Get Paid to Chat: 17 Legit Sites That Will Pay You to Have Ordinary Conversations

We’ve listed our 3 favorite apps below:

1. Ringle

Language learning platforms are one way to get paid for chatting to people, as a lot of language lessons—especially with adults—boil down to conversation practice. Of these types of platforms, Ringle is a good one to use for finding tutoring work, as it’s currently recruiting.

Ringle user reviews

Ringle is quite hotly discussed on Reddit at the moment, and a few tutors say they’ve had positive experiences on the platform.

Many people are also sharing referral codes for Ringle, as it’s trying to recruit new teachers, which bodes well for your chances of getting hired and finding students there.

2. Papa

Papa is a platform that connects users to senior citizens who need emotional support or assistance with day-to-day living. This support can either involve speaking virtually with seniors or meeting them in person and keeping them company. If you meet in person, you may also be called upon to assist with tasks like light housekeeping, transportation, or setting up gadgets.

Of the apps we reviewed, this one has some of the best feedback—notably on Trustpilot. Papa has a good Trustpilot rating of 4.1, with quite a few recent reviews, including positive reviews from people who used the platform to earn money and enjoyed their experiences.

Papa also promises a relatively rewarding rate of around $20 per hour, which is pretty good for something that doesn’t require any specific qualifications or experience.

Papa user reviews

This is a legitimate site, although various reports suggest that work has dried up substantially on it in the past few years, and you probably can’t count on it for a reliable second income.

People also note that Papa users sometimes abuse the service by trying to recruit helpers for extensive cleaning services, which isn’t really the main function of the app.

There are also complaints about technical problems with the Android app, meaning you’ll probably want to sign up via the website if you decide to use the platform.

3. Headspace

In 2021, the “meditation and mindfulness” company Headspace acquired the digital therapy platform Ginger.io. It now offers remote clinical therapy and counseling from qualified practitioners and enjoys a strong reputation in digital mental health (as reflected in the popularity of their app, which has over 10 million downloads).

If you’re not a licensed therapist, you can also become a remote mental health coach on Headspace, providing text-based support to clients. Headspace is currently advertising jobs for both therapists and coaches, so this makes for a promising avenue to find earning opportunities if you have the right qualifications.

Headspace user reviews

Headspace is well-known for its meditation app, and its operations are above-board, although it’s also been the subject of controversy. In particular, many users on Trustpilot allege that the company uses deceptive practices to hit customers with unwanted subscription fees.

As far as therapists and coaches on the platform go, there are limited reports on what it’s actually like working for Headspace. Some reports suggest that it can be somewhat draining (which arguably isn’t surprising from a talk therapy app, and probably goes for the others on this list, too).

4. Working Solutions

Working Solutions is one of several apps on this list that you can use to chat with people in a customer service or support role. This class of jobs features middle-of-the-road pay, as you can realistically expect to earn $15–$20 per hour. On the upside, this type of work is quite accessible, requiring no degree or special certifications.

Working Solutions recruits customer service reps, who it calls its “WooHoo! Crew.” As a worker, you’ll handle incoming and outgoing calls, emails, and video chats with customers.

Working Solutions user reviews

User reports for Working Solutions are mixed to negative. The platform is legitimate, but some users have complained that their payments were delayed and that it’s hard to find stable work through Working Solutions.

People have also been complaining about technical problems with the apps.

5. Arise

Arise is another virtual call center that connects independent contractors with remote customer service jobs. You won’t be directly employed by Arise; instead, you’ll work for one of the businesses registered with the platform. However, Arise will facilitate the arrangement and help you find jobs.

Arise user reviews

Users complain that the Arise application process is frustrating. You’ll have to go through multiple system checks, assessments, and rounds of training (all unpaid) while waiting for your background check to be completed.

6. Liveops

Liveops matches you with customer service jobs that fit your skills and schedule. After creating your profile, you can select your available working hours, scheduling your availability in 30-minute blocks, known as “commits.”

Liveops user reviews

Liveops is also a legitimate platform, but user experiences on it are mixed. One issue that often comes up in user reports is that Liveops makes you pay for your background check, which they charge you $25 for. This is a bad sign; it doesn’t mean that the app is a scam, but most gig apps don’t require you to assume any of the costs of your application.

Another issue is the training required to start the job, which, as with many similar platforms, is unpaid.

7. ModSquad

ModSquad connects users with remote jobs as moderators or customer support agents. You can pick the projects you want to work on and have full control over your schedule.

ModSquad user reviews

While ModSquad is an established company and it pays its moderators, user reports on the platform are mixed. Although there have been negative reports centering on a lack of available work—something that seems to be a common problem on many of the apps and sites on our list—ModSquad has recently been appealing for new recruits, so there may be opportunities available.

8. BetterHelp

Much like Headspace, BetterHelp is another platform that will pay you to provide mental health support to clients on a remote basis. In this case, their rates start from $30 per hour, with higher rates available for therapists who work more hours.

BetterHelp provides online therapy and counseling platform by allowing users to speak with licensed therapists remotely. You can give mental health support to clients in four ways:

• Messages (correspondence-based, aka not live)
• Live chats
• Phone calls
• Video calls

It’s worth noting that BetterHelp has been subject to substantial controversies regarding some of its therapists’ practices, as well as improper use of customer data. In 2023, the US Federal Trade Commission finalized a $7.8 million order against BetterHelp for sharing data with advertisers and social media platforms without consent. 1

That doesn’t necessarily mean the site isn’t worth using, but it’s worth evaluating whether it’s a platform you’re comfortable having your name associated with, especially if you have an off-app therapy practice to protect.

BetterHelp user reviews

BetterHelp doesn’t have a great reputation for quality, and therapists’ experiences on the platform don’t seem great. People note the low rates of pay, in particular, that the app pays much less than licensed therapists normally command.

However, BetterHelp is also one of the most popularly used apps in its category, so it’s possible that, for some therapists, the low pay is balanced out by the ease of finding work.

9. Talkspace

As another teletherapy platform, Talkspace puts users in touch with licensed therapists who provide mental health support through video calls or chats. Talkspace is a legit platform that pays its therapists as stated, although, as with BetterHelp, its rates are still lower than what a privately practicing therapist can make.

Talkspace user reviews

User reports from therapists on Talkspace are a mixed bag. Some users question Talkspace’s practices (e.g., lack of control over matching with clients), while others seem to largely enjoy their experiences on the platform.

10. Alma

Alma is an online therapy directory where licensed therapists solicit referrals to provide clinical mental health therapy, either in person or virtually. Alma doesn’t directly employ you—instead, you sign up for a membership plan, and Alma connects you with clients whose insurance covers your services. Unfortunately, you’ll need to pay membership fees to use Alma.

Alma user reviews

Reports from therapists on Alma are mixed but mostly positive. By and large, users seem to praise the platform, claiming it helps find them clients and stating that they were paid as promised.

11. HeyPeers

Unlike the therapy platforms previously mentioned, HeyPeers lets users receive mental health support from remote “peer supporters” rather than therapists, meaning there are fewer barriers to entry. You don’t need to be a licensed clinical therapist to get paid to chat on this app.

As a peer supporter, you can offer one-on-one and group sessions over the phone, through messages, or by video call. You also get to set your own rates. Watch out for the fees, though.

HeyPeers user reviews

While there aren’t many user reports on HeyPeers, the few available suggest it’s a legitimate platform and you have control over your prices and hours.

12. RentaCyberFriend

There are quite a few platforms that will pay you to have friendly conversations with people, talk through their problems, or act as virtual partners.

The rates for these types of work are highly variable and depend on what sort of chatting you’re willing to do, as well as how popular you become on the sites.

RentaCyberFriend is one app that will pay you to have friendly conversations and offer companionship to users, either through online chats or video calls.

You’ll create a profile on the platform and set your rates, after which you’ll get connected with people who share similar interests. All conversations pay per minute on RentaCyberFriend.

RentaCyberFriend user reviews

RentaCyberFriend is a legitimate site. However, people who claim to have used it report mixed experiences, so it might be a bit hit and miss.

13. RentAFriend

On RentAFriend, users hire “Friends” for companionship, either virtually or in person. You can keep the site’s users company in many different contexts, not all of which are remote. Some people even work as tour guides on the platform, taking people who are on vacation around local areas.

RentAFriend user reviews

RentAFriend is legit, but since many of the meetings it facilitates are in person, there’s a safety risk. We aren’t aware of any horror stories (or many credible reports from workers at all, either positive or negative), although a couple of Redditors have remarked on the “creepy men” using the app.

If you meet up with anybody from the site, take sensible precautions and keep your wits about you.

14. Cambly

Education is a great opportunity for getting paid to chat with people if you’re open to becoming a tutor or a teacher. Cambly is a popular platform for teaching English online, and, indeed, is one of the most popular apps for tutoring English learners (i.e., working as an ESL teacher).

One benefit of becoming a tutor on Cambly is that you can use their lesson resources to plan structured classes. Or, if you prefer, you can simply chat with students to help them practice their conversational skills.

Cambly user reviews

Cambly tutors caution that it may take you some time to establish a reputation on this app (which uses a rating system for tutors), and newer workers with few or no ratings often have to spend a long time waiting for calls from students. This will change once you’ve been using Cambly for a few weeks or months, provided your lessons go well and your students rate you positively.

There’s also speculation about whether Cambly is currently hiring English tutors. It’s fairly common for language learning platforms to end up with too many English tutors, and they may temporarily stop hiring new recruits when that happens.

15. Preply

Preply is another well-known online tutoring platform that recruits people to teach language classes and help its users practice their conversational skills. Once you create your Preply profile and choose your teaching language, you can set your own rates and availability.

While this site does have a few costs, there’s potential for you to make a decent income down the line on it, but you won’t make much money while you’re getting set up with your first few students.

Preply user reviews

Preply is a legitimate company, but they’ve still been subject to criticism from their teachers. One frequent complaint concerns the free lesson you need to give to first-time students. There’s no guarantee those students will become regulars or take any paid classes at all.

Users also decry the high commission rates (which can be as high as 33%, although they decrease the more hours you teach).

16. italki

italki is one of the most reputable language learning platforms around, and many prefer it to other, similar platforms like Preply.

To become a teacher on italki, you can check out its list of active languages to see what you can currently apply to teach. They accept teachers of many different languages, including English.

italki is a great earning opportunity both for people with and without relevant qualifications, as you can tutor English or other languages whether you have teaching qualifications and experience or not.

If italki is recruiting for English or other languages you speak fluently, you can sign up as a “Community Teacher” (if you aren’t a certified teacher) or a “Professional Teacher” (if you are) and set your own rates and availability.

italki user reviews

As mentioned, italki has a pretty decent reputation. However, as is the case with working for other language platforms, users’ experiences on this platform vary a lot. It heavily depends on what students you get (and what language you sign up to teach).

Some teachers report that you can make decent money on italki, but you’ll need to keep your prices low when you’re just starting out to build a base of regular students.

17. JustAnswer

JustAnswer is substantially different from the other education apps we’ve listed. It isn’t really a “teaching” platform at all; instead, it’s a site where you can get paid to share your knowledge with curious users.

In a nutshell, on JustAnswer, people post questions and get answers from experts in various fields, such as vets, healthcare professionals, and mechanics. You get paid per question answered. Customers can also tip you. You just need to meet JustAnswer’s category credential requirements for your field.

JustAnswer user reviews

The reports on JustAnswer are fairly sparse. Some reviews from users suggest that while the site is legit, it can take a while to be approved to answer questions. People are also fairly unimpressed by the pay.

Notably, some customers (i.e., people who ask questions instead of answering them) have claimed that the platform misled them into paying subscription fees. We haven’t tested this ourselves to confirm either way.

Chat moderators get paid to review interactions between other users on social media platforms, forums, and other message boards. They also sometimes join the conversations themselves, communicating directly with users, either to enforce the chat’s rules or just to be friendly and establish a positive tone.

Here are a couple of places where you can get chat moderation jobs:

• Meta: As long as you’re at least 18 years old, you can get paid to be a moderator on either Facebook or Instagram, reviewing flagged content and communicating with users to help resolve issues. The pay rates are relatively low, however—typically around $15 per hour. The actual work can also be draining, and you should be prepared to view fairly disturbing content.
• Twitch: This is a popular livestreaming platform where moderators sometimes get paid. It’s up to the streamer you work for whether you get compensated, and it’s worth bearing in mind that only a select few actually pay their mods. It’s not uncommon for fans to give gifts or donations to the channels they follow, but there’s no guarantee you’ll see any of that money.

Getting paid to chat moderate is a good side hustle option if you’re good at solving problems and don’t shy away from difficult or upsetting situations.

You’ll regularly chat with strangers in all of the gigs listed here. This means that—unfortunately—there’s a chance that someone will verbally harass you, act inappropriately, or do something else that makes you uncomfortable.

A lot of platforms have responded to these issues by adding extra security and safeguarding measures, but you should always be cautious when dealing with strangers online. If you have any issues, contact your chosen platform’s support staff and let them know immediately.