Watching TV is something most people do for entertainment or to wind down after a long day or during their day off from work.

But wouldn’t TV be even better if you could binge-watch it and get paid?

It sounds like something that would never happen, but this post is going to teach you exactly how to get money by watching TV, commercials, YouTube ads, and more.

Earn Money by Watching TV! How to Make Money by Watching Videos Online

The following sites, apps, and ideas will pay you to watch advertisements – something you usually end up doing anyway when you use apps or watch TV – and some will let you watch TV, videos, and other entertaining sites.

You might even be able to get PayPal money for watching ads!

Sounds great, right?

These 21 ideas will get you on the fast track toward earning with your love of TV.

Swagbucks

Sign up for Swagbucks to get in on the TV watching action!

This reward site has a section called Swagbucks Watch where you can watch videos that advertisers pay to get included on the platform.

You’ll receive some SBs (Swagbucks points) for keeping the browser window open and watching.

Once you’re done watching, you can always navigate to the other sections of the site to earn more toward your balance.

InboxDollars

InboxDollars also has a section devoted to TV, videos, and ads.

Navigate to the “TV” section to be taken to the media player to start watching videos.

You’ll need to remain on that screen and click through to navigate through the videos and confirm you’re actually watching, but when you do, you get paid.

Then, take advantage of the many other ways to earn on InboxDollars, like searching the web, reading emails, taking surveys, and more.

MyPoints

MyPoints is one of the best cashback shopping sites on the web that literally pays you to shop at your favorite online stores.

There are actually a few ways to get paid to watch stuff here:

• Sponsored videos: These are single videos you can watch for a couple of extra points.
• Other videos: The other videos come in playlists of several videos together which is great when you have some more time to spare.
• nCrave videos: These videos go through nCrave, a partner program that curates some advertiser videos for MyPoints users.

Different ways to watch, but they all pay you to do it.

Participate in Online Surveys

Online survey sites, like Survey Junkie and Branded Surveys, don’t directly pay you for watching TV.

However, they do pay you to share your opinions on a variety of topics, many of which are TV or video related.

Often, online surveys focus on your interests, which could be the shows you watch or movie genres you like.

Sometimes, they’ll even let you preview new shows that are coming out or have you talk about a show you really love to get your opinions on new episodes.

Other surveys focus on advertisements or videos that companies want to hear your thoughts about.

Whatever the case, taking surveys can be an indirect way to make some money watching TV.

Viggle

Viggle is an app that pays you when you watch TV.

Seriously.

Log into the app and turn on your favorite shows.

Let Viggle know what you’re watching.

Check in every once in a while when a prompt shows on your screen to let Viggle know you’re still watching.

Then, get paid!

Viggle also sometimes has surveys pop up about the shows you’re watching that you can answer.

If you do, you’ll earn some extra points to redeem for rewards.

Nielsen Families

Nielsen has, for a long time, been a part of the TV family with its market research into what families and individuals watch.

Before the internet became a big thing, Nielson used to track what people watched on TV by hooking up some equipment to their televisions and taking note of what was popular in most households.

Now, the company has several market research avenues, including tracking what you stream and what you do on the internet, all to help companies learn more about what people are watching and doing.

Nielsen sometimes reaches out to families in various areas of the United States to see if they’d like to participate in research.

If you do, you’ll get paid for your time.

You can also sign up for other parts of Nielsen to earn without being invited, like the Computer and Mobile Research Program.

Paid2YouTube

Get paid to watch YouTube with this site!

Paid2YouTube is an advertising platform where video creators can share their channels for a fee in an effort to get more likes and subscribers to their videos and channels.

As a member of the site, you can also get paid to watch those advertised videos.

You won’t get much per view, but you still get a little extra in your pocket, and you might even find some interesting stuff to watch that you wouldn’t have found otherwise.

GrabPoints

This is another rewards site that offers watching TV, videos, and ads as one of its many ways to earn.

You can also download apps, complete offers, and more.

QuickRewards

QuickRewards is a reward site that has seemingly endless ways to earn.

One, of course, is through videos.

You’ll need to watch a specific amount of them in each link to earn your money, so make sure you’re following all instructions.

Success Bux

Success Bux is another reward site that’s a little different than others you’re used to in that it features some unique ways to make money, like clicking on ads and visiting websites.

There are also several offer walls from which to grab offers to complete to earn cash.

Navigate to the Paid to Click area to find advertisements and videos that pay to watch.

iRazoo

Watching videos is just one of many ways you can get a little extra spending money at iRazoo.

You’ll also have access to other fun earning methods, like playing games and signing up for free stuff.

You-Cubez

Get rewarded on this site with everything from surveys to paid offers from various offer walls.

There’s also a full section devoted to paid advertisements that also pay you to watch them.

Watch Ads on Your Phone with Slide Joy

Slide Joy is a little bit of a different way to get paid to watch stuff.

The app runs in the background of your phone until you’re ready to unlock it to use it.

When you do, it’ll play videos, ads, and other sponsored content.

You can choose to watch the videos or ads or swipe right by to unlock your phone.

Whatever you choose, you’ll still get paid, although you can make a little more by watching the ads that pop up.

Download AppTrailers

This app can be a fun way to discover new games and apps and get paid to do it.

You can take surveys, play games, and even watch trailers for new apps and games to earn rewards.

Search TV-Related Job Boards

Did you know that some TV companies and streaming services will sometimes pay people to watch TV?

It’s true, but you’ll need to keep browsing their job boards.

I’ve seen past postings from Netflix, for example, where people could get paid to be content taggers.

In other words, you’d get paid to watch shows and tag them according to the categories they fit into, ratings, etc., to make the browsing experience easier on Netflix viewers.

So, keep an eye on Hulu’s job board, the Netflix job board, and your other favorite network so that you don’t miss any opportunities.

Or, Search Indeed and Other General Job Boards

Indeed and other regular job boards might also have some TV-related gigs available, but you’ll need to do some digging.

Depending on what type of job you want to find, you can search with relevant keywords in the search bar.

Put “remote” or “work from home” in the location bar if you’re specifically looking for jobs that you can do from the comfort of your couch!

“TV writer” or “video editor” are two ideas you can use to start you off in your search.

Enter the HowToWatch Streaming Contest

HowToWatch is a site that helps people learn more about streaming networks and decide which ones are worth their time.

It also hosts occasional contests where you could become a binge TV watcher and get paid!

It’s no joke.

Last year, the site offered the lucky winner $2000 to watch 100 hours of TV. That’s it.

That contest is now closed, but you can visit this page and enter your email address to be notified when new contests arrive.

Start a TV Blog

If you like to write, then you can start a blog all about TV.

Make it about a specific show with regular updates and episode recaps, or make it more of a general TV blog that talks about TV-related news.

Blogs are easier than ever to set up.

Use a platform like WordPress that’s super simple to set up and find a good host, like SiteGround, to get started.

Build your blog, get more traffic, and start making money from it through sponsored posts, advertising, affiliate links, and more.

As a TV influencer, you might even consider eventually branching out to YouTube videos, Instagram sponsorships, and other avenues that can help you keep monetizing your blog and your love for TV.

Or, Become a TV Freelance Writer

As a freelance writer, you can choose what niche you want to write about.

Some people specialize in pets while others lean toward personal finance writing.

Some freelancers focus solely on entertainment topics, like gaming or movies and TV!

As a TV writer, you can target production companies, help clients write TV scripts, or even write news articles and blogs about the newest episodes of popular shows.

There are so many avenues you can take that the possibilities are virtually endless.

Sign up for Upwork to get started.

You can set yourself up with a profile as a freelance writer and search for writing gigs once you get approved.

Upwork has been getting more selective in its application process, so if you have any previously published writing about TV or entertainment-related stuff, it’s a good idea to get them ready to send in as part of your portfolio.

This can help you get approved by the team faster.

You can also try looking on sites like Indeed or the ProBlogger Job Board for TV writing gigs, or even conduct a search on LinkedIn, which often has jobs listed for screen writers.

Write for the FanSided Family of Sites

FanSided is a site all about sports, but it also has several child sites that are related to TV and specific shows.

You can browse its open gigs to see if it needs writers for any of its TV-related sites.

For example, there’s currently an opening for a paid contributor to ShowSnob, a site all about movies, TV, streaming networks, and more.

Or, wait for openings from other favorites like Hidden Remote, Hulu Watcher, and Netflix Life.

Write for Screen Rant

Screen Rant is another website that has everything you could possibly want to know about your favorite TV shows and movies.

Like FanSided, it’s part of a large network of sites. This one is owned by Valnet, the same people who produce Babygaga and other entertaining sites.

You can also get paid to write for Screen Rant, which has some perks to consider, like:

• Getting a byline (you get credit as the author)
• Getting paid per piece you write
• Making your own schedule as long as you stick to deadlines
• Writing about your favorite shows
• Pitching topics based on your favorite shows

Reportedly, Valnet sites not only pay writers a flat fee for each article that varies depending on their length and complexity, but writers can also make extra money based on how many views their articles get.

So, the more people who read each article you write, the more you can make.

Plus, you’ll get some pieces to put in your portfolio as a TV writer!

Conclusion: How to Get Paid to Watch Videos Online

Are you ready to start getting paid by catching up on Grey’s Anatomy or checking out the latest hot series?

Now, you know how!

Whether you want to make some extra cash in your spare time, or you want to turn watching TV into a full-time job, the above ideas can help.

If you know a fellow TV lover, be sure to share this post with them to help them out, too.