Secret websites to make money: 15 lesser-known platforms to earn online
Secret websites to make money are underutilized platforms where you can earn without competing against thousands of freelancers like on Upwork or Fiverr. They’re not hidden or illegal—just less saturated. Most pay for microtasks, user feedback, digital products, or re
These platforms rarely provide a full-time income. Earnings depend on your skills, location, and time investment, and most work best as supplemental income.
The opportunities range from simple surveys and microtasks to digital product marketplaces, passive asset-sharing tools, expert-only services, and niche gigs with limited availability.
Task-based and survey websites
Task-based and survey websites are built for quick wins, paying you for activities such as:
- Answering survey
Prolific connects you with paid academic research studies, so you earn by taking part in real university-backed research instead of random marketing surveys.
These studies often focus on topics such as:
- Decision-making and problem-solving
- Habits and daily behavior
- Memory, attention, and learning
- Reactions to ads, messages, or online content
This is why Prolific surveys often feel more structured than many other survey websites that pay you for your insights.
You’ll notice that Prolific pays more than most survey sites. This is mainly because researchers want high-quality responses from real people.
Earning potential:$8–$15 per hour
Who is it best for:People who want better-paying surveys and don’t mind academic-style studies.
2. UserTesting
With UserTesting, you can do website testing for money by recording your feedback as you browse a site or try an app feature.
Instead of filling out long surveys, you complete short usability tests where you speak out loud as you click around, so companies can understand what’s confusing, what works well, and what needs improvement.
Most tests take around 10–20 minutes. How many tests you get depends on demand and how well you match the target audience.
UserTesting jobs can be a solid option for a side income, but they’re not always consistent. Some days you’ll see multiple tests available, and other times you might get none. If you treat it as a flexible side income and check in regularly, it can be a reliable add-on to your earning mix.
Important! Take tests in a quiet place and use a working mic. If your audio is unclear, your submission can get rejected even if your feedback is good.
Earning potential:$10–$60 per test
Who is it best for:Anyone who can speak clearly and give honest feedback while testing apps.
3. Clickworker
Using Clickworker, you can complete online tasks for money without advanced skills or a commitment to long projects.
Most common Clickworker tasks include:
- Data categorization – Sorting items into the right labels, topics, or groups.
- Short surveys – Answering quick questions based on your profile and opinions.
- Writing micro-tasks – Creating short descriptions, short responses, or simple text snippets.
- Text and content checks – Reviewing short pieces of content for clarity, relevance, or basic quality issues.
Clickworker is one of the more beginner-friendly microtask websites, but task availability can change from day to day. Some weeks you’ll see plenty of work, and other times the list can be limited, depending on your location and the current demand.
If you check in regularly and focus on tasks you can complete quickly and accurately, it can become a steady side-income option.
Earning potential:$3–$9 per hour
Who is it best for:Beginners looking for quick microtasks, such as sorting data or short writing jobs.
4. Gigwalk
Gigwalk jobs pay you to complete simple tasks in nearby stores and locations.
Most gigs fall into a few common task types, such as:
- Verifying store displays – Checking if a product stand or promotion is set up correctly.
- Taking in-store photos – Snapping photos of shelves, pricing tags, or product placement.
- Checking product availability – Confirming whether a specific item is in stock at a location.
- Reporting basic store info – Answering quick questions about what you see in-store.
Gigwalk is one of the more practical task-basedearning platforms, but it’s heavily location-dependent. If you live in a larger city, you’ll usually see more gigs available. If you’re in a smaller area, tasks can be limited.
Most tasks pay a fixed amount per gig, and the pay range depends on how long the assignment takes and how specific the requirements are.
Earning potential:$10–$50 per task
Who is it best for:People in larger cities who want paid errands, such as photo checks and store visits.
Websites to sell creative work or digital products
With creative platforms, you can earn by selling something you make, not just something you do. Instead of getting paid once for completing a task, you can monetize digital assets such as:
- Photos and stock images
- Designs and illustrations
- Templates and printable files
- Digital downloads like graphics or icons
The best part is that you can keep earning from the same work over and over again, especially if your products stay relevant.
This category usually has more competition, especially on bigger marketplaces, because the barrier to entry is still low, but your earning potential can be higher in the long run.
Creator-focused platforms can help you learn how to sell digital products and build income that doesn’t reset to zero every day.
5. Foap
Using the Foap app, you can turn your phone photos into income by uploading them to a marketplace where brands pay to legally use your images in ads, websites, and social media campaigns.
Foap works through licensing, which means buyers pay for the right to use your photo, not to own it outright. Your earnings depend on how marketable your photos are and whether they match what brands are currently looking for.
If you’re searching for beginner-friendly photography income websites, Foap is one of the easiest ways to start selling photos online.
Earning potential:$5–$50 per sale/mission
Who is it best for:Smartphone photographers who want to license photos without pro gear.
If you’re patient and consistent, can become a long-term stream of stock photography income, especially if you upload regularly and build a strong portfolio around a clear niche
Earning potential:$0.25–$0.40 per download
Who is it best for:Creators who can consistently upload high-quality stock photos or videos.
Pro Tip
Browse Trends to spot what buyers are searching for and build your photos and videos around what’s in demand7. Redbubble
Redbubble lets you sell designs onlinewithout handling inventory, printing, or shipping. It uses a print-on-demand model, which means your artwork gets printed on products like t-shirts, stickers, phone cases, and posters only after someone places an order.
Your print-on-demand income is the profit you add on top of Redbubble’s base cost. For example, if Redbubble’s base price for a t-shirt is $15 and you add a $5 markup, you earn $5 per sale. A higher markup means more profit per item, but it can also make your product look expensive, so it’s worth testing what actually works best for customers.
Earning potential:$20–$1,000+ per month
Who is it best for:Designers who want to sell artwork on products without handling printing or shipping.
Passive or asset-sharing websites
Passive or asset-sharing websites help you earn from what you already have, not what you actively do. Instead of completing tasks or selling creative work, you make money by sharing unused reeven ad space on your car
This category is low effort once it’s set up, which makes it a good fit if you’re exploring online business ideas that can run in the background.
Just keep your expectations realistic. Earnings tend to build slowly, and your results depend on practical factors like where you live, how much you can share, and whether there’s demand in your area.
8. Honeygain
With Honeygain, you can earn money by sharing the internet you’re not using, which makes it one of the easiest options to set up if you want a side income that runs quietly in the background.
After you install the app, it uses a small portion of your unused bandwidth, and you earn credits based on how much data is shared.
