If you’ve ever been in a situation where money was tight, you probably know just how stressful it is to need extra income without any immediate or reliable options to bring it in.
Thankfully, the landscape has shifted quite a bit over the last 10 years. With the boom of the gig economy, millions now have access to what are commonly referred to as “micro jobs,” which allow for flexible side earnings.
So, what exactly do micro jobs involve?
They’re short, manageable assignments that can typically be done quickly and often offer compensation between $3 and $100.
These jobs don’t require interviews, rigid schedules, or formal meetings, and they can be completed both online and in-person.
While they offer a great deal of freedom, micro jobs can also be quite competitive, and the pay isn’t always impressive.
However, in a financial crunch, they can serve as a handy source of side income—and many provide cash payouts.
If you’re limited on time and need money urgently, these same-day payout micro gigs could be the right match for you.
Top 20 Micro jobs platforms
No matter your skill set or preference, there’s likely a website that connects you with people willing to pay for your help.
1. Branded Surveys
Completing online surveys remains among the most common micro jobs nowadays, and Branded Surveys focuses solely on this.
When you set up an account, you’ll instantly receive a 100-point bonus. After that, you’ll get paired with surveys that align with your profile. Extra points can be earned through daily polls, referral invites, or participating in fun challenges.
As your points build up on Branded Surveys, you unlock additional earning opportunities. Upon hitting 600 points, you become a Silver Branded Elite member. At 2,100 points, you move up to Gold. Elite members are automatically entered into randomized draws held daily, weekly, and monthly, where you could win up to 1,000 points.
You must collect at least 1,000 points to cash out. Once you’re ready to withdraw, you can choose from PayPal, direct bank deposit, or digital gift cards for stores like Amazon, Lowe’s, Apple, and more.
2. Freecash
Freecash is a flexible platform allowing users to earn extra money by doing micro tasks. After signing up for a free account, users can engage in offers like trying game apps, filling out surveys, and more—earning points exchangeable for PayPal cash, crypto, or gift cards.
With over 15 million users and $67M in total payouts, it’s both trustworthy and easy to navigate. Personally, I averaged $22.87 per offer, making it quite a worthwhile side hustle.
Its user-friendly interface and constantly updating task list ensure you’re never out of options. The mix of variety and reliable payouts makes Freecash an attractive source for casual income earners.
3. Pogo
If you’re after the simplest type of micro job, Pogo pays you for doing absolutely nothing. It quietly runs in the background and collects anonymous info like your shopping behavior and location data—the sort of info many other apps collect anyway, but Pogo actually compensates you for it.
After you download it and give permission for location tracking, you’re essentially earning without effort. Personally, I make between $8 and $12 annually, which isn’t much, but for zero effort, it’s free money.
If Google and Facebook already track your data, why not get paid a small amount in return?
4. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a platform where you can get paid in points (SBs) for completing easy online tasks such as shopping, surveys, video viewing, or even playing games. Partner retailers include Starbucks, Amazon, and more. It also offers a mobile app so you can earn from anywhere.
You can begin redeeming rewards with as few as 160 SBs, which you can exchange for cash cards or popular retailer gift cards like iTunes, Walmart, or Amazon. Occasionally, Swagbucks runs special promotions that offer discounted gift card redemptions.
5. Respondent
If you enjoy giving feedback or testing new products, Respondent lets you participate in research either online or in person. These gigs might involve UX testing, joining a focus group, or doing a one-on-one interview.
Each study could pay hundreds, though opportunities are limited by your demographic match. Since it takes time to find suitable studies, it’s not ideal as a sole income stream. Respondent takes a 5% cut of your earnings and pays through PayPal.
6. Slicethepie
Slicethepie is a micro job platform where you earn cash by reviewing things like music tracks, fashion items, commercials, and accessories. The feedback you provide is shared with creators and brands to help them improve their work.
You’ll be paid directly to PayPal, and you’ll need a minimum balance of $10 before you can withdraw. After each review is submitted, Slicethepie manually checks it before approving your payout. It may take up to five working days for the payment to arrive.
7. Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk)
If you’re looking to make fast money doing basic tasks, Amazon Mechanical Turk might be a good choice. Users get paid for completing HITs (Human Intelligence Tasks), which can include:
- Image and video categorization
- Data verification and cleanup
- Simple online typing tasks
- Data research
- Info extraction and processing
MTurk workers may also assist Amazon sellers in enhancing their product listings, which helps boost sales and improve buyer experience.
Once you complete a HIT, payment is credited to your account. New users must wait 10 days before they can withdraw earnings. After that, you can transfer funds to your bank account or Amazon Payments account anytime.
While Amazon doesn’t officially disclose pay rates, a Cornell University study found the average user earns around $2/hour.
8. InboxDollars
Similar to Swagbucks, InboxDollars offers micro earnings for tasks like watching video content, completing surveys, reading emails, shopping online, and more. You can also get rewards through cashback, samples, and grocery or product coupons.
Rather than point systems, InboxDollars pays actual cash. The earnings per task vary, but survey rewards typically fall between $0.25 and $5.
9. Fiverr
Whether you’re a writer, designer, musician, or voice actor, you can sell your creative skills on Fiverr.
With over 50 million completed gigs, the platform supports pricing from $5 to $10,000+. If you’re new, you can view similar service listings to help set competitive prices. For instance, offer a simple logo for $10 or a blog post for $20.
Buyers either reach out to you directly or submit requests you can bid on. Once hired, you agree on deliverables, work on the task, and submit it. Fiverr holds payment until the buyer marks the job as complete, then sends 80% of the revenue to you (keeping 20% as a service fee). There’s no charge to join.
10. Clickworker
Clickworker enables you to earn through mini-jobs like proofreading, writing, categorizing data, product testing, and app evaluations. You might also get mystery shopping or micro recordings projects. Work is self-paced and remote.
Available in multiple countries, Clickworker offers SEPA and PayPal withdrawals—weekly or monthly. To begin, complete your profile and pass relevant skill assessments. Better results bring better task matches.
Jobs pay by task complexity, and once your balance hits €5 (PayPal) or €10 (bank transfer), you can cash out.
You can also try similar platforms such as:
- RapidWorkers
- Gigbucks
- Microworkers
- Damongo
11. Appen
Appen partners with companies needing vast datasets for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning tools. These datasets help with improving voice transcription, image detection, and search algorithms.
To supply this data, Appen hires remote workers for activities like evaluating apps, web search reviews, transcription, and translation.
The work is online, so a laptop and working headset are required. You invoice the company monthly and receive payment within 30 days after submission.
12. ySense
With ySense, you can earn money by completing surveys, testing apps or services, and participating in special offers. Your income will depend on how frequently you log in and how many micro tasks you complete.
When you reach the minimum balance—$8 for standard members—you can withdraw via PayPal, Payoneer, or Skrill.
ySense also has a referral program, letting you earn up to 30% of what your invitees earn.
13. Gigwalk
Gigwalk connects you to local mystery shopping-style gigs. Brands hire Gigwalkers to visit retail locations and gather information, such as checking product stock, shelf placement, or verifying promotions.
You’ll use the app to log your visit and upload pictures as proof. Tasks typically pay between $3 and $100. All payments go through PayPal.
14. Field Agent
Field Agent is a market research app that pays you to complete quick retail-related assignments. Tasks might involve checking store prices, capturing photos of displays, or answering short brand-related questions.
You can transfer your earnings either to a bank account or a prepaid debit card. Jobs typically pay anywhere from $3 to $20, and payouts are instant upon request.
15. Scribie
Scribie offers remote transcription work, typically for short audio and video files of 10 minutes or less. To qualify, submit an application and pass a transcription exam.
The work involves listening to spoken English, identifying errors, and writing accurate transcripts. Rates range from $5 to $25 per audio hour, with raises possible based on your performance.
Once approved, earnings can be withdrawn anytime using PayPal.
16. The Smart Crowd / Lionbridge
Smart Crowd (Lionbridge) recruits people for remote data-focused tasks like entry, research, and language translation. If you’re bilingual, this may be a great way to monetize that skill. Clients include global brands like Microsoft, Adobe, and Pfizer.
Pay rates depend on the task type. Workers are paid once monthly. No minimum task requirement or signup fee applies. However, you’ll need to pass a placement test after registering.
17. TaskRabbit
Prefer hands-on work? TaskRabbit lets you find physical gigs near you. The platform connects workers with locals who need help with tasks like assembling furniture, moving items, cleaning, or minor repairs.
To join, submit an application and attend an onboarding session in your area. Once accepted, set your hourly rates and customize your service listings.
You’ll get job notifications through the app, and after completing a task, invoice your client directly. Pay averages range from $50 to $130 per job.
18. UserTesting
UserTesting pays people to test digital products—apps, sites, or brand content—and give their honest feedback. You’ll be assigned tasks and record a video showing how you navigate the experience.
Each 20-minute test pays $10, and payment is made to your PayPal account seven days after task completion.
To apply, you must be over 18 and fluent in English. After submitting a sample video, you’ll wait for approval and receive test invitations via email.
19. Fancy Hands
Fancy Hands hires U.S.-based virtual assistants to handle basic remote tasks—calling companies, making reservations, or researching services. Pay starts at $3–$7 per task, and workers get paid every other Tuesday.
High performers may be promoted to manage assistant teams. You set your own hours and work from home using the Fancy Hands platform.
20. CrowdTap
CrowdTap rewards users for offering opinions on products and brands. You’ll answer questions and occasionally get free items to review.
Each response earns points. Once you collect 1,000 points, you can redeem them for a $5 gift card (e.g., Amazon). CrowdTap is well-reviewed by users, including many Reddit communities.