How to Make Money with ChatGPT: 12 ways

ChatGPT offers versatile ways to earn online, from creating custom GPTs and freelance services to blogging, designing AI art, and building courses. Explore 12 practical ideas to start or expand your ventures and boost your income creatively and efficiently

By: Michael Keenan
January 14, 2025
11 minute reading
Make money with ChatGPT: bubbles, a woman profile picture, and coins on a peach background.

​​ChatGPT has made waves in the business and tech world since it launched in 2022, hitting one million users in just five days—a milestone that only a few platforms, like Meta's Threads, have matched.

Fast forward to today, and it’s grown to around 180 million users. People love ChatGPT's ability to handle everything from content creation to business strategy. It’s also become a go-to tool for anyone looking to make life easier—and make money online.

If you’re considering starting a side hustle or boosting your income, here are 12 ways ChatGPT can help you.

1. Develop custom GPTs 

OpenAI allows creatives to build custom AI models for specific business needs—without coding. These specialized versions of ChatGPT are trained on targeted data to answer precise questions and perform unique tasks.

While OpenAI announced plans in January 2024 for creators to monetize custom GPTs, this program hasn’t launched yet. In the meantime, you can use a custom GPT as a marketing tool to attract clients or as a consultant to handle quick inquiries before transitioning to personalized services.

Here’s how to create a custom GPT:

  • Visit the Custom GPT Editor: Go to https://chat.openai.com/gpts/editor (requires a GPT Plus subscription).

  • Access the Custom GPT Option: Click on your profile photo in the top right corner to open a dropdown menu, then select “Custom GPT.”

  • Start Creating Your GPT: Click “Create your GPT” and follow the on-screen prompts. For instance, you can configure it to act as a piano teacher or a marketing consultant for freelancers.

  • Customize the GPT’s Tone and Responses: Adjust the GPT's tone of voice and communication style to align with your target audience’s needs.

  • Upload Knowledge Base Files: In the configuration tab on the right, upload any prepared files or data that the GPT will reference for its responses. You can also customize its name and description.

  • Test Your GPT: Use the test interface to see how your GPT performs and fine-tune it as needed.

  • Publish Your GPT: When ready, click "Publish." A dialog box will provide three options:

  • For personal use

  • To share via a link

  • To share publicly on the GPT store

How much money can you make?

Here’s a quick breakdown of what it takes to start, the skill level required, and potential earnings:

  • Initial Investment: Low (cost of ChatGPT subscription)

  • Skill Level: Low (prompt engineering knowledge is beneficial) 

  • Potential Earnings: Low-to-medium (custom solutions can be sold at a premium to other business customers. But if you are creating this for yourself, there is currently no way to make money from it on OpenAI’s platform directly)

2. Build an AI-based product or service 

Creating an AI-powered product or service via ChatGPT is another way to make money. The demand for AI app developers and AI chatbot creators is booming, with some freelancers earning big bucks for AI technology consulting services. This growing market offers opportunities to work with corporate clients seeking customized AI solutions.

Beyond offering services, you can explore building your own AI-powered app. Monetize it through direct sales to businesses or generate ongoing revenue through advertising. Whether service-based or product-focused, the potential for high earnings in the AI space continues to expand.

How much money can you make?

Here’s a quick breakdown of what it takes to start, the skill level required, and potential earnings:

  • Initial Investment: High (development costs, technology acquisition, marketing) 

  • Skill Level: High (deep tech and market understanding) 

  • Potential Earnings: High (significant potential in AI-driven markets)

3. Sell remote services

In 2021, the services sector in the United States accounted for more than 77% of the global GDP, according to Statista analysts. This sector is not only beneficial for businesses—it's also a favorite among freelancers. This popularity largely stems from the fact that entering the freelance market often requires minimal initial investment or capital and typically does not involve holding inventory or producing physical goods. 

To get started, you only need a laptop, a reliable internet connection, and a solid set of skills and expertise. 

With the emergence of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, the range of services you can offer has expanded dramatically. These tools help you incorporate advanced AI capabilities into your services on platforms like Fiverr, reaching clients globally.

Here are some ways ChatGPT can enhance your service offerings and increase your income: 

Writing Services 

ChatGPT helps you create content quickly, from articles and blog posts to social media updates, video scripts, and even e-books. Start with a draft from ChatGPT and personalize it through editing and proofreading to match your style. You can also refine your drafts with ChatGPT for polished grammar and added creativity.

Designing Services 

You can use ChatGPT for design projects like websites, logos, and packaging. It generates creative ideas, drafts technical specifications, and helps align the final product closely with client expectations.

Tutoring 

Freelance tutors can use ChatGPT to create lesson plans, quizzes, and worksheets, saving time while delivering personalized, engaging experiences. Incorporating it into your services can attract more clients and justify higher fees. ChatGPT’s versatility extends to areas like project management, consulting, and corporate training, helping you grow your freelance business.

How much money can you make?

Here’s a quick breakdown of what it takes to start, the skill level required, and potential earnings:

  • Initial Investment: Low (basic digital setup and marketing) 

  • Skill Level: Moderate (familiarity with remote work tools and services) 

  • Potential Earnings: Moderate to high (depending on service demand and client base) 

4. Create Online Courses 

Creating online courses is an excellent way for freelancers to turn their expertise into a steady income stream. Using your skills and knowledge, you can build online courses that generate scalable income with minimal ongoing costs. Here's how to get started using ChatGPT:

  • Outline the Course: Ask ChatGPT to draft a detailed course outline on a topic within your expertise.

  • Develop Content: Prompt it to generate content for each course section.

  • List Resources: Request a list of resources for each section, such as quizzes, worksheets, or journal prompts.

  • Create Resources: Ask ChatGPT to produce the resources suggested for your course.

  • Write Video Scripts: Have ChatGPT create scripts for your course videos to streamline production.

While creating online courses requires a moderate initial investment and expertise in your field, it offers significant earning potential through scalable income.

How much money can you make?

Here’s a quick breakdown of what it takes to start, the skill level required, and potential earnings:

  • Initial Investment: Moderate (course creation software, marketing) 

  • Skill Level: Moderate (expertise in a particular field and course development skills) 

  • Potential Earnings: High (scalable income with little incremental cost) 

5. Design AI Art

When we talk about “designing AI art,” it’s not just about creating Midjourney or DALL-E illustrations. While those tools are exciting, ChatGPT can also inspire your creative process for non-AI-generated art, whether digital or print, opening up new income opportunities. Here’s how:

  • Generate Artistic Concepts: Use ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas based on themes and styles you provide, guiding the design process with creative suggestions.

  • Explore Experimental Designs: Push the boundaries of your art by leveraging ChatGPT for innovative, out-of-the-box concepts.

  • Monetize AI-Generated Art: Use DALL-E, OpenAI’s AI art tool, to create artwork you can sell on platforms like Etsy.

  • Promote Your Services: Advertise yourself as an AI artist and explore opportunities in the AI services section of freelance platforms.

AI art is a growing niche with minimal upfront costs, requiring a mix of artistic skills and AI knowledge and offering moderate earning potential.

Creating AI art is accessible with minimal investment, requires a blend of artistic skills and AI knowledge, and offers moderate earning potential in a growing niche market.

How much money can you make?

Here’s a quick breakdown of what it takes to start, the skill level required, and potential earnings:

  • Initial Investment: Low to moderate (software, marketing) 

  • Skill Level: Moderate to high (artistic skills and understanding of AI tools) 

  • Potential Earnings: Moderate (niche market with growing interest) 

6. Create HTML Calculators 

Creating HTML calculators is an excellent way to sharpen your coding skills while providing valuable tools for users seeking solutions to complex problems. These calculators have broad applications across industries like finance, healthcare, and analytics, making them highly versatile. They also serve as powerful assets for websites by attracting traffic, improving SEO rankings, and boosting engagement—factors that can ultimately drive sales.

This strategy offers a dual benefit: you can use calculators to attract more clients as a freelancer or offer them as a service, expanding your opportunities and income potential.

ChatGPT can streamline the process by generating basic HTML and JavaScript snippets as a foundation for more complex calculators. It can also help develop logic for specific scenarios, saving time and speeding up development.

How much money can you make?

Here’s a quick breakdown of what it takes to start, the skill level required, and potential earnings:

  • Initial Investment: Low (web hosting, domain) 

  • Skill Level: Moderate (web development and basic programming skills) 

  • Potential Earnings: Low to moderate (depends on traffic and monetization strategy) 

7. Start a Blog 

Have you ever wanted to share life’s moments and lessons with the world but felt unsure how to make money from it—or didn’t have the time to get started?

With ChatGPT, blogging can take a fraction of the time it once did. You can also expand your reach by creating a dedicated email newsletter to attract loyal subscribers.

Here’s how ChatGPT can help you monetize your blog:

  • Identify Your Niche and Audience: Get recommendations for your blog’s focus and ideal readers.

  • Generate Content Ideas: Plan and schedule topics with ChatGPT’s help.

  • Streamline Writing: Use ChatGPT for outlines, suggested key points, and drafts you can edit and personalize.

  • Optimize for SEO: Get suggestions for titles, headlines, alt text, meta descriptions, and keyword integration to improve visibility.

Once you’ve started blogging consistently and built an audience, you can explore monetization strategies like:

  • Adding affiliate links to your blog to promote favorite products or services.

  • Using Google AdSense to display ads on your site.

  • Writing sponsored posts.

  • Promoting your freelance services, such as consulting, courses, or training, within your niche.

With the right tools and strategy, blogging can become a rewarding way to share your voice and generate income.

How much money can you make?

Here’s a quick breakdown of what it takes to start, the skill level required, and potential earnings:

  • Initial Investment: Low (domain, hosting, SEO tools) 

  • Skill Level: Moderate (writing skills, SEO knowledge) 

  • Potential Earnings: Moderate to high (ad revenue, affiliate marketing, sponsorships) 

8. Build an App 

App-building is one of the most in-demand categories for freelancers, and it’s easy to see why. The mobile app development market is growing rapidly as corporations invest heavily in reaching their digital-first audiences. Valued at $66.5 billion in 2021, the market is projected to soar to $366.93 billion by 2030—nearly six times its size in under a decade.

To help freelancers tap into this booming industry, Fiverr has added AI mobile app development as a new service category under programming and tech.

ChatGPT can streamline app development for both web and mobile platforms by:

  • Generating code snippets to speed up development.

  • Offering debugging advice.

  • Providing code feedback during the testing phase.

This not only shortens the time-to-market but also enhances the development process. You can even integrate ChatGPT into your existing business applications to optimize functionality and user experience.

How much money can you make?

Here’s a quick breakdown of what it takes to start, the skill level required, and potential earnings:

  • Initial Investment: Moderate to high (development, testing, launch marketing) 

  • Skill Level: High (app development and market analysis skills) 

  • Potential Earnings: High (potential for widespread use and monetization through various models) 

9. Become a prompt engineer 

Prompt engineering is one of the most fundamental but well-compensated, high-income skills you can master within the machine learning world.  It involves knowing how to guide generative AI applications to deliver the quality output that the user intended. 

This vital AI skill is one of the foundations of understanding how to apply generative AI in business and is responsible for boosting salaries by as much as 47%, according to Indeed analysis of top-paying tech skills. 

As a professional, you can study this on platforms such as our Getting Started With AI Prompt Engineering course on our sister site, Fiverr Learn, and even create a freelance career out of your new-found skill. 

Some possible avenues for you to explore for monetizing your prompt engineering skills include providing consulting services to businesses on AI implementation, offering prompt engineering training sessions and workshops, and even freelance writing on AI prompts that others can copy.

How much money can you make?

Here’s a quick breakdown of what it takes to start, the skill level required, and potential earnings:

  • Initial Investment: Low (learning resources and practice time) 

  • Skill Level: High (deep understanding of AI and natural language processing) 

  • Potential Earnings: Moderate to high (growing demand in tech sectors) 

10. Become a data analyst

Data analysis is one of the most in-demand skills globally and is expected to be one of the main drivers of economic growth, accordingto the World Economic Forum. LinkedIn also listed data analysis as a top 10 skill in its Most In-Demand Skills of 2024 Report. The market for data analysts is up-and-coming, with demand matching compensation, promising flattering salaries of up to $136,941 for a data analyst in the top 10% of earners, while on average, you can make $108,108.

But what does this have to do with AI and making money with ChatGPT? 

For generative AI tools like ChatGPT to be effective, they need substantial amounts of data. ChatGPT, a large language model (LLM), is trained on vast internet data. The rapid rise of AI has significantly increased demand for data science roles focused on data cleaning, extraction, and analysis—essential for integrating AI effectively within companies. 

This surge creates ample opportunities for data analysts. Companies actively seek freelance data analysts, making it an excellent time to enhance your skills and set up a profile to attract corporate clients.

How much money can you make?

Here’s a quick breakdown of what it takes to start, the skill level required, and potential earnings:

  • Initial Investment: Moderate (educational courses, software tools) 

  • Skill Level: High (analytical skills, understanding of data tools and methodologies) 

  • Potential Earnings: High (high demand in virtually every industry) 

11. Start a YouTube Channel 

Launching a YouTube channel is an exciting way to share your passion, entertain, and educate others. With ChatGPT, you can simplify the content creation process, save time on video editing and planning, optimize your channel for SEO, and tap into revenue streams like YouTube partnerships and the YouTube Partner Program.

Here’s how ChatGPT can help you grow your channel and increase earnings:

  • Generate video scripts quickly, saving you the effort of writing them manually.

  • Create a content calendar to maintain a consistent posting schedule.

  • Suggest SEO-friendly video titles, descriptions, and keywords to attract more viewers and boost income.

  • Brainstorm community post ideas to engage your audience and redirect them to your channel.

By using these strategies, you can produce high-quality videos that resonate with your audience, increase views and subscribers, and boost engagement, ultimately growing your channel and revenue.

How much money can you make?

Here’s a quick breakdown of what it takes to start, the skill level required, and potential earnings:

  • Initial Investment: Low to moderate (equipment, editing software) 

  • Skill Level: Moderate (content creation, video editing, SEO) 

  • Potential Earnings: Moderate to high (ad revenue, sponsorships, merchandise) 

12. Trade Stocks 

At first glance, stock trading might seem unrelated to ChatGPT—but the connection lies in education. ChatGPT is a free online tutor that simplifies complex financial topics like investing. 

For example, you can ask, “What are the different types of stocks?” or “How might a major event impact the stock market?” You can even make it more engaging by asking ChatGPT to create hypothetical trading scenarios to test your skills, such as: “Give me a hypothetical trading scenario to analyze.”

However, it’s essential to use tools like ChatGPT responsibly and ethically. Be transparent with clients about how you incorporate AI in your work, and consider creating a clear policy to outline its role.

Also, remember ChatGPT’s limitations: some versions have a knowledge date cutoff, it can sound robotic or repetitive, and it may produce factual or grammatical errors. Always fact-check and add your human expertise to deliver quality results.

Boost your income with the help of ChatGPT and Fiverr

ChatGPT has transformed how we approach work and creativity—offering numerous opportunities to monetize for those willing to explore its potential. 

Whether you're looking to start a side hustle, expand your business, or dive into a new income stream, these 12 ideas provide practical ways to integrate ChatGPT into your efforts. The key is to pair its capabilities with your expertise, creativity, and drive to achieve meaningful results. 

So, how will you make ChatGPT work for you to make more money and grow your business revenue this year? What will you achieve next? Get started on Fiverr and connect with skilled professionals who can help turn your AI-driven ideas into income-generating realities. 

How much money can you make with ChatGPT?

Here’s a quick breakdown of what it takes to start, the skill level required, and potential earnings:

  • Initial Investment: High (capital required for investments) 

  • Skill Level: High (understanding of markets and trading strategies) 

  • Potential Earnings: High (potential for significant returns, though risky) 

Make money with ChatGPT FAQs

1. Can you use ChatGPT to make money? 

Yes, anyone can use ChatGPT to make money across multiple industries and sectors. 

2. How can you use ChatGPT to make money?

ChatGPT works best as a tool that supports and complements your efforts rather than replacing them entirely. You can use it to earn money in various ways, such as generating business ideas, identifying market gaps, or assisting with brainstorming and product development. You can also create a profile and offer services like AI consulting, development, or AI image creation on our platform in the dedicated AI services section, helping businesses make the most of its capabilities. 

3. How do you earn passive income with ChatGPT? 

Creating passive income is within reach wherever you are. Passive income, which requires minimal ongoing effort, has become more attainable for freelancers with the advent of ChatGPT. For example, you can use ChatGPT to create content for marketing platforms, blogs, articles, downloadable guides, and even e-books. This content can generate income while you sleep by directing readers to affiliate links or your online products and services.  

If you're tech-savvy, consider integrating ChatGPT with your website to create a chatbot that assists customers and handles inquiries automatically. Additionally, AI-powered tools developed with ChatGPT can be offered on a subscription basis, providing you with a steady monthly income. 

4. Which country uses ChatGPT the most? 

People from all over the world are discovering the power of ChatGPT. According to a recent report, India ranks highest as the number one country using ChatGPT, with 45% of survey respondents stating that they use this tool.

About author

Michael Keenan Content writer and strategist

Michael is a marketer and entrepreneur living in Guadalajara, Mexico. Through storytelling and data-driven content, his focus is on providing valuable insight and advice on issues that readers care about most.