Most lists of side gigs assume you drive, own a computer and can stand for hours. This one asks first. Answer two questions and see only the work you can take.
$10-50 a task
ACE's own per-shop fee is $10 to $50.
You visit stores or restaurants and report on what you saw, acting like a normal customer. ACE pays $10 to $50 a shop, and Secret Shopper starts near $15 for basic shops. Some shops ask you to buy something first and wait to be paid back. You need a phone, computer, or tablet to send in your report.
$4 an hour
$4.00 an hour is the rate AmeriCorps uses to build its grant budgets, not a promise to any one volunteer.
You spend a few hours a week helping an older adult or a child one to one. If your income is low enough, you get a small tax-free stipend. It is budgeted at $4 an hour and does not count against other benefits.
$3-60 a task
Userfeel's own lowest test pays $3.
You get a website or app to test. You talk out loud about what you see while your screen and voice record. Userfeel pays $3-$30 a test, Userlytics pays $10-$50, and UserTesting pays up to $60. No platform promises a steady number of tests. You need a computer, phone, or tablet with a working microphone.
Eight side gigs you can start on your own, ranked by the price of one starting tool. Plus the permits, insurance, and tax rules we found for each.
A 1099-K is a tax form. It counts money paid to you by a payment app or card. Here is who sends one, the federal line, and what the total means.
Some job offers are scams wearing a side-gig costume. Here is the one test that catches most of them, six common patterns, and how a real gig looks different.