ways for teens to earn online

Online Jobs For Teens – 44 Ideas For Earning

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I have received some messages lately from people looking for online jobs for teens. Some of these people actually were teens, and some were parents of teens.

If you are a teenager or if you have a teenager, I have some solutions that will help you make money!

Before we get into it, I want to make sure you know about my free email updates! I regularly share new remote job leads, tips, and resources, and many of them are open to younger workers too.

Most of these things are good for extra money online rather than full-time income, but some money is certainly better than no money! Especially if you're without a car and wouldn't have a way to get to and from a part-time job outside the home.

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44 Online Jobs For Teens:

Reward Sites

Reward sites are similar in a way to survey sites because it's something you can do here and there to build up cash and rewards over time.

These sites usually have a mix of different things you can do to earn: search the web, redeem offers, answer surveys, watch videos, and several other things. Most of them also pay in points.

The more you participate, the more you can build up. The points can usually be redeemed for not only PayPal cash but also various merchandise and Amazon gift codes.

Here is a list of some of the more popular reward sites you can begin using as a teen. And remember, this is just extra cash, but it can definitely add up if you stay consistent!

Realistic earning range: $5-$50/month depending on how active you are.

Related: Big List Of Online Reward Sites to Use For Extra Cash

Survey Panels

Teens can take online surveys for money through different online survey panels. Many survey panels do permit you to sign up as long as you are at least 13 years old. Note that you must have your parent's permission to complete surveys if you're under 17.

Like most of the other online jobs for teens, this is money that is slow to build up. But the more survey panels you are a member of, the more survey invitations you should receive.

Doing surveys here and there as you receive them can certainly add up to extra money in a month's time. Below are some of the better panels out there that allow users to sign up at as young as 13.

Realistic earning range: $10-$40/month if you're a member of several panels and respond consistently to invitations.

As a quick tip, I'd recommend creating an extra email account before you start registering with all these panels, so that you keep all those survey emails in one place. Because you will get a lot of them. Most of these sites pay you in cash or gift cards.

Also, don't just check your emails for survey invitations. Actually log on to these sites periodically just to see if any of them have survey invitations sitting in your dashboard. That way you don't miss out on anything.

Related: Big List of Reputable Online Survey Panels That Pay In PayPal Cash

Premise App — 13 & Up

Premise is a free app available on Android and iPhone that pays you to complete small tasks and answer surveys. Tasks include things like photographing store displays, verifying business information, answering opinion surveys, and reporting on local community data.

You can do many of these tasks from home, though some involve going out locally to take photos at nearby stores or locations.

Premise is used by real companies and organizations including major brands, and it has been around since 2012 with millions of contributors worldwide. You must be at least 13 years old to sign up.

Pay per task is modest, typically $0.50 to $1 or more for locate tasks, and varying amounts for surveys. The current minimum to cash out is $15 via PayPal. Keep in mind that task availability varies by location, so some areas will have more work available than others. It won't replace a job, but it's a legitimate way to earn a little extra from your phone in your spare time.

Realistic earning range: $10-$30/month depending on task availability in your area.

Slice the Pie — 13 & Up

Slice the Pie is a website where you get paid to write reviews on music, fashion items, and commercials. Music is the main draw, but just know there is more to it than that.

You can sign up at 13 and older. For music reviews, you listen to a clip of a song (most of the time by a newer or unsigned artist) and give it a rating along with a written review of a few sentences explaining what you liked or didn't like about it.

Note that your reviews need to be specific and detailed so that your quality score stays high. Generic feedback scores low and will affect how much you earn per review.

Pay per review starts around $0.02-$0.05 when you're new, and can climb to $0.10-$0.15 as your quality score improves. Experienced reviewers with strong scores can reach up to $0.20, but honestly that is the ceiling, not the norm.

The minimum to cash out is $20 via PayPal, and payments are made on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Realistic earning range: $5-$20/month for casual use. Best treated as something you do during downtime rather than something you schedule your day around.

Mistplay — 17 & Up

Mistplay is a free Android app that rewards you for playing mobile games. You earn units as you play, which can be redeemed for gift cards to places like Amazon, Google Play, and more.

It's one of the more popular gaming reward apps out there and has paid out millions to its users. You must be at least 17 years old to use the app, and it is currently only available for Android.

Realistic earning range: $5-$15/month in gift card value. Think of it as getting rewarded for gaming you'd already be doing.

Foap — 13 & Up

If you have a smartphone and an eye for photography, Foap lets you sell your photos online. You upload your photos to the app and can earn $5 each time one of your photos sells (Foap keeps half of the $10 sale price).

Brands and agencies browse Foap looking for authentic, real-life images for their marketing, so you don't have to be a professional photographer to make sales. You must be at least 13 years old to sign up.

Realistic earning range: Unpredictable. You could earn nothing for months, then sell a few photos in a week. Best for teens who already take a lot of photos and don't mind uploading them speculatively.

Fiverr (Ages 13 and Up)

Fiverr is a huge marketplace where people post services they are willing to provide. Teens are allowed to sign up as freelancers and post services here. Fiverr can definitely turn into more than just side money, which is what makes it one of the best online jobs for teens on this list.

Many people do make their living from Fiverr, with some even turning it into a full-time income over time!

If you're wondering what services to offer, just take a look at what other people are offering and see if you can do something similar. You could maybe even put your own spin on a popular service category to stand out a little.

Fiverr pays you to your PayPal account and after all the fees, you will receive almost $4 for every $5 order you receive and complete.

Realistic earning range: $0-$50/month when starting out, potentially much more once you build reviews. Skill-based gigs like graphic design or writing earn faster than generic services.

Sell Digital Products on Etsy (Ages 13 and Up, With Parent)

You already know about selling handmade and vintage items on Etsy, but one of the biggest opportunities for teens right now is selling digital products: Canva templates, printables, digital planners, social media graphics, and custom art downloads. Once you create a digital file and list it, it can sell over and over with no shipping or inventory involved.

Canva is a free graphic design tool that even beginners can learn quickly. Teens with a creative eye can design social media templates, birthday invitations, resume layouts, planner pages, journal covers, and more, then sell them as instant downloads through an Etsy shop.

If you are under 18, you will need a parent or guardian to set up and manage the Etsy account. But the designs can be your own work, and your parent simply handles the account management side.

This is one of the best income opportunities for teens right now because the startup cost is zero and the earning potential is real. Some sellers earn hundreds of dollars per month from digital products alone, so that alone should tell you this is worth looking into.

Realistic earning range: $0-$50/month in the first few months while building your shop, with potential for $100-$500+/month over time if your designs gain traction.

Related: Think Outside the Box — 50 Home Business Ideas!

Print on demand lets you put your artwork or designs on products like t-shirts, mugs, stickers, phone cases, and posters without buying any inventory upfront. When someone orders a product with your design, the company prints and ships it directly to them. You earn a portion of each sale.

Platforms like Redbubble and TeePublic are popular options. Both technically require account holders to be 18, but their policies allow a parent to manage an account and upload a teen's artwork on their behalf. So this works well as a parent-teen team where the teen creates the designs and the parent handles the account.

It's one of the more creative ways to earn online, and if you have artistic skills or a knack for what's trending, it can definitely build up into a steady income stream over time. You don't need to be a professional artist; even simple, clever designs sell well.

Realistic earning range: Slow to start. Most sellers earn very little in the first few months. With consistent uploads and designs that resonate, $50-$200/month is achievable over time.

YouTube (Ages 13 and Up)

YouTube is an option if you like the idea of making videos and posting them online. Many teens have been successful with this. If you have a YouTube channel, you will typically earn from the ad revenue, so the more your videos are seen, the more you can earn.

That said, just know that ad revenue doesn't kick in until you hit 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours. Before that, earnings are zero, but teens can still earn through sponsorships or affiliate links in their description before monetization kicks in.

Realistic earning range: Variable. Getting to monetization takes time, especially if you're starting from scratch.

Sell Secondhand Clothing Online (Ages 13 and Up, With Parent)

If you have clothes, shoes, or accessories you no longer wear, you can sell them online and turn your closet into cash. Several platforms make this easy for teens:

  • Poshmark: List items from your closet and ship them when they sell. Poshmark provides a prepaid shipping label, so it's simple. Users must be 13+ with a parent's permission.
  • Depop: Especially popular with teens for vintage and trendy styles. List items quickly with your phone and ship when they sell. Users must be 13+.
  • Mercari: Sell clothing and other items. Mercari allows users 13+ with parental consent.

Realistic earning range: Completely depends on what you're selling. Cleaning out a closet could net $50-$200 in a month. Teens who source and resell thrift store finds can turn this into a more consistent income.

Start Your Own Online Services Business

Teens with special skills can absolutely start their own side gigs, market themselves, and earn money. If you are a teen and you are good at any of the following, you should definitely consider getting a business going, setting your own rates, and earning:

  • Start a T-shirt business
  • Tutoring
  • Selling things online
  • Babysitting
  • Pet sitting
  • Video editing
  • Graphic design
  • Freelance writing
  • Proofreader
  • Research
  • Start a blog
  • Social media management
  • And pretty much anything else you can think of that others may not know how to do and would pay to have done!

Realistic earning range: Highly variable. Tutoring and freelance writing can earn $15-$30/hour for teens with real skills. Social media management for local small businesses is another solid earner once you land a client or two.

Sell on Etsy (Under 18, With Parent)

Etsy is an online marketplace for all things craft, handmade, and vintage. Beyond the digital products mentioned above, you can also sell physical handmade items through an Etsy shop. You can open a shop with your parent's consent if you are under the age of 18, though your parent or guardian will need to manage the account on your behalf.

Realistic earning range: Depends entirely on what you're selling and how much you can produce. Handmade jewelry, candles, and art prints are consistently popular categories for teen sellers.

Studypool (Best for Older Teens, 18+)

Studypool is an online tutoring site that lets you sign up to offer homework help in virtually any subject. You do not need to be a professional, but you do need to be at least 18 years old to sign up. So this one is really best for older teens who have hit that milestone and have strong knowledge in subjects like math, science, or writing that they can help others with.

Realistic earning range: $7-$25 per question answered, depending on complexity. Active tutors can earn $100-$300/month working a few hours a week.

Care.com (With Parent Permission)

You can sign up on Care.com as a caregiver with your parent or guardian's permission. This means that you can create a profile offering your services for different types of caregiving, including babysitting, pet care, and more. Of course, you will want to make sure a parent is looped in before you start taking on clients.

Realistic earning range: Babysitting and pet sitting typically pay $12-$18/hour depending on your area, making this one of the higher-paying options on this list for teens who can get clients.

Other Tips For Teens & Young Adults Earning Money Online

As you can see, teens can make money online. While most of these opportunities aren't going to be a full-time income for anyone, they could come in handy for spending money, gas money, food money, or anything else you may need if you are still living at home.

And if you happen to be 18 already, start applying for work at home jobs. There are many companies who will hire teenagers as long as they are 18 years old.

Combine the Above Jobs For Teens

It's pretty obvious that most of the online jobs for teens and side earners don't typically pay all that well on their own. I would suggest combining these so that you can maximize your overall earnings. Do as many as you have time for.

Watch Out For Scams!

When you're searching for online jobs for teens, be mindful that internet scams are everywhere. Try to screen what your teen is doing online so that they aren't getting taken in by one of the many scams floating around. Stay as involved as you can.

Related: Is It a Work at Home Scam? Follow This Checklist.

Set Up a Bank Account To Get Paid

Most companies like to pay via direct deposit or PayPal. You can't get a PayPal if you are under 18, but you may be able to get your own bank account set up under your parent's account (just depending on the bank). Just know that this step is worth figuring out early, so that you're ready to get paid when the time comes.

Good luck!

Frequently Asked Questions About Online Jobs For Teens

What online jobs can a 13-year-old do?

A 13-year-old can sign up for reward sites like Swagbucks and InboxDollars, join survey panels that allow 13+ members, use Slice the Pie to review music, sell photos through Foap, and list items on resale platforms like Depop or Poshmark with a parent's help. A parent MUST be involved in their teen signing up for any of these things. Digital products on Etsy and print-on-demand are also options at 13 with a parent managing the account.

What online jobs can a 14 or 15-year-old do?

Everything available to 13-year-olds applies here too. At 14 and 15, teens can also start building a Fiverr profile offering services like graphic design, writing, or video editing. Skills that can pay real money over time. Starting a blog or YouTube channel at this age gives you a head start by the time you're old enough to monetize fully.

How can a teenager get paid without PayPal?

Some platforms pay via gift cards (Amazon, Google Play, etc.), direct bank deposit, or check. Reward sites and survey panels often have gift card options that don't require PayPal at all. If you're under 18, your parent can receive PayPal payments on your behalf and transfer the money to you.

Do teens have to pay taxes on money earned online?

Generally, if a teen earns more than $400 from self-employment income in a year, that income is technically reportable. Most teens doing surveys and reward sites won't hit that threshold, but teens doing freelance work through Fiverr or running an Etsy shop should be aware of it. This is a good conversation to have with a parent.

Are online jobs for teens legit or mostly scams?

There are plenty of legitimate options, and everything on this list has been vetted. The red flags to watch for: any job that asks you to pay upfront to get started, promises unusually high earnings for simple tasks, or asks for your Social Security number before you've done any actual work. Stick to well-known platforms!

How much money can a teen realistically make online?

Most teens doing surveys, reward sites, and similar micro-tasks earn $20-$100/month if they're consistent. Skill-based work like freelance writing, graphic design, tutoring, and social media management has much higher potential, anywhere from $200 to $1,000+/month depending on how much time you put in and how quickly you build clients or customers.

Can teens make money online without a bank account?

Some platforms pay in gift cards only, which means you don't need a bank account at all. If you want cash payouts, most require either PayPal or a bank account. Many banks allow teens to open a custodial or joint account with a parent, which solves this problem for most platforms that require one.

To Sum Up

There is no shortage of ways for teens to earn money online, and the list keeps growing.

Just start with one or two things, be consistent, and don't get discouraged if the money comes slowly at first. Honestly, most of these options take a little time to build up. Stack a few of them together and you will start to see it add up!

And if you are a parent reading this, you have to stay involved. Help your teen set up accounts where needed, keep an eye on what they are signing up for, and maybe use it as an opportunity to teach them about earning, saving, and avoiding scams.

Good luck out there!