By skyforbes 
We all know Amazon as the go-to online marketplace where you can find virtually anything. But did you know it’s also a platform where you can earn money by doing data entry tasks?
Amazon offers these opportunities through its micro-tasking platform, Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), where individuals can complete small, simple tasks for pay.
What Exactly is Mechanical Turk?
MTurk is a platform designed for crowdsourced work.
Essentially, it’s a micro-tasking site where you can get paid to complete small tasks for businesses or individuals. These tasks are often straightforward and short-term, such as data entry, basic social media activities, or writing captions for images.
MTurk is an excellent option if you’re looking to earn extra money during short bursts of free time.
How Does Mechanical Turk Work?
Mechanical Turk operates like many other micro-tasking platforms, connecting people who need tasks done with those looking to earn extra money. On the platform, job posters are referred to as “requesters,” while workers are known as “Turkers.”
As a Turker, your role is to complete tasks, known as HITs (Human Intelligence Tasks), posted by requesters. These tasks can range from data entry and transcription to categorizing images or verifying information—all for monetary compensation.
Getting started is simple. Just create a free account by clicking the “Request a Worker Account” button.
Then, fill out the registration form.
At the bottom of the registration page, you will be asked these questions and select answers from the dropdown menus.
Click on the Create Account button.
Once you’ve signed up, you’ll see a confirmation message on your page. Simply wait for an email from Amazon with approval details to get started.
Once approved, you can begin browsing and selecting jobs. Before accepting a task, take a moment to review how much you’ll get paid. If the pay meets your expectations, click on a requester’s job that interests you and claim it!
After completing the HIT (Human Intelligence Task), submit your work. Once the requester approves your submission, Amazon will credit your account with the payment. You can then withdraw your earnings directly to your bank account or convert them into an Amazon gift card.
Tip: If you’re new to MTurk, keep in mind that not all jobs will be available to you right away. You’ll need to complete a certain number of HITs to unlock access to more opportunities. The more tasks you complete successfully, the more job options you’ll have in the future.
How Much Do Data Entry Jobs at mTurk Pay?
How much can you make doing data entry jobs at mTurk? Unfortunately, there is no universal answer to this.
There are different online data entry jobs at mTurk, and how much each pays depends on how simple or complex the job. You could get paid a couple of cents to enter the details from a receipt, or you could make a relatively larger income doing more sophisticated data entry tasks.
I think it’s only fair to warn you that the rate for these “jobs is far from impressive. Most of them only pay pennies. However, if you like doing data entry and you’re somewhat a fast typist, I think the earnings could add up.
Speed and accuracy are essential in performing data entry, and if you’re great at both, you should be able to earn a reasonably good amount of money on mTurk.
Alternate Jobs That Pay Well
If you’re seeking high-paying jobs that offer long-term opportunities and the potential to replace your day job, I highly recommend exploring the following posts on my blog. These resources are especially valuable if you’re looking for reliable remote work that can help you build a significant income from home.
Easiest Ways to Make Money Online
How To Find HITs That Count
To maximize your earnings on MTurk, it’s important to navigate the HITs dashboard wisely and focus on data entry jobs that offer the best value for your time and effort. Here are some tips to help you find HITs that count:
- Choose tasks you can do between other activities.
Look for quick data entry tasks that take only a few seconds to complete. These are perfect for filling idle moments, like during a two-minute commercial break while watching TV or while waiting for dinner to finish cooking. - Start small to unlock higher-paying tasks.
In the beginning, you might need to take lower-paying, simple tasks to build your reputation on the platform. Every Turker goes through this phase, so don’t get discouraged. Once you’ve completed a good number of HITs, you’ll unlock access to higher-quality, better-paying opportunities. - Weigh time versus pay.
Before accepting a task, consider how much time it will take to complete and whether the pay is worth it. Even seemingly simple tasks may not be worth your time if they translate to earning just a few cents per hour. If a task feels too time-consuming for the compensation offered, don’t hesitate to skip it. - Use filters to refine your search.
Sifting through thousands of HITs can be overwhelming. Take advantage of the platform’s search filters to narrow down your options. For example, you can set a minimum pay threshold, like $0.50 per task, to avoid wasting time on jobs that don’t meet your criteria.
Mechanical Turk Pros and Cons
You’re probably contemplating whether mTurk is worth it. I’ve listed the pros and cons below to help you decide.k
Pros
Flexible work-from-home gig
With Amazon mTurk, you can control how much you work and how much you earn. You can do a few HITs a day if you’re feeling lazy, or complete as much as you can if you desire. You can conveniently log in any time you want, making mTurk even more appealing.
Simple tasks
You’ll find plenty of simple tasks that you can easily accomplish within minutes, including data entry gigs. There are also short transcriptions, categorization, description, and easy writing tasks that you can do. You don’t need a college degree to join mTurk.
Preview before you accept
mTurk has this nice feature that allows you to preview the task so you can decide whether it’s worth taking or not.
Cons
Meager income
I’ve read from a lot of people that mTurk doesn’t pay much. While you’ll undoubtedly find lots of jobs, most of them are very low pay. You need to hustle a lot more if you want to make a good side income from mTurk.
Complete more HITs to unlock better-paying gigs
If you’re new to the platform, you’ll have to do the cheap tasks first to accumulate a number of HITs. Most of the higher-paying tasks require that you cross a threshold of 100, 500, or 1,000 HITs before you can access better HITs. Once you’ve completed more than the required number of HITs, you can claim the jobs that pay more money.
Related: 27 Easy under the table jobs that pay cash
Data Entry Jobs at mTurk: Are They Worth It?
If you’re looking for flexible and convenient online data entry jobs, MTurk can be a good starting point. The platform allows you to work whenever you want, making it easy to complete tasks in your spare time, whether it’s during a break or in between other activities.
However, there’s one common drawback that many users highlight: the pay rate. To access better-paying tasks, you often need to first complete a significant number of low-paying HITs to build your reputation on the platform.
In my opinion, MTurk is a great option for those new to working from home or exploring low-pressure online jobs. It’s an easy way to get your feet wet in the world of remote work. But if your goal is to earn a substantial income, MTurk likely won’t meet your expectations.