It would seem that everyone wants to make money online these days…

And for good reason.

With the pandemic forcing the majority of the world to work from home, it became clear that making money online wasn’t as difficult as originally believed.

Nowadays there are literally dozens of different ways to make extra cash online with the right motivation, hard work, and execution.

Don’t believe it?

Well, I’m living proof.

Back in 2015 I quit my full time job and started making money in a variety of ways that we’re going to cover here.

What are the best ways to make money online?

Here are 23 of the best ways you can make money online in 2021.

1. E-commerce

Ecommerce is my favorite and an excellent way to make money online. With more and more people going to shop online, it’s a no brainer that demand will continue go grow. With comprehensive web store builders like Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace, there’s no longer an excuse not to build a store. You can have something up in less than a day and start making extra cash with the right product and marketing

Blogging has been around for decades now and has cemented itself as one of the easiest-to-get-started online money making paths one can take. First you would build your own website using something simple like wordpress. From there, go deep on something you are knowledgeable about and create a blog around it. You can use your blog to sell an online course, provide online tutoring, or even earn extra money with affiliate marketing or consulting.

2. Trading

Have a passion for the markets? Trading stocks can be a great way to make money online. Lots of traders spend a few hours a day from their laptops capitalizing on arbitrage opportunities or trading on major news announcements. If you have a bit of capital to invest and are good at working under stress, then trading could be a good option for you. It’s certainly not passive income, but with the right strategy and risk tolerance, you can make a killing.

Influencer marketing

Social media is only getting bigger and bigger and those who can build an audience are uniquely positioned to make money. How much money you can make is usually dependent on the size of your audience and how much influence you have. Usually rates will be determined by the audience size and engagement. If you have a following you can use your influence to sell products or services on behalf of other companies. In other instances, you may even be able to start your own brand and sell directly to the following you’ve amassed.

3. Freelancing

This is probably one of the easiest ways to get started making money online. Create a profile on Upwork.com and focus in on your core skillsets. Maybe you’re fluent in two languages or good at design. There are thousands of people online looking for others who have specific skillsets and they’re willing to pay for that skill. Freelancing is a great way to make money in short bursts in exchange for something you’re good at.

4. Copywriting

This is one of the first ways I was able to earn money online and support myself in my entrepreneurial journey. Every website or text you read online is written by someone, usually known as a “copywriter”. With a little bit of practice and research, it is not super hard to write good copy and many companies or brands will pay good money for it. You can write listings for Amazon products or even write the website copy for individuals or corporations.

Project manager

Have a knack for managing lots of projects and people at once? Becoming a project manager may be a good fit for you. Project managers are responsible for every aspect of a specific project. This can include leading a team in executing or building out the company’s vision. Successful project managers assemble and manage these individuals to become a well operating machine.

Crypto investing

With new cryptos exploding on the scene, there are opportunities to get in on the upward trend. Of course, a good amount of research and due diligence is due. Because cryptos are unregulated there are plenty of scams and bad actors out there looking to take your money. On the other side, there are people who are making substantial amounts of money off relatively small upfront investments.

NFTs – (Non Fungible Tokens)

NFTs are a new and emerging type of asset class that behaves somewhat like a piece of artwork. However, NFTs are tradeable on the blockchain. Browse a site like Open Sea and find a project that you like. If you get in at the early launch of a project, it’s likely you can make a bit of money on the investment.

Arbitrage

Forex

Forex refers to the currency markets around the world. When someone makes an overseas transaction, they rely on banks and institutions to manage the exchange of currencies. When this happens, prices fluctuate. When volatility like this exists, traders are able to take advantage and making money based on arbitrage opportunities. Just like stocks, there are currency traders out there making a killing all from the convenience of their laptop.

Graphic design

Are you naturally gifted in design and technology? Becoming a graphic designer might be a good online job for you. Graphic designers are needed for businesses and industries of every type. Whether it’s a logo, icon, or web design, graphic designers create visual elements that help businesses convey their brand or services. Because this work is done primarily on a computer, it makes for a great example of an online job. There are dozens of platforms you can join and start offering services, but Fiverr is a great one that I’ve personally used quite a bit.

Consulting

Are you an expert in something? Maybe you’re good at marketing, business, or finance? A consultant can work from anywhere providing valuable insight and advice for people in a variety of industries. There are a number of tools that allow you to track your time and charge an hourly rate. Calendly Pro has this feature where people can book a time with you and pay right before they schedule the call. This could be an excellent option if you are an expert in some field.

Web developer

With the explosion of online business, web developers are more sought after than ever. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of web developers and digital designers is projected to grow 13 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations. This is great for someone who is looking to start a career in this field. It’s also a great job because of the flexibility it provides. As you’re working on a computer, you can really do this job from anywhere. Skilled web developers make well into six figures in annual income.

Social media marketer

Are you a marketing genius who loves to nerd out about all things advertising? Being a social media marketer might be a great fit for you. A social media marketer advertises on behalf of clients and has to have a strong knowledge of the various ad platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Google, Pinterest, and more. Your job is to drive traffic and achieve a certain objective, where that is to drive sales or leads for a business. As everything is digital, this is a great job to make additional money online. There are plenty of free courses and trainings online to learn more about these skillsets and how to find clients for them. Once you’ve nailed down your skills, you can create a profile on a website like Upwork to start selling your services.

Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant is exactly as it sounds. You are assisting an individual or business virtually; meaning you are not physically in the same location. This can be extremely valuable for a business who maybe cannot find talent in their local area. If you have good computer skills, are punctual, a fast learner, and a good communicator, then becoming a virtual assistant could be a great fit. Depending on your country, you can make up to $30 per hour.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketers are used to help companies drive sales. Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer brought by the affiliate’s own marketing efforts. Usually affiliates are used to drive sales for a company. As an affiliate, every sale that you generate for a business will usually have a commission attached to it. If you’re good at marketing and know how to setup a funnel, then this could be a great way to make some passive income. Once these systems are setup, they take very little maintenance.

Coaching

Similar to consulting, coaching involves helping people achieve their goals through 1-on-1 collaboration and advice. Usually coaching would be over the phone and charged by the hour. A lot of coaches take their own experience and build a business around it. This could be marketing, finance, fitness, or even relationships. Due to the pandemic, more people are seeking out these services online as opposed to in person.

Amazon FBA

Amazon FBA stands for “Fulfillment By Amazon.” This is an e-commerce model where you sell products on the Amazon website and the goods are fulfilled by Amazon’s fulfillment services. I personally built up my own FBA business over a two year period and exited for a six figure sum. It’s a ton of work but highly rewarding when the products start to sell. It can be highly passive and a great way to make money online in 2021.

Dropshipping

Dropshipping was my first foray into the e-commerce world and one of the first ways I made real money online. The good thing about dropshipping is there is a very small barrier to entry. Almost anyone with an internet connection can get started. The downside of that is it is very saturated and cutthroat. You really need to spend a lot of time to find a good product but also become very good with Facebook ads. I sold my dropshipping business after one year of running it.

E-books

Have some serious writing skills or a specific skillset that you can write about? Many people seek out this information online and often go to places like Amazon.com to purchase inexpensive e-books. You can write something short and sell it for as little as $7.99. As there is no product cost, it can become a very profitable venture. The hard part is getting exposure and getting your book out there for people to see.

Selling Stuff (Facebook marketplace)

Facebook marketplace has made it easier than ever to sell stuff to people nearby. You can start by flipping items on there by finding cheap products and selling them at a higher price on Facebook marketplace. The cool thing is that many times you don’t even have to ship. As it’s more of a local marketplace, people can come pick it up from you directly. It’s not as passive but still a relatively easy way to get started making money online.

Print on Demand

Print on demand is a form of dropshipping where you don’t actually have any physical inventory. Instead, you create designs and those designs can be printed onto a product and sold via your own online store, making it a very popular way to make money online. You can find a niche, make a design based on that niche and then use a Print on Demand software to transform your designs into sellable merch. There are few PoD companies that do this such as Printful and Printify. These integrate with your online store and allows you to start selling in no time.

Online Surveys

You can take paid surveys online to earn extra cash in your spare time. Usually companies need insight into new ideas or products and work with survey companies to collect that data. As it’s valuable information, these brands are willing to pay for it.

Filling out surveys for cash can be worth your time if you know which survey sites to sign up to. if you sign up for the right survey sites and implement a few helpful tips.

Since it can be done online, all you need is an internet connection and a laptop or mobile phone.

Conclusion

Well there you have it. These are the 23 best ways to make money online in 2021. Obviously there are a few overlapping categories but I think you can see that there are plenty of different options to get started. I’ve personally made money online freelancing, copywriting, dropshipping products from China, running an Amazon FBA business, and now my current brand Oak & Rove. I’ve taken the e-commerce route because it’s what I am passionate about and enjoy but certainly there are other ways that take less upfront capital and time. If you’re serious enough to start making money online, I’d use this list, pick one and go for it. The sooner you take action, the sooner you’ll see results.