How to make money from home online in South Africa?

For the past few years South Africa has been in a struggling economy with high unemployment, high interest rates, low wages, etc. This has left many South Africans just trying by any means to cover ends meet. One of the most asked question in South Africa is, "How to make money from home online in South Africa?" Below is a list of ideas that can help you answer that question and maybe inspire you to come up with one.

FREELANCING PLATFORMS:

One of the most popular ways to make money online is freelancing. Freelancing has been happening for a while, and other people even manage to fund their whole monthly expenses by using this method. There are a lot of online platforms to help you get customers, some of the more popular ones being

• Upwork - As of July 2025, Upwork had more than 5 million clients. Making it a good platform to start freelancing.
• Fiverr - Fiverr is one of the most user-friendly freelancing platforms with a huge community, making it good for beginners, and there are a lot of tutorials on how to get started.
• Freelancer.com - The most popular platform in this list with more than 60 million registered users. If you have the skill , here you can definitely get clients.

Skills in demand:

• Graphic design
• Copywriting & blogging
• Web development
• Video editing
• Virtual assistance
• SEO & digital marketing

If you want to start but you don't have one of the skills in demand, you need not worry. All of these skills can be learned from a YouTube tutorial or a cheap online course on Udemy or a similar platform.

Tip: Use a VPN if some gigs are geo-restricted, or apply internationally with a solid portfolio.

ONLINE SURVEYS & MICRO-TASKS

Sites that work in South Africa:

• Toluna
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• ySense
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• Swagbucks
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• Appen
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• Remotasks
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Earnings: R20–R200/day depending on the time spent. It won’t make you rich but can cover airtime or groceries.

 E-COMMERCE & DROPSHIPPING

Options:

• Start a Shopify or WooCommerce store (sell physical or digital products).
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• Use dropshipping suppliers (e.g., Dropstore.co.za).
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• Sell on Takealot Marketplace (SA version of Amazon).
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• Sell on Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, or Bidorbuy.
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Tip: Focus on trending or in-demand local products with reliable suppliers.

 INVESTING ONLINE

Options for South Africans:

• EasyEquities buy shares (local & international)
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• Revix or VALR invest in crypto
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• Forex Trading (high risk!) through regulated brokers like Exness, FXTM, or XM
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Warning: Avoid "get-rich-quick" schemes, binary options, and unregulated brokers. Do proper research.

YOUTUBE, TIKTOK & CONTENT CREATION

Monetize your creativity via:

• YouTube Partner Program (ads, sponsors)
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• TikTok Creator Fund (limited but can be boosted by affiliate marketing)
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• Instagram (brand sponsorships)
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Tip: Focus on content that resonates locally or is in a niche (e.g. SA lifestyle, money tips, fashion, etc.)

 TEACHING & TUTORING

Teach English online:

• Preply
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• Cambly
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• AmazingTalker
• (South Africans with good English accents are in demand.)
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Other tutoring:

• Offer Maths, Science, Accounting tutoring online via Teach Me 2 or social media.
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WRITING & BLOGGING

• Start a niche blog with affiliate links (e.g. travel, finance, SA lifestyle)
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• Write articles for international websites (check ProBlogger Jobs)
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• Self-publish eBooks on Amazon Kindle
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 AFFILIATE MARKETING

Promote products and earn commission.

Platforms that support South Africans:

• Amazon Associates (international)
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• Takealot Affiliate Program
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• Travelstart, Loot, Superbalist (many have affiliate options)
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• ClickBank or Digistore24 (digital products)
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