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According to research, about 2.1 million Kenyans are digital workers, making an average of Ksh 20,793 monthly. That proves how quickly Kenyans are embracing online work. Hence, it is unsurprising that more and more people want to learn how to make money online in Kenya.
Generally, you can make money online in Kenya through online freelancing, surveys and research, blogging, YouTube-Preneurship, e-commerce trading, online investing, online tutoring, door-to-door delivery, remote customer support, Airbnb hosting, and online photography.
With these 11 ideas, you can’t miss something you can do full-time or part-time to earn a few extra dollars or Kenya shillings. It’s crucial, however, that you have the correct skill set where applicable and the necessary work tools such as a computer and internet.
Overall, you may want to work online for many reasons, and I’ll share them with you. I’ll also share tips you can use to work online.
Let’s dive in!
In a hurry? Below is an overview of how to make money online in Kenya from home:
Quick Guide on How to Make Money Online in Kenya
| – | Idea | What to Do: |
| 1. | Online Freelancing | Online writing, proofreading, online bookkeeping, web or app development, web design, social media management, virtual assistance, video editing, web design, or any other freelance job |
| 2. | Online Surveys and Research | Join Triaba, Opinion Space, Toluna, OnePoll, Swagbucks, Branded Surveys, or Respondent.io for paid surveys and research. |
| 3. | Blogging | Start a niche site and earn through ads, merchandise sales, digital goods, and affiliate marketing. |
| 4. | YouTube- Preneurship | Launch a YouTube channel to qualify for the YouTube Partnership Program (YPP) |
| 5. | E-Commerce Trading | Start your store or Dropshipping business. |
| 6. | Online Investing | Invest in stocks, forex trading, REITs, or other profitable investments. |
| 7. | Online Tutoring | Sign up as a tutor on PrePly.com. |
| 8. | Door-to-Door Delivery | Join Uber Eats, Bolt Food, or Glovo as a delivery person. |
| 9. | Remote Customer Support | Apply for remote customer service jobs on Brighter Monday, Fuzu.com, MyJobMag.co.ke, LinkedIn, or Indeed |
| 10. | Airbnb Hosting | Rent our extra space or room on Airbnb. |
| 11. | Online Photography | Sell images on Alamy. |
Why Work Online in Kenya
You may want to look for online work for different reasons, and here are the most notable ones:
- Work Flexibility – Working online comes with the flexibility of working from home or anywhere you are comfortable, even while on vacation. You set your schedule and sometimes pick your preferred jobs and clients.
- Cost Saving – Since you don’t have to commute, you save on commuting costs while working online. You also don’t have to worry about expensive coffee, tea, or lunch as you can prepare meals at home on a budget.
- Limitless Opportunities – In most cases, you won’t be tied to only one job. You can take on different jobs online and work with various clients, improving your quality of living in the digital workspace.
- Decent Earnings – Most online jobs pay well per hour. For example, you can make $10 or more an hour as an online freelancer, and if you work 40 hours a week, you’ll make at least $400, which is over Ksh 50,000 at the current exchange rate.
- Minimal Investment – Ordinarily, all you need to work online is an internet-enabled computer, laptop, or smartphone and, in some cases, noise-cancellation headphones. So, it doesn’t take much investment to work online.
- Payment Convenience– Some online jobs pay via MPESA, which is convenient for Kenyans as you get the money straight into your phone. That’s the case with a job site like Upwork. Even those who don’t pay via MPESA do it via PayPal, and nowadays, it’s easy to transfer cash from PayPal to MPESA.
How to Earn Money Online in Kenya?
Generally, here are 11 ways you can make money working online in Kenya:
1. Online Freelancing
The digital workspace has so many work opportunities for freelancers, and one of the best platforms to find these jobs is Upwork. Upwork allows you to make $10-$40 an hour working from home and get paid conveniently via MPESA.
Here are some job opportunities you can try signing up for on Upwork:
- Online writing, especially article writing, and copyrighting
- Proofreading
- Online bookkeeping or accounting
- Web or app development
- Web design
- Social media manager jobs
- Virtual assistance
- Video editing
- Web design
2. Surveys and Research
If you want to learn how to make Ksh 500 per day online with just your phone, consider taking up online surveys and research. Yes, they don’t pay the best, but they are also the easiest as you don’t need experience to answer them.
Some of the best-paying survey and paid research sites in Kenya include:
- Triaba
- Opinion Space
- Toluna
- OnePoll
- Swagbucks
- Branded Surveys
- Respondent.io
3. Blogging
If you are a creative writer and want to make passive income sharing ideas online, consider starting a niche site or blog. You can build a blog on any niche, including news, lifestyle, product reviews, politics, parenting, photography, and culture.
With blogging, you can make money through ads, merchandise sales, digital goods, and affiliate marketing. Overall, blogging is a top consideration for how to make money as a teenager online.
4. YouTube-Preneurship
Are you interested in how to make money online for beginners? Then, consider YouTube. You can do it even as a teenager and earn money from views. You can make Ksh 200 – Ksh 400 per 1000 views on YouTube once you join the YouTube Partnership Program (YPP).
To qualify for YPP, you should have at least 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours. In addition to earning from views, you can sell merchandise and earn commissions from affiliate marketing, just like blogging.
5. E-Commerce Trading
Studies show that Kenya ranks 74th in the world among countries with the biggest e-commerce sectors, and the industry is estimated to be worth $801.4 million by 2024. If such statistics are anything to go by, there can’t be a better time to pursue e-commerce trading than now.
Consider starting your store, which you can set up with Shopify or Etsy. Alternatively, you can do Dropshipping on Facebook or WhatsApp and profit from products you don’t own.
6. Online Investing
How about you allow the money you have to work for you? I’m talking about putting it in an investment that doesn’t require your active participation, and that includes the following:
- Dividend Stocks trading on the NSE platform
- Forex trading – the exchange of currencies for profit
- Buying REITS to invest in real estate
- Money market funds
- Or any other profitable investment
7. Online Tutoring
If you are a trained teacher looking for extra cash, a retired teacher looking to continue doing what you are good at and make money on the side, or just a college goer or recent graduate, consider online tutoring.
A platform like PrePly allows you to do that even without a teaching certificate, and you can make $10-$30 an hour. Remember, you can teach anything from school subjects to foreign languages (English included) for flexible hours.
8. Door-To-Door Delivery
One idea on how to make money online in Kenya through MPESA is through door-to-door delivery. You can earn from delivering food and groceries to peoples’ homes here. Uber Eats, Bolt Food, and Glovo are three of the most popular delivery services. You’ll need a car or a decent motorcycle to work as a delivery person on these platforms.
9. Remote Customer Support
You can work as a remote customer support representative from home with good administrative skills. Overall, you must be good at handling calls, responding to emails, and communicating, and have good organizational skills.
You may also need to schedule appointments, plan for travels and vacations, create content for clients, and manage their socials.
Some places where you can find legit customer support jobs in Kenya include Brighter Monday, Fuzu.com, MyJobMag.co.ke, LinkedIn, and Indeed
10. Airbnb Hosting
If you are looking for how to make money online without paying anything in Kenya, consider Airbnb hosting. All you need is a good space, which could be an apartment, villa, or just a cozy standalone house.
Airbnb allows you to list it out for short-term renting to guests. During the holiday season, for example, a 3-bedroom house or villa can bring in Ksh 15,000 – Ksh 35,000 per night, which is pretty attractive.
11. Online Photography
Are you good with the camera? Can you shoot quality, creative pictures? If so, try selling them on Alamy. It’s an intelligent way to earn passive income, and you can earn commissions of 20-50, depending on the model or package you sign up for.
Tips for Making Money Online in Kenya
The digital workspace has many scams, and it’s easy to fall victim to them. These tips, however, should help you avoid them and make the most out of the online work opportunities you come across:
- Find a legitimate employer – You can only find l legit online jobs in Kenya if you look for websites with proven credibility. Such options include Brighter Monday, Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer.com, and LinkedIn. But even so, do your due diligence on the employer and do not agree to pay to work. That’s a red flag!
- Get creative – Don’t limit yourself to only one job or employer. Diversify! Look for other opportunities, learn new skills, or upgrade your studies. Just do something that gives you a competitive advantage.
- Goal setting – Have a goal and follow it through. Without a goal, it’s easy to give up or fail to manage the money you’ll make working online,
- Dedicated workspace and work schedule – To avoid distractions and keep family and friends in their place, have a dedicated workspace at home. More importantly, have a schedule for working and stick to it. That also improves productivity.
- Take breaks – Don’t burn yourself with work. Take a few breaks in between your work sessions. For example, you can break for 5-10 minutes after 90 minutes of working. It may help to stretch out or take a short walk around your home.
Concluding Thoughts:
The next time you want to master how to make money online in Kenya, consider the 11 ideas I’ve shared. That includes online freelancing, surveys and research, blogging, YouTube-Preneurship, e-commerce trading, online investing, online tutoring, door-to-door delivery, remote customer support, Airbnb hosting, and online photography.
Doing so brings about the benefits of work flexibility, cost saving, limitless opportunities, decent earnings, minimal investment, and payment convenience. And with the right tips, you can save yourself from scams and land a decently-paying online job.
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