Textbroker Review: A Good Way To Make Money Writing Online?

Written by Jason Michaels Last Updated: May 8, 2024

Content writing can be a very popular and profitable way to make money online. Third-party platforms called content mills are used to connect writers with content buyers.

In many cases, content mill writers are everyday people without a background in writing. One of the most popular content writing platforms is Textbroker.com.

Textbroker is one of the first platforms I used when I began working from home. I know that when I started to making money writing online, I felt a bit clueless and confused.

That’s why I’ve written this Textbroker review and provided some tips for you. If you’re curious about how it works, read on to learn more.

What Is Textbroker?

As mentioned above, Textbroker is a content mill. A content mill company is a bridge between businesses that need articles and blog posts and people who are willing to write these posts. Their profit comes from what they charge businesses.

In the writing industry, it’s pretty common for content mill sites to go out of business after a few years. Textbroker stands out among the crowd; they’ve been in business since 2008 and they’re still going strong.

Some of the businesses who use Textbroker’s services include eBay, Rakuten Group, and Yoast. The businesses or individuals who buy content are called Clients on Textbroker.

The individuals who write content are called Authors. If you decide to use Textbroker, you sign up as an Author. You will only know Clients by a numerical ID and not the actual name of their business.

Who Can Write For Textbroker?

For Textbroker’s United States website, any U.S. citizen or permanent resident aged 18 or older can apply. You’ll need a PayPal account to signup, too. You must also have a valid government-issued ID to write for Textbroker; this is to verify that you’re indeed a citizen or permanent resident.

For privacy reasons, you’re allowed to block out your driver’s license number. I know that this part of the verification process is off-putting for some people, and Textbroker even acknowledges that on the Author signup page. They encourage applicants to read their Privacy Policy.

In my experience, filling out the Author signup page only took about five to ten minutes. There’s a short form where you submit basic data. Then there is a series of keywords and check boxes where you select your areas of expertise.

Don’t be intimidated by the word ‘expertise’; you simply select areas that you’d be interested in writing about. As long as you have some general knowledge about the areas listed, feel free to tick the boxes!

How Do I Earn Money On Textbroker?

Once you’re approved by Textbroker, you can begin content writing. The content assignments available are called Orders. There are Open Orders, which most new Authors start out writing.

Open Orders are essentially a list of assignments in different categories like health, beauty, law, marketing, games, and dozens more. The number of Open Orders you have access to depends on the Level that you are assigned. In the subsection below, I’ll discuss the different levels.

Let’s say you’re interested in writing in the “beauty” category. I’ll go over the steps you take to earn money writing:

1. You’ll see an orange number next to the word ‘beauty’ if there are assignments available at your Level.
2. Click on the number to view all of the available assignments. There will be a list of different beauty-related content writing assignments. Right now, one available assignment name is ‘natural cosmetic ingredients for skincare and acne’.
3. Click on ‘natural cosmetic ingredients for skincare and acne’ to preview the assignment.
4. In the preview, you’ll see what the assignment entails. This will include the number of words you have to write, keywords you need to include, how many days you have to write the assignment, and so on. Some clients include one or two sentences for instructions. Others have very detailed requirements.
5. You have ten minutes to click the ‘I want to write this article’ button. This is a green button below the instructions.
6. You can begin writing the assignment right away, or you can wait if you’d like. However, you’ll need to complete it within the timeframe listed in the instructions. You’ll have a minimum of one day (24 hours) to complete it.
7. Once you finish writing and proofreading the assignment, you click the green ‘preview and submit text button’. Then you can start on another assignment!

Getting Your Article Accepted

Clients have three days to accept the assignment or ask or a revision. If they don’t take action within three days, the assignment will be automatically approved after four days (96 hours).

Some clients approve articles within an hour or so. Some take several days, and some just let the automatic approval process do the job.

There’s no limit to how many assignments you can write as long as there’s work available at your Level. You can only accept and work on one assignment at once, though.

There’s also no minimum amount you have to write per day or per week. Textbroker is a very flexible work from home / make money online option.

How Much Does Textbroker Pay?

Textbroker Authors are paid per word. The amount you earn per word depends on the Author Level rating that you earn. These are the earning levels listed on the Author Payments Conditions page:

• Level 2 – 0.7 cents per word ($2.10 per 300-word article)
• Level 3 – 1.0 cents per word ($3.00 per 300-word article)
• Level 4 – 1.4 cents per word ($4.20 per 300-word article)
• Level 5 – 5.0 cents per word ($15.00 per 300-word article)

These are the earnings for Open Orders; Open Orders are articles available for anyone to write. Team Orders and Direct Orders pay more per word. To write Team Orders, you must apply for teams.

To write Direct Orders, you must be chosen by a client or by Textbroker’s Support team. You can also request Direct Orders from Open Order clients, which I’ll discuss later in this post.

Your initial rating is based on the writing sample that you submit after signing up for Textbroker. You write a short article on the topic of your choice, and it has to be at least 200 words long.

This article is simply used to assess your grammar, spelling, and basic writing skills. The topic doesn’t matter much. A Textbroker editor will review your article and give you an initial rating.

After you begin writing articles, you will receive editor reviews and your rating can increase or decrease. Textbroker has a rubric used to determine Level 2 through Level 5 ratings.

Textbroker Rating System

You can view the Rating System rubric; I really recommend reading it before submitting your sample. My sample, submitted in 2012, placed me at a Level 3. Within about two or three weeks, my rating was increased to a Level 4.

Depending on your writing speed, both of these levels can equate to a decent hourly wage. Let’s say you can write three 300-word articles per hour. That will put you at a rate of $9.00 per hour to $12.60 per hour.

How Does Textbroker Pay?

Textbroker pays via PayPal weekly as long as you have a balance of $10 or more. To get paid, you go to the Account tab and click the Payout link.

If you have a balance of $10 or more, there will be a green ‘Request Payout’ button. Simply click the button, and the payment will be sent to your PayPal account on Friday.

You’ll receive an automated e-mail notification once the payment has been sent. From what I remember, I’d usually receive payment by noon on Friday. However, the ‘Pay-Out’ page does state “Please give us all of Friday to send out notifications and process all of the transactions. If you have not received notification by Saturday, please contact us at authors@textbroker.com.”.

It’s as straightforward as it seems, but there are two things worth noting. First, you can only click the ‘Request Payout’ button once a week. Next, you’ll need to request your payout before 11:59 PM Central Time on Thursday to get paid on Friday.

Textbroker Pros and Cons

Like most jobs or money making methods, there are some upsides and downsides to Textbroker. To me, the pros outweigh the cons for new writers or people just starting to work at home.

My list of benefits and downsides are based on A) my personal experiences and B) reviews from people who have used Textbroker.

Textbroker Pros:

• No experience is required. This is one of the great things about Textbroker; you can make money online without special skills or experience. It’s ideal for people who are starting to make money from home for the first time.
• Payment is consistent. As long as you make the $10 minimum, you’ll get paid each week. I loved this part of Textbroker; I got a consistent ‘paycheck’ each Friday without fail.
• There are no payment fees. With Textbroker, you don’t have to cover PayPal fees or any other financial fees. What you see is what you get!
• Support staff is responsive. This pro is based on my personal experience. Whenever I had an issue or question, I’d e-mail the Textbroker support staff. The replies I received were always very prompt, kind, and informative.

Textbroker Cons:

• There may not always be tons of work available. This is one of the biggest issues that I had writing for Textbroker and other content mills. Some days there would be several hundred Level 4 articles available. Other days, there would be 50 or less. My advice is to not put all of your eggs in one basket. Using multiple money making resources is your best bet.
• Revisions can be time-consuming. If you get a nitpicky Client who requests tons of revisions, the writing and approval process can take far too long. In the tip section below, I’ve included some information on how you can avoid this con.
• There is a possibility that your article may be rejected. You’ll always have the opportunity to revise your article before it gets rejected. However, you have to understand that the client may still reject it. If you feel a rejection was unfair, you can discuss the issue with Textbroker’s support staff.
• In the freelancing community, Textbroker payment is very low. Most freelance writers I know won’t write for less than $0.05 per word. Others write for no less than $0.15 or $0.20 per word. I wouldn’t recommend Textbroker to a seasoned freelance writer if they’re looking for a writing job. Again, it’s a great platform for those just starting out.

Textbroker Success Stories

In addition to the pros and cons I listed above, I wanted to share some Textbroker reviews from others. The two links below are success stories from various Textbroker Authors. I’ve provided a quick summary of each story so you can see the different outcomes for each Author.

• How I Make Real Money From Home By Writing For Textbroker – This article is written by a stay-at-home mom who decided to join Textbroker to help deal with debt and unexpected bills. Like many people, she started out making $5 a day before she learned the ropes. After time passed, this content writer turned Textbroker into her full-time job. She says that it’s realistic to expect to make only $5 to $7 per hour at first, and I do agree with this. I also agree when she says it’s definitely possible to make $20/hour or more after you gain experience.
• Reader Tip – I Make Around $12 Per Hour Writing For Textbroker.com – This short blog post is from a Level 4 Textbroker Author. She makes approximately $12 per hour on Textbroker, though she mentions that it can vary. Her advice is to pick topics that are easy to write about; it’ll allow you to write as quickly as possible and earn more cash.

10 Textbroker Tips To Make The Most Of Content Writing

In order to maximize the amount of money you make, it’s important to use Textbroker to your advantage. I’ve compiled a list of tips based on personal experience and research. Implement these to increase your earning potential!

1. Add as much information to your profile as possible.

A thorough profile looks professional and may draw in clients for Direct Orders. Even if you have little to no experience with writing, include any relevant info.

For example, you can include things like ‘Retail Customer Service’ or ‘Documentation’ to your Industry Experience section. Every detail counts!

2. Browse and use the Textbroker author forum.

The Textbroker author forum is an amazing resource for learning all about the site. From simple questions to watercooler-style talk, you’ll find pretty much everything there. You can also ask questions and receive answers from seasoned authors.

3. Reach out to Textbroker Support if you have questions or concerns.

In my experience, Textbroker Support has been absolutely wonderful. They’re very responsive and polite. If you have a question or feel that you received an unfair rejection, politely e-mail their support team.

4. Write about what you know (at first).

If you’re knowledgeable about certain topics like automobiles or finances, write articles in those categories. This will help you A) write high-quality content with ease and, B) build up your rating and experience. After you’ve done this, don’t hesitate to branch out and look for more topics!

5. Come up with a process for writing as quickly as possible.

For example, my process on Textbroker was to write a title, write subtitles, then write the intro and conclusion. After this, I’d write the rest of the post. It saved me time and helped me increase my hourly rate. Do what works best for you.

6. Always check the client’s revision and rejection rates.

This is so crucial. If a client has a high revision or rejection rate, avoid them like the plague. You can see a client’s revision and rejection rates by clicking on their Client ID. This is an orange number that you’ll see when you click on an article.

7. Don’t drive yourself crazy over revision requests.

If you get one or two simple revision requests, feel free to complete them if you’re comfortable with it. If you feel like a client is asking for too much, you can toss the article back into the order pool.

This tip is a matter of preference. I find that spending too much time on revisions isn’t cost-effective.

8. Apply for Direct Orders and Team Orders.

As I mentioned above, Direct Orders and Team Orders pay more than Open Orders. Don’t ever hesitate to apply for them! Worst case scenario, you won’t get accepted or get a response.

When I used Textbroker, I’d spend about 15 minutes a day applying for DO and TO clients. In many instances, it was well worth my time.

9. If you enjoy writing for a client, shoot them a message.

This is another tip that I somewhat developed on my own. If I enjoyed writing for a client, I’d reach out to them about Direct Orders. Send a short, polite message telling them you like providing them with quality content and that you’re available for Direct Orders.

A simple pitch takes a minute or two to write, and it often pays off.

10 If you’re planning to make this a part-time job, use a tool to calculate your hourly wage.

Some people use Textbroker to make a part-time or full-time income. If you do this, I find that it’s important to calculate your earnings. I used Toggl to track my time spent on each article and kept an OpenOffice spreadsheet, too.

It’s a simple and free way to make sure you’re earning a decent hourly wage.

Textbroker Review Summary: A Flexible And Reliable Option For Many

Overall, Textbroker is a reliable content writing service for anyone who wants to make money writing online. It may not be the most profitable or attractive option for seasoned freelance writers.

However, it’s a good resource for part-time income and requires no prior skills or experience. Because of this, I feel that it’s an excellent fit for many people.

At Frugal For Less, we aim to cover a diverse amount of ways for people to make money. If you’re interested in doing so, these articles may help you:

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There are dozens of more options in the Frugal For Less Making Money category, and tons of way to live a budget-friendly lifestyle in the Save Money category. Thanks for reading and happy frugaling!