Your teen years are a perfect time to explore interests that may turn into a potential career path or learn new skills.
Most teens’ monthly expenses are low as they live at home and can afford to pursue hobbies and activities that don’t pay the bills but can scale into a nice side hustle for college and as a new college graduate.
There are many online jobs for teens to make money and can have more flexibility than a local part-time job. These options can be a good fit for many to earn real money.
Table of Contents
- Best Online Jobs for Teens
- 1. Online Surveys
- 2. Create Graphics
- 3. Make an Etsy Shop
- 4. Flip Items
- 5. Sell Textbooks
- 6. Virtual Assistant
- 7. Social Media Manager
- 8. Tutor Online
- 9. Be a Customer Service Representative
- 10. Test Websites and Apps
- 11. Play Games
- 14. Listen to Music
- 15. Sell Photos
- 16. Freelance Write
- 17. Start a YouTube Channel
- 18. Be an Instagram Influencer
- 19. Voiceover Artist
- 20. Data Entry
- 21. Transcribe Audio and Video
- 22. Proofread
- 23. Search the Web
- 24. Be a Pet Sitter
- 25. Babysit
- Summary
Best Online Jobs for Teens
It’s possible to do several of these money-making ideas at a time to amplify your earnings and decide which gigs work best for you. Many places are open to teens between ages 13 and 17 but parental permission may be necessary to join.
1. Online Surveys
Minimum age: 13 years old
Companies from many industries want to know what teens think about retail brands and social trends. They are willing to pay money for teens to share their opinions.
Survey topics may include rating shoe brands, reviewing advertisements and sharing TV watching and mobile phone usage habits. Most surveys take 20 minutes or less making it easy to make money during study hall, in the evenings or between other online jobs.
There are several online survey sites that offer daily surveys to redeem for cash and gift cards. Most platforms offer Amazon, Best Buy and Target gift cards as a redemption bonus.
You won’t get rich from online surveys but they don’t require any special skills. Being able to make money immediately is also convenient.
Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie offers multiple surveys per day and you can request payment for gift cards or PayPal with a $10 rewards balance. The minimum age to join is 16.
Read our full Survey Junkie review to learn more.
Learn more about Survey Junkie
Swagbucks
There are several ways to make money on Swagbucks as a teen (or adult):
- Online surveys
- Playing games
- Downloading apps
- Watching videos
- Shopping online
Amazon gift card redemptions start at $1 and most gift card and PayPal payments start at $5. This platform can be a great option for many as there are several ways to make money online with microtasks and the minimum age to join is 13 years.
Read our full Swagbucks review to learn more.
LifePoints
LifePoints can also be worth considering as you can take several surveys per day. Surveys that let you use your webcam or text messages can pay more.
Gift card and cash redemptions start at $5. The minimum age requirement is 14 years old.
Read our full LifePoints review to learn more.
2. Create Graphics
Minimum age: 16 years old
A fun way to make money is by creating graphics and selling on merchandise like:
- Clothing
- Stickers
- Wall art
- Phone cases
Several platforms provide the software for you to make your designs and upload them to your online store.
Customers can order your items and the service prints and ships the item. You may need to find buyers to make a sale but it’s also possible to be commissioned to make personalized designs.
Redbubble can be a good option for teens as you only need to be 16 years old to start selling. Another option is CafePress where you can also build “Fan Portals” that let you sell pop culture designs for popular shows, movies and comics. But you must be at least 18 years old to sell.
3. Make an Etsy Shop
Minimum age: 18 years old
Handmade items are another potential income stream if you like making physical items such as jewelry, clothing, and home décor. Etsy is one of the largest marketplaces for handicrafts.
Offering customized designs may boost the odds of making a sale.
The income can deposit into a teen checking account for easy access.
4. Flip Items
Minimum age: 18 years old
There are several online outlets to flip items that you buy at a low price and sell for a higher price. This can be a good option for finding good deals or may not have the time or skill to design your own merchandise to sell.
Some of the options can include:
- Clothing
- Trading cards
- Video games
Poshmark
Use Poshmark to sell designer clothing, shoes, and handbags. Sellers receive a prepaid shipping label when an item sells.
Decluttr
Sell unwanted electronics, video games, and Lego on Decluttr. You get an instant buyback quote and can ship your items for free.
Facebook Marketplace
Sometimes, the best place to sell something is in your local town. Facebook Marketplace can be one of the best buy and sell websites in most cities as it’s an active platform and free to use.
It’s also possible to ship items to buyers but shipping fees will apply.
eBay
One of the largest online marketplaces is eBay where you can sell almost anything. You can sell items at a fixed price or hope to spark a bidding war with an auction-style sale.
5. Sell Textbooks
Minimum age: 18 years old
Textbooks can earn a small fortune when selling them with a buyback platform like Bookscouter instead of going to the student bookstore. The service compares the buyback prices from over 30 platforms.
Shipping is usually free and you can expect payment by PayPal for most vendors. It may also be possible to earn bonus rewards by referring friends to sell their books online.
6. Virtual Assistant
Minimum age: 13 years old
Online sites of many sizes are looking for virtual assistants to handle the behind-the-scenes work so the business owner can focus on expanding their brand.
Tasks can vary by client but can include:
- Answer and organize emails
- Schedule appointments
- Research upcoming projects
- Post social media content
Asking a family friend can be a good starting point to get a word-of-mouth referral. Fiverr is another excellent option as the minimum age to join is 13 years.
Other platforms are Upwork and FlexJobs (see our FlexJobs review) but you need to be at least 18 years old to join.
7. Social Media Manager
Minimum age: 13 years old
Social media-savvy teens can be an excellent fit for being a social media manager. The manager can publish social media blasts and react to comments on various platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and TikTok.
As your skills grow, it may be possible to run social media ad campaigns and adapt to the latest trends to keep customer interaction high.
8. Tutor Online
Minimum age: 18 years old
Tutoring by Zoom or another online platform to younger children can be a rewarding way to make money and improve your speaking skills. Many online platforms require tutors to be at least 18 years old but accept current college students.
Cambly has flexible minimum qualifications and doesn’t require a bachelor’s degree to teach English to international students.
Tutor.com accepts tutors for many subjects but you must be at least a college sophomore.
9. Be a Customer Service Representative
Minimum age: 16 years old
Being a customer service agent can be a rewarding experience and a great way to improve communication skills. U-Haul is known for hiring students as young as 16 years old.
It’s possible to help customers make reservations, obtain roadside assistance or resolve complaints. These online call center jobs can take place at home with a quiet and distraction-free work environment.
Other companies may be willing to hire teens but the minimum age can be 18 years old.
10. Test Websites and Apps
Minimum age: 13 years old
Testing websites and trying new apps for usability can be a fun way to make money.
Companies may have you complete a specific list of tasks. You may also have to use a webcam and microphone to watch you interact with the platform and clearly speak your thoughts.
UserTesting pays you $10 to complete a 20-minute test. You receive payment by PayPal and must be at least 18 years old to join.
There are other website testing platforms to consider as well for extra opportunities.
11. Play Games
Minimum age: 13 years old
Several online platforms specialize in paying teens and adults to play video games and earn rewards by unlocking certain achievements. Cash and gift cards are common payment methods along with in-app purchases.
You might use a site like Swagbucks to play games and have several other ways to make money.
Bananatic
Bananatic pays rewards points for playing games and leaving reviews. The points are redeemable for games, gift cards, Steam wallet codes and in-game purchases.
Mistplay
Mistplay offers gift card rewards for playing mobile games. This app is only available for Android devices.
14. Listen to Music
Minimum age: 13 years old
SliceThePie pays panelists to listen to music and write a review. Most tracks are from up-and-coming artists and new release albums.
Leaving detailed and high-quality reviews can earn a higher payment. You can request payment with a $10 rewards balance.
15. Sell Photos
Minimum age: 18 years old
There are several platforms to sell photos and videos from a phone, camera or drone. In most cases, you earn a royalty commission for each sale.
Foap
Foap lets users take photos with a smartphone for themed missions. Winning photos may be part of future advertising campaigns for well-known retail brands.
Shutterstock
One of the largest stock photo marketplaces is Shutterstock and you earn a commission from each sale.
16. Freelance Write
Minimum age: 13 years old
Being a freelance writer can be a lucrative way to make ongoing income sharing your expertise. It’s one of the few ways you can get a job online typing. You might start a blog to build an online presence and let potential clients read your writing samples.
Another way of finding clients is by creating profiles on Fiverr and Upwork for freelance gigs.
17. Start a YouTube Channel
Minimum age: 13 years old
Teens that are not camera-shy or are great public speakers can build a powerful YouTube channel. The channel can earn ad revenue as the subscriber base grows and also by sponsoring with brands.
It’s free to start a channel but investing in a camera, lighting equipment, and editing software can produce higher quality results.
18. Be an Instagram Influencer
Minimum age: 13 years old
Instagram is a popular online hangout for teens. The social media network can be an excellent way to sell items that you make and partnering with brands.
19. Voiceover Artist
Minimum age: 13 years old
It’s possible to lend your voice for these productions and make money as a voiceover artist:
- Commercials
- Shows
- Internet videos
- Video games
- Audiobooks
Voices.com is an online community to connect with clients. Fiverr also helps voice actors find work.
Consider taking Carrie Olsen’s Voiceover Success Initiative to learn the tricks of the trade.
Learn more about Voiceover Success
20. Data Entry
Minimum age: 18 years old
If you have strong attention to detail skills, data entry can help earn a steady income and is an intriguing online job for teens.
There are several platforms to consider and there are many one-time tasks that take a few minutes to complete.
Amazon’s MTurk is a popular platform offering data entry, transcription and survey opportunities. Payment options include Amazon gift cards and direct bank deposit.
Other sites that may have openings are Clickworker, Appen and Lionbridge. Openings vary so it’s worth checking several platforms to get consistent work.
21. Transcribe Audio and Video
Minimum age: 18 years old
Transcription jobs can be a great way to work on-demand and earn steady income. Most platforms require you to be at least 18 years old but it can be possible to find clients on Fiverr as a teen transcriber.
Entry-level transcription is usually writing the words for general audio conversations or creating subtitles for videos.
You may also need to buy special equipment like a foot pedal to improve your work speed.
Rev can be one of the best platforms to join as no experience or special equipment is necessary.
22. Proofread
Minimum age: 18 years old
Are you a grammar expert? If so, you can become a proofreader and look over a variety of topics from online blog posts to business papers.
You might join a proofreading agency or network with local friends and businesses.
Consider taking a proofreading course to decide if this online side hustle is for you.
Learn more about Proofreading Launchpad
23. Search the Web
Minimum age: 13 years old
Several short task platforms including Swagbucks and InboxDollars award points for using the platform search engine instead of going directly to Google. It can be easy to earn rewards when researching homework or gaining random knowledge.
Microsoft Rewards can be one of the best options as the first searches each day earn rewards to spend on future Microsoft Store and Xbox purchases. Members can install a laptop browser extension or a mobile app and use the Bing search engine.
24. Be a Pet Sitter
Minimum age: 18 years old
If you like pets, you can open your home to pet sitting dogs and cats. You can connect with pet owners on Rover.
It’s also possible to be a dog walker and provide drop-in visits if you’re able to leave home and want to get paid to exercise.
25. Babysit
Minimum age: 16 years old
Babysitting can be another way to make money by watching children on a weekly basis. The minimum age to babysit varies by state but a general rule of thumb is being 16 years old.
You can also join Care.com to find parents needing a sitter in addition to asking friends and family.
Summary
There are many online jobs for teens that can match almost any interest or work schedule. These opportunities can provide more options than many local areas and the extra money can be useful for hanging out with friends or for the future.
