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Side hustles: what really pays

A side hustle is paid work on top of your job or study. Here is what the real ones need and pay, so you can pick one that fits your spare hours.

✓ Checked 5 Nov 2026 · Next check 5 Feb 2027

Each row comes from the page it links to, where the sources are listed. Your own results depend on your time, skills and country.

Side hustles from home

Way to earn	You need	You keep	Paid out at
VOLTIX referral program	A free account	60% of the full price, on every renewal (30% with a discount code)	From $20
Fiverr	A gig and work samples	80% of every order	$1 by PayPal
Online tutoring	A subject you know well	US median $20.84 an hour, employed	Set by your client
Teaching English online	Fluent English, no degree at Cambly	$10.20 an hour at Cambly	Weekly at Cambly
Transcription	Fast, accurate typing	$15 to $22 per audio hour, at TranscribeMe	Regular payouts
Bookkeeping	Accuracy	US median $24.36 an hour, employed	Set by your client

Way to earn	You need	You keep	Paid out at
VOLTIX referral program	A free account	60% of the full price, on every renewal (30% with a discount code)	From $20
Etsy	$0.20 to list an item	All but 6.5% + 3% + $0.25 (US)	Varies by location
Reselling	Stock, time and an eye for prices	Fees from 0% to 20%, by app	Set by each app
Print on demand	A design and a place to sell	Your price less the base price and fees	Direct from customers
Digital products	A finished product and a way to reach buyers	All but 10% + $0.50 on Gumroad	Varies by country, says Gumroad
Stock photography	A portfolio of photos	15% to 40% at Shutterstock	Over $75 at Alamy, your own minimum at Shutterstock

Way to earn	You need	You keep	Paid out at
VOLTIX referral program	A free account	60% of the full price, on every renewal (30% with a discount code)	From $20
Prolific	Over 18, in a listed country	Studies must pay at least $8 an hour, cash	$6 or £6
User testing	A device, and tests that fit you	$10 to $50 a study at Userlytics	By PayPal at UserTesting, usually 14 days after a test
Swagbucks	Time for small tasks	Points: 100 SB = $1	From about $1 in gift cards
Mystery shopping	Time, and money to pay first	Reimbursed, sometimes a little extra	Set by the company

Way to earn	You need	You keep	Paid out at
VOLTIX referral program	A free account	60% of the full price, on every renewal (30% with a discount code)	From $20
YouTube	1,000 subscribers + 4,000 watch hours in 12 months	55% of ad revenue	$100
Blogging	A site and steady traffic	About 68% of Google Ads spend on your pages	$100 with AdSense
Amazon KDP	A book, priced $2.99 to $12.99 for the 70% rate	35% or 70% on ebooks	No minimum by bank transfer
Airbnb hosting	A place you may rent out, and time to run it	All but 15.5% for most hosts	See your host account

With a phone, or a pickup truck. Students and parents have their own guides: students and stay-at-home parents.

Check your jobSee side income when you already have a job for your contract and your tax.
Check your countrySee what works where you live.
Check how fast it paysSee how fast each way pays.

The FTC says honest employers will never ask you to pay to get a job.
An offer that has you deposit a cheque and send some money on is a scam, the FTC says.
A message you did not ask for, promising easy work, is how task scams begin.