20 Top-Paying Side Hustles While Keeping Your Full-Time Job
This is a guide to the top-paying side hustles while keeping your full-time job.
So if you’re wondering, “how can I make $2000 extra a month?” or “what side hustle pays the most?”…
Read on and discover 20 of the most profitable side hustles today.
Before that, here’s a guide on how to start a side hustle in case you need it. And if you are 18 years old, read this.
Let’s dive right in.
| Top-Paying Side Hustles | Earning Potential (Average) |
| Affiliate Marketing | US$75 per hour |
| Podcasting | US$35 per hour |
| Freelance Writer | US$32 per hour |
| Freelance Online Translator | US$30 per hour |
| Website Developer | US$29 per hour |
| YouTube Channel | US$29 per hour |
| Airbnb Host | US$26.94 per hour |
| Private Tutor | US$23.84 per hour |
| Sell Photos Online | US0.10 – $200 per photo |
| Blogging | US$23 per hour |
| Graphic Designer | US$21.94 per hour |
| Freelance Online ESL Teacher | US$21.18 per hour |
| Virtual Assistant | US$20.88 per hour |
| Video Editor | US$20 per hour |
| Freelance Online Proofreader | US$19.65 per hour |
| Uber Driver | US$18 per hour |
| Freelance Online Transcriptionist | US$16 per hour |
| Flirt Online | US$15 per hour |
| Online Selling | ~US$6.57 per hour |
| Start an Online Business | Self-defined |
Note: Your actual income could be higher or lower depending on many important factors, including your skills, education, certifications, the number of hours you put in, your clients, the industry you work in, etc.
1. Start an Affiliate Marketing Business
Average income potential: $75 per hour
When it comes to potential income alone, one of the best ways to make money on the side with a full-time job is affiliate marketing
This side hustle fits people who have an entrepreneurial spirit and would rather manage a home-based business during their spare time instead of getting a side job.
What makes affiliate marketing popular among side hustlers is unlike typical online selling (which will be discussed below), affiliate marketing is simply promoting products to other people.
As an affiliate marketer, you don’t have to do any hard selling and you don’t even have to manage shipping and inventory.
Heck, you don’t even need to have a monetary investment to start!
With affiliate marketing, all you need to do is decide your target niche, apply to different affiliate programs in that niche, and promote affiliate products using your blog, website, app, or social media accounts.
We understand that if this is your first time learning about affiliate marketing, it can be overwhelming.
So to help you out, we prepared an ultimate guide to affiliate marketing for beginners.
The bottom line is this:
If you want to start a side hustle that involves earning commissions from product sales but doesn’t require you to sell or deliver the product and services yourself, consider starting an affiliate marketing business.
Affiliate marketing is also a great option for people who wants to make money without a degree.
How to get started?
Some of the most popular platforms to start an affiliate marketing business include:
2. Podcasting
Average income potential: $35 per hour
Podcasting is a high-paying side hustle for people who are comfortable speaking in front of a camera.
As a podcaster or podcast host, you will invite interesting people and talk to them about various things, depending on the niche of your podcast.
If you want to start a podcast, here’s how to pick a profitable podcast topic:
- Choose podcast topics that you enjoy or are passionate about
- Pick podcast topics that are relevant and that many people can relate to
- Opt for topics that people seek information about
- Prioritize podcast topics that have a good audience
- Finally, pick a topic that you are comfortable talking about
Some of the most popular podcast topics include:
- Technology and gadgets
- Lifestyle and entertainment
- Health and Fitness
- Sports
- Comedy
There are many ways to make money with a podcast. You can:
- Promote affiliate products
- Get sponsorships
- Join an ads network
- Offer private coaching or sell courses
- Sell exclusive content
- Sell merch
- Offer paid membership tiers
- Ask for donations
How to get started?
Granted that you already picked a niche or topic, below are other things you need to launch your own podcast:
- A studio or a room to host your guests
- Computer and Internet
- Microphone and headset
- Setup an account with a podcast platform such as Spotify, Stitcher, Audible, or Google Podcasts
You can also launch your podcast on your YouTube channel or your own blog or website.
Check out this step-by-step guide on how to start a podcast.
3. Freelance Writer
Average income potential: $32 per hour
In this age of digital marketing when businesses are fighting to have a strong Internet presence, there is an almost endless demand for quality written content.
Freelance Writing is listed as one of the best side hustles for Engineers, architects, accountants, teachers, designers, new mothers, couples, seniors, and even the disabled.
And there are even more side hustles if you are a professional writer. Beginner writers can start with these side jobs.
So whether you’re a seasoned writer by profession or someone who has a passion for writing, you can find plenty of freelance writing jobs online.
As a freelance content writer, you can choose which niche you want to write, who you want to work with, how much you charge for your services, and when you want to work.
How to get started?
You can find plenty of content writing gigs on freelance sites like:
4. Freelance Online Translator
Average income potential: $30 per hour
As an online translator, you will help various clients and businesses translate files from one language into another.
This side hustle is suitable for people who speak multiple languages and want to make extra money from home.
Another perk of working as a remote translator is, in most cases, there are no education or certification requirements to land an online translating job.
As long as you have a working computer and a stable Internet connection, you can start finding clients.
But, if you can get a certification for language translation (such as American Translators Association), you can increase your hourly rates and your chance of getting hired by international clients will skyrocket.
How to get started?
Here are some of the best places to find freelance online translator jobs.
Want more online jobs for bilinguals? Read this.
5. Website Developer
Average income potential: $29 per hour
Website developers build websites from scratch and make sure they run smoothly and as intended.
For starters, one of the main responsibilities of web developers is to ensure the website they build is visually appealing, easy to navigate, and is in optimized performance and capacity.
Other responsibilities of a web developer include:
- Designing navigation menus
- Writing and reviewing code for websites
- Integrating multimedia content into a website
How to get started?
In most cases, clients require that you have a bachelor’s degree in website design or computer science to land a web developer job.
You must also be knowledgeable in various programming languages including HTML, PHP, Python, Java, or Ruby.
If this is you? Then you can go ahead and apply for a website developer job on the following freelance websites:
6. Start a YouTube Channel
Average income potential: $29 per hour
Starting a YouTube channel is a great way to make extra money by uploading videos about anything you love!
With a YouTube channel, you can make money with paid advertisements, promoting affiliate products, selling online courses or merch, and getting sponsorships.
If you are not comfortable recording yourself in front of a camera, you can create videos with slides and animations.
With a YouTube channel, you will have total freedom on the type of content you create, when you upload videos, and how long your videos will be.
Some of the most in-demand YouTube videos include:
- Tutorials
- Travel
- Lifestyle and entertainment
- Pets
- DIY Crafts & Life Hacks
- Gadgets
- Unboxing
- Parenting
- Side hustles and make money opportunities
How to get started?
Go to YouTube and create an account using your Gmail. Sign into YouTube on a computer or mobile device and create a channel.
Once your channel is up, you can start uploading videos.
7. Airbnb Host (Rent your room/house)
Average income potential: $26.94 per hour (varies based on the location of your property, the quality of your house, and the services you provide)
If you have a spare room or you have a second or third house that no one is currently using, you can register as a host for Airbnb.
Renting your house to Airbnb is one of the best side hustles that requires no money investment. You just have to put up your property (or real estate) for rent and Airbnb will do the rest.
How to get started?
Visit the Airbnb website and register to become a host.
8. Private Tutor
Average income potential: $23.84 per hour
Are you good in subjects like Math, Chemistry, and Physics? Maybe you are a teacher looking for a side hustle?
Or perhaps you simply have a passion for teaching?
Similar to teaching English online (see #12 on this list), another high-paying side hustle that involves teaching would be working as a private tutor during your spare time.
Then private tutoring could be the side hustle for you.
With your deep knowledge and understanding of school subjects, you can make extra cash teaching high school and college students on your own schedule to help them pass their exams with flying colors.
You can also teach music lessons, how to play guitar, sports, cooking, knitting, etc.
And when it comes to schedule, you can do this gig every day after office hours, on weekends, and during your spare time.
When it comes to potential tutees, you can offer your services both in person and online.
How to get started?
You can use your social media accounts to advertise your tutoring services. You can also use word of mouth, let your coworkers, neighbors, friends, and relatives about your side hustle.
If you would rather tutor online, you will need a working computer, a stable Internet connection, HD webcam, and a noise-canceling headphone.
You can find live online tutor jobs on various online learning platforms like:
Discover more ways to make money using a webcam.
9. Sell Photos Online
Average income potential: $0.10 – $200 per photo, and up to $8,100 for extended licenses
Yes, you read that right.
Selling photos online is a good side hustle, especially if you have a professional background in photography.
There are many businesses and companies that will pay for high-quality photos (even selfies) for their advertisements and marketing campaigns.
You can use your spare time to go around town, travel to new places, or stay at home and snap gorgeous photos that you can sell.
And even if you are not a professional photographer, you can still make money with this gig, provided you have a keen eye on how to take good photos and you have a smartphone with HD camera, or a DSLR camera with multiple lenses.
How to get started?
Visit one of these stock photography websites to sell your photos.
Furthermore, you can also sell photos on photo buying apps such as:
10. Blogging
Average income potential: $23 per hour
Starting a blog is one of the best top-paying side hustles while keeping your full-time job.
There are an estimated 31.7 million bloggers in the United States alone.
And according to recent data from Envisage Digital, a UK-based digital creative agency, 4.4 million new blog posts are published every day across all platforms.
This just shows that there is much money to be made in blogging.
Starting a blog is fairly easy these days, and it’s not expensive as well.
Moreover, there are many ways to monetize a blog. You can:
- Join advertisement networks (like Ezoic)
- Promote affiliate products
- Sell your own crafts, photos, and merch
- Sell digital products and online courses
- Publish sponsored posts
- Provide coaching services
And the best part? You can make money with blogging even as a complete beginner!
You can start a blog based on your skills, expertise, hobbies, passion, and any topic you’re interested in.
How to get started?
We prepared a step-by-step guide on how to start your own blog.
11. Graphic Designer
Average income potential: $21.94 per hour
Working as a freelance graphic designer is another top-paying side hustle you can start while keeping a full-time job.
This side gig fits you well if you have a background in graphic design and you have a passion in creative arts.
As a graphic designer, your job might include designing business logos, project posters, advertisement materials, company cards, and illustrations.
How to get started?
All you need to start with this side hustle is a working computer, Internet access, graphic editing software, and a graphic tablet.
Then, visit the following freelance sites to find clients who might need your skills:
You can also find more side hustles for designers here.
12. Online English Teacher
Average Income Potential: $21.18 per hour
The great thing about this side hustle (besides the income potential) is that there are no strict requirements in teaching English online.
As long as you can speak and write fluent English, you can start making extra money at home, after office hours, starting today!
When teaching English online, you are free to choose when you want to conduct your classes and there are platforms that allow you to set your own hourly rates.
And if you can speak multiple languages, you can also teach Russian, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, and other languages online.
How to get started?
The essential tools you need to start making money teaching English online would be a working computer, a stable Internet connection, noise-canceling headphones, and a webcam.
Then, visit the following sites to find clients:
Also, feel free to check the top 10 best paying sites for online English teachers.
PS. Teaching English online is a great option if you’re looking to start a side hustle without investment.
13. Virtual Assistant
Average income potential: $20.88 per hour
Virtual assistance helps clients with various secretarial and office work such as bookkeeping, accounting, answering emails, managing social media accounts, and other data entry tasks.
There are no strict requirements to work online as a VA.
In most cases, clients only value your typing speed, your attention to detail, and your ability to follow instructions and complete tasks on deadline.
How to get started?
There is a high demand for responsible virtual assistants that you can almost find clients on many online platforms and freelance sites such as:
14. Video Editor
Average income potential: $20 per hour
If you’re familiar with Animaker, Corel VideoStudio, Adobe Premiere, Filmora, Apple iMovie, Lumen5, and other video editing software…
Then one of the best online side hustle suited for you is to work as a freelance video editor.
Your task might include tweaking and editing video files, adding special effects, cutting and editing segments of motion videos, and more.
And just like the other lucrative side hustle ideas on this list, you can work as a freelance video editor in your own hours. You can also set your hourly rates.
How to get started?
Get your computer and video editing software ready, ensure you have a stable Internet connection, and find video editing jobs on the following sites:
15. Freelance Online Proofreader
Average income potential: $19.65 per hour
Many international businesses and individuals need editing and proofreading services today.
So if you have superb grammar skills, a keen eye for details, and a great grasp of the English language, why not try working as a freelance remote proofreader in your free time?
Your task includes doing final checks on written files before it goes to print or gets published on websites.
How to get started?
There are plenty of clients that need proofreading services on freelance sites like:
16. Uber Driver
Average income potential: $18 per hour
Do you have a car? Are your comfortable with the idea of strangers riding in your car?
Then this is the perfect side hustle for you.
Driving with Uber offers a flexible and easy earning opportunity for people with full-time jobs.
You can work on your own time and all you need to do is wait for people who need a ride around your neighborhood.
According to recent data from Salary.com, Uber drivers in the United States earn an average of $18 an hour.
Besides Uber, you can also apply to drive other ride-sharing services like Lyft.
17. Freelance Online Transcriptionist
Average income potential: $16 per hour
If you can easily identify words in audio and video files, and you have a lot of quiet time to spare after your day job, you can work as a freelance online transcriptionist.
Your task would be to listen to audio files and convert them into written words.
You might also be asked to watch a video or a movie and take note of the conversations for subtitles and captions.
How to get started?
The best places to find good-paying transcription jobs online are:
18. Get Paid to Flirt
Average income potential: $15 per hour
Are you pretty? Can you hold interesting conversations with strangers online?
Well, lucky you!
As it turns out, there are companies that pay ladies a good amount of money just to flirt with their clients.
And don’t worry because all transactions are done online, through text, or by phone. You don’t have to meet up and provide customer service in person.
You also have total freedom of which clients you want to work with when you want to work, and you can also set your own service rates.
So what are you waiting for?
That being said, this extra income opportunity is well-suited for ladies who are open-minded and are comfortable making money with an unconventional side hustle.
How to get started?
Some of the best sites that pay well for ladies to flirt include:
More related side hustles:
- Get paid to flirt
- Get paid to go on dates
- Get paid to talk to lonely people
- Make money chatting online
19. Sell Items Online
Average income potential: $57,624 per year (approx. $6.57 per hour)
Another profitable side hustle you can start today is online selling.
Becoming an online seller is easy, and you can get started right away granted that you have a computer and a stable Internet connection.
And when it comes to products, you can sell almost anything online!
You can sell DIY crafts, you can retail, or you can sell affiliate products (refer to affiliate marketing at the top).
You can also sell second-hand items like used clothing, shoes, gadgets, jewelry, and sporting gear.
How to get started?
Visit online marketplaces and online selling platforms and apply to become a seller.
Your top options include:
20. Start an Online Business based on your Passion
Average income potential: Self-defined
And finally, one of the most profitable side hustles while keeping your full-time job is to start your own online business.
Instead of working for someone else, this time, you will be using your time to start your own business based on your passion, skills, and interests.
But we know what you’re thinking:
“Isn’t starting a business expensive?”
“Isn’t starting a company hard?”
Contrary to popular belief, you can start an online business with little money!
Furthermore, there is a unique and simple way to start a profitable online business today, even as a complete beginner.
Starting an online business is perfect for people who are not simply looking to make a couple of extra bucks during their free time, but those whose goal is to generate a passive income in the future.
Click here to learn how to jumpstart your online business from scratch.
How to Start a Side Hustle from Home
Below are some steps to get started with a side hustle while having a full-time job.
- Identify what are your expertise and skill set
- Create a portfolio and the services you will provide
- Decide how much time you will dedicate to a side hustle
- Identify the reason why you want to start a side hustle
- Research the industry you want to work with
- Use multiple approaches to find the right side hustle for you
If this is your first time starting a side hustle, we recommend that you check out our beginner’s guide on how to start a side hustle from home.
The Bottom Line
Thanks to the Internet, it became a lot easier to make extra money from home with the different top-paying side hustles while keeping your full-time job.
And the good news? There is plenty of profitable online side hustles to choose from.
Just take a minute to evaluate your skills and area of expertise, and start a side hustle that fits your capabilities the best.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make extra money aside if I work full-time?
You can make extra cash even with a full-time job by starting a side hustle from home. Read on and take a pick from our featured 20 top-paying side hustles while keeping your full-time job.
What side hustles pay the most?
Out of all the high-paying side hustles we featured on this list, affiliate marketing, teaching English online, and podcasting are the top 3 that pay the most.
What side hustle can I start with little money?
Working as an online freelancer is one of the best side hustles you can start with little or no money.
What side hustle should I start?
You should start a side hustle that you enjoy doing and you have skills doing. For example, if you have a knack for writing, then get a part-time job as a freelance writer. If you love photography, you can sell photos online to generate income.
How do you find a side hustle?
Identify what are your skills and area of expertise, and look for clients online who would pay money for your services.