Best freelance, gig and earning platforms in the United States

Lemon Squeezy

Store activation needs a questionnaire and ID check (about 2-3 business days), payouts go by bank in listed countries or by PayPal elsewhere.

PayPal

Not available in Pakistan or Bangladesh, and in some listed countries accounts may only send or cannot withdraw locally, so check in the app.

Stripe

You'll need: A bank account

Not open in Pakistan, Nigeria or Bangladesh, India and Indonesia are invite-only, and under-18s need a parent or guardian.

Chipper Cash

You'll need: A smartphone

USD account for Upwork, Fiverr and Deel payouts is only for verified Nigerians and Ghanaians, deposits can be held up to 3 days for review.

dLocal

You'll need: A bank account

Individuals can join dLocal Go without a company. US-based sellers can only charge Latin American, Asian and African customers.

Revolut

You'll need: A smartphone

16-17 year olds can only open an account in the UK, and Mexico is waiting-list only until its 2026 launch.

Square

You'll need: A bank account

Built for local sellers taking card payments in person or online, each country has its own Square site and terms.

Flutterwave

You'll need: A bank account

Unregistered Starter or Individual accounts are allowed. Nigerians need a BVN and NIN.

Grey

Gives USD, GBP and EUR receiving accounts for foreign clients and platforms like Upwork, Deel and Payoneer, payments from sanctioned countries fail.

Wise

Only residents of listed countries can hold money and get account details, so Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and India cannot receive.

Paddle

For software and digital products only, individuals can sell, and payouts go monthly by wire or Payoneer once you reach $100.

Vinted

You'll need: A smartphone, A bank account

Meant for 18+ (13-17 only through a parent's account), and sale money moves from your Vinted Wallet to your bank account.

Etsy

You'll need: A bank account

Etsy Payments needs 18+, a card on file and a bank account, and sellers in 16 countries incl. Pakistan and India are paid via Payoneer.

Depop

You'll need: A smartphone, A bank account

Under 18 needs a parent or guardian to verify their details to sell and get paid, and payout guides exist only for US, UK and Australia.

Poshmark

You'll need: A smartphone

Accounts can only be created in the US and Canada, and ages 13-17 need a parent or guardian's permission.

StockX

You'll need: Products to sell

Sellers must live in a StockX seller country (Pakistan, Nigeria, Egypt and Turkey cannot sell), and items ship to StockX for checks first.

Mercari

You'll need: A smartphone, A bank account

US residents 18+ only, sale money is paid out by Direct Deposit or Instant Pay to a US bank account.

OfferUp

You'll need: A smartphone

US residents only, under 18 needs parent supervision, and most local sales are paid in cash in person.

Grailed

You'll need: A smartphone

Must be 16+ (18 in China) and pass a Persona government ID check, and you must connect a payment account before listing.

Superprof

Free to publish an ad with no commission, students pay you directly, but you must win your own students from profile views.

Outschool

You'll need: A computer, A webcam, Good English, A background check, A PayPal account

You must live in a listed country at least six months a year, pass ID and criminal background checks, and be able to receive PayPal.

Tutor.com

You'll need: A computer, A webcam, A headset, A US Social Security number, The right to work there, A degree or professional licence, Good English

US residents only with an SSN and US work eligibility, must be a college sophomore or hold a 4-year degree, no visa sponsorship.

Varsity Tutors

You'll need: A computer

US and Canada only, and not open to residents of AK, CA, CO, DE, HI, ME, NH, ND, VT, WV or Puerto Rico, application includes a video interview.

Preply

You'll need: A computer, A webcam, A headset

Profiles reviewed within 3 business days, no certificate needed, but the first trial lesson with each new student pays 100% commission.

Cambly

You'll need: A computer, A webcam, Native-level language skills, Good English

No degree or certificate needed but tutors must be native English speakers and cannot tutor from California, Massachusetts or New Jersey.

Upwork

You'll need: A computer

You need a verified ID, an approved profile and a tax form (W-8BEN outside the US) before withdrawing. Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk are also restricted.

Fiverr

You'll need: A computer

Fiverr can ask any seller for a government ID to confirm you are 18+, and PayPal withdrawals arrive in about 24 hours with a $1 minimum.

Toptal

You'll need: A computer, Good English, A skills test

Fewer than 3 percent pass the English interview, skills tests, live screening and 1-3 week test project.

Guru

You'll need: A computer

Free Basic plan gives 10 bids a month with a 9 percent job fee, paid plans from $11.95/mo add bids and lower fees.

PeoplePerHour

You'll need: A computer

Profiles are reviewed within 2 business days and new earnings clear 14 days after the invoice is approved.

Freelancer

You'll need: A computer

Identity verification is required before withdrawing, and your first withdrawal can be held up to 15 days.

Airtasker

You'll need: A bank account, The right to work there

You must live in the country where the task is and have local working rights, Australian Taskers need an Australian bank account.

Bark

Free to create a profile but you buy credits (about 1.80 GBP each) to contact each lead, with no guarantee of being hired.

TaskRabbit

You'll need: A smartphone, A bank account, A background check, A US Social Security number

Only in active cities, US Taskers need an SSN for the background check, and registrations are processed only as local demand grows.

Urban Company

You'll need: A smartphone

Official partner site blocked by a bot check, countries from Wikipedia, which reports partners paying for training and products before working.

Thumbtack

You'll need: A background check

US-only service, every pro must pass a free criminal background check (SSN or photo ID) and you pay for each lead whether or not you get hired.

Substack

Paid subscriptions run through Stripe, so you need to live in a Stripe-supported country to get paid.

Gumroad

You'll need: A bank account

Listed countries get bank payouts, others PayPal only (no Payoneer or Wise), $100 minimum payout, and US sellers need an SSN.

Ghost

You'll need: A computer

Paid memberships need the Publisher plan or self-hosting plus a Stripe account, so countries follow Stripe coverage.

Patreon

You'll need: A tax ID number

Under 18 needs a parent or guardian's permission, and you must give tax info or Patreon may withhold tax.

Amuse

There is no free plan now, the cheapest Artist plan costs $23.99 a year.

CD Baby

One-time $9.99 per single or $14.99 per album, payout within 15 business days of hitting your $25 default threshold, W-9 or W-8 required.

DistroKid

Ages 13-17 need parent or guardian consent, and you pay the annual fee by credit card.

TuneCore

Ages 13-17 need parent consent, artists outside the US sign with Believe International instead of TuneCore.

Swagbucks

Open from age 13 (parent permission encouraged), but only residents of the 11 listed countries can redeem rewards.

Prolific

You'll need: A computer, A PayPal account

New sign-ups join a demographic waitlist that can take hours or months, and you must verify ID and live in a supported country.

Amazon Mechanical Turk

You'll need: A computer, A tax ID number

MTurk is closing on September 30 2026, so new workers should not sign up, and US persons living abroad were never supported.

Instacart

You'll need: A smartphone, A car, A driver's licence, A US Social Security number, A bank account

US shoppers must be 18+ and eligible to work in the US, with vehicle access, a driver's license, SSN and bank account.

DoorDash

You'll need: A smartphone, A driver's licence, A US Social Security number, A background check

Must be 18 (19 in some states, 21 in California), and any car, scooter or bike (in select cities) works.

Grubhub

Driver site blocks automated reading so requirements are unverified.

Kickstarter

You'll need: A bank account

You must live in a listed country with a local bank account and government ID from that country.

Kiva

You'll need: A PayPal account

Kiva US gives 0% business loans to repay, not income, you must invite 5-40 friends to lend first, Nevada and North Dakota excluded.

GoFundMe

You'll need: A bank account

The fundraiser must be created in one of 20 supported countries and the person withdrawing must meet that country's rules, or money is refunded.

YouTube

You'll need: An existing audience

Partner Program needs 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 watch hours (12 months) or 10M Shorts views (90 days), and an AdSense account.

Snapchat

You'll need: A smartphone, An existing audience

Snap Stars earn from ads on public content, eligibility depends on authenticity, engagement and quality (help centre would not load).

TikTok

You'll need: A smartphone, An existing audience

Creator Rewards needs a personal account with 10,000 followers and 100,000 views in 30 days, only videos over 1 minute earn.

Vivid Seats

You'll need: A PayPal account

You must live in the US, add a credit card and PayPal, and are paid via PayPal after the event minus a 10% seller fee.

viagogo

Official pages blocked automated reading so eligibility is unverified.

StubHub

Official seller pages blocked automated reading so eligibility is unverified.

Hipcamp

You'll need: Property or space to rent out, A bank account, A background check

Needs land suited to camping (small residential backyards under 2 acres rarely fit), hosts must verify ID and pass a background check.

Turo

You'll need: A car, Vehicle insurance, A bank account

US hosts must be 21 and the car no more than 12 years old with under 130,000 miles, first payout starts about 3 business days after the trip.

GitHub Sponsors

You'll need: A bank account, A tax ID number

Needs 2FA on GitHub, a bank account in the same supported region you live in and a W-9 or W-8BEN tax form, review takes a few days.

Liberapay

You'll need: A bank account

41 countries get Stripe bank payouts, the other 71 listed can only receive through PayPal, processor fees average 3 to 5 percent.

Lalamove

You'll need: A smartphone, A driver's licence, A car, A motorbike or scooter

Rules are set per city, in Hong Kong you must be 18+ with a local licence and HKID and own or rent a van, truck or motorbike.

Amazon Flex

You'll need: A smartphone, A car, A driver's licence, Vehicle insurance, A background check, A US Social Security number, A bank account

US drivers must be 21+ with an SSN, a 4-door car and a clean background check, while the UK asks 18+ with a licence and right to work.

Uber

You'll need: A smartphone, A car, A driver's licence, Vehicle insurance, A background check

US drivers must meet the local minimum age and need 1 year of US driving experience (3 years if under 25).

Lyft

You'll need: A smartphone, A car, A driver's licence, Vehicle insurance, A background check

Lyft requires drivers to be 25 or older, with a 4-door car or Express Drive rental and a background and driving record check.

Belay

You'll need: A computer

1099 contractor roles open to most US states but not CA, CO, MT, NJ, NY or PA, and hiring takes several weeks with interviews.

Boldly

You'll need: A computer

Boldly hires assistants as W2 employees after vetting, and clients meet and approve you before placement.

Talkspace

You'll need: A degree or professional licence, A background check, A computer

Needs an independent US state clinical licence, your own malpractice insurance, an NPI number and current US residence.

BetterHelp

You'll need: A degree or professional licence, A computer

Therapists must hold a US state licence (psychologist, LCSW, LMFT or similar) and pass a vetting process before joining.

Walmart Marketplace

You'll need: A registered business, A tax ID number, Products to sell

Needs a business tax ID (SSN not accepted), documents proving business name and address, and a track record of ecommerce selling.

eBay

You'll need: A bank account

New private sellers get funds 2 to 7 days after delivery, and payouts go to a checking account or debit card, not PayPal.

Shutterstock

You'll need: A tax ID number

You need an approved tax form before any payout, and contributors in some countries face a 90-day waiting period.

Envato

You'll need: A portfolio or work samples, A tax ID number

New author applications are paused until further notice, when open they need portfolio review (about 30 days), tax info and an ID check.

CodeCanyon

Official Envato author help blocked automated reading (HTTP 403) so eligibility could not be verified.

ThemeForest

Official Envato author help blocked automated reading (HTTP 403) so eligibility could not be verified.

Redbubble

You'll need: A computer

Paid monthly by the 15th once you pass the payment threshold, via PayPal or bank transfer (US, AU and UK banks), and inactive accounts can be charged a fee.

Zazzle

You'll need: A computer, A PayPal account

Royalties are paid by PayPal (from $50) or check (from $100) within 45 days after month end, and tax forms are needed.

HackerOne

You'll need: A computer

Under 18 needs parental consent, and payouts need a Veriff ID check plus an approved tax form.

Bugcrowd

You'll need: A computer

A Jumio ID check is required before reporting to managed programs, and payouts need a tax form plus bank transfer or PayPal.

Clarity.fm

Expert applications are reviewed on background, demand and profile completeness, and Clarity keeps a 15% fee on every call.

ADPList

Mentoring is unpaid volunteer work, applicants need 5+ years of industry experience and only about 30% are approved.

Flytographer

You'll need: A camera, A portfolio or work samples, Good English

Needs 2+ years of paid lifestyle photography experience and conversational English, and only about 3% of applicants are accepted.

Localgrapher

You'll need: A camera, A portfolio or work samples, Good English

Needs 3+ years of experience, professional gear with backups, very good English, and you must live in the destination you shoot.

Honeygain

Must be 18+ on your own home network (no shared or work networks) and payouts start at a $20 minimum.

Grass

You'll need: A computer

Terms bar minors and sanctioned regions (list not itemised) and rewards are points or tokens with no promised cash value.

Skillshare

You'll need: A computer, A portfolio or work samples

First-time teachers must be approved (English-language applications only) and earnings are forfeited while Tipalti payment setup is incomplete.

Teachable

You'll need: A computer, A bank account

No free plan (7-day trial), the Starter plan adds a 7.5% transaction fee, payouts can arrive within minutes of a sale.

Medium

Official Medium pages blocked automated reading (HTTP 403) so Partner Program eligibility could not be verified.

Whatnot

Official seller pages blocked automated reading so eligibility is unverified.

Rover

You'll need: A smartphone, A background check

18+ and profiles are reviewed, US and Canada sitters get a background check while other countries get ID verification only.

Topcoder

You'll need: A computer

Quebec, Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk are also barred, winners pass an ID check and file a W-9 or W-8BEN, prizes paid within 90 days.