If you want to make money on the internet, you’re definitely not alone. Thing is, actually getting started can be tricky - plenty of tried and tested methods are saturated now, and it can feel hard to find anything that’ll even pay out.
Luckily, there’s still tons of money to be made online and the internet isn’t about to dry up anytime soon.
We’re going to give you a whole bunch of ways to make some extra cash today - starting with $0 budget methods, and moving onto big moves for those of you with cash to spend.
Make money online with $0 upfront cost
1. Clipping
Content is everywhere, but you don't need to be the next Mr. Beast to cash in. What if we told you that you can start making money today - even by repurposing video content that already exists?
That’s where Whop’s Content Rewards come in. There's no follower count required, no approval process, and no waiting around. You can create clips for all of the platforms you’re familiar with including TikTok, YouTube and Instagram, for brands like Hostage Tape and creators like Druski.
Here’s what the earning potential from Content Rewards looks like on any given day:
To get started, just join the Whop Clips whop, and your first stop there should be the Clipping course. Created by Whop’s own Dylan Lundgren, the course will give you all the information you need to get started taking advantage of the different clipping deals online.
Whether you’d like to create your own content or use video that’s already out there, you can get started on Content Rewards immediately.
Best for: Anyone looking to learn about content creation and wanting to make money immediately
Requirements: None aside from a device and an internet connection
How to get started: Join this whop and take the Whop Clips course to find out all you need to know about clipping and Content Rewards
2. Creating UGC
We've covered clipping , now let's get into UGC. If you're on social media daily, then you will have come across UGC - aka user-generated content - without even realizing it. Whenever you see someone sharing their experience of a product or service, that's UGC.
To put it simply, UGC is an ad that doesn't seem like an ad. It's your favorite influencer sharing what they use in their beauty regime, or a fitness creator showing you their gym fits. Brands love UGC as it creates trust and authenticity for their products.
You might think that UGC is just for influencers, but if you're handy with a phone and social media, then you can quickly make money with UGC content.
Whop's Content Rewards is also home to hundreds of brands looking for UGC creators. Here you can find paid UGC work to create content for platforms like X, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Budgets and types of campaigns vary, with some offering as much as $75 per 1k views for short-form video content.
To get started, go to Content Rewards, filter by UGC, find a reward you want to submit content for and join the whop. Once you're in the whop, follow the campaign requirements then create and submit your content.
Best for: Anyone willing to leverage social media to make money
Requirements: Vary depending on the content reward campaign
How to get started: Check 'Content Rewards' on whop, find a campaign, join the whop and follow the instructions
3. Affiliate marketing
Affiliates, or affiliate marketing, is a surprisingly simple strategy that a lot of people are already making money with.
How, you ask? Well, all that’s happening here is that you’re going to be recommending a product or service to someone. If that someone chooses to purchase what you recommended, it’s only fair that you earn a cut.
On Whop, you can take advantage of affiliate marketing in two ways. Firstly, you can refer potential businesses or creators to Whop. If they sign up and create their own whop, you’ll take a percentage of the fees Whop would otherwise charge them.
And that’s not just a one-time thing - we’re talking a percentage of Whop’s revenue from them, for life.
Then, theres the second option. You can take advantage of your own community or social media following and refer people to individual whops. Have friends wanting to learn about trading? Pick out a top trading whop and refer them across. You’ll earn a cut of every purchase or subscription made.
Again, you will need something of an audience for this, so a few followers on Insta will help - still, don’t neglect whatever social network you already have. The more people you can reach, the faster you’ll make money with affiliate marketing.
Best for: Anyone with contacts or a community
Requirements: None
How to get started: Start visiting Whops and signing up for their referral bonuses to get the ball rolling, and make sure to check out the Whop Affiliates whop to learn more about how things work, including a free affiliate marketing course
4. Watching videos
If you're like me, then you probably spend your evenings scrolling through videos in bed, wondering why you find it so hard to fall asleep. Question is, have you ever gotten paid for watching videos online?
The answer’s probably no - so, it's time to get started. There are a number of websites and apps that will pay you to watch videos, from short 15 to 30 second clips all the way to full-length films.
The website or app you choose will dictate what sort of videos you’re going to be watching. This review of InboxDollars will tell you what you can expect from sites like this, and though the earning potential isn’t huge, you can start earning money right away once you sign up.
Best for: Anyone who wants to make a little cash fast
Requirements: None outside of a working internet connection
How to get started: Sign up with a platform like InboxDollars (review link above) and you’re good to go
Recommended reading: Here’s a list of even more ways to get paid to watch videos.
5. Completing microtasks
Microtasks are, as the name implies, small online tasks that you can do to make money.
You can find microtasks like data processing, translation, tagging, data verification, and image processing on sites like Amazon’s MTurk. There’s a lot of competition for these, though, and in some cases you might have to spend some time figuring out what on earth you have to do in the first place.
Microtasks can also mean things like watching bite-sized videos or playing small games, and we’ve reviewed Swagbucks in addition to the previously-mentioned InboxDollars, which are both examples of sites known for offering microtasks.
Best for: Earning a few bucks when you have a little time to spare
Requirements: None
How to get started: Look at platforms like Amazon MTurk and Swagbucks to find microtasks
6. Using cashback apps
Ok, you got us - to make money with cashback apps you do have to spend money first, but it's cash that you're already spending. So, if all you want to do is make a little money fast, it’s worth looking at your expenses first and foremost. Which stores are you buying from, and could you turn that spending habit into an opportunity to actually earn money?
Cashback apps help you to make money with your spending, and rather than the small rewards offered by most brand loyalty programs, a lot of cashback apps offer 5, 10, and even 15 percent cashback on various stores and items.
If you aren’t familiar with how cashback apps work, check out our review of Ibotta, one of the top cashback apps. That’ll show you what to expect from cashback apps in general and what sort of requirements they have, as well as what the pros and cons of using cashback apps are.
Best for: Anyone who spends a fair bit of money online at certain stores
Requirements: Make sure the cashback app you choose takes customers wherever you live
How to get started: Just find a reputable cashback app that serves your location and partners with retailers you shop at, and sign up
Recommended reading: Here are a bunch of other money-making apps to consider
7. Sharing your phone usage data
Just a heads up - sharing your phone usage means giving away your privacy. Sometimes, though, that just can’t be helped when you really, really need that little bit of extra cash.
Apps like Caden and MobileXpression connect to different apps you use, such as Walmart or Uber. They then collect anonymous data about your browsing behavior or the usage of these different apps. So, as you might imagine, a lot of companies are really keen on buying this data.
With Caden specifically, you’ll make more money if you let the app connect to more apps or accounts. Again, the data that gets sent is anonymous, but if you’re an extremely privacy-conscious person this method for making money may not be for you.
Best for: Anyone willing to compromise slightly on privacy
Requirements: Depends on the app you choose
How to get started: Sign up for a phone data sharing app and just use your device as normal
Recommended reading: Check out this list of passive income ideas for you to set up and earn in your sleep
8. Taking online surveys
This one’s a classic, so we need to mention it! There are dozens, if not hundreds or even thousands of websites out there that’ll connect you to consumer surveys and pay you for your time.
The amount you can earn will vary depending on where you live, first of all, and other demographic factors - essentially, companies want data on people in markets that might be valuable to them. And not just anyone, but the people who’re considered to be those in a household who make or instigate purchasing decisions.
Now, that’s a whole lot of marketing jargon to say that the information you fill out when you sign up for a survey site will dictate how much you might stand to earn, and how often you’ll be picked for surveys.
It’s also worth knowing that there are plenty of scams in the space, so stick with tried and tested survey sites to begin with. Here’s a review of SurveyMonkey, as well as a review of Branded Surveys to get you started with the market leaders.
Best for: Residents of powerful consumer economies like the U.S.
Requirements: None
How to get started: Pick a survey app and start filling out questionnaires!
Recommended reading: We’ve curated a list of the internet’s highest-paying online surveys to give you the best chance of making money right now
9. Reselling freebies (and low-cost goods)
Reselling in general can be really profitable, and one really easy way to make money is by finding free stuff or items that have been mistakenly labelled far too cheaply and selling them on for a more reasonable price (and big profit).
Price errors or glitches happen far more frequently than you might think on sites like Amazon, and if you’re able to find them and snap up the items before the retailer can correct their mistakes, you’re in for a quick win.
You can find Amazon glitch deals in a number of ways, the best being joining a whop dedicated to profiting from them. And it’s not just Amazon, either - these groups track almost all major retailers for price errors, so the net is cast as wide as possible for your benefit.
You might also be able to find free stuff online on different websites, since people sometimes fail to sell items and end up just giving them away to free up space. If you can spot the value in these items, getting a good price for them might just be a matter of writing a little bit of good copy and posting nice pictures.
Best for: Anyone, although it’ll help to have a little cash to take full advantage of glitches on expensive items
Requirements: You may need a shed to store some of the bigger items you nab
How to get started: Check out our top reselling Discord servers and join the ones that work for you. Many if not most of them have automated ways of scanning for price glitches and picking those items up
10. Creating an online community
Whop is easily the best online platform to make money quickly — and the smartest way to use it is by building a strong, engaged community.
Take Jasen, for example. Jasen Hunt is a professional CAD instructor and runs the only land survey drafting community in the world.
Speaking on making money with online communities, Jasen says:
It's much easier to sell to somebody that you've sold to before than someone new. This is why having a community is such a great thing, because these people will buy again and again. They know who you are, they trust you, and they trust the vision that you have.
Watch this video for more of Jasen's advice and insights.
Jasen Hunt from Land Survey Drafts
It’s a safe bet that you’ve already build a community of your own on platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, or Discord. Growing that following, and bringing them together in one place, is one of the best ways to start making real money online.
That's where Whop comes in.
Creating your own whop and bringing your people over is much better than keeping them on platforms like Twitter/X or Discord alone. Here's why:
Firstly, if you want to sell digital products, Whop makes it seamless. With Whop you put all of your offerings — courses, memberships, ebooks, software, and more — in one place with Whop Apps. No need for multiple platforms and confusing links.
Second, Whop makes it easy to monetize your community. Set up paywalls to separate free and paid spaces, giving you full control over what content is free and what’s behind a paywall. Use your free content to draw people in, then let the premium perks do the work of converting them into paying members.
Of course, the more of an audience or community you already have, the better. If you’re starting from scratch, you’ll have to look at this one as more of a long-term play.
Best for: Content creators or anyone looking to build a following
Requirements: None
How to get started: Just create a whop and start bringing your RL and social media friends over to it
Recommended reading: This guide to building an online community will really help get you started on the right foot
11. Freelance writing
Writing is one of the best ways to turn your skill into cold hard cash without spending anything other than a little bit of time and effort. Granted, skill is a key word here - some people are pretty good at writing, but some aren’t (and if that’s you, skip down to #14 in this list).
If you’d like to try your hand at writing, there are a whole lot of ways to do so - none more so than starting your own blog on a site like Whop.
Aside from being a great source of income if you’re consistent with it, a blog will give you the chance to not only practice your writing skills but also develop a body of work. This is critical as a starting writer because it gives potential clients some examples of what you can do.
The easiest way to get started is to look at freelancing sites for paid writing work, usually starting at a few cents a word. Once you build out your portfolio and your skills, you might even be able to snowball this into a full-time writing position!
You can also just keep on going with your own blog. As your regular reader numbers build up, you can start using affiliate marketing, sell digital products using your blog, write premium posts, take on paid reviews, and a whole lot more.
Best for: Anyone who has the time and skill to write
Requirements: None
How to get started: Read our guide on how to make money writing and then start a whop of your own so you can publish posts directly to your community
12. Newsletters
Newsletters are extremely common these days, and they offer you many ways to make money. First, and most simple of all, you could write newsletter copy for local businesses.
Most business owners don’t have enough time on their hands, and a newsletter can be a step too far for them. However, they do realize the value of having a newsletter, so there’s no reason you can’t do it on their behalf as a side gig.
Beyond that, you could also release your own newsletter. If you’ve got some sort of content and a way to collect email addresses, such as a blog or a digital download, then you can keep those folks informed about whatever else you’ve got going, like a premium community or other digital products to sell. Plus, you can also make money by sharing affiliate links in your newsletter.
A premium newsletter is another great idea, if you can prove the value to back it up. If, for example, you’ve made a name for yourself as a cooking or baking content creator? Plenty of your followers would sign up for your recipe of the week, and that’s something you could charge a few bucks for.
Just imagine, two or three dollars per week with just a hundred subscribers? That’s a cool $1k extra cash in your pocket every month.
Best for: Anyone who can provide regular value
Requirements: A way to collect email addresses
How to get started: Here’s the perfect guide on how to create and launch your newsletter, which has everything you need to know
Recommended reading: This expert guide on monetizing a newsletter from a creator who’s done exactly that
13. Selling ebooks
If you ask any author, they’ll tell you that ebooks are an absolute gamechanger. Why? Publishers aren’t the only option anymore. If they say no to a book, you can just go online and publish it yourself.
So, if you think you’ve got a book in you, there’s no longer anything stopping you from getting it out there. And it doesn't have to be a novel - you can write a self-help book, a recipe ebook, or a motivational memoir. You can even get AI to do most of the heavy lifting.
Whop lets you sell ebooks for a far smaller fee than most other platforms, and it’s a great choice if you plan on marketing your ebook directly.
Plus, on Whop, you can sell your ebook alongside a premium community, online course, or newsletter. No other platform makes it quite as easy to present your entire range of digital products to your audience!
Best for: Aspiring long-form authors
Requirements: Time
How to get started: Here’s our comprehensive guide to writing and selling ebooks online, covering the entire process from outlining all the way to self-publishing
14. Starting a YouTube channel
YouTube is used by billions every day, and if you’re willing to put the work in, you absolutely can use this amazing platform to make serious money in a hurry without spending anything at all.
You’ve already got a phone, which means that you’ve got a camera, a microphone, and basic software that’s all you need to start creating content. If you’ve got a desktop or laptop computer, even better, because that’ll allow you to level up your video editing game.
Successful YouTube channels come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, though. Many content niches don’t even need you to have your face or voice in the video, and what exactly you do depends entirely on you - you could do vlog-style content of your daily life, screencap your gaming sessions, or even record the stuff your cat gets up to.
Making money with a YouTube channel works in two ways. Firstly, you’ll want to develop a couple of revenue streams, like a premium community for your most engaged followers or an online course if you’re more of an educational creator. You’ll then host these on your own whop.
Then, there’s the revenue you’ll earn from YouTube itself. By serving ads to viewers, the YouTube Partner Program will give creators who are monetized (you’ll need more than 1k subscribers) a certain amount of cash per 1000 views.
How much you can expect to earn from YouTube will depend on the demographics of your audience and what sort of niche they fall into. The US and Western Europe, for instance, tend to pay pretty well, as do niches like finance the audience can be expected to have money to spend.
Best for: Anyone
Requirements: Consistency, both in terms of content as well as upload frequency
How to get started: Just create a YouTube account and get creating, and check out this post on how to get monetized ASAP without waiting for the Partner Program
Recommended reading: This list of YouTube channel ideas if you’re not sure what sort of content to start creating
15. Making YouTube thumbnails
We’ve already mentioned just how big and important of a platform YouTube is, but that means there’s also millions of videos out there for people to choose from. So, how does one video stand out from the rest?
Simple - the thumbnail it uses. Whether you’re a fan of the idea or not, the thumbnail of a YouTube video plays a huge role when it comes to how much traction it gets. Existing subscribers to a channel may watch it regardless of thumbnail, but new or occasional viewers? The thumbnail is a big deal for them.
So, designing YouTube thumbnails can be a solid side hustle. Many creators don’t have the graphic design skills or know what’s trending, so if you’re creative, this could be an easy way to make money.
And, if your thumbnails start doing well, you’ll find more and more creators at your door clamoring for your services. You might even score a full-time position on a really big YouTuber’s team!
Best for: Anyone creatively inclined
Requirements: Some skill with graphic design
How to get started: Offer your services on freelancing sites or even create your own YouTube channel about making YouTube thumbnails to gain quick exposure
16. Monetizing TikTok
TikTok is probably even bigger than YouTube these days, and it’s got even more potential for views given the scrolling nature of the platform compared to YouTube’s thumbnail dependence.
You can make money on TikTok natively with the TikTok Creativity Program. Just like with YouTube, there are a few minimums you need to hit in terms of follower count and video views, but once you’re there the cash will start streaming in.
You can also sell products directly on TikTok with the TikTok Shop, and that’s a whole thing in itself - learn all about TikTok Shop and see if it’s for you. Many TikTok channels choose to focus on the Shop given how much potential for earning there is, and you could argue that TikTok is more of an ecommerce app than a video platform.
If you’re a little camera-shy and don’t want to put yourself out there for the world to see, remember that faceless TikToks are a thing too. Plus, growing your own TikTok (or YouTube) channel is even easier today thanks to Whop’s Content Rewards mentioned earlier, except this time it’s you doing the offering!
Best for: Short-form video creators
Requirements: None
How to get started: Just download the app and start uploading videos, but make sure to check out Whop’s TikTok communities to up your understanding of the platform’s algorithms
17. Video editing
YouTube and TikTok are great platforms for showcasing creativity, but there’s actually quite a lot of work that goes into producing video content. There’s the actual stuff that you capture and narrate, for one thing, but all of that raw video (99% of the time) needs to be edited.
In fact, editing might actually take the bulk of a creator’s time and effort. It definitely takes skill, and while there’s plenty of video editing software out there to help, these tools need to be learned - and it takes a good editor to realize the vision of a creator or producer.
If it sounds like getting good at video editing might be an easily monetized skill, you’d be absolutely right. Almost every content creator would much rather hire a video editor than do it themselves, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
After all, TikTokers and YouTubers are hardly the only people out there needing their videos edited. Lots of businesses produce their own videos for different reasons, and companies like ad agencies are always at it too - and that’s not even mentioning creative industries like TV and film or the many newsrooms all over the world.
Best for: Anyone who has a decent PC
Requirements: Willingness to spend the time to learn how to edit, and a machine with enough graphical processing power to render video
How to get started: Check out some online tutorials or visit Whop’s social media communities for tips and best practices on producing and editing video
18. Streaming
Whop is taking over the streaming landscape, with more and more live streams every day giving viewers exactly what they want - and there’s no ads to worry about either, which means you can also play any music you want!
You can also let anyone else onto your livestream at will, giving you a whole new dynamic when it comes to viewer interaction since they’re not just limited to comments like on other platforms.
It’s up to you whether or not you’d like to paywall your stream, so there’s another option for earning money - your livestreams could easily anchor the premium section of your community, and that’s super easy to manage through your own whop.
You can also choose to stream for free, and accept donations instead. This is possible on streaming platforms like YouTube and Twitch too (just watch out for their fees) and a livestream tends to make a bunch of cash since paying viewers know that they’ll get a shoutout, their comments read out, or their questions answered.
We still think Whop beats both of those platforms, though, and the numbers speak for themselves - Whop only charges a 3% fee on payments you take from your viewers, or 0% if any sales come through the Discover page! Plus, it's free to livestream on Whop. That just can’t be beat.
You can also upload the entire recording of your livestream to Whop as part of your content library (which you can charge for) or to YouTube from which you’ll earn ad revenue if you’re monetized.
Best for: Anyone willing to be on camera for longer periods
Requirements: You might need a PC if you want to stream elaborate stuff like games, although a phone works in a pinch
How to get started: Create your own whop and start bringing people in to watch you stream
19. Podcasting
If livestreams and on-demand video are starting to leave TV in the dust, then you could make the same comparison between podcasts and radio.
Good podcasts tend to concentrate on a certain niche or area of focus, and the best ones will try to provide listeners with both the quality and the consistency that they deserve - that means regular uploads, decent recording hardware, and a little bit of care when mixing your audio.
Monetizing your podcast effectively is important, and it’s something you’ll want to give some thought to as you plan out your content. Signing up with Whop will help you bring cash in even if you decide to make your podcast a free listen, and there’s engagement to be driven too - Whop can do competitions, tickets, digital downloads, and much more.
Podcasts are really effective since people can listen to one while going about their day - driving, cooking, working, you name it - so there’s no reason not to start one. And if it’s just a niche or topic idea you need? Well, here’s a list of podcast ideas to try this year.
Best for: Audio content creators and anyone with a message to spread
Requirements: Basic recording equipment is something you may want to spend on, all else can be done for free
How to get started: Read this guide on how to start a podcast for free and just follow the steps outlined within!
20. Online Courses
If there’s a skill you want to learn, there’s no better way to jump online and take a quick course. Whop has a huge selection of online courses across multiple categories, which gives you an idea of just how easy and effective they are to create, and how much money-making potential they have.
To create your own course on Whop, simply create your own whop and then add the courses app. You can then follow the onscreen prompts to engage with Whop’s drag-and-drop course builder.
There’s really no restrictions on what your course can include, and you can upload as much video as you like to go with text elements or even sync-ups with any apps you’d like to feature.
Now, Whop’s not the only fish in the pond when it comes to online course platforms, but we’ll let creators speak for themselves as to how it compares:
If you’ve got a skill you’d like to teach or knowledge you’d like to share, Whop goes above and beyond the competition when it comes to features, customer service, and pricing - if you’d just like to create your first course and see how it goes, Whop won’t charge you a cent until you start making sales.
Best for: Online educators and entrepreneurs
Requirements: None
How to get started: Read this detailed guide to selling online courses, then just sign up for your own whop and play with the courses app
Recommended reading: This post on creating an online community for your course showing you how to take your course (and its earnings) to the next level
21. Building websites and landing pages
Ecommerce has been a growing industry for a long time, and it shows no signs of slowing down - quite the opposite in fact, as ecommerce accounts for a quarter of total global sales activity.
As a result, services related to ecommerce are in popular demand, and this includes web design. Many ecommerce platforms feature web and landing page building tools to make people's jobs easier, but these can be pretty generic and limited to a handful of templates.
Basic web design isn't rocket science, but the average person can't do it. So, by investing no more than a few hours into some free tutorials and a little bit of trial and error, you can build up enough skill to be marketable.
And, let's be honest - today, there are tons of AI tools that can also help. AI isn't ever going to give you anything original, but it can whip up a decent template or layout based on what you tell it. Then, you can adjust and iterate to end up with some really cool designs and page layouts that businesses will pay good money for.
That way, you can get lots of jobs done in a short amount of time and put energy into scaling and client acquisition. Do it all right, and before you know it, you could have a thriving web design side gig on your hands.
Best for: Anyone with a little bit of creativity and the willingness to learn how to build clean, simple, but attractive webpages
Requirements: Web design skills, which of course can be acquired for free online through courses and tutorials
How to get started: Once you're skilled up, just create your own whop advertising your web design services
22. Selling AI prompts
Much like the previous entry, this is another one that's in ample demand and can be learned pretty quickly even if you don't currently have any expertise in it.
Whatever your thoughts on AI, it now looks a lot more like a trend than a fad, and doesn't seem to be going away.
So, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em! We're not saying that you need to hop on team AI, rather that you should look into milking it for as much cash as you can.
There are quite a few ways to make money with AI, but the best place to start is with prompt engineering. Many AI services allow you a number of free uses per day so you can start from scratch with a little trial and error, then read up on what sort of techniques people are using to make AI dance.
Once you develop a solid understanding of how to make different AIs give you the results your want, it's all about finding untapped niches or areas where AI might be able to help people out.
Rather than basic image generation or trying to rip off creative work, consider the problems people are having with traditional businesses. How about an AI to help accountants automate their monthly reports, or for overworked corporate underlings to generate presentations in moments rather than hours?
A little bit of outside the box thinking (which AI can't do) and you might be onto a winner - and all you then need to do is sell your AI prompt via a prompt marketplace, your own whop or even directly on your social media.
Best for: Anyone willing to put a little time and effort into learning how AI prompts work
Requirements: None bar a little time and research into what tasks people need help with in different industries
How to get started: Play around and learn how to prompt the AI of your choice, then find the best venue to sell your prompts to your chosen target market
Recommended reading: Here are some more ways to make money with AI once you know your way around prompts
6 big money methods if you have cash to spend
1. Reselling
We touched on price errors and glitches earlier, but reselling deserves a closer look - it’s a model you can scale into a full-blown business just by reinvesting your profits.
That’s kinda cool, because you can start from close to zero and grow this into a source of pocket cash, then into a side hustle, and you could be sitting atop a profitable company of your own before you know it.
And that’s not an exaggeration - Whop features entire communities of resellers like these networking, sharing information, and scouring the internet for the most profitable reselling opportunities on the daily.
As a prospective reseller, jumping into one of these groups is a great idea because you’ll find the tools to automate as well as a wealth of information from folks who’ve been at it for years.
Millionaire reseller Tiana Porter started with sneakers, and used her understanding of the botting scene to make it big - and says that diversifying and focusing on multiple niches lessens risk and gives her more room for growth.
As you scale up, you’ll need to put plenty of cash towards picking up the sort of inventory you’ll need to multiply your money - and some space to store all of it is needed too.
Best for: Entrepreneurs and anyone with a nose for a deal
Requirements: Capital to acquire storage and purchase products at scale
How to get started: We’ve got you covered with this beginner guide to making money as a reseller
2. Trading
Trading is almost unparalleled in the potential to earn incredible amounts of money in such a short space of time, but you’ll need a few hundred bucks if you want to get started in any sort of meaningful way.
Let’s be honest for a moment - the more potential for earning, the more risk. And the most profitable trading instruments, like options and derivatives, are ones you can lose all your cash on. In fact, it’s possible to even lose more than you put in if you make bad bets on the short side.
To explain that idea briefly, a short sale is when you borrow something and sell it today, promising to buy it back for the owner in the future. You’re betting it’s going down in value. If you get it wrong, you’ll have to pay more to buy the asset back later, thereby losing money.
So, with trading, education is key. You’ll find the internet’s best trading courses and communities here on Whop, and even if you consider yourself an advanced trader there’s plenty to learn - and these groups are run by bonafide experts who’ve made plenty of money on the markets.
Once you reckon you’re ready to go, you can start applying whatever trading style you’re comfortable with, and consider different assets. Forex day trading can be a profitable option with limited risk, for example, while options as mentioned before are risky but can multiply your money fast.
And if you think you’re up for the wildest of market rides, you could also consider crypto. But be warned - unlike the stock market, crypto doesn’t sleep or respect your weekends!
Best for: Anyone with knowledge of the financial markets and higher risk tolerance
Requirements: Some starting capital and a trading app or broker
How to get started: Sign up for a stock trading app that meets your needs and either transfer your starting funds in or begin with some paper trading to see how things work
Recommended reading: This guide to day trading breaks down one of the most commonly practiced trading styles
3. Real estate flipping
Real estate is generally something that you’d get into if you can actually visit properties and check them out yourself, but today it’s possible to use online listings as a starting point and go from there.
There are generally two ways to make money with real estate - banking on appreciation, such as when a neighbourhood as a whole sees development and prices go up as a whole, or being a fixer-upper.
You could actually be a fixer-upper from a distance too, hiring the tradespeople you need online or linking up with someone local to be your eyes on the ground. There are companies that provide this service, and several real estate business models that can help you earn over time.
Much like with trading, there’s plenty of risk here if you don’t know what you’re doing, so a great starting point would be to check out this list of online real estate courses.
Best for: Building significant wealth
Requirements: Capital, and quite a lot of it!
How to get started: Join a real estate whop to network a little and bounce your ideas off others like you before you commit your capital
Recommended reading: It’s worth checking out this guide to finding a real estate mentor to ensure you’re leaving no stone unturned
4. Dropshipping
If you haven’t heard of dropshipping before, the concept is really simple—it’s all about selling products without actually holding inventory.
In fact, you don’t have to worry too much about the product either, since dropshipping is all about partnering with wholesalers or manufacturers who handle storage, packaging, and shipping products directly to customers.
While technically you can start dropshipping for free, you will be more successful if you invest some cash upfront. Use this money to take care of marketing and customer service, along with your online storefront and paid social media ads.
Once your dropshipping business is up and running, it’s generally just a matter of keeping an eye on it and being on top of customer support, plus whatever marketing activities you want to run.
Beyond good marketing and great customer service, the key to running a successful dropshipping business lies in finding a reliable supplier or suppliers.
This can be easier said than done, so you should anticipate putting in plenty of effort at this stage of the process. Developing a good relationship with your suppliers is important because if they let you down, your customers aren’t going to be very happy.
Dropshipping can be a very good source of income, but it’s no longer an easy market, and you may find yourself up against plenty of competition. To stand out in a crowded market, Whop has a selection of different dropshipping communities you can join to maximize your dropshipping potential.
Best for: Anyone with a talent for logistics and making contacts
Requirements: Enough starting capital and supplier relationships
How to get started: Educate yourself by taking a good dropshipping course before figuring out what product is best for dropshipping
Recommended reading: Learn about the ins and outs of dropshipping in this breakdown of how dropshipping differs from ecommerce
5. Online ecommerce store
Ecommerce plays a huge role in how value moves online—and getting started is easier than you might think. With platforms like Whop, you can set up a professional storefront and start selling digital products in just a few minutes.
Whether you're selling physical or digital products, an online store is a fantastic way to reach the widest possible market.
Getting started is extremely easy, but there are still things you do need to consider.
Firstly, you need to decide what products you want to sell. Then, make sure your products are within the legal framework wherever it is you live, and think about the structure of your business. You’ll be considered a sole proprietor at the beginning, but it may be worth learning about LLCs and their benefits as your business matures.
If you run an online store selling physical goods, remember that you’ll need to think about managing inventory and figuring out delivery - known as ecommerce fulfilment.
Logistics is extremely important, so make sure not to neglect it if you don’t want to run into trouble. It’s one reason that many successful entrepreneurs prefer digital products—thanks to platforms like Whop, all you really need to focus on is the product itself.
Getting the product right is crucial, but once you do, it’s just a matter of scale. For this reason, running your own online store on a platform like Whop can be incredibly profitable.
Even if you start small, you could end up deciding to make this your primary income stream no matter what sort of product you decide to sell.
Best for: Budding entrepreneurs who have both time and money to put into their venture
Requirements: Starting capital and a passion for business
How to get started: Learn from the best by visiting a top ecommerce Discord community and speak to other entrepreneurs for the most up to date industry information
Recommended reading: Check out this list of profitable ecommerce businesses you can start
6. SaaS
Software-as-a-Service may not be a term that everyone's heard or is familiar with, but it's a safe bet that you've used it - practically every popular app is an example of SaaS, such as streaming platform Netflix.
What actually sets SaaS applications apart from traditional counterparts is that SaaS is known for the subscription payment model. Netflix, to use the same example, is an app that that you or someone in your family would pay for on a monthly basis - generally not annually, and definitely not one-time.
Traditional software used to be priced as a one-time fee. As you can imagine, this might be problematic if you're a small business or freelancer but you want to use enterprise-grade software that might cost thousands, and in some cases even tens of thousands of dollars.
The benefit of SaaS to the consumer - payments in affordable regular chunks while they use the software - is pretty clear. It's actually really good for you if you're selling the SaaS as well because it's a great source of monthly recurring revenue.
Every business, creators included, love MRR and subscription payments. So, all that remains is to go ahead and develop your dream app - which is easier said than done of course, but if you have an idea and some cash (or investment) you can easily find the tech staff to make your vision a reality.
Not every new SaaS or tech startup succeeds. But for those entrepreneurs that sell their SaaS the right way, the sky's the limit.
Best for: Entrepreneurs with vision or a problem to solve, and who can either code themselves or secure investment to hire coders
Requirements: Funding in order to establish your nascent firm and take your SaaS to market
How to get started: Put a business plan together and create a team to complement your skillset to get the ball rolling
Recommended reading: The top platforms to sell your SaaS
How multiple income streams give you freedom and flexibility
You’ve probably noticed that many of the best ways to make money with your skills are creative. Most of them fall under content creation, and chances are, you’re already following creators who do exactly that.
What’s important to understand, however, is that the most successful creators don't rely on just one way to make money. Someone who starts out as a YouTuber will probably start streaming at some point. Plenty of ebook authors turn to podcasts next, or create online courses. Almost every creator has a premium community, too.
That’s not to say that you should do everything - but you should do more than one thing.
For example, Tabletop RPG YouTuber Nonat1s has built a reputation as something of an expert when it comes to the Pathfinder roleplaying system.
His videos bring him YouTube platform revenue, but he’s also got a premium community, sells his own art and custom campaigns, and for a time used to DM games personally for a price.
That’s a mix of revenue streams across different media and digital products, with some bringing in passive income. With the right strategy, this kind of multi-pronged approach can turn your side hustle into a profitable full-time business.
For this reason, lots of content creators are setting up their own whops since it lets them bring all of those different income streams into one convenient place.
Make money online with Whop
Since its introduction in 2021, Whop has been making waves as one of the internet’s best platforms for online entrepreneurs to make money - and by creating your own whop, you too can bring in thousands of dollars a month.
You can start small with something like clipping, and scale up into affiliate marketing and the production of your own content, or even branch out into ecommerce - and you’ll find both the guidance to get started and the perfect platform on Whop.
Whop is absolutely free to use - it costs nothing but a few minutes to sign up for your own whop and start making money today.
