Want to make money as a teenager but not sure what you’re actually allowed to do? This guide covers 12 realistic ways, split into local jobs you can start this week and online options that work with a parent’s help. For each one you’ll see the minimum age, what the platform’s rules say, and how to get your first paying customer.
Some phone apps also pay, but many have age limits, so read each one’s rules first. My list of money making apps is a place to start.
One thing most lists skip: many popular apps and freelance sites don’t allow under-18s to open their own accounts. The ages below come from each platform’s own help pages as of September 2026, and the work-hour rules are for the US. If you live elsewhere, check your country’s rules for young workers.
Ways to Make Money as a Teenager at a Glance
| Idea | Minimum age | What you need | Time to first money |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babysitting | No legal minimum for casual babysitting (US) | A first-aid course helps | 1–2 weeks |
| Pet sitting and dog walking (for neighbors) | No legal minimum when you work directly for neighbors | Reliability, references | 1–2 weeks |
| Lawn care, leaf raking, snow shoveling | No legal minimum for casual yard work | Basic tools | Days |
| Tutoring younger students | No legal minimum for private tutoring | Good grades in one subject | 1–2 weeks |
| Car washing and detailing | No legal minimum when done informally | Buckets, sponges, products | Days |
| Tech help for neighbors | No legal minimum | Patience, basic tech skills | 1–2 weeks |
| A part-time job | 14 in most US jobs, with hour limits until 16 | Work permit in some states | 2–4 weeks |
| YouTube channel | 13 to have an account; monetization through a parent’s AdSense | Camera or phone, editing app | Months |
| Selling crafts on Etsy | 13–17 only through a parent’s account | A product and photos | 1–2 months |
| Selling services on Fiverr | 13–17 only through a parent’s account | One skill, parent supervision | 2–6 weeks |
| Online surveys (Swagbucks) | 13, with parent permission encouraged | Spare time | Days, small amounts |
| Reselling things you own | Varies by app; many need an adult account holder | Items you no longer use | Days |
Age Rules to Know Before You Make Money as a Teenager
- Working for a business: in the US, 14 is generally the minimum age for most non-farm jobs. According to the US Department of Labor, 14- and 15-year-olds can work no more than 3 hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (9 p.m. from June 1 to Labor Day). At 16 and 17 there are no federal hour limits, but hazardous jobs are still off-limits.
- Working for yourself: casual babysitting, yard work and odd jobs for neighbors are generally outside those federal rules, which is why they are the easiest way to start at 13 or 14.
- Online platforms: most require you to be 18. Some, like Etsy and Fiverr, allow 13- to 17-year-olds only if a parent or guardian owns and supervises the account.
- Your state or country may be stricter. Some US states require work permits for under-18s, so check your state’s labor department before taking a job.
Local Ways to Make Money as a Teenager
Local jobs are the fastest way to make money as a teenager because you don’t need an app, an account or anyone’s approval except the customer’s. Start with people your family already knows.
1. Babysitting
Parents are always looking for someone reliable for evenings and weekends. A babysitting or first-aid course, such as those run by the Red Cross, makes parents much more comfortable hiring a teen. Start with family friends and ask each family for a short reference you can share with the next.
2. Pet Sitting and Dog Walking
Walking dogs or feeding pets while neighbors are away is steady, repeat work. Note that apps like Rover require sitters to be at least 18, so at 13 to 17 you’ll find customers directly: neighbors, family friends and local community groups your parents are part of.
3. Lawn Care, Leaf Raking and Snow Shoveling
Seasonal work that neighbors are happy to pay for. Use your family’s tools to start, and offer a regular weekly slot rather than one-off jobs so you earn every week of the season.
4. Tutoring Younger Students
If you’re strong in math, a language or an instrument, younger kids’ parents will pay for help with homework or practice. Most tutoring websites require adult tutors, so find students through your school, a younger sibling’s classmates or family friends.
5. Car Washing and Detailing
Buckets, sponges and a few good products are enough. Offer a simple menu (outside wash, inside clean, both) and ask happy customers to tell their neighbors.
6. Tech Help for Neighbors
Setting up a new phone, fixing Wi-Fi, organizing photos or explaining an app is worth real money to people who find tech frustrating. Work with a parent’s knowledge and never ask for anyone’s passwords.
7. A Part-Time Job
From 14, many employers such as restaurants, shops and cinemas hire teens, with the hour limits described above until you turn 16. A regular job teaches skills that side hustles don’t, and the money is predictable.
Online Ways to Make Money as a Teen (With a Parent’s Help)
Most online ways to make money as a teenager need a parent or guardian to own the account. That isn’t a workaround; it’s what the platforms require, and it protects you.
8. Start a YouTube Channel
You need to be 13 to have a YouTube account. To earn from ads before you’re 18, YouTube says your channel must be linked to an AdSense account owned by a parent or guardian. Growing a channel takes months, so pick a topic you’d happily make videos about every week.
9. Sell Crafts or Digital Designs on Etsy
Etsy allows sellers aged 13 to 17 only when a parent or legal guardian owns the account and supervises it, and all billing information must be the parent’s, according to Etsy’s minors policy. Jewelry, stickers, art prints and Canva templates are popular starting points.
10. Sell a Skill on Fiverr
Fiverr doesn’t allow under-18s to open their own accounts. Teens aged 13 to 17 can offer services only through an account owned by a parent or guardian, with a note in the profile that the service is provided by a minor under parental management, per Fiverr’s guide for minors. Good starter services are simple video edits, thumbnails and basic graphics. Other freelance sites, including Upwork, require users to be 18.
11. Online Surveys
Swagbucks lets users join from age 13 and encourages teens to get a parent’s permission first. Expect small amounts, usually in gift cards; it’s spare-change money, not a real income.
12. Resell Things You No Longer Use
Clothes, games and gear you’ve outgrown can be sold through a parent’s account on resale apps or at a local yard sale. Many resale apps require an adult account holder, so do this together.
Freelance Writing Jobs for Teens: What’s Actually Allowed
Freelance writing jobs for teens exist, but not where most lists send you. Upwork requires users to be at least 18, according to Upwork’s eligibility rules, and Fiverr lets 13 to 17 year olds work only through an account owned by a parent or guardian, per Fiverr’s account rules. So the realistic options are local, supervised or competitive:
- Write for businesses you already know. A family friend’s shop, a local café or a club may pay for social media captions, product descriptions or a short newsletter. Agree on a fixed price per piece before you start, and keep a parent in the loop.
- Offer writing or proofreading on Fiverr through a parent’s account. Short blog posts, proofreading and caption packs are the easiest services to start with (see idea 10 above).
- Enter writing contests with prizes. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards offer scholarships such as $500 Best-in-Grade awards and portfolio scholarships of up to $12,500 for high school seniors, according to the awards’ scholarship page. Check eligibility for your grade and country before entering.
- Build a portfolio now, get paid later. School newspaper articles, a personal blog run with a parent, or pieces for a local organization become the samples that land paid work once you turn 18.
Two things to avoid. Never write other students’ essays or assignments for money: it’s academic cheating, and many “essay writing” gigs aimed at teens are exactly that. And never write fake product reviews: they’re deceptive, and the FTC’s rule on fake reviews bans businesses from buying or selling them. When you’re ready to go further, our guide to starting a freelance writing career covers the next steps.
Safety Checklist for Parents: Helping Teens Make Money Online and Locally
If your teen wants to make money, these rules keep it safe:
- Own the accounts. For any app or marketplace, the account, payment details and ID verification should be yours, as most platforms require.
- Know every customer. For local jobs, meet new families or neighbors first, and keep a list of where your teen is working and when.
- No personal details online. No home address, school name or personal phone number in profiles or videos.
- Never pay to work. Legitimate jobs don’t charge a fee to start. “Pay to join” offers and requests to buy gift cards are scams.
- Payments go through you. Use your account or a teen debit card you control, and never share login details.
- Keep school first. Agree on a weekly hour limit before your teen starts.
What to Do With Money From Jobs for Teens
Earning is the easy part; keeping it is the habit that matters. Save a fixed share of every payment before spending anything, and track what you earn from each job so you know which one is worth your time.
Taxes apply to teens too. In the US, if you earn $400 or more in net self-employment income in a year (babysitting, lawn care, Fiverr and similar), you generally need to file a tax return and may owe self-employment tax. A parent can help, and the IRS has plain-language guidance on this.
FAQ: Making Money as a Teenager
How can a 13-year-old make money?
The easiest options at 13 are local jobs for neighbors and family friends: babysitting, pet sitting, dog walking, yard work and car washing. Online, a 13-year-old can use Etsy or Fiverr only through a parent-owned account, and join Swagbucks with a parent’s permission.
Can a 14-year-old get a real job?
Yes. In the US, 14 is generally the minimum age for most non-farm jobs. Until 16, federal rules limit work to 3 hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (9 p.m. in summer).
How can a teenager make money online without a parent?
In most cases you can’t, and that’s by design. Most platforms that pay money require an adult account holder, and Upwork, Rover and many others require users to be 18. Ask a parent to set up and own the account with you.
Do teenagers have to pay taxes on side hustle income?
In the US, generally yes once net self-employment income reaches $400 in a year, even for teens. Earnings from a regular job are handled through the employer. A parent or tax preparer can help you file.
What is the easiest way to make money as a teenager?
Offer a simple service to people your family already knows, such as babysitting, dog walking or yard work. You don’t need an app, and your first customer can come from one conversation.
Can a teenager do freelance writing?
Yes, but mostly locally or with a parent. Upwork requires users to be 18, and Fiverr allows 13 to 17 year olds only through a parent-owned account. Teens can write for local businesses they know, enter writing contests with prizes, and build a portfolio for paid work later.
Related reading: best gig apps and side hustles that pay daily.
Your Next Step
The best way to make money as a teenager is to start small. Pick one idea from the local list, tell three neighbors or family friends what you offer and what you charge, and do the first job really well. That’s how every teen side hustle starts.
Writes and tests every guide on hustle&passive. Everything here is something we have actually run — including the parts that did not work.
