Can teens really make money online? Yes! I know that it can be hard to earn extra income as a teen when you have a school schedule to work around and need to rely on a car, but it is possible. These online jobs allow you to work flexibly from the comfort of your bedroom.
I recommend finding something you enjoy, whether that means taking surveys, selling gently used clothes on Poshmark or becoming a TikTok content creator. If you want to build career experience, look for more traditional jobs — like a social media marketer or data entry worker — that don’t have a strict age requirement (in general, you have to be at least 14 to work in the U.S.).
I’ve rounded up the best online jobs for teens to help you get started in your side hustle today — no business dress required.
Tip
Many websites and side hustle platforms allow teenagers aged 13 to 17 to use them. However, you typically need permission from your parent or guardian.
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How we evaluate products
When researching the best online jobs for teens and kids, we considered job flexibility, skill requirements, earning potential, accessibility, and age restrictions. Here are more details about how we applied each metric:
- Flexibility: The need for convenience was the most important factor we considered when researching online jobs because many teens are juggling multiple obligations, including school and extracurricular activities. We did not include any jobs requiring full-time work and avoided those with rigid schedules in favor of those that can be completed from home at any time. Swagbucks and Poshmark, for example, offer the ability to work on one’s own time in the amount they choose. That said, we did include some side hustle ideas, like data entry, that teens may need to do for a few hours each day to be successful.
- Skill requirement: Since many teens have limited real-world experience earning money, we primarily included jobs without strict experience requirements that would put them out of reach for people working for the first time. Most of the jobs on our list could be considered entry-level, though that doesn’t guarantee that a teen would be accepted.
- Earning potential: We included jobs on this list that offer the potential to grow in income based on how much effort you put into them. For example, many grow their social media platforms into thriving businesses after years of dedication. We did not provide precise estimates of potential payouts because these can vary by individual, location, and other factors.
- Accessibility: Most of these jobs can be performed at home with a cell phone, tablet, or laptop. They are also open to teens in most states.
- Age restrictions: While we included some jobs on our list that require users to be at least 18 years old, we gave priority to jobs that kids 13 or 14 years old could access. Many of the options on our list require parental approval, which we recommend all minors get when they’re earning money anyway.
More broadly, we considered teenagers’ lifestyles to provide options based on what young adults might be interested in and capable of. Finally, we gave careful consideration to safety. We did not include any platforms or side jobs that would put teens at risk of losing money or compromise their security. This is why we didn’t add online gambling platforms or game apps that earn money through cash tournaments with entry fees, though we may recommend these to some adults aware of the risks.
10 best online jobs for teens and kids
Comparison of the best online jobs for teens
| Online job or side hustle | Best for | Age requirement |
| Swagbucks | Taking online surveys | At least 13 (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission) |
| Twitch streamer | Live streaming from Twitch | At least 13 (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission) |
| Poshmark | Selling things online | At least 13 (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission and supervision) |
| TikTok content creator | Creating TikTok content | At least 13 |
| YouTube content creator | Creating YouTube content | At least 13 (with your parent or guardian’s permission) |
| Fiverr | Doing online tasks for other people | At least 13 (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission and use their parent’s account) |
| Social media marketing assistant | Helping manage social media accounts and campaigns | At least 14 |
| Data entry worker | Using computers to enter or update information | At least 14 |
| Cambly | Teaching English online | At least 18 |
1. Swagbucks
Pros
- Easy to do in your spare time
- Teens 13 to 17 can use Swagbucks with parental permission
- Low payout threshold of $3
Cons
- Won’t qualify for every survey you want to take
- Some surveys can take up to 30 minutes or more
- Need to be 18 to register for PayPal
Age requirement:
At least 13 (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission)
Swagbucks is a rewards site where you can take advantage of different deals and offers to earn rewards or cash back. For teens, I recommend using Swagbucks to take paid online surveys for market research purposes. Companies might want to get information about how teenagers feel about and interact with their products, and they could outsource this work to a company like Swagbucks. All surveys for minors require parental consent.
You get paid in Swagbucks, which can be redeemed for gift cards from popular retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Apple. You can also redeem your rewards for prepaid virtual Mastercard or American Express cards that can be used just about anywhere Mastercard and Amex are accepted. If you want straight cash, you will need to connect to your guardian’s PayPal account.
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Visit Swagbucks | Read more in our Swagbucks review.
Alternative apps/services for Swagbucks
If you’re a teen who wants to earn money doing surveys, it’s not a bad idea to sign up for multiple sites. Here are a few we recommend.
- Branded Surveys: Branded Surveys is an online poll site that will also pay teens for their opinions. You can sign up if you’re 17 years old and redeem earnings for gift cards, prepaid cards, or bank deposits.
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-
YouGov: YouGov is an online survey site, like Swagbucks, that will pay you for your opinion as part of market research. This platform requires you to be 16 to join, and though it’s based in the U.K., teens in the U.S. can sign up.
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- Survey Junkie: Survey Junkie is one of the most popular online survey sites. You have to be at least 18 to use Survey Junkie.
- InboxDollars: This is a popular alternative to Survey Junkie and Swagbucks for taking online surveys. InboxDollars requires users to be at least 18.
2. Twitch
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Pros
- Can turn a hobby or passion into a full-time career
- Teens 13 to 17 can use Twitch with parental permission
- There’s a market for kid-created content
Cons
- You need a decent following to make good money
- Twitch charges commission
- Viewers won’t always be friendly to you
Age requirement: At least 13 (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission)
If you want to be a live entertainer, Twitch streaming could be for you. The live streaming platform primarily focuses on playing video games, but the “Just Chatting” category also leaves space for non-gaming entertainment. If you like spending time on the platform, you’ve probably seen kids and teens close to your age amassing huge followings by playing and narrating their favorite games.
Top streamers can earn millions of dollars from streaming-related efforts, but you need a huge audience to get into that range. Alternatives also worth checking out are YouTube Gaming and Facebook Gaming; both take a smaller commission on your earned revenue. If you’re going to put yourself in front of strangers as a kid or teen, be sure to enlist the help of moderators in your chat and update an adult about everything you do to keep yourself safe.
Learn how much Twitch streamers make.
3. Poshmark
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Pros
- Free to create an account and list items
- Easy-to-use app and website
- Teens 13 to 17 can use Poshmark with parental permission
Cons
- Poshmark takes a 20% cut for sales of $15 or more
- Need inventory to sell
- May need to coordinate shipping with parents or guardians
Age requirement: At least 13 (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission and supervision)
Poshmark is an app and marketplace where you can buy and sell clothes online. You can also turn your electronics, toys, and personal care items into cash. From our experience, Poshmark is primarily a fashion app, and it tends to offer the most value when you’ve got desirable brands in your closet, especially if they’re trendy, high-end, or vintage. If you’re a stylish teen outgrowing your clothes, try this side job to get some spending money.
You could use Poshmark to sell some of your gently used items occasionally or start a full-time Poshmark side hustle where you actively source items to sell for your online business. Many shop their local thrift stores for inventory to resell, which can be lucrative if you know which brands sell best. You will also need to be willing to take attractive pictures and possibly do fashion lives to sell more.
Visit Poshmark | Read more in our Poshmark review.
4. TikTok
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Pros
- Work with a fun and creative social media platform
- Teens who are at least 13 can use TikTok
- Low pressure side hustle you can do at any time
Cons
- You need a large audience to make decent money
- You need a unique angle to stand out
- Might interact with hurtful or harmful people
Age requirement: At least 13
TikTok has taken the world by storm with its unique approach to providing social media content through short and (often) funny video clips. It’s especially popular with younger generations, making it prime real estate for teens looking to flex their creative muscles. We recommend this side hustle if you like to be in front of a camera.
Like any other social media platform, you need to create content people want to watch. Think about what unique angle you can bring to the crowded platform. Can you teach a skill or talent? Do you have impressive artistic or athletic skills? Or maybe you can make up jingles to review products? To grow your following, it’s important to keep posting regularly, but you don’t need to stick to a strict schedule to do this.
Learn how to become a social media influencer.
5. YouTube
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Pros
- Work with a fun and creative social media platform
- Variety of content to explore
- Easy to edit and upload videos
Age requirement: At least 13 (with your parent or guardian’s permission)
YouTube offers a huge library of video content, from music to educational to just-for-fun recordings. Anyone can create an account and start making videos, but you still have to put the work in to create consistent content for your target audience.
If you can get enough subscribers to your channel, making over $1,000 per video is possible. And you can continue making money on videos months or even years later, which makes this platform better than TikTok or Instagram for long-term earnings.
If you study popular channels putting out the type of content that inspires you, you can see what does well and what doesn’t. While some channels post random videos and get a lot of views, channels that do one or two things really well tend to do best.
6. Fiverr
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Pros
- Teens 13 to 17 can use Fiverr with parental permission
- Can build career experience
- Potential for good pay with dedication
Cons
- Could take a while to get gigs and start making money
- Hard to stand out
- Work can be inconsistent
Age requirement: At least 13 (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission and use their parent’s account)
There’s no reason you can’t start freelancing to earn money as a teen, and we recommend Fiverr for this. You can’t create your own account on Fiverr as a teen unless you’re at least 18, but you can use a parent’s account to list your skills and services. Then, you can start working as a proofreader, graphic designer, translator, social media marketer, virtual assistant, and more. Some clients will even pay you to write product reviews.
When Fiverr was brand new, and I had just graduated college, I offered gigs for 500-word articles and creative stories that didn’t need to be well-researched. From this, I learned to write faster and was even able to earn $10 to $15 an hour, which was better pay than my Starbucks job at the time.
If you are 18, we also recommend Upwork.
Learn more in our full Fiverr review.
Pros
- Get paid to use social media platforms
- Often involves lots of creativity
- Can be more successful if you already have a large following
Cons
- There might not be many online jobs available for teenagers
- Might need to find your own clients
- Can be time-consuming
Age requirement: At least 14
Social media marketing assistants typically assist marketing managers and people in similar roles with growing their brands and online presence. Daily responsibilities could include creating social media posts, scheduling posts for online platforms, or editing content for campaigns. If you spend a lot of time on social media anyway, you probably already know how to do all of these.
You might be able to find work through remote job platforms, but you might also need to find clients through making connections on LinkedIn or locally. I recommend starting with small businesses around your area — do any of them need help making a better social media presence? Offering your services can prove to be more successful than filling out dozens of applications online.
Visit FlexJobs
8. Do data entry work
Pros
- Often simple tasks with little to no prior experience required
- Can build career experience
- You might not need more than a computer and a stable internet connection
Cons
- There may not be many online jobs available for teenagers
- Tasks might get repetitive
- Online jobs can be competitive
Age requirement: At least 14 (depending on local laws)
Data entry workers is about plugging information, usually numbers, into databases for companies. If you’re a math whiz or good with tech, this one’s for you.
For example, you might input customer information gathered from paper records into a digital database for easier reference and organization. Or, as a data entry specialist, you might transcribe video and audio clips from recorded meetings.
You don’t typically need much experience besides basic computer skills to work different data entry jobs. However, know that the work might be repetitive — and there are some scams out there for this work.
Here are 22 of the best data entry jobs.
9. Cambly
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Pros
- Work from anywhere
- Flexible hours
- No experience or degree required
Cons
- Have to be at least 18
- Limited number of tutors hired
- Might be competing with more experienced tutors
Age requirement: At least 18
If you’re on the cusp of adulthood but still want a flexible job you can do from home, you should think about teaching English. Cambly lets you teach English online to people around the world as an online tutor. You can work as little or as much as you want from wherever you want. However, you do have to be at least 18 to access Cambly online tutoring jobs. You can choose to tutor adults for .17/minute or children for .20/minute.
Another good option
The pay for Cambly is lower than VIPKid, which is a similar platform we like, but you also aren’t required to have your bachelor’s degree. If you do have a degree, consider using both to earn more.
How to choose the best online jobs for teens
- Minimum age requirement: Many jobs require you to be at least 18 to apply. However, you might be able to use certain apps or platforms if you’re 13 to 17 and have parental permission or permission from your legal guardian.
- Money: Wages likely won’t be great for working teens unless you become wildly popular on a social media platform or find a well-paying position. But if you make a few extra bucks or receive money for something you enjoy, it could be worth it. Plus, you can consider any work experience or valuable skills you gain as an investment in your future career.
- Time: You might have a lot going on as a teen, including school and extracurricular activities. It’s important to find a job that’s flexible enough for you to do after school or when you have time.
- Interest: While it may not always be possible to find work you like or keep your interest, it’s worth considering this as a factor in your job search. It’s much better to enjoy your work than to fear doing it every day.
- Job requirements: Depending on the job, you might need prior experience or have to meet other requirements(s), such as taking online courses to qualify. That might not be possible if you’re brand new to working and haven’t had time to earn any experience.
FAQs
Can you work online as a minor?
Yes. You only have to be 13 to 17 years old to use certain types of websites where you can make extra spending money. Some of these include:
- Swagbucks
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Twitch
- Fiverr
- Poshmark
Note that you typically need parental permission to use these websites if you’re 13 to 17. You might also be allowed to work more traditional jobs if you’re at least 14 or 16 years old. That could include social media marketing, freelance writing or editing, data entry, graphic design, and online customer service.
Can you join PayPal if you are under 18?
No, you must be at least 18 years old to open a U.S. PayPal account and use PayPal services. You must also be a resident of the United States or one of its territories.
What online jobs can teens do without any experience?
Finding remote work is easier if you have some experience, but this doesn’t mean you are out of luck if you are just starting out. It can be easier to get started with a local business, maybe offering your photography, social media, or writing skills to smaller businesses near you to gain some experience.
Bottom line
If you’re want to earn money online as a teen, taking surveys, turning to social media, or offering your services as a freelancer are just a few ways we suggest for doing that.
Spend more time researching whatever job you pursue. See how other people have done it and read articles and books on the topic if possible.
For more of our top recommendations, check out our list of the best side hustles.
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2025-01-10 01:23:46
