10 secret websites to make money online ranked

If you are looking for ways to earn some extra money, this article can show you 10 secret websites to make money from home and some key strategies to increase your income. The websites are ranked by how easy it is to start earning money, but you should conduct your own research before making any commitment. 

1. Honeygain: passive earning from unused bandwidth

Why it ranks #1: Honeygain has the fastest signup on this list, and you don’t need any approval, skill test, or portfolio. 

Honeygain, the top passive income app, is a perfect way to make money online. All you need is a stable internet connection, and you can earn passive income by sharing unused internet bandwidth. This is the only genuinely hands-off option on this list. You can install Honeygain in about five minutes, and it will run in the background while you use your device normally.

• Typical payout: Most Honeygain users earn between $5 and $20 per month. However, keep in mind that your earnings may be higher than that, depending on how much data (unused internet) you decide to share.
• Payout method and speed: Once you have earned a minimal amount of $20, you can request a withdrawal to your PayPal account. It takes a few business days to process your request. 
• Skill level and approval difficulty: You don’t need any specialized knowledge or skills to start earning money. You won’t have to take any tests or wait for the approval.
• Starter tip: Make more money by running Honeygain on multiple eligible devices (Windows, Linux, and MacOS devices and Android phones) and enabling the content delivery feature. 

2. Swagbucks: rewards for everyday online tasks

Why it ranks #2: Even though Swagbucks is a survey platform that offers an instant signup, it still comes with slightly more friction than Honeygain because tasks are active.

Swagbucks is a rewards platform for surveys, shopping cashback, video watching, and everyday online tasks. It is perfect for readers who want to earn some extra cash or save money through coupon codes and gift cards by doing simple tasks.

• Typical payout: Every 100 SB points you earn by doing tasks is worth $1. You can earn $60-$150 per month, but keep in mind that that’s only an estimate. 
• Payout method and speed: You can choose to withdraw your earned money to PayPal or as gift cards. The minimum redemption threshold is 300 SB ($3). According to Reddit users, the processing time on Swagbucks is 1-3 business days, but sometimes it can take up to 10 business days.
• Skill level and approval difficulty: You don’t need any skills, and you can sign up instantly. However, some surveys screen users out partway through.
• Starter tip: For online purchases, you can stack Swagbucks shopping rewards with credit card cashback.

3. InboxDollars: small tasks, small cash amounts

Why it ranks #3: The task variety is narrower on this site than on Swagbucks, but it’s still a great place to make an instant signup and earn quick cash.

InboxDollars is a popular option to earn extra income by completing surveys, watching videos, reading paid emails, and doing other simple online tasks. It is a great choice if you want dollar-denominated earnings without having to do conversion math.

• Typical payout: You can earn $0.25 to a few dollars per task. Monthly, that’s approx $50-$100+.
• Payout method and speed: You’ll need at least $10 ($15 for first-time withdrawal) to withdraw via PayPal, checks, or gift cards. Requests are usually handled within 3 business days.
• Skill level and approval difficulty: You can sign up right away and start earning (even with no skills). Some surveys can disqualify you partway through.
• Starter tip: Stack small earnings by enabling paid emails and TV-watching rewards alongside paid surveys.

4. Clickworker: microtasks for quick pay

Why it ranks #4: You’ll sign up quickly, but you’ll need to do an assessment before you can start earning.

Clickworker is a microjob platform. Here, you can do data entry, short online surveys, categorisation, and AI training. If you’re looking for a pay-per-task work with no long commitments, this is a great option for you.

• Typical payout: Clickworker doesn’t specify exact per-task rates and hourly earnings, but you can expect anywhere between a few cents and several dollars per task.
• Payout method and speed: You need to earn at least 10€ ($11.71) before you can withdraw it to PayPal, Payoneer, ACH, or SEPA. Expect your payments to arrive within 5-7 business days (or longer if it’s your first withdrawal).
• Skill level and approval difficulty: You need low to medium skills to work here. To start, you’ll need to complete a short assessment for writing quality, including task instructions.
• Starter tip: If you want to know how to increase income, do your assessment carefully, as your initial scores will affect which tasks become available.

5. Spring (formerly Teespring): print-on-demand without the overhead

Why it ranks #5: Signing up is free and instant, but to earn anything meaningful, you need to work on designs and marketing.

Spring (formerly Teespring) is a perfect platform to start a print-on-demand business with no or low startup costs. Here, you can design and sell shirts, mugs, and accessories for global or local demand. You can easily start your online store with no extra storage space needed.

• Typical payout: When they just start, most people earn several dollars per month. Later on, those who persist and have skills can profit thousands of dollars in a month, even $100,000.00 per year.  
• Payout method and speed: Payouts are processed through PayPal or Payoneer, usually within 24-48 hours (up to 7 business days for a first payout).
• Skill level and approval difficulty: It is free to join Spring and list your digital products, but your earnings will depend on your design and marketing skills.
• Starter tip: Try to design for specific niche buyers rather than trying to appeal to everyone.

6. UserTesting: get paid to test websites and apps

Why it ranks #6: Because of practice tests and demographic matching, your earnings won’t start on day one.

If you wonder how to earn money without a job, you should try UserTesting. This is a paid user research platform where you test websites and mobile apps, and record yourself giving honest feedback. If you are comfortable speaking out loud on camera and can give detailed feedback, UserTesting is perfect for you.

• Typical payout: For shorter user interviews (up to 20 minutes), you can earn $4-$10. For longer studies and live interviews, you can get $30-$120. Monthly, that’s about $100-$300.
• Payout method and speed: There is no minimum withdrawal amount. You withdraw your money to PayPal, and it takes 24-48 hours after test approval, approximately 14 days after you have completed the user feedback.
• Skill level and approval difficulty: To sign up, you’ll need to do a practice test. You’re not guaranteed to get approved, and test availability varies by demographic.
• Starter tip: Speak continuously during the test and narrate every click and reaction. Silence is the main reason tests get rejected.

7. Rev: transcription and captioning work

Why it ranks #7: You need to do a grammar test and submit a sample before the first payout, which means you can’t start earning money right away. 

If your English is perfect, you can type quickly, and you have a good attention to detail, try Rev. It is a platform where you can earn online by doing transcription, captioning, and subtitling work.

• Typical payout: Complete beginners usually earn $4-$6 per hour. More experienced transcriptionists can earn $11.89 per hour on average, but many of them earn well over $15 per hour.
• Payout method and speed: For your approved work, you’ll get paid weekly through PayPal.
• Skill level and approval difficulty: To work on Rev, your skills must be at least medium. You’ll need to submit a grammar test and a sample transcription, and there is no guarantee that you’ll get approved.
• Starter tip: Start with shorter, clearer audio files to train your accuracy and speed before attempting harder work.

8. Fiverr: freelance services for global clients

Why it ranks #8: Signup is instant, but you need to build your profile, create gigs, and wait for weeks before you make the first sale.

Fiverr is a freelance marketplace where you list services such as writing, graphic design, voiceover, admin, and more. This is a great way to build an online business and earn a steady income if you have a skill set and specialized knowledge for gig-based projects.

• Typical payout: Per-gig pricing starts at $5, but the earnings can be much higher, depending on the specifics of the gig and your skill level. There are also platform fees you’ll have to pay – 20% of what you earn.
• Payout method and speed: You can withdraw money through PayPal, Payoneer, or with a bank transfer. New sellers will need to wait through the 14-day clearance period.
• Skill level and approval difficulty: Medium to high. To get first orders and steady cash flow, you’ll need to price your gigs competitively, have a strong gig title, and build your portfolio.
• Starter tip: Choose a narrow niche (“LinkedIn bios for tech founders” rather than “writing”) to stand out from others.

9. Shutterstock: sell photos, videos, and illustrations

Why it ranks #9: To start, you’ll need to go through a portfolio review to ensure you meet the technical standards, and it may take a while before you make any meaningful earnings.

Shutterstock is a stock media marketplace for photographers, videographers, and illustrators. Pay varies, and it is based on royalties paid per download. If you are a photographer with proven experience, this platform could be one of the best ways to make money from home.

• Typical payout: Per-download royalty ranges depending on your earnings level (15% to 40% of the price that brands pay to Shutterstock). As your portfolio grows, so will your earnings.
• Payout method and speed: You can withdraw your earned money through PayPal, Payoneer, and Skrill. The minimum payout threshold is $25.
• Skill level and approval difficulty: Medium to high. Shutterstock will review your portfolio and initial submissions to ensure they pass technical and quality checks.
• Starter tip: Research commercial search terms that are trending, then make new photos to fill the gaps.

10. Medium Partner Program: get paid for your writing

Why it ranks #10: Medium has the highest barriers to first payout, including follower threshold, Stripe setup, and audience building.

The Medium Partner Program site pays its writers based on member reading time. If you’re experienced in content creation, especially writing, this could be the right place for you. Publish articles and build an audience over time.

• Typical payout: How much you will earn per article varies depending on the number of views. Per 1000 views, you can earn anywhere between $10 and $98. 
• Payout method and speed: Payouts are processed through Stripe Connect, on a monthly basis, 5-7 business days after the 8th of the following month.
• Skill level and approval difficulty: High. You need 100 followers to even join, and you’ll need a Stripe account. Your earnings will depend on the reading time from paying Medium members.
• Starter tip: Publish in established Medium publications rather than standalone. These publications get more members’ reading time.

Key takeaways

By now, you probably have a basic idea of which website(s) could be the best source of additional income for you. To help you pick, here is a short summary of the article:

• 10 secret websites to make money without investment, including survey sites, sites for testing apps, creative platforms, and many more.

• We ranked websites based on their ease of setup and skill level. The fastest-start platforms usually have no or low ceilings to start earning supplemental income.
• Higher-effort platforms (Fiverr, Shutterstock, Medium) have higher ceilings but take longer to start earning a more substantial income. 
• None of the platforms has a guaranteed income amount – it all depends on your skills, effort, strategy, and task availability.