Computers are incredible machines. Yet, they can sit idle for hours or days at a time when we aren’t using them. Just like your car or any other machine, a computer does better when it’s running. What’s more, with the right tools and knowledge, you can turn your idle computer into a passive income machine by effortlessly monetizing unused processing power. This article will outline how to make money with a computer so that you can turn those hours or days of idle time into tangible rewards.

One way to get started is by using Salad’s GPU server hosting software. This program enables you to easily convert your PC into a server that hosts files and processes data for other users online. The best part? You can keep using your computer for personal tasks while you earn money on the side. 

What is Distributed Computing?

Distributed computing may sound incredibly technical, but the concept is quite simple. It refers to a process where the combined resources of multiple, distributed computers are aggregated together, providing powerful compute or storage resources for heavy-duty projects. 

The Airbnb of Computing

In some ways, it can be likened to Airbnb, but instead of renting out your spare room or vacation home, you simply rent out your unused computing resources. To participate, you’ll need to download and install the required application or plugin for the project you want to contribute to. Then it’ll run in the background, allowing your computer’s excess resources to be used by the organization concerned.

The University of California, Berkeley’s SETI@Home project is no longer allowing new users to participate in its ongoing search for extraterrestrial life, meaning it can no longer provide a passive income stream for those willing to leave their computer on 24/7. 

Pioneer in Public-Powered Space Search

The SETI@Home project was launched in 1999, inviting users to download a special software program that enabled them to donate their excess computing power to the initiative, which is searching for signs of alien life elsewhere in the cosmic void. Nevertheless, to the disappointment of many, scientists announced in 2021 that they were winding down the project and no longer required contributions from the general public.

While the announcement was a significant disappointment for participants, the good news is that there are still numerous other distributed computing projects that enable users to earn money by renting out their idle storage space or processing power. 

What are the Downsides? 

There does not seem to be a lot of downsides to earning a passive income, but those considering it should be aware that by running these programs and keeping their computer switched on 24/7, it may degrade its performance and lifetime. 

Maximizing Idle Power

The reality is that most people don’t usually utilize the full capacity of their machine, so they can afford to contribute without significantly impacting performance. And of course, it’s always possible to use an external storage device if you do need more disk space. Then again, if you do need to perform intensive computing tasks yourself, it might be worth investing in a more powerful machine, or even a second computer that you can leave running and forget about.

Related Reading

• How to Make Money Playing Video Games
• Crypto Mining Rig
• Side Hustles for College Students
• Render Network

How to Make Money With a Computer Without Doing the Work

Cash in on Your Idle PC With Salad

Salad turns your unused computing power into real rewards – gift cards, PayPal cash, and more. No technical setup, no managing mining pools, just download and start earning. Join 450K+ PC owners already earning $30-$200+ monthly by sharing their idle hardware with businesses that need AI compute power. 

Your rig works for you 24/7, and you get paid for it. Download Salad and turn your GPU into passive income.

Easy Mining With Spacemesh

Mining cryptocurrency is one of the most obvious ideas for utilizing your spare capacity that comes to mind, but it’s essential to choose a suitable network. Enter Spacemesh, an alternative cryptocurrency network designed to serve the average User who wants to mine a little cryptocurrency on their computer at home. 

To start mining with Spacemesh, all that’s required is an Intel or AMD CPU with at least 1GB of RAM, and an always-on, unmetered internet connection with a minimum download speed of 5 Mbps and an upload speed of 1 Mbps. 

Help Build AI With HyperCycle

As an alternative, PC and laptop owners can opt to join the HyperCycle network, which is building an artificial general intelligence network. The idea with this is to promote cooperation between AI agents by establishing a network of nodes that collaborate to solve complex problems.

Investing in the “Internet of AIs”

Users are required to purchase an individual software node license to participate in HyperCycle’s network and deposit a minimum of 1,024 HYPC tokens. That might sound expensive, but HyperCycle insists it’s a small price to pay for democratizing access to advanced AI computation and paving the way for a future “Internet of AIs.”

Store Files Decentralized With Storj

If you have plenty of hard drive space and you’re willing to put it to work, Storj offers a viable opportunity with its decentralized cloud storage network, which it presents as an alternative to services like:

• Dropbox
• Box
• Amazon Web Services

To rent out your extra disk drive space to Storj, all that’s required is to download its application, install it, and then select how much storage capacity you want to contribute. Once activated, that portion of your hard drive becomes a part of the Storj network. 

Earn Passive Income With Hyperlink 

Hyperlink refers to itself as the “World Supercomputer,” but it is a global network of computers that anyone can join to earn passive income. Users donate their computer’s resources to host third-party websites, mobile applications, and content. 

Hyperlink claims to offer significant earnings potential for users, stating that it’s possible to earn up to $8,600 per year by connecting a desktop or laptop to its network and leaving it running continuously. 

Get Paid to Mine Crypto With Kryptex 

Your computer can take part in cryptocurrency mining using a platform like Kryptex. All you have to do is download a Microsoft Windows app and let miners access your computer’s processing power at various times. The amount you bring in depends mainly on your setup. 

LoadTeam 

LoadTeam is a similar type of mining operation that lets you use your computer to mine coins via a Windows app that enables you to make money by harvesting processing power. At the time of writing, the company claims to have a network of over 99,000 users across 164 countries. 

Get Paid to Rent Your Computer’s Processing Power With MQL5 

Another way to monetize your computer’s CPU is through the MQL5 Cloud Network, which allows other users to access your computer’s resources in exchange for payment. To access this network and make money, download and install the MetaTrader 5 Strategy Tester Agent to get started. 

Additional Options

Honeygain: Share Your Internet for Cash

Honeygain is an app that pays you to share your internet connection. You simply download the app, let it run in the background while you use your devices, and get paid. Honeygain has over 250,000 users in more than 150 countries. You can choose to receive payment in Bitcoin or via PayPal transfer.

Digital Coin Generation: Rent Out Your CPU Power

Digital Coin Generation makes money by renting out a low percentage of your computer’s processor. It’s supported on Mac and Windows operating systems. The website isn’t the most user-friendly or resourceful, but its registration process is quick and free. Simply download the app and let it run. 

Golem Network: Rent Out Your Computing Power

Golem Network is a peer-to-peer platform that pays you to rent out digital resources like your computing power. Since there aren’t set prices, you could potentially earn more with Golem than with a lot of its competitors. Golem pays users with GLM tokens, which are Ethereum-based crypto. 

GamerHash: For Gamers Who Want to Mine Crypto

This one is for all my gamers out there. Gamerhash allows you to mine cryptocurrency while your computer is idle and pays you to play games. The website is user-friendly and features a BTC exchange rate calculator that estimates the potential earnings on the platform. 

Mineprize: Share Your Idle Computer Power for Cash

Mainprize keeps it simple. You share your idling PC’s power in exchange for payment. Technically, your browser performs complex mathematical tasks and awards you points for the borrowed power. These tasks can take seconds to minutes to complete so you can collect several daily. 

Ooguo: Another Platform to Make Money With Your Computer

Ooguo, also known as eBesucher.com, is another platform that allows you to earn money easily with your computer. You can earn money by installing the site’s surf bar, which visits sites automatically. You can also get paid for clicking through advertising emails and ad campaigns, based on your areas of interest. The platform has been around since 2002, and it appears to be legit based on user reviews. 

Related Reading

• How to Make Money with a Laptop
• Most Profitable Crypto to Mine

Additional Ways to Make Money with Your Computer

Get Paid To Answer Surveys

Paid survey sites give you a simple way to monetize your spare time. While you won’t earn thousands of dollars taking surveys, they can provide some nice pocket change when you’re bored. These sites pay you to share your opinion on various products and services. The surveys can help companies make improvements before going to market. Some of my favorite survey sites include: 

• Branded Surveys: This site allows you to earn points that can be exchanged for cash via PayPal or gift cards by completing surveys and other tasks.
• Survey Junkie: One of the most well-known survey sites, Survey Junkie offers a user-friendly interface and a variety of ways to earn rewards.
• Swagbucks: This site pays you to play games, answer surveys, watch ads, and shop online.
• Ipsos iSay: A globally-friendly survey site with PayPal and gift card rewards.
• InboxDollars: Get a $5 sign-up bonus and earn rewards with this nice Swagbucks alternative.
• Kashkick: Another popular GPT platform that pays you with PayPal.
• Prime Opinion: A new and global survey site with a nice sign-up bonus. 

Develop Apps 

If you’re computer savvy, you should consider building apps and selling them to businesses. Currently, there is a significant demand for workplace productivity apps that help companies streamline their operations. For example, a construction company can use an app to track equipment or daily workflows. 

Recent advancements in no-code app design make it easy to design solutions without any coding experience. You need to create one app, and then you can use it as a template to share with other companies. This could be a great way to launch a side hustle.

Provide Technical Support 

Another way to make money using your home computer and phone is to launch a tech support service, utilizing tools like remote monitoring to log in and assist people in resolving fundamental troubleshooting issues with your system. This is another excellent money-making opportunity for tech-savvy individuals seeking to boost their cash flow.

Remember that half of a tech support technician’s job involves providing customer service and collaborating with others. Even if you know a lot about computers, you still need strong people skills in this line of work.

Offer Social Media Support 

Small businesses often seek individuals to assist them with their social media initiatives. If you know how to craft great social posts or attract followers, consider doing this. To get started, poke around and find local businesses with a limited social media presence. Conduct a social media audit and share a plan with the company to help enhance its social media channels. 

Taking the time to compile this type of report should be sufficient to secure a sit-down meeting with management.

Affiliate Marketing 

Affiliate marketing is a fantastic way to earn a substantial income from the comfort of your own home with no upfront costs.

Here’s how it works
You partner with companies and promote their products or services to your audience. And for every sale you facilitate, you earn a commission. Nonetheless, affiliate marketing does require effort and dedication. However, with the right strategy and approach, earning potential is limitless.

Writing

“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?”. Alright, alright, I admit not all writing is Shakespearian. But you’ll need some strong linguistic skills to be able to qualify as a copywriter. Luckily, it’s not like in the old days, when we used typewriters, am I right? But seriously, though, there’s a chance you’ll make some delicious dough (3 claps for the rhyme) writing as a skill. 

Content Creation for Diverse Platforms

Here are just some of the ways you’d be able to get some moola typing away on your fancy keyboard or whatever:

• Start a blog
• Self-Publish a book
• Create affiliate content
• Write scripts for video creators
• Create written content for social media
• Peer check books
• Help with marketing content

Virtual Assistant 

If you possess excellent organizational skills and enjoy assisting others, becoming a virtual assistant may be the ideal fit for you. With the rise of online businesses, the demand for virtual assistants has skyrocketed. As a virtual assistant, you will help business owners tackle tasks that require more time, such as:

• Customer service
• Bookkeeping
• Social media management

You could help them grow their businesses by writing blog posts and monitoring SEO content. You can choose your services and how you market yourself to potential clients. This means you can turn your strengths and passions into a lucrative career.

Coding 

That’s right, kids. If you understand this print (“hello world”), to some degree, you’ve probably done some coding before. Coding, programming, or developing, as some may call it, would stand the test of time (at least for now to be one of the most lucrative ways to earn extra money, or even as your primary source of income. 

Building from the Ground Up

There are plenty of resources out there that use low-code/no-code to build you an app or website, and then of course, there are the hardcode coders (like me) that write everything line by line, binary di — okay fine, I’m exaggerating a bit on the binary part. But on a more serious note, you can make money writing websites, apps, making cloud platforms, or using low-code or no-code platforms. 

Try Dropshipping 

Dropshipping is incredibly easy to set up, but for some, it can be challenging to maintain momentum. Luckily, Shopify has made it incredibly easy to create and run an online store. Drop shipping from China’s most significant online marketplaces, such as AliExpress and DHGate, is quite common. 

Nevertheless, if you can secure a local distributor willing to let you dropship their product, you’ve got a winner! 

Set up an Online Course 

If you possess a skill and can articulate it, then look no further than online education. Online education, with the likes of Skillshare, Pluralsight, and Coursera, has made inroads in the last couple of years, upskilling individuals from courses that YOU can create and earn from. 

Sell stock photos 

Taking stock photos to sell has always been a great way to earn some initial and even possibly passive income, depending on the terms of the sale. However, with the rise of amateur iPhone photography and the advent of AI, the market has become increasingly competitive. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t still worthwhile.

If you want to sell your images as stock photos, you have to be smart about it. It’s not all about photo quality; conduct some market research to determine the most in-demand stock photo types. Websites for selling stock photos include:

• Shutterstock
• Adobe Stock
• iStock
• Alamy
• Depositphotos

With stock photos, you’ll be paid per download or purchase on a monthly or yearly basis. 

Start Your Own Podcast 

Podcasting is one of those jobs you can not only do from your laptop but also in your pajamas. To start your podcast, you need a podcast idea, equipment, and a quiet place to record. You can invest in high-quality sound and editing equipment, or you can start with what your laptop already comes with and upgrade in quality as you progress. 

Powering Your Podcast Income

Both have their benefits, depending on your initial financial situation. Ensure that you start monetizing your podcast early, and as soon as you have an audience that supports it, diversify your revenue streams. You can host live events, use affiliate marketing or direct sponsorships, or even create a subscription to let your followers get some extra VIP content. 

Create Your Own YouTube Channel 

The chances of you becoming the next Mr. Beast or Dream are rare, but you can still make a considerable amount of money with a YouTube channel. Most full-time YouTube creators make a living for themselves without even cracking a million subscribers. 

The Payoff of a Dedicated Subscriber Base

Jessica Stansberry, a digital marketing expert who creates videos about automation, earns $50,000 a year with over 200,000 subscribers. Lifestyle vlogger Kelly Stamps has 700,000 subscribers and reports an annual income of around $90,000. Building your subscriber base may require some dedication, but it can pay off in the end.

You don’t even need to show your face to make money on YouTube. Faceless reels are also an option. Of course, the most successful channels are the ones that a computer can’t replace. 

Start Making Money Through Instagram 

You don’t have to be an influencer with millions of followers to make money on Instagram. Micro-influencers like Emma Cortes ($60,000 per year) and Taylor Lorenz ($40,000 per year) earn a full-time living through sponsored content and brand partnerships. The key to their success is that both of them understand how to work their analytics and work with brands that align with their audience.

Here are some tips that can help even micro-influencers earn a full-time living on Instagram: 

• Stay relevant by working within your niche and maintaining consistent content that aligns with it. 
• Engage with your audience regularly: This can be responding to comments, having live streams, or posting polls. Engagement is what feeds the algorithm, so this time investment will pay out as more eyes on your content.
• Leverage the platform tools: On Instagram, you can include hashtags and location tags to appeal to people who may be seeking out your kind of content but didn’t know you existed. 
• Be aware of brand collaboration potential: You don’t want to wait for a brand to reach out to you; if there’s someone you want to work with, set up a realistic pitch and reach out to them. As long as you’re professional and respect boundaries, the worst they can say is no. Like most types of social media, your top source of revenue will not be Instagram itself, but instead monetizing Instagram in other ways.

Make or Resell PLR Digital Products 

Don’t want to make your ebook or course? With PLR (Private Label Rights), you buy digital products from the creator and rebrand them as your own. PLR products are often sold in bulk, so you can buy a bundle of, let’s say, 100 digital planners and customize them. You can turn them into things like:

• ADHD habit journals
• Weight loss trackers
• Seasonal journals

Value Through Customization

Most products sell for $5 to $50, but the price ultimately depends on how you use them. There’s also another way to make money with PLR: designing the products yourself. If you can create a product that someone else might want, I can then sell it to them and let them customize it as they see fit.

Design and Sell Print-on-demand 

Print-on-demand products check a lot of boxes for some people. 

• Passive income? Check. 
• Only need a computer? Check. 
• Are you able to produce on a flexible schedule and be your own boss? Extra check. 

Print-on-demand creators can easily make up to $5,000 a month as long as they can create enough content and market themselves well enough. You can choose to make my designs and upload them somewhere for my customers to get them printed directly, or sell the designs and let the customer figure out where to print them. Some of the most popular platforms for this include:

• Redbubble
• Teespring
• Amazon Merch on Demand
• Society6 

Create and Sell Low/No-code Websites 

If you have experience in coding languages like CSS, JavaScript, and HTML, you already know how to build websites. Don’t worry if you don’t – what’s important is your creativity, since AIs can now create websites in a matter of seconds. 

Your Edge in Low-Code/No-Code Web Design

Whether you’re an experienced web developer or not, using AI and your creativity to design and sell low or no-code websites to clients is a good way to make money online. These types of websites can be done with platforms like:

• Bolt
• Lovable
• Webflow
• WordPress

By targeting small, local, or startup businesses, you can easily find clients to work with. 

Set Up an Exclusive Paid Community 

Yes, you can make money weekly or monthly by running a paid online community. Paid communities are one of the best ways to make money online, simply because they often complement multiple side hustles. Are you a fitness coach? Run a supportive community and host live classes. Are you a gamer? Set up an exclusive whop for fans of the games I play. 

Offer Online Coaching 

Fitness coaching, relationship coaching, financial coaching, and health/wellness coaching are all highly profitable fields. If you need more ideas, check out our top lucrative coaching niches. Online coaches earn anywhere from $30 to $1000 per hour. Here are some tips to get started as an online coach:

Define Your Niche

Having a specific area of expertise and catering to clients who need within that area will help you target your marketing more effectively. 

Have a Signature Program

This lets your potential clients know exactly where my coaching can take them and the timeframe it typically requires to achieve their goals. Use a sales funnel: Determine how you want to capture clients’ attention (possibly by utilizing free resources or a complimentary sample program), and then convert that interest into sales. 

Leverage Testimonials

With every successful client, you can collect a testimonial to serve as proof of your skill and credibility with future clients. 

Become a Translator 

If you know more than one language, you can make money online through translation services. Different languages pay different amounts, so it’s helpful to focus on one that plays a significant role in the global economy. As for pay, your mileage may vary depending on your experience and location. 

Offer Tutoring Services Online 

If you are passionate about education and have a talent for teaching, then online tutoring is an excellent opportunity. The first step to becoming an online tutor is determining your expertise, i.e., the subject in which you excel. Then decide on your target audience, whether it be:

• School-going children
• College students
• Professionals
• Anyone else who wants to learn 

Plan a step-by-step curriculum to guide my students through their lessons. Once I have a plan, it’s time to find a teaching platform that suits my needs.

Invest For Income 

This is a decent passive income side hustle that anyone can start these days, thanks to the power of technology. And you have numerous options if you want to start investing for income. For example, some popular investing options include:

• Investing in real estate with crowdfunding companies like Arrived Investing in dividend stocks and ETFs
• Buying artwork with companies like Masterworks
• Opening a high-yield savings account (companies like Current pay a 4% bonus) 
• Bonds and CDs
• Buying alternative assets like sports cards, gold and silver, or other collectibles

Tailoring Your Strategy

There’s no single right or wrong answer for how to get started. And your investing time frame, goals, and risk tolerance all influence what’s right. If you have questions, it’s wise to speak with a financial professional. But I do love the fact that just about anyone can start putting their money to work with their laptop and without needing a fortune. 

Play Games For Money 

Do you spend time gaming? If so, you can start earning money with your laptop by playing video games. There are numerous paid gaming apps and websites you can use, including:

• Freecash: A fun way to make money downloading games and apps.
• MyFreeApp: Another discovery rewards website I love using.
• Buff: Earn passive rewards for playing leading PC games like League of Legends and Valorant!
• Gamehag: Enjoy free Steam games, gift cards, and in-game prizes for playing games with Gamehag.
• Scrambly: One of my favorite discovery rewards platforms that also has games.
• PlaytestCloud: One of the best ways to find user-testing gigs that pay you for testing new apps and websites.
• Earnweb: A new rewards website from the same company that runs Gamehag. You won’t earn $1,000 a day or anything even close with these websites, but if you spend time gaming anyway, you could get paid. 

Sell Your Internet Bandwidth

Did you know that you can earn money simply by sharing your internet bandwidth with others? That’s what companies like Honeygain and Pawns do. They allow you to turn a device, such as your laptop, into a node in their VPN network. The more bandwidth you share, the more you earn. 

While they won’t make you rich, apps like Honeygain and Pawns can run entirely on autopilot. So this is an easy way to turn your laptop into an income stream, all on autopilot. 

Sell Stuff For Money 

Starting a resale business is another idea worth considering. People often do this by flipping items for profit on various online marketplaces, such as:

• eBay
• Poshmark
• Facebook Marketplace 

Popular resale items include:

• Shoes
• Clothing
• Collectibles
• Vintage items
• A wide range of other items 

You can also buy items at clearance stores or garage sales to resell online for a profit. This is basic retail arbitrage. And while it requires some initial investment to get started, a resale business can scale into a substantial income source.

Make Money Passively using Your GPU with Salad

Salad turns your unused computing power into real rewards – gift cards, PayPal cash, and more. No technical setup, no managing mining pools, just download and start earning. Join 450K+ PC owners already earning $30-$200+ monthly by sharing their idle hardware with businesses that need AI compute power. Your rig works for you 24/7, and you get paid for it. 

Download Salad and turn your GPU into passive income.

Related Reading

• Sell GPU Power
• How to Make Money from Your Home
• Rent Out Your GPU