20 Lucrative Freelance Jobs You Can Work From Home

If you need a job with a flexible work schedule—that is, one that allows you to decide your work hours and does not require you to leave the comfort of your home or your pajamas—then freelancing might just be right for you.

With the increase in the number of remote jobs, building a career from home fully or partially is now a goal for a lot of people. There are tons of project-based jobs that companies hire freelancers for because of the massive cost savings that accrue from not having to hire more full-time employees.

If you’re out to get the highest-paying freelance jobs on the market today, irrespective of whether you’re freelancing part-time or doing it full-time, then you are in the right place. Outlined in this article are 20 lucrative freelance jobs you can work from home this year.

Lucrative Freelance Jobs You Can Work From Home

1. Freelance Writer

A freelance writer is a writer that basically works for himself or herself. They can choose to work for just one client or write for many different publications at a time.

A writer can choose to work as a generalist and cover different topics. There is also the option for them to specialize in one area. In most cases, specialists make more money than generalists since they tend to get more assignments.

If you intend to become a freelance writer, then you should bear in mind that freelancing does require a huge amount of self-reliance – there’s no monthly salary, holiday, or paid sick leave to fall back on. This means that it’s not for everybody.

Depending on your focus, there are quite a few ‘job titles’ to describe what you do. Some of them are as follows:

• Freelance bloggers focus on writing blog posts.
• Content writers write many different types of content including white papers, blog posts, eBooks, and so on.
• SEO writers create highly optimized content to help websites rank on search engines like Google and Bing.
• Content strategists focus on planning out the content on a website to meet certain goals—such as generating leads, improving a website’s engine, positioning a company as a market leader, and so on—before the actual writing happens.
• Freelance web content writers’ main focus is providing content for the web.
• Ghostwriters provide written material such as articles, eBooks, blog posts, website pages, email, white papers, and so on for someone else who is the named author.

Becoming a freelance writer involves at least the following steps:

• Figure Out Your Writing Niche: You need to have some level of interest in the work you do as a freelance writer otherwise you will end up with boring and lackluster work. A good pointer for choosing your niche is to focus on your current interests.
• Create Samples to Build Your Freelance Writing Portfolio: Samples will not only help your own writing but also serve as advertisement pieces that let prospective employers know what you’re capable of. No one will want to hire you if you have no samples showing what you can do.
• Have an Online Presence: You can use your social media platforms to boost your visibility as a writer. There are multiple ways to use social media platforms to your advantage. You can post your achievements and update your bio to give insight into your career.
• Start Pitching: You have the option of going directly to prospective clients or signing up on online job marketplaces like Upwork, Fiverr, SolidGigs, and many others.

2. Copywriter

A copywriter is a person that writes to persuade and influence the reader to take a specific action—in most cases, to purchase a good or service. They have a clear understanding of what drives humans and know how to use words and suggestions to sway the decision-making process in their clients’ favor.

Copywriters write persuasive content that will be used to market and advertise online or in print. The copy they write must give consumers and clients all the necessary information about a particular service or product.

Depending on where they work, there are three main types of copywriters:

• Agency copywriters
• Corporate copywriters
• Freelance copywriters

A freelance copywriter operates with the largest amount of freedom when it comes to the subject matter, project type, and time commitment to their work. Their schedule is highly flexible and they can commit to as many jobs as they can handle.

Copywriters focus on writing captivating content that will end up being distributed across various mediums. The intent of copywriting is to educate, engage and entice the audience or reader to purchase goods or services at some point.

As a copywriter, you will accept a client's advertising brief and come up with ideas that will gain their target audience's attention. You have to pay serious attention to detail and your diction. When you write a copy, every piece has its purpose and every word is there for a reason.

Your work as a copywriter is expected to be error-free and adherent to brand guidelines in areas like the tone of voice and so on. Copywriters tend to work on multiple projects at the same time and must be skilled multitaskers.

You will most likely be expected to write content for emails, direct mail pieces, media campaigns and catalogs, press releases, billboards, advertising flyers, radio advertisements, television plugs, social media ads, and so on.

3. Software Developer

Software developers are the creative masterminds responsible for every software program. They have the technical skills that are needed to build those software programs or oversee the creation of these programs by a team.

Software developers identify the needs of users, build programs that can address those needs, run tests on the new software, and make improvements. Software developers work closely with computer programmers to fill crucial roles in the computer systems, finance, manufacturing, and software publishing industries.

These professionals need to possess extensive technical skills to get the job done. The most sought-after skills for a software developer include knowledge of JavaScript, SQL, Python, Linux, DevOps, software engineering, and Git, just to mention a few.

But having these technical skills alone is not enough to become a software developer. Since the entire essence of developing software is to proffer solutions to problems, software developers need to have great problem-solving skills, teamwork, and like most other jobs, excellent communication skills.

If you want to become a software developer, the first thing you’ll need to do is to get trained in all the vital programming languages. You’ll also need to improve your communication skills and develop a strong work ethic.

Then you must build a portfolio of projects to show clients what you can do, then start pitching to clients. You can use any of the several freelancing platforms available—like Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal, and others—or apply directly to companies.

Whatever you do, never forget to continue upskilling in the latest programming languages and technologies, even when you start getting clients.

4. Social Media Manager

A social media manager is a marketing expert who provides on-demand services that will boost the engagement on their clients’ social media accounts. They are usually a one-man team that works with multiple companies and clients.

It is the responsibility of social media managers to manage their client’s online presence by developing strategies, facilitating customer service, coming up with quality content, analyzing data usage, and managing campaigns and projects.

With freelance social media managers, the social media presence of their clients is entirely their responsibility, although some clients can be more specific about what they want you to do. Here is a list of services commonly offered by freelancer social media managers:

• Copywriting: As a social media manager, you will be required to create a lot of captions, so copywriting is a key responsibility. Freelance social media managers are meant to be good at copywriting since the most effective social media posts are usually short, snappy, and witty. Your clients will expect you to deliver a copy without spelling and grammar mistakes.
• Photography and Design: Another responsibility you will have is to capture and create content for your clients. This is where photography and design skills will come in handy. You can make use of tools like Canva if you are not a photoshop expert.
• Community Management: Many companies hire social media freelancers for aspects of social media management that are more time-consuming, like community management. This involves monitoring inboxes and replying to DMs, interacting with other social media users, engaging with post comments and mentions, and moderating discussions.
• Analysis and Reporting: You will have to provide analysis and reporting on the client’s social channels. As a good social media manager, you will have to deliver monthly reports outlining the results of your work in areas like engagement rates, reach, and audience growth.
• Presentation and Sales: You will have to create a proposal or pitch for all prospective clients and sell your services well to land the gig at your desired rate.

The first step to becoming a freelance social media manager is to educate yourself on what will be required of you, especially if you’re new to the game generally. You will have to build a portfolio. You can start by working on the social media pages of those close to you, possibly even for free.

Also, you have to get the tools that you will use to do the job. You can use tools like Hootsuite to manage multiple social media content streams and MeetEdgar to schedule and automate content posting. These are just a few of the tools you might require for your work as a social media manager.

You’ll need to know what your target audience needs. You’ll have to understand the main problems that companies hire social media managers to fix and have ready solutions to these problems.

5. Graphic Designer

Graphic designers are the visual communicators who are responsible for creating graphical concepts either by hand or through the use of specialized graphic design software. Their ideas inspire, inform, and captivate consumers through the use of physical and virtual art forms such as images, words, or graphics.

As a graphic designer, you must portray the desired message of your clients and effectively express the information that your client is trying to pass across through your designs.

Graphic designers use a combination of art and technology to communicate ideas. They use a variety of design elements to achieve decorative and artistic effects while telling a story. You will have to develop layouts and designs for magazines, advertisements, brochures, corporate reports, and many others.

The end goal for you as a graphic designer is to make your client recognizable and prominent. By using text, images, and a variety of media, you communicate a particular idea or identity to be used in advertising and promotions. Your work will involve fonts, size, shapes, colors, print design, photography, animation, logos, and billboards.

The scope of work for a graphic designer depends on the client they are working for. While some will task graphic designers with everything from selecting photos and typefaces to developing layouts and creating logos, others may choose to focus on just developing logos and layouts alone, for example.

You have the option of specializing in a particular area like motion graphics or print media.

A graphic designer's responsibilities usually start with meeting the clients or the client’s art director to determine the scope of a project they are embarking on. You will have to advise clients on strategies that will help them reach their target audience.

After you have determined the message that the design should portray, you will then move on to develop the graphics and visual images required.

You can choose to collaborate with other graphic designers, writers, marketers, website designers, and business analysts to create products, campaigns, and even websites that match your client’s vision.

It is also best that when you are using text in layouts, you collaborate closely with a copywriter that will help with the wording and determine which words will be put into headlines, paragraphs, lists, or even tables.

6. Logo Designer

Logos are symbols, graphics, signatures, and emblems used by individuals and all kinds of organizations to gain instant recognition. Logo design is a subset of graphic design.

A logo designer, therefore, is the one responsible for creating a mark, signature, or symbol that represents a particular business, organization, brand, or product.

Logo designers are typically professional graphic designers that create brand imagery that is unique and custom to the individual or company that hired them.

A logo designer can choose to either be a freelancer, work under a temporary contract, or be a full-time employee at a design firm or advertising agency. Most Logo designers tend to have experience in other aspects of graphic design, marketing, and advertising.

Before the design process begins, there must be a clear understanding of the concept or motive behind the logo, the company or organization’s brand & values, as well as their target audience.

To be a logo designer, you have to be creative, artistic, and imaginative. You will need strong design skills, but also the willingness to learn new competencies and techniques.

To meet your client’s needs, you need to be able to immerse yourself in your client’s industry. The best way to do this is to conduct thorough research about the industry and delve into the specifics of how the business provides its services.

Research is a core responsibility of logo designers as it is the first step they have to take to deliver exceptional work.

Besides research, the other steps that go into almost all design processes include conceptualization, making draft sketches of the ideas, refining the design, testing, and finally, production of the logo.

If you aspire to become a logo artist, you must also have a thorough knowledge of online media, the ability to multitask, and sometimes work on several projects at a time. You must have a lot of patience, strong interpersonal communication skills, and excellent organizational skills.

7. Financial Modeling Expert

Financial modeling experts find expression for their unique talents in areas such as equity research, investment banking, corporate finance, private equity, corporate development, and lots more.

They take on work that requires them to perform analysis of financial data or transactions, establish the links between financial statements, and perform sensitivity analysis.

Although you will need an understanding of basic accounting concepts since part of your responsibilities would be to prepare investment appraisals for your clients using numerous financial techniques like IRR, NPV, and many more, you don’t need a degree in accounting to learn financial modeling.

You will have to build financial models for your clients based on their historical information and other available operating metrics that are specific to their industry. These financial models will be built in Excel so it is imperative that you have a full understanding of how to use the software.

For all your clients’ investment activities, it is your job to conduct scenario and sensitivity analyses that will help them identify all the key financial and non-financial risks that will be associated with said investments.

You have to ensure that all new financial models adopted by your client are accurate and that they can enhance the quality of older models. For every improvement measure that you deem necessary to improve your clients’ financial structure, you will have to recommend and implement them.

The roles and responsibilities of a financial modeling expert are integral to their clients’ financial prosperity. Thus, it is a job that requires problem-solving ability and time management skills because of how sensitive the role is.

If you intend to become a financial modeling expert, having a background in either mathematics, accounting, or engineering will give you an excellent headstart.

If you don’t have any of those, the best thing will be to start educating yourself about the requirements of the job. You can also decide to take online courses to gain experience in financial modeling.

8. Translator

A translator is someone who translates a material conveyed in one language to another without losing the nuance or literal meaning of the original work.

They are experts in language and communication that read, understand, and convert messages that have been delivered in one language to another.

Translators are usually fluent in two or more languages and they typically work for tourists, expats, and businesses.

You have to keep in mind if you want to become a translator that your success in this field all depends on your ability to maintain the accuracy of facts, messages, and ideas throughout the process.

As a translator, you can choose to work full-time, part-time or you can decide to work remotely as a freelancer. There is also a long list of industries that you can work in like education, government, business, medicine, and many more.

It is important that we note that although translators and interpreters are often used interchangeably, they are not the same. While a translator deals with written messages, an interpreter, on the other hand, converts verbal messages. One can choose to work in both capacities as many interpreters and translators offer similar services.

You will have to do accurate research so you can understand context, cultural references, jargon, expressions, and slang in the languages you work with so that you can use this understanding to translate written content like articles, journals, and books excellently.

To become a translator you will have to be fluent in at least two languages, have received specialized training, and be certified. It is important that you target a specific industry and have enough understanding of the jargon within that industry.

Before you start working as a translator, it makes sense to find out the languages with the highest pay and which areas or industries need them the most.

For example, Spanish translators are in high demand in the US because of the US’ shared border with one of the largest Spanish-speaking countries in the world, Mexico.

In the international market, Mandarin is one of the most in-demand languages for translators and interpreters.

9. Branding Consultant

A branding consultant is a marketing expert that helps companies grow, define, and sharpen their reputation. A company’s brand is a very important driver of its performance and this is why a branding consultant or strategist is important.

These professionals are tasked with multiple roles including developing brand strategies, uncovering meaningful insights, and enhancing the approach of the brand’s communication and design.

Research is an integral part of brand consulting since the majority of key decisions are based on real data—on your client, their business category, and their biggest competitors.

Once you’re done with research, you will have to apply the information gathered and use it to formulate ideas that will be used to redefine or sharpen the mission, values, and purpose of your client’s company. Your ideas will have to help with the unique market positioning of your client against the competition.

From names, logos, and websites, you must offer insights and suggestions that will position a brand for creative development. Your advice should reflect growth in the company’s communication, marketing, experiences, and much more.

To start your journey to becoming a brand consultant, you need to first consider the kind of education you will need or courses you will have to take. Research the steps you need to take and all the skills you need to develop to succeed in this field. You can gather experience through internships or choose to dive right in.

10. Management Consultant

Management consultants are basically problem-solvers. They help solve issues, maximize growth, create value, and improve the performance of businesses.

Management consultants use their skills to provide advice and expertise that will help their clients attain efficiency through the proposed changes pertaining to improvement in the strategy, management, structure, and operations of their business.

You will have to facilitate discussions with the client to discuss areas that need improvements. After this is done, the next step is to define the problems and work out a proposed solution.

At this point, you will have to conduct quantitative research methodologies like data mining, creating financial models, and conducting valuation analysis. You will also perform qualitative analysis like market research to drive the proposed solution.

Then you will use the findings from the analysis to proffer solutions to your client and support the business development activities that stem from these proposed solutions.

As you proceed into this career, you might decide to specialize in a specific industry and position yourself as an expert in that field. You must stay updated on all the changes within the industry you choose and how these changes can affect your clients.

Management consultants can also specialize in specific areas such as:

• Information Technology: These consultants provide and implement meaningful technological solutions for their clients.
• Operations: These consultants ensure that their clients have the guidance they need with regard to business process optimization that will improve operational business capabilities.
• Human Capital: These consultants provide clients with solutions for dealing with any issues that might affect employees.

It can be beneficial to begin your management consultancy career with a financial analyst role because it will help with research, data extraction, and analysis. Project management courses might also be helpful. In all, the important thing before getting into this field is to do proper research.

11. DevOps and Server Expert

A DevOps and server expert is a professional who integrates IT operations into software deployment and management. They ensure that an organization’s DevOps strategy is well implemented.

They usually have a good understanding of the lifecycle of software development and also know the automation tools that should be used for developing CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) pipelines.

Most people who work as DevOps and Server experts can also double as software developers, quality assurance, and IT security experts.

A DevOps and Server expert can easily be found in any industry that supports their business processes with software. They adopt agile software development methodologies and are informed of classical system administration.

The roles and responsibilities covered by a DevOps and Server expert are quite wide. They may choose to assume any of the following roles:

• Software Developer: This is a key section of DevOps and Server expertise. The only difference is that while DevOps software developers share some similar responsibilities with general developers, there are some added responsibilities that include unit testing, deployment, monitoring, and reporting.
• Automation Expert: These are also known as automation architects. In this area, a DevOps and Server expert is equipped with tools that automate the development, testing, and integration of software deployment/upgrades.

A DevOps and Server expert ensures that the software platform of their client functions smoothly at all times and is scalable. They optimize efficiency and accompany the product throughout its entire lifecycle from the prototype, the product launch, and continue even after delivery.

DevOps Engineers further ensure the smooth running of IT services, analyze errors, and document them.

To become a DevOps and Server expert there are a lot of steps you need to take, starting with understanding DevOps principles and frameworks, learning how to apply CI/CD processes, automation, and monitoring tools. Ultimately, you must start with educating yourself and then taking it from there.

12. Photo Editor

If you have an interest in photography and have some facility with photo editing tools, then you should consider starting a career as a photo or picture editor. A photo editor is a professional that selects, positions, and edits photographs that will be used for publication in magazines, newspapers, or books.

They are creative individuals who work with different clients and edit, adjust and sometimes manipulate photos to complement their client’s publication layout, guidelines, and preferences.

The responsibilities of a photo editor depend largely on the industry and the client they are working for. They could work as part of a larger team or even head up a team of their own.

A photo editor in many cases may double as a photographer or collaborate closely with the photographer. They usually determine which photos will best serve their client’s goals and print and present only those photos.

Most people might believe that the best way to become a photo editor is to start as a photographer and while it helps to have some basic understanding of photography, you can choose to focus on photo editing right from the onset.

Get the necessary tools you will need and start experimenting with them. It will also help if you take some courses on photo editing; this will speed up the process for you.

13. Email Marketing Campaign Manager

An email marketing campaign manager is a professional that uses their communication skills to sell their client’s company and increase their brand awareness via email marketing.

They are experts whose usage of email communication, developed marketing strategies, and distribution techniques ensure customer engagement and increase profits.

To ensure the successful execution of email marketing campaigns, they have to fulfill different roles and capacities. First, they are responsible for the design, writing, and technical developments of these email campaigns.

They also have to manage email lists and create an ongoing schedule of content throughout the course of the email marketing campaign. While the campaign is going on, they will have to address any technical issues that may arise. They will have to monitor the performance and make necessary adjustments to get the best result.

At the end of each marketing campaign, the email marketing manager will have to generate and analyze the data from the concluded campaign to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their campaign. With this assessment, they can make better email marketing campaigns in the future.

There are several resources you can make use of on the web if you are interested in email marketing so starting out in this area is not that difficult. You can also look out for videos, articles, and resources tied to famous email marketers.

14. Video Editor

As a video/film editor your job is basically to collect raw video footage and edit them to match the sound, length, and quality required by your client.

Video editors have to pay attention to details like lighting and sound and how they affect the general outcome of the video.

Your duties as a video editor also include splitting or combining raw video clips, adding the best sounds or graphics that will help reach your client’s goals, and checking the final product for mistakes before submitting it for review.

There are different areas to specialize in as a video editor and each of them has its own requirements:

• Film Editor: Film editors usually collaborate with cinematographers, sound engineers, and directors to edit scenes that tell the story they want to convey.
• Television Studio Editor: Television studios use video editors to compile footage for all kinds of TV shows like sitcoms, documentaries, training, music videos, and so on.
• Animator: Animation video editors create moving images for animated television shows, movies, video games, commercials, and the like.
• Broadcast Engineering Technician: A broadcast engineering technician uses special tools and equipment to regulate and strengthen the clarity of sounds and images seen on many TV shows and news stations.

Although it is possible to start a career as a video editor without a degree, most companies will prefer that you have studied any course relating to this field. You can also start creating a portfolio to attract potential employers. Once you add the right tools to an attractive portfolio, you’re pretty much good to go.

15. Social Media Marketing Expert

Social media marketing involves using social media platforms to connect companies to their target audience, build their brand awareness, drive traffic to their website, and increase sales.

A social media marketing expert is a professional responsible for executing, monitoring, measuring, and optimizing the social media presence of their client’s brand, product, or organization.

It is your duty as a social media marketing expert to create and maintain company information, brand promotion, and marketing campaigns for your clients' different social media platforms.

You are responsible for defining, developing, and implementing a social media strategy that helps your client achieve their goals. You are also responsible for all the advertising that will be undertaken on these social media platforms.

Most companies have a budget for social media marketing and it is your responsibility to ensure that they spend their resources in the most effective and efficient way possible since you have a better understanding of the dynamic nature of these social media platforms.

As the social media marketing expert, it is also your job to ensure that there is insightful content being created and adequately distributed for each social media platform. The content on these social media platforms is key to a healthy social media presence and you are tasked with creating content that will drive engagement.

In summary, the online reputation and success of your client are dependent on the decisions you make.

Companies will only appreciate your efforts as their social media marketing expert if they can prove that you get good results. So, you must measure, optimize, and report accordingly.

To become a social media marketing expert, there are tons of resources available online, both free and paid.

When you understand what the job entails, you can volunteer to help smaller organizations at a cheaper rate or at no charge at all. Make sure to include these projects in your portfolio before you start pitching larger organizations.

16. Illustrator

As an illustrator, you create drawings and designs for your clients which may be used for product packaging, on websites, and several other applications.

You can choose to specialize in any of several sub-disciplines, some of which include:

• Editorial and Book Illustrations: This is one of the most common types of illustration. They are editorial works done for magazines, newspapers, blogs, and the like. Large corporations depend on freelancers for their illustrations. They are also used for interior illustrations and book covers.
• Character Design and Concept Art: This type of illustration usually goes hand-in-hand with toys, entertainment art, apparel design, and other product design. Illustrators are contracted by toy companies, entertainment companies, greeting card companies, and many more to breathe life into their projects with their drawings.
• Apparel, Textile, and Product Design: These are usually T-shirt designs and other patterns that are printed on clothes and accessories. Most times, companies will hire a freelancer to work with their internal design team in a combined effort to create unique apparel and product designs.
• Entertainment Art: This covers designs created for comic books, matte paintings made for television shows and movies, or just any entertainment project. It is mostly the art department of these entertainment companies that hire freelancers to meet their deadlines.
• Packaging Illustrations: Illustrations of this type are usually incorporated into the duties of a graphic designer who then collaborates with an illustrator. They are illustrations created for packaging materials.

There are still many other types of illustrators and the companies they work for. There are so many other ways freelance illustrators make money besides working for companies that are reselling their work in one way or another.

While some illustrators have some form of formal education, others are self-taught and some have a mix of the two.

17. Transcriber

Transcribers convert voice recordings, conversations, or presentations into written documents. They listen to audio files and convert them into a transcript of the file as quickly and accurately as possible.

There are various types of transcription jobs available for freelancers today such as general, market research, medical, and legal types of transcription. The requirements for each of these fields vary and while no experience is required to get a job as a general transcriber, other fields have stricter requirements.

For the more specialized types of transcription, like medical transcription or legal transcription, some experience or proper training is a must. This also contributes to why medical transcribers and legal transcribers earn more money.

You might think that the transcription work is easy since it only involves listening to audio files and typing but in reality transcription is quite complicated.

The job requires a high level of commitment and full involvement in the task at hand to ensure that you always produce flawless work.

The level of training, education, or experience you will need to become a transcriber depends on the area you want to specialize in. If you do not have any training or experience it is best to start as a general transcriber and work your way up.

If you intend to go for the higher paying transcription fields like legal or medical transcription, then you will need a certificate or associate degree in either court reporting, legal transcription, or medical transcription.

18. User Experience Designer

User experience (UX) designers’ job is to optimize any interaction between humans and products. It is the job of the UX designer to ensure that customers' interaction with their client’s product or service is easy, effective, and delightful.

The term user experience (UX) refers to all aspects of this interaction from as little as navigating a website to experiencing a physical product or taking advantage of a service.

A good user experience is bound to get loyal customers who’ll recommend your client’s product or service to their friends and family.

More often than not, a user experience expert works on the design of digital products like websites and apps. The exact purpose of hiring a user experience expert varies from client to client but most of the time, the goal is to increase sales and customer engagement.

Some of the tasks and responsibilities you’ll encounter throughout the design process have to do with understanding your clients’ brand so that the solutions you proffer to their problems align with their brand goals.

You also have to conduct user research to identify the needs, goals, behaviors, and pain points of your client’s target audience.

There is also the responsibility of using the information gathered to create a design, site maps, wireframes, or prototypes to help you decide what the final product will look like.

The next step will be to validate your final design by testing it with real users to see how they interact with the product or service.This helps identify the possible problems with the design so that you can develop solutions. Once all this is done you can present the solution to your client.

To become a user experience expert, you have to understand modern design concepts. The best route is to take courses that will help with this field. You should also try to build compelling digital experiences across different mobile and web platforms.

19. Medical Transcriptionist

A medical transcriptionist is a professional who transcribes a doctor's reports from voice recordings into written reports. They might also have to edit medical documents, interpret medical terminologies and abbreviations, and discharge summaries.

Since insurance companies made typed doctor's notes a mandatory requirement to access your health insurance, the demand for medical transcriptionists has increased over the years.

Medical transcription is the way a physician clearly communicates to other healthcare providers, advising them on the state of a patient's health and treatment, ensuring continuity of care.

After a health practitioner performs a procedure on a patient, they will use a voice-recording device to record the information about the patient encounter.

Some physicians use speech recognition software. They ‘train' the program to recognize their speech pattern; the program continuously ‘learns' their spoken words and phrases.

But others use medical transcriptionists to transcribe this information using special formats that depend on the physician's specialty.

These reports may be stored electronically or printed and placed in the patient's file. Taken together, all these transcribed records make up the patient's medical history.

If you want to become a medical transcriptionist, you can choose to complete an accredited certificate program after your high school or GED diploma. Such programs usually take between six months and a year.

Another option would be to earn an accredited two-year or accelerated one-year Associate’s degree.

20. Travel Agent

A travel agent is responsible for making the process of planning vacations or trips easier for their clients and ensuring they experience the best trip possible.

You will have to converse directly with clients to determine and offer the best possible travel destinations, transportation, and accommodation arrangements to suit your client's particular needs. In all, you must keep everything within your client’s budget.

Success in this field depends on information as you’ll need to keep abreast of the details of your client’s travel plans, weather conditions, travel advisories, safety, and the documents required of your client at their destination.

During the slower seasons, you will need to research destinations and learn about the latest offerings of the best travel resorts and locations.

If you enjoy working with people and are passionate about traveling, then being a travel agent may be a great career path for you.

Best Platforms to Find Freelance Jobs Fast

1. Upwork

Best Overall Freelance Marketplace.

Upwork is a marketplace where independent talent and freelancers in fields like writing, graphic design, and web development connect with companies around the globe. This platform helps professionals find suitable projects, communicate with their clients, and get paid.

On Upwork, a company can post a job description and the budget for a project or gig. Freelancers and agencies then bid on the projects and the company conducts interviews with the bidders to find the best candidate for the job.

Pricing

Upwork provides two account types for freelancers which are the Basic and Plus accounts.

• The Basic Plan: This plan is free, but you will be required to purchase Connects to apply to gigs. On this plan, Upwork charges $0.15 per Connect and you can get up to 140 Connects every month.
• The Plus Plan: On this plan, you will be charged $14.99 per month and for this, you get 70 Connects per month, visibility into what price competitors have bid for a job, the ability to customize your profile URL, and the ability to keep your profile visible even when you're inactive.

Pros

• Helps you find clients quickly
• Payment can be collected through their platform
• Provides only credible job opportunities

Cons

• Getting your first job on the platform can be challenging, especially since there are so many other freelancers on the platform and clients generally prefer to hire people with a history of completing work successfully on Upwork

2. Fiverr

Best Freelance Platform for Quick Turnaround Digital Services.

Fiverr connects companies with on-demand freelance professionals offering digital services such as digital marketing, web design, graphic design, programming, and animation.

This online marketplace provides a meeting place for buyers and sellers of digital services to connect; it facilitates transactions for digital services from all over the globe.

The main responsibility of Fiverr is to streamline the process of hiring a freelancer or getting hired as a freelancer.

Fiverr is an excellent option for buyers who need certain digital services done fast and on a budget because it provides a fast turnaround time for contracted gigs.

Freelancers are generally expected to complete a project in 48 hours. And even if their delivery time is delayed, clients are still sure to get whatever service they need in under a week most of the time.

Pricing

Fiverr is free to join for both freelancers and the companies interested in hiring them. Freelancers are expected to pay a commission fee for each gig they are hired for and the fee can either be $1 or 5% of the total price charged.

Pros

• No need to bid for projects
• Brings paying buyers to you
• Provides a broad set of opportunities that will help you challenge yourself

Cons

• Commission are high when compared with other freelancing sites
• Can be confusing for beginners
• Their policies leave your entire freelancing career at the mercy of Fiverr

3. Toptal

Best Freelance Platform for Developers and Financial Experts.

Toptal, which is a name coined from Top Talent, is a freelancing platform that serves as an intermediary between hiring companies and freelancers. The main advantage Toptal offers hiring companies comes from its crop of pre-vetted freelancers.

While other freelance marketplaces let anyone create a profile, Toptal uses its screened database of freelancers to make sure companies hire only the “top 3% of freelance talent”, in their words.

This talent network is known for providing gigs for the top 3% in fields like freelance design, software development, and financial expertise. The platform ensures that when companies need a job done, they will get only the best.

On Toptal, freelancers have to pass various tests for language skills, skill reviews, a live screening, and test projects. Toptal provides trial periods for companies where the freelancer of their choice can work for them for free before they add them to their team.

Pricing

Generally, Toptal is considered more expensive than other less regulated marketplaces like Upwork and Fiverr since both freelancers and their clients pay a service fee to the platform.

The rates attached to the jobs are quite attractive, but since Toptal is responsible for marketing you as a freelancer, they take a cut of what your client pays. This can go as high as 70% of your earnings.

Pros

• There is minimal risk for both employer and freelancer
• Great hiring and onboarding process

Cons

• Generally more expensive than many other freelance platforms
• Does not cover several fields for creative freelancers
• Customer service is not the best

4. Freelancer

Best Freelance Platform for Contests.

Freelancer.com is another freelance website where professionals and companies from around the world collaborate on various projects. Thanks to the wide range of services offered, clients can easily find an expert of any type.

You can sign up as a freelancer or business owner. Signing up as a freelancer will require you to fill out a short registration form in which you provide detailed information about your skills, educational background, and work experience.

In addition to projects, there are many contests for visual or design work. Freelancers can benefit from these contests and earn money and reviews for their profiles.

Every freelancer will receive full payment after completing a job. However, the platform takes 10% of your total earnings for contests and fixed projects. Like most freelance sites, you can choose to use PayPal or wire transfer for withdrawal.

Pricing

Freelance.com offers a 30-day free trial for its two membership plans. The first membership plan is the Basic Plan which costs $4.95 per month. The Plus Plan costs $9.95 per month.

They also collect either 3% or $3 (whichever is greater) for each project you complete as a freelancer.

Pros

• The website is well designed
• Comes with a desktop and mobile app

Cons

• Can be tricky for new users
• Can be potentially expensive

5. SolidGigs

Best Freelance Platform For Curated Freelance Gigs.

SolidGigs is a website that helps freelancers find work. This platform specializes in finding jobs of high quality that are tailored to each freelancer’s individual profile.

With the structure put in place by SolidGigs, freelancers can focus their efforts on trying to get hired by clients that are best suited to them rather than having to search for a job among thousands of options that may not even be up to their standard.

You are provided with daily updates and weekly emails with the top 1% of freelance jobs which depends on the kind of work you tell them you need.

The goal is to save you time; so, instead of searching through nearly 100 different sites looking for freelance work, the SolidGigs team will handpick the best jobs for you.

Despite being relatively new, the site claims to have hundreds of working members whose careers were established through SolidGigs.

Pricing

New freelancers pay $19 per month, but older freelancers who joined the platform before the recent price increase enjoy their services at the previous price of $13 per month.

Pros

• Provides custom job lists
• Provides freelancing information and resources without extra charges
• Owned by a freelancer

Cons

• The price level is quite high
• Poor customer service

6. 99designs

Best Freelance Platform for Designers.

99designs is one of the world’s biggest on-demand online marketplaces that connects a global community of freelance designers with businesses of all sizes that need them to complete their design needs.

This global creative platform makes it easier for designers and clients to work together to create designs they love. Companies are able to inform designers of their needs and these designers will be able to collaborate with their clients to create designs that suit their needs.

99designs is only suitable for designers.

Pricing

99designs has four pricing plans for companies interested in hiring designers on the platform.

The Bronze Plan costs $299 per contest
The Silver Plan costs $499 per contest
The Gold Plan costs $799 per contest
The Platinum Plan costs $1,299 per contest

Pros

• Provides a pricing plan for every budget
• Quick access to suitable jobs
• Comes with a user-friendly interface

Cons

• Expert designers are only available on the Gold and Platinum plans
• Designers don't get proper incentive

7. ProBlogger

Best Freelancing Platform for Content Writers.

ProBlogger is an online job board that is dedicated specifically to content writing jobs. Writers are selected each day on this platform and connected to companies of different sizes in different industries.

This online platform charges companies a small fee for them to post the job requirement each day. Their clients range from bloggers to larger corporations. Between three to ten new jobs are posted on the platform each day. This means that there is a steady stream of content writing jobs for freelancers.

Anyone can choose to apply for the jobs on ProBlogger; however, there is a bigger chance of you getting the job if you are a registered member. Plus you get notified of new jobs before other people.

Pricing

Joining ProBlogger is completely free but there is a premium candidate membership that you will have to pay for.

Pricing is categorized into two and is based on the number of days you are able to afford. They are:

• $15 for 90 days
• $49 for a whole year

Pros

• A simple interface that is easy to use
• Gives equal opportunities to freelancers around the globe

Cons

• Membership packages are quite expensive
• Floods you with hundreds of job openings which makes it hard to filter through them for the right one

8. FlexJobs

Best Freelance Platform for Jobs With Flexible Work Schedules.

FlexJobs is a leading job search website that enables freelancers to go through the catalog of millions of available jobs including remote, work-from-home contracts.

You can rest assured that there is no fear of being scammed here because all jobs are meticulously scanned by the FlexJobs team to filter out junk or scam jobs.

FlexJobs offers its members several benefits like daily mail updates, a company guide on top employers, skill tests that help showcase your skill to potential employers, a referral program, and so much more.

Pricing

FlexJobs does not charge freelancers a commission on each job but you need to pay a subscription fee. The pricing model is as follows:

• $14.95 for a one-month membership
• $29.95 for a three-month membership
• $49.95 for a one-year membership

Pros

• Provides jobs in over 50 different categories
• Filters out scam and junk jobs
• Gives members exclusive deals and discounts

Cons

• No refunds on membership
• Job seekers membership is not free

9. Guru

Best Freelance Platform for Programmers.

Guru connects startups and small businesses to freelancers all over the globe, thereby giving them access to a large pool of skilled candidates that have the skills they need.

The platform lets its users be listed either as a group or individual that can offer services in one of the eight categories that it covers.

It allows businesses to post a job and receive proposals that may fit the job requirements. From there, employers can easily select the freelancer they feel best suits the job requirement.

Pricing

Guru has a free basic plan and three other paid membership plans which are:

• Basic Plus, which costs $11.95 per month
• Professional, which costs $21.95 per month
• Business, which costs $33.95 per month

Pros

• Has a simple and user-friendly interface
• Makes hiring freelancers really easy

Cons

• Does a poor job of blocking scams
• Takes forever to contact their customer service
• Platform is too crowded

10. SimplyHired

Best Freelancing Platform for Free Job Listings.

SimplyHired is an employment platform that advertises thousands of job listings on its website and mobile application for job seekers all around the world to take advantage of.

This online recruitment advertising network and job aggregator site gathers job listings from several websites which it then publishes on its platform.

SimplyHired comes with its fair share of benefits which include applicant management, a salary estimator, a job description tool, and many others.

Pricing

SimplyHired is completely free for freelancers but companies have to pay to access the contact information of the candidates that they are interested in.

Pros

• Has a mobile application
• Is completely free for freelancers and does not require a contract
• Collects job opportunities from third party sites and shares them

Cons

• Customer service is not the best
• Too many people on the platform so getting a job is harder

11. PeoplePerHour

Best Freelance Platform for Fast Jobs.

PeoplePerHour is a job search platform that lets businesses post jobs for free, get proposals in a matter of minutes and choose their preferred freelancer quickly.

This platform lets you get a job that can be completed in an hour by checking their hourly section. You also have the option to get a down payment as soon as the job starts and receive the rest of your payment once the job is completed.

Employers can also post a contest and get freelancers to send in pitches.

Pricing

PeoplePerHour does not charge a signup or registration fee but freelancers must pay a commission on their earnings.

Pros

• Provides a wide range of banking options
• Provides multiple customer service platforms

Cons

• Website is only available in English
• No telephone or chat support, only email

12. Designhill

Best Freelance Platform for Design Contests.

Designhill is a platform for professional designers to showcase their work, generate income and participate in design contests. It can be used by individuals and businesses alike to meet their needs.

Companies can use Designhill to search for logos, website designs, and other quality graphic designs and hire the designers behind these designs without wasting unnecessary funds.

There are up to 36 design categories for things like business cards, websites, packages, and logos.

Pricing

DesignHill is free for designers. There is no subscription fee or fees attached to listing your services.

Pros

• Provides top quality designs
• Caters to a wide range of businesses

Cons

• No refunds for logos created with the logo maker
• Changes to a purchased logo can only be made within seven days of purchase

13. TaskRabbit

Best Platform for Physical Service Providers.

TaskRabbit is an online platform that helps people find freelancers skilled in local services. With this platform, you can find contractors that can help you run errands, clean, tend your garden, and do many other local tasks.

You can hire, rate, and review local service providers around your area.

Pricing

TaskRabbit charges every new Tasker a one-time registration fee of $25. There is also a 15% service fee for all the tasks you are paid for, excluding tips and reimbursements.

You will have to file your own income and sales taxes on your TaskRabbit earnings.

Pros

• Allows you to set your own rates
• Provides consistent jobs and payment
• Lets you have a flexible work schedule

Cons

• Work availability is inconsistent
• Work cannot be done virtually
• Their customer service could be better

14. DesignCrowd

Excellent Freelance Platform for Logo Designers.

DesignCrowd is a freelance job search platform that lets freelancers post their designs and employers post their projects. There are almost a million freelance designers registered on the DesignCrowd platform, which means employers can submit a project and get to choose from at least 50 designs.

Employers have the option to either run competitions and then choose from several designs, or pick a single designer to work with at a time.

It is a secure and easy-to-use platform that has a money-back guarantee if a good-enough design cannot be found.

Pricing

It is completely free to sign up for a DesignCrowd designer account. DesignCrowd charges a 15% commission on all pay that designers receive through the platform.

Pros

• Offers a money-back guarantee
• Platform is SSL-certified
• Covers a wide range of design activities

Cons

• Offers jobs for designers only
• There have been some billing issues linked to the platform

15. YunoJuno

Best Freelance Platform for Freelance Creatives.

YunoJuno is an online job marketplace that facilitates direct communication between freelancers and hiring companies. It incorporates contract and time management, billing, and analytics policies to ensure the satisfaction of both freelancer and hirer.

The platform covers numerous disciplines from client services to design to developers and allows hirers to find the right freelancer for a project as quickly and easily as possible.

Pricing

YunoJuno’s services are totally free for freelancers. No commission fee is deducted from their earnings. Instead, employers are charged an invoice rate plus a booking fee.

Pros

• A 14-day payment guarantee
• The platform is totally free for freelancers
• Makes compliance easier with in-built NDAs, contract validation, and right to work check

Cons

• Can be very costly for employers

Freelance Jobs FAQs

Ready to Find Freelance Online Jobs?

You really don’t have an excuse for not making money because there are so many opportunities waiting for you based on your skillset or the career path that interests you.

There really isn’t any magical advice that will automatically make you a good freelancer. There are so many paths to becoming a freelancer. Take that first step and watch your career as a freelancer grow before you.

And don’t forget that as long as you are putting in the work, there are bound to be good results at some point.

Good luck!

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