22 Online Magazines That Pay $100+ to Freelance writers

Freelancing Aug 16, 2022

There is writing for money and then there is writing for decent money. Which one would you rather do?

While writing is one of the best ways to make money online, there are many writing jobs around at the moment that pay poorly. If you know where to look, you can make good money. That's where we can help.

We will take you through 21 Online magazines that pay more than $100 per article – some way more than that.

What do freelance writers earn?

You would be shocked at the low rates some people or online essay writer or publications offer and blown away by how much many pay. The rate ranges dramatically from criminally low to an impressive amount for quality submissions.

There is a lot of competition so you need to be passionate, you need to be good, and you need to know where to look. Before you’re able to pitch your articles to these magazines, you may need to work on your writing skills by taking a few online writing courses.

We believe $100 is a fair benchmark for a shorter article in a decent publication. You would need to write a lot to make impressive money but it is still a decent return for your efforts.

The faster you work, the better. What is more important, is knowing where to find work that pays fairly.

You will be surprised to learn that many of the places that make a proposal to get fair money are not that well known unless you are a big fan of the niche. While it is great to work for large famous sites there are a lot of benefits (and some exceptional money) to be made from some of the smaller more focused sites.

Let's look at 21 good examples.

National Geographic Travel
AMC Outdoors
Discover
The American Gardener
Early American Life
Travel + Leisure Magazine
EatingWell
Cosmopolitan
VQR
The New Yorker
LiisBeth
Harper’s Magazine
Boston Globe Magazine
Buzzfeed News
Babble
Scary Mommy
ROVA
MotorHome
Wired
Popular Mechanics
The Layout
Psychology Today

1. National Geographic Travel

We start with a name most people know and is loved by many. National Geographic has been going for years and they have worked hard to create a strong online presence. Travel is a hot topic and National Geographic is a trusted and popular name in this segment.

They have built up a spectacular following and have outstanding credibility. As such, their standards are high but they pay well for quality work. That being said, you do not have to be an expert writer. Passionate travel writers that can paint a picture of an area can get published and earn money.

Their main focus areas are “sustainable travel, national parks, and wild places.” They also like writing on “family travel and UNESCO World Heritage.” They are looking for original, engaging, and authentic articles about leading destinations. They do not want any of your typical hotel or resort-type reviews.

What do they pay?

Pay will depend on the article and the quality. There is no fixed rate but you can expect to earn roughly 50 cents per word for feature articles. These are generally 1 000 plus words.

How to pitch

You can email the editorial team at - editor@natgeo.com

2. AMC Outdoors

AMC stands for the Appalachian Mountain Club and they have been around since 1907. They are always looking for fresh content related to the region. They want to “inspire readers to get outside and get involved by providing high-quality coverage of outdoor recreation, education, and conservation topics throughout the Northern Appalachian region, from Maine to Virginia.”

What do they pay?

Articles can fetch up to $700 or more.

How to pitch

Go to their site and check out the submission requirements and details.

3. Discover Magazine

If you are a science buff then Discover Magazine is a great place to pitch original related work. They will consider unique work on space travel, physics, technology, physics, astronomy, paleontology, or any other science-related topic.

Read their guidelines and pitch quality work that is new. If you do not succeed, do not despair, keep trying.

What do they pay?

The pay varies depending on the quality and the topic but you can expect at least $0.52 per word.

How to pitch

Once you are clear on the recommendations and target your pitch according to their guidelines, you can mail Megan Schmidt (mschmidt@discovermagazine.com), the Digital Editor. For pitches related to astronomy, you can mail Jake Parks (jparks@astronomy.com).

4. The American Gardener

This is the American Horticultural Society official publication. They are big supporters of freelance writers but are somewhat unique in the content they require. It is important to understand their submission requirements. If you feel you can add value, they could well give you a chance. They pay pretty well.

The site is aimed at “experienced amateur gardeners” so you do not have to be an expert. If you are a keen gardener, this one might be worth a try.

What do they pay?

The average pay for a 1 500 to 2 500 word article is $300 to $600.

How to pitch

Follow this link for pitching guidelines and details.

5. Early American Life

This is a great platform for American history writers. The magazine is after articles related to traditions, style, and culture from the early days of America

What do they pay?

New writers can expect roughly $500 while more seasoned and experienced freelancers can get even more.

How to pitch

The site has a writer's guide that will give you all the information you need to plan and submit a pitch.

6. Travel + Leisure Magazine

This popular magazine is happy to support freelance writers. You need to pitch an informative, creative, and unique article. They are open to new ideas and content and explain their requirements very well.

What do they pay?

Articles are generally paid at $1 per word.

How to pitch

This link will tell you all you need to know to pitch relevant articles.

7. EatingWell

If you have some interest and knowledge of nutrition, food origins, and social food-related issues this could be of interest to you. They have fairly specific requirements but are happy to look at new writers with creative original ideas.

What do they pay?

The pay is up to $1 per word and they are looking for articles of up to 500 words.

How to pitch

Here are the guidelines for submissions on this platform.

8. Cosmopolitan

We all know Cosmopolitan but did you know they happily take on freelance writers? Well, they do. With a large readership, they will give you awesome exposure and pay you fairly well. If your niche is related to their brand you can make decent money on their site.

What do they pay?

Cosmopolitan will pay upwards of $0,25 per word for decent articles.

How to pitch

You can pitch ideas by contacting Emma Barker, the Senior Editor at emma.barker@time.com.

9. VQR

For the more creative and poetic writers, this is a perfect place to find gigs that pay. It is essentially a literature publication with a strong focus on interaction. This is a powerful opportunity for new and experienced writers.

What do they pay?

The pay is decent. You can expect around $200 per poem. Prose, book reviews, and other content also pay well.

How to pitch

All the details are available here.

10. The New Yorker

Few publications have adapted as well to the digital revolution and remained as profitable as the famous magazine The New Yorker. They have a large readership and are respected by their many loyal fans.

Writers can submit short stories. While they do not publish the rates they are sure to be good and will certainly earn you more than $100. The standards are high, as you would expect from a well-established and revered publication so only submit original quality material.

What do they pay?

They are not specific about rates but they pay well for good short stories.

How to pitch

You can learn more about the pitching requirements and process here.

11. LiisBeth

If you are interested in gender issues or articles related to feminist success stories, creatives, entrepreneurs, and similar writing, LiisBeth is an excellent place to pitch your ideas. They love new perspectives or interesting developments in the above fields and the pay is not too shabby.

What do they pay?

LiisBeth pays from $250 for personal posts and $800 plus for articles that analyze issues and policies.

How to pitch

The guidelines for pitching are here.

12. Harper’s Magazine

Another famous and well-established magazine is Harper’s Magazine. They have been around for decades and freelancers can submit both fiction and nonfiction.

What do they pay?

Articles pay upwards of $0.70 per word so there is decent money to be made.

How to pitch

To pitch an idea or article, simply email the editor, Rachel Poser.

13. Boston Globe Magazine

Another option is the Boston Globe Magazine. Here, freelancers are encouraged to pitch ideas for the Connections or Perspectives columns. This is a good place to start and there is room to grow from there. They give clear and detailed writer's guidelines.

What do they pay?

Articles pay from $0.78 per word.

How to pitch

Pitch by contacting Veronica Chao, the editor via Twitter. You can also email magazine@globe.com. In the subject line, use the word “Query”.

14. Buzzfeed News

This is a popular platform for freelancers and they are looking for cultural criticism and personal stories (in long-form). It is a great place to look if you have some interesting perspectives.

What do they pay?

You will earn upwards of $0.50 per word.

How to pitch

Contact Samantha Henig via Twitter to pitch your content.

15. Babble

Parenting is a popular niche for many freelance writers and what could be a better place to pitch than Disney owned Babble. They have a range of mom and baby, pregnancy, parenting, and mental health categories. If this is your style of writing it is worth considering.

What do they pay?

Articles pay roughly $150 for an article of around 1 200 words.

How to pitch

You can read the writer and submission guidelines here.

16. Scary Mommy

Sticking with the mommy and parenting theme, Scary Mommy is a quirky, fun, and popular place to pitch related content.

They like practical useful information as well as articles with a bit of humor so there is something for everyone. Their Facebook page has more than one million likes so you will get great exposure.

What do they pay?

Articles will fetch $100 plus.

How to pitch

Click here for the details.

17. ROVA

This is an awesome opportunity for those with a passion for van life, Rvs, of simply road-tripping. Now you can enjoy your hobby and still make good money from it.

What do they pay?

Articles pay $200.

How to pitch

Share your excitement by checking out their contributor page

18. MotorHome

In the same niche is MotorHome which is a brilliant option for RV fans. They accept articles on a range of related articles from technical to RV lifestyle submissions. You can also earn more if they accept original quality photographs.

What do they pay?

Earning will range from $100 up to $900 depending on the content and length.

How to pitch

Contact the editor, Eileen Hubbard on info@motorhomemagazine.com for submission queries.

What do they pay?

19. Wired

For the more technical or scientific writers, Wired is worth considering. They also accept work on security, tech products and gadgets, and politics. It is a popular and growing online magazine.

What do they pay?

Wired will pay freelancers $0.50 per word.

How to pitch

Email your questions or pitches to Wired at submit@wired.com.

20. Popular Mechanics

This is one of the most famous and popular sites for technical readers and a great opportunity for like-minded freelancers. Everyone in this field is familiar with this household name and it is

What do they pay?

You can earn up to $0.40 per word.

How to pitch

Send your ideas or content to Alexander George, the editor, via Twitter.

21. The Layout

Design fans will love The Layout. What is great is they provide details of topics they are looking for to give you a better idea. It is mostly WordPress related and instructional style articles in the 700 to 1 200 word range.

What do they pay?

You can earn up to $150 for the longer articles.

How to pitch

All you need to know can be found here.

22. Psychology Today

Psychology Today is a specialty magazine that accepts freelance submission on, you guessed it, psychology-related articles. They offer clear instructions and good pay for the right content.

What do they pay?

The pay rate is a fair $1 per word.

How to pitch

Check out the detailed guidelines here.

How to get gigs with these magazines

The main point is to understand their target audience and pitch ideas that are fresh and original. The writing needs to be good but the story is more important. Most of these sites or online magazines offer writing guidelines for their publication. Understand these and stick to their requirements to improve your chances of success.

Get to know the field and deliver passionate content with clarity and enthusiasm. Do not get despondent if you do not succeed at first. It might take time to get your style suitable. Learn, grow, write, and pitch. You will get there with passion and determination.

Final thoughts

We have covered a wide range of magazines so there is sure to be something that interests you. Understand the requirements, get some unique ideas together, and get pitching.

Good luck!

About the Contributor

Veselin Mladenov is the Content Manager of ThriveMyWay. He has more than 10 years of experience in the field of corporate marketing and sales, and decided to pursue his passion - digital marketing and content creation.