15 Websites That Pay You to Write Articles (+ How to Start Earning Today)
Whether you’re an experienced writer or just starting out,
you can now make money online more easily than ever. You don’t need a special
degree, a big portfolio, or an agent to get started. All you need is the right
website and a plan to get hired.
Here are 15 real websites that pay writers. I’ll explain how
each one works, what beginners need to know, and how to increase your pay once
you're signed up.
1. Medium Partner Program
Pay rate: $0 – $1,000+/month (performance-based)
Medium is one of the most accessible starting points for new
writers. Anyone can create an account and publish immediately. Once you join
the Medium Partner Program (free to join), your articles earn
money based on how much time paying Medium members spend reading them a metric
called "member reading time."
How to start: Sign up at medium.com, join the
Partner Program, and publish your first story. There are no gatekeepers and no
pitching process.
Beginner tip: Write in popular niches like
productivity, self-improvement, finance, or technology. These attract a large
portion of Medium's paying subscriber base. Consistency matters more than
perfection aim for at least 2–3 articles per week initially.
2. Listverse
Pay rate: $100 per accepted list article
Listverse pays a flat $100 per published list,
paid via PayPal. Articles must be top-10 lists of at least 1,500 words on any
fascinating, unusual, or little-known topic. The editorial bar is high, but
it's one of the rare sites that pays even first-time contributors.
How to start: Read several existing Listverse
articles to understand the style, then submit your list directly through their
website. You'll hear back (if accepted) within a few days.
Beginner tip: Pick topics that are genuinely
surprising or counter-intuitive editors
look for lists that make readers say "I never knew that." Avoid
recycled pop-culture topics; lean into history, science, crime, and the
bizarre.
3. A List Apart
Pay rate: $200 per article
A List Apart focuses on web design, development, and digital
content strategy. It's read by professionals across the industry and is
considered a prestigious byline. Articles run around 1,500–2,000 words and must
offer actionable insight, not surface-level summaries.
How to start: Review their contributor
guidelines carefully, then pitch a topic via email. They accept queries before
you write the full draft.
Beginner tip: Even if you're not a professional
developer, you can write about UX writing, accessibility, content strategy, or
the human side of digital design. Pair a strong opinion with concrete evidence.
4. Copyhackers
Pay rate: $300–$1,000 per article
Copyhackers is a leading resource for conversion copywriters
and marketers. They pay generously for sharp, research-backed articles on
copywriting, SaaS marketing, email marketing, and persuasion.
How to start: Study their existing articles the voice is direct, confident, and
data-driven. Submit a pitch through their contributor page outlining your
angle, your credentials, and why their audience will care.
Beginner tip: Even without a big portfolio, you
can pitch if you have a strong original angle. Document a real experiment or
campaign result. Data always opens doors here.
5. Smashing Magazine
Pay rate: $200–$250 per article
Smashing Magazine is one of the web's most respected
publications for designers and developers. They publish in-depth tutorials,
guides, and opinion pieces on front-end development, UX, CSS, JavaScript, and
more.
How to start: Pitch your idea through their
author guidelines page. Be specific about what you'll cover, who it's for, and
what makes it different from what's already published.
Beginner tip: Tutorial-style articles that walk
readers through building something real tend to do well. Include code snippets,
screenshots, and demos. The more practical, the better.
6. Income Diary
Pay rate: $50–$200 per article
Income Diary pays for articles about blogging,
entrepreneurship, SEO, and making money online. It's particularly
beginner-friendly in terms of entry requirements and offers a chance to build a
portfolio in the online business niche.
How to start: Submit your pitch or draft through
their "Write for Us" page. They look for specific, actionable content
rather than generic advice.
Beginner tip: Back up every claim with personal
experience or data. "How I grew my email list by 300% in 60 days"
beats a generic "10 Email Marketing Tips" every time.
7. The Dollar Stretcher
Pay rate: $0.10 per word (~$100 for a 1,000-word
article)
The Dollar Stretcher focuses on practical frugality saving money on groceries, reducing utility
bills, DIY repairs, and smart financial habits. It's a welcoming platform for
everyday writers, not just finance experts.
How to start: Read their submission guidelines
and send your article draft directly. Payment is made after publication.
Beginner tip: Write from personal experience.
Authenticity is a huge plus here. "How I cut my grocery bill in half by
doing X" resonates far more than abstract advice.
8. Make a Living Writing
Pay rate: $75–$150 per post
Make a Living Writing, run by Carol Tice, is a popular
resource for freelance writers. They pay for first-person essays, how-to
guides, and case studies about the business of freelancing pitching, rates, niches, client relationships,
and more.
How to start: Check their submission guidelines
and pitch a topic with a clear takeaway for working freelancers.
Beginner tip: Real stories outperform generic
advice on this platform. Share a specific challenge you overcame, mistake you
made, or breakthrough you had in your own freelance career.
9. Cracked
Pay rate: $100–$200 per article
Cracked is a humor and entertainment site with a loyal
readership. They publish list-style articles (often with a comedic twist),
personal essays, and pop-culture breakdowns. They have a writer's workshop
community where pitches are developed before submission.
How to start: Join the Cracked Writers'
Workshop, pitch your idea in the forum, and refine it based on community
feedback before it goes to editors.
Beginner tip: The key to Cracked is a strong
comedic "hook" in every entry. Don't just state a fact frame it in a way that's surprising, ironic,
or absurd. Study their most-shared articles for tone.
10. Longreads
Pay rate: $500 per essay/reported piece
Longreads is a home for ambitious, long-form journalism,
personal essays, and reported features. They pay well and have a broad audience
of serious readers. They also publish "reads of the week" curated
from across the web.
How to start: Submit pitches (not full drafts
initially) via their contributor guidelines. Essays should be at least 1,500
words and have a distinct narrative or reporting angle.
Beginner tip: Longreads values voice as much as
research. A deeply personal essay with a universal theme can be just as
successful as a reported piece. Think about the intersection of your personal
experience and something larger happening in the world.
11. SitePoint
Pay rate: $150–$250 per article
SitePoint caters to web developers and tech entrepreneurs
with tutorials, how-to guides, and opinions on PHP, JavaScript, Ruby, Python,
and more. They're known for being supportive of new contributors who produce
technically sound content.
How to start: Apply through their "Write
for SitePoint" page. Include links to any existing technical writing
you've done, or submit a sample draft.
Beginner tip: If you're newer to writing but
strong in a programming language, lead with your technical depth. A clear,
well-commented code tutorial can compensate for less polished prose editors can help polish the writing.
12. Tuts+ (Envato)
Pay rate: $100–$250 per tutorial
Tuts+ (by Envato) publishes beginner-to-intermediate
tutorials on coding, design, photo editing, music production, and more. They
accept freelance contributors and pay per published tutorial.
How to start: Apply via the Envato Tuts+
contributor portal. Submit a sample tutorial or a pitch explaining what you'll
teach and at what skill level.
Beginner tip: Choose a topic that's underserved where existing tutorials are outdated,
confusing, or incomplete. Filling a gap improves your chances of acceptance
significantly.
13. Reedsy Discovery
Pay rate: $50 per book review (tips from readers
too)
If you love reading as much as writing, Reedsy Discovery
lets you earn by writing book reviews. Reviewers earn a base fee per published
review, and readers can tip their favorite reviewers directly.
How to start: Apply to become a reviewer at
Reedsy Discovery. Specify your preferred genres and wait to be matched with new
books seeking early reviews.
Beginner tip: Be specific and honest in your
reviews. Readers and authors value genuine critique over vague praise. Build a
reputation for thoughtful, balanced reviews to attract more tipping readers
over time.
14. Vocal Media
Pay rate: Per-read basis (~$3.80–$6.00 per 1,000
reads); bonuses available
Vocal Media is a publishing platform where writers earn
money based on reads, similar to Medium. A Vocal+ membership (paid) unlocks
higher per-read rates and eligibility for monthly writing challenges with cash
prizes.
How to start: Create a free account at
vocal.media and start publishing immediately. No pitching required.
Beginner tip: Participate in their monthly
challenges these offer cash prizes
(often $100–$1,000) for top submissions in themed categories. It's the fastest
way to earn meaningfully as a new Vocal writer.
15. Transitions Abroad
Pay rate: $75–$150 per article
Transitions Abroad focuses on living, working, studying, and
volunteering abroad. If you've traveled or lived internationally, this is a
niche publication that values authentic firsthand experience above polished
credentials.
How to start: Review their submission guidelines
and send your pitch or draft by email. They accept both short how-to pieces and
longer narrative essays.
Beginner tip: Specificity is everything here.
"How to Find Work as a Foreigner in Lisbon" will outperform "How
to Work Abroad." Ground every tip in real experience and cite specific
resources, neighborhoods, visa requirements, or contacts.
💡 Tips for Increasing
Your Earnings as a Writer
1. Build a Niche Portfolio Fast
Editors and readers trust specialists. Pick one or two
topics you know well and write 5–10 strong pieces in those areas. A portfolio
of focused, high-quality work beats a scattered collection of general articles.
2. Always Be Pitching
Treat pitching like a numbers game at first. Send 10–15
pitches per week to various publications. Most will be rejected and that's normal. Successful freelancers
maintain a constant pipeline.
3. Repurpose Across Platforms
Write one long-form piece and then adapt it. A 2,000-word
article can become a Medium post, a Vocal essay, a Listverse list, and several
social media threads. Different platforms, multiple income streams.
4. Study What Gets Accepted
Before pitching anywhere, read at least 10 articles already
published on that platform. Notice the tone, structure, word count, and types
of examples used. Mirroring what works is not copying it's smart research.
5. Meet Deadlines Without Exception
Editors talk. Being reliable is the single fastest way to go
from one-time contributor to regular paid writer. If you commit to a deadline,
hit it. If something goes wrong, communicate early.
6. Request Higher Rates Over Time
Many platforms list starting rates, not fixed rates. Once
you've published two or three successful pieces with a publication, it's
entirely reasonable to email your editor and ask if there's room to increase
your rate. Most will respect the ask.
7. Diversify Your Income Streams
Don't depend on a single platform. Combine reader-supported
platforms (Medium, Vocal) with per-article markets (Listverse, Copyhackers) and
build toward retainer clients over time. Stability comes from variety.
8. Invest in Your Craft
Read books on writing. Take one online course per quarter.
Study writers you admire. Every improvement in your writing quality translates
directly into more acceptances, higher rates, and better clients.
Final Thought
Every professional writer started with no clips and no
bylines. What separated those who built sustainable income from those who quit
was simply showing up consistently writing,
pitching, learning from rejections, and refining.
The 15 platforms above represent real, tested opportunities.
Some will pay you $50 for your first article. Others may take months before
they accept a pitch. But the compound effect of building across multiple
platforms one acceptance at a time is how writers build careers that last.
Start today. Submit your first pitch this week. You have
everything you need.
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