Getting paid to read emails can be a real side hustle. However, you won’t get rich, and you won’t make tons of extra cash by reading emails.
Expect to earn small rewards through platforms that pay for specific email-related actions, such as clicking links, reading promotional emails, or confirming interest. It’s an easy side hustle that can be fun and time-efficient.
Can you earn cash for reading emails? Yes, but it won’t be a full-time income. Some platforms or articles promise you can earn money online – fast and easy. Truth is, you can get paid to read emails, but you shouldn’t trust every site you come across.
Why do companies pay you to read emails? The model is simple:
So, your extra money comes from marketing emails and their budgets. The activity itself is real; you just need to find legitimate platforms, not the ones promising “easy money” to get paid for your opinion.
A few minutes spent checking trustworthiness upfront might stop wasted effort for extra income later. Sometimes just pausing prevents headaches down the road.
Legit paid email platforms usually have:
Also, trustworthy sites will never request private details. Real services keep clear of your confidential info, so don’t give out your name, address, banking info, or relatives’ data to companies or platforms that seem suspicious.
Walk away if a site makes you pay just to see paid emails. Those that actually work take money from brands, never from people like you.
This is where people get confused – getting paid to read emails isn’t a job. You won’t have a contract, hourly rates, or any guarantees like you would with a full-time job. Instead, you earn reward points through platforms that can be exchanged for cash.
So, what do you actually get cash for? Here’s a list of actions you’d usually take:
Those simple tasks can be anything from quick paid surveys, signup bonuses, reading messages, engaging with links, and more. So, you can get paid to answer questions or just give feedback on how easy it is to sign up.
What does your reward depend on? It all comes down to what the company wants to test and how much money they can spend on your feedback.
Interested in established and trustworthy sites where you can get paid to read emails without investment? Take a look at this list.
| Pros | Cons |
| No upfront fees | Task availability varies |
| Multiple earning options | Not email-focused |
JumpTask is a micro-tasking platform where email-based opportunities appear alongside other tasks, such as surveys or app trials.
You’ll need to check their platform for any opportunities to get paid to read emails. Payment happens only after completing the required action, not for opening the message itself.
You can also find various other tasks that you can do in your spare time, like watching videos, testing apps, taking surveys, or even playing games. Note that you can earn crypto and other rewards on JumpTask.
What makes JumpTask appealing:
Because email tasks are only one part of the platform, users aren’t dependent on inbox activity alone.
| Pros | Cons |
| Established platform | Higher payout threshold |
| Multiple payout methods | Low per-email earnings |
Inbox Dollars pays users for opening paid emails and clicking confirmation links, but email earnings are just one piece of the platform.
Users can also earn through:
You can get paid to write reviews, shop, and play games, among other things. This platform is versatile, and you might find other activities besides reading promotional emails.
Payouts are available via PayPal and gift cards, though the minimum withdrawal threshold is higher than average.
| Pros | Cons |
| Low redemption options | Indirect email earnings |
| Wide reward selection | Complex points/rewards system |
Swagbucks doesn’t pay directly for reading emails. Instead, users receive inbox offers that award loyalty points when clicked. Also, you can complete surveys, give feedback on promotional content, and do plenty of other tasks if email-based offers are scarce.
Those points can be redeemed for:
Email offers act more like small opportunities than income sources, but they pair well with other activities on the platform. So, if you have some spare time and want to earn a couple of bucks, you can engage with microtasks on this platform for fast cash.
| Pros | Cons |
| Simple click-to-earn emails | Best for shoppers |
| Trusted rewards platform | Slow earnings |
MyPoints uses BonusMail, which rewards users for reading and clicking email links. It’s a part of a larger rewards platform where you can find other small tasks to complete.
This platform works best for users who already shop online, since bonus emails often align with retail promotions. Email clicks alone won’t earn much, but they complement shopping rewards well.
Payout options include gift cards and the Mastercard rewards program. It can be a great way to earn a bit more money to cover your daily spending, but it’ll never replace your 9-to-5.
| Pros | Cons |
| Direct deposit available | Very low payouts |
| Daily earnings | Limited task variety |
FusionCash might not be the best GPT site, but it’s a reliable way to build a side hustle. Itsends daily paid emails with small click-based rewards, and you can start earning almost immediately after signing up. However, there are limits and deadlines for cashing out.
Its standout feature is direct deposit, which many similar platforms don’t offer. It means you can get paid directly to your bank account, instead of collecting gift cards or other rewards. It’s a perfect fit for those who need real money right then and there.
Earnings are predictable but low, making this a decent low-effort add-on rather than a primary option. You can do it in your free time for extra cash, but never bet on it as a full-time income source.
Paid email platforms are often mistaken for actual jobs. But they’re far from actual careers in email marketing or other related fields.
It’s because they do not offer:
They are reward systems or small side hustles – nothing more. You can earn a bit of money from them, but never bet your future income source on side hustles or reading emails.
Full-time email-related jobs include anything from email marketing to technical roles of setting up email systems. If you choose this route, you’ll need qualifications and apply to a company with open positions.
Email marketing testers evaluate deliverability, layout, links, and user experience. These roles require technical or marketing skills and are not paid per email opened. They are unrelated to paid email reward platforms.
Email processing and proofreading involve reviewing, editing, or formatting email content for businesses. These are freelance or contract roles that require skills, time, and effort – and should not be confused with earning from promotional emails.
If you prefer earning extra money without managing inboxes or clicking promotions, check out the Honeygain earning app.
It pays users for securely sharing unused internet bandwidth. There are no emails, surveys, or tasks involved. You need to create an account, connect your device, and let it run in the background while you go on about your day.
Honeygain shares your bandwidth, and you start earning money from the get-go. It’s a low-effort addition for anyone exploring easy side hustles.