7 Legit Places to Make Extra Money Online in the UK — Where I’d Start in 2026
Making extra money online sounds wonderful until you discover that the suggested method involves buying a course and recruiting your friends but apparently you get to become a millionaire before lunchtime. Aye right that can get to fluff!
I would rather start with something a little more realistic!
These are seven places worth investigating in the UK across four different areas:
- Paid research
- Website and app testing
- Selling things you already own
- Freelancing
They suit different people, and none guarantees a regular income. But understanding what each platform actually offers is a much better starting point than chasing impressive earnings screenshots. These are UK specific however I do know some of them are available in other countries too.
Research checked: 7 October 2026.
A note on links: The platform links below are ordinary links. No referral or affiliate tracking has been added, if I add them in the future I will amend the post accordingly. .
The seven at a glance
| Platform | What you do | Main consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Prolific | Participate in research studies | Admission and study availability |
| UserTesting | Give feedback on websites and apps | Screening and recording requirements |
| Vinted | Sell unwanted clothes and permitted belongings | Finding buyers and handling deliveries |
| eBay | Sell gadgets, collectables and other items | Pricing, postage and seller obligations |
| PeoplePerHour | Provide freelance services | Commission and finding customers |
| Upwork | Apply for freelance projects | Competition, proposal costs and fees |
| Respondent | Participate in selected research projects | Matching the required profile |
My view: research and testing can provide occasional extra cash; selling possessions can release money tied up in unused items; freelancing has more scope for repeat income, but requires a service people want to buy.
Those are different activities, rather than seven versions of the same side hustle.
1. Prolific — paid research studies
Prolific connects researchers with participants for studies and tasks.
This would be my first research platform to investigate, partly because it is one I have used and previously covered on MMOnline. They also do masses of AI work, reviewing images and videos.
Prolific states that researchers must pay a minimum study rate of £6/$8 per hour, with £9/$12 recommended. Most studies you will do pay more.
However, that is the rate for time spent completing studies. It does not mean you receive an hourly wage while waiting for something suitable to appear.
Approved balances can be cashed out through PayPal once the combined GBP/USD balance reaches the £6/$6 threshold.
Where I would start
Visit the participant page, check the admission requirements and complete your profile honestly.
Do not plan your household budget around immediate access or a constant supply of studies.
Main catch: availability matters just as much as the advertised study rate.
Links:
- Prolific participant website
- Official study rates and how it works
- Official cash-out rules
- My earlier Prolific article on MMOnline
The earlier article documents our experience in 2025. Use the current official pages for today's payment terms.
2. UserTesting — explain what works and what doesn’t
Have you ever opened a website and wondered whether its designer had actually tried using it?
UserTesting is one place where useful feedback can become paid work.
You try a website, app or digital experience and explain your thoughts. The important part is giving specific feedback: what you expected, what confused you and what helped.
The reward varies by test and is shown before you accept. Payments for completed tests normally arrive through PayPal about 14 days later.
I have used UserTesting and it is fun giving feedback on sites and what a designer could do better!
My experience is that it gets much easier to speak your mind the more you do it!
Where I would start
Read the contributor requirements, check your equipment and decide whether you are comfortable recording your screen and speaking aloud.
Before recording, close private messages, sensitive documents and anything else you would rather not share.
Main catch: completing screeners does not guarantee a paid test. This is occasional income, rather than money you can rely on for tomorrow's bill.
Links:
3. Vinted — turn unwanted belongings into money
Sometimes the easiest place to look for extra money is your own cupboard.
Clothes you no longer wear, shoes that never quite fitted and other permitted belongings could be worth listing on Vinted.
Vinted says there are no fees for uploading or selling items. Optional promotion services can cost extra.
Completed sales reach your Vinted balance, and available funds can be withdrawn to your bank account.
Where I would start
Choose three items you would happily part with.
Take clear photographs, show labels and flaws, check the catalogue rules and write an honest description.
“Only worn once” is less useful than explaining the size, measurements and condition.
Main catch: listing something does not mean it will sell. Allow for packing, sending the parcel and answering questions.
Selling your own belongings also releases existing value; it does not create an endless supply of income.
I have not personally used Vinted but have seen many people that do.
Links:
4. eBay — a broader market for gadgets and collectables
Vinted is one option for a clear-out. eBay is worth considering for items where buyers search for a particular model, brand or collectable.
Think camera equipment, electronics, hobby gear and household items.
UK-based private sellers currently receive 300 free listings a month, with no final-value or regulatory operating fees on ordinary private sales.
Exceptions include motors, optional upgrades, overseas delivery and listings above the free allowance. Business seller fees are different.
I have been selling soldering equipment on ebay.
Where I would start
Search sold listings for an item like yours.
An optimistic asking price tells you what somebody wants. A sold listing gives you a better idea of what somebody actually paid.
Then check packing, delivery and any optional charges before deciding your price.
Main catch: payment release timing, returns and disputes still matter. A buyer agreeing to purchase is not the same as money reaching your bank account.
Buying stock to resell is also different from clearing out your own belongings.
Links:
5. PeoplePerHour — sell a useful service
You do not necessarily need a spectacular skill. You need something useful that you can deliver reliably...
That could be:
- Tidying a WordPress page
- Editing a short video
- Proofreading a document
- Creating social media captions
- Completing a clearly defined admin task
PeoplePerHour lets freelancers offer services and look for projects.
It reminds me a bit of the site LordButterfly started on Hive. Lumen or something it is called.
Its freelancer commission is based on lifetime billing with each buyer:
- 20% below £250
- 7.5% between £250 and £5,000
- 3.5% above £5,000
Those rates exclude VAT, and a minimum service fee also applies.
Withdrawals can go to a bank account, PayPal or Payoneer. Funds can face a clearing period of approximately 14 working days, followed by processing and transfer time.
Where I would start
Create one sample and offer one specific result.
Explain what the buyer receives, how long it takes and how many revisions are included.
Then calculate what you keep after commission, any VAT and the time spent discussing the project.
Main catch: getting the first customer can take longer than doing the actual job.
Links:
6. Upwork — another route to freelance customers
Upwork is another option for people with a service to offer.
My approach would be to start narrowly. One useful service and a good sample give potential customers more to assess than a profile claiming you can do absolutely everything.
Upwork's freelancer service fee ranges from 0% to 15% per contract. The rate is shown before the contract and stays fixed once it begins.
Many applications use Connects, which can cost money. Purchasing them does not guarantee that you will win work.
Payment methods include bank transfer and PayPal, with availability, fees and release timing depending on the method and contract.
Where I would start
Read a few suitable jobs and write one tailored proposal.
Explain the result you can deliver, rather than sending the same generic introduction to everyone.
Set a small proposal budget before buying Connects.
Main catch: unpaid time applying for projects affects your real hourly earnings.
A free basic account does not mean finding customers has no cost.
Links:
7. Respondent — research for people who fit the brief
Respondent is worth investigating if your occupation, experience or consumer habits match a research project.
Some studies seek a particular professional background. Others need people with specific experiences of products or services.
The important distinction is that an advertised incentive is not a typical earnings figure for everyone who registers.
You apply, and the researcher may select you. Applications do not guarantee paid participation.
They have lots of decent paid projects, but the UK limits you to one every six months. This is not a rule elsewhere!
The official help centre states that incentives have a fulfilment fee of 5% or $1, whichever is higher.
Payments use Tremendous, with redemption choices depending on location. Do not assume every reward is a direct bank or PayPal payment.
Where I would start
Apply selectively to projects where you genuinely fit.
Describe your experience accurately and check the payment options before committing your time.
Main catch: unsuccessful applications still use your time. A large advertised incentive is only useful if you qualify, complete the study and receive the reward.
Links:
Where would I start this week?
That depends on what you already have.
Unwanted belongings?
Try a few suitable listings on Vinted or eBay.
Spare time, but no service to sell?
Investigate Prolific, then UserTesting.
A useful skill and a sample of your work?
Choose PeoplePerHour or Upwork initially, rather than trying to build two profiles at once.
Specialist experience?
Look for carefully matched Respondent projects.
Keep a simple record of:
- Time spent
- Money actually received
- Fees and expenses
- Whether you would do it again
After a couple of weeks, compare the results.
A platform with a larger headline reward may be less worthwhile if you spend hours applying unsuccessfully.
A few common questions
Can I make £50 this week?
Possibly, but none of these platforms guarantees it.
Selling a desirable item you already own may offer a more direct route than waiting for research selection or your first freelance customer.
Payment release delays still matter.
Is any of this passive income?
No.
You are completing tasks, giving feedback, attending interviews, doing client work or preparing and sending goods.
Expect active effort.
What about tax?
HMRC distinguishes selling personal possessions from trading or providing services.
Occasional sales of unwanted belongings usually do not require you to tell HMRC. Buying or making goods to sell at a profit can be trading.
If your total trading or service income exceeds the £1,000 trading allowance in a tax year, you generally need to tell HMRC. That concerns income before expenses, and the allowance applies across relevant activities rather than separately to each app.
Research payments can require their own assessment, so do not assume every reward automatically falls under that allowance.
Platform reporting to HMRC does not, by itself, mean tax is due. High-value personal possessions can also have separate Capital Gains Tax rules.
Check the official guidance for your circumstances:
My verdict
I would start with one route that fits what you already have: spare time, possessions or a useful skill.
Test it. Record the result. Build from evidence.
There is no prize for joining seven websites and then never using any of them!
For more ideas, read 10 Realistic Ways to Make Extra Money Before Christmas.
And if keeping more of your existing money would help alongside earning, try The Sunday Money Reset.
Have you used any of these seven? Which would you recommend — and which was not worth your time?
I would love to hear about your actual experience, especially from fellow UK users.
Written for @mmonline. Platform terms can change, so check the linked official pages before signing up or committing time or money.
