14 Best Online Side Jobs for Making Extra Money in 2024 (2024)

Want to make some extra money without leaving your home? Lucky for you, there are plenty of great online side jobs you can pick up.

Any side hustle is good for your bank account, but online side jobs have a bit of an advantage over in-person gig work. For starters, all you need is a computer and an internet connection—not a car and a tank full of gas.

93% of working Americans report having a side hustle, and most prefer it to their full-time career. According to The Hustle, only 50% of workers “love” their primary job, but 76% “love” their side job.

You get to choose your own hours, rates, and work. And if you have an online side job, you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your home. What’s not to like?

So, where do you start? Let us give you a hand.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of 14 of the best online side jobs from home. We only choose gigs that can be completed entirely without walking out your front door.

Before we get into the specific positions, let’s look at what a good online side job looks like.

What Makes One Online Side Job Better Than Another?

Not all online side jobs are created equal. Some require tedious labor and long hours for little pay, while others provide autonomous work and lucrative rates. We want to help steer you toward side hustles with high income and high happiness potential.

Here’s what to look for in an online side job:

Generous Wages: Some jobs will pay you per project, design, article, hour, word, or review. Regardless of how clients compensate you, ensure you’re getting a fair hourly wage. For example, if a business pays you $100 per article, but it takes you 10 hours to write it, that job pays you well below minimum wage.
Flexible Work: The best part about online side hustles is the freedom. Don’t accept a gig that takes away your freedom.
Clients You Like: You get to choose your clients. Find ones that respect you and have realistic expectations. It’s hard to quit a full-time job—it’s easy to leave a side hustle.
Work You Enjoy: Working on the side shouldn’t be a headache. Find something you’re passionate about and enjoy.

14 Best Online Side Jobs from Home

1. Freelance Writer

Do you like to write? Turn words into income as a freelance writer.

You can write:

Articles
Guides
Presentations
Social media posts
Video scripts
Landing pages
Product descriptions
Email campaigns

And that’s just a sample of the work you can do.

Words are hard. If they come easy to you, you’ll have no problem picking up consistent work.

Freelancing was at an all-time high in 2023, but that doesn’t necessarily mean more competition for you in 2024. With many corporations and business cutting down their workforce, they’ll be looking for freelancers to fill the gaps.

2. Consultant

Want to provide guidance instead of doing the actual work? Start consulting as a side hustle.

Businesses will pay for your advice if you have experience (and data-backed success) in a sector or industry. You will research companies, understand problems, and come up with solutions.

Here are a few of the most common fields for consultants:

Marketing
Public relations
Sales
Social Media
Advertising
Finance
Accounting
Human resources (HR)
Information technology (IT)
Sustainability
Diversity and inclusion

You can also create new fields for consulting. For example, professionals are becoming consultants for beauty, interior design, or even Feng Shui (yes, really).

Since each industries’ outlook varies, it’s hard to make a universal prediction for all consulting jobs. However, the marketing consulting market is set to boom by $3.83 billion from 2022 to 2026.

3. Blogger

Start your own blog and write about something you’re passionate about. Blogging is not a short-term income fix—it’s a long-term online side job.

It’ll take months (and maybe years) to start bringing in consistent traffic. However, once you start seeing high numbers, you can begin sustainable monetizing.

Here are a few ways you can make money blogging:

Affiliate marketing
Ecommerce
Sponsorships
Course creation
Advertisem*nts
Coaching

More than 31 million bloggers in the US contribute to over 2.5 billion blog posts every year. That’s a lot of competition. However, over 75% of internet users read blogs every day, so there’s a large market for written content.

4. Designer

The design industry is booming. If you have an eye for design, you’ll have no problem finding work in 2024.

Businesses need designers for various projects:

Graphics
Illustrations
GIFs
Websites
Products
User interfaces (UIs)
Logos
Videos

5. Start an Ecommerce Business

It’s never been easier to start an online store as a side hustle. Using platforms like Shopify, Alibaba, and Etsy, you can develop a product that solves a problem and build a brand around it. Here are some popular categories to start an ecommerce side hustle:

Vintage clothes and items
Health and beauty products
Original designed t-shirts and apparel
Tech accessories

Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid in Ecommerce | What you can do NOW

6. Online Course Creator

The online course market is experiencing insane growth. Experts predict the eLearning industry to grow by $21 billion from 2020 to 2024.

Now’s your chance to get in on the action and create your own course. Building a valuable course isn’t easy, but it’s now more manageable than ever.

Don’t know where to start? No problem.

Follow our 7-step process to create an online course to learn everything you need to know. We’ll walk you step-by-step through the entire journey.

7. Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistants (VAs) help entrepreneurs, executives, freelancers, and even busy parents manage their to-do lists. Everyday VA tasks include:

Invoicing
Scheduling
Meeting management
Making and answering phone calls
Planning travel arrangement
Managing email accounts
Responding to social media messages
Transcribe voicemails
Research information
Compile reports
Send reminders
Follow-up on tasks

Basically, your job is to save the time and energy of others. Plus, you don’t need any formal training to get started.

8. Photographer

Photography is a hybrid side hustle. You’ll spend most of your time shooting pictures (which will likely be outside your home), but you’ll run your business from your computer.

9. Social Media Manager

Consumers expect businesses to be active on social media, but companies (from startups to enterprises) struggle to maintain a presence on popular networks. If you’re savvy with platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube, or LinkedIn, a job as a social media manager can earn you a pretty penny.

Here’s what you can expect to do as a social media manager:

Schedule and publish content
Engage with followers
Livestream events
Provide customer support
Analyze metrics and provide recommendations
Identify trends and plan digital campaigns
Align your efforts with other marketing departments
Research competitors

Most social media manager gigs give you the opportunity for recurring work for clients. For example, a client might hire you to manage their social media program ongoing, guaranteeing you monthly work and reliable income.

10. Editor

The internet is full of written content, but most of it needs polishing before being published. Especially with the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, companies need editors to double-check their work and maintain quality even as speed improves. As an editor, you’re in charge of reviewing articles, web copy, whitepapers, emails, and social media posts to ensure top-notch quality.

Editors can offer varying services. At a basic level, you’ll check for grammar mistakes and ensure style guide consistency. However, you can go deeper and provide other services, such as search engine optimization (SEO) reviews.

11. Professional Gamer

Now, we’re talking. Professional gaming isn’t for everyone—for starters, you need to be exceptionally good at video games. We’re not talking about casual gaming—we’re talking top 1%.

Professional gamers can make money from sponsorships, tournament prizes, and live streaming income. They earn an average of $56,000 per year, depending on the game, skill level, and followers. However, an influential gamer can make much more than that with a healthy Twitch following.

Who said video games were a waste of time?

12. Remote Fitness Coach

In an increasingly remote and distributed world, consumers want the comfort and convenience of fitness coaches they might never need to meet in person—and it also helps that the world is becoming more and more health conscious.

Thanks to emerging technology, you can rely on video calls, personalized app-based programs, and wearable technology to provide tailored fitness regimes, nutritional guidance, and motivational support to clients across the globe.

The trend towards remote work and flexible lifestyles has accelerated, making the traditional gym-based fitness coaching model less practical for many. Remote fitness coaches meet clients in their comfort zone—be it at home, office, or on the go—providing a customized, convenient, and effective fitness solution that aligns with the digital age.

13. App Developer

App developers specialize in creating, testing, and programming apps for computers, mobile phones, and tablets. They tend to work in teams alongside data scientists, graphic artists, and software experts to create applications that are user-friendly and relevant to their audience. However, some full-stack developers go it alone and curate the entire experience on their own.

As smartphones and tablets become ever more integral to daily life, the demand for innovative and functional apps continues to grow. App developers are at the forefront of this digital revolution, crafting the software that powers entertainment, business, health, education, and more.

And with the advent of 5G technology, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and improved AI capabilities, the scope for app development is expanding rapidly. As an app developer, you can build and sell your own apps on mobile or desktop marketplaces, or you can partner with businesses in a freelance role to help create the apps they want or need.

Find YOUR Side Hustle Idea (9 Questions of Doom)

13. Translator

Translator side jobs share a lot in common with transcription services. However, unlike with transcription, you’ll need to be fluent in more than one language to get started.

Businesses need documents, marketing materials, and even live-streaming translation assistance, and they tend to pay good money—freelance translators in the US make an average of $30.89 per hour.

On the personal side, translation side hustles help you stay fluent and brush up on your multilingual skills. It’s a great way to remember languages you’ve learned and build upon what you know.

14. Bookkeeper

Do you like numbers and organization? Thank goodness for people like you in this world. An online side job as a bookkeeper could be the perfect fit for you.

As a bookkeeper, you’re responsible for:

Keep track of transactions
Send invoices and manage account receivables
Monitor cash flow
Prepare financial statements and reports
Reconcile (or report) financial discrepancies
File tax returns
Complete payroll

It’s a lot of numbers and data entry, but it’s somewhat satisfying (if you’re into that kind of thing).

As more businesses launch, the need for qualified bookkeepers will grow to keep up.

Read more: When to Quit Your Job and Go All-in on Your Side Hustle

Online Side Jobs FAQs

What's the easiest way to make money online?

Open up those closets because the easiest way to make money online is to sell what you have on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or Mercari. Why? There's no overhead, you've already purchased the product, and it's free to sell on the platforms.

What's the best online side hustle?

Ask yourself, how much is your time worth? The best online side hustle is one in which you have previous skills and enjoy doing. Since you're putting extra energy into your side hustle, you want to ensure it's sustainable and valuable.

How do I turn my online side hustle into a full-time job?

The best way to practically make this decision is to do the math. How much money would you bring in monthly if you could dedicate 40 hours per week to your side hustle? Then, subtract expenses like software, computers, office supplies, and tax to get your net income. If your net income sustains your personal living expenses, your side hustle could be your full-time hustle. But more importantly, are you passionate enough about your side hustle to make it your regular job for years?

Master the Skills You Need for Your Next Side Job Online

Did you find a side hustle that sounds interesting but lack the know-how to get started? We believe you can always teach a dog (young or old) new tricks.

Check out our foundr+ for $1. You can learn everything from writing to Facebook Ads to course creation from professionals who’ve mastered it.

Find a course, learn the skill, and use it to score your next online side job. Take a look, and see what you’re ready to learn.