What side hustles can I do in an hour?
Side hustles that fit in a spare hour are the ones with no setup and no customers: a paid user test of a website or app (15 to 45 minutes, recorded, paid per study), a short research study, a batch of surveys, listing something you own for sale, or a micro task on a labelling site. None pays a lot for one hour. The point is that the hour was otherwise idle.
What fits in an hour
| Side hustle | Time | Needs | Pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| A paid user test | 15 to 45 minutes | Laptop, mic, quiet room, an invitation | A fixed amount per study, to PayPal |
| A research study on Prolific | 5 to 30 minutes | Laptop or phone, a free slot | Per study, cash |
| Surveys | A few minutes each | Phone | Cents to a few dollars |
| Listing something for sale | 10 minutes | Something people want | Whatever it sells for, later |
| Micro tasks | As long as you like | Laptop | Per task, small |
The user test option
A user test is a good use of a quiet hour if you have one waiting in your feed. You open the study, share the tab in Chrome, do a few tasks while talking, answer some questions and you are done. On Inflight the pay and the expected time are shown before you start, and a study done in good faith is paid even if you got stuck. The catch is the invitation: you cannot start one on demand, only when a study matches you.
You must be 18 or older and live in the United States, with a desktop or laptop, a microphone and Google Chrome. Studies run on desktop; there is no phone app.
Making the hour count
- Keep profiles on a couple of panels complete so more studies match you.
- Do the user test first if one is waiting; a recorded session pays more per minute than a survey.
- Fill the rest with surveys or a listing. Low pay, but zero setup.
- Do not pay anyone to get started. Nothing on this list costs money.
Questions people ask next
- Can I do a user test on my lunch break?
- If you have a quiet place, a laptop with Chrome and a study waiting, yes. An open-plan office is too noisy for the recording.
- What pays most for one hour?
- A user test, when you have one. Without an invitation, a Prolific study or selling something.
- Is any of this taxable?
- Side income is generally taxable in the US. Inflight issues no tax forms; see the taxes guide.