8 legit ways to make money online in 2021

Over the years, I have tried and tested several opportunities to earn money online, which were not limited to article writing, print-on-demand services, and even taking online surveys. I gained a lot of experience from it all, and as I dug deeper, I came across the good and bad side of making money online. Scammers understand the desperation people have for extra income, so it's easy for an unknown user to get caught in a fraudulent trap.  

Where it all began:  

I don't mean to brag, but I started making money online first in the year 2006. Some of you might remember the online social content platform Squidoo, which was the place I first began writing articles in general. I was pretty active on the site and made a decent amount of money during the time. But sadly, Squidoo was acquired by Hubspot, and I had to migrate all of my work. 

After Squidoo, there has been no looking back, and I've discovered various online money making platforms, some of which I continue to be a part of. Today, I'll talk about all the websites I have used in the past and am currently a member. 

Upwork:

To put your freelancing skills to serious use, definitely sign up for Upwork. It is the best platform for freelancers with all kinds of skill sets. All you need to do is to set up a profile and apply to become a member. The selection process is not very easy as Upwork only chooses freelancers who meet their criteria. So you better have something interesting to offer.

For example, chances of approval are slim if you're just a freelance writer but, if you have professional certifications or past projects to show, your profile might be approved quickly. If you're someone with technical skills, then you have higher chances of approval. 

Upwork is free to join, but you'll have to pay for connects (mandatory) or an upgraded membership, if you prefer. Connects are application points used per project application. Although Upwork offered 60 free connects a few years back, they changed the policy later and now charge 0.5 cents per connect. The use of connects depends on the quality of the project. 

When you finish a project, and the client rates your work, you score as a freelancer. The higher the score, the better the chances of getting more jobs. But, if you're unable to land a project for a full 30 days, your profile is hidden from public viewing unless you land a job again. So it is safer to find easy jobs on Upwork as a new member. 

Join Upwork

Is Upwork worth it?

You can earn as little as $5 to $500 per project, depending on your skills and performance as a freelancer. Upwork takes 20% of your total earnings, and you get the rest. All you need to do is stay focused and deliver the promised quality work to the client. Upwork accepts members worldwide. 

People Per Hour: 

People Per Hour is a UK based freelancing platform that works just like Upwork, with a few exceptions. Your profile is accepted automatically, given the information provided is correct and legit. You'll get 15 free proposals every month used to bid for projects. Isn't that great? But there's a condition. You'll have to successfully complete two projects and earn a rating of above 4.5 stars from the client within three months of signing up. Not being able to complete this task within the probation period will result in membership cancellation. Yup, that's the rule. 

PPH takes 20% off freelancer earnings for the first £250 and 7.5% over 250. If a freelancer earns above £5000, the cut reduces to 3.5%. Members accepted from all countries.

Join People Per Hour

Online Surveys:

If freelancing seems like a lot of work, and you're ok with keeping things slow and steady, online surveys are the best thing. They're easy money and don't require hardcore technical skills. All you need is a computer or smartphone, a stable internet connection, and free time. 

Although online surveys are the way to instant money, they're also the most scammed medium. There are thousands of websites promising $50 per survey and all but, none of that is true. I've only listed the three here, out of which two are my favorites. I think are the best and reward better and quicker than their counterparts.

Life Points:

Life Points is a research panel operating in over 30 countries. They reward members through points ranging from 60 to 250 per survey. It usually takes about 5 to 15 fifteen minutes to complete a survey, and points are awarded instantly upon successful completion. You can redeem your points for gift cards upon reaching 500 points or Paypal cash (1200 points converted to $10).

Join Life Points

Mobrog:

If there's any survey site I have cashed out the quickest from, it is Mobrog. It only operates within the US and Canada. Once you join as a member, you can either take surveys from your laptop/tablet or smartphone. They send dozens of surveys per week, and you'll be able to qualify for most of those, so there's no time wasted. Every member is allowed to cash out $6.25 twice per day. You can also earn $1.25 per referral. Mobrog is the best online survey site I have come across as of yet. 

Join Mobrog

Ipsos I-say:

I joined Ipsos I-say but wasn't quite impressed with it. I was able to cash out twice but it took a long time as I wasn't able to qualify for most surveys. I was active on the site for 2 years and then I canceled my membership. I-say is available in many countries worldwide. It didn't work for me but it might work for you.  

Join Ipsos I-say

Tomoson:

If you're an influencer with a big social media following, then you should sign up on Tomoson. These guys connect brands looking to promote their products with influencers who meet the brand requirements. So if you have above 5000 followers/subscribers, are active on social media, or create engaging digital content, this is an opportunity not to miss.  You can choose from paid campaigns or free products. Tomoson mostly caters to the North American market but, they also have projects for other countries. 

Join Tomoson

Intellifluence:

Just like Tomoson, Intellifluence brings brands and influencers under one roof to connect and exchange services for money or free products. This site fairly new and that's why they don't have an abundance of projects but they're still good. Whether you're a blogger or Youtuber, are big on Instagram or Facebook etc, you might be able to get hold of a good opportunity here.

Join Intellifluence

Get Blogged:

It's been quite some time that I joined Get Blogged. It's a platform for bloggers to connect with brands and, complete assigned projects. If you're a fashion or beauty blogger your blog needs to have a DA (Domain Authority) of 25+ to qualify for a project. This means you need to have an engaging blog with proper format and SEO. Check out my guide on blogging mistakes I made so you don't. I've shared tips and tricks on how to keep your blog on track as it eventually helps build better DA.

Join Get blogged

That's it for today's post. I hope all of this information helps you out. If you enjoyed today's post, do let me know in the comments. Plus, if you have ideas of your own, don't hesitate to share. Goodluck.