website.

Effort level: Medium.

Time to first payment: Depends on your payment terms with your clients.

What to know: 

  • Collect examples of your work in a portfolio, references, and customer testimonials. Feature these on your website to showcase your talent.
  • Know your worth and set your pricing accordingly.

Requirements:

  • A portfolio of your work.
  • Accounts for freelance marketplaces.

9. Narrate audiobooks

Love reading and have a great speaking voice? Put your talents and interests to use by becoming an audiobook narrator. Organization, professionalism, and meeting deadlines are important to help you build a good reputation. Try finding narration work through audiobook marketplaces like ACX, Bunny Studio, or Voices.

🚀 Level up: Create a website and post samples of your narration. This will be attractive to recruiters who can get a feel for your style.

Startup time: Many hours

Effort level: Medium to hard

Time to first payment: Varies by marketplace

What to know:

  • Networking is essential in order to secure work. Join meetups, attend audiobook networking events, and engage on social media.

How to make money fast

If you’re saving up for a big concert ticket release date or need quick cash to help supplement your day-to-day, these ideas are for you. For the most part, you can make money fast with these ideas that require minimal skill and resources to get up and running.

1. Sell your stuff secondhand

One of the quickest ways to earn cash fast is selling stuff online. Clean out your storage and sell anything you don’t use, including furniture, toys, tools, gaming equipment, and home décor. Local and online marketplaces like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and VarageSale are great places to sell your stuff.

🚀 Level up: If you enjoy this process, you can start a legitimate reseller business and sell anything from vintage clothing to refurbished electronics and open your own store on a platform like Shopify.

Startup time: Less than an hour.

Effort level: Low.

Time to first payment: Varies, depending on the online selling sites you’re using to sell your items.

What to know:

  • Each marketplace has its own rules and fees. Make sure you understand them before you sign up.
  • If you’re interested in Facebook Marketplace, read our guide on how to sell on Facebook.

2. License your photography to stock photo websites

Have a great eye for photography? A quick way to earn cash for your work is to license your photos to stock sites like iStock. You can also upload images to free stock sites like Burst to help build up your name as a photographer.

🚀 Level up: After you make a name for yourself in the stock business, start selling your photos as prints by opening your own store on a platform like Shopify.

Startup time: Less than an hour (if you already have photos).

Effort level: Low.

Time to first payment: Varies, depending on the site you’re using to license your photos.

What to know:

  • Before you apply, understand what each stock photo site is looking for in terms of subject matter and photo quality. 

3. Resell or consign your clothing

Selling your unwanted clothes and accessories is a popular way to earn cash fast and clear clutter at the same time. Mobile apps like Depop, Poshmark, and Craigslist offer easy ways to upload clothing photos and descriptions without needing to build a brand or website. Sell your goods to local buyers only or offer to ship.

🚀 Level up: Upgrade to selling via a marketplace or start your own online thrift or vintage clothing store.

Startup time: Minimal. Simply shoot, post, and describe each item.

Effort level: Low to start. Minimal ongoing effort is required to communicate with potential buyers and ship items, if necessary.

Time to first payout: Depends on the platform you use.

What to know: 

  • Upload your products to multiple sites to increase their chances of selling.
  • Most selling apps take a cut of your profit or charge a fee for each listing. 

4. Look for side gigs

Side gigs are the classic way to earn money while keeping a full-time job. Side gigs include data entry, transcribing, manual labor, virtual assistant work, or administrative tasks. Use platforms like Fiverr or TaskRabbit to create side gigs. You can also consider food delivery or driving as a side gig, making money through apps like Uber.

🚀 Level up: Once you gain experience and clients through a marketplace, set up a simple ecommerce site and sell specific tasks or take on custom jobs.

Startup time: Less than an hour.

Effort to start: Medium.

Time to first payment: Varies depending on the freelance marketplace or app you use.

What to know:

  • Some side gig marketplaces require an upfront fee to sign up, so read the fine print carefully.
  • Review the side gig marketplace’s payment schedule to make sure it works for you.

5. Participate in market research

Market research companies are often looking for consumers to test websites, try products or software, and provide feedback or reviews. Find opportunities like this on sites like UserTesting.

You can also generate income fast through completing online surveys. Some survey sites like Swagbucks will give you points, which you can redeem for cash back or rewards. 

Startup time: A few minutes to create an account on each site.

Effort level: Low to medium, depending on the format.

Time to first payment: Varies by service and platform.

What to know:

  • Some sites require a minimum balance before they pay out your earnings.
  • Most survey and market research sites require participants to be 18 years of age or older.
  • You’ll receive an email when a project goes live, but you have to act fast or someone else will take it.

6. Become a pet sitter

After the pandemic pet boom and the subsequent return to the office, plenty of lonely dogs and cats are looking for companionship. Sites like Rover help connect pet lovers (that’s you!) with pet owners for pet sitting, dog walking, and cat visits. 

🚀 Level up: Start your own pet business by setting up a website and selling your services and pet-related goods online.

Startup time: An hour to set up your account.

Effort level: Medium to hard, depending on the number of clients you take on.

Time to first payment: Varies, depending on the app or service you use.

What to know:

7. Buy and sell domain names

Choosing a memorable domain name for a business website is a crucial part of the branding exercise. Many new brands are seeking the perfect domain name to represent their business and improve discoverability. You can watch trends and buy related domain names on sites like Shopify, Namecheap, GoDaddy, and Hover. To make the most of this idea, buy up a number of domains and sell each for a small profit. 

Startup time: Less than an hour.

Effort level: Minimal.

Time to first payment: Varies, depending on form of payment accepted.

What to know:

  • Buying and selling domain names is not always a way to make fast money. You may sit on a domain for months or even years before seeing a return.
  • Understand laws on trademarked names.

How to make money online in 2023

You can start making money online as early as today. Earn passive income by dropshipping trending products or get a part time job as a social media consultant. Whatever idea you choose from this list, you’re on your way to putting extra cash in your pocket.

Further reading: What is Passive Income: Income Types and Examples

A side gig is a great way to save money for school, retirement, or a big splurge. And if you choose one that you’re passionate about, you may even level it up to a full-time business. 

Make money online FAQ

Do you need skills or experience to make money online?

No, you don’t need any skills or experience to start making money online. Some of the most basic ways to get started are taking market research surveys, selling your used stuff on marketplaces, or trying gig work. All you need is an internet connection. Get started with Shopify

How can I make money online as a beginner?

There are many ways to make money online for beginners. You can earn income in your free time by taking surveys, becoming a brand affiliate, offering transcription services, becoming an online tutor, or selling print-on-demand products. Get started with Shopify

How can I make $100 a day online?

Many ways to make $100 a day online require upfront investment of time, money, and hustle to reach that level. You can start a profitable business that makes you $100 or even $1,000 a day if you put in the work. Some ideas to consider are:

  1. Start a dropshipping store
  2. Run a print-on-demand business
  3. Create and sell digital goods
  4. Start an affiliate marketing business
  5. Become a freelance writer or editor 

Get started with Shopify

How can I make money online fast?

To make money fast, choose a method that requires minimal skill, time, and money to get started. These ideas include dropshipping goods, selling data entry services, selling your used stuff through online marketplaces, and participating in market research through survey sites. Get started with Shopify

Leave Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *