THIS ARTICLE MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED LINKS. PLEASE READ DISCLAIMER FOR MORE INFO.
When I first decided to become a digital nomad, I wanted to know the quickest ways to make money online. When Joaquim from the The Alternative Ways offered to post a list of ways digital nomads can earn money online, I jumped at the idea. Joaquim shares his methods below.
We’ve all heard of Freelancer and Upwork, but did you know there are hundreds of other platforms with which you can make money? After browsing and trying the majority of them, we put together a list of our favourites.
Here are the best websites that pay aspiring digital nomads.
Best Websites That Pay Aspiring Digital Nomads
Freelance Writing Gigs – For Writers
By subscribing to their newsletter, you can expect daily job notifications, ranging from small SEO articles ($10-$20) to quality evergreen content ($100-$200). Freelance Writing Gigs also keeps an updated list of companies that are willing to pay for content.
If you are willing to work for free and grow your portfolio by getting featured on major publications, you should check out HARO. It’s another great option that allows you to help reporters with stories they want to publish.
Dice – For Developers & Engineers
With over 75,000 jobs available, Dice is the holy grail of tech recruitment. Enter the keyword “Remote” or “Telecommute” and see what opportunities show up. You could also apply for a job abroad, giving you the opportunity to grow your career through travel.
Speedlancer – For Quick Projects
No more unlimited revisions! Speedlancer is for gigs that will take a maximum of 4 hours. Getting in is not always easy, as they have a rigorous screening process in place.
Because of the fast turn around, you can expect to get $30-$100 per project.
F6S – To Work With Startups
With over 650,000 startups using their platform, F6S is essentially the ‘Facebook of startups’. Search for keywords like “remote” and find the latest opportunities to work remotely with startups.
Jobspresso – To Work Remotely
This is why I travel
There’s a growing number of forward thinking organizations that allow their employees to work remotely. Jobspresso curates each job opportunity, providing job seekers with the highest quality postings.
And best of all it’s free!
If you are looking to work remotely you should also check out world-renown telecommuting website Flexjobs (not free), it’s cousin Remote.co (jobs aggregator), and it’s baby brother Remote OK (free).
Jobbatical & TechMeAbroad – Work Abroad For A Year
Working abroad can have its perks, such as this nice apartment we were staying in
Jobbatical allows you to find temporary jobs abroad, giving you the opportunity to experience a new place and culture while working full time for an open-minded company. This is the perfect way to dip your toes into the digital nomad lifestyle and see if it’s for you.
Tech Me Abroad does the same thing but mostly for developers. It provides you with a strong support network, making it easier for first time travelers and the more conservative types.
Power To Fly – For Ladies Only
Enjoying food with a friend that’s teaching abroad
This is a women’s only recruiting platform for developers and designers. If you are a new freelancer and you are a lady, use Power To Fly to increase your odds of getting the first contracts.
Gengo – For Translators
Gengo is a great place to find remote translation gigs. If you are bilingual and have a passion of writing, this is the right platform for you.
You can also try Proz, which has an even greater selection of translation opportunities. However this one costs $120 per year, so make sure you want to do lots of translations before you invest in it!
Focus Forward – Transcribe Audio & Video
Focus Forward will pay you around 50 cents per audio minute, allowing you to make between $5-$20 per hour depending on your speed. All you have to do is transcribe audio and video into text! If you love to type and watch TV at the same time, this one is for you. At first you probably won’t make much money, but as you become faster this may well become a great way to make income during your travels.
User Testing – Get Paid To Give Website Feedback
Did you know you can get paid to test apps and websites? I certainly didn’t! Without any experience or background in design, you can apply to become a tester. As soon as your application is accepted, you can test apps and websites for about $6 per test. As each test takes 10-20 minutes, you can expect to make descent pocket money with UserTesting.
Tutor – For Tutoring
Become a tutor in a subject you are passionate about. Tutor is a great platform for those who love to teach, allowing you to make around $10 per hour! Getting in to the program will be the hardest part, as you have to pass an exam and get accepted. But once your in, you can count on this to cover your ongoing travel expenses.
Landing.jobs – For Job Recruitment
This job recruitment marketplace is different than most. They help tech pros find quality jobs primarily in Europe, helping the candidates along the way. Another positive differentiating factor is that their job board is very transparent, outlining salary and benefits. This makes it easy to search for exactly what you are looking for, without leaving their website for more information.
They believe a job search should be fun, rather than a painful experience. Which is why I love them!
Choose the ones that work for you
There are many more great websites that pay aspiring digital nomads. Nevertheless, I would recommend you don’t spread yourself too thin. Try out a few platforms that appeal to you and fit with your skill sets. Once you find the ones that you work best with, invest more time on those platforms, and build a brand for yourself. This will get you many more high profile clients than working on 20 different marketplaces at the same time.
Find more posts on making money from blogging here.
Disclaimer: I was not paid for this list and chose these companies because I truly believe they are some of the best.
Joaquim Miro is the founder and chief editor at The Alternative Ways career travel blog. His work has been published on multiple publications, helping people learn how to grow their career through travel. To work with him you can reach out on LinkedIn or Facebook.
