A lot of freelancers are taking full advantage of the gig economy to earn money by carrying out different jobs for cash. If you want to get detailed information about the gig economy, check out the article here.

Gig economy provides an opportunity for you to use your skill to make money. For you to make money on the platform, you need to provide the right services to attract clients.

This article will give you information on the top jobs that smart freelancers are making money from.

• Top 25 Gig Economy Jobs you can Earn Money From
• How do you get a Gig Job?

Top 25 Gig Economy Jobs you can Earn Money From

In today’s economy, where the foundation of permanent employment has become shaky, a lot of professionals are either using this industry for supplemental side hustles or as a full-time earnings-generator.

Read Also: Can People Earn a Real Living off of “Gig Economy” jobs?

Are you interested in making some extra income in your spare time? We have compiled a job list of the top 20 gig economy jobs for you to consider.

1. Rideshare driver

If you already own a car, then why not use it to make a little bit of money on the side? That is what many motorists do when they sign up for Uber or Lyft, turning their automobile into service to add dollars to their bank accounts. According to Glassdoor, Uber, and Lyft drivers, on average, make $16 per hour in the US.

2. Software Programming

Fields like data science, A.I., blockchain, and web security are growing sectors that can be extremely high paying in the gig economy. There is a huge demand for skilled freelancers in the I.T. and software fields.

Expected earnings could be anywhere north of $50 per hour in this field. In cutting-edge areas like data science or A.I., it could go even higher.

Software programmers and web developers also fall into this same level. But depending on the complexity of the project and skill required, the rate you’ll make will vary.

3. Online Marketing & PR

Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Linkedin are very popular among businesses. Users are always on the lookout for engaging content.

Freelancers in this field can earn anywhere from $25-40 per hour, developing marketing content for businesses.

To succeed, you must have a clear knowledge of how the platform works, an understanding of the audience, as well as the ability to create engaging content in line with the brand identity.

4. Delivery Driving

If you are interested in providing delivery services, you will find quite a few apps that can help you get in front of potential customers. Generally, you can expect to earn as much as $25 per hour, delivering anything from takeouts and groceries to office supplies and even booze.

Many apps do not even require you to have a car. If you have a bicycle, you can still do certain deliveries although this might limit you in the number of jobs you can take. You will also have the freedom to choose your work hours.

5. Virtual assistant

The demand for virtual assistants has grown exponentially in recent years as many businesses and professionals take advantage of this service. With the rise of video conferencing and project management systems, it has become easier than ever to be a virtual assistant.

Many of the leading freelance websites have a long list of job offers, but there are also outlets dedicated to the profession, like The Virtual Gurus and Toptal.

Pay can start anywhere from a few dollars an hour to as much as $25, based on location, hours, skills and expertise.

6. Courier delivery person

For many online businesses, the highest cost for operating their e-commerce operations is shipping and delivery.

Companies like Postmates Courier, pay you to deliver goods in your area. This can involve vehicle delivery or even on-foot delivery in major urban centres. Dolly and Shipt are other services that give workers the chance to deliver large and small packages from stores to households.

Pay does vary at these establishments, either on a per hour or per block basis. On average, you can make about $18 an hour.

7. Renter

Why not get paid for doing nothing? No, seriously. If you have something somebody wants, you can rent it out to the public. Don’t believe it? Here are some of the most well-known businesses out there that pay you to rent out your stuff:

• Airbnb: If you have a spare room in your house or a condominium suite to rent out for business travelers, Airbnb connects you with globetrotters, party animals and business professionals. 
• Turo: You list your car for rent, layout a fee, provide an explanation and wait for the money to roll in. The website shows starting rates at about $29.
• RVshare: You can make good use of your RV by renting it out to somebody who will use it for $150 per day.
• Boatsetter: Rent your captain-less ship to interested customers. Your earnings start at around $300.

8. Photographer 

If you’re good with a camera, you could earn extra cash by uploading your snapshots online. Although there are plenty of major players in this realm, like Shutterstock and iStock, there are other smaller platforms that pay users for uploading their pictures to their databases. 

This is a unique service that helps you sell your photos online, including SmugMug, Alamy and Snapped4U. Depending on what is in demand, you could see top dollar for your images, from few cents to $100. Just, please, no more pictures of a bench in black and white!

9. Child caretaker 

Babysitting has entered the digital economy. If you are an experienced child caretaker or have a background in babysitting for friends and family, you can find a job that will earn you some extra cash. 

You can use apps like Helpr to connect with parents and offer them reliable childcare assistance. However, beware, in most case, not everyone can join as these sites maintain a stringent signing up process. You will need to have a few years of experience, professional childcare references, a CPR certification and a clean background.

10. Graphic designer 

Graphic design is a popular side-hustle for many people. Because it can be hard to get clients, even with an amazing portfolio, you can utilise 99designs, Behance and Dribble to find work. These websites also help you search for gig work in their extensive marketplace. 

11. Freelance Writer

Freelance writing is one of the most sought-after freelance jobs available today. Good command of the language you want to write in is essential, as is knowledge on a variety of subjects to write authoritative content that customers will want to pay good money for.

12. Proofreading

Proofreading requires a very strong command of the language, and you need to be able to stick to the client’s style guide if this is required.

Proofreading jobs tend to be quite flexible, but some deadlines are inevitable. You can expect to make an average of $61,000 per year, but it can go as high as $90,000.

13. Babysitting

Babysitting can be a highly-rewarding freelance job where you get to take care of little kids while their parents or guardians are away. Qualifications are not always necessary, but they can be of much help, and you will need to adjust your availability according to the clients’ requirements.

14. Dropshipping

With dropshipping, you do not have to worry about keeping stock or dealing with returns – your job is to find potential customers and funnel them through to the supplier’s website. You can earn a lot of money with dropshipping, whether you focus on high-value items or high-volume sales.

15. Coaching

Coaching is very diverse, with coaches specializing in a variety of fields ranging from sports to business to life and everything else in between. Having the right qualifications can help you increase your credibility with customers. You can work as a coach remotely, saving you time traveling from one location to another.

16. Software Testing

Testing software and websites can pay up to $100,000 per year, which is pretty awesome! The requirements for this job can change from one job to the next, but an understanding of programming can definitely help you get further ahead as it will allow you to provide more detailed feedback to the developers.

17. Cleaner

Are you great at organising closets? Is your knack for keeping the top shelf of a refrigerator unmatched? In the gig economy, you can find jobs where you can earn money for household cleaning and repairing minor things in somebody’s home. The earning potential is quite immense and could climb as high as $40 per hour.

18. Consultant 

Are you a seasoned veteran in your field? While consultancy is the usual go-to business idea for retired professionals, freelance consultancy may be a better solution since it requires less time and fewer resources. 

There is no specific website or application to use to find consultancy work, but you can establish a website and build connections through the online world. According to Consulting.com, consultants can earn between $50 to $150 per hour.

19. Affiliate Marketer

As an affiliate marketer, you do not have to sell any products or services. Instead, you build websites that attract high volumes of visitors, which you funnel to the affiliate marketing program company to get a commission from any sales originating from your traffic. If you’re successful, you can make some serious money with content and SEO being two of the most helpful skills you’ll need to get you there.

20. Occupational Therapists

Occupational therapy and rehabilitation are jobs that sync nicely with the on-demand gig economy. Since the clients in these jobs are usually disabled, injured, or ill, you have to reach them to provide services.

The demand for occupational therapists is expected to grow by 27% this year alone. The median salary is also very good, at around $81,900, and an hourly wage of around $38.

21. Accounting

With more and more businesses looking to outsource skilled jobs, certified accountants should find no trouble in finding jobs in the gig economy in 2021.

There is strong growth in this sector, pegged at around 10% by official statistics. You can expect to earn a salary similar to online marketers and video editors in this gig.

22. Data collector

Personal shoppers are generally used by businesses to find out how well the staff is performing, and if the premises are clean and organised. But the personal shopping position has evolved to data collection. This involves gathering data about companies and their stores, such as if items are priced correctly, or the products are labelled clearly.

If you walk around town all the time, then why not work as a data collector make some extra dough? According to several probes you can earn as little as $3 but as much as $50 per job.

23. Dog Walking

Not many freelance jobs are as fun as taking dogs for walks. If you’re friends with man’s best friend, this job can help you relax while making money. Dog walking typically pays around $15 per hour, but you can make more than that if you take more than one dog at a time.

24. Hosting

Hosting travelers and holidaymakers is one of the most lucrative jobs in the gig economy. You can combine it with other jobs such as freelance writing and graphic design to make the most out of your time. Location is very important to how much money you will be able to make with apps like Airbnb, making it easy to find customers.

25. Independent Contracting

As an independent contractor, the amount of money you’ll make will depend on your area of expertise, with some areas demanding far higher pay than others. Most contractors work on a contract by contract basis. This can give you peace of mind that pay is going to come in for the duration of the contract, which is one of the reasons that it is so attractive.

How do you get a Gig Job?

From the jobs above you can see that there are a lot of opportunities in the gig economy for you to make money from. All you have to do is figure out which skill you have, and how you can monetize it.

On the issue to monetizing your skills and finding gig jobs in the gig economy, we are now going to provide you with some ways you can get gig jobs.

It’s estimated that by 2023, 52% of the U.S. workforce will either be gig economy workers or have worked independently at some point in their career. What’s more, 48% of millennials use gig job platforms to find work or engage in business with clients.

Gig jobs are work people take on to make extra money to do things like pay off debt or to make themselves less dependent on full-time employment. They can be anything from side-hustle jobs to freelance projects based on their professional skills.

Upwork

The result of a merger between Elance, founded in 1999, and oDesk, founded in 2003, Upwork.com is one of the largest freelance marketplaces trusted by over five million businesses, including Microsoft, Airbnb, and Automattic.² We chose it as the best overall because the variety of work listed serves both entry-level and experienced freelancers equally.

Upwork helps freelancers find one-off gigs and long-term contracts in a variety of industries, including design, development, accounting, marketing, writing, customer service, and more. Freelancers begin by creating a free profile where they can post a resume, build a portfolio, reference case-studies, set their rates and skills, and even post a personal video. 

Upwork’s AI-powered search then filters through tens of thousands of opportunities to match the freelancer to potential projects. Freelancers can review a client’s ratings, history, and project details before submitting a bid. Clients and freelancers can also ask and answer questions and negotiate rates and details right through Upwork.     

Every aspect of a contract is managed through Upwork’s website, including time-tracking, invoicing, file sharing, and messaging. Freelancers can also choose how to get paid, from direct deposit and PayPal to wire transfer and more.    

Although creating a profile on Upwork is free, the platform takes a percentage of a freelancer’s earnings based on how much is earned:

• 20% for the first $500 billed to a client across all contracts with them
• 10% for total billings with a client between $500.01 and $10,000
• 5% for total billings with a client that exceed $10,000

Freelancer

Founded in 2008, Freelancer.com is the world’s largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace, connecting over 45 million employers and freelancers from 247 countries. We chose it as the runner-up because, although it has a larger reach and is a little easier to break into than Upwork, clients tend to underpay for projects.  

Rather than focusing on specific industries, Freelancer organizes projects by category, including websites, IT and software, design, media and architecture, sales and marketing, business, accounting, human resources and legal, writing and content, and more. It even allows users to browse local jobs, including teaching/lecturing, drafting, general labor, drone photography, and more.

Like Upwork, Freelancer is free to join. Users start by creating a profile that showcases their skills and experience and then set their fees. Once they’re set up, freelancers can browse for jobs using a number of customizable filters, check out client ratings and histories, and place bids on projects. Finally, freelancers can communicate with clients right through the platform as well as track time, submit invoices, and get paid through Freelancer’s Milestone Payments.  

One of the main differences between Freelancer and Upwork is that anyone can open a Freelancer account, but to create an account on Upwork, you need to be approved. Upwork’s vetting process narrows down the competition, making it easier to find quality work than Freelancer does. As a result, Freelancer is better for inexperienced freelancers looking to get simple, lower-paying jobs for building a portfolio or for short-term low-priced hourly work.³ 

Although creating a profile on Freelancer is free, the platform takes a percentage of a freelancer’s earnings based on how much is earned:

• Fixed-price projects: 10% fee or $5, whichever is greater
• Hourly projects: Flat 10% fee
• Services: 20% fee
• Account idle for six months or more: $10 per month
• Refer an employer to the platform: No fee for all future work with that client

Guru

Originally named Emoonlighter, Guru.com was founded in 2000 to connect businesses to talented freelancers in IT, creative design, office administration, and business consulting.⁴ Today it boasts a pool of 800,000 clients worldwide, $250 million paid to freelancers, and a 99% client satisfaction rate. We chose it as the best for experienced gig workers because it targets professionals rather than entry-level freelancers and offers paid memberships to help users rank higher in the site’s search results. 

Guru focuses on placing talented professionals with projects in eight different categories: programming and development, writing and translation, design and art, administration, sales and marketing, business and finance, engineering and architecture, and legal.

As with many gig websites, users can create a profile for free on Guru. From there, users can either browse freelance jobs online or get recommendations based on their skills with Guru’s Top Match and Good Match search features. Once a freelancer finds a job they’re interested in, they just submit a bid.    

Guru’s platform also offers virtual WorkRooms where freelancers collaborate and add team members to a job. Users can also use a time tracker, share files, communicate with their team, create agreements and invoices, choose payment terms, and get paid, all from Guru’s platform.  

Joining Guru and creating a profile is free for freelancers. However, the company offers paid memberships to help freelancers bid for more jobs, boost their search results, send messages to clients before placing a bid, and earn more money:

Basic Plan

• Free
• 9% job fee
• 10 bids per month

Basic+ Plan

• $11.95 per month
• 9% job fee
• 50 bids per month
• $1,000 search boost

Professional Plan

• $21.95 per month
• 7% job fee
• 50 bids per month
• Annual bid rollover: 100 bids
• Premium bids: Costs 6 bids
• $2,000 search boost
• Sales messages: Costs 5 bids
• Add personal link to profile

Executive Plan

• $49.95 per month
• 5% job fee
• 50 bids per month
• Annual bid rollover: 300 bids
• Premium bids: Costs 4 bids
• $8,000 search boost
• Sales messages: Costs 3 bids
• Add a personal link to profile

TaskRabbit

Launched in September 2008 as RunMyErrand, TaskRabbit.com connects people who need help with odd jobs and errands with local people who have the time and skills to do them.⁵ To date, the company’s users have logged 350,000 hours. We chose it as the best for moonlighting since it offers flexible, local, one-off, or ongoing jobs to suit anyone’s schedule.   

Getting started with TaskRabbit is easy. Users, called “Taskers,” create a profile and provide basic information including pay rates and the level of experience for their task categories. Tasks can be just about anything, from assembling furniture and planting flowers, to cleaning houses and delivering groceries. 

Before they can bid on projects, users then have to apply to be a Tasker. In order to be approved, an applicant must be age 18 or older; have a checking account, credit card, and smartphone; and pass background and ID checks. Once a Tasker is approved, they can set up direct deposit and must attend a local orientation which costs $25.   

Once a Tasker is onboarded, they will be notified of potential jobs nearby via the TaskRabbit smartphone app. They can then select the one they want to complete, confirm details with the client, complete the work, and submit their invoice.

Taskers can gain more jobs by earning good reviews and completing more jobs. Users will often save their favorite Taskers to book again and again, so getting regular work is a definite possibility with TaskRabbit.   

Toptal

Toptal.com was created in 2010 to connect businesses with freelance software developers, designers, finance experts, and product managers. We choose it as the best for IT professionals because the company’s aggressive screening process creates an exclusive opportunity for highly skilled freelancers.     

The quality of Toptal’s talent pool is the result of the company’s application process. Applicants begin with a comprehensive English language and communication evaluation. Toptal also assesses personality traits to find passionate and engaged candidates.

Applicants are then given in-depth skills assessments, live problem-solving and creativity exercises, and test projects. As a result, only 3% of Toptal’s applicants make it through the application process.   

Due to its rigorous vetting process, Toptal’s freelancers are well-positioned to receive competitive rates for their services. Toptal doesn’t charge its freelancers any fees but instead marks up a freelancer’s rate for its clients.

Clients are typically invoiced twice a month for ongoing projects with net 10 payment terms. Clients can pay Toptal for a freelancer’s services via a credit card, ACH, bank wire, or PayPal.   

FlexJobs

FlexJobs.com was created in 2007 by founder Sara Sutton, who was looking for a flexible job after starting her family. It typically has over 25,000 remote and flexible job postings in 50 career categories, including accounting and finance, business development, computer and IT, marketing, writing, web design, and more.

We chose it as the best for remote jobs because the company’s trained researchers scour hundreds of online job resources every day and evaluate each posting to connect freelancers to the best opportunities.

FlexJobs’ extensive research and hand-screening process weeds out ads, broken links, repetitive postings, and scams from remote job postings. The company also works with thousands of companies who post flexible jobs directly to its site. The result is a curated list of professional, high-quality, and flexible job opportunities for freelancers looking for remote work.      

In addition to its curated job listings, FlexJobs offers job search checklists, career advice articles, 170 expert skills tests, and tips to help freelancers’ resumes stand out. FlexJobs’ paid memberships come with career coaching, resume reviews, and pre-negotiated discounts from over 60 job-search-related products and services.

While FlexJobs offers free job-related information, users must have a paid membership to access the full job listings in the company’s database:

• $6.95 for one week
• $14.95 per month
• $29.95 for three months
• $49.95 for one year
• Unlimited job access
• Free skills testing
• Email alerts
• Expert job search tips, resources, and offers
• Portfolio with resumes and work samples

Fiverr

Fiverr.com was started in 2010 by Micha Kaufman and Shai Wininger as a way for people to offer digital services typically offered by freelance contractors for as little as $5.

Today, the company has over 100 service categories and tens of thousands of users from over 190 countries. We chose it as the best for creatives since it offers the opportunity for freelancers in just about any digital creative field to offer their services to a global marketplace. 

Although Fiverr broadly categorizes its services (like graphic design, digital marketing, and writing and translation) freelancers can offer services as specific as they want. Examples include Facebook page banners, podcast intros, book covers, menu design, comic book illustration, and more.

To get started, sellers just create a free profile with their listed expertise and then create the services they want to offer, known as “Gigs.” Sellers can add up to three different packages or bundles to the Gig Page to give buyers more choices and upsell their Gig with extras before, during, and after the order. Finally, sellers can send custom offers to potential buyers to offer more flexibility.

Fiverr allows sellers to keep 100% of their funds and charges buyers a percentage of their purchase ($2 on purchases up to and including $40, and 5% on purchases above $40). When a seller gets paid, Fiverr puts a 14-day hold on the funds in the event a dissatisfied client wants a refund.

After that period is over, the seller can withdraw their funds to a PayPal account, credit their Fiverr Revenue Card, or transfer money to a bank account. 

LinkedIn ProFinder

Created in 2003, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking site, boasting over 690 million users in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. In 2016, the company launched LinkedIn.com/ProFinder, a marketplace designed to connect businesses with freelance professionals.

We chose it as the best for networking because freelancers can connect to the largest network of professionals to secure more jobs and advance their careers.

LinkedIn Pro Finder features U.S.-based freelancers in over a dozen professional services, including software development, design, marketing, business consulting, legal, accounting, real estate, and more.

Read Also: How to Get Gigs as a Freelance Graphic Designer

Freelancers start by creating a profile that pulls information from their general LinkedIn profile for easy updating. Users are encouraged to get recommendations for their profile and to publish posts on LinkedIn to establish themselves as experts. 

Once a freelancer’s application is approved, LinkedIn will email proposal requests from clients looking to hire their services. Freelancers can then send their proposal, discuss terms, and finalize the arrangements with the client.

Best of all, clients get access to a freelancer’s entire LinkedIn profile to help them get more connections and expand their professional network.

Freelancers get 10 proposal responses on ProFinder for free. After 10 proposals, a LinkedIn Premium Business subscription is necessary for unlimited responses to project requests. The subscription costs $59.99 per month or $179.97 for a full year.   

Final Words

The gig economy is growing year by year and it is not expected to stop anytime soon. A lot of freelancers are making money in the gig economy using the skills they have acquired over time. What should you do now?

Think of a skill you having now that you can make money from. Can you write article? Why not apply for jobs as a freelance writer. Are you a handy man? A lot of clients are online searching for persons like you to help them with some minor repairs at home or to even clear the garden.

So you see, no matter who you are, there is an opportunity for you in the gig economy. So visit the websites mentioned above, register with your skill or service you can render, and start earning money on a regular basis.