Freelancing & Remote Work
Offer your skills online — writing, design, tutoring, translation, and more. Higher earning potential but requires marketable skills.
| Platform | Rating | Earnings/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Preply | 3.9/5 | R1500–12000 |
| Upwork | 3.9/5 | R3000–40000 |
| Cambly | 3.8/5 | R1500–9000 |
| Fiverr | 3.7/5 | R1500–50000 |
Preply
R1500–12000
per month
Preply is a global online tutoring marketplace where you teach one-on-one video lessons and set your own hourly rate. South Africans are accepted as tutors, and you are not limited to English — Afrikaans, maths, sciences, music, and business skills all have demand. The catch is the commission structure: Preply keeps 100% of what you earn on your FIRST lesson with each new student (the trial lesson), then takes a sliding commission that starts at 33% and only drops toward 18% once you have taught hundreds of hours. Earnings are paid in USD and withdrawn via PayPal, Payoneer or Wise.
Upwork
R3000–40000
per month
Upwork is the world's largest freelance marketplace, connecting SA-based freelancers with international clients who pay in USD. You bid on projects or get hired directly in skills like web development, design, writing, and virtual assistance. Earnings are paid to your SA bank via Payoneer.
Cambly
R1500–9000
per month
Cambly is an on-demand English conversation platform that connects native English speakers with students worldwide who want to practice spoken English. South Africans are explicitly accepted as tutors. You earn $0.17 per minute ($10.20/hour) on Cambly, or $0.20/min ($12.00/hour) on Cambly Kids. At current exchange rates that's roughly R189-R222 per hour in ZAR. No teaching degree or TEFL certificate required.
Fiverr
R1500–50000
per month
Fiverr is a global freelance marketplace where you list services (called gigs) starting from $5 and clients buy them directly. South Africans can and do sell on Fiverr successfully — popular SA gig categories include English-to-Zulu/Xhosa translation, African voice-over work, virtual assistance, writing, graphic design, and web development. Fiverr takes a flat 20% from every sale. Earnings are in USD, which converts favourably to ZAR.