Secret Websites to Make Money Online: 18 Lesser-Known Opportunities

Discover lesser-known websites to make money online, from content creation to technical skills and passive income opportunities. Learn how to evaluate legitimacy, maximize earnings, and avoid scams.

Side hustles have become a way of life for millions of Americans. Roughly 36% of US adults work a side hustle to generate extra income. If you are interested in doing the same but don’t want to dart around town delivering Amazon packages or picking up passengers, here’s some good news. There are plenty of great ways to start making money online.

No, seriously. There really are secret websites to make money. Here’s a deep dive into some of the best lesser-known money-making opportunities on the web.

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How to Evaluate Money Making Websites (Scam or Real Deal?)

Before diving into the world of online money-making opportunities, it’s important to vet any online businesses you plan to explore. Many if not most of the sites you encounter that purport to offer quick riches are scams of some kind. The last thing you want to do is waste hours playing games or trying to unlock Google opinion rewards only to find out you’ve been duped. Here are some tips to help you differentiate scams from legitimate ways to earn money online:

Review Legitimacy Markers

Look for user reviews and proof of payment. Watch out for fake reviews as they are absolutely everywhere, including top marketplaces like Amazon. The good news is that the FTC has banned fake reviews (though the implementation of that rule is only beginning). This means it should be easier to find valuable feedback about websites that let you make extra cash. Always be on the look out for fake reviews anyway as they are still unfortunately common on all kinds of platforms.

You should also find out what payment portal the platform uses and how it compensates you. Some platforms claim that you can make a few extra dollars, but they actually pay you in gift cards or digital tokens, which have to be exchanged for tangible items.

Assess Your Income Potential

While some sites can provide a steady income and a consistent workload of online tasks, others pay only a few bucks here and there. Balance your expectations with realistic income possibilities to make sure you choose a site that’s a good fit for your financial goals.

Consider Time Investment vs Returns

Websites like Freecash that involve activities like watching videos, shopping online, or performing online tasks might not require intense focus, but they are often lower-paying. A job that lets you do something like testing websites can generate more revenue but may require specialized skills. Figure out your return per hour to see if the site is worth the effort.

Look Out for Red Flags

Avoid sites that ask for upfront fees or personal information and watch out get rick quick schemes. You won’t get rich in a day, week, month, or even year (unless you hit the lottery jackpot). These offers are essentially never real. Earning money online may not require niche skills, but you’ll have to put in some time and effort to generate any real income. You should also avoid any sites that request a lot of sensitive personal data, as they can often be scams.

Make Sure the Online Marketplace Is Available in Your Area

You also need to make sure the site is available in your area. For example, WERX caters to the United Kingdom. On the other hand, platforms like Upwork are available in the US and several other jurisdictions.

Content Creation Opportunities

One of the best ways to make money is to create great content. Step one involves deciding what type of content you want to create.

Written Content

There’s still a huge market for written content. Businesses frequently post content creation opportunities on platforms like Fiverr and Upwork for one-off projects and recurring roles. You may have to take on some lower-paying projects until you build a strong reputation on these platforms. Consistently turn in great content and make sure you don’t resort to AI to cut corners.

Many marketing firms have turned to AI scanners to make sure that writers are turning in original content, and a flag can damage your reputation. These scanners aren’t perfect, and many can hurt legit side hustlers and students with false positives .

Just keep in mind that you need to create 100% human-generated content, and you may even want to run your content through a scanner to ensure it’s not generating a false positive.

Online Courses

Online courses are in great demand. Consumers purchase courses on everything from cooking to martial arts and carpentry. If you’ve got a niche skill and a knack for teaching, consider creating your own online course. Often finance and investing related courses make the most money but be extremely careful not to give financial advice. Some entrepreneurs have even reached millionaire status just by perfecting a specific trading strategy and then making a course explaining it all.

Thinkific is one of many online course platforms. It offers a 14-day free trial and plenty of tools to help you get started. You pay a flat subscription fee and can keep 100% of the profits from your course sales.

Photos and Images

Do you prefer to create captivating visuals or capture beautiful everyday moments with your photography skills? You can create original content and sell or license it to generate income. For example, you can publish a photo on Shutterstock and earn a royalty every time someone licenses it. Look for niches with little competition as it can be hard to make a name for yourself otherwise.

Technical Skills Marketplace

If you’ve got specialized tech skills, check out one of the many emerging platforms that pay you to put your talent to use. Some of the opportunities out there include:

Website Testing

Businesses want to make sure their websites provide a great user experience. That’s why many pay for user testing services. UserTesting is a helpful platform for finding website testing opportunities. You can apply for projects that align with your skill set and get to work fast. It even has opportunities for everyday users without any tech skills.

Data Annotation and AI Training

Data annotation and artificial intelligence training are in high demand. These platforms allow you to perform specific online tasks, like labeling images for machine learning models or tagging datasets. While this may sound complex, training is often provided.

The only real downside is that these types of programs aren’t so secret anymore, so it may be difficult to find steady work. However, platforms like Data Annotation might be worth a look. The platform pays a minimum of $20 per hour to writers, coders, and AI reviewers.

Building Your Own Website

If you’ve got a knack for web design, you could build and monetize your own super secret website to make money by yourself. You could start a blog and then monetize site traffic, allowing brands to buy ad space on your web pages. This process can take quite a while, but your website could eventually generate steady passive income. Just like in photography, finding a niche is essential for quick success.

Squarespace is a popular web-building platform that features drag-and-drop tools, making it easy to create a dynamic website. WordPress is another option for those willing to put in a little more technical effort.

Creative Services Platforms

Creative services platforms connect graphic designers and other talented individuals with businesses that need creative deliverables . This sector is continually expanding, and these platforms cater to a diverse range of creators.

You can also create your own NFTs on platforms like OpenSea and sell them to individuals who want to own custom digital art. If one of your creations goes viral, you could find a niche in the NFT market.

Like NFTs, you can launch memecoins through platforms like Pump.fun and then build a marketing strategy to get it going. It isn’t easy t0 stand out in the ocean of meme coins but if you hit it big, you could make an absurd amount of money.

For those skilled in voice-overs or audio editing, high-quality audio services are always in demand on platforms like Voices.com . These opportunities allow you to earn money online while working on exciting projects across various industries.

However, building a client base in any of these sectors will require consistency and a commitment to quality. Maintaining open communication and being responsive to feedback helps keep clients coming back.

Passive Income Opportunities

If you have prior online business knowledge, you may be able to generate passive income through money making websites and apps. Here are a few options to consider.

Out-of-the-Box Automation Tools

Tools like HubSpot CRM allow you to automate repetitive tasks and can help generate extra income without constant attention. Many of these tools also integrate with social media platforms, allowing content creators to automate posting and engagement.

Digital Asset Platforms

Selling digital products like eBooks, music, or templates can provide a reliable stream of income. This approach leverages existing content, turning it into an ongoing money-making website. You can sell these assets on hosting platforms like Podia or your own custom website.

Content Licensing

Licensing content you create can yield consistent returns, including photography on platforms like Shutterstock or journalism on sites such as Constant Content . While it can take a while to build traction with your target audience, a few high-performing assets can pay off big time.

Miscellaneous Money-Making Sites

Here are a few other options that can help you generate extra income:

Price.com

Do you like to shop online? Price.com has all sorts of fun earning opportunities. You can earn cash back while shopping for products online or get paid to shop for others. There are even mystery shopper gigs. Explore the different options on Price.com and find one that fits your schedule and interests.

Dogster

Dogster connects pet owners with a variety of services and products from dog-sitting to walks and more. The platform also includes tons of tips and resources that you can use to create your own dog-focused side hustle. If you are a dog lover, check out Dogster.

Gigwalk

Gigwalk offers flexible opportunities to earn extra cash by completing local, app-based tasks. You may be asked to try out a mobile app, take pictures of a business in your town, or verify addresses. Pay varies by task, but it can be a quick and easy way to earn some extra money.

Sweatcoin

Sweatcoin pays you to exercise. It tracks your steps and awards Sweatcoins. You can redeem Sweatcoins for services or products. You can even exchange them for cash.

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The Future of Online Money-Making

Online income opportunities continue to evolve as new tech emerges. From blockchain to augmented reality, these advancements are creating fresh new ways to earn.

Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT have been a game-changer for online money-making but the impacts have been mixed. AI tools can create new opportunities for training algorithms, but they may also decrease the number of content-generation jobs.

Platforms that support decentralized finance are gaining traction, too. If you are willing to explore new territories, you could find a long-term side gig that involves VR and AR environments.

While this new tech sounds exciting, don’t feel like you need to be the first to hop on the newest money-making bandwagon. The key is to find a side hustle that you can commit to. It could be a tried-and-true option like creating content or something a little newer like training algorithms.

Making Your Choice

Ready to start your side hustle ? Begin by making a short list of sites that align with your skill set and goals. Decide whether you want to supplement your existing income or find an opportunity that would eventually replace your full-time salary.

You can mix high-effort, high-reward tasks with lower-effort options to help build some momentum. With a strategic approach, you’ll be racking up the extra bucks before you know it.

John Boitnott is a journalist and digital consultant who has worked at media companies for 25 years and has advised startups since 2007. He writes about emerging companies, marketing and leadership at Entrepreneur , the Motley Fool , Business2Community , Jotform.com , and his blog .

This story originally appeared on Business2Community.com.