20 Legit Ways to Make Money Online Fast (& Slow) in 2022
A bit of extra cash never goes astray.
When your income isn’t enough, you need to find ways to earn extra money. Here are 19 ways you can make quick cash — and also methods that you can build into a money-making machine over time.
Yes, internet money is a real thing. We’ve done the research for you and curated two lists of legitimate ways to make money online, depending on whether you want to:
Table of Contents
- 1 Warning
- 2 Make money online… fast
- 3 The easiest way to make money online
- 4 Compare your options
- 5 1. User testing
- 6 2. Market research focus groups
- 7 2. Market research focus groups
- 8 3. Data entry
- 9 4. Airtasker
- 10 5. Online surveys
- 11 6. ‘Get paid to’ sites
- 12 Make more money over time
- 13 7. Start a blog
- 14 8. Freelancing
- 15 9. Investing in stock markets
- 16 10. Become a Virtual Assistant (VA)
- 17 11. Write music reviews
- 18 12. Affiliate marketing
- 19 13. Buying and selling domain names
- 20 14. Dropshipping
- 21 15. Etsy, eBay or Amazon shop
- 22 16. YouTube channel
- 23 17. Start a podcast
- 24 18. Become a social media influencer
- 25 19. Create an online course
- 26 20. Online tutoring
Warning
There are a lot of scams out there, so be wary. You should never have to provide your credit card details, and a good rule of thumb is: you should never have to pay to work.

Make money online… fast
Need money now? Want to make some extra cash online tide you through a tough time?
Here’s a curated list of legitimate ways to make money at home. You can also compare them based on how much you can make and how fast you’ll get paid.
The easiest way to make money online
For most people, the easiest way to make money online quickly is doing user testing for websites, combined with participating in market research. It’s one of the best earners without having to start your own business. That’s because it’s:
Easy
No barriers to entry. You don’t need any special skills, software, or equipment.
Profitable
You can get decent pay for your time, and sometimes you’ll get lucky with a high-paying gig.
Fast
The turnaround time between working and getting paid is reasonably fast, so you can start earning some extra cash straight away.
If you want to make a lot of money over a longer timeframe, build a passive income stream, or transition into a full-time gig, then getting a side hustle or starting your own business online is going to be a better choice for you. Read on for more easy ways to make money and longer-term online business ideas.
Compare your options
With this handy table, you can compare rates — and how fast you’ll get your money — in one glance.
These range from sites where you complete random online tasks, to focus groups where you can earn upwards of $150 for a single one-hour session.
Some of the better-earning options, like freelancing or being a virtual assistant, could even evolve into a quality part-time job or side-hustle, or even a full-time job.
Before you get started
1. User testing
User testing is a service that tech and product companies use to collect data on how people use their websites, apps, or products. Once you sign up, you’ll receive alerts for new testing jobs that you’re eligible for.
All you need to have is an internet connection and a microphone (most laptops and phones will have one built-in). In a typical job, you will be asked to complete a task on someone’s website or app while speaking your thoughts aloud, explaining why you are making certain decisions and what catches your attention.
Doing a test can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes, depending on the site, and you can earn anywhere from $10 to $60 (or more if you get lucky).
If you’re going to take this approach, it’s a good idea to sign up with multiple sites, as the availability of testing jobs is the main bottleneck to earning here.
Here are a few to try:
Keen on a career in UX (User Experience)?
Learn all you need to know to get started in this creative, fulfilling, and well-paid field. Compare study options from Australia’s top educators.
2. Market research focus groups
Market research and focus groups can be more lucrative than user testing, but they’re also harder gigs to get, as you must match a certain set of criteria. They can also go for longer, anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple of hours – and are paid accordingly.
You’ll answer questions and give your opinion on various matters, usually related to your behaviour or buying patterns. Companies will then use this data to develop products and services.
The same deal applies here. Sign up for multiple websites and you’ll get emails alerting you when a job comes up.
You could start with these:


Fascinated by marketing?
Get a step up into the varied world of marketing and learn how to influence behaviour. Compare study options from Australia’s top educators.
2. Market research focus groups
Market research and focus groups can be more lucrative than user testing, but they’re also harder gigs to get, as you must match a certain set of criteria. They can also go for longer, anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple of hours – and are paid accordingly.
You’ll answer questions and give your opinion on various matters, usually related to your behaviour or buying patterns. Companies will then use this data to develop products and services.
The same deal applies here. Sign up for multiple websites and you’ll get emails alerting you when a job comes up.
You could start with these:


Fascinated by marketing?
Get a step up into the vibrant marketing world and learn how to influence behaviour with a short course in digital marketing. Compare study options from Australia’s top educators and find your fit.
3. Data entry
Data entry from home can be a great way to make extra money, but in order to be successful at it you will need some decent computer skills.
Data entry jobs are not difficult to find online. You can search for data entry jobs on a site like Upwork or Indeed.com and apply for them through the website.
The requirements for data entry jobs vary depending on the company, but usually, you will need to be fluent in English and have a computer with internet access.
Some companies may also require you to have basic computer skills like being able to type quickly or use Microsoft Office programs such as Word or Excel.
Try these sites:
Got a keen eye for data?
Become a certified data analyst or data scientist, learn from Australia’s leading educators and enjoy a career that has high earning potential.
4. Airtasker
Airtasker is an online platform where people post odd jobs, and you can offer to do them. These jobs range from small writing jobs for websites, to admin, design, marketing and more. It’s not an online-only platform, but there are plenty of digital-only tasks that you can complete online.
When you start out, focus on one type of job, and tackle smaller tasks first to garner some reviews. Price bidding can be fierce, but true to your worth, and don’t go too low on prices, as Airtasker takes a 20% cut of your earnings.
Earnings on Airtasker can range from a couple of hundred a month for the occasional odd job, to $1500 a month if you spend a large amount of time completing jobs.

5. Online surveys
Filling out online surveys may not make you lots of money at once, but if you stick with it, you can make a bit extra that could help you treat yourself with something nice and non-essential.
You’ll most often get paid with gift cards, but some sites will pay you in to your PayPal account directly. Again, hedging your bets is a good tactic here. Sign up for lots of websites and apps.
All you need to do is fill out quick surveys, many of which can be done on your phone.
You could try:

6. ‘Get paid to’ sites
These random assortments of tasks can be pretty fun but pay less than the other options. That being said, the small amounts do add up over time so persistence can pay off.
Tasks can range from searching the web, playing games, watching videos, reading emails, and getting money back when you shop online. These sites often pay you in gift cards, which you can redeem at many major retailers.

Make more money over time
If you’re willing to put in the hard work and wait longer, these online business ideas can grow into an extra income source, or even replace your main job.
7. Start a blog
Do you have a burning passion or hobby that you like to share with others? Starting a blog is a fantastic way to celebrate your love for it, learn transferable skills, and build a passive income earner along the way.

wandercooks.com
Adelaide-based couple Sarah and Laura run a food blog, Wandercooks, that attracts over six million views each year.
“We wanted to switch to a more passive based business model. One which didn’t require as much of our time for money, like our previous service-based business in design.”
“It also meant the ceiling for income was removed and we could earn more without committing to more work time.
Our food blog is still service-based, but accessible 24/7 without the need for us to be as well. We also really enjoy cooking! So it was a way for us to utilise this passion, with our skills from our previous business and turn it into a profitable online blog.”
“Our two most important takeaways are to be consistent and learn everything you can.”
“Consistency helped us to hone our skills and quickly work on improvements based on the feedback we received on our weekly recipes. There will always be weeks where you don’t feel like doing the work, but sticking to a schedule to put out new content, really helped us to grow.”
“Running an online blog means wearing many hats. We’re recipe developers, writers, photographers, videographers, social media managers, project managers, book keepers – the list goes on. So educating yourself and keeping up to date with technology, SEO and trends has also helped us to create better content, help more people and build an online business that supports both of us full time.”
“We feel it’s given us the flexibility we wanted and a much healthier work / life balance.”
“We now have more time to spend with family and friends, personal projects and offline activities such as gardening, cooking and hiking.
By earning money online, we’ve also been able to save more money. This is from being able to work from home and reducing our commuting or transport costs.”
Looking to sharpen your small business skills?
A flexible online course in small business management can get you up, running, and profitable in half the time and avoid the growing pains.
8. Freelancing
Do you have a marketable skillset – like graphic design, writing, bookkeeping, digital marketing, or coding? Do you have a background in business administration? Then freelancing online could be your best bet. It does take a little longer to start earning than the first two, but you can earn a lot of money, and it can even be a springboard to going full-time freelance.
If you’re able to work fast and effectively you might start out with online platforms such as Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr, and sometimes Airtasker.
However, if you use these platforms your earnings will probably be less than you can make as an independent freelancer. Pricing competition is fierce on international online marketplaces, which often results in a race to the bottom. So, you may want to reach out to your network through LinkedIn and let them know you’re open to freelance work.

“There’s so much to love! The ability to choose what I work on, to set my own rates and the flexibility are major pluses.”
Read More9. Investing in stock markets
If you have a chunk of capital available to you, and you don’t mind a bit of risk, investing in stock markets can be a good way to earn extra money. For an easy option, you can use an online share trading platform such as:
10. Become a Virtual Assistant (VA)
The outlook is only getting better for virtual assistants, and you can expect to make around $27/hr. Prices are often fixed for a certain amount of work, so it’s up to you to figure out how much you can get done and whether it will be worth it. Being a virtual assistant can be a great side hustle at any time, if you want to work from home or make some extra cash.
Get started with:

11. Write music reviews
Bit of a music buff? Slice the pie could be a fun, fast way to make some extra cash, which you can withdraw to your PayPal immediately.
You get paid to review anonymous songs, mostly, but also products and merch. The better your reviews, the better you get paid, and as you build up a good rating your prices will improve.

12. Affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing is the process of earning commissions by promoting someone else’s product or service. You can do this through blogs, social media posts, and other online content.
While affiliate marketing is one of the most profitable passive income games around, it can take a lot of time to start making proper money – think six months to a couple of years.
In order to start affiliate marketing, you need to take the following steps:
- Purchase a domain name and hosting for your website.
- Choose a WordPress theme that suits your website’s niche.
- Create quality content for your website using Google Keyword Planner and SEO best practices.
- Use Adsense or another advertising platform to earn from your affiliate links.
- Find affiliate programs that suit you and use them as a way of making money online.
- Monitor your progress and make changes when necessary.
Here are some platforms you can use to get started with affiliate partnerships.

“It’s possible to get started even with a credit card. Then make the money back.”
Read More13. Buying and selling domain names

Again, if you don’t mind investing some capital, you can watch out for expiring domain names and buy them up, also known as ‘drop catching’. A company will then have to pay you for their negligence in letting the domain slip – sometimes to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Or, if it’s a generic domain name that gets lots of searches, then companies may bid on it for the amount of web traffic it will bring them.
A popular site for catching domains is drop.com.au.
14. Dropshipping
Dropshipping has exploded in popularity in recent times because of its potential to supply a passive income. The idea is that you start an online store – but you don’t buy any stock. Instead, you partner with a wholesale supplier, who will send the item directly to your customer. So you’re essentially buying wholesale items one at a time, at wholesale prices, instead of the traditional arrangement of buying bulk amounts of stock and then being responsible for selling them.
It’s much easier to set up a business this way, as all you need is an internet connection and some marketing savvy.
15. Etsy, eBay or Amazon shop
You can set up an eBay, Etsy or Amazon shop fairly easily, identify items that may sell well or that are trending, buy or make these items, and put them up for sale. For instance, masks have been a notable new niche in the pandemic.
Be aware that all these platforms charge fees, so you’ll need to get your sales up reasonably high or have a decent profit margin if you’re going to make any kind of decent money.
It’s not limited to these platforms, either.

“I believe you can earn as much as the effort put in, finding the right audience and making friends with fellow creatives to promote each other.”
Read More16. YouTube channel
If you can find a topic you’re passionate about, chances are there’s an audience for it. This can also be a fantastic avenue for younger people to make some extra money. The main challenge lies in creating content that will engage people. Often that means taking a new, unique angle, speaking with passion, and finding a fun format with frequent surprises or breaks so as to keep your audience’s attention.

“YouTube is one of the most rewarding and profitable long-term options out there.”
Read More17. Start a podcast
If you start a podcast that people really love, you can then earn revenue from it — either through ads, or through creating a Patreon account and gaining subscribers.
This is a long-term strategy because it will take a while to create enough content, build a reputation, and attract a fanbase.

Do you have sway in the world of social media? Do you have more than 10,000 followers? Do you run a popular blog? Here are a few ideas for monetising your passion:
- Influencers can promote a product or service in a post
- Bloggers can do sponsored posts, i.e. product reviews for brands.
- Bloggers can host ads on their sites.
Try signing up for a platform like:
19. Create an online course

Do you know a lot about a particular area? Are you a subject matter expert? Then you can create an online course. It’s an easy option now that there is a wide range of online platforms like:
To make your online course successful, you will probably need to do quite a bit of marketing at the beginning. You may be able to automate this, later on, giving you the potential to earn a decent passive income.
20. Online tutoring
Unlike online courses, tutoring focuses on teaching a particular skill or subject area one-on-one. This could also potentially include running webinars with small groups, which give you the opportunity to make money more quickly, rather than seeing several individual students.
This can be great if you have experience in teaching, or if you’re very skilled or knowledgeable in a particular area. For example, if you’ve been an accountant, you may be able to mentor people studying for a CPA exam online. If you’re fantastic at an instrument, you could do online lessons with students.
12 Best Side Hustles in Australia: Passion Projects & Money Makers
Whether you’re after something that will earn you cash straight away, or you’re playing the long game, this curated list of side hustles will help you choose the best one for you.
Courses found:
Certificate III in Commercial Cookery (VIC ONLY) SIT30816
Do you want to become a qualified cook or chef? If you love food and cooking, being creative and working in a team then this could be a career for you....


Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care CHC30113
This qualification reflects the role of educators in early childhood education and care who work in regulated children’s education and care services in Australia. They support children’s wellbeing and development in the context of an approved learning...


Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) CHC33015
If you have a passion for working with our precious older population or are interested in pursuing a career in this well-needed field, this course is for you. The course can be done completely online from anywhere in Australia. This is a highly compreh...


Diploma of Leisure and Health (Dandenong Only) CHC53415
Diploma of Leisure and Health (CHC53415) reflects the role of workers with responsibility for designing, implementing and evaluating health and leisure activities, and programs for clients in one or more sector areas. Work may be in residential facilit...


Certificate IV in Leisure and Health (VIC Only) CHC43415
The Certificate IV in Leisure and Health is a nationally recognised qualification that equips you to design, implement, and evaluate leisure and health activities and programs for clients in residential facilities, community agencies, or day centres. T...


Fast Track PT Course SIS40221
Turn your love of fitness into a career and get on the fast track to becoming a qualified Personal Trainer. After completing the nine Fitness Fundamental units, you’ll then launch straight into the SIS40221 Certificate IV in Fitness and complete all th...


Victorian Certificate Of Applied Learning (Intermediate) – Year 11 (VIC ONLY) VCALINT001 VCAL
VCAL Intermediate (Year 11) provides an opportunity to commence senior secondary school studies and provides a stepping-stone to Year 12 Senior VCAL studies. This program is ideal if you are clearly set on undertaking trade or other vocational studies,...


Bachelor of Health Science (Acupuncture Therapies)
Acupuncture is a branch of Chinese Medicine that stimulates specific points on the body to regulate the flow of Qi (vital energy) to restore health and balance the functions of the body, mind and spirit. Acupuncture therapies combines Chinese medicine...


Diploma of Mental Health (VIC Only) CHC53315
Diploma of Mental Health reflects the role of workers who provide services to clients in relation to mental health issues. They can provide counselling, referral, advocacy and education/health promotion services. These workers are required to have high...


Bachelor of Stage and Screen (Screen Production)
From the spark of an idea, through to marketing the end product – you are only limited by your imagination. Start your career in Screen Production now with our Bachelor Degree. APAC’s degree in Screen Production provides a practice-led film makin...


Certificate IV in Disability (Melbourne Only) CHC43115
This qualification reflects the role of workers in a range of community settings and clients’ homes, who provide training and support in a manner that empowers people with disabilities to achieve greater levels of independence, self-reliance, community...


Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (VIC & SYD METRO ONLY) CHC50121
The Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care is a highly sought-after qualification within the early childhood education sector. Upon completion, graduates will have the skills and knowledge to become a lead educator in delivering Early Childhood...


Certificate IV in Patisserie (VIC ONLY) SIT40713
Do you dream of running your own patisserie kitchen? This course equips you with a pastry chef qualification, along with additional management and leadership skills to operate at a supervisory level....


Bachelor of Health Science (Dance) (NSW Only)
The Bachelor of Health Science (Dance) develops students’ understanding of synergies between dance and health science to facilitate work in public and private organisations across a range of occupations. Given the main instrument in dance is the human...


Certificate III in Health Services Assistance (VIC ONLY) HLT33115
Would you like to work in healthcare, in a hospital or healthcare facility? This course will give you the entry-level skills and hands-on experience you need to work in a health services role....


Certificate III in Individual Support (VIC ONLY) CHC33015
This qualification reflects the role of workers in the community and/or residential setting who follow an individualised plan to provide person-centred support to people who may require support due to ageing, disability or some other reason. Work invol...


Personal Trainer – Strength Specialist SIS30315 , SIS40215
Designed in collaboration between Clean Health and Sebastian Oreb, the Clean Health Personal Trainer Strength Specialist program (PTSS) is the most comprehensive initial qualification available to combine cutting edge strength and conditioning educatio...


Diploma of Leisure and Health (VIC Only) CHC53415
Would you like to actively contribute to the quality of life of others through providing lifestyle programs? Want to learn how to design, implement and evaluate health and leisure activities and programs for clients in residential facilities and/or in...


Certificate IV in Mental Health CHC43315
Make a difference in your community and enjoy a rewarding career. The past decade has seen a vast increase in the number of people needed for employment in the community and mental health services. One in three Australians will experience mental health...


Certificate IV in Ageing Support (Sunshine Coast Only) CHC43015
Take your passion for caring to the next level and upgrade your career! The health and aged care sector are experiencing strong growth, with the Australian Government expecting more than 50,000 job openings in the industry over the next five years. Thi...

