25 Trusted Websites That Pay Writers $100 upwards (Updated for 2024)

Breaking into freelance writing or looking to boost your income? Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, finding trustworthy websites that pay for quality content can be challenging. Fortunately, there are numerous reputable platforms eager to compensate writers for everything from blogs and articles to creative pieces and reviews. In this article, we’ll explore 25 reliable websites where your words can earn you real income. Dive in to discover platforms that value your work, offer steady opportunities, and help you advance your writing career.

Freelance Mom is a community for moms who believe that women can still be who they are after becoming a mom. This site favors personal stories, case studies, practical and actionable advice and “Highly personal articles where there are lessons learned that you share or aggregated case studies from other moms running businesses based on a particular theme.”

This site pays up to $75-$100 for articles between 900-1500 words, with a bonus of $150 each month for articles that are at the top of their most shared list. The most interesting thing is, that men are also welcome to apply.

Website: www.freelancemom.com

Cosmopolitan has historically paid $250 per 1,000-word blog post, they also pay $100 for essays about college. They use this essay submission as a way to find writers for assignments. Their dream contributors are active members of the Cosmo community and those who follow Cosmo on multiple social media channels. When pitching, explain why your story is particularly relevant to Cosmopolitan readers.

Cosmopolitan also participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means they get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through their links to retailer sites.

Website: www.cosmopolitan.com

The Christian Science Monitor is an international news organization that offers calm, thoughtful, award-winning coverage for independent thinkers. They tackle difficult conversations and divisive issues– they don’t shy away from hard problems. They deliver global news via their website and mobile site, daily edition, weekly print magazine, and free newsletters.

it’s reported that they pay up to $.036 cents/word for 1,100-word profiles or interviews. This site has previously listed rates at $200 to $225 per article, with longer stories paying significantly more. They accept work from new writers but only on spec. This means that their editors want to see the full story before they accept it for publication. You’ll have to write and submit before you get paid.

Website: www.christiansciencemonitor.com

Transitions Abroad pays from $75 to $150 for an article in the 1250-3000+ word range, Their average payment is $100.

This website offers an extensive list of writer’s guidelines and topics, due to the pandemic they favour articles that highlight “your experience with virtual internship programs, virtual volunteering, virtual learning (including language study), online teaching and other international jobs, and online learning to teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).”

They accept a wide range of topics related to cultural immersion travel, work, study, living, volunteering abroad and more. Their writer’s guide offers a plethora of topics.

Website: www.transitionsabroad.com

Copyhackers is a great site for writers on topics like business startup, design, marketing strategies, and freelancing info. They are interested in practical contents for startups, marketers, freelancers, and designers. They look for articles that discuss topics that include launching and growing a business, freelancing for lifestyle/money, conversion copywriting, UX and A/B testing, product design, persuasion, and psychology, etc.

Copyhackers expect articles to be in-depth and thoroughly researched. They rarely accept articles less than 2,000 words and want articles to feature a first-person story/account. They pay upto $325 for not less than 2,000 words per article and their payment mode is through Paypal. Their responses whether to go ahead to post ot not usually comes within within five days.

Website: www.copyhackers.com

Freelancer is an Australian freelance marketplace website, which allows potential employers to post jobs that freelancers can then bid to complete. At the Freelancer website, writers can earn from articles, find projects on diverse topics posted directly by clients, companies or individuals.This website has over 61,927,089 employers and freelancers who are finding projects and submitting their tasks diligently.

This website has a very simple interface which makes it relatively easy to use. The website is a unique one, as writers have to bid on the projects to get the work assigned to them, the lowest bidder wins, and then the customers can browse the freelancers’ profiles, chat with them, compare the proposals and select the one matching their expectations. This system allows writers to explore various themes and learn how to efficiently negotiate and showcase their skills.

Website: www.freelancer.com

Barefoot Writer is a magazine that is committed to helping you learn to make money, work from home, and land freelance writing jobs to achieve your dream writer’s life. You have to join their Barefoot Writer Club — a club designed to support up-and-coming writers.

They provide writers with priceless community support, tips on how to grow a profitable writing business, and short-cuts into making money working from home. They pay $100 to $300 for published articles with the fee depending on the assignment. You can earn a full-time income through your writing or write part-time either for fun or profit.

Website: www.thebarefootwriter.com

A List Apart explores the design, development, and meaning of web content, with a special focus on web standards and best practices. They began as a mailing list in 1997 and launched this website in 1998. They publish articles of anywhere between 600–2,500 words, depending on subject complexity.The average article should be about 1,500 words.

The articles may be casual in tone and content—great for less-intensive tutorials and posts—or rigorously structured and edited. They welcome thoughtful submissions from all kinds of web professionals – designers, developers, architects, strategists, writers and project managers. They pay upto $200 for articles between 1,500-2,000 words.

Website: www.alistapart.com

Income Diary pays $50-$200 for articles about making money online, including SEO, affiliate sales, and traffic generation.They offer up to $200 for articles that are a minimum of 1,500 words, although their budget for well-written articles can be as high as $300.

Also, they sometimes list topic-specific articles, which they are currently looking for (such as SEO) at a higher rate of pay. They look for articles related to “creating awesome websites, driving traffic, social media, or making money online.”

Website: www.incomediary.com

Fiverr is an Israeli multinational online marketplace for freelance services. Fiverr's platform connects freelancers to people or businesses looking to hire, encouraging a wide range of services in a free market.They provide a system for freelancers and customers to discuss the details of their projects, they stand out as a freelance marketplace that places freelancers at the forefront, prioritizing their interests over those of the clients.

With fiverr you can earn upto $5 to $995, per work done. Currently, Fiverr lists more than three million freelance jobs and services (including freelance writing) on the site that you can start to apply for.

Website: www.fiverr.com

Earth Island Journal is a non-profit magazine published with support from readers and Earth Island Institute. They publish quarterly in print and daily online. Their stories, told from around the world, anticipate threats to the environment, and seek out innovative solutions to the world’s environmental challenges.

They are interested in topics that discusses environmental issues, including wildlife and lands conservation, innovations in science and technology, public policy, climate and energy, animal rights, public health, environmental justice and cultural survival, related film, music and books. They pay $0.25/word for print features up to 4,000 words, though 2,800 words is most common, $200 for stories published online. They also pay you when you submit your own imagery along with print features $65 per photo.

Website: www.earthisland.org

Listverse was founded in 2009 as the internet’s original Top 10 site. Their lists intrigue and educate with topics covering the most fascinating and rare gems of human knowledge.They are the best site when it comes to entertaining, yet credible contents. Listverse is interested in lists that are “offbeat and novel” and that approach everyday topics from a unique and quirky perspective.

They pay $100 for list-based posts with a minimum of ten items on the list. However, you must have a PayPal account to receive payment. They are also open to new and inexperienced writers and looking for people with a sense of humor, good command of the English language and “a love for things unusual or interesting.

Website: www.listverse.com

B. Michelle Pippin is the driving force behind Women, an intimate online community designed for female entrepreneurs. As a celebrated expert, Michelle brings a wealth of knowledge and a strong commitment to empowering women in business. To achieve this goal, she is looking for people with unusual and interesting ideas to write for the blog. They are especially interested in stories based on first-hand experience on topics of interest to women entrepreneurs.

Contributors to B. Michelle Pippin’s platform are compensated between $50 and $150 per piece, depending on the placement and format of the content. Payments are made promptly on the first of the month following the publication. Content featured in the members-only newsletter commands a higher fee and greater exclusivity, whereas blog posts require a 90-day exclusivity period before they can be republished elsewhere, with proper attribution to the original publication.

Website: www.bmitchellepippin.com

SmartBusinessTrends is an influential blog that focuses on the nuances of online marketing, with a keen look on areas such as email marketing, WordPress, and Amazon FBA. The platform is dedicated to providing readers with high-quality articles and tutorials that offer substantial value, highlighting the latest trends and strategies.

SmartBusinessTrends offers you a chance to share valuable knowledge with an engaged audience. Contributors are expected to produce well-researched content that not only informs but also implements the blog’s goals. They offer compensation between $200 and $500, based on the quality and depth of the submitted work. Payment is made via PayPal, and the platform gains full rights to the article, meaning it cannot be republished elsewhere.

Website: www.smartbusinesstrends.com

LogRocket is ideal for experienced developers looking to contribute to the community and enhance their professional reputation. As a contributor on this site you should be prepared to write in-depth, educational posts that cater to a readership that, while possibly junior, is not a beginner.

LogRocket offers a payment up to $350 for each article, based on the depth and quality of the work submitted. This competitive pay structure is designed to acknowledge your effort and expertise that you must have invested in your article.

Website: www.blog.logrocket.com

Longreads was found in 2009 by Mark Armstrong, they are dedicated to finding and sharing the best longform nonfiction storytelling on the web. They publish personal and reported essays, criticism, reading lists, and occasional book excerpts, interviews, and more in-depth features. They do not accept drafts/pitches or publish stories written using generative AI applications such as ChatGPT.

They opt out of sharing their site content with third parties whenever possible. Payment for published articles on Longreads varies. For reported essays, critical essays, and columns, the rate starts at $500. For reading lists (where you curate a reading list based on a specific topic), they pay $350.

Website: www.longreads.com

Better Humans is a prominent publication on Medium that specializes in insightful self-improvement content. The platform is particularly selective, focusing on high-quality, how-to articles that offer more than just generic advice. You are expected to share personal experiences and detailed steps you’ve taken towards achieving specific self-improvement goals, providing both successful strategies and those that didn’t work, which adds a layer of authenticity and practicality to the advice.

They value diversity and encourages contributions from writers of underrepresented backgrounds, seeking to enrich their content with a variety of perspectives. Their payment structure is not explicitly stated however, you can expect to be paid up to $500 per post.

Website: betterhuman.pub

PTO Today is a publication dedicated to leaders of parent-teacher organizations/parent groups, and they are looking for articles that can help leaders of these organizations more effectively lead their organization and support their schools. They are interested in contents for both their magazine and website. They generally prefer how-to pieces, profiles of programs and people, first-person articles by group leaders, and articles from PTO experts.

PTO Today compensates you by assignment, not by word count, with rates ranging from $125 to $500. The payment scale varies based on the topic’s complexity and your expertise. High-impact stories and highly experienced writers may receive higher compensation. Payment is made upon acceptance of the work, typically within 30 days of invoicing.

Website: www.ptotoday.com

Narratively is a great platform that focuses on character-driven storytelling, they are are always interested in adding new, diverse voices to the mix. The true stories we publish are defined not by topic but by style: immersive, cinematic storytelling that takes readers inside another world, another life, through vivid scenes, colorful details and compelling narrative arcs. If you want to get paid to write articles, essays, short stories, and other interesting pieces that capture the human experience, this can be a great opportunity for you. They have an engaged readership.

So, if you manage to publish your article on the site, you can connect with a great community. The platform hasn’t paid writers less than $0.12 per word from 2018. This works out to at least $120 per 1,000 words.

Website: www.narratively.com