Work Less, Earn More: Side Hustling Apps for 2024

Drowning in deadlines and dreaming of financial freedom? You're not alone. But ditch the resignation letter - there's a better way! This post unveils the power of side hustling apps, your secret weapon to earning more without clocking extra hours.

The App-Powered Side Hustle Revolution

Imagine this: you're stuck in rush hour traffic, but instead of fuming, you're knocking out a quick microtask on your phone and earning a few extra bucks. Or, picture this: evenings spent binging Netflix could be transformed into productive freelancing sessions, building your skills and boosting your income.

This is the magic of side hustling apps. They offer a convenient, flexible, and surprisingly diverse way to make extra money, all on your terms. Forget rigid schedules and demanding bosses - with side hustle apps, you're the captain of your financial ship.

But is it really possible to build a sustainable income with these apps? 

Absolutely! Take Carter Osborne for example. According to a recent CNBC article, Carter leveraged freelance writing apps to build a successful side hustle that eventually allowed him to ditch his full-time job altogether.

Image Credit: CNBC 

Here’s brief overview about Carter Osborne’s story:

His full-time job: working in a PR firm and promoted to director in August 2023.

His side hustle — editing college admissions essays for high school seniors.

He took these 2 jobs for 5 years, and told CNBC that his side gig netted him more than $114,000 last year, he found more success, and frankly, more love on his side hustle. He got more and more clients and decided to quit his full-time job.

Although not everyone can become the next Carter Osborne and gain freedom, his story is a testament to the life-changing potential of app-based side hustles.

Can you recommend some trending apps for side hustle？

Sure, Here are some popular side hustle apps you can consider, categorized by their function:

• Popular Side Gig Applications for Creative & Selling:

Etsy: Sell handmade or vintage crafts, art, and other unique items. Great for creative people who enjoy making and selling their own products

Pros of Etsy:

• Sell unique, handmade items: Great for creative people with a niche product.

• Set your own prices: Control your profit margins.

• Large customer base: Millions of potential buyers on the platform.

Cons of Etsy:

• Competition: Standing out can be challenging, especially for saturated markets. 

• Listing fees: $0.20 per listing, renewed every 4 months. Transaction fee of 6.5%. Payment processing fee of 3% + $0.25 per transaction. These fees can add up quickly.

• Marketing effort: You'll need to actively promote your shop to get noticed.

Customer Comments about Etsy:

• "Love the variety of products and the ability to support small businesses." 
• "It takes time and effort to build a successful shop, but it can be very rewarding." 
• "Fees can be a bit high, especially for new sellers."

Poshmark/Mercari: Sell your used clothing and other items online. Perfect for decluttering your closet and making some extra cash. 

Pros: 

• Easy to use: Simple interface for listing and selling clothes. 
• Large user base: Plenty of potential buyers looking for secondhand clothing.
• Social aspect: Connect with other sellers and share your listings.

Cons: 

• Competition: Lots of sellers, so it can be tough to get your items seen. 
• Shipping costs: Can eat into your profits, especially for heavier items. 
• Lower profit margins: Selling used clothes typically means lower prices.

Customer Comments: 

• "Great way to declutter your closet and make some extra cash." 
• "Shipping costs can be a pain, but Poshmark's shipping labels are convenient." 
• "Be prepared to negotiate with buyers, as haggling is common."

Redbubble: Create designs and upload them to products like t-shirts, mugs, and phone cases. Earn royalties whenever someone purchases an item with your design.

Pros: 

• Passive income: Earn royalties every time someone buys a product with your design. 
• Low startup costs: No need to invest in inventory or manufacture products. 
• Wide range of products: Your designs can be printed on t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, and more.

Cons: 

• Low royalty rates: You may not make much money per sale. 
• Design competition: There are millions of designs on these platforms. 
• Marketing required: You'll need to drive traffic to your designs to make sales.

Customer Comments: 

• "Fun way to express your creativity and potentially earn some money." 
• "Standing out from the crowd can be difficult." 
• "Royalties are low, so it's not a get-rich-quick scheme."

• Popular Side Gig Applications for Skills & Services:

Thumbtack: Connect with customers who need help with various tasks, like handyman services, furniture assembly, or yard work. Great for people with practical skills and a willingness to learn new ones.

TaskRabbit: Similar to Thumbtack, but with a wider range of tasks, including errands, cleaning, and delivery.

Pros:

· Flexible schedule: Choose the jobs you want to do and when you want to do them.

· Set your own rates: Control your earning potential.

· Variety of tasks: Find jobs that match your skills and interests.

Cons:

· Competition: Plenty of other handymen and taskers vying for jobs.

· Background checks and insurance required: May involve additional costs.

· Reliance on customer reviews: Need good reviews to attract future clients.

Customer Comments:

· "Great way to earn extra cash on your own time."

· "Competition can be stiff, especially in larger cities."

· "Be prepared to market yourself and build a strong reputation."

Cambly/VIPKid: Teach English online to students around the world. Requires fluency in English and some teaching experience (not necessarily formal).

Pros:

· Flexible schedule: Teach online classes whenever it works for you.

· No lesson planning required: Companies provide the curriculum and materials.

· Potential for high earnings: Some teachers report earning over $20 per hour.

Cons:

· Requires fluency in English: TEFL certification may be preferred.

· Early morning/late night hours: Many students are in different time zones.

· Lesson quality expectations: Need to be engaging and patient with students.

Customer Comments:

· "Rewarding way to connect with students from around the world."

· "Early morning hours can be tough, but the flexibility is great.""Success depends on your ability to connect with students and keep them engaged."

• Popular Side Gig Applications for Learning & Sharing Knowledge:

Skillshare: Teach online classes on a variety of topics, from creative skills like photography to business skills like marketing.

Pros:

· Low barrier to entry: No prior teaching experience required, just expertise in your subject.

· Flexible schedule: Create and upload pre-recorded classes on your own time.

· Large audience: Millions of potential students on the platform.

Cons:

· Lower earning potential: Instructors are paid based on student watch time, which can be unpredictable.

· Focus on short, creative courses: May not be ideal for in-depth, technical topics.

· No course completion certificates: Less attractive to students seeking formal recognition.

Fees:

· Revenue Sharing Model: Instructors earn a portion of Skillshare's subscription fees based on student watch time.

· Estimated Earnings: Varies greatly, but some instructors report earning a few hundred dollars per month, while others make much less.

Customer Comments:

· Positive: "Skillshare is a great platform to share my passion for [topic] with a wide audience. The flexibility allows me to create courses on my own schedule."

· Negative: "The earning potential on Skillshare is disappointing. I put a lot of effort into my courses, but the payout isn't very rewarding."

Udemy: Similar to Skillshare, a platform for creating and selling online courses.

Pros:

· Higher earning potential: Instructors set their own prices and keep a larger share of the profits compared to Skillshare.

· More course freedom: Create in-depth, comprehensive courses on a wider range of topics.

· Course completion certificates: Can attract students seeking formal recognition of their learning.

Cons:

· Higher barrier to entry: Requires more planning, production value, and potentially marketing your course to stand out.

· Competition: Saturated market with many existing courses on popular topics.

· Course sales can be inconsistent: Can experience periods of low sales or rely heavily on promotions.

Fees:

· Instructor Revenue Share: Instructors keep 50% of the course price after Udemy takes a platform fee.

· Pricing Flexibility: Instructors set their own course prices, typically ranging from $10 to $200.

Customer Comments:

· Positive: "I've been able to create a successful side hustle on Udemy by focusing on a niche topic and creating high-quality courses."

· Negative: "The Udemy market is very competitive, and it can be difficult to get your courses noticed. It takes time and effort to build a following."

Photomath: Solve math problems for students and earn money per question answered correctly. Great for math whizzes who enjoy helping others learn.

Pros:

· Flexible schedule: Solve problems on your own time, whenever convenient.

· Potential for high earnings: Skilled math solvers can earn a decent income per question.

· Low barrier to entry: Requires strong math skills, but no teaching experience necessary.

Cons:

· Subject limited to math: Only suitable for users with strong math problem-solving abilities.

· Earning potential can fluctuate: Income depends on the number of problems available and solved correctly.

· Potential for repetitive tasks: Solving similar math problems repeatedly might become monotonous.

Fees:

· Pay Per Question: Photomath pays a fixed amount per question solved correctly.

· Exact amount undisclosed: The specific payout varies but is typically reported to be in the cents per question range.

Customer Comments:

· Positive: "Photomath is a great way to use my math skills and earn some extra cash on the side. The flexible schedule allows me to work whenever I have free time."

· Negative: "The pay per question on Photomath can be low, especially considering the time it takes to solve each problem accurately."

Ultimately, the best platform depends on your expertise, teaching style, and desired income.

Here are some helpful tips to turn your side hustle app dreams into reality:

· Find Your Niche: Explore the wide range of side hustle apps and identify opportunities that align with your skills and interests. Do you enjoy writing? Try freelance writing apps. Are you tech-savvy? Look into app development or data entry gigs.

· Start Small, Scale Smart: Don't try to conquer them all at once. Begin with one or two apps, build a strong reputation, and gradually expand your hustle as your time and expertise grow.

· Quality over Quantity: Always prioritize quality work. Deliver exceptional results to build a positive reputation and attract better clients or projects.

· Be Time Savvy: Identify pockets of free time in your day – your commute, lunch break, or even those early mornings before the house wakes up. Utilize these windows to maximize your earnings.

Now that you’ve got plenty ideas to help you work less and earn more with your part time jobs or side hustles, search those apps on sequone ( aka Sequoia One) and download one application for your Android device today to start your free journey!