What if I told you that you can make some extra cash just by texting people in your spare time? You read that right. You can get paid to text.
If you’re looking for a great side hustle to increase your income, the most challenging part can be taking the first step. After all, most people are already working, and we all have other responsibilities as well. The mere idea of adding something else to our growing list of to-do items can seem overwhelming.
The fact is, we all carry around our smartphones with us everywhere we go, so why not put those expensive devices to work? Let’s dive in.
Where can I get paid to text someone?
The ways to get paid to text are nearly countless, especially when you start thinking about how you can help other people with their businesses. However, you don’t have to work with anyone else to make money texting. In short, there are three basic ways to make money texting.
- Receive texts
- Send texts
- Text with strangers
Below, we’ll go over some of the most popular and profitable ways to make money texting.
Want to find other ways to make money with your phone? Here are our top picks for the best money-making apps out there:
- Swagbucks (includes a free $5 welcome bonus) – great for making money by playing games, watching videos and more
- Ibotta (includes a massive free $20 welcome bonus) – our favorite cashback app to get money back on things you’d be buying anyway, like groceries
- MyPoints (includes a free $5 welcome bonus) – an app with a huge range of money making opportunities
- SurveyJunkie – our pick for the highest paying survey app
1. As a virtual assistant
One of the most straightforward ways to make money texting is by working as a freelancer or employee of someone who runs a business. The great thing about being a virtual assistant is that you can work anywhere in the world.
Virtual assistants assist people with administrative tasks, social media, business development, marketing, and more. In fact, check out this list of 275+ services that VAs can offer.
And a common task handled by virtual assistants is communicating with customers, which is often done by texting and exchanging messages.
Find out more about how to become a virtual assistant here.
- The fastest way to get started as a VA
- How to get the right clients to start earning money ASAP
- The one thing most VAs miss when they first start out
2. As a virtual friend
Have you ever had a friend who you only knew because of the internet or social media? Most of us have friends who we’ve never met in real life and that doesn’t mean they’re not “real friends.” A virtual friendship can be just as real and rewarding as our friendships with people we see every day in the flesh.
Just because a friendship is virtual doesn’t mean they’re true friends. In some cases, you can actually be paid to be someone’s friend. But how does this work?
People sign up on a friendship site looking to meet people and find a friend. Then, they search the site and find people who seem like someone they would like to be friends with. Essentially, you will get paid to be someone’s online companion.
See how to become an online friend here.
Why would someone want a virtual friend?
There are numerous legitimate reasons as to why someone might be willing to pay to find a virtual friend, and none of them have to do with someone just not being able to find friends the traditional way. Here are some examples of folks who might be interested in meeting virtual friends.
- People who have recently relocated to a new area
- Introverted people who find in-person socializing difficult and exhausting
- Individuals who find it challenging to leave their home because of mental health issues like agoraphobia or anxiety
- People who are trying to learn a foreign language and need a native speaker to converse with
- Online gamers
- People who want a friend to do activities with like baking or watching a movie
One thing to keep in mind is that a paid virtual friend is completely platonic and shouldn’t be confused with more “adult” services, like some of the adult texter jobs, or even dating, and you can definitely make money texting as a virtual friend. Moreover, this should be viewed in a positive light.
3. McMoney
First of all, McMoney is only available for Android devices. To get started with McMoney, you sign up with a free app on your phone. When you sign up with McMoney, companies from everywhere will occasionally send you texts.
The purpose behind these texts is so that the companies that text you can improve their SMS marketing. Instead of spending their entire ad budget sending out untested texts, they are willing to pay to test their SMS marketing messages on real people like you.
How much can you make with McMoney? The companies pay about $0.05 for every text. Although this isn’t a huge amount of money, it can add up quickly.
4. ispyplates
The good thing about ispyplates is that it’s friendly to more types of phones instead of just iOS or Android. This app pays users from all over the United States to just receive text messages. The company believes firmly in the future of SMS marketing.
One reason they’re so committed to this type of marketing is that SMS marketing has about a 90% read rate.
Think about it: When a text comes to your phone, you check who it’s from, right? As soon as you get the alert, you look at your phone. Maybe ispyplates is onto something.
One benefit of ispyplates is that you get paid for receiving texts even if you don’t actually open or read the texts. Also, you can unsubscribe at any time. The texts come from companies like McDonald’s and Groupon.
This company doesn’t share its pay rate, but some reviewers say that they’re making between $200 to $300 per month.
Looking for other tips to make money on your phone? How about:
5. Fiverr
Fiverr made a name for itself by allowing freelancers of all types to offer gigs for $5. Since those early days, however, things have changed at Fiverr. While you can still get some services for $5, many freelancers make a full-time living on Fiverr.
To get started as a Fiverr freelancer, you have to sign up for an account and then create your first “gig.” From there, clients can find you in search and hire you for whatever they need you to do.
Be sure to optimize your gigs so that you will show up in searches related to what you’re offering. For example, if you want to be a “virtual friend” or have a “virtual relationship,” be sure to put that in your gig listing.
How much you earn on Fiverr is completely up to you because you can set your own rates. You can even offer the basic $5 gig and more expensive gigs for more in-depth services like a phone call or video call.
Fiverr gigs where you can get paid to text
Here are some gig ideas to get paid to text on Fiverr.
Translating text messages for people
- SMS marketing
- Handling customer issues for clients
- Sending reminder texts
- Sending motivational texts
- Selling your expertise or advice
One word of caution: Be sure to create a separate phone number like Google Voice or Skype so that you don’t have to give out your actual phone number.
6. The Free Eats Network
The Free Eats Network is similar to McMoney. Large companies pay users to receive their marketing text messages. To get started with this app, you have to register your phone number.
Once you’re registered, you will start receiving random links and advertisements from companies. It’s a great way of generating a little cash flow for doing nothing at all.
The Free Eats Network pays via PayPal instantly. So as soon as you get the text, you’ll get paid. The pay is about $0.25 cents per text and that can add up.
However, you’ll only receive about two texts a week with this app, so it’s not going to pay the rent. Also, how many texts you get can depend on factors like demographics and location. However, The Free Eats Network is another tool in your money-making arsenal.
Swagbucks
Free sign-up bonus: $10
A great app for making extra money, including with cash back from online shopping, watching videos, playing games and more.
And given it’s paid out over $550 million through Amazon, Paypal and other gift cards, it’s 100% legit.
7. 1Q
This is a company that pays users for responding to questions or statements they send. What are they sending to users? It can be any of the following.
- Offers
- Coupons
- Market research questions
You can receive messages from 1Q through the app or through your phone. It’s all about whatever works best for you. When you sign up, you’ll fill out a brief demographic form that will match you with companies that want to send texts to you.
The offers or questions are called “Askverts” and each one pays between $0.25 and $0.50 per response. The company pays you through PayPal directly after you answer the questions. One huge benefit to 1Q is that there’s no minimum amount you have to make before requesting a payout.
This company works with both iOS and Android users.
8. IMGR
Similar to 1Q, IMGR is a bit more complex, but they’re still an excellent money-earning option. IMGR is available to iOS users only at this time, and it essentially replaces your current texting platform, but it puts money into your pocket. There is a downside to using IMGR: There will be ads in the app.
To start making money with IMGR and get paid to chat, you send messages to other members, so you will have to ask the people in your circle to sign up as well. However, a lot of people will be willing to text on the app with you because they’ll be making money, too.
To get paid with IMGR, the company will send money to your PayPal once you’ve reached the minimum payout of 300 texts (300 points). This is about $3. Also, they have a maximum cap, and you can only earn $20 per month through the app.
One exception is that if you’re a premium member, you can make up to $40 per month.
Related: 39 Legit Ways to Make $20 Instantly
9. KGB
If you don’t like giving out your personal information, this one may not be the best choice for you. The acronym “KGB” plays on the same acronym for the Russian secret service intelligence agency by the same name. When you sign up for KGB (the app, not the Russian agency), you’re known as a “special agent.”
If you have the KGB app, you answer text questions that help other companies. But why is it considered to be riskier? For one thing, the app is only open to people in the U.S., and they ask for proof of residence and things like your Social Security number.
Obviously, most people don’t want to give out that kind of sensitive information, and we don’t blame you for that. However, if you do decide to use the company, you’ll be required to go through a screening process once they confirm your residency. KGB wants people with strong communication and research skills.
For pay, you can expect to make between $0.05 and $0.10 for every question you answer. For the higher-paying questions, you have to research and come up with your own answer. If you use the built-in answer they provide, you get the lower rate.
KGB deposits to bank accounts.
Related: 15 Best Odd Job Apps to Make Extra Cash
10. Fibler
This is a great app for people who love to answer questions and help other people. When you use Fibler, you help strangers find the answers to the questions they present to you. To do this, you choose your areas of expertise, such as business, fitness, finances, and more.
One great thing about Fibler is that you are able to set your own rates. Doing this is an excellent way to dive into this business and learn the ropes. Naturally, the higher your rates are, the fewer customers you will have.
While you may not see a lot of cash flow in the beginning, over time you can actually build out a good fan base, especially if you have expertise in a specific field.
Ibotta
Free sign-up bonus: $20
Ibotta’s a completely free app that gives you cash back on what you’re buying already – groceries, medicine, clothes and more.
In fact, users make $150 per year on average – not including your free $20 welcome bonus – with over $682 million having been paid out, so you know Ibotta is definitely legit.
11. Hummr
This app works in a way that’s similar to Fibler, so if you enjoy helping people, you will like Hummr. To use this app, Hummr will connect you to people who need answers to simple questions. Then, you’ll be paid to answer questions in your areas of expertise.
To get started, you will first set up an account that people using the app can find. Like Fibler, you can set your own rates and have your own business.
Even better, you get to choose how you answer the questions. You can respond via text or in video chats. The more options you offer, the more money you can make.
Related: 39 Genuine Options if You Need Money Today for Free
12. JustAnswer
With JustAnswer, you can get paid by simply answering questions. Most of the people who ask questions on this platform are attorneys, mechanics, doctors, engineers, and more. Because of this, they want professional responses.
Most answers will happen with a chat, but sometimes they want phone or webcam chats.
For every question you answer, you can earn between $5 and $30.
Related: 18 Legit Apps With Games That Pay Instantly to Your PayPal Account
13. FlirtBucks
Did you ever think you would be able to make money by flirting? If you’re able to communicate in a flirty way, FlirtBucks may be right up your alley. For the most part, FlirtBucks needs women who can chat with men.
FlirtBucks is becoming more popular for those looking for adult texter jobs, and it can be a good fit for someone who is comfortable in this arena. To get started, you have to create an account, and their only big requirement is that you have to be 18 years old and have a working computer with a webcam (for video chats). There are a few more requirements are:
- Official ID for age verification
- Webcam if you’re going to do video chats to earn more money
- Typing speed of minimally 40 words per minute
- Fluent in English
- Pleasant conversation skills
Other than that, it’s easy to get started.
Related: 22 Legit Ways to Get Paid to Read Emails
Benefits of FlirtBucks
Once you sign up, you’ll be given the “Chat Hostess” title, and you can start flirting immediately. It’s that simple. They do have the option for you to make a call, but most of the flirting is done by chat.
One significant benefit of working with FlirtBucks is that you get to make your own hours. Another benefit is that you have total control over who you chat with, so you’re never stuck with someone who is making you uncomfortable. You can choose to flirt only by text or you can opt to do video chats, which pays more.
Payment comes from FlirtBucks via PayPal twice a month.
Is FlirtBucks legit?
Most people who have researched FlirtBucks agree that the site is legitimate for women who like to flirt with men via text or video chat. It’s not a dating website or an adult website. It is actually a site where you can get paid to flirt.
One thing that it’s important to point out is that FlirtBucks discourages nudity. They encourage their workers to engage in playful, friendly, and flirtatious interactions and conversations. In fact, the company frequently reminds Chat Hostesses that they’re in full control of the chat.
If a chat becomes too graphic and the Chat Hostess starts to become uncomfortable, they can close an open chat session.
To maintain an active Chat Hostess account, you just have to accumulate minutes consistently within pay periods that are consecutive. Every pay period is two weeks in length. As long as you come online enough to log a few minutes every two weeks, your account will remain active.
Related: 11 Legit Ways to Sell Feet Pics Online to Make Easy Money
How much can you make with FlirtBucks?
If you’re wanting to get paid to text, you will make $0.10 per minute during the first three months with FlirtBucks. When you reach your third month, you will bump up to $0.12 cents per minute, and at month six, you’ll start earning $0.15 cents per minute.
To maximize your earnings, you can chat with two or more clients at once (which is also the case with other adult texting jobs on this list).
FlirtBucks video chats
In the first three months of working with FlirtBucks, you can earn $0.40 per minute if you do video chats. However, the real money is when you stay with FlirtBucks long-term. After the first three months, you will earn $0.45 per minute if you’re doing the video chat sessions.
When you reach month six, you will start earning $0.50 per minute doing video chats on FlirtBucks.
14. Phrendly
With Phrendly, you can flirt through phone calls, text, and video calls. The best thing about doing this through Phrendly is that you don’t have to give out your personal phone number. For the clients, Phrendly is a good option because they don’t have to face real-life rejections, which no one enjoys.
One good way to think about Phrendly is that it’s similar to a “paid Tinder.” It works in a way that’s very similar to Tinder in that you swipe right or left. However, the difference is that if someone likes your profile, they can initiate texting and that’s when you start making money.
How much can you make with Phrendly?
With Phrendly, timely replies are important. If you reply within 24 hours of the person texting you, you get paid $0.35 for every text message. Phrendly pays through a U.S. bank account, and you can cash out once you reach $10.
Keep in mind that whoever is the first to initiate contact is the person who pays, so you want to be sure you wait for them to text you first.
How can I make a lot of money on Phrendly?
Since replying within 24 hours of receiving a text will earn you the most money, it’s important to stay on top of your messages on Phrendly. Moreover, the more you can keep them engaged, the more money you’ll make. Keep them replying and the cash will pile up.
Another way to make lots of money with Phrendly is by accepting video calls or phone calls. For audio calls, you can set your own rates and charge up to $48 per hour. For video calls, you can earn up to $66 per hour, and your cut is 70% of that.
15. Texting Factory
Texting Factory is another company where you can get paid to text in a more adult texter job, shall we say.
When you sign up, you’ll be paired up with a coach who will talk you through what’s expected of you. You’ll then be expected to send 50 messages within your first 24 hours as a way for Texting Factory to see if you’re up to scratch. From there, they’ll let you know if they agree to you staying on with them.
Having to send 50 messages may sound like a lot, but they’re apparently quite short. In fact, some people report online being able to get through all 50 in about an hour.
How legit is Texting Factory?
Be careful with signing up with Texting Factory. While they are a legitimate company, there are a number of complaints online, especially on Reddit, about them. In particular, many people report the system not recording that they sent their allocated messages, meaning no pay despite doing the work.
Other people also say that they were rejected for no reason or are simply kicked out of Texting Factory without any explanation for which rule they apparently broke.
You should also take a look at Texting Factory’s profile on Trustpilot. It’s a mixed bag, with some of the reviews being very positive and others, well, not.
Can you make money by texting people?
There is definitely money to be made by texting people. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to make some cash from your phone. It all depends on exactly what you want to do via text and how much time you can dedicate to trying to get paid to text.
That is, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that some of the more adult texting jobs will pay more than those that are aimed more at marketing or consumer research.
At the same time, not everyone will be comfortable with some of these, so it’s perfectly fine to want to focus more on the latter. And even if you do that, you can definitely get paid to text with some extra cash for your budget.
How much can you make when you get paid to text?
You can make anything from $1 to $6 per texting minute, with people reporting average earnings of around $15 per hour when you’re getting paid to text. Some applications do pay much less than this, down to approximately $7 an hour, although others will pay up to about $30 an hour.
Clearly, the amount of money you can get paid to text varies, with it largely depending on the service or app you’re using. Also, the pay rate can vary based on your location and demographic. Of course, it also depends on how much time you’re willing to devote to texting people or receiving texts.
While you’re probably not going to get rich from texting for money, it can supplement your income or provide some spending cash. The fact is, since most of us spend a lot of time on our phones anyhow, we may as well be making money for it.
Related: 27 Legit Ways to Make $200 a Day Online – Guaranteed
What app pays you to respond to messages?
Apps like McMoney, 1Q, The Free Eats Network and many others app you to respond to messages. All you have to do is send a text back with the requested information and you’ll earn some cash from this.
There are tons of apps that can help you get paid to text, and we’ve gone over the top ones in this article. We suggest trying a few different methods and finding one that works well for you.
Texting may not be a dream job, but if you’re patient and tenacious, it can pay off. Furthermore, it is a legitimate work-from-home job that fits into the schedules of many people, like those in the military who want to make extra money.
Final thoughts on getting paid to text
There are a bunch of legit ways to get paid for chatting by phone, allowing you to make money with your cell phone by texting.
And as we mentioned, as you’re probably using your phone all day anyway, why not use it to earn some extra cash?
Sure, you won’t become a millionaire from this. But it’s a great way to use any time you’re wasting on your phone as a way to get a few extra dollars.
So if you find yourself scrolling through Instagram mindlessly on the way to work or have a constant stream of TikTok videos on your phone that you’re not actually watching, maybe jump over to one of the apps on this list and give your income a bit of a boost.