How to Get Paid to Be an Online Friend
In this article we will talk about how to get paid to be an online friend and make money as a virtual companion.
God bless the internet, as there are tons of ways you can get paid online, but have you thought that there is a possibility to earn money by being online friends?
Yes, you heard it right!
If you are someone who has a pretty empathetic personality, and your friends constantly tell you that they are blessed for having such a great listener in their lives, you have probably thought at some point that if there was a job like this, you would be a millionaire.
What if we told you that this is pretty much possible? The world is full of lonely, introverted people who struggle with making connections.
So why not make the most of your gift and become someone’s internet pal? If you want to learn how to get paid to be an online friend and become a virtual companion, keep reading.
How to Become a Virtual Companion and Get Paid to Be an Online Friend
Below you can learn everything you want to know about getting paid as an online friend.
What does an online friend do?
Being an online friend is pretty much the same as being someone’s friend in reality.
Have you ever met someone on social media and had an amazing connection with them? That type of connection you have with some of your best friends.
As time passed, you two got so close that you started sharing personal things like family and relationship problems even though you didn’t know each other quite well and were far away.
Even though this might sound to you like a pretty weird concept, it’s very popular. And actually, there are many people who would pay a good sum of money to have a virtual friend.
Someone who would listen to their rants, give them advice, play games together and chit chat about all types of matters.
What qualities do you need to become an online friend?
Being a good friend online is the same as being a good friend offline. Everyone would love to have someone who would be a good listener they can confide in.
Everyone wants a caring, reliable, and honest friend, so they can feel comfortable speaking about anything.
It looks like many lonely people out there aren’t good at making friends.
Probably many of them are socially awkward, disabled, or have other health issues that prevent them from feeling comfortable associating with people in real life.
It wouldn’t hurt to have some extra knowledge on certain topics and have some extra skills like speaking multiple languages. These may be achieved by having such a friend.
How much money will I be able to make?
The truth is it all depends on your friendliness. Of course, the more satisfied clients you have, the more you’ll be able to earn. And by this, we don’t mean doing anything dodgy.
There is no estimated rate on how much you can make. However, according to the statistics, the estimated earnings would be anywhere from $5 to $50 per hour.
How much money you’ll be able to make also depends on your working hours and accessibility. If you plan to make this your main source of income, then you might expect to earn about $2000 monthly.
What about safety? What precautions do I need to take?
Of course, one of the most important things you are probably very concerned about is safety. Generally speaking, being an online friend is considered safe since you don’t have physical contact.
However, it’s better to be safe than sorry, so don’t share any confidential information like your home and working address, banking information, and anything that would lead to a security breach.
What do I need to do to become a paid online friend?
Pick a site
This is where things can get a bit tricky; there are tons of websites where you can sign in to offer pen pal services; however, a lot of them are scams and have some ulterior motives.
So what you want to do is pick a relatable platform with a good privacy policy that can protect your identity and personal information. We will share some top-rated ones in the next section so you can find the ideal one easier.
Set boundaries and make sure you are safe
Most importantly, you aren’t obligated to engage in anything you aren’t feeling comfortable with. So if you are very sensitive in certain matters like religion, politics, sexuality, etc., inform your clients.
Also, keep things platonic, and if anyone tries to approach you for anything more, don’t hesitate to block and report them.
Choose the payment method that works best for you
Finally, you would want to choose a secure payment option so no one else will end up getting the money from your hard work. Typically you can do this using wire payment like PayPal.
Conduct research on the type of payments the site offers and choose the one that you find most reliable and easier.
Top Websites Where You Can Work as an Online Friend
RentAFriend
RentAFriend is exactly what the name says.
People can rent a friend and meet each other on Zoom, FaceTime, or other methods.
The site has gathered millions of users in its decade of existence. And it’s one of the safest platforms for making virtual friends.
The best part is that you will get 100% of what you are going to earn since the fees only go to people who want to use the service.
Also, you can avoid random people contacting you by setting a payment condition.
Recommended read: How to Make $2,000 Fast
FriendPC
FriendPC is more like a life coach service with a mission to give people a better than real-life experience. It specializes in virtual gamers, life consultants, and, most notably, virtual girlfriends and boyfriends.
Keep in mind that this is not a dating site since you’ll only be hanging out virtually.
Creating a profile is free. However, you’ll need to pay a membership fee if you want to view or post listings whose price range starts at $3 per month.
Freelancer
You have probably heard about Freelancer already. Actually, this is a site that offers all kinds of services. However, you can also use it for a purpose to make money by being a virtual friend to someone.
It has a safe and fast payment process being an ideal option whenever you need to make fast cash.
You can request verification for your profile to be even more authentic in your service.
Here you can set your own rules regarding the services you’ll provide and choose whichever payment method you like, including Skrill, PayPal, or a bank account.
Recommended read: How to Start a Business Online, from Home
Fiverr Friendship
If you have ever heard of Fiverr, you probably it’s a site that offers all kinds of services.
It also comes with a section called Fiverr Friendships. There you can offer virtual friend services like chatting, playing games with online friends, life and career coaching and more.
However, the competition is pretty strong, you’ll need to make an eye-catching profile and enlist your skills to inspire confidence.
To reach as many clients as possible, you’ll need to make multiple packages. Also, be aware that Fiverr will cut off about 20% of the amount you’ll make.
Rent a Cyber Friend
This unique platform is strictly dedicated to establishing cyberspace connections between individuals with common interests.
It makes it fairly easy for everyone to meet a new pen pal by sharing their hobbies. Most notably, this is the only platform where you can get paid by the minute and not per hour.
Here you can choose the method of communication you find most comfortable, like text messages, phone calls, or video calls.
However, once your earnings reach over $75, the company will cut about 10% of the amount in commission.
Papa
Papa – also known as Papa Pal – is another official community specialized in supporting older adults and working families. You can be an online friend or meet the community members in person to help them run their errands, shopping, walk their dogs and more.
You can visit their official website for more information.
Here you can work either part-time or full-time, depending on your availability.
One of the most unique features of Papa Pal is the possibility to help many elderly people with limited mobility find someone to talk to or just sit in silence and watch TV.
Conclusion
The sad truth about today’s world is that people have become less sociable, and according to recent statistics, a great amount of the world’s population is suffering from depression because of loneliness.
If you are someone who has the precious gift of being compassionate about other people’s feelings, this is your sign.
It’s time to find out how to become a virtual companion and get paid to be an online friend.
Some of these sites can be a great start for your job, and who knows, maybe you’ll save someone’s life without even knowing.
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash