24 Creative Ways for teens to make money online

Ways for teens to make money online : The internet provides a wealth of opportunities for teens looking to earn extra income outside of traditional in-person jobs. Online jobs offer unparalleled flexibility, allowing industrious teens to choose their own hours and work from anywhere. With so many innovative ways to make money online, teens can find options that align with their skills and interests.

Significant Earning Potential for Motivated Teens

Many assume teens can only make pocket change from online gigs. However, with the right hustle, teens can earn impressive sums rivaling part-time job income. For example, teens can make $100 per hour teaching English online or $30 per hour as a virtual assistant. Successful teen influencers on Instagram or YouTube often earn thousands monthly from brand sponsorships. The earning potential online is limitless for goal-oriented teens.

Most Online Jobs Require Teens to be 13-14+ Years Old

While some survey sites allow kids under 13 to participate with parental consent, most legitimate online jobs require teens to be at least 13-14 years old. Jobs with contractual obligations often require participants to be 18+, so teens under 18 should avoid signing binding contracts without guidance. However, plenty of informal online gigs like freelancing, blogging, and selling online have more flexible age requirements. As long as a teen can legally accept payment, they can earn money through online entrepreneurship.

Look Out for Scams Targeting Teens

Unfortunately, online scams remain prevalent and often target teens. Jobs or websites requiring upfront fees, asking for sensitive personal information, or making promises that seem too good to be true are definite red flags for scams. Teens should always vet companies thoroughly, start slowly with low-risk opportunities, and involve parents before sharing any personal details online. With proper precautions, teens can circumvent scams and stick to legitimate online income sources.

24 Top Online Jobs, Gigs and Ways Teens Can Earn Money

1. Start a Vlog on YouTube

YouTube offers a lucrative platform for teens to earn revenue from home. By uploading regular vlog content focused on a specific niche like fashion, gaming, or comedy, teens can quickly build an audience. Once a vlogging channel hits 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours over one year, it becomes eligible to join the YouTube Partner Program and earn ad revenue. Top teen YouTubers make well into six figures yearly from video ad placements alone.

2. Freelance as a Virtual Assistant

Teens skilled in administration, organization, communication and tech can earn solid income as virtual assistants. Typical virtual assistant duties include email management, data entry, scheduling appointments, graphic design, and more. Many small business owners hire VAs to handle routine tasks for $15-$30 per hour.

3. Design Graphics on Fiverr

On Fiverr, buyers order custom logo designs, social media posts, digital illustrations, and other graphics starting at $5 per job. This global freelance platform provides the perfect entry point for teens to offer their artistic skills and build a portfolio. Top-rated sellers can raise rates over time and attract repeat clients.

4. Manage Social Media Accounts

Every brand needs a social media manager to engage followers, create content and implement strategies. Teens innately familiar with platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Twitter can provide tremendous value. Start by managing smaller accounts for boutiques or community groups to gain experience before working with larger brands.

5. Become an Influencer on Instagram or TikTok

The rise of influencer marketing opens doors for charismatic, photo-savvy teens on Instagram or the wildly popular TikTok app. By consistently creating content in a specialty and optimizing posts with relevant hashtags, teens can attract sponsorships from brands seeking to reach young audiences. Micro-influencers with under 10,000 engaged followers can earn around $50-$100 per sponsored post.

6. Complete Online Surveys for Money

One of the simplest ways teens can quickly earn money is by completing online surveys in their spare time. Survey Junkie, Swagbucks, SurveyMonkey Rewards, and Vindale Research pay teens to share opinions on products, experiences, political issues and more. Individual surveys pay $1-$5 and teens can complete dozens daily, adding up over time.

7. Tutor Students Online via Zoom or Skype

Online platforms like Tutor.com, Chegg Tutors, and Varsity Tutors connect teen subject matter experts with students seeking academic help. Teens skilled in math, science, essay writing, test prep, foreign languages and other subjects can set their own hours and rates for virtual tutoring over video chat. Most platforms require tutors to be at least 16 years old and pay $15-$25 per hour.

8. Walk Dogs via Rover

For teens who love animals, dog walking through the Rover app is the perfect gig. Teens create a dog walker profile on Rover advertising their services, including prices and availability. Nearby pet owners then book and pay for walks, drop-ins, boarding or sitting services. Teens must be at least 18 to drive for Rover, but younger teens can easily walk dogs in their neighborhood.

9. Sell Photos Online

Stock photography websites like Foap and Shutterstock allow users to upload photos which brands then license for projects and social media. By snapping high-quality iPhone photos of relatable concepts and emojis, teens can earn $5 per download. Though licensing fees seem small, they add up with enough uploads.

10. Proofread Papers with Scribbr

For teens with an eagle eye for spelling and grammar, Scribbr hires home-based proofreaders. Scribbr provides training on correcting academic papers for ESL students, then pays $7-$12 per hour. Teens must be at least 16 years old and pass an English skills assessment.

11. Participate in Focus Groups

Focus groups by Fieldwork, Schlesinger and other market research firms pay teens $50-$150 to share opinions in online or in-person panels. By browsing focusgroup.com and FindFocusGroups.com, teens can find upcoming local groups and apply to qualify. Focus groups provide easy money for simply discussing topics teens care about.

12. Sell Handmade Crafts on Etsy

Etsy allows makers of any age to set up a shop and sell handmade crafts globally. Teens talented in jewelry-making, candle-making, embroidery, pottery and more can list homemade items. Etsy takes a small transaction fee, but otherwise lets sellers keep 100% of profits. Successful teen entrepreneurs easily earn thousands a month on Etsy.

13. Resell Clothing via Poshmark, Depop, or thredUP

Teens with an eye for fashion trends can source secondhand clothing from thrift stores or their own closets to resell online. Apps like Poshmark, Depop, Mercari, and thredUP make listing, sharing and shipping clothing items simple. The more items teens list, the more money they earn.

14. Sign Up for Cash Back Apps

Cash back apps like Rakuten, Drop, and Ibotta reward online shoppers for making purchases through affiliate links. Teens can browse cash back offers in-app, then click affiliated links when ordering from brands like Walmart, Target, Nike, and Starbucks. The apps give a percentage of sales back to shoppers via PayPal or gift cards.

15. Sell Handmade Jewelry on Etsy

Teens crafty with jewelry-making can generate income selling their creations on Etsy. The global online marketplace allows makers of any age to set up a shop. Teens can list handmade necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more. With great photos and SEO optimized listings, artistic teens can develop a steady jewelry business on Etsy.

16. Become a Brand Ambassador

Brand ambassador programs allow teens to earn money and free products by promoting brands through social media. After submitting an application, ambassadors receive boxes of products quarterly which they creatively showcase on Instagram, TikTok or blogs using a unique promo code. Common ambassador programs include Social Nature, Degusta Box, Tomoson and BorderX.

17. Write Articles as a Freelancer

Strong teen writers can earn money contributing articles, blog posts, social media captions, and other marketing content for companies as a freelancer. After building a writing portfolio on Contena, iWriter or Fiverr, writers can win writing gigs from $10-$20 per 500 words. Client work helps improve writing skills and build credibility.

18. Develop Mobile Apps

Teens proficient in coding can design and develop iOS and Android apps for spare income in their downtime. After publishing on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, app creators keep 70% of revenues earned from any app purchases or in-app ads. Simple yet addicting game apps offer the most profit potential.

19. Get Paid to Watch Videos on InboxDollars

InboxDollars compensates teens for watching fun videos, ads and movie previews online through its video viewing service. Simply start a video playlist, then complete word verification every several videos. InboxDollars awards points convertible to cash for each video finished, with opportunities to earn $40+ monthly.

20. Participate in Protein Shake Focus Groups

Focus groups like TryMyDemo pay teens $60 to $150 to join 45-60 minute live video calls tasting and reviewing new products. Protein shake brands often recruit teens to sample flavors and provide honest feedback. Teens just answer screening questions before receiving free product samples to test from home.

21. Provide Feedback on Upcoming Apps and Games

Testing platforms like UserTesting and PlaytestCloud compensate teens for playing unreleased mobile games and using pre-launch apps then submitting feedback about the experience. Testing gigs pay $10 to $60 per 30-minute session. Companies rely on feedback from teens within their target demographic.

22. Enter Writing Contests

Teens can submit poetry, short stories and essays to writing contests offering cash prizes like Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Letters About Literature and 100 Word Story. Many contests cater specifically to works by teens, so research age categories. Winners earn recognition plus $100-$10,000 for published work.

23. Sell Photos Online to Stock Websites

Teens able to capture high-quality iPhone photos can earn royalties by contributing to stock photo websites like Foap, Shutterstock, EyeEm, and Alamy. Simply upload photos to the platform and set licenses. When publications or brands buy rights to use the images online or in print, creators get paid.

24. Freelance as a Voice Over Artist

Voice over work provides a unique way for teens to use vocal talents to earn income online. Sites like Voices and Voice123 connect voice actors with clients needing recording services for audiobooks, animated shorts, commercials and more. Teens can set their own hourly rates based on experience.

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Key Tips for Teens Seeking Online Jobs

While online jobs offer many advantages for teens, succeeding as an under-18 worker does require some strategic preparation. Following best practices will help teens stay safe, get paid properly, and maximize their earning potential through online work.

Check Payment Method Minimum Age Requirements

Since most online jobs involve remote freelancing or selling products through online marketplaces, teens need to set up an appropriate payment system to receive income electronically. Payment platforms like PayPal, Venmo and Stripe require users to be at least 18 years old in most cases. Teens under 18 generally need to use a parent’s account or other payment methods like direct deposit.

Stick to Age-Appropriate Online Jobs

Some online jobs like investment consulting, medical transcription, real estate, and forex trading require participants to meet adult legal age minimums. Teens should avoid agreeing to binding contracts with clients or companies. However, many informal online gigs like blogging, proofreading, tutoring, selling art, walking dogs and transcription have more flexible age requirements suitable for motivated teens.

Get Parental Guidance and Permission

Since teens are still minors, it’s critical that they get guidance from parents when seeking online jobs. Parents can help vet potential gigs, set up banking accounts, monitor workloads and ensure overall safety. Most legitimate companies require parental consent to work with underage teens. While online jobs provide great autonomy, teens still need supervision.

Avoid Scams and Other Online Risks

Unfortunately, the internet contains certain risks for teens, like scams, identity theft, cyberbullying, and exposure to inappropriate content. Teens should be very cautious when sharing any personal information for online jobs. Gigs requiring upfront fees or asking sensitive information like social security numbers should be strictly avoided. Teens should always start slowly with low-stake job opportunities to identify any red flags.

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Conclusion

The digital workforce provides a wealth of rewarding opportunities for enterprising teens to earn income from home. With responsible guidance from parents, teens can secure age-appropriate online gigs that align with personal interests and skills. An after-school online job teaches critical lessons about entrepreneurship, time management, communication, organization and personal finance that benefit teens for life. For motivated and creative teens, the potential to prosper through online work is limitless.

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FAQs About Online Jobs for Teens