12 Flexible (and Well Paying!) Side Hustles for Introverts

If you’re anything like me, alone time can be both rejuvenating and productive. (Perhaps there were good reasons for switching from teaching to writing.) Fortunately, you can even earn money doing tasks that don’t require a lot of person-to-person interaction.

If you’re looking for ideas of how to make money without becoming mentally exhausted from all the people, check out these best side hustles for introverts.

12 best side hustles for introverts

If driving for a rideshare app, hosting guests on Airbnb, or becoming a brand ambassador all sound a bit too intense, there are plenty of other money-making side gigs that offer minimal in-person interaction. Here are some popular side hustles, perfect for introverts.

Popular side hustles for introverts

1. Walk dogs or pet sit

If you spend more time than you’d like to admit watching dog videos, you might be pleased to know that you can turn your obsession into a stream of income by walking dogs with Rover. Rover is a service that connects pet parents with providers of pet care services, such as dog walking, pet sitting, and even just quick drop-in visits.

As a pet owner, I know how important these services are for when you just can’t be home all day. And as an introvert and pet lover, I’m definitely drawn to the idea of this as a side gig.

You must be an adult and pass a standard background check to provide services through Rover. It’s free to sign up, but Rover does take 20% for its part in hooking you up with clients. You set your schedule and choose your rates as well, allowing you to work when you want, where you want.

2. Deliver food and goods

If you’re an introvert, I bet you cringe at the thought of becoming a Lyft driver. But you can make deliveries without having to do a lot of face-to-face time with customers. Depending on the company you work for, this can include delivering groceries, take-out, or even just a cup of joe.

Uber Eats is a platform that allows you to work on your own time while making food deliveries throughout your city from the comfort of your own car (or sometimes, bicycle). Instacart is a similar platform, although deliveries typically include groceries or other store-bought goods.

Plenty of other food delivery services pay good money, too. I like that you can typically keep 100% of the tips you make, although paying for gas will eat into profits a bit. Pay is based on a number of variables, such as per-mile and per-minute rates, so the more you work, the more you’ll make.

3. Take surveys online

If you’ve got spare time in between some of your other side hustles, online survey sites like Survey Junkie will pay you for taking a few minutes of your time to answer some questions. New surveys are often available daily and they’re easy to complete, so they won’t require a ton of brainpower (nor will they require talking to people).

I’d check the estimated earning value of each survey before taking time to do it. Have your earnings credited to your account upon completion of each survey. Once you have 1,000 points ($10) or more, you can cash out through PayPal or a bank transfer, or choose an e-gift card.

You won’t get rich, but taking paid surveys can be a nice way to make money online during downtimes. Anyone over 13 with a valid email address can sign up for Survey Junkie. There are other online survey sites you might try as well.

4. Complete online tasks with InboxDollars

InboxDollars is similar to Survey Junkie in that you can make money taking surveys, but you can also use it while shopping for cashback offers and to play games. The amount you can earn varies from task to task, but according to the company, most surveys pay between $0.50 to $5 (though there are some that pay more).

InboxDollars is free to sign up for; simply create an account on its website before you begin earning money. To cash out your earnings, you need to have at least $15 in your InboxDollars account. You can receive your money via PayPal, check, virtual gift card, or prepaid Visa card.

5. Housesit for vacationers

Can I just say that housesitting for families on vacation sounds like the perfect side gig for an introvert? I find there’s just something relaxing about being in an empty house away from my own responsibilities. Of course, housesitting comes with tasks to complete, which vary depending on the homeowner’s needs. Caring for pets may be part of the job, along with watering plants, bringing in the mail, and more.

Sometimes all a homeowner cares about is that someone is occupying the house while they’re away. In particular, if they’re taking a long trip for several weeks or more, it’s a security risk to leave the home unoccupied. How easy can your job get? Just be there.

For unpaid housesitting gigs, you usually get free accommodation in exchange for taking care of the property, which can be a great way to travel the world for cheap. A local friend of ours has actually gotten several stints of free lodging by signing up for house-sitting jobs.

If simply having a free place to stay isn’t enough, though, you can sign up with sites like MindMyHouse or TrustedHousesitters, to connect to paying jobs for housesitters. According to PayScale, the average hourly pay for a house sitter is over $15 an hour.

6. Sell stuff on eBay

If you’ve got stuff lying around your house that’s collecting dust (and let’s face it, we all do), you might sell it on eBay to earn spare cash. It’s free to create an account, but eBay does take a portion of each sale.

While you can get started selling your own stuff, you’ll eventually run out of inventory to sell. That doesn’t mean your time selling on eBay has to end, however. There are plenty of ways to find cheap items to resell on eBay for a profit, whether it’s garage sales, flea markets, thrift stores, or discounted items at local retailers. Keep in mind that you have to pay for these items upfront, so if you can’t resell them, you’re stuck with them.

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7. Become a mystery shopper

Being a mystery shopper can be exciting for several reasons. Not only do you get to shop and get reimbursed for your purchase, but no one in the store knows you’re a mystery shopper. If you like the thrill of shopping undercover, this might be the side gig for you. Pay will vary depending on the company you work with, but according to ZipRecruiter, average pay nationwide is about $18 an hour.

You may be asked to make certain purchases as well as provide feedback on the cleanliness of the store, customer service, and other issues affecting customer satisfaction. Do your due diligence to ensure you’re signing up for a legitimate company, as there are plenty of scams out there.

I’m not sure I’d qualify this as a fully “introverted” side hustle, since you likely have to interact with salespeople and other customers, so this wouldn’t be my first choice, but it might not be a bad option to try.

8. Create a blog

If you’ve got a knack for writing and have a niche you can monetize, blogging is an option as a side gig. Blogs take a lot of time and effort, and they’re not as easy as you might think. I’d recommend you have a true interest in the topic of your blog before sinking a ton of your energy into it, and don’t expect to make a quick profit.

Some niches have more potential for earning money than others, and there are several ways to earn money as a blogger. As you create content and grow your readership, take the time to learn how to make money by running ads, creating sponsored posts, or through affiliate marketing.

I’d also caution you that a blog isn’t 100% great for introverts. Even if all of your interactions take place online, they can still be draining for those of us who enjoy our solitude. In particular, if you need to do a lot of tasks that fall under the “influencer” category (aka making TikToks and Instagram reels about your services), you may quickly find that your introvert batteries are drained.

9. Sell digital downloads

This one’s a no-brainer for all you designers and artists out there: You can make legit money selling digital downloads such as drawings, eBooks, online courses, WordPress templates, and stock photographs. You can sell on platforms like Etsy, Fiverr, or Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and set your own price for each item, though certain sites might take a cut of each sale.

The great thing about selling downloadable products is that it’s scalable. After you create the orgiinal version of the item, you can sell infinite copies of it over and over. Any time someone purchases your listing, they receive a downloadable copy and you continue to earn passive income.

10. Become a freelance writer

Similar to blogging, you can find ways to make money from the comfort of your own home if you’ve got a talent for writing. You can find freelance writing jobs directly with companies looking to produce content or through platforms such as Upwork, which connects freelancers to online businesses seeking specialized talent.

I can personally vouch for freelance writing as a terrific side hustle that can lead to full-time employment, although pay and availability of work varies quite a bit. It’s fine to start out very low, but don’t let companies take advantage of you for long — as your experience and skill level grow, you can charge more.

I love freelance writing for its flexibility and the fact that I get to choose which jobs I take, what pay I’ll accept, and make adjustments as needed (for example, for those numerous sick days my kids seem to need each year from school).

Lots of side hustles with similar or adjacent skill sets exist. Freelance proofreader, editor, graphic designer, and website designer are a few.

11. Be a virtual assistant

Imagine telling someone fifty years ago that virtual assistants would become such a big thing. But virtual assistants (VAs) are quite common in today’s work world, since they can work from anywhere with a reliable internet conneciton.

The responsibilities of a virtual assistant vary from client to client, but can include tasks like updating a website, research, writing, responding to emails, or booking travel. Think your normal assistant, just … virtual. I’ve thought of trying this if I ever needed an additional side hustle because it’s quite flexible and VAs have a lot of agency in terms of what tasks they’re willing to do.

If you’re disciplined, reliable, and enthusiastic about helping small business owners, you should be able to find success as a virtual assistant. Consider your skills and interests when creating client contracts (so everyone’s expectations are clear). Pay will vary by client and job, but Indeed.com reports an average national wage of about $26 per hour.

12. Do odd jobs with TaskRabbit

TaskRabbit is a platform that connects those who need odd jobs completed (usually around the house) with “taskers” who can complete those jobs. Assemble furniture, clean someone’s house, do yard work, or perform minor home repairs whenever your schedule allows.

I like this as a side hustle for introverts, although you do still have to communicate with clients, so don’t expect to be completely silent and alone for each job.

There’s flexibility in terms of setting your own hours as well as the types of tasks you’d like to perform. It likely won’t be enough to replace your main salary, but it’s meant to be a side hustle anyway, right?

How much you can earn with TaskRabbit is dependent on your skillset, location, and the type of jobs available.

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Bottom line

The side hustle world is full of gigs to choose from, and there are definitely plenty that don’t require a ton of face-to-face interaction. If you’re introverted and looking for the best ways to make money while having time to yourself, start with these 12 best side hustles for introverts.