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Top 16 Remote Side Hustles To Earn Cash in 2025

by Nadia Shostak
Jul 31, 2025
7 min. read
Person holding money and card with smile on his face, on top is a lightbulb icon. To his left is a white box with the text "Top 16" in light orange and "Remote Side Hustles" in brighter orange. All against a bright orange background.

Americans want flexible work and additional income more than ever. Remote side jobs are the ideal way to tick both boxes, especially with new apps coming online all the time.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the best remote side hustles to make extra money, and potentially even open up new opportunities for a scalable business!

We’ll look at the best options available in 2025, the earning potential, time requirements, and strategies for success.

Why Choose Remote Side Hustles to Make Extra Money?

Whether you need extra cash to keep up with the bills, save for the future, or afford extra treats, the best remote side hustles are flexible, scalable, and have very low barriers to entry.

Simply download your preferred apps, register, and go!

How to Choose The Right Remote Side Hustle For Your Needs

A great remote side hustle needs to:

  • Be flexible in terms of time requirements and location of work. In this instance, neighborhood jobs just won’t cut it!
  • Be free or affordable to start, in line with your budget. No one wants to pay out more than they’re earning (and with that in mind, check out our “How to stay safe when working remote side hustles” section).
  • Offer attractive earning potential that is in line with the time and resources put into it.
  • Meet your skillsets.

Top 15 Remote Side Hustles to Try in 2025

From quick and easy fun cash apps to scalable business opportunities, the best remote side hustles offer plenty of potential. Here are some of our top picks for 2025. Check out the highlights in the table and then read on for the details.

Side HustleTypical EarningsEase of SetupPayment Frequency
Fun game apps$1–$100 a monthVery EasyFrom $1
Freelance writing$25–$50 per articleModeratePer project
Virtual assistant (VA)$15–$35 per hourModerateWeekly/Bi-weekly
Online tutoring$15–$50 per hourModerateWeekly/Monthly
Print-on-demand sales$1–$10 per item profitEasyMonthly
Social media management$300–$1000+ per month per clientModerateMonthly
Remote customer service$12–$20 per hourModerateBi-weekly/Monthly
Digital day tradingHighly variableHardInstant/On-demand
Gaming (streaming or testing)$0–$2000+ a monthHardVaries (weekly/monthly)
Affiliate marketing$50–$2000+ a monthModerateMonthly
Selling Digital Products$10–$5000+ a monthModerateInstant/Monthly
Online Transcription Jobs$10–$30 per hourEasyWeekly/Monthly
Bookkeeping/ Accounting$20–$6 per hourModerateBi-weekly/Monthly
Voiceover work$50–$500+ a projectModeratePer project
Remote travel agent$15–$40 per hour or commissionModerateCommission-based
Video clipping$10–$50 per hourModeratePer project/Weekly
Subscription boxesVaries widely - $100–$10,000+ a month possibleHardMonthly (recurring revenue)
Chat Operator$0.10–$0.50 a message or $10–$20/hrEasyWeekly/Bi-weekly
Create a blog$100-$300+ a monthModerateEasyMonthly recurring

1. Fun game apps

Earn up to $5 daily with easy cash apps on your phone. Got a few minutes to spare? Earn by watching adverts, playing games, and answering questions. Some of the best include:

  • Scrambly - with a low $1 cashout threshold
  • Toluna and
  • SwagBucks

These won’t pay the rent, but they’re great for building up extra income daily. After all, $5 extra a day is a very meaningful $150 a month if you’re consistent!

homepage with smiling illustrated fox in orange with black features, holding a purple gaming controller and sitting on a purple chair. Orange coins fly around. Orange CTA buttons and black text against a pale gray background
homepage with smiling illustrated fox in orange with black features, holding a purple gaming controller and sitting on a purple chair. Orange coins fly around. Orange CTA buttons and black text against a pale gray background
Play & Earn for Free with Scrambly!

2. Freelance writing

Earn $15-$100 an hour as a freelance writer on platforms such as Contently, Upwork, Fiverr, and ProBlogger. Build your profile by offering quick and easy jobs, such as product descriptions. Ask friends and family to post small jobs for you, to start building positive reviews.

In-demand areas include finance, health, tech, and software. Use tools like Grammarly and SurferSEO to support your work.

Contently homepage with simple, clean design, featuring blue hero image with subtle cloud illustrations and white overlay text. Golden yellow CTA on white main header bar. Video screen with text-based explainer video in the main section of the screen.
Contently homepage with simple, clean design, featuring blue hero image with subtle cloud illustrations and white overlay text. Golden yellow CTA on white main header bar. Video screen with text-based explainer video in the main section of the screen.

3. Virtual assistant (VA)

Earn $15-$35 per hour as a remote virtual assistant on platforms like Upwork, Belay, Time Etc. Leverage your communication, organization and time management skills to help SMEs. Typical tasks include email management, diary scheduling, and meeting room liaison.

Belay homepage in shades of green and black. Green gradient hero image with subtle illustrative graphics and a circle containing an image of a smiling white male with glasses, wearing a blue shirt and black blazer, holding a mug. White overlay text.
Belay homepage in shades of green and black. Green gradient hero image with subtle illustrative graphics and a circle containing an image of a smiling white male with glasses, wearing a blue shirt and black blazer, holding a mug. White overlay text.

4. Online tutoring

Earn $15-$50 per hour with online tutoring platforms like Wyzant, Outschool, and Preply. Teach subjects from K-12 onward, including specialist ESL and exam prep. Use your own curriculum and create materials on Teachable or Skillshare.

Preply homepage with tutoring screen grab, featuring dark dark-haired male in a white t-shirt and grey shirt, explaining something in front of a keyboard, to a smiling woman in a pink t-shirt in the call screen. Overlaid on a pink background with black text
Preply homepage with tutoring screen grab, featuring dark dark-haired male in a white t-shirt and grey shirt, explaining something in front of a keyboard, to a smiling woman in a pink t-shirt in the call screen. Overlaid on a pink background with black text

5. Print-on-demand sales

Earn $1–$10 per item profit with profit margins of 15% to 50% with print-on-demand services. Use Canva to create designs and sell customized products on Etsy, Printful + Shopify, and Redbubble.

Target niche audiences for best results, such as gamers, pet owners and couples planning their weddings. Grow your business over time with marketing.

Redbubble homepage with multicolored hero image, featuring product stills overlaid on bright blue cutout backgrounds, with orange pop-ups and stars, on a golden yellow background. Black text and white CTA button. Search box in gradient of rainbow colors
Redbubble homepage with multicolored hero image, featuring product stills overlaid on bright blue cutout backgrounds, with orange pop-ups and stars, on a golden yellow background. Black text and white CTA button. Search box in gradient of rainbow colors

6. Social media management

Earn $25-$100 per hour by managing social media for small brands remotely. Use platforms like Freelancer, Upwork and LinkedIn for opportunities and outreach, and Canva for designing posts. Hootsuite, Sprout Social and Buffer are useful for social media management.

Good niches include e-commerce brands, wellness, personal development and coaching services. Invest in your ongoing training to excel in this field and win more work.

Hootsuite homepage with large colorful hero image featuring multicolored dashboard still and a bright image of a smiling woman in a yellow jacket on a neon green and pink background. Illustrated orange owl holding a golden trophy. Gray and orange text
Hootsuite homepage with large colorful hero image featuring multicolored dashboard still and a bright image of a smiling woman in a yellow jacket on a neon green and pink background. Illustrated orange owl holding a golden trophy. Gray and orange text

7. Remote customer service

Earn $15-$25 per hour as a remote customer service agent at companies such as Arise, Amazon and Liveops. Some roles involve telephone service, and others are delivered through a chat function.

You’ll need a quiet space to work and basic tech, including a laptop and headphones. Full training is usually given, and W-2 roles sometimes include benefits.

Arise homepage with hero image of smiling attractive young African American woman wearing peach jumper, with moving graphical elements around her in pastel shades. Pale gray background and black text, with green CTA button in brand colors
Arise homepage with hero image of smiling attractive young African American woman wearing peach jumper, with moving graphical elements around her in pastel shades. Pale gray background and black text, with green CTA button in brand colors

8. Digital day trading

Get into day trading and profit from small price fluctuations to earn 1-4% of your investment over a month. Look at platforms such as IG Group, ForTrade Ltd, Plus500 and FreeTrade. Volatile crypto markets also offer earning opportunities if you know what you’re doing, and that’s the key.

Deeply learn your subject, use the test environment and practice mental discipline to stay in the minority of successful traders!

ForTrade homepage with sign-up popup in black, with a blue CTA button. Background blurred image featuring trading performance graphs in red and green above a black background. Bright blue top menu bar with white text
ForTrade homepage with sign-up popup in black, with a blue CTA button. Background blurred image featuring trading performance graphs in red and green above a black background. Bright blue top menu bar with white text

9. Gaming

Earn $50 per month as a new Twitch streamer, or $1,000 a month as a successful esports gamer. The gaming industry offers various ways to earn money remotely. Earn $14.13 to $32 per hour as a games tester or build an audience on YouTube with gaming content over time., 

Twitch homepage with black design and purple bottom bar. Left-hand menu with avatars and call handles of players, plus main section grids showing live action games in progress in full color
Twitch homepage with black design and purple bottom bar. Left-hand menu with avatars and call handles of players, plus main section grids showing live action games in progress in full color

10. Affiliate marketing

Earn a performance-based income of at least $1,000 a month over time with affiliate marketing, like 50% of successful affiliate marketers. If you have a following online, monetize it with channels such as YouTube, Pinterest, your own blog, Instagram, and TikTok.

Leverage tools such as Bitly to shorten URLs, for a ‘Link In Bio Tool’, and Impact to find brands with work. The Amazon Associates program is also interesting. Average earnings for successful affiliate marketers on this platform are $37.45 per hour.

For success, niche down, work on building trust with authentic, valuable content and treat this as a long-term play for sustainable income over time.

Impact homepage with pale gray background and orange gradient text header in brand colours. Gray text and a series of five rectangular boxes displaying a series of well-known brand logos
Impact homepage with pale gray background and orange gradient text header in brand colours. Gray text and a series of five rectangular boxes displaying a series of well-known brand logos

11. Selling Digital Products

Sell unique printables on Etsy to earn $400 a month. Good product types include eBooks, templates, planners, kids’ coloring sheets, stickers, and Notion dashboards. Use Canva or Notion to help create your products and sell them on Etsy, Ko-fi and Gumroad.

Once created and listed, digital products offer the potential for passive revenue.

Etsy USA homepage with white background and black text with design elements in Etsy orange. Product images in grid across page featuring individual craft promotions
Etsy USA homepage with white background and black text with design elements in Etsy orange. Product images in grid across page featuring individual craft promotions

12. Online Transcription Jobs

Earn $10-$30 per hour as an online transcriber. If you have fast typing skills, good listening abilities and excellent attention to detail, register your profile at Rev, GoTranscript or TranscribeMe. This is a great option for late-night work or for introverts.

GoTranscript homepage with dark blue blurred hero image, and white overlay text plus a series of five circular square boxes. Golden yellow CTA boxes in brand colors
GoTranscript homepage with dark blue blurred hero image, and white overlay text plus a series of five circular square boxes. Golden yellow CTA boxes in brand colors

13. Remote Bookkeeping / Accounting

Earn $25-$100 an hour as a remote bookkeeper or accountant. If you have the skills, experience and helpful qualifications such as CMA.

Target small businesses and use tools such as Xero, QuickBooks or FreshBooks. Look for opportunities at RemoteRocketship, Indeed or through LinkedIn outreach.

Remote Rocketship homepage with black background, white text and purple buttons in the brand color palette. A series of circular people-based images, demonstrating a five-star review. Peach header text
Remote Rocketship homepage with black background, white text and purple buttons in the brand color palette. A series of circular people-based images, demonstrating a five-star review. Peach header text

14. Voiceover work

Earn $12 per hour to $500+ per hour, depending on experience, as a voiceover artist. Record your voice and connect with agents on Voices.com and Voice123. Look for opportunities on Upwork and Fiverr.

Voices homepage with hero image of smiling white male with a beard, wearing a striped t-shirt and unbuttoned shirt plus headphones and glasses, recording audio. Image overlaid with a gradient filter of blue through pink. White text.
Voices homepage with hero image of smiling white male with a beard, wearing a striped t-shirt and unbuttoned shirt plus headphones and glasses, recording audio. Image overlaid with a gradient filter of blue through pink. White text.

15. Remote travel agent

Earn $17 to $30 by working as a remote travel agent. Join a host agency such as Fora Travel or The Travel Franchise to earn a commission organizing holidays for clients.

Join the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) for networking and professional development, and master booking software like Sabre and Amadeus.

Fora landing page for travel agents, featuring a video hero image with a young blonde-haired woman in a white dress sitting and working with a pen and notebook, with the wind blowing her hair, in a holiday accommodation with water in the background
Fora landing page for travel agents, featuring a video hero image with a young blonde-haired woman in a white dress sitting and working with a pen and notebook, with the wind blowing her hair, in a holiday accommodation with water in the background

16. Video clipping

Earn $22.94 an hour as a video clipper by clipping short-form content from existing content and posting it on social media. Clipping is paid on a per-view basis, and you just need a smartphone with a camera and editing software to get started.

Look at Backstage, Fiverr and Upwork for clipper opportunities or reach out directly to companies via LinkedIn.

Backstage homepage with full-screen hero image of an attractive African-American woman in a short blue dress and high orange platforms, sitting on a cream sofa in front of a camera. Black and white background, white text overlay with a blue CTA button
Backstage homepage with full-screen hero image of an attractive African-American woman in a short blue dress and high orange platforms, sitting on a cream sofa in front of a camera. Black and white background, white text overlay with a blue CTA button

17. Subscription boxes

Earn 40-60% profit margins with a subscription box business. This industry is huge and expected to grow to at least $62.89 billion by 2027.

Collaborate with third-party wholesalers or print-on-demand companies to fulfil orders on your behalf. You then focus on building your ecommerce store, marketing, brand building, customer engagement and subscription management.

Shipbob fulfilment blog page, with a young smiling white blond woman with long straight hair, wearing jeans, a grey cardigan and a turquoise blue top, opening a box while sitting on a sofa in a neutral room with a large window.
Shipbob fulfilment blog page, with a young smiling white blond woman with long straight hair, wearing jeans, a grey cardigan and a turquoise blue top, opening a box while sitting on a sofa in a neutral room with a large window.

18. Become a Chat Operator

Earn $19 to $38 per hour as a chat operator on social community platforms such as Cloudworkers or Cloudchatters. Provide friendship and social connection to people who are lonely, providing a service as you earn.

Cloudworkers signup page, featuring green background with white text and a black and white image of a smiling man with dark curly hair and a beard, holding a cloud-shaped cutout behind his head and wearing an unbuttoned long-sleeved t-shirt. Trees in the background
Cloudworkers signup page, featuring green background with white text and a black and white image of a smiling man with dark curly hair and a beard, holding a cloud-shaped cutout behind his head and wearing an unbuttoned long-sleeved t-shirt. Trees in the background

19. Write a blog

Earn $100 to $300 per month with a blog. Pick a niche that you find interesting and produce quality content. Expect to develop it consistently over a year to grow your audience and build its SEO authority.

Over time, it’s possible to monetize a blog with diverse income streams such as sponsored content, advertising, affiliate deals, coaching and digital products. Tools such as Wordpress or Wix will get you started.

Wix homepage with a series of images: a mushroom lamp, some colorful tiles, a photo of a beautiful young woman in a blue dress against a rust-colored wall and a logo. Pale blue gradient background, mid-blue CTA curtains and black text overlay
Wix homepage with a series of images: a mushroom lamp, some colorful tiles, a photo of a beautiful young woman in a blue dress against a rust-colored wall and a logo. Pale blue gradient background, mid-blue CTA curtains and black text overlay

How to Choose the Right Remote Side Hustle

There’s no single best side hustle, and it’s worth trying different options to see which ones “stick”. Narrow down the possibilities by assessing:

  1. Your interests vs your skills
  2. The time you have available to put into your chosen remote work side hustle
  3. Whether you’re looking for quick and easy cash or the chance to build a scalable earning opportunity
  4. The speed of your desired earnings
  5. Whether you’re happy to actively earn money, or seeking passive income
  6. Your attitude to risk
  7. Startup costs.
SBA landing page case study featuring a smiling African-American woman with long black hair, wearing a white scoop neck top and a yellow blazer, sitting by a laptop in a neutral-colored office
SBA landing page case study featuring a smiling African-American woman with long black hair, wearing a white scoop neck top and a yellow blazer, sitting by a laptop in a neutral-colored office

How to Get The Most From Your Remote Side Hustle

To get the most from a remote side job, keep your goals in mind as you work. Then:

  • Write down your goals. These might be to earn your first extra $100 from a remote side gig, or to pay off a debt.
  • Track your earnings and expenses carefully for tax purposes.
  • Put your earnings into a high-interest account.
  • Save a percentage of your earnings for taxation.
  • Try to save some of your earnings and use these to further invest in your remote side hustle. This could be for training or equipment.
  • Regularly review your goals and progress, and set yourself next steps.
  • Learn from any mistakes, adjust your approach, and celebrate your success!
IRS website for "Manage taxes for your gig work".
IRS website for "Manage taxes for your gig work".

How to Stay Safe When Working Remote Side Jobs

Remote side hustles are great for earning income, but it’s important to take care of your health and safety, too. Try these tips:

  • Secure your devices with strong passwords and two-factor authentication.
  • Consider using a VPN for extra security and to avoid public WiFi
  • Don’t click on links in emails from unknown senders, or download attachments
  • Keep your software up to date
  • Take measures to protect your privacy. Read the Ts and Cs carefully before sharing personal data on a side gig platform.
  • Create a comfortable working space that’s quiet and private.
  • Keep your workspace secure and don’t leave your devices unattended in public or shared working spaces.
  • Maintain boundaries between work and your personal life, with regular breaks
  • Prioritize social connections, nutrition, hydration and exercise, as well as work
  • Use productivity tools to keep you focused
  • Avoid conflicts of interest if you have a main job, as well as a side hustle. Check your employment contract carefully, as some include restrictions on side
OSHA gov landing page featuring smiling young blonde woman in white shirt, holding a clipboard in a warehouse with yellow and blue racking plus cardboard boxes
OSHA gov landing page featuring smiling young blonde woman in white shirt, holding a clipboard in a warehouse with yellow and blue racking plus cardboard boxes

Which Tools & Resources Can Help You Get Started With Remote Side Hustles?

Make use of the many tools and resources available to earn with remote side hustles. Some of the best include:

  • Canva for design
  • Trello for project management
  • Google Suite for cloud-based collaboration and productivity
  • Freelance marketplaces such as Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer
  • Learning platforms like Skillshare, YouTube, and Coursera to build your skills
  • Reddit, Facebook groups, and Discord for communities.
  • Accounting software to keep on top of your tax obligations.

Top Remote Side Hustles: Concluding Thoughts

Remote side jobs allow you to earn income flexibly and without needing to travel to an office. Whatever your personal drivers for considering remote side jobs, take action to transform your interest into $$$!

Pick one or two ideas to test the water and then focus on the earners that work best for you. Which remote side gig idea will you try first?

FAQs About the Best Remote Side Hustles

Q. Can I do remote side jobs with a full-time job?

A. Many people do! Just check your terms of employment carefully, as some specifically limit or forbid side hustles under “due care and attention” clauses.

Beyond that, ask if a) your employer is likely to find out and b) how you might work on a remote side hustle to achieve your financial goals whilst maintaining a balance in your work and personal life.

Q. How do I report my side hustle income in the US?

You’ll need to file an annual income tax return if your earnings take you over your personal allowance. Full details are available on the IRS website.

Q. Are remote side hustles suitable for everyone?

There’s a remote side-hustle for everyone, including students, stay-at-home parents, retirees, people with disabilities, and people who aren’t able to work in traditional in-person jobs for any reason.

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