17 Best Ways to Make Money Online

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Are you looking for the most efficient and innovative methods to make money online in Canada in 2024?

While it often sounds like everyone has experienced or recommends one method over another, the best method for making money online will always be determined based on your interests and skill set.

If you’re interested in finding a sustainable opportunity to make money online in Canada that leverages your existing skill set, or opens up possibilities to develop new ones, then you’re in the right place. Keep reading to discover the best ways to make money online in Canada in 2024.

1. Become a Tutor Online

There are several ways to become an online tutor. The first option is to identify the subjects you excel at, and offer tutoring through online tutoring platforms, or by posting ads in local groups on social media.

The second option is to tutor those learning English as a second language. While you can offer these services independently, it is often easier to seek employment with companies looking for freelance tutors. They will often provide training, and may even assist you with helping you obtain any certification you require to become an English as a second language tutor.

2. Monetize a YouTube Channel or TikTok Account

YouTube video creation is one of the original ways people began making money online in Canada, and it remains a successful option today.
Whether from advertisements on your videos or paid sponsorships, you can make money on YouTube in several ways.

Something to consider when posting on YouTube is whether you should crosspost or reformat your videos to work on other platforms, such as TikTok. For example, a ten-minute YouTube video could be spliced into smaller videos more appropriate for TikTok, or used as Instagram Reels.

Having multiple publication channels can also increase your revenue and exposure, opening you up to more opportunities for sponsorships and ensuring you are not relying on a single publication channel. Just make sure you follow your local laws regarding disclosing sponsorships.

3. Content is King for Making Money Online

Content remains one of the best ways for businesses to stand out from the competition, making it an excellent option for making money online in Canada.

Whether you choose content writing for blog posts, webpages or press releases, there are limitless opportunities online to find work within this niche.

Freelancers looking to enter this industry should carefully consider what kind of writing they would like to focus on, and what niche(s) they are passionate about writing for, develop a portfolio focused around this niche and the style of writing they want to sell, and then find businesses or publications they would like to write for and reach out with their pitch.

4. Release Your Inner Artist

Digital art plays a pivotal role in today’s creative landscape, offering many opportunities for artists.

Whether you are interested in producing unique thumbnails for YouTube videos, inspiring infographics or crafting eye-catching social media visuals for clients, there are countless opportunities to sell your skills as a digital artist to businesses and make money from home in Canada.

To diversify your offerings, consider combining services, such as creating engaging infographics and social media visuals or banners, if they are all related to the same topic, like the release of a new blog post.

5. Experiment with Selling Digital Products

From PDF printables to Excel workbook templates, you can make and sell digital products online in numerous ways.

To succeed in this avenue, you should first consider what kinds of digital products you want to make. Then, try building some, and gift them to friends and family to try them out. Like any product, you want to get user feedback before launching it.

Once you are happy with your digital products, you can sell them either on your website or through a third-party website, like Etsy. Just make sure you understand the seller fees associated with the platform so you can price your products appropriately.

To help generate traction to your new products, you may want to consider launching a corresponding social media channel for organic traffic, or implementing some pay-per-click ads on social media or search engines.

6. Turn Your Listening Skills into Cash with Transcription

For those still wondering how to make money from home in Canada and looking for a relatively low technical knowledge option, it may be time to consider transcription.

Transcripts are an excellent option for those with lower technical knowledge looking for a way to earn money online. All it takes is having a computer, access to the internet and good typing skills.

While you can offer the service independently, if you are new to the skill, it might be more beneficial to start working for a company that hires freelance transcriptionists and offers a training program. This way, you can build your skills and determine if this option is right for you before pursuing it independently.

7. Start a Dropshipping Business

Have you ever wanted to launch your own online store, but don’t want to deal with the hassle of managing stock and shipping products? Then, let us introduce you to dropshipping.

You can choose products you want to sell from trusted third-party distributors, build your website, and list the products. You can have the fun of creating ads and social media posts to drive traffic to your website, and leave the worry of stocking and shipping products to someone else.

Many website platforms have easy ways to embed third-party dropshipping products directly into your website, so stock numbers are automatically updated, and orders can be placed directly with the third party. With dropshipping, you leave behind the hardship of logistics, and get to focus on the fun part of running an online store.

8. Take Online Surveys

There are many opportunities for savvy people to make money or earn gift cards through surveys.

To be successful with taking surveys, it is essential to choose a platform that has good reviews for following through with delivering those rewards. Once you decide on your platform and join, set aside time in your schedule to fill out those surveys, as several are often required to meet reward minimums.

9. Transform Your Photos into Cash

Do you love taking photos or videos?

There are several ways you can make money online in Canada with those skills, from choosing stock photography companies to sell your photos or b-roll videos, to building your own website and selling digital files or printed copies through there.

You can also sell your skills to individuals looking for a wedding or pet photographer, or companies looking for someone to take photos or videos of their products or machines. Just make sure you take the time to determine your rates and travelling fees before you launch your business.

10. Go Freelance!

Freelancing has long been a fan favourite for making money online, with hundreds of freelancing options available. Whether you choose to use freelancing websites or opt to set up your own website to help sell your services, we have listed some of the top ones below.

Social Media Freelancing

There is a wide range of services freelancers can offer within social media, from social media strategy development to crafting content schedules, refining copy, and developing engaging graphics and videos.

Freelancers can choose to market their skills as a comprehensive package or specialize in a particular social media skill set.

To succeed as a social media freelancer, it is critical to remain on top of the latest trends and experiment on new platforms. Being able to successfully create social media content or strategies for clients on platforms like X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads is necessary to have a seat at the table in this field.

Graphic Designer

Freelance graphic design is a great way to be creative and earn money online in Canada at the same time.

To succeed as a freelance graphic designer, you first need to put together a portfolio of the types of graphic design you are offering, and be clear on the style of work you do. When you take on any work, make sure you receive a copy of their brand guidelines so you can ensure any graphic design work you complete matches their brand requirements.

Not all clients may have brand guidelines however, so you may want to also create a form for clients to fill out.

To be successful as a freelance graphic designer, it is vital that you align with the colours, styles and font you should use before you start any work.

Become a Virtual Assistant

An increasingly popular freelance opportunity is to work as a virtual assistant.

Virtual assistants handle tasks such as managing emails, scheduling, and formatting spreadsheets. They play a crucial role in supporting start-up businesses and rapidly growing companies with their administrative needs.

If you see yourself as a versatile individual, working as a freelance virtual assistant could be a great way to earn money online in Canada.

Accounting or Bookkeeping Freelancing

If you have the expertise of a trained accountant or bookkeeper, you can use these skills to make money from home in Canada by offering your services through online freelancing platforms.

Many businesses, especially smaller or start-up companies, often need the skills of accounting and bookkeeping professionals, but cannot afford to hire one full-time to help manage their financial records and ensure compliance with local and regional regulations.

It is important to remember when working with smaller or start-up companies that they may need you to help create processes and templates, as they may not have standardized practices in place yet. This presents an opportunity for you to not only provide accounting or bookkeeping services, but also sell your knowledge of best practices for an additional fee.

Translation Freelancing

If you are a first or second-generation Canadian and seeking opportunities to earn income from the comfort of your home, you may have a valuable asset at your disposal.

If you have grown up speaking a language other than English, you can capitalize on your multilingual proficiency by providing freelance translation services. Many businesses require translation services for their internal and external communications, and having a native speaker handle the translations can enhance their accuracy and authenticity, setting you apart from other translators in the industry.

11. Proofreading Can Be Profitable

For those of us who have a knack for spelling, grammar, and sentence structure, proofreading may be the avenue you have been looking for to make money from home in Canada.

From businesses looking for a fresh set of eyes before a marketing brochure hits the printers, to post-secondary students desperately in need of help with editing their reports and essays, there is a ton of opportunity out there for people looking to make money proofreading from home.

There are also several ways to approach becoming a proofreader; you could reach out to businesses and offer your services; you could apply for opportunities on freelancing job boards; or you could even join social media groups targeted towards post-secondary students and post ads within them.

12. Create Online Courses and Workshops

One of the more popular methods to generate income online in Canada is through creating and selling online courses or workshops.

For individuals with a passion for baking, a talent for sewing, or a strong interest in woodworking, sharing your skills and knowledge through an online course can be both a fulfilling and lucrative endeavour to make passive income online in Canada.

What makes online courses a fantastic method for earning money online in Canada is two-fold. First of all, you often get to make money from a passion or hobby of yours, allowing you to spend time doing what you love while getting paid for it. Secondly, you can set the workshop or course up in a way that allows you to make money from the recording, allowing people to sign up and attend your event months or even years after it initially occurred.

In addition, this also gives you the unique opportunity to meet people who have a similar interest or passion as you do.

13. Unleash Your Creativity with eBooks

eBooks, similar to online courses and workshops, present a fun opportunity to share your expertise and passions with a broad audience while providing a source of income. The advantage of eBooks is that you can achieve this without the need to appear on camera, making it an ideal option for those who are a bit camera shy.

Though not all eBooks have to be instructional, if you have ever dreamed of becoming an author, this is the method you have been looking for to make money from home in Canada.

Writers no longer require a publisher to sell their books. Instead, they can publish eBooks and either sell them directly through their own website, or utilize online stores like Amazon and sell their books on the world’s largest online store. To be a successful eBook writer, all you need is an idea, a computer and time to write.

14. Monetize a Blog

Creating and monetizing a blog is a proven and reliable method for generating income online in Canada.

Owning a blog offers a fantastic opportunity to share your passions with others while earning money from sponsorships and online monetization. If you choose to blog though, it is important to stay informed about current laws and regulations regarding the disclosure of sponsorships, partnerships, and affiliate links to ensure compliance.

What makes blogs stand out in 2024 as a way to make money in Canada is the fact that they provide you with a platform in which you can launch several of the above methods. If you launch a YouTube channel, why not have a blog that supports or expands on the topic you discuss in the video? If you use any products within that video or mention them in a blog post, why not include those items for sale in a dropshipping section of your website?

If your blog is focused on a certain subject, such as science or history, you could also advertise the fact that you offer tutoring within this area, as well for any students who need help.

Likewise, if you offer a proofreading service, this is an easy method to share that service as well. A blog can easily become the foundation of several methods for making money online, allowing you to optimize the income you generate from several income streams and create your own online empire around something you are passionate about.

15. Hit the Thrift Store and Sell Used Items

Are you someone who gets an adrenaline rush from the thrill of discovering unique items or a deal? If so, you may have stumbled upon your lucrative avenue for generating income online.

Whether it is your keen sense of style that sets you apart, or your knack for unearthing rare antiques, there’s likely a niche market waiting to appreciate and purchase your discoveries online.

For example, if you decided to resell clothing, you could take a trip to your local thrift store and find a variety of unique and interesting pieces. You would then take your inventory home, clean it up if necessary, and check out eBay and other online resellers to find similar items. This will help you set your price, which you would use to then sell the item either through a third-party website like eBay or Amazon, or through a social media channel you create specifically for selling items.

16. Become a Professional Artist with Print-on-Demand

Do you have a passion for art? Maybe you are great at coming up with witty phrases or keeping on top of the latest trends.

If so, print-on-demand could be the distribution method you have been looking for to share your art. With print-on-demand vendors, all you have to do is create or upload your design, ensure it is formatted to fit the items you would like it to be printed on, and create your listing. The third party takes care of everything else.

The power behind print-on-demand comes from the fact that you can instantly change and add new merchandise to your store, allowing you to adapt to new trends as they come. So, if someone from TikTok starts a new trend and you come up with a design inspired by it, you can instantly add it to your store.

Utilize the power of keeping up with the latest trends to help you generate money online. The best part about print-on-demand is, like dropshipping, you do not have to handle any of the products or shipping; your third-party partner takes care of all of that for you.

17. Twitch Streaming

Do you love playing video games? Are you great at witty commentary?

Then, it may be time for you to explore video game streaming.

No matter the kind of video games you enjoy, chances are there is an audience out there who will want to watch you play. Like YouTube, you can start making money from the platform when you grow your following and become a Twitch Partner, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use other methods to make money through your streaming, like sponsorship or affiliate links. Just like making YouTube videos, it is important to consider a multi-platform approach to make the most out of your streaming efforts.

Don’t Forget the Importance of Bookkeeping When Making Money Online

With all these methods of making money online, it is crucial to be diligent about tracking your expenses and income, to see if your chosen method for making money online is actually profitable.

For example, if you decide to try your hand at dropshipping, it is crucial to diligently track your expenses and sales. This will enable you to assess the effectiveness of your ads, determine whether you are generating revenue, and avoid simply spending money without generating any profit.

When managing your income and expenses from making money online in Canada, it’s crucial to set aside money for income taxes. Additionally, it’s essential to research your local laws to determine if you are required to charge taxes on the products or services you offer, based on where you or your customers are located.

Make Money Online While Doing Something You Enjoy

In Canada, there are many ways to generate income from the comfort of your home.

From freelancing and e-commerce to virtual assistance and online tutoring, the only thing that holds Canadians back from making money online is not taking the time to try them out.

Find the method that fits your skills and interests, and start earning money while enjoying the flexibility of working from home in 2024.

If you are considering trying content writing, but want to avoid dealing with client management, apply for Words of Worth. With us, you can focus on what you love – writing and making money online – while we handle finding and managing clients.