20 Ways on How to Make Money in Indonesia
Indonesia-specific gig, resale, freelance, and affiliate platforms, hand-verified and actively screened against the robot-trading and guaranteed-return schemes that regulators have shut down there.
How to Make Money in Indonesia: Quick Answer
The short answer: 8 real ways on this site fit here, spread across 5 categories. Shopee Affiliate Program, TikTok Shop Affiliate, and Ruangguru rank highest for earning potential in this group.
Of those, 8 cost nothing to start, and 1 need no prior experience at all.
8 ways, by category
Drive, deliver, or shop for other people through an app. Pay is per job or per hour, hours are flexible, and most only need a phone and (for driving gigs) a car and a clean background check. Here's how to make money in Indonesia in this category:
Ride-hailing and delivery gig work in the Philippines; requires a government ID and, for cars, LTFRB franchise documents. Non-exclusive, so drivers can run other platforms at the same time; earnings vary heavily by hours and location.
Ride-hailing and delivery driver-partner work in Indonesia; reported daily earnings run roughly Rp200,000 to 250,000, with an 8% platform commission. Same gig-variability caveats as any ride-hailing app apply.
Sell a skill you already have, from writing to code to design, to clients who post jobs or buy fixed-price gigs. The ceiling is high, but winning your first contract takes real proposals, not just a profile. Here's how to make money in Indonesia in this category:
Indonesian freelance marketplace for design, writing, digital marketing, and dev work, matching local clients with local freelancers; platform commission runs 10 to 20 percent. Merged from the earlier Sribulancer brand in 2023, so verify current fee terms before relying on old figures.
Indonesian freelance and digital-goods marketplace with an escrow system (Rekening Bersama) protecting both sides of a job, operating since 2014. Competition and undercut pricing are real, so vet client reputations before taking a job like on any open marketplace.
Turn things already sitting in your house, closet, or garage into cash. The fastest category here for same-day money, since you're selling something you already have. Here's how to make money in Indonesia in this category:
Free classifieds marketplace to sell used goods and vehicles in Indonesia, operating since 2005. The core classifieds product is confirmed active; OLX Group's automotive arm has seen restructuring elsewhere, so stick to straightforward resale.
Earn a commission by recommending other companies' products through a unique referral link. The networks are free to join, but the real work is having an audience that trusts you; with no traffic or followers, there is nothing to earn. Here's how to make money in Indonesia in this category:
Official affiliate program for Shopee, the Philippines' largest e-commerce platform (Sea Ltd, publicly traded); base commission 3.5 to 10 percent, paid monthly to bank or ShopeePay. Requires 1,000+ followers on a major platform and recent posting activity to qualify.
Official TikTok Shop creator affiliate program in the Philippines; commission (roughly 5 to 15 percent or more) is set per seller, with GCash payout support. Payout can take weeks to months due to order-validation holds, and follower thresholds vary by entry path.
Get paid by the hour to teach a subject, language, or skill you already know, one-on-one over video or in person. Steadier and better-paying per hour than most gig work. Here's how to make money in Indonesia in this category:
Apply to teach online through Indonesia's largest edtech platform via the Ruang Pengajar program; paid per teaching hour after passing an online test, interview, and teaching demo. More selective than click-and-earn platforms, and exact per-hour rates should be confirmed on the official application page.
🌐Also works from Indonesia
These aren't Indonesia companies, but nothing stops you earning on them from Indonesia. They pay out internationally and hire worldwide, so they're open to you on top of the local options above.
Ad revenue, channel memberships, and sponsorships once you clear the Partner Program thresholds. You'll need to learn filming, scripting, and editing (or pay someone who can), and most channels earn nothing for months before the ceiling gets huge.
A vetted network for top-tier developers, designers, and finance experts. The screening process is tough, but accepted freelancers command premium day rates.
Rent out a spare room in a home you already live in, or a property you already own or rent (with your landlord's written permission to sublet). Budget for linens, a lockbox, and cleaning supplies before your first guest. If you don't have a qualifying space, Airbnb Co-Host is a path that needs no property at all.
Live streaming with income from subscriptions, bits, and ads. You need to be genuinely entertaining or skilled at what you're streaming, plus a decent mic, webcam, and stable internet, and building a real audience takes consistent, scheduled streaming over a long stretch.
The largest general freelance marketplace, covering writing, design, development, admin, and more. Winning your first contract usually takes real proposals, not just a profile.
Manufacture or source a private-label product and let Amazon store, pack, and ship it. Realistic starting capital is a few thousand dollars for inventory and fees, well above the site's usual range, but it's a genuine path to a scalable product business.
Build and sell your own online course under your own brand, with more control over pricing and student data than a marketplace platform gives you.
Buy into a proven local business model, from cleaning to food service, instead of building your own brand from scratch. Real franchise fees run from the low thousands into six figures, this is the highest-capital, highest-commitment option on the whole site.
Sell WordPress themes, HTML templates, and plugins to a huge built-in marketplace. You need real design and code skills and have to pass a strict review, but a single popular theme can earn for years with only occasional updates.
List fixed-price "gigs" for a skill you already have, from logo design to voiceover work. Buyers come to you instead of you pitching them.
A paid email newsletter platform with a built-in subscription and payment system. Works only if you're already a strong, consistent writer with something specific to say, not a way to learn writing from scratch.
Sell ebooks, templates, presets, or a small course directly, with a simple checkout and no marketplace fees eating into every sale beyond their flat cut.
Frequently asked questions
Are there real, local ways to make money in Indonesia?
Yes, 8 hand-verified ways on this site are specifically relevant to Indonesia, across 5 categories. Every one cleared a real-company, independent-reputation check before being listed.
What's the best one to start with in Indonesia?
Shopee Affiliate Program has the highest earning potential in this group, 40/100. Official affiliate program for Shopee, the Philippines' largest e-commerce platform (Sea Ltd, publicly traded); base commission 3.5 to 10 percent, paid monthly to bank or ShopeePay. Requires 1,000+ followers on a major platform and recent posting activity to qualify.