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I remember how exciting it was to make extra money as a teen and buy my first car, get cool clothes, and hang out with friends. But I know from experience how hard it is to find time for a job when you're in school or get around without a car.
These days, you can find teen-friendly online jobs that let you work flexibly from your own bedroom and don't require a work uniform. While you have many options, I recommend finding something you enjoy, such as taking surveys, selling items, or creating content, and that doesn't have a strict age requirement.
I've rounded up the best online jobs for teens to help you start a side hustle today.
How we rate 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.
Featured side hustles (16+)
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9 best online jobs for teens
| Online job or side hustle | Best for | Age requirement |
| Swagbucks | Teens with strong opinions | 13+ (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission) |
| Twitch streamer | Charismatic video game lovers | 13+ (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission) |
| Poshmark | Teens with good taste in retail items | 13+ (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission and supervision) |
| TikTok content creator | Aspiring creatives with a unique skill | 13+ |
| YouTube content creator | Teens with a passion for one topic | 13+ (with your parent or guardian's permission) |
| Fiverr | Starting a career early | 13+ (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission and use a parent's account) |
| Social media marketing assistant | Teens who spend lots of time on their phones | 14+ |
| Data entry worker | Tech enthusiasts | 14+ |
| Cambly | Natural-born teachers | 18+ |
Swagbucks
- Age requirement: At least 13 (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission)
If you don't mind taking surveys or signing up for deals and offers, I recommend checking out Swagbucks. Companies outsource various types of work to this site, where teens can earn rewards or cash back by trying new products, answering questions, watching videos, and more. Note that you'll need parental consent for all surveys if you're under 18.
I like Swagbucks' flexible payout system, which gives you more options than most to withdraw your earnings (called Swagbucks). You can redeem Swagbucks for gift cards from popular retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Apple. For more flexibility, you can redeem rewards for prepaid virtual Mastercard or American Express cards. I recommend gift cards and prepaid cards. If you want straight cash, you'll need to connect your guardian's PayPal account.
- Easy to do in your spare time
- Diverse types of tasks
- Payout threshold as low as $1
- Won't qualify for every survey
- Some surveys can take up to 30 minutes or more
- Need to be 18 to register for PayPal
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Visit Swagbucks | Read more in our Swagbucks review.
Alternative to 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 I recommend.
Branded Surveys
Branded Surveys is an online poll site that also pays teens for their opinions. It's unique for paying you more when you take more surveys. You can sign up if you're 16 years old and redeem earnings for gift cards, prepaid cards, or bank deposits.
Freecash
Freecash is a get-paid-to site, like Swagbucks, that will pay you for taking surveys, playing games, and completing other tasks. This platform requires you to be 16 to participate.
Twitch
- Age requirement: At least 13 (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission)
If you want to be a live entertainer and are comfortable putting yourself out there online, Twitch streaming could be a good fit. The live streaming platform primarily focuses on playing video games, so I recommend it for serious gamers. However, you can also stream other content in the "Just Chatting" category.
If you like spending time on the platform, you've probably seen teens close to your age amassing huge followings by playing and narrating their favorite games. While top streamers with large, loyal audiences can earn millions of dollars, you can still make some side cash with a smaller following and engaging content.
If you're going to stream in front of strangers as a kid or teen, I recommend enlisting moderators in your chat and keeping an adult updated to stay safe. Also, be prepared to pay commission on your earnings.
- Can turn a hobby or passion into a full-time career
- Offers exposure for gamers
- Market for kid-created content
- Requires a decent following for high earners
- Higher commissions than YouTube or Facebook
- Potentially rude viewers
Learn how much Twitch streamers make.
Poshmark
- 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 items online, such as clothes, electronics, toys, and makeup. In my experience, Poshmark tends to offer the most value when you have desirable clothing brands in your closet. This means trendy, high-end, or vintage, making Poshmark ideal if you're a stylish teen outgrowing your clothes.
You could use Poshmark to occasionally sell gently used items or start a full-time side hustle by actively sourcing items to sell. Many shop at their local thrift stores for inventory to resell, which can be lucrative if you know which brands sell best. You should also be willing to take attractive photos, possibly host fashion live streams, and handle the hassle of shipping items.
- Free to create an account and list items
- Easy-to-use app and website
- Helps you declutter as you earn
- 20% cut on sales of $15 or more
- Requires inventory to sell
- May need to coordinate shipping with parents
Read more in our Poshmark review.
TikTok
- 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 popular with young viewers, making it prime real estate for teens looking to flex their creative muscles. I recommend this side hustle if you enjoy being in front of a camera and have an adult or guardian who can help you establish and manage brand partnerships and affiliate marketing.
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 post regularly, but you might not need to stick to a strict schedule.
- Fun and creative social media platform
- Low-pressure side hustle to do at any time
- Multiple monetization options
- Requires a large audience to make decent money
- Requires a unique angle to stand out
- Possible interactions with hurtful or harmful people
Learn how to become a social media influencer.
YouTube
- Age requirement: At least 13 (with your parent or guardian's permission)
I recommend creating YouTube content if you already love the platform and have ideas for making your unique mark on it. YouTube has a huge library of content, from music to educational to just-for-fun recordings. Anyone can create an account and post videos, but you must put in the work to produce consistent content for your target audience and stand out from the crowd.
If you can get enough subscribers to your channel, making over $1,000 per video is possible. Plus, you can continue earning money from videos for months or even years, making this platform a potentially better option than TikTok or Instagram for long-term earnings. However, you'll need to pay commissions.
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. It might take trial and error to find what works, but you can have some fun while you figure it out.
- Fun and creative social media platform
- Variety of content to explore
- Easy to edit and upload videos
- Requires many views and subscribers for decent money
- Frequent algorithm changes
- Potential for hurtful or harmful people
Fiverr
- Age requirement: At least 13 (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission and use a parent's account)
If you have an in-demand skill and want to start freelancing, I recommend using Fiverr to gain some professional experience and make extra money. While you can't create your own account until you're 18, you can use a parent's account to list your skills and services, such as writing, proofreading, graphic design, translation, social media marketing, and virtual assisting.
You can also look into similar platforms, like Upwork, to make money and build a broader portfolio. If you choose Fiverr, be patient. Believe me when I say that it can take time to get your first client or build a stable side income. It's worth investing time in setting up your profile to stand out from others offering the same service.
- Many types of services
- Can build career experience
- Potential for good pay with dedication
- Can take a while to get gigs and make money
- Potentially inconsistent work
- 20% cut on your earnings
Learn more in our full Fiverr review.
Social media marketing assistant
- Age requirement: At least 14
If you already spend a lot of time on social media, why not apply what you know by working as a marketing assistant? This job involves supporting marketing managers and other professionals in growing their brands and online presences. Your typical day could look like creating social media posts, scheduling posts across online platforms, and editing campaign content.
Especially if you're an older teen, you might be able to land a more traditional job through popular remote job platforms. You can also seek freelance clients by making connections on LinkedIn or locally.
I recommend starting with small businesses in your area. Ask if any of them need help building a stronger social media presence. I've found that offering your services can be more successful than filling out dozens of tedious applications.
- Get paid to use social media platforms
- Diverse, creative daily job tasks
- More potential success with an existing large following
- Potentially fewer online roles for teens
- Might need to find your own clients
- Can be time-consuming
Data entry worker
- Age requirement: At least 14 (depending on local laws)
If you type fast, have good attention to detail, and are tech-savvy, data entry work can be a good online job to start with. It's all about plugging information, usually numbers, into databases for companies.
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.
What I like about this teen-friendly side gig is that you typically don't need much experience beyond basic computer skills. When I started on Amazon Mechanical Turk, I simply learned various data entry tasks along the way. However, I'll warn you that data entry work can be repetitive and involve scams, so do your research and ask an adult to help you find the best data entry jobs.
- Simple tasks requiring little to no experience
- Can build career experience
- Requires little equipment
- Possibly fewer online jobs for teens
- Potentially repetitive tasks
- Competitive market for online work
Cambly
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- Age requirement: At least 18
If you're at least 18 and think you'd have a knack for teaching English to people around the world, consider working as an online tutor on Cambly. By providing sessions over video chat, you can work as little or as much as you want, from wherever you want, and make an impact on others. You can choose to tutor adults for $0.17 per minute or children for $0.20 per minute.
- Make an impact by teaching others
- Flexible hours
- No experience or degree required
- Have to be at least 18
- Limited number of tutor jobs
- Competition with more experienced tutors
How to choose the best online jobs for teens
As you navigate teen side hustles, keep the following in mind to find the right fit:
- 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 permission from a parent or legal guardian. Always check the job's or platform's terms and conditions for age rules.
- Potential earnings: 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 commitment: 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. You might prefer avoiding roles with strict schedules to reduce your stress.
- Personal interests: While it may not always be possible to find work you love or keep your interests, it's worth considering this in your job search. It's much better to enjoy your work than to fear doing it every day. Otherwise, you might give up or work too little to make good money.
- 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 the workforce and haven't had time to gain experience. Consider jobs that require expertise you've gained at school or through hobbies.
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 want to earn money online as a teen, taking surveys, using social media, or offering your services as a freelancer are just a few ways to do so. The key is to find something you can stick with and hopefully enjoy, and to check important terms, such as age restrictions, experience requirements, and commissions.
I recommend spending time researching any online job that catches your eye. See how other people have done it and read reviews whenever possible.
For more top recommendations, see our list of the best side hustles.