10 Legit Ways To Get Paid To Be An Online Friend

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You’ve probably made many friends throughout your life, whether you’re the popular type or not. It doesn’t matter if that number is less than three or you have a bigger group of friends, you have kept yourself together with your friends’ help—and vice versa.

Being able to maintain your friendships is a great feeling and experience because it can bring so many benefits into your life, including social, emotional, and even health benefits. Making friends can make you happier and encourage growth amongst the group. Not to mention, we care about what others think, so it may even influence you to make better decisions about where you want to head in life.

If people naturally gravitate towards you, chances are you’re an awesome friend in real life (just ask your friends for confirmation). Your friendly nature and charisma can lead you to an earning opportunity: you can get paid to be an online friend!

(And no, you’re not milking a hapless individual with a paid online friend setup.)

Exploring the different ways to make money online along with some friendships may be new to you, but it’s a legitimate service for people’s needs. Some people seek the warmth and assurance of friendship they don’t mind spending money on to get quality time, advice, and (online) companionship. Some prefer the anonymity of virtual friendship to get unbiased opinions on things.

Others want someone to listen to their day-to-day experiences, especially if old friends are far away. These people are more than willing to spend money to help with their friendship needs, and are usually eager to make connections as real friends would!

In this blog post, we will share how you can get paid to be an online friend, plus how you’ll be helping people who cannot make real-life relationships.

We also included platforms where you can start offering your service as a virtual friend and how to keep yourself (and your friend) safe in the online world. Read on below!

 

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What is a virtual friend?

Simply defined, a virtual friend is someone you have met on the Internet, likely through various social media platforms. Virtual friends can be of any gender, age, or ethnicity.

You may have a similar background or a totally different one with your virtual friends. It doesn’t matter, as long as you get along and respect each other. But when did virtual friendships start?

Virtual “friends” likely started with Friendster in 2002, and other platforms followed suit. The messaging feature on Friendster and similar websites like Myspace enabled people to interact virtually by liking pictures and status updates. Add Yahoo Chat/ Yahoo Messenger to that, and people found ways to talk and chat with people despite massive distances dividing them.

Soon, other platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram became a place to meet new online friends, like you’re doing today.

 

Why do people pay for online friends?

Times have changed, and the older generation may find the idea of paying for online friendships strange, but for the younger generation, it’s completely normal.

Millennials, Gen Zs, and soon Gen Alphas are increasingly open to paying for online friends in our highly digitalized world. Especially post-pandemic, many prefer to stay home and chat online. It can get lonely, and they find comfort in chatting with others online and sharing deep inner secrets that might be too daunting to share with friends and family in real life. After all, many of us are more comfortable not having to express our emotions face-to-face, right?

Not only that, but you might even prefer to have an online friend if you’re shy and more of an anonymous type of person. This is very true for introverts (including myself), who find it uncomfortable to engage in long hours of in-person conversation because of the fear of saying the wrong things.

Some people pay like-minded people to engage in similar hobbies, like online gaming. You’ll get to team up with this kind of virtual friend, conquer missions, and win items. Sometimes, they want companions for virtual events, kind of an online plus one. Either way, it’s a win!

You can also become a virtual friend for people who need more confidence in their relationships, like approaching someone they like. You will be more like a wingman/wingwoman for them. Or, if you have the experience, you could become their virtual friend/dating coach!

Others pay to have “accountability buddies,” more like someone who reminds them to get things done (like finishing a project, doing some exercise, etc.). This kind of virtual friendship is closer to what virtual personal assistants do but on a much more friendly level. You have to hold your virtual friends accountable and motivate them when they’re being lazy, and in turn, you’ll make money online!

 

How much money can you make as a virtual friend?

You can earn anything from $15 to $30 an hour as a paid virtual friend by having friendly conversations with lonely people. This is an easy task for extroverts who enjoy talking to others. Are you a little bit shy? You can still earn without showing your face or talking or you can try other jobs for introverts.

You can earn even more if you have specialized knowledge (like a therapist or a counselor) for up to $50 per hour. But if you don’t have these skills or degrees, you can still be a paid friend online, given that you have empathy and patience for your friends.

Though being a virtual friend isn’t a substitute for a more stable job, it’s a good way to earn $100 in a day doing something you’re good at. If you’re lonely yourself, this opportunity hits two birds with one stone-plus the money.

However, you need to be more patient and tactful as a virtual friend, unless they specifically ask for advice that isn’t sugar-coated!

 

1. Rent a Friend

You can get hired by Rent a Friend to do “Virtual Friend Services” via Facetime, Zoom, and other platforms. You can also get paid for texting and doing phone calls with them. Or, if your “friend” is more traditional, you can also communicate via email (or snail mail!).

Rent a Friend offers you friends from all over the world to do all sorts of activities in real life, too. This makes Rent a Friend particularly handy when traveling in a new country or needing someone to accompany you to a particular event.

It’s also easy to join Rent a Friend. You simply fill in their application form and for an hour or two for membership confirmation. As of writing, they state that they’ll be accepting new Friend Applications soon, and you need to add your email for them to contact you once the Application Form is open.

As soon as your profile is set up, Members (Rent a Friend customers) can contact you through the website. You can choose which Members to respond to, and after you have selected someone, you and the Member can start making plans to meet up virtually or in person.

Joining Rent a Friend is a good way to start if you want to become an online friend for hire. They don’t get a cut of your earnings, it all goes solely to you.

Pros:

• It’s not a dating site, so if you’re looking for purely platonic clients, you’ll feel safe as a friend for rent here.
• You can register as a friend for rent anywhere in the world.
• You set your own rates and working hours.
• The platform collects your fees and deposits them straight to your bank account.

Cons:

• The volume of friend renters varies with location, so it’s not recommended as a full-time job (though Rent a Friend gives a sample calculation if you were to do it full-time).
• They don’t have a mobile-friendly site (which is a disadvantage since most friend-seekers are on their phones!).

 

2. Rent a Local Friend

Rent a Local Friend is another platform similar to the one mentioned above. They offer Remote Concierge, where you, as a “friend,” can provide tours and tips by chat or video call.

You can also take advantage of being a local in a particular place by going out with them to places as a Local Friend. With this service, you can earn extra money by making a personal itinerary with the person hiring you as a friend.

The usual spots are restaurants, parks, and other places for recreation-anything wholesome that your friend fancies. You can also suggest other fun places to visit in your itinerary!

The third service you can provide on this platform is the Virtual Friend service. With this service, you can give talks and classes to people wanting to know more about your locality.

Pros:

• Available in major cities worldwide for Local Friend services.
• You can access friend services (remote concierge, local friend, and virtual friend) as a Member.
• Gives you a crowdfunded personal web address to build up your friend profile where you can upload your posts, photos, and videos.

Cons:

• Local friends need to pay a contribution fee to get verified on the site (not a deal-breaker, since these fees keep the site up and running).

 

3. Rent a Cyber Friend

Connections are valuable for Rent a Cyber Friend-and a valuable connection is what you will offer once you register as a Cyberfriend with them. This platform provides friend services on a per-minute basis for calls.

Rent a Cyberfriend provides video call services for people seeking friends online. It’s a purely virtual service (no meetups!), and Cyberfriends can work anywhere as long as they have a camera and a good internet connection.

Applying as a Cyberfriend is easy – you register on their site, click on the activation email they sent to your registered email address, complete your profile with your photo and interests and set your rate.

Earnings go straight to your bank account with a 20% platform fee. If you like talking to people on camera, this platform is a great way to get paid as an online friend.

Pros:

• An excellent way for confident people to get paid to make friends online.
• You can set your own rates.
• Calls are charged per minute.

Cons:

• They don’t have non-voice chat services
• It’s not a good option for introverted people.

 

4. FriendPC

There are many options to offer when you join Friend PC. On their site, you can choose to be either of the following: a virtual friend through text, chat, or even a call; a companion for real-time events; or a virtual gamer to win challenges with your friend or compete with them.

You can also choose to be a virtual girlfriend/boyfriend here in FriendPC. Whether you want to help someone make their ex jealous, pose as someone’s significant other to help them in different ways, or pursue a more intimate relationship with paid hours, FriendPC lets you do that.

Are you good at motivating people? Want to help someone achieve their goals? You can opt to help a member make plans a reality by registering on this platform. Meanwhile, you could also use your tour guide skills and go around with your friend in the city, all in FriendPC.

Pros:

• You can set your rates and availability.
• You can choose to offer online or offline services.

Cons:

• Payments for completed services won’t be available until after two days.

 

5. Start A Blog And Make Money Online Along With Some Friends

Blogging seems like a profitable side hustle in 2009, right? After all, everyone’s deciding to be a vlogger instead. But I want to prove you wrong because I am living proof that you can make money as a full-time blogger! Yes, blogging is still profitable even in 2024 and beyond!

I’m now consistently earning over six figures yearly from my blog. Throughout the years I’ve had this blog, I’ve encountered other bloggers who share similar values as me, so they have become my friends already.

It all started as a hobby, with me just sharing my insights and experiences about making money online and personal finance. These are two things that I love talking about, so I thought, why not share it with other people on the internet?

The more I wrote valuable content, the more people read my blog posts. They started reaching out to me about how they can start a profitable blog, too. Eventually, casual chats turned into meaningful connections that I treasure to this day.

The thing I love most about this job, other than the fact that I’m getting paid to be a friend, is that I can talk about a profitable niche that I genuinely enjoy. Work doesn’t always have to feel like work! With this blog, I felt like I was finally able to join my passion with my purpose.

You, too, can do something you enjoy and make friends while earning money! Regardless of what topic you enjoy talking about, there’s a space in the blogging world for you.

Pros:

• Blogging can turn a pretty profit – I’m making six figures, so it’s definitely a solid money-making venture.
• You get to build your own community, creating a space filled with people who share your interests.
• It’s not just about making money, it’s also about making friends. I’ve met other bloggers who share my interests through blogging.

Cons:

• Starting a blog can take a lot of time and effort, especially when you’re just getting things off the ground.
• Income from blogging isn’t always steady – it can take a while to start making good money.

 

6. Fiverr

Fiverr has been a hub for all kinds of virtual services like making money with your handwriting, posting ads for money, and yes, you can set up online friend services here starting at $5. With Fiverr, you can offer all sorts of online friend services. You can play a role for a person, offer them life coaching, or talk to lonely people about all topics you’re comfortable with.

The great thing about Fiverr is you can customize your service depending on how you want to market yourself. Want to put your guidance counselor skills to use? You can do it here. Want to offer advice from a parents’ point of view? Sure. Perhaps you want to become a game buddy? Or offer no-holds-barred, real-world advice? Want to get paid to chat about pets? Do it here. Fiverr is the way to go.

Pros:

• Customizable gigs (you can be as general or as specified in your online friend offerings.
• You can set up your own rates as long as it starts at $5.

Cons:

• Fiverr is getting saturated with these online friend gigs. You must make a unique profile and maintain good ratings to stand out!
• Calls have to be done outside of Fiverr as they only allow messages.

 

7. Paid Online Friend Offerings through Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, Reddit)

You spend a lot of time browsing through social media apps every day. Why not offer yourself to be an online friend and get paid on social media?

Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are easy to navigate. Their messaging features are known to many, so you won’t have to learn another service for video calls and chats.

Reddit allows you to have accounts that won’t reveal much about you (aside from what you allow).

Discord and Telegram are also popular services where you can market yourself as an online friend.

The last three services offer better anonymity than the first three mentioned. However, with you being anonymous (as well as your customer) and online friend services not necessarily included in the platform, you might find that you have to fend for yourself when something happens.

For example, if a customer is rude, you can’t complain and still get your money. Unlike a real online friend service, which requires clients to deposit a certain amount first to gain access to a friend, there’s little you can do if a customer refuses to pay you.

You can also set customized online services on these platforms, but even if they are easy to use, they come with some restrictions. We listed the pros and cons of marketing your services through social media below:

Pros:

• Most messaging services in social media apps are free, so you won’t need to shell out money to start! All you need is a smartphone and an internet connection.
• A lot of these platforms are desktop and mobile-friendly
• The platform doesn’t make a cut from your pay.

Cons:

• You have to manually set up a payment system in which you have to give away your details (like bank account numbers, names, etc.)
• If you’re using your personal profile information, hackers and scammers may find it easy to steal your identity.
• You have zero to low protection against non-paying customers.

 

8. Get Paid to Play Video Games and Make Friends

Many people think that playing video games is simply a leisure activity to pass the time doing something you enjoy. That’s not the case anymore. It’s now also a way to make money and friends.

Do you consider yourself a gamer? Then you can make money playing video games that you love, thanks to platforms like Twitch and ProGuides. These websites allow you to share your gaming skills and knowledge and get paid for it.

Twitch is a great platform for both beginners and experts who want to make money and friends while gaming. On Twitch, you can live stream yourself playing the game while chatting with your viewers. You’re doing what you enjoy and making friends along the way. Although you can’t earn right away, you can start making money through donations or subscriptions once you have a solid audience.

If you consider yourself a pro gamer, you can become a gaming coach on ProGuides. This platform has a strict screening for those applying to be coaches, but you’ll be able to get in if you’re one of the top players of a game. ProGuides coaches can have one-on-one sessions with gamers and they earn up to $5,000 a month.

Regardless of what platform you choose to showcase your gaming skills, you can earn money doing something you love while you build a community with like-minded pals who can be friends!

Pros: 

• You’re getting paid to play games, literally turning a fun hobby into a source of cash.
• You’ll meet fellow gamers from all around the world, growing your network of friends with shared interests.
• Playing games regularly can boost your strategic thinking and fast reflexes, skills that can be useful outside gaming too.

Cons:

• You might end up glued to your screen for longer than you’d like, which isn’t great for your eyes or sleep.
• Sometimes, online gaming can mean dealing with bullies and trolls, which can be stressful.
• The money from gaming can fluctuate, making budgeting a bit of a challenge.

 

9. College Steps

Most of the ideas on this list are side hustles that anyone can do, regardless of age. But if you’re still a college student, there’s one opportunity to be an online friend that you shouldn’t pass on. It’s to be a peer mentor!

College Steps is an excellent website where college and university students can become virtual friends.  The site was originally made to connect students who are new or have disabilities with mentors who can guide them inside their university, so it was a purely face-to-face transaction.

Now, it’s a place where students can get paid to be a friend online to anyone who needs assistance in their college or university. This position is hybrid, so you have to help your mentee in person on some days, but you’ll interact virtually for the most part.

There aren’t a lot of requirements to become a peer mentor on College Steps, but you’ll have to commit to at least 6 hours a week and a weekly group meeting.

Although it’s not as flexible as other ways to get paid to be a friend, the pay is enough to make you want to apply. Peer mentors make around $15 to $25 an hour, and they also earn academic credit.

Pros:

• You can earn academic credit for giving your services.
• You’ll be able to make more friends while still in school.

Cons:

• There is a required amount of time you have to render.
• This program is not available to a wide range of colleges and universities.

 

1o. Premium Chat

For people who have a consultancy-related job or have a large following on social media, Premium Chat is a great way to get paid to be a virtual friend.

This platform allows you to charge a fee for one-on-one conversations, providing exclusive access to your expertise or simply companionship.

For those with a certain expertise or a consultancy business, Premium Chat enables you to extend your services beyond the traditional channels that you have. For example, you’re a financial advisor who only has one-on-one meetings with clients in person. You can set up a Premium Chat to take in clients online. They can book you for consultations about their financial concerns or investment strategies.

This means you can have a broader audience and another income stream. On this platform, you can find a connection with people who are looking for your expertise.

Those with a large social media following can use Premium Chat to have closer interactions with their followers or fans. You can use Premium Chat as a space where they can have exclusive discussions with you. It can be a great side hustle for women who are beauty influencers and want to offer personalized beauty advice or makeup tutorials.

An average conversation on Premium Chat lasts for around 25 minutes. This means that if you charge $1 per minute, you can earn $25 for that duration. However, don’t be surprised if you won’t get that whole amount since Premium Chat takes commissions.

What’s also amazing is that Premium Chat has a referral program. When a user signs up through your link, you can earn 2.5% of their revenue. As long as they’re taking bookings on Premium Chat, you’ll get the bonus!

Pros:

• You can set your own rates and schedule.
• The referral program gives you 2.5% of your referral’s revenue forever.

Cons:

• You will only get around 60% of your payment.

 

Can I get paid to be an online friend?

Yes, you can get paid to be someone’s friend online. In fact, friend-making apps are becoming mainstream due to the increased feeling of loneliness that many experience. This means that people are willing to pay for companionship and conversations.

There are many side hustle apps and websites like RentAFriend and FriendPC that let you list your profile and set rates for your friendship services. Depending on what you can offer and your experience, you can earn as high as $60 an hour.

If you plan to earn extra income through virtual rent-a-friend platforms, make sure that you still prioritize your safety. Although you are considered a friend, you shouldn’t give away any sensitive personal information. It is still a job, after all, so you have to keep a certain level of professionalism.

 

How much can you make with Rent a Cyber Friend?

What you can earn with Rent a Cyber Friend will depend on the rates you set, how often you’re available, and the skills you can offer. But the range that cyber friends set their prices at is between $6 to $50 an hour. Depending on your experience and skill, you can put even higher rates.

It’s okay to start with no experience and have a rate that isn’t as high as others. You’ll have to invest time and effort in building a solid reputation on the platform, but once you earn a lot of positive comments, you can gradually increase your rates. It’s also no problem to stay at a certain rate if you’re only looking at this job as a casual side hustle.

Basically, your earning potential on Rent a Cyber Friend depends on you!

 

Staying Safe as an Online Friend

• Do your research before deciding on a virtual friend. Whether you’re the person who pays for the friend or the person who gets hired as a virtual companion, try to see first if this person suits your needs and or preferences. Some online friend services offer a basic profile of their friends for rent and customers, so this should be enough for you to decide.
• Be wary of sharing personal information. Same with sharing whatever personal information your virtual friend has chosen to share with you. Don’t give out your real name, contact number, or address. This information can be used to create a fake identity for use in scams.
• Share pictures and videos wisely. As you get more comfortable with your paying virtual friend, it might come to a time when they will ask you to share images and videos.
• If you decide to share these, avoid sending ones that give them a clue to your location or anything that reveals a lot about your personal life.
• Decided to meet up in person? Think often before agreeing, and watch out for red flags before meeting up(verbal aggressiveness, lying, etc.). Only meet up in places that give you enough privacy but do not endanger both of you if something comes up during your meeting.
• Don’t get too invested in your emotions. Becoming real-life friends with someone who paid you to talk and interact with them online is not wrong. It’s good to remember that you’re doing a job in the first place. Don’t impose on their lives or get too involved with their decisions. You’re here to make money online, not meddle with their relationships.

 

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