We’re in an era where making money online is easier than ever. In 2025, there are countless opportunities to earn a substantial income with minimal effort. The challenge? Figuring out which methods are truly lazy enough for beginners but still deliver rewarding results.
Whether you’re seeking to replace your 9-to-5 income or build passive income streams, this guide breaks down beginner-friendly ways to make money online in 2025.
Below, we’ll evaluate four popular methods—affiliate marketing, investing, drop shipping, and TikTok Shop—based on effort, cost, risk, and long-term potential. By the end of this post, you’ll know where to begin and which option works best for you.
How We Evaluate the Easiest Ways to Make Money Online
When exploring online income streams, it’s essential to consider these four key factors:
Effort Levels
Lazy methods shouldn’t take more time than your daily coffee run. Ideally, they involve minimal physical or mental labor. While some options require learning new skills up front, the long-term effort should remain low once processes are set up.
Costs
The best beginner-friendly ventures require little to no financial investment. If you already have a smartphone and internet connection, you’re set for most of these options.
Risks
No one likes losing money—or worse, wasting precious time. A smart approach to make money online minimizes financial risks while maximizing potential rewards. Trading your time instead of cash is safer in the early stages.
Long-term Potential
Beyond a quick buck, the goal is building a sustainable income. Scalability and passive returns are crucial for financial freedom. A great opportunity grows with you, turning small daily tasks into significant earnings.
Affiliate Marketing: Earn Without Your Own Products
What Is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing lets you promote someone else’s products and earn a commission for every sale. Major platforms like Amazon, Impact, and CJ provide access to countless products across different niches.
For beginners, affiliate marketing through short-form content—like TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts—is a top choice. These platforms thrive on engaging, quick videos that are easy to create, even with limited experience.
If you’re unfamiliar with its basics, this beginner's guide to affiliate marketing can help you get started.
Why Is Short-Form Content Ideal for Affiliate Marketing?
Short-form videos are gold mines for affiliate marketers. They’re fast to produce and have enormous potential to go viral. The platforms prioritize content relevance over creator size, giving even newcomers the chance to attract thousands of views.
What Does It Take to Start?
Here’s how to begin affiliate marketing:
Pick a reputable affiliate program or product. Start with Amazon or explore platforms like Impact.com.
Create content. Record short, engaging videos featuring the product, highlighting its benefits.
Add your affiliate link. Place it in the video caption or bio to track clicks and earn commissions.
Evaluation of Affiliate Marketing
Effort: Medium. While creating videos feels easy, mastering storytelling and creating viral hooks demands practice.
Cost: Extremely low. With just a phone and internet, you can launch your affiliate marketing career.
Risk: Minimal. You’re trading time without upfront financial investment. However, expect a learning curve.
Potential: High. Viral content can generate passive income for months, even years. Some top marketers earn six figures annually.
Overall Rating: A
Affiliate marketing combines low costs and risks with the potential for exponential growth, making it a must-try for beginners. For more tips and common pitfalls to avoid, explore why beginners fail at affiliate marketing.
Investing: Turning Wealth into Passive Earnings
What Is Online Investing?
Online investing spans meme coins, NFTs, cryptocurrencies, stock options, and forex trading. The appeal lies in the “set it and forget it” nature of investments—after the initial setup, you’ll let your assets grow passively.
Why Is Investing Risky for Beginners?
While lazy in principle, investing can easily become hazardous for those without experience. The volatility of crypto and meme coins, coupled with high upfront capital requirements, makes this option far from foolproof.
Evaluation of Investing
Effort: Low to high. Investing can be as easy as buying stocks—or as complex as learning technical analysis.
Cost: High. Earning significant returns requires substantial upfront funds. Meme coins are cheaper but come with extreme volatility.
Risk: Severe. Without knowledge, beginners are likely to lose money.
Potential: Infinite. If done right, the upside is unmatched, but consistent results are rare.
Overall Rating: D
Investing isn’t beginner-friendly due to its steep financial and knowledge barriers. While it’s lazy in theory, it’s closer to gambling for most new entrants.
Drop Shipping: Build an E-Commerce Business Without Inventory
What Is Drop Shipping and Why Does It Work?
Drop shipping allows you to sell products online without managing inventory. When a customer orders from your store, the manufacturer handles the fulfillment, shipping directly to the buyer. As the seller, you control pricing, marketing, and store branding.
How to Begin Drop Shipping
Tools like yourfirst.store simplify entry. They provide pre-built Shopify stores packed with winning products. Setting up costs as little as $2 with free trials for Shopify and AutoDS (the tool that automates fulfillment).
Once your store is live, the focus shifts to bringing in traffic. Strategies include social media ads or organic posts.
Evaluation of Drop Shipping
Effort: Low. The process is mostly automated, requiring more effort only at scale.
Cost: Very low. Launching costs $2 via Shopify and AutoDS trials.
Risk: Minimal. The low financial investment means little to lose.
Potential: Limitless. Successful drop shippers often evolve into full-fledged e-commerce brands, potentially pulling in millions.
Overall Rating: A
Drop shipping is ideal for learning business fundamentals in a low-risk environment. For a deeper dive, learn more about drop shipping strategies in our related blogs on e-commerce.
TikTok Shop: The Ultimate Lazy Money Machine
Why TikTok Shop Outshines Other Options
TikTok Shop offers unparalleled earning potential for creators. Whether through viral videos or live-streaming product promotions, TikTok Shop generates consistent, high revenue with minimal effort.
Even those with modest setups (just a smartphone) are making over $6,000 a month on TikTok. With success stories showing earnings of $100K+ monthly, it’s the top pick for anyone looking to make money online in 2025.
How to Get Started
To promote products on TikTok Shop, you’ll need an account with at least 5,000 followers. If you don’t already meet this requirement, you can purchase a pre-built account for about $400.
Creators can choose between:
Short videos for viral exposure.
Live streams for consistent daily income.
Evaluation of TikTok Shop
Effort: Extremely low. Live streaming has the lowest barrier to entry, often out-earning traditional jobs in a matter of hours.
Cost: Moderate. Purchasing a TikTok account costs $400, but some bootstrappers can organically grow from scratch.
Risk: Low. Initial investment pays off quickly, ensuring most creators recoup costs within weeks.
Potential: Unmatched. Some individuals report making millions from viral content.
Overall Rating: S+
TikTok Shop is the most lucrative and guaranteed way to replace traditional income streams. It’s a game-changer for those ready to dive into the quickest route to online success.
FAQs About Making Money Online in 2025
What’s the best method to make money online in 2025 with no experience?
Affiliate marketing and TikTok Shop are the top options for beginners, thanks to their low costs and high earning potential.
Is investing a reliable way to earn online?
While it offers limitless potential, investing requires significant capital and knowledge. For beginners, it’s riskier compared to other options.
Can you make passive income with drop shipping?
Yes, drop shipping can generate passive income if you automate processes and scale operations properly.
How much money do I need to start earning online?
You can start most methods with minimal to no funds. For drop shipping, $2 is enough. TikTok Shop requires around $400 to buy a qualifying account.
What’s the easiest way to scale earnings online?
TikTok Shop offers the fastest path to scalability, leveraging viral algorithms and live-streaming potential.
Final Verdict: Choosing Your Path to Online Income
In 2025, making money online is easier than ever for beginners. Affiliate marketing, drop shipping, and TikTok Shop offer scalable, low-risk starting points. TikTok Shop leads the pack with its unmatched earning potential and minimal effort.
Whether you're after extra cash or long-term financial freedom, these methods unlock opportunities unique to our time. Now’s the moment to start your journey—success is just a few lazy steps away!
Digital Economy is the #1 Online Business Model for those just starting out.
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-Arin Day
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