Once upon a time, there was a site known as ChaCha.

People loved working for ChaCha as independent contractors to make a little extra money in their spare time.

How did they do it?

They responded to questions people asked with the answers to those questions.

And they could do it all from their phone, basically getting paid to text and do a little research.

These people were known as ChaCha Guides.

There were also other job titles with ChaCha, like the ChaCha Vetter, who was responsible for making sure questions got to the right place and that the answers they were given were correct.

Sadly, ChaCha is no more, probably because there isn’t much of a need for it with the massive Google taking over web search engines and giving us every answer to every question we can think of at our fingertips.

But, even though these jobs that paid people to text are no more, that doesn’t mean that all texting jobs have vanished.

In fact, we have a list of other ways that you can get paid to text using your smartphone, and they’re all just as good – if not better – than the jobs ChaCha offered.

16 Texting Jobs: How to Get Paid for SMS

Want to get paid to text?

The below listings are viable options for getting paid while texting on your cell phone.

1Q

1Q has been one of the longest-running sites of its kind.

1Q is an app for your mobile device that you can download and use for free.

The app will send you questions to answer via text message – kind of like an online survey – and will pay you immediately when you finish answering them.

So, if you’re not someone who enjoys taking surveys online and wants a quicker way to share your opinions and make money, this app can do it for you.

You’re never obligated to answer questions, either, if you don’t have time or don’t want to.

Make sure you set up your PayPal account once you sign up on the app so that you can get paid quickly when you participate.

Sign up for 1Q here.

Ipsyplates

Ipsyplates is kind of like an advertising platform that pays you to read text messages that advertising companies send to your phone.

You’ll sign up for free and start getting text messages to your phone from these companies.

You don’t need to do anything with the message – not even click a link – if you don’t want to, other than open it up and read it.

You can also refer your friends and start making extra money with every message they read.

This technically makes YOU money for reading texts without ever having to text back!

Sign up for Ipsyplates here.

Hummr

Hummr is a unique app that lets you call or text with people who need some help, whether it’s finding an answer to a question, learning more about starting a business, or just want someone to talk to when they’re down.

Basically, you can use the app how you want to.

Do you want to text with new people? Use Hummr.

Do you want to give advice to other people who are interested in starting a business like yours?

Use the app!

You can even use it to recommend fun activities in your area, find the contact information for a company for someone, or teach people your skills.

You get one cent per message you send, so how much you make depends on how many texts you send in a conversation.

Sign up for Hummr here.

Fibler

If you’re an expert in anything, you can join Fibler, an app that pays you to video or chat with people.

You can choose how you want to communicate, so if texting is more your thing, then just stick with that.

You’ll need to apply and have your application approved, so be sure to explain why you’re in expert in whatever it is you do.

It seems like people can definitely earn more here when they participate in video calls in addition to chats, so that’s something you might want to consider for the future.

Sign up for Fibler here.

IMGR

IMGR is a texting app you can install on your phone to replace your regular texting app.

When you use it, you’ll have advertisements added to your text messages.

No one needs to click on the ads or even read them.

But as long as you’re allowing them on your texts, you can earn money because you’re helping companies with their marketing campaigns.

The app is free to use, and you’ll earn points for all the texts you send and receive that includes brand messaging.

You can then redeem your points for gift cards to Google Play or iTunes or get paid in cash.

Sign up for IMGR here.

Chat Recruit

Chat Recruit is a place where you can chat with others personally or professionally and make money doing it.

The site lets you use a chat-based function similar to text messaging to respond to people who message you in addition to webcam and phone chats.

People who just want to connect with others to chat can use the service, but you can also use it as a business professional to chat with clients who want to tap into your expertise.

Psychics, content creators, and other professionals all use the platform.

You can sign in and work whenever you want, and you’ll get paid for your time via a direct deposit to your bank account.

Sign up for Chat Recruit here.

DailyPay

Have you ever wish that you could get paid early from your boss?

If so, Daily Pay is for you – and it’s making that happen.

And all you need to do is send some emojis to make it happen!

DailyPay is a unique app that employers can sign up with to help their employees out.

If your employer uses the app, you can also use it to get money from your paycheck sooner than on payday.

The app tracks how many hours you work and builds your balance according to your pay rate.

When you need money, you just text some emojis in the app, and DailyPay will release the cash you need.

You won’t see that money on payday, but you’ll have it when you actually need it.

Sign up for DailyPay here.

McMoney

McMoney won’t make you tons of money, but you can still earn about $5 per month with this easy to use app.

Occasionally, the app will send you text message questions that you can respond to with a simple text.

Sometimes, you won’t have to do anything with the texts other than receive and read them to accumulate cash.

You can always disable the app if there’s a time of day you don’t want to receive text messages.

Otherwise, leave it running, receive texts, and make a little extra cash.

Once you download and set up the app, you’ll get a bonus, and you can then earn money for every text you receive.

Sign up for McMoney here.

Become a Social Media Manager

Do you enjoy working with your phone?

You won’t necessarily be texting as a social media manager, but you can type away on your phone’s social media apps as one!

It’s about as close to texting as you can get without actually texting.

As a social media manager, you can help other people and businesses post social media posts and respond to comments on their social media posts and accounts.

You might chat with customers on Facebook Messenger to provide customer service, add daily tweets, or write captions for Instagram Photos.

It’ll be your own business, so you can set it up how you want it!

Job Search Sites

Use Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Simply Hired, and other job search sites to find jobs or gigs with texting involved.

They do exist, but you may need to dig through some scams to find them.

Your best bet is to look for chat support jobs that offer text-based chats as one of the options for you to use.

There are usually several of these jobs posted on job sites, many of them part-time and flexible.

Start a Chat Support Specialist Business

You can also start your own chat support business and only seek out clients who need your help with chat-based customer service that you can do from your phone.

There are some companies that will help connect you with clients who need customer support help, but you can also go it alone by setting up a website, outlining your services, and setting your own prices.

You’ll need to seek out clients, which you can do using LinkedIn, Angel.co, and other places that help you search for businesses and entrepreneurs.

Freelance

If starting your own business seems a bit too complicated or like more work than you planned, you can try freelancing as a customer support specialist.

Places like Upwork and Guru allow you to set up a profile and search for jobs on their platforms.

You can apply to those with text-based chat positions and start getting paid to text!

Alternatively, you can try Fiverr.

This freelancer marketplace is beneficial for those who want more control over their own pricing and terms than on Upwork and Guru.

You’ll create your own gigs, so you can always let potential customers know that you’re only available for paying tasks involving texting.

How to Make Money Sending Text Messages

Long gone are the days when you sit around saying, “OMG, I need a job – how am I going to find one?”

The internet has made that a thing of the past.

There are so many opportunities online to earn extra cash when you’re in a bind, from taking paid surveys to freelancing for more income.

And now, there are even ways to make money texting, which is something you’re probably doing every day anyway.

There’s no need to stress yourself out searching for two more jobs to add to your schedule when you can take advantage of the many online opportunities that are around you, like texting for cash.

Try some of these strategies out and see how they work for you!

You’ll likely find at least one that brings in a little extra money to help you pay the bills (or helps you save for that new phone to text with!).

Good luck!