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7 Ways to Get Paid to Be a Virtual Friend
Fiverr
Fiverr Summary
- Set your own prices for your services
- Choose from over 500 service categories
- 3 different options for cashing out
- Protection from fradulent chargebacks
Fiverr is one of the top platforms for the gig economy. Here, you can offer a wide variety of services, including being a virtual friend.
The platform allows you to create a profile detailing your services and your rate per hour. You can also allow potential clients to negotiate a price. You don’t have to worry about paying anything on the platform as it’s free to use.
As for how much you can charge, Fiverr gigs allow a minimum of $5 service fee. While this is the least you can earn as a virtual friend, you can charge up to $25 per hour.
Additionally, you can consider offering other packages, such as five-minute video chats. Other virtual friends on the platform are quite creative, with some offering to be pen pals. How much they charge depends on the length of their letters.
Finally, you can go the traditional way, offering relationship or friendly advice at a 30-minute set rate. What’s good about this platform is that you can increase your rate as you collect good customer reviews.
Freelancer
Freelancer is another online platform where you can get paid as a virtual friend. Quite similar to Fiverr, it allows you to create a profile advertising your services.
However, you’ll need to be proactive in searching and connecting with clients. The platform works in a way that requires you to place bids on clients or projects you want to work with. This gives clients the option to choose their virtual friend.
Additionally, you can only place eight different bids for free. If you want to connect with more clients, you can pay for a subscription to get more chances of bidding.
The platform is available in many countries around the world. If you’re from outside the US, you can still offer to be a virtual friend for people all around the world.
How much you can earn depends on the potential bids. Although, the average bid on the platform goes between $12 to $25 for an hour.
Rent a Friend
Unlike the first two platforms on the list, Rent a Friend exclusively caters to people looking for online friends. The website is available only in the US and the UK.
Using this website, you can be a virtual friend and make at least $10 per hour. You can charge higher rates if you feel like you can offer more in the friendship.
For example, you can teach your friend a new skill, or introduce them to a new hobby. Aside from those, you might have some valuable relationship advice you can offer. Finally, you might just be the conversationalist your friend just needs.
Rent A Friend has a secured and anonymous messaging system that allows potential friends to contact you. This way, you won’t have to worry about using unsecured third-party messaging apps.
Rent a Cyber Friend
The platform’s name is pretty much what it stands for. With Rent a Cyber Friend, you can start by creating a personal profile. You’ll need to complete your profile before you can accept calls from clients.
The profile requires a profile image, bio, birth year, at least one language, and interest. Then, the platform matches you with clients of similar profiles. From there, you can start accepting video calls from your cyber friends and start earning money.
Rent a Cyber Friend pays per minute of video calls. However, you can expect an average of $10 to $30 per hour. If you have skills or hobbies to teach, you can set a higher rate.
Rent a Local Friend
Rent a Local Friend not only caters to people looking for in-person friendships. The platform also allows you to get paid as a virtual friend.
Using the platform, you can chat and provide online lessons to people looking to learn about a culture or locality. If you live or are at least familiar with a tourist hotspot, this gig is for you.
Besides being a virtual friend, the Rent a Local Friend also allows you to become a remote concierge. In a way, you’ll also be a virtual friend. However, the work includes providing tips and traps to your tourist friend through video calls or chat.
You may set how much you charge for the service you offer, with the maximum hourly rate going at $20. If you’re looking to increase your rate, you’ll need to pay a $55 contribution to have your account verified.
Once you have your account verified, you can set your hourly rate up to $35. This allows you to recover the $55 you initially spent.
FriendPC
FriendPC, as its name implies, is another platform where you can get paid to be a virtual friend. It allows you to offer something straightforward, like socialization or companionship.
If you’re good for next-level friendships, the platform is also ideal for virtual gaming sessions, mentorships, or even in-person meetings.
Unlike other platforms, FriendPC allows virtual girlfriend or boyfriend services.
Using this platform, you can set your schedule, prices, and preferred communication channel. Thus, it can help you earn up to $30 per hour. But, FriendPC takes a 30% commission off your earnings when you’re subscribed to its starter package.
You can pay for a professional subscription package to get lower commission fees. On top of that, you can create more listings, allowing you to offer more services.
College Pirates
It’s common knowledge that friendships don’t always start as is, as many might have only blossomed from acquaintances. May it be from people of common interests or work colleagues, or even schoolmates.
Considering that, College Pirates makes it to the list of platforms where you can get paid as a virtual friend. From here, you’ll be mentoring college students and making $80 at most per consultation.
And what better way to get through them and become an effective mentor than by being a friend first.
Of course, you’ll need to have expertise on the subject matter you’ll want to help them with. This means you’ll need to be a recent graduate or spend at least one year studying the subject you’re offering.
How to Stay Safe As a Virtual Friend?
Most of the virtual friend platforms you’ll find online offer safeguards for both you and your client. However, it’s still important to note the extra steps you can take to stay safe when providing virtual friend services.
Tip #1. Never Give Out Personal Information
When talking with your client, make sure to avoid divulging personal information, such as Social Security Number or bank details. It’s also crucial to avoid giving out your address as these can be used for fraudulent activities.
Tip #2. Secured Payments Only
When it comes to receiving payments, most of the safe platforms you’ll find can process it for you.
For example, Rent a Cyber Friend collects and places all your earnings on your account dashboard. Once you’re ready to withdraw those, you can add a payment method, like a bank account. This way, you won’t need to discuss payments directly with clients.
In some cases, the client might ask for your bank details to send you direct payments. Instead of that, offer to use third-party secured services, like PayPal. Platforms such as these verify and secure transactions.
Tip #3. Stay Online
Always remember that as a virtual friend, you don’t have to meet clients in person if you’re not comfortable doing it. Make sure to set this expectation for your client. Feel free to terminate the service if the client doesn’t respect your policy.
Tip #4. Keep It Platonic
Most platforms have terms of service that explicitly say about keeping the online friendship platonic. If a user makes you feel uncomfortable, you can report them to the platform you’re using.
Understandably, you’re looking to make money by being a virtual friend. But, remember that some things a client might ask you to do or say are just not worth it.
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