Interested in making money online? Then you’ve come to the right place!
Whether you are looking to make extra cash as a side hustle or want to break free from the 9 to 5, making money online has never been easier. 💵 🕺
All you need to do is find the idea that suits you based on your skills and level of commitment.
We’ve focused on the highest paying ideas that are legit (and nothing you would have a problem telling your grandmother about!)
So here is our grand list for making money online in 2025 from the EcoSend team.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketers get paid for referring customers to businesses, usually through clicking an affiliate link that appears on a website, video, email campaign or social media post.
Anyone can become an affiliate marketer, and better still most companies have an affiliate program, including ourselves here at EcoSend!
Data from Glassdoor reveals the average salary of an affiliate marketer is $59,060, though it can be as high as $158,000 once other commissions and tips have been factored in.
Some high paying affiliates include:
ActiveCampaign - $1,350 (average referral commission)
AuthorityHacker - up to $1,979 per sale
Elementor - 50% of each sale
Kinsta - up to $500 + 5%-10% lifetime commissions
Lego - 3% per sale
Semrush - $200 commission rate
Shopify - up to $150 commission
Smartproxy - up to $2,500 per user
Wishup - $500 per referral
Wix - $100 commission rate
WP Engine - $200 commission rate
But this is just the start, as thousands of affiliate programs exist!
Since you can earn money just from someone making a purchase through your link, affiliate marketing remains one of the best ways to make money online in 2025 and beyond.
You may also like: 23 eco-friendly affiliate marketing programs.
Become A Translator
Do you speak another language fluently? If so, you could make money online as a translator.
Translators can pick up work as a side hustle or work full time remotely. This can involve working as a freelancer or joining an agency.
Online research suggests the average salary in the UK is between £25,000 and £40,000. In the US, the hourly rate for translators is between $15.08 and $43.31 according to Indeed.
The most in-demand languages for translators include:
Arabic
Dutch
English
French
German
Italian
Japanese
Mandarin Chinese
Portuguese
Spanish
What’s great about being a translator is there are so many scenarios where translators are needed, from translating business documents to working in the legal sector. Translators can also earn extra money by tutoring.
Build An Online Brand Identity
The internet is a powerful tool to build visibility, whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or have an established business.
So why not find your target customers online, for whatever it is you are looking to sell?
To maximise your reach, you need to establish your niche and your target audience. From there, you can create a brand identity to encourage more people to engage with you and ultimately purchase from you.
Assets you might want to create to build your online brand include:
Ebooks
Email marketing
Email newsletters
LinkedIn posts
Logo design
Media kit
Podcast
Social media marketing
Testimonials
Video uploads
Website
Whatever fits your brand, make it clear who you are, what you do and also what you have to offer. You should also make sure you have a professional email so that customers or brands can easily reach you.
Buy, Flip And Sell A Website, App Or Game
You might have heard of property flipping, but did you know you can also flip digital assets?
If you’re not handy with a spanner but do know how to design or code, this idea is for you!
One example is Flippa which is an online marketplace for digital products. Users can sell existing websites, apps or games they have made. The buyer can then keep hold of their purchase or choose to improve it and sell it for a profit.
As with all types of auctions you need to do your research if you plan on buying anything.
However, you could also choose to purely sell on the platform rather than buy and flip.
One Flippa entrepreneur from London made $80,000 from their first sale. There are also plenty of other Flippa success stories posted on the website for you to learn from.
Cashback Apps
If you buy anything online and don’t use a cashback website or app first, you are likely missing out on £££+ per year.
In the UK, cashback websites such as Topcashback will give you a percentage back on anything you buy. Sometimes, the retailer will offer a fixed amount of money.
At the time of writing, there is a cashback offer to get up to £1,500 back on an insurance policy you take out with Aviva. However, there are new offers every day from legitimate companies.
All you have to do is click on the link to take you through to the website. Cookies will log your visit and your cashback will be paid in due course.
Topcashback is also now available in the United States. But if you live in another country, we’d recommend finding a cashback site that covers your territory. Use it for every purchase to rack up that cashback amount.
Create A Course
Teaching isn’t just for the classroom, especially if you want to make money online. That’s because you can bring your learning to a series of online courses, which you can charge a set amount for.
Some of the most profitable course ideas include entrepreneurship, programming and digital marketing. However, there’s also a demand for learning languages as well as musical skills.
Whatever you can teach, you can opt to create a website where you sell your course directly, or you can join a platform such as Udemy or Skillshare.
As for how much you can make selling courses, that all depends on what you charge and how many students you can enrol. Online courses are sold for anywhere from $5 to $500.
Top tip: Many course creators state that email marketing is a top way to generate more sales!
Create A SaaS Product
If you have any technical skills (or can afford to hire anyone who does) then you could create your own SaaS product.
SaaS products can cover just about anything from CRM tools to ecommerce plugins.
Most SaaS businesses make money through tiered subscription plans. However, you could also charge a flat fee for your tool.
While this idea isn’t a ‘get rich quick’ way of making money online, it can result in a very successful business idea for anyone who has the knowledge, time and energy.
If you don’t want to make a SaaS tool, you can also become a SaaS sales rep. In the US, this job pays an average salary of $85,533.
Psst: Enjoying this post so far? Sign up for The EcoSend Weekly newsletter so we can keep in touch!
Create How To Guides
The internet may have its downsides, but you have to admit it’s pretty great at finding out how to do stuff we just don’t understand.
If you’re willing to provide answers to the millions of questions people ask online each day, then you can make money from doing so.
Take a look at some of the most popular how to questions we found on Ahrefs. For the US alone, some of these questions get almost 400,000 monthly searches.
For instance:
How to screenshot on mac
How to screenshot on windows
How to tie a tie
How to write a check
How long to boil eggs
If you can provide the answer in an article, blog or video then you can monetise this content.
The great thing about showing people how to do something is that it really doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, the simpler the better whenever you’re explaining a topic that someone doesn’t understand.
Businesses can also use this hack to generate more sales. To do so, research common questions customers have about your products, services or industry.
Look to provide a helpful answer and include a link to where users can contact you to book your services or purchase your product.
Ecommerce Or Dropshipping
By the end of 2024, ecommerce will have generated $4 trillion according to Statista. By 2029, this figure is set to rise to $6.49 trillion.
Since all of us now shop online for goods and services, ecommerce has very much become the norm. If you think you could run your own store, why not get in on the act?
If you don’t have the money or facilities to run your own online store, you could also try dropshipping.
There is definitely a lot of work involved in either ecommerce or dropshipping. But as the above numbers prove, there is serious money to be made for those who give it a try.
Email Marketing
Did you know that email generates a $42 ROI for every $1 spent?
Email marketing isn’t going anywhere. With over 4 billion users, email only continues to get more powerful as the years go on!
The beauty about email is that you can use it to grow any of the other 24 tips in this post to earn money online. This could range from landing clients for your freelance business to boosting sales for your online store.
You can also try these 9 ways to make money with email marketing.
In short, everyone who is looking to make money online especially as a consultant, freelancer or business should be doing email marketing.
If you’re yet to get an email platform, then you can try EcoSend for free.
Freelancing
Fancy becoming your own boss? Freelancing is one of the easiest ways to do just that, and it’s something you can start today!
The best freelancers are those who stick to what they do best so that they can charge a high rate and also attract regular clients.
There’s no limit as to what you can offer as a freelancer, though some ideas include:
Freelance animator
Freelance bookkeeper
Freelance business consultant
Freelance CRM manager
Freelance digital marketer
Freelance editor
Freelance email marketer
Freelance graphic designer
Freelance programmer
Freelance social media marketer
Freelance software developer
Freelance transcriber
Freelance video editor
Freelance web developer
Freelance website designer
Freelance writer
If you are looking to make money as a freelancer, then we recommend pitching yourself as a professional to avoid lowball fee situations. This can also happen depending on which platforms you use, which is why it can make sense to create your own website or LinkedIn profile for your freelance business instead.
Get A Remote Job
Not all ways to earn money online involve side hustles. It’s also perfectly possible to transition into a remote role, including if you want to ditch that commute once and for all!
Before the pandemic, remote jobs were not all that easy to find unless you created your own company. However, as more employers have now realised that work can be done remotely including as part of a global team, this is no longer the case.
Practically any job that can be done using an internet connection can be done remotely. This includes customer service, graphic design, digital marketing, web development and writing.
Though, this is just the start! At the time of writing, LinkedIn is advertising almost 300,000 remote jobs. So why don’t you apply for one?
While you’re there, be sure to connect with EcoSend on Linkedin too!
Wait, isn’t a remote job the same as freelancing?: No, as remote workers work for a company just not in person. This also means you’ll be entitled to holidays and other benefits as an employee. If you want to fly solo and work for multiple companies instead, then freelancing would be a better fit for you.
Host Paid Virtual Events
Events are no longer just for in-person gatherings, as many events are now classed as virtual or hybrid events.
Platforms such as Eventbrite allow you to host virtual events, where you can charge a ticket price for access to the online stream.
Virtual events are something that many celebrities have been doing for some time, including on Fane.
However, if you have an idea for another type of event that you think people would be interested in, you don’t have to be famous to give it a go!
On average, virtual event tickets sell for between £5 ($6) and £15 ($19.88).
Make Things To Sell
Do you have a talent for making things? If there is a demand for what you do, then you could earn a profit from your creations.
We don’t want to limit your creativity here, but some ideas of things you could make and sell online include:
Art
Bags
Beauty products
Clothing
Greeting cards
Home decor
Homewares
Jewellery
Pet products
Pins
Soap
Stationery
Look out for trends such as clean ingredients or eco-friendly products. If you can offer your customers something they can’t find elsewhere, then you are more likely to win sales.
If you are interested in making items specific to where you live, Sheffield Makers is a great example of how it’s done.
Online Consulting
As a professional in your field, you can become an online consultant to offer your expertise remotely.
Online consultants mentor their clients to help them reach their goals. Usually, this relates to some skill that is missing within their business.
Ideas for online consultant jobs include:
Business consultant (general)
E-commerce consultant
Educational consultant
Email marketing consultant
HR consultant
IT consultant
Legal consultant
Marketing consultant
PR consultant
SEO consultant
Sustainability consultant
All you have to do is pitch yourself as a consultant on your website or on LinkedIn. Decide what you’ll charge for your talent and how you’ll deliver your services.
You may be interested in: 25 Green Job Ideas For Climate Quitters
Create Print On Demand Items
Print on demand remains one of the oldest online side hustles there is.
How it works is that you upload a design for an item such as a t-shirt or phone case onto a print on demand platform.
If a customer places an order, the platform (i.e. Redbubble or Zazzle) will take care of the printing of your design onto the chosen item. You’ll then receive a cut of the total amount.
For instance, Redbubble pays what’s known as an ‘artists margin’ which is typically 20%. This means if you sell an item for $20 you’ll receive $4 per sale.
The people who do well on Redbubble make items that are in demand, so make sure you do your research.
Also, if you aren’t happy with those rates check out other print on demand platforms to find a fee that works for you!
Property Sourcing
Put your hours spent browsing Rightmove (or Zillow if you’re in the US) to good use by becoming a property sourcer.
If you’re new to the term, property sourcing is when someone finds a property on behalf of someone else. Usually, the buyer or developer is too busy to do this research themselves. Or if they are from overseas, they might not be familiar with the local property market.
As a property sourcer, your job is to find the property through research rather than buy the property. This makes property sourcing open to anyone with a good eye for the right investment, rather than needing any money to get started.
How it works is that you’ll be given a brief of what the buyer or developer is looking for. You’ll then research and present properties which meet this criteria.
In the UK, property sourcers charge an upfront fee of between £500 ($662) and £2,000 ($2,649) for their services.
Build a reputation as the leading property sourcer and your earnings could become more regular from this line of work.
Sell Your Unwanted Items
If you have things lying around your home that you no longer need such as clothes or furniture, why not sell them for a profit?
Decluttering isn’t just good for the mind, but it can also be good for your pocket too!
Online selling platforms to try include eBay, Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace and Vinted.
As the items are yours, you set the price.
Stock Content Creation
Businesses and individuals across the globe need stock content, whether this is to build their website or accessorise their blog content.
If you have any kind of creative skill, then why not put this to best use by creating your own stock content?
Most stock websites allow you to sell a variety of digital assets including:
Stock 3D renders
Stock animations
Stock email templates
Stock illustrations
Stock music
Stock photos
Stock sound effects
Stock video
Stock website templates
The amount you make depends on the platform you choose i.e. Shutterstock, Envato Elements or Canva
However, you could also choose to host your stock content on your own website to retain 100% of the profits before taxes.
Test Websites
Websites that break can cost businesses money. Likewise, if a website doesn’t offer a great user experience, then that business may not succeed.
That’s why many website owners pay people to test their website including to identify glitches or give general feedback.
Testing websites is something you can do from home.
Lots of websites are hiring website testers, including UserPeak who will pay you $10 for every 15 to 20 minutes you spend on a task. The website also notes that these earnings can be higher if you prove yourself as a qualified tester.
Upload A Video Walking Tour
Video remains a popular way to earn money online. One of the first ideas we want to bring to your attention is walking tours of towns, cities or other sites of interest.
Type ‘video walking tour’ into YouTube, and you’ll instantly see countless videos with millions of views.
All you have to do is strap a camera (i.e. a GoPro) to yourself to get the footage. If you upload the video to YouTube, you’ll be paid based on the RPM. The average RPM for YouTube is thought to be around $2 per $15 per 1,000 views. However, this figure can go much higher for popular content.
People enjoy walking tours for all sorts of reasons. For some, they are keen to research an area they wish to visit. However, viewers may also tune in for nostalgia purposes, including to look at a town or city they used to live in.
P.S. Driving tours are also proving just as popular! You simply attach the camera to your vehicle instead of yourself.
Video Content Creation
According to Statista, $191.3bn will be spent on advertising within the video advertising sector in 2024.
With video being one of the best ways to reach customers these days, companies are investing money into making videos to advertise their products and services. So why not get involved by creating your own video content?
Whether you present videos on behalf of other companies or create videos to market your own business, there are endless ways to make money from making video content.
In particular, the YouTube shorts and reels style videos continue to do well. If you upload your own content, you can monetise it on various platforms.
Video Editing
As we’ve just established, businesses are increasingly looking to create video content to reach their audience online, but don’t always have the time or skills to produce a slick edit.
Plus, not everyone knows their way around Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro.
If you are great with video editing especially if you have any advanced skills then you can make money as a remote video editor.
According to Indeed, the average hourly rate for video editors in the US is $25.24 or £14.57 in the UK.
But, as with all other ways of making money online, you can set your own salary, especially if you branch out to create your own video editing company where you can charge a higher rate or a flat fee.
Virtual Coaching
In the old days, if you wanted to coach someone you needed to go to them or hire a venue so that your clients could come to you. But not anymore!
Many different forms of coaching are now done remotely, since people may want to access your specialism from around the world.
Examples can include:
Business coaching
Career coaching
Life coaching
Nutritional coaching
Relationship coaching
Wellness coaching
As a virtual coach, you set your hourly rate or package fee and decide the hours you will work. Even if you live as a digital nomad on the go, virtual coaching is still a job you can do, making this idea extremely flexible.
Write An Ebook
Have you always wanted to publish a story you’ve written? Perhaps you’re an expert in your
field and your advice could help others.
Whatever type of writing you do, publishing an ebook can be an excellent form of passive income, especially if you pitch your book to the right people in the right way.
Once your book has been written and edited, you’ll need a digital cover. You can hire a designer to make your book cover or check out these book cover templates on Canva to edit the cover yourself.
Use an SEO-friendly title so that readers can find your ebook on websites such as Amazon. Then, promote your ebook on your website, social media, YouTube or on a podcast to generate more sales.
Making Money Online FAQs
Still have questions about how you can make extra cash from your computer or phone? We’ve got you covered!
How To Make Money Online For Beginners
Choose an area you are genuinely interested in since you’ll probably want to start earning money online as a side hustle first. Once your idea scales, you might even be able to turn it into a full time job. Whatever you choose, think about your audience and ensure there’s a demand for what you have to offer.
How To Make Money From Home Online
Any of the above 25 ideas can be done from home (except for the walking tour, which partly takes place outside!). Some of the most popular ideas include creating stock content, freelancing, selling items online or creating video content. However, you could also opt for a fully remote job to ensure you earn a decent salary from the work you do online.
How To Make Money Online For Beginners Without Paying Anything
There are endless ways to make money online that don’t have any upfront costs. For instance, it doesn’t cost anything to upload a video onto YouTube. Likewise, it doesn’t cost money to join freelance platforms. In many cases, you can also create a website for free to advertise your services or simply refine your LinkedIn profile to promote what you do.
How Much Money Can You Make Selling Photos Online?
The top paying stock photo websites include Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Alamy and Getty Images. Between them, they pay between 15% and 60% royalties on each image you sell. To ensure you make money selling your photos on these websites, we’d recommend checking what categories are most in demand. If you can fill this gap with great photos, you are more likely to earn a sale.
For instance, Shutterstock states its most in demand categories include natural landscapes, work environments and office spaces and top-down food images.
How To Sell Art Online And Make Money
Artists can sell physical prints or merchandise of their artwork, or they can create digital assets that people can purchase and download. Think about what works best for your medium, and also do your research to find out where the customer demand is in terms of the product or style of the work. You can then create a website and do digital marketing to promote your artwork, including social media marketing, video marketing or email marketing.
How To Make Money Online As A College Student
Take inspiration from the creators of the email newsletter Morning Brew, which two college students started in their dorm and eventually sold for $75m.
Email newsletters can cover practically any niche, though should be well written and engaging to build and retain your audience. An email newsletter can generate money in many ways, including by encouraging sales for your brand or service. But they can also make money if you create a paid subscription, do affiliate marketing, include advertising sponsors, offer coaching or sell other types of content to your subscribers.
Psst: You can create an email newsletter using EcoSend! Get started with our free guide to creating an email newsletter.
How To Make Money Writing Online
You can join a freelance platform as a writer, although be wary of ‘race to the bottom’ type situations. Instead, look to get hired on professional platforms including remote jobs for writers which get posted on LinkedIn.
Writing can also be a great side hustle, whether you publish an ebook or post articles on Medium.
It can sometimes take a while to start earning money from writing online, but if you are both good and persistent your work will start to pay off.
Grow Your Online Business Or Side Hustle With EcoSend
Whatever way you choose to make money online, don’t underestimate the power of email to help you build your audience and win more sales!
EcoSend is the world’s first sustainable email marketing platform. You’ll get everything you need to attract, engage and delight your customers. But, our systems run on renewable energy sources to reduce the carbon footprint of your campaign.
Head over to our plans page to get started. We offer a free 7 day trial on all our plans, and we have plans to suit every business and budget!
Are you an established business and need to talk to your email needs with us first? Drop us a message and we’ll be right with you!
