It is becoming more and more common to see people on social networks bragging about their income working remotely. Photos from cafes in Bali, makeshift beachfront offices in Thailand, or even from the comfort of your home in any city in the world.
But is it entirely true that you can make money online? Is it really possible to make a living working online? The short answer to those questions is a resounding yes, it is possible to make money online and make a living working online.
What is being a freelancer?
A freelancer is an independent or self-employed worker who works on their own and not as an employee in a company. It offers its skills and services directly to clients and companies without the commitment of being employed by a single organization or company.
Being a freelancer, you become your own boss, you have the freedom to select the projects that resonate with you, and the flexibility to arrange the schedule at your convenience. For many, it is a dream job, however, this also implies a series of challenges and responsibilities that you must take into account. These are:
- The responsibility of finding and managing your own customers.
- Deliver high-quality work.
- Knowing that you won’t have vacations or “off dates” like any ordinary job.
- Be responsible for paying taxes, social security, and pension plan as a self-employed person.
Competencies and skills needed to be a freelancer
If you’re reading this article, it’s because you want to become a freelancer. That’s why I want to talk to you about the skills and abilities needed to become one: I’ll teach you what hard skills and soft skills are that you must have if you want to work online.
Soft skills are those related to the way you interact, work and solve problems in a professional context. These skills will be of great help to you to build good professional relationships, build trust, manage projects and challenges.
Here is a list of the soft skills needed when freelancing:
- Effective communication.
- Teamwork
- Time management.
- Planning of activities.
- Good stress management.
- Constant learning.
- Know how to manage criticism and errors.
On the other hand, hard skills refer to technical and specific competencies that you can demonstrate. That is, as a freelancer, what makes you stand out in your field and what will initially attract clients to your services.
What do you know how to do? What services do you offer? What is your knowledge of the subject? These questions will help you know what your hard skills will be or what you’ll offer your prospective clients.
The 5 High-Paying Skills to Be a Freelancer
After more than 7 years working as a freelancer, I can tell you that I have identified the TOP 5 of the high-paid and most in-demand skills to be a freelancer in 2025:
1. Graphic Design:
Graphic design is a skill used to create communication through visual media using text and images. It is a career with a lot of demand in this digital age, since much of the information we are processing today is visually and through social networks.
Graphic designers can charge on a per-project or hourly basis, rates that vary widely depending on the experience and scope of the project. If you are a designer with little experience you could start by charging between $20 and $30 per hour and if you are already an expert you could charge $75 USD per hour or even more.
Per project, prices may vary. A dedicated graphic designer with a strong client base could easily generate monthly income of $3,000 USD or more.
Would you like to learn this skill? Check out Ebac’s online course in Graphic Design. It’s a great way to start making money online.
2. UX/UI Design:
UX/UI design is one of the most recently discovered skills and in increasing demand today. This skill focuses on improving user satisfaction with a product by improving the usability, accessibility, and pleasure provided in interacting with the product.
And I tell you that this profession is in growing demand because every day companies realize that the better the user has a better experience when seeing a product or service through a website or app, there is a greater possibility of conversion (or sale). And that is the purpose of every company.
If you work in this skill, you have the option of working on a project or hourly basis. Per project you could earn anywhere from $600 to $2,000 USD or more, depending on your experience.
Plus, if you’re an experienced designer you can generate a lot more, with monthly income easily exceeding $5,000 USD.
3. Web development:
Web development involves building and maintaining websites. It includes aspects such as web design, web content development, client-side and server-side programming, and database management.
If you would like to make a living as a web developer, you should know that as a junior you could start to charge from $25 to $50 per hour and as an expert, up to $150 per hour or more.
Projects can vary in difficulty. They can range from creating simple websites to building and maintaining complex web applications that can cost $10,000 USD or more. Being a competent web developer with multiple clients, you could expect monthly revenues of $6,000 USD or more.
Without a doubt, this is one of the skills you should learn if you want to be a freelancer and have a good income.
4. Social Media Manager:
Social media professionals play a crucial role in a company’s digital marketing strategy. They are in charge of carrying the voice of brands or businesses in the digital world and social networks, since they are in constant contact with the community, customers and potential customers.
An experienced and effective active manager could generate between $2,000 and $4,000 USD per month. This will be the best option if you love to keep up with social media.
If you’re a Social Media Manager you can expect to charge by the hour or by the bundle of services. With prices varying depending on the number of platforms you manage and the level of engagement.
A social media manager can charge between $15 and $50 per hour, or monthly packages from $500 to $2,500 or more for more comprehensive management.
4. Copywriting:
Copywriting is the art of writing advertising or promotional texts with the aim of persuading or informing the audience.
Copywriters create clear and engaging content for websites, ads, product catalogs, and more, with the goal of driving reader action, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a service, or any other call to action.
If you specialize in this skill, you could charge by the word, by the hour, or by the project. Rates per word can range from $0.10 to $1.00 USD, while hourly rates can range from $50 to $100 USD.
In addition, projects such as email marketing campaigns or websites can cost anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. Being an experienced copywriter with several recurring clients you can expect monthly income of $3,000 USD.
Conclusion
The world of remote work has opened up endless opportunities for professionals from various areas. Especially highlighting those skills that are not only in high demand but also offer attractive financial compensation.
The 5 high-paying skills to be a freelancer are:
- Graphic design.
- UX/UI design.
- Web Development.
- Social Media Manager.
So yes, it is possible to be a freelancer and work online. Your success in these areas depends not only on technical skill, but also on your ability to adapt, continually update your knowledge, and your ability to effectively market the services offered.
So now you know, by learning or specializing in these careers, your dream of traveling and working at the same time will come true.