If you’re a creative person, you thrive on using your talent and skills to bring ideas to life, and you shouldn’t need to literally live life as a starving artist to do it (I had my fill of ramen noodles in college, thank you very much)! If you’re looking for a cash-generating online side hustle that stimulates your creative mind then read on.
I’ve compiled a list of 15 profitable online part-time jobs that can provide you with valuable experience, additional income, and the flexibility to work from home.
Check out the video or read on for a summary of what I discuss.
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15 Online Part-Time Jobs For Creatives
Just a quick note before we dive into the 15 online part-time jobs: a few of these ideas might require some in-person work, but I included them on this list because the bulk of the work is online. Most of these jobs listed are 100% virtual. Let’s dive in!
1. User Testing: Get Paid to Explore Cool Apps & Websites
Ready to earn some extra cash while having a blast testing out the latest apps and websites? User testing is the dream gig you never knew you needed.
As a user tester you’ll get paid to try out apps and websites from various companies, giving you access to brand-new builds, fresh iterations, or exciting new features on existing sites.
Using your reliable desktop computer or your trusty smartphone, you’ll explore the site or app, click around to your heart’s content, and then provide valuable feedback about your user experience. Your insights will help companies improve their products and ensure everything is running smoothly.
The best part? You can earn anywhere from $4 to $100 per test, with each one taking just 5 to 20 minutes to complete. With most tests averaging around $10, you could potentially make a few hundred dollars a month!
If you’re ready to become a user testing superstar, you can sign up on UTest.com, UserTesting.com, Userlytics.com, or UserCrowd.com, and start your thrilling user testing journey today.
2. Thrift Flipping and Upcycling: Your Creative and Eco-Friendly Side Hustle
Get ready for a fun, friendly, and rewarding part-time gig that combines your love for creativity and eco-conscious living! This side hustle is a perfect blend of online and offline activities.
Embark on treasure hunts at flea markets, yard sales, and thrift stores to discover clothing, furniture, and other hidden gems that are just waiting for your magic touch. Breathe new life into these items by sprucing them up or transforming them into something useful. Bonus win: you’ll be helping the environment by reducing waste.
Next, showcase your unique creations on platforms like eBay, Mercari, or OfferUp, where you can resell them at a higher price. Your potential earnings will depend on your bargain-hunting skills and the value you add to your flipped items. Believe it or not, many people have turned thrift flipping into a full-time income!
Unleash your creativity, help the planet, and make some extra cash with thrift flipping and upcycling.
3. Self-Publishing: Unleash Your Inner Author
Dream of seeing your name on the cover of a book? Self-publishing might just be the ticket to making that dream a reality. By creating ebooks or paperbacks on the Kindle Direct Publishing platform, you’ll earn royalties every time a copy of your book is sold. Plus, with Amazon as your marketplace, driving traffic to your books becomes less of a challenge.
To scale your self-publishing empire (especially if you’re not an established author), you’ll need to publish multiple books quickly. You can either outsource the writing of fiction or nonfiction books or go the route of low-content books, which are quick and easy to create yourself.
Low-content books have minimal content and come in various forms: planners, journals, guest books, log books, coloring books, activity books, and the like. This approach to self-publishing is perfect for creatives looking for a fast, free way to get started and offers massive earning potential. Some people have made significant income by publishing low-content books under various pen names on KDP.
The best part? Low-content publishing can generate passive income. Even after taking a six-month break, some have reported earning between $10,000 and $20,000 a month from their previously published books.
Ready to dive into this creative side hustle? Make sure to download my free guide, “3 Steps to Publishing Your First Low-Content Book in Less Than a Day,” to get started. Your self-publishing journey awaits!
4. Domain Flipping: Unearthing Digital Gold
Hold onto your keyboards for this one because we’re about to dive into the thrilling world of domain flipping! Domain flipping is a bit like a treasure hunt except your hunting ground is the internet and what you’ll be hunting are awesome web addresses at bargain prices.
As a search engine sleuth, you’ll look to buy inexpensive domain names and flip them for a sweet profit. Sounds fun, right? Let’s get you started on this digital gold rush!
To find potential domain names, check out domain name search tools that can help you dig up available domains related to cool products, services, or trendy topics.
You can also take a peek at domain auction sites for a list of web addresses that are up for grabs. For an extra dash of excitement, explore sites like ExpiredDomains.net or JustDropped.com to discover recently expired or soon-to-be expired domains.
Once you’ve stumbled on a budget-friendly domain with the potential to skyrocket in value, it’s time to make it yours. Purchase and register the domain under your name. You can then either kick back and wait for interested parties to come knocking or get proactive and reach out to companies that might want to buy it. Don’t forget, you can always put your domain up for auction too.
The best part? You can start your domain flipping journey with just a few dollars per domain. The sky’s the limit when it comes to earnings—anywhere from a couple of bucks to a whopping million-dollar payday (cars.com allegedly sold for a staggering $872M!).To succeed in this digital treasure hunt, you’ll need a keen eye, sharp instincts, and perfect timing (plus a pinch of creativity). But once you’ve got it down, you could transition domain flipping from a part-time online job into your full-time gig. To start unearthing hidden gem domains today, head on over to GoDaddy.com.
5. Start a Substack: Build Your Own Online Writing Empire
Substack is a fantastic platform for writers, podcasters, and video creators who dream of getting paid for their amazing work through snazzy subscription newsletters. The formula is simple: you create content, your subscribers pay a fee to enjoy it, and you gradually grow your fanbase like a boss!
The best part? You’re in charge! Decide how much to charge for your content, what to offer for free, and what to keep hidden behind that mysterious paywall. Maybe you’ll start by sharing some content for free and later put a few gems behind the paywall for some extra income. Or go all-in and make everything exclusive right from the get-go – it’s your creative kingdom!
While there are already hundreds of publishers living their best life on Substack, you’ll see success even faster if you already have a social media following or an email list.
Choose from monthly, annual, or founding member subscription plans and you could rake in around $5/month or $50/year per subscriber. Let your creative juices flow and start your Substack adventure today.
6. Print On Demand: Unleash Your Creative Genius
With print on demand, you get to sprinkle your creative genius on everyday items like t-shirts, mugs, keychains, tote bags, baseball hats, pillow cases, and so much more.
Here’s how it works:
- team up with a supplier of white-label products (think of these as blank canvases craving your artistic touch)
- upload your dazzling designs to the supplier’s website
- when a customer falls head over heels for one of your creations, the supplier will print your masterpiece on the item and ship it straight to their doorstep
The icing on the cake? You won’t have to fret about inventory or customer service. The supplier handles all of the customer service, including shipping. With print-on-demand, you could be raking in hundreds or even thousands of dollars every month. Ready to unleash your inner artist? Check out sites like Printful, Zazzle, Redbubble, and many more to kickstart your print-on-demand journey.
7. Share Your Knowledge: The Joy of Online Tutoring
As an online tutor you’ll help eager learners from every corner of the world and of all ages unleash their creativity in subjects like painting, music, and writing. The best part? You get to set your own rates—usually from $15 to $100+ per hour—making it possible to earn a pretty penny each month.
To kick off your online tutoring odyssey, explore sites like Preply.com, TutorOcean.com, and Wyzant.com.
8. Virtual Assistant: Be Someone’s Online Superhero!
As online businesses continue to multiply like bunnies, business owners need a helping hand from talented people like you. Trust me, finding a virtual assistant with that creative flair is like striking gold.
So, what’s in it for you? Well, you’ll be tackling fun tasks like whipping up eye-catching social media graphics, managing social media accounts, and weaving words into compelling copy. Plus, you’ll handle the usual VA tasks like inbox management and scheduling, making you a true superhero to the businesses you support.
With VAs typically earning anywhere from $15 to $45+ per hour, you’re in for a rewarding career. Ready to jump in? Check out sites like VANetworking.com or Upwork.com, explore job boards like Indeed, or get started through good old-fashioned word of mouth. It’s time to unleash your virtual assistant superpowers!
9. Create and Sell Handmade Goods On Etsy
Calling all crafty creators! If you love working with your hands and have a flair for making one-of-a-kind treasures, then Etsy is your online playground.
This vibrant marketplace is bursting with opportunities for selling everything from original art to art prints, cozy knitwear, charming wedding decor, soothing personal care products, and so much more. The sky’s the limit! Did you know that millions of shoppers spend billions of dollars on Etsy each year? With listing fees at just $0.20 per item, plus a 6.5% transaction fee and a 3-4% payment processing fee, it’s no wonder many Etsy sellers have turned their passion into a full-time gig.
10. Selling Printables: Creative Problem-Solving Pays
Ok designers, it’s time to get excited! If you’ve got an eye for aesthetics, selling printables could be your ticket to success. And guess what? The best place to showcase your talent is probably Etsy.
Shoppers are always on the lookout for printables that brighten their lives, from handy habit or budget trackers to stylish design templates, playful party printables, and more. To kickstart your printable empire, do some Pinterest research and pinpoint a problem your printable can solve. Consider gifts, special occasions, holidays, or everyday activities.
Next, fire up your favorite design software like Canva, InDesign, or Affinity Publisher and let your imagination run wild. Save your creations as print-ready PDFs and you’re all set to upload them to Etsy.
Whether you’re aiming for some extra money with part-time hours or dreaming of a full-time business, this is your chance to shine!
11. Create An Online Course: From Expert to Educator
If you’ve got a treasure trove of knowledge in a particular area, creating an online course could be your golden ticket to earning big.
Don’t worry if you don’t have an audience yet. There are several trusted learning platforms like Udemy and Skillshare that can help. Just whip up your course, set your price, and let the learning platform work its magic. They’ll take a cut of the sales, but if you’re just getting started, it’s worth it.
Already have a loyal online following? Skip selling on learning platforms and sell your course directly to your fans through your website or a course platform like Kajabi. You’ll pocket a bigger share of the profits this way.
Take a peek at my own course, Low-Content Profits Academy, where I teach the art of generating passive income by creating and selling journals, planners, and low-content books on the Kindle Direct Publishing platform.
Low-Content Profits Academy has been my top moneymaker for the past 3 years. If you’re creative, have a skill to share, and love teaching, I wholeheartedly recommend crafting your very own online course. For help getting started, check out, “My Step-by-Step Playbook for Creating a $25k/ Month Online Course.”
12. Starting a Podcast, YouTube Channel, or Blog
Podcasts, YouTube channels, and blogs can be great creative hobbies, but they can also generate some real revenue. Podcasts make money through sponsorships and advertising, YouTube channels make money through AdSense advertising, sponsorships and brand deals, and blogs typically make money through advertising and affiliate marketing.
If there’s a particular topic that you love to think about, talk about, teach about, or just generally use as an output for your creative expression, this is a great way to do it. Another huge benefit to podcasts, YouTube channels, and blogs is that they can actually help you scale other revenue streams.
For example, my main revenue stream is my digital course, but I get probably 95% of the leads from my digital course from my YouTube channel, so my channel really is the driver behind my main business. It’s also a secondary income stream that is fast approaching a full-time income in its own right.
If you’d like some help deciding which platform is right for you, check out “Blog vs. Podcast vs. YouTube Channel: Which One Should You Choose?”
13. Become a Freelancer and Flex Your Creative Muscles
The freelancing universe is bursting with creative opportunities just waiting for you to explore. As a freelance writer you can unleash your inner wordsmith by creating blog posts, emails, or digital course content for businesses and individuals. Or, you can charm your way into copywriting, crafting persuasive sales pages, funnels, and email marketing. If you’re up for a challenge, become a ghostwriter and help others bring their literary dreams to life.
Creative freelancing doesn’t stop at writing, though. Put your Adobe Photoshop skills to use and dive into graphic design, help out YouTubers with video editing, or help someone design and build a website. There are so many possibilities!
Freelancing is your ticket to flexing your creative muscles while earning a full or part-time income. Set your own rates and explore a plethora of platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer.com. It’s time to embrace your talents and embark on the exhilarating journey of creative freelancing.
14. Sell Your Photography, Graphic Artwork, Music, or Video Footage on Stock websites
Photographers, graphic designers, composers, and videographers, listen up! If you’ve got a creative stash just gathering dust, it’s time to turn those hidden gems into a passive income stream.
For photographers and graphic designers, showcase your visual wonders on sites like Shutterstock, Getty Images, or Creative Market. Musicians, let your tunes shine on Epidemic Sound, Soundstripe, or Shutterstock Music. Videographers, bring your footage to life on Artlist, Shutterstock, or Envato. This is just the tip of the iceberg—there are oodles of other sites waiting for your artistic creations.
Earnings can vary—from $0.05 to $20 per photo download, $20 to $40 per footage clip, and $3 to $15 per music track. While you may not strike it rich, this is a fantastic opportunity to transform your creative cache into some sweet passive income. It’s time to put your artistic genius to work!
15. Virtual Storefront Success: Embrace the eCommerce Revolution
Plunge into a world of possibilities and discover ideal products to feature in your exclusive online store. User-friendly platforms like Shopify streamline the process, turning your virtual storefront dream into a reality.
Dropshipping is a fantastic option for those who prefer a hands-off approach. Simply choose white-label products, add your unique branding, and let the manufacturer handle shipping orders directly to your customers. If you crave more control, team up with a manufacturer to create custom products you can store and ship yourself. Or, explore the realm of print-on-demand goods to add even more variety to your online store.
So, there you have it—15 online side hustle ideas designed for the creative souls among us. May one of these brilliant concepts spark your imagination and inspire your next successful side hustle!
If you’re an aspiring online entrepreneur and you feel like you could use a little help mapping out your first steps, download my free guide, “The 4 Step No Time to Waste Online Business Start-Up Blueprint.”
You’re also invited to join my free Facebook group, Rachel’s Sandbox.
