In a world where online opportunities are multiplying, making money has never been so accessible.
Whether you're looking to supplement your income, generate passive income or simply monetise your free time, there are a number of avenues open to you.
Far from making unrealistic promises, we take a look at the 10 simplest and most reliable ways to make money easily, without the need for major investment or complex technical skills.
| Rank | Method | Short description | Benefits | Disadvantages |
| 1 | Affiliate marketing | Promote products/services and earn commission on sales. | Potential for passive income, low start-up costs, no stock management. | Requires traffic, variable income, dependence on advertisers. |
| 2 | Paid surveys and product testing | Giving your opinion on products, services or concepts in return for payment. | Very easy, accessible to all, no skills required, flexible hours. | Low and irregular income, risk of spam, sometimes a long time to reach the payment threshold. |
| 3 | Micro-services (Freelancing) | Sell small services (copywriting, design, translation) on dedicated platforms. | Flexibility, rapid monetisation of existing skills, choice of assignments. | High levels of competition, need for discipline, income dependent on time invested. |
| 4 | Resale of second-hand items | Sell items you no longer need on online platforms. | Immediate money, less clutter, good for the environment. | Searching for the item, negotiating the price, platform costs, shipping logistics. |
| 5 | Dropshipping | Sell products online without managing stock or shipping. | Low initial investment, broad product catalogue, scalability. | Strong competition, dependence on suppliers, low margins, after-sales management. |
| 6 | Rental of goods | Rent out goods (rooms, cars, tools, clothes) to private individuals. | Potential passive income, monetisation of existing assets, flexibility. | Property wear and tear, schedule management, insurance, trust with the tenant. |
| 7 | Cashback and sponsorship | Recover a percentage of your purchases or earn bonuses by inviting friends. | Automatic gains on current purchases, no extra effort. | Low individual income, withdrawal thresholds, eligibility conditions. |
| 8 | Virtual assistance | Offer remote administrative, technical or creative services. | Flexibility, autonomy, development of office/organisational skills. | Requires specific skills, customer management, competition. |
| 9 | Transcription and data entry | Convert audio files into text or enter information. | Easy to get started, no advanced skills required (but precision required). | Repetitive tasks, often low pay per word/task, tight deadlines. |
| 10 | Sale of digital products | Create and sell e-books, training courses, templates, photos and music. | High margins, potential passive income, no physical stock. | Requires creative skills, marketing, strong competition. |
Affiliate marketing consists of promoting the products or services of other companies and earning a commission on each sale generated thanks to your unique link. It's a way of earning passive income once your content (blog, social networks, YouTube channel) is well established and relevant. The advantage is that you don't have to manage stock, delivery or customer service, but it does take time to build a committed audience.
If you're looking for something quick and easy, paid surveys and product testing are an option. Platforms pay you to give your opinion on questionnaires or to test new products in your own home. Earnings per task are generally low, but accessibility is total and time flexibility maximum. It's a good way to earn a few extra euros in your spare time.
Microservices platforms allow you to quickly monetise specific skills, even if they are basic (writing short texts, simple photo retouching, creating basic logos, managing social networks). You offer your services and customers contact you. This is an excellent way to get started quickly, because the skills are varied and demand is constant. Flexibility is a major advantage.
Sorting through your wardrobes can turn into real money. Selling clothes, electronics, books, furniture or other items you no longer need on platforms such as Vinted, Leboncoin or eBay is a quick way to earn money. It's simple, environmentally friendly and helps to clear up clutter in your living space while generating income.
Dropshipping is an e-commerce model where you sell products without physically having them in stock. When a customer places an order on your online shop, the supplier ships the item directly to the customer. This considerably reduces the initial investment and risks, and allows you to offer a wide catalogue of products. However, competition is fierce and customer service management can be complex.
Monetising your dormant assets is an effective way of generating income easily. Whether it's renting out a spare room on Airbnb, your car on sharing platforms, DIY tools, evening wear or even parking spaces, you can turn your unused assets into sources of passive income. It takes a bit of organisation, but the rewards can be significant.
Cashback allows you to recoup some of the money you spend on online purchases, while sponsorship rewards you for inviting new people to use a service or product. These are passive methods that don't require any extra effort and generate small sums that add up over time, perfect for additional income with no strings attached.
If you are organised, rigorous and have a good command of office automation tools, becoming a virtual assistant is a profitable option. You can provide administrative, technical, commercial or creative support services remotely for entrepreneurs, small businesses or individuals. It's a flexible profession that allows you to work from anywhere and to make the most of your organisational and communication skills.
Audio transcription (converting recordings into text) and data entry (entering information into databases) are relatively simple and accessible tasks that can be carried out from home. Although the pay per job can be modest, these activities do not require advanced technical skills and offer great flexibility, ideal for making ends meet.
If you have particular expertise or creativity, selling digital products is a very lucrative option. This includes creating and selling e-books, online training courses, templates (for websites, social networks), photos, music or designs. Once the product has been created, it can generate high levels of passive income, as margins are high and there is no physical stock management.
Yes, it is entirely possible to earn money easily on the internet, but the notion of "easily" varies. Some methods require little effort and generate small incomes (surveys, cashback), while others (dropshipping, affiliation) can generate larger incomes but require more time, learning and strategy to get started. Perseverance is often the key.
No, not necessarily for all methods. Activities such as paid surveys, second-hand sales or cashback require no technical skills. For others, such as dropshipping or affiliate marketing, basic skills in digital marketing or using platforms can be useful, but are often acquired through simple tutorials.
To make money quickly, the most effective methods are often those that monetise existing goods (second-hand resale, rental of goods) or direct skills (micro-services, virtual assistance). These activities generally generate short-term income and can be set up quickly.
Yes, most income generated, even additional income, is taxable. It's vital to find out about the legislation in force in your country regarding status (auto-entrepreneur, micro-business) and tax declarations. Failure to declare income can result in penalties.
Yes, there are several methods of generating passive income, i.e. income that continues to come in with a minimum of effort once the initial investment has been made. This is the case with affiliate marketing (once your audience has been established), selling digital products (once the product has been created), or renting out goods (once the system has been set up).
The risk varies depending on the method. Surveys or cashback are virtually risk-free. Dropshipping or affiliate marketing have a limited financial risk but require an investment of time and may not generate any income if the strategy is not right. Caution is always called for, especially when it comes to investment.
For some methods, a minimal investment may be required (e.g. subscription to a platform, advertising for dropshipping). However, many options require no initial financial investment, such as reselling items, paid surveys or certain micro-services. Your main 'investment' will often be your time.
To avoid scams, be wary of unrealistic promises of gains or offers that require a high initial payment for "guaranteed" results. Check the reputation of platforms (Trustpilot reviews, forums), never share sensitive personal information and be wary of pyramid schemes or offers that are too good to be true.
For methods such as paid surveys or second-hand resale, you can see the first earnings within a few days or weeks. For activities such as microservices, income is generated as soon as the tasks are completed. For passive methods such as affiliation or dropshipping, it can take several weeks or months to start generating significant income.
Some of these methods, including dropshipping, well-developed freelancing, selling successful digital products or renting out property on a large scale, can potentially generate enough income to replace a full-time job. However, it usually takes a lot of hard work, perseverance, skill and time to achieve this level of income. They are often envisaged as income supplements at the outset.
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