Depending on your interests and availability, many opportunities exist for teens who want to earn money online.
We recommend finding something you enjoy, whether that means selling gently used clothes on Poshmark or becoming a TikTok content creator. If you want to build career experience, look for more traditional jobs — like a social media marketer or data entry worker — that don’t have a strict age requirement (in general, you have to be at least 14 to work in the U.S.).
Let’s explore the best online jobs for teens to find the perfect online job or side hustle for you.
Featured side hustles
Free 3-class intro teaches you how to launch a bookkeeping business — avg. hourly rate for this skill is $75/hour.
Get your share of $55,000 paid out daily to Survey Junkie users.
Get paid to take surveys, play games, read emails ... even to go grocery shopping.
Connect with families looking for child care, pet care, housekeeping, and more.
- Key takeaways
- The 12 best online jobs for teens
- Comparison of the best online jobs for teens
- 1. Win cash games with Bingo Clash
- 2. Complete online surveys with Swagbucks
- 3. Sell things online with Poshmark
- 4. Work as a social media marketing assistant
- 5. Do data entry work
- 6. Make content for TikTok
- 7. Tutor English online with Cambly
- 8. Start a YouTube channel
- 9. Become a professional Twitch streamer
- 10. Complete virtual tasks with Fiverr
- 11. Work as a remote customer service representative
- 12. Write freelance articles
- How to choose the best online jobs for teens
- FAQs
- Best online jobs for teens: Bottom line
- Methodology
Key takeaways
- Many websites and side hustle platforms allow teenagers aged 13 to 17 to use them. However, you typically need permission from your parent or guardian.
- Since you generally only need to be 14 to work in the U.S., it’s possible to find online jobs in traditional industries, such as social media marketing, freelance writing, or data entry.
- We recommend taking surveys with Swagbucks if you want a simple side hustle (that can still make some money). If you want to live in the world of social media, there are plenty of opportunities to make it big on TikTok, YouTube, or another platform.
The 12 best online jobs for teens
- Win cash games with Bingo Clash
- Complete online surveys with Swagbucks
- Sell things online with Poshmark
- Work as a social media marketing assistant
- Do data entry work
- Make content for TikTok
- Tutor English online with Cambly
- Start a YouTube channel
- Become a professional Twitch streamer
- Complete virtual tasks with Fiverr
- Work as a remote customer service representative
- Write or proofread freelance articles
Comparison of the best online jobs for teens
Online job or side hustle | What it is | Age requirement | Learn more |
Bingo Clash | Playing a mobile bingo game to earn cash | At least 18 | |
Swagbucks | Taking online surveys | At least 13 (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission) | |
Poshmark | Selling things online | At least 13 (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission and supervision) | Learn more about Poshmark |
Social media marketing assistant | Helping manage social media accounts and campaigns | At least 14 | Create your FlexJobs account to search for open roles |
Data entry worker | Using computers to enter or update information | At least 14 | Learn more about remote data entry jobs |
TikTok content creator | Creating TikTok content | At least 13 | Learn how to become a social media influencer |
Cambly | Teaching English online | At least 18 | Visit Cambly |
YouTube content creator | Creating YouTube content | At least 13 (with your parent or guardian’s permission) | Learn how to become a social media influencer |
Twitch streamer | Live streaming from Twitch | At least 13 (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission) | Learn how much Twitch streamers make |
Fiverr | Doing online tasks for other people | At least 13 (teens 13 to 17 must have parental permission and use their parent’s account) | Read Fiverr review |
Remote customer service representative | Helping online customers | At least 14 | Create your FlexJobs profile and search for open positions |
Freelance writer or proofreader | Writing or proofreading for online clients | At least 14 | Learn more about proofreading |
1. Win cash games with Bingo Clash
- You can earn cash by playing bingo in your spare time
- Free to download and play
- 4.4 out of 5 stars on the App Store
- You have to be at least 18
- You’re not guaranteed to make money (and you might lose money)
Bingo Clash is a mobile game available on the App Store and Google Play. You can play free or cash games (where you spend your own money) against other players. Playing cash games gives you the opportunity to win actual cash, but you have to be skilled to learn how to make money with these types of games.
You must be at least 18 to participate in cash games. Cash games aren’t available in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Louisiana, Montana, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, or from U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico.
Alternative apps/services for Bingo Clash
- Bingo Cash: Similar to Bingo Clash, you can start making money online by playing bingo tournaments on your mobile device with Bingo Cash.
- Solitaire Cash: If card games are more up your alley, consider Solitaire Cash for a chance to win real cash prizes while playing Solitaire in your spare time.
.. Or learn more in our full Bingo Clash review.
2. Complete online surveys with Swagbucks
- Easy to do in your spare time
- Teens 13 to 17 can use Swagbucks with parental permission
- Some surveys can take up to 30 minutes or more
Swagbucks is a rewards site where you can take advantage of different deals and offers to earn rewards or cash back. For teens, we recommend using Swagbucks to take paid online surveys for market research purposes.
You get paid in Swagbucks, which can be redeemed for gift cards from popular retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Apple. You can also redeem your rewards for prepaid Mastercard or American Express cards that can be used just about anywhere Mastercard and Amex are accepted.
Alternative apps/services for Swagbucks
- Survey Junkie: Survey Junkie is one of the most popular online survey sites. You have to be at least 18 to use Survey Junkie.
- InboxDollars: This is a popular alternative to Survey Junkie and Swagbucks for taking online surveys. InboxDollars requires users to be at least 18.
Get gift cards to Amazon, Target, and more for surfing the web and taking fun surveys.
.. Or learn more in our full Swagbucks review.
3. Sell things online with Poshmark
- Free to create an account and list items
- Easy-to-use app and website
- Teens 13 to 17 can use Poshmark with parental permission
- Poshmark takes a 20% cut for sales of $15 or more
Poshmark is an app and online marketplace where you can buy and sell items related to fashion, home decor, beauty, and more. From our experience, we’ve seen it used primarily as a fashion app where you can buy and sell clothing and accessories.
You could use Poshmark to sell some of your gently used items now and then or start a full-time Poshmark side hustle where you actively source items to sell for your online business.
Alternative apps/services for Poshmark
- Etsy: Etsy is the mecca for personalized and handmade goods. Learn more about how to start an Etsy shop.
- Facebook Marketplace: Your neighborhood and community marketplace for all kinds of items is Facebook Marketplace. Watch out for Facebook Marketplace scams.
.. Or learn more about Poshmark in our review
4. Work as a social media marketing assistant
- Can build career experience
- Get paid to use social media platforms
- Often involves lots of creativity
- There might not be many online jobs available for teenagers
Social media marketing assistants typically assist social media marketing managers and people in similar roles. Daily responsibilities could include creating social media posts, scheduling posts for online platforms, or working on specific social media campaigns.
Visit FlexJobs to search for social media marketing jobs
5. Do data entry work
- Often simple tasks with little to no prior experience required
- Can build career experience
- You might not need more than a computer and a stable internet connection
- There may not be many online jobs available for teenagers
- Tasks might get repetitive
Data entry workers focus on inputting or updating information in company databases.
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.
You don’t typically need much experience besides basic computer skills to work different data entry jobs.
6. Make content for TikTok
- Work with a fun and creative social media platform
- Teens who are at least 13 can use TikTok
- You need a large audience to make decent money
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 especially popular with younger generations, making it prime real estate for teens looking to flex their creative muscles.
Alternative apps/services for TikTok
- YouTube: The original social media video platform is still going strong. These days, you can create long videos or use YouTube Shorts for shorter content.
- Instagram: Instagram has evolved from a simple platform for sharing photos to adding videos, stories, reels, and more. It’s now a full-fledged social media service filled with creative people.
Learn how to become a social media influencer
7. Tutor English online with Cambly
- Work from anywhere
- Flexible hours
- No experience or degree required
- Have to be at least 18
Cambly lets you teach English online to people around the world as an online tutor. You can work as little or as much as you want from wherever you want. There’s no experience or degree requirement like you might find with some online teaching companies.
However, you do have to be at least 18 to access Cambly online tutoring jobs.
Alternative apps/services for Cambly
- VIPKid: VIPKid is a popular company for teaching English online. But you must have a bachelor’s degree, and it’s recommended to have teaching experience already. Learn more in our VIPKid review.
- Preply: Preply lets you teach English (and other subjects) online from anywhere without a fixed schedule. There’s no specific certification or teaching experience required.
8. Start a YouTube channel
- Work with a fun and creative social media platform
- Teens 13 to 17 can use YouTube with parental permission
- You need a lot of views and subscribers to make decent money
YouTube appeals to creators of all kinds, regardless of niche or content type. This makes it easy to get started in such a vast online world, but you still have to put the work in to create consistent content for your target audience.
If you can get enough subscribers to your channel, making over $1,000 per video is not unheard of. And you can continue making money on videos months or even years later.
Alternative apps/services for YouTube
- TikTok: If you prefer short, phone-recorded videos, consider TikTok.
- Instagram: If you prefer using a mix of photos and videos, consider Instagram.
Learn how to become a social media influencer
9. Become a professional Twitch streamer
- Can turn a hobby or passion into a full-time career
- Teens 13 to 17 can use Twitch with parental permission
- You need a decent following to make good money
If you want to be a live entertainer, Twitch streaming could be for you. The live streaming platform primarily focuses on playing video games, but the “Just Chatting” category also leaves space for non-gaming entertainment.
Top streamers can earn millions of dollars from streaming-related efforts, but you need a huge audience to get into that range.
Alternative apps/services for Twitch
- YouTube Gaming: YouTube lets gamers livestream from its YouTube Gaming platform, providing a not-as-popular alternative to Twitch for watching people play video games.
- Facebook Gaming: Facebook also has a live-streaming gaming platform with some big streamers who can’t quite compete with Twitch. But it’s an option if you like playing games and prefer using Facebook for streaming.
Learn how much Twitch streamers make
10. Complete virtual tasks with Fiverr
- Teens 13 to 17 can use Fiverr with parental permission
- Can build career experience
- Could take a while to get gigs and start making money
You can’t create your own account on Fiverr as a teen unless you’re at least 18. But you can use a parent’s account and market any applicable skills. Then, you can start working as a data entry worker, graphic designer, translator, social media marketer, virtual assistant, or other things.
Alternative apps/services for Fiverr
- Upwork: Upwork is a side gig platform similar to Fiverr, but you must be at least 18 to have or use an Upwork account.
- Toptal: Toptal is a platform that connects businesses and professional freelancers. You typically need a few years of experience for this platform and likely need to be at least 18 to use Toptal for gig economy jobs.
Learn more in our full Fiverr review.
11. Work as a remote customer service representative
- Often requires little to no prior experience
- Can build career experience
- There may not be many positions available for teenagers
Customer service reps can work online from their homes while helping solve customer issues in a non-face-to-face setting. These jobs could serve as career stepping stones in the customer service industry.
Being a customer service rep might not be the most exciting online job, but it’s a start, and you could make some extra cash.
Visit ZipRecruiter to search for open positions
12. Write or proofread freelance articles
- Can build career experience
- Can offer a creative outlet where you also get paid
- There may not be many online jobs available for teenagers
It’s possible to know how to write well from a young age, which makes a freelance writer position an appealing prospect for certain teens. While most large companies won’t hire teens to write for them, checking for roles in your community, such as a local paper or magazine publisher, could make sense.
Alternative apps/services for freelance writing
- Freelance proofreading: If you have a good eye for spelling and grammar, consider looking for proofreading roles.
- Freelance copyediting: If you’re more interested in helping polish written work rather than fix technical issues, consider copyediting.
How to choose the best online jobs for teens
- 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 parental permission or permission from your legal guardian.
- Money: 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: 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.
- Interest: While it may not always be possible to find work you like or keep your interest, it’s worth considering this as a factor in your job search. It’s much better to enjoy your work than to fear doing it every day.
- 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 working and haven’t had time to earn any experience.
FAQs
Can you make money online legally as a teenager?
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 are some of the best online jobs for teens?
Some of the best online jobs for teens include:
- Earning cash with Bingo Clash
- Completing online surveys with Swagbucks
- Selling stuff on Poshmark
- Working as a social media marketing assistant
- Doing data entry work
- Making content for TikTok
- Tutoring English online with Cambly
- Starting a YouTube channel
- Becoming a professional Twitch streamer
- Completing virtual tasks with Fiverr
- Working as a remote customer service representative
- Writing freelance articles
Best online jobs for teens: bottom line
Some of the best online jobs for teens include playing Bingo Clash and other mobile games, taking online surveys with Swagbucks, and selling things on Poshmark.
For more creative endeavors, you can create and publish content on TikTok, YouTube, and other social media platforms.
For more of our top recommendations, check out our list of the best side hustles.
Methodology
To choose the best online jobs for teens, we considered various factors to ensure that the included brands met specific criteria for suitability and quality. The selection process involved a combination of thorough online research and personal evaluation. Initially, we compiled a list of available online jobs for teens, taking into account factors such as availability, ease of sign-up, payout structure, and time commitment.
Each brand was then assessed based on its value for readers and income potential. It’s important to note that this article does not encompass every available online job for teens. Instead, it serves as a resource to guide teenage readers toward reputable and rewarding online job opportunities.