Before the internet became a regular way of life, high school teenagers used to score part-time jobs working at the local ice cream shop, stocking shelves at the grocery store and babysitting. While those jobs are very much still in demand, teenagers these days have an abundance of options when it comes to working — especially if they’re looking for online jobs.
If you’re a teen today, as long as you have a decent internet connection, some free time, and in some cases, basic social media skills, you can
land a job without ever stepping outside of your bedroom. (You may have heard about teens making great money by taking surveys or using sites like InboxDollars.) Just be sure to research a company before getting started to avoid scams, like passive income schemes.
Not sure where to get started? Here are 12 great work-from-home jobs, beyond customer service jobs, that are perfect for teens.
Best online jobs for teens
1. Get money for taking online surveys
If you love online quizzes and surveys, you might be interested in a position where you get paid to answer questions. Companies like
Swagbucks offer you real money just to answer questions — and best of all, you only have to be 13 years old to sign up and start earning — making it a great choice for minors. They unload thousands of
paid surveys a day, so if you have some time to kill, this could be an easy way to make some extra money.
Other survey sites worth considering include
InboxDollars, LifePoints, and
SurveyJunkey. Just be sure to check with your parents before signing up — in some cases, you might need parental consent.
2. Sell things online
There are many ways to sell things online. Did you go through an Air Force One phase or maybe invest in a pair of Looms that aren’t really your style anymore? Selling things online through Facebook Marketplace, Decluttr, or Mercari might be a great way to earn some extra spending money. While you’ll need to be 18 to do this, if you’re younger, you might be able to work with a parent or older sibling to sell your items and keep the profits.
And, if you make interesting home decor, like clay candle holders, macrame wall art, repurpose items from the thrift shop, or are into creating graphic design clothing like t-shirts you can sell them online. Amazon’s online marketplace, Cafepress, eBay, or
Etsy might be great spots for this.
3. Tutor online
Is there a subject in school you excel at? Or maybe you’re advanced at coding or another skill? Online tutoring is a great way to make money — and often looks good on college applications. All you need is an internet connection and the ability to video chat or talk on the phone or other digital device to get started. And, if you want to tutor locally, you could also advertise your services online, but meet in person — whatever you prefer.
A good site to look at is tutor.me, but there are hundreds to choose from. If you’re bilingual, you may even be able to help students abroad learn English or another language through sites like Samespeak. Lastly, check your local schools to find out if tutoring jobs are already available.
4. Review telephone calls
This option might not sound thrilling, but if you have extra time and want to participate in surveys of how helpful, professional, and courteous customer service reps were on phone calls, you can get paid to complete surveys of recorded customer sessions through sites like Humanatic.
You have to be seventeen to work for Humanatic and while you can choose your own schedule, you’re more likely to pick up work if you’re available between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. EST. You just sign in when you’re ready to start reviewing and providing feedback and sign out when you’re done. Payment goes through Paypal and you’re paid per review.
5. Work as a proofreader
Are you always noticing typos in your friends’ texts or even picking up on mistakes in books? If you have great attention to detail, superb grammar, and love reading, then working as a proofreader online might be a fun and rewarding way to make good money online.
You can find clients who need extra help proofreading manuscripts, web copy or a variety of different content — particularly for those who are not native English speakers. Sites like Fiverr or Upwork offer proofreading jobs or if you’re 18 or older, you can sign up to become a proofreader on Amazon's owned mTurk service or on Textmaster.
6. Write content
Have a knack for writing? If you’re a storyteller or just enjoy crafting compelling content, then getting paid to publish pieces might be an online job you enjoy. First, you’ll want to decide on a niche (or a few) and then create a portfolio online (do it for free on Squarespace or WordPress) to showcase any work you may have published or created in school.
You can sign up to freelance through sites like Fiverr or Helium — and both only have age requirements of 13 years old. If you’re older, you can check out Medium or search for part-time positions on Monster or Indeed.
Or, take the first steps to start your own business by becoming a blogger and regularly publishing content for your readers.
7. Become a YouTuber or podcast host
If you’re a born entertainer, you might consider
becoming a YouTube personality or recording podcasts. While you don’t necessarily have to become an Influencer and be glued to social media all day long, if there’s a passion you enjoy or even if you’re a great storyteller, you can use your Youtube channel to put yourself out there and earn some extra income.
For instance, if you enjoy cooking, you can film yourself making recipes that others your age might be interested in — like a doctored-up Kraft Mac and Cheese or easy, gourmet Ramen noodles. If you have an eye for design, creating room decorating videos or DIY Instructables might be more your speed. Or, if you have a talent, like signing, you can shoot videos of your original songs or covers of famous tracks.
You’ll need some basic equipment, like a webcam and microphone to get started and you’ll need to create a Youtube account. Some marking know-how to get the word out about your channel can also be helpful.
And, if Youtube seems like too big of a commitment, creating content on TikTok or Instagram Reels can be a great starting point to grow an audience — while you won’t make money right away, over time you might become a prime candidate for sponsored deals.
8. Test mobile apps, websites, or products
If you have some extra time, you can actually get paid to test digital sites or physical products for companies. And in most cases, you can get started as long as you’re a minimum age of at least 13 years old.
Websites like Enroll allow you to earn money by testing out websites and providing feedback. InstaGC lets you test out mobile apps and provide feedback, but you’re paid through gift cards rather than cash. And if you’re 16 or older, you can join Product Report Card, where companies will pay you to test out products and provide honest reviews.
You can test just about anything — you can even find freelance work testing video games as a teen.
9. Review music from home
If music is your passion, then why not get paid to explore and provide your opinion on new artists and songs? Websites like Slice the Pie allow teens to earn money by reviewing songs, commercials, clothing, and more. Payment varies based on your rating (you’ll start as a one-star reviewer, but can move up) but is between $0.03 and $0.15 per song). Once you earn $10, you’ll get paid through PayPal.
While Slice the Pie is the most well-known site for this type of work, another work exploring is Music Xray, which focuses solely on music reviews.
10. Watch advertisements
Considering a career in marketing or advertising? Or maybe you actually enjoy commercials? If so, you might consider working as an advertisement reviewer. Some companies will actually pay you to watch ads and other commercials, and in some cases, rate them.
Jingit is probably the best-known company that pays you to watch advertisements. In addition, you can also make money by taking surveys, checking into certain retail stores, and earning rebates for certain products. You won’t make a killing, but it can be an easy way to earn a bit of extra cash.
Use the internet to score more traditional part-time work
If you don’t mind leaving your house to work, then you can use the internet to get hired for more traditional positions often reserved for teens. If you have babysitting or experience, for instance, instead of waiting for babysitter gigs to pop up from families you know, consider signing up for Care.com. You can also use apps like Nextdoor and Facebook to browse for babysitting or pet sitting jobs. If you have great typing or organizational skills, consider data entry, transcription work, or a
virtual assistant position. Or use sites like Flexjobs or Remote.co to search for work-from-home positions for teens.
Likewise, if you have experience working as a pizza delivery driver, pick up some extra shifts with apps like DoorDash, which only require you to be 18 years old to start (Ubereats and GrubHub have older age requirements).
The bottom line
The internet has made it easier than ever for you to get work right from your bedroom as a teenager. While many traditional jobs require you to be at least 15 or 16 to start working, many online jobs have age requirements as low as 13 years of age.