If you’ve been looking for a work-from-home job or have ever side hustled online, chances are, you’ve heard of MTurk.
MTurk is an Amazon run crowdsourcing marketplace.
It’s where business owners post small jobs that virtual workers can complete for money.
It’s long been a source of extra income for side hustlers. And here’s some good news – if you enjoy MTurk, there are plenty of other similar sites.
Here are the best MTurk alternatives to check out this year.
What is MTurk?
MTurk is a virtual job board. On it, business owners post small tasks they need completed. These tasks are called “HITs.” (HITs = human intelligence tasks.)
HITs don’t take much time to complete, which is why most people refer to them as micro-tasks.
Approved MTurk workers can choose from the thousands of HITs posted and complete the ones they’d like to do.
The great thing about working with MTurk is that there are no minimum hours you need to work. Plus, it’s super flexible – simply sign on anytime you need to earn extra money.
(Caveat** When you first sign up, you’ll be on a “probation period” and will need to submit at least one hit per day. You’ll also be limited to only being able to complete 100 HITs per day during probation.)
Some of the most common tasks you’ll find on the MTurk HITs list include:
- Transcribing audio
- Tagging images
- Searching Google for a specific website
- Research
- Data Entry
- Article Writing
The pay for HITs vary, but all in all, the hourly wage comes out pretty low – usually under minimum wage. If you want to earn more, you have to “level up,” which will require you to complete a certain number of HITs. Once you do, you’ll get access to higher-paying tasks.
If you’re not already an MTurk worker and like the idea, you can sign-up here. It generally takes about three days for your worker account to be approved.
If you’re already killing it on MTurk and want to add more sites to your list of side hustles, try out these MTurk alternatives.
11 MTurk Alternatives
1. ClickWorker
2. TaskRabbit
3. MicroWorkers
4. JobBoy
5. RapidWorkers
6. Fiverr
7. Upwork
8. OneSpace
9. ShortTask
10. Rev.com
11. FancyHands
1. ClickWorker
ClickWorker is one of the MTurk alternatives, allowing workers to complete microtasks for money. When you sign up, you’ll complete your profile, listing areas of knowledge and taking skills tests.
The more skills tests and assessments you pass, the more jobs you’ll have available to you.
As a ClickWorker, you also get access to the jobs on one of their partner sites called Universal Human Relevant System.
Some of the Jobs you’ll find on ClickWorker include categorizing products, research, transcription, surveys, editing, and more.
As a worker, once your account reaches $10, you can get paid.
2. TaskRabbit
One of the best MTurk alternatives is TaskRabbit
It is a handyman marketplace where people needing help with everyday tasks can hire locals.
Some of the jobs on TaskRabbit include furniture assembly, errand running, house cleaning, home repairs, and grocery shopping.
Here’s how it works:
- Create a profile showcasing the tasks you’d like to get hired for
- Set your rates and availability
- Locals in your area can search your profile and hire you
The cool thing about TaskRabbit is that you can easily see what tasks pay in your area. For instance, if you live in Cincinnati, OH, you’ll earn an average of $27 per hour for deep-cleaning services. If you live in Boston, you’ll make $37 per hour for that same service.
You can check here for what the going hourly rates are in your area.
3. MicroWorkers
MicroWorkers is an international crowdsource work marketplace. Like with MTurk, at MicroWorkers, businesses can post many types of microtasks on the job board.
These tasks include comparing products, describing products, surveys, transcription, classification, image tagging, and more.
To get started, register for an account. Afterward, you’ll be able to access hundreds of jobs. Each job lists the requirements, estimated completion time, and pay. Then, you can choose the jobs you’d like to complete.
After completing a job, the original job poster will give you a rating. The higher your rating, the better jobs you’ll be able to qualify for.
4. JobBoy
JobBoy is one of the best MTurk alternatives. One difference I appreciate is that when you visit the JobBoy homepage, you can see some of the recently created tasks plus what they pay.
Here’s a look at some of the jobs:
- Email sign up for a company – $0.10
- App download – $0.18
- YouTube watch +like+subscribe – $0.11
From the start, you can see that these tasks are super easy and therefore don’t pay a lot, which can help you decide if this site is right for you.
If you want to do some of these microtasks, head to the JobBoy website and create an account. You’ll then be able to start accepting jobs. You can cash out once your account reaches at least $10.
5. RapidWorkers
RapidWorkers is like JobBoy or MTurk, with a list of microtasks you can complete for money. (Although, this site has a less professional feel than the others listed.)
One good thing about RapidWorkers is that it shows a list of recent tasks with their pay and estimated completion times. Here are some examples:
- Vote for a YouTube video – $0.10
- Upload photos to a site – $0.39
- Sign up for an online game – $0.20
- Insurance form sign up – $1.50
Signing up to become a worker is easy to do. Just create an account and start completing jobs. Then, once you hit $8 in earnings, you can request a PayPal payout.
6. Fiverr
Fiverr isn’t exactly like MTurk but deserves to make it on the list.
With Fiverr, they give you the ability to create “gigs.” These gigs can be on anything you’re good at.
To give you an idea, some of the most popular services on Fiverr include graphic design, video editing, writing, translation, animation, and programming.
When you create your gig, you’ll list the specifics of what you’re willing to do and then can set your prices. Your profile will become searchable, and users will be able to hire you if they’d like.
Fiverr also has various seller levels that depend on the length of time you’ve been active, the number of sales you’ve completed, and the dollar amount of your sales. Leveling up allows you to create additional gigs and add upsells to your services.
While getting started on Fiverr and developing a good reputation can be difficult, once you do, your earning potential will be far greater than it would be at MTurk.
7. Upwork
Upwork is a freelancer marketplace where business owners post jobs for freelancers to complete. These jobs are usually more detailed than what you’ll find at ClickWorker or MTurk, but it’s also possible to find microtasks.
Here’s how the whole process works:
- Create an account with your work history, skills, achievements, and photos
- Search for jobs and bid on the ones you’d like to do
- You can also pitch projects to clients
- Complete the work and get paid
There are many different types of jobs you’ll find on Upwork. However, some common ones include data entry, admin, IT, writing, customer support, and accounting.
8. OneSpace
OneSpace is a freelancer platform that hires workers who specialize in specific areas and also has some general, microtask-type jobs. This platform works with some of the top companies in the world, including InstaCart, Staples, Lowes, and OverStock.
As a freelancer on OneSpace, you can select the work you’d like to do from the list of available jobs. Some of these jobs include writing, editing, product research, and data entry.
You can work as much or as little as you’d like and get paid daily.
To get started, you’ll need to apply. The chances of them approving your application will largely depend on whether your skills match up with one of their current needs.
9. ShortTask
ShortTask is a virtual workplace composed of “Seekers” and “Solvers.”
At ShortTask, they call their workers “solvers.” Solvers complete the tasks that business owners post. Most of the jobs posted are microtasks, but some – like article writing and editing – will take much more time.
It doesn’t look like there is always a steady stream of tasks available on this site. Still, it may be worth adding to your list if you can’t find enough jobs to complete on the other sites.
10. Rev.com
If you enjoy the transcription or typing jobs you find on MTurk, you might like Rev.com.
It is one of the Mturk alternatives that offer flexible work when you want jobs for people who want to transcribe audio and provide closed captions for video.
To get started, you’ll sign up and take an English language and grammar quiz. You’ll then need to submit a transcription and/or caption sample. If your sample passes quality control, your account will be approved.
You’ll then have access to the job board. You can choose which jobs you’d like to do and get started working right away.
Your pay will depend on whether you do transcription or captioning work.
Transcriptionists earn $0.30 – $1.10 per audio minute and captioners earn $0.54 – $1.10 per video minute. (Audio/video minute is how long the actual sound clips are – your pay depends on how long it takes you to transcribe those sound clips.)
If you know a foreign language, you can earn even more by becoming a subtitler. Subtitlers earn $1.50 – $3.00 per audio minute.
11. FancyHands
FancyHands is an online virtual assistant company that hires remote contractors to fulfill client jobs.
Unlike MTurk, the jobs at FancyHands can last a bit longer than a few minutes but often pay better. Some of the most common tasks you’ll find at this company include:
- Making phone calls
- Booking appointments
- Inputting data into spreadsheets or programs
- Researching flight/hotel information
Most jobs pay $3-$7. You’ll be able to see the task and pay before accepting it.
There are no minimum hours, and you can work whenever you want. FancyHands pays its virtual assistants every other Tuesday.
Once your application is accepted, you’ll immediately be able to begin working.
Survey Junkie vs. MTurk: Which is Better?
One question I see pop up often is which is better: Survey Junkie or MTurk? But here’s the thing – these companies are entirely different.
MTurk is a crowdsourced microtask workplace. And sure, sometimes these microtasks are surveys – but it’s not just a survey company.
Survey Junkie, on the other hand, is a market research company based around offering users surveys in exchange for points. Survey Junkie also has a program called SJ Pulse in which you can earn money by allowing them to track your online behavior.
On Survey Junkie, there are no job boards or microtasks for you to complete.
Bottom line: while MTurk and Survey Junkie are both pretty easy ways to earn extra money online, they’re not the same. And you don’t have to pick one or the other – you can sign up for both.
What are Some Other Easy Ways to Earn Money Online?
If you’re looking for easy ways to earn money online that you can do in your spare time, be sure to check out some of these resources:
- 16 Legit Ways to Get Paid to Text
- How to Get Paid to Write Reviews Online
- How to Make Money Selling Photos of Yourself
- 12 Sites Like Swagbucks that Pay Cash
- 13 Best Passive Income Apps
Or you can check out these weird online business ideas:
Conclusion
If you enjoy completing microtasks but aren’t finding enough work, these are some of the best MTurk alternatives to help you grow your income.
By signing up with several of these sites, you’ll be able to keep busy with the kinds of microtasks you enjoy doing the most. You’ll also increase your chances of finding higher-paying jobs.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for a side gig that pays a little more, try Fiverr or Upwork.
