Getting Paid to Write for Textbroker: A Review on Why It Isn't for Me

Who Wouldn't Want to Get Paid to Write?

Right at this very moment, you are reading an article whose motives are mostly financial. Yes, I will admit that a portion (very large) of the reason my writing has taken up residence at HubPages is so that I can eventually experience the joy of many cash infusions into my bank account. You might notice, however, that I'm referring to all of this happening at a future date: Such is the risk of working for residual income.

If only there was a way to get paid upfront for my words. Sure, I could put myself out there and advertise my rather unproven talent. Or, as I've discovered recently, I could apply to a content mill and be the one who chooses the offers that I will craft and manipulate. Quite a few brokerages of copy control the market for online content outsourcing today, but I chose Textbroker because of its reputation for recruiting and cultivating new writers.

Pursuing Textbroker With Words

Textbroker, in one sentence, is this: An online marketplace where clients post article requirements that are completed by a pool of registered authors. Not caring an iota about paying someone to churn out content, instead, my eyes locked on to the following statement on Textbroker's website:

Is writing your hobby, passion or profession? No matter if you're just starting out or are an experienced professional, at Textbroker, you earn cash for each word you write. We take care of everything else for you.

Yes, yes, YES! Not only does Textbroker accept complete unknowns of dubious skill, but it removes the promotional theatrics from the equation and pays by the word to boot. Without needing further prompting, I found the author application form and submitted a compelling, absolutely award-worthy sample piece on the technical description of an Amazon Kindle. Actually, I may have embellished a bit of that last sentence, but no matter—Textbroker accepted me 24 hours later as a level 3 writer!

My First Date With Textbroker

As it turns out, being labeled as a level 3 writer doesn't mean much beyond how many writing opportunities are available for me to choose from. In fact, a quick perusal of the internet (which never lies) informs me that nearly every writer starts at level 3. Thankfully, my standards aren't high, and I happily jumped into the order pool to find my first job.

I should mention that Textbroker's interface is, in a word, simple. Once you find the menu option for showing the job orders, you can immediately begin browsing the opportunities that are displayed in a nifty chart by category and star rating. Since I started at level 3, my options were limited to the two- and three-star articles. Feeling a bit nervous on my first time out, I chose a two-star job asking for a 300- to 350-word opinion piece on an automotive news article. After a grueling 20 minutes of work, I submitted my text through the interface and awaited my verdict.

For the most part, the work order process works like this:

1. You find a job in the pool, which you have 10 minutes to accept, or it returns to the pool.
2. Each star rating has its own paid rate per word.
3. Each job has a minimum word requirement and possibly other requirements set by the client.
4. Once you accept the job, you must complete the assignment by the deadline, or it returns to the pool.
5. After you submit the article, the client has three days to either accept it or return it to you to rewrite.
6. Once accepted by the client, you are paid by Textbroker.
7. Eventually, an editor from Textbroker will assign a rating to your article and may leave a comment on what you could do to improve your writing.

Losing Interest in Textbroker

With bated breath, I counted the minutes leading up to whether or not my client would accept my work. Actually, I gave up counting after an hour or so. Nearly two days later, I logged in to learn that I had earned my first $2.05. For the mathematically impaired, that means I wrote 293 words at a rate of $0.007 per word. Chump change, for sure, but encouraging all the same. Looking for more thrills, I returned to Textbroker over and over again for more experiences. I even improved my standing to level 4!

In time, unfortunately, my interest in Textbroker began to wane. I can pinpoint the problem to exactly one issue: Subject matter. Freelancing isn't about what I want, and I accept that in exchange for the privilege of being compensated upfront in cash. The jobs available at Textbroker, however, tend to err considerably towards the mundane.

You would think, considering how many categories there are to choose from, that I would be able to find something that can get my creative juices flowing. On the contrary, of the hundreds of jobs available in the pool at most hours of the day, I waste more time looking for something to write about than actually writing.

For example, should I write a $4.50 call-to-action promotional piece for "C Frame Hydraulic Press" that specifically states "no fluff" in its 500 required words? Or how about a "well-researched article" on the intriguingly-titled "Mathematical Materials Used As Therapeutic Tools" for a whopping $6.00? True, I'm making a point by selecting particularly outrageous job requests, but I assure you that many of the postings are of this variety.

Sorry Textbroker, We're Going to Have to Part Ways

As of this writing, I've given up writing for Textbroker. Not for any fault of its own, though. Unlike many of the "get paid online" scams that circulate the web, Textbroker is exactly how it represents itself. The interface is excellent, it is rare to find a shortage of available jobs, and the payouts are sent twice a month (with a minimum payout requirement of only $10.00). To top everything off, a motivated writer could potentially make over $1,000 per month if they can figure out a method for churning out material.

I think that if my income situation was dire, my opinion would be different. While I am always interested in finding ways to bring in more cash, I'm not exactly one step away from financial ruin. If I wasn't employed full-time and was tied to my home due to kids or some sort of disability, I think Textbroker would make an excellent income replacement.

If you write well enough to qualify for level 4 work (which only took me two weeks to reach), you should be able to knock out 10 to 15 500-word articles in an eight-hour workday and make around $100. Pass the rather difficult proofreading test, and you might qualify for level 5 work, which pays 5 cents per word! Best of all, impress enough of your clients, and you could begin receiving "direct order" work that allows you to control the pay rate. This is honest-to-goodness legitimate full-time work—if you can find the willpower to keep up with it.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

Comments

Moses Jones on December 02, 2019:

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As for terminating you for no reason at all, that is pretty much every earning opportunity that I know. However, Textbroker did terminate me for no legitimate (truthful) reason.

While it is a good site for beginners with earnings above minimum wage when at a certain start level and with a lot of fast writing, you will get strange revision requests. They will try to say that your article is identical to another article. However, the identical areas are just common words or phrases. (If the... Another thing to...) Often times, the link goes out to an article that has nothing to do with the article that you have written. (e.g. An article on knitting when you've written an article about vehicles)

Also, they will often have you send in a selfie for "verification" purposes. Even though they say it will take 15 days, you will have to wait a total of 2 months and that is if you are lucky.

Also, the forum has quite a few complaints against them. Textbroker from what I've read on their forums will throw the authors under the bus and let the clients get away with anything. For instance, authors have talked about clients asking for revision after taking their article and posting it on their site. In some cases, the author revises the article only to have it sent back to them with the suspicion of plagiarism.

All in all, it can be a good earner. The only thing is you are at the mercy of the company and they will mess with you whenever they feel like it.

Frenzy212 on July 24, 2018:

First of all, I believe you about the uninteresting topics (I kind of had that feeling about the place). I received a 3-star rating from the sample also, but quit before I started. They took about 2 months to complete the hiring process, but also, I didn't like what I read in the T&C's (about them potentially terminating you for blah-blah reason, or no reason at all). Even no reason at all? Well, that's not very dependable.

Celina on March 05, 2018:

Thank you so much for this post! This really helped my understanding and expectations of the website.

Andrey on December 21, 2017:

I have applied to become an author 11 days ago, sent in a photo of my ID and wrote the trial article they asked for. Still no response from them as to the status of my account. All I got was the automated response to my email. At this point I am not completely clear as to whether they will ever respond? I am eager to start writing but cannot see a reason as to why it would take them so long to verify me and allow me onto their network. Please respond to my comment if you have experienced the same thing.

James on November 22, 2017:

For those commenting, I am a level 5 writer and make about $250 a day with open assignments, direct and team orders. It can be done.

Traci on August 21, 2017:

As a writer and a client, I have to say I've ceased being either with Textbroker at this point. I don't recommend writing for them because they will turn around without notice and drop your rating and I am no longer a client because I had a writer grab an article I ordered to "prove a point" politically and the customer service suggested I tell this writer as many times as it takes to remove false content.

SW on August 03, 2017:

Just signed up today and I can totally relate. lol

Tamara A. on May 22, 2017:

Thanks. This will help me evaluate if I want to pursue text brokerage.

Sarteeb Parsa on May 17, 2017:

I want to have worked with you how can i am worked with you as typing.

Vivian on April 12, 2017:

I joined a year ago and have written more than 140 articles on different subjects. I enjoy being able to select the type of pieces I want to write and the research and development. I was rated a 3 star and even a 4 for awhile. Their random system will pick out articles and evaluate them for rating. Unfortunately, I had a couple of minor grammatical errors that my spell/grammar check did not find and I got reduced to a level 2. There a very few requests for articles at this level and I had been making some decent money as a 3. They will not re-evaluate until their system decides to do that, so there is little chance I will be upgraded in the near future. So I am looking for a different place to write. I have since upgraded and improved my grammar check and hope not to have this happen again. I am mad at myself for letting this happen, because I read my work several times before submitting it and know this is my fault. The benefit has been that I discovered that I enjoy writing about subjects I never would have considered previously, so I have learned a lot.

rashin on January 10, 2017:

I joined Textbroker in 2012 as a 4 star writer...no regrets as I have a steady stream of direct orders and the open orders are always full of articles. Definitely recommend this company.

Traci on December 17, 2016:

I wouldn't be motivated to write either if I were a three-star writer. They don't have many options for level three. But, if you can get to level four, it really is worth it. I am a college student and Textbroker is my main source of income right now.

Karin on November 06, 2016:

I've been with Textbroker for a couple months and started off, and still at, 3 stars. It seems it's difficult to really make any money or join teams at 3 stars. I applied for a few teams and were accepted, but they never have assignments. I get my ratings and use the tips they give, but it doesn't get me past 3 stars. I'm looking to see if there are better sites where I can write for money, and hopefully get paid more. Writing for TB at 3 stars is like a "sweatshop" of the digital age.

Rose on October 20, 2016:

All the information here is very helpful, but I thought I might go on and add my 2 cents. I applied to write for TB and was rated 4 stars. I started reading and found other ways to #1 acquire more work, and #2 get paid a higher per-word fee. Join the teams, some pay as much as 19 cents a word. The work for teams is not always available, but when it is, it sure helps. TB pays weekly as long as you have at least $10 in your account. Also, you can work on team order concurrently with the regular orders. This is very helpful. Occasionally you'll even find a $100 order. You just have to stay on top of things. You can make money working for TB, and it is a good option if you are not able to go somewhere and punch a clock. All you need is an internet connection. You may not get rich, but I am able to pay a few bills with the money I make. This is my honest assessment, other sites I would suggest looking at are Crowd Content and Scripted. For most, what you'll make will be a part-time income, but every little bit helps, right?

carrie on February 09, 2016:

Be aware ... You will NEVER be rated 5 star! I just got rated 4 stars with a "written assessment" that said "Excellent work." More than 30 years experience. This is the first piece they've rated (from more than 200 written) where they didn't find a stray comma as an excuse to mark me down. Usually, they rate about 1 in 10 things I write. If all you want is coffee money, great. But Textbroker won't even cover your wireless bill.

Fallon on January 29, 2015:

I've found that Textbroker doesn't pay nearly as well as some other sites. Writer Access and Content Runner pay wayyyy more for content that's not insanely technical.

Safiq on March 05, 2014:

Good article for anyone considering textbroker. And I agree it is hard mind boggling work.

Angela Swanlund on February 05, 2014:

In their most recent company newsletter - Textbroker expressed their TRUE feelings about their 3-star writing pool. http://www2.textbroker.com/webmail/20042/246964917... This was something that should have been discussed in private between their Client and Support - NOT ran in their company newsletter. When a company displays this level of stark disregard and disrespect for their writing pool - maybe they don't deserve a writing pool?

Nathan Bernardo from California, United States of America on July 15, 2013:

I found this article after I had already signed up for Text Broker. However, I am not deterred. I fit the requirements you laid out, about being house-bound and needing money. So, I'm still giving it a shot. Very good review, gives me the feeling of what TB is about: A lot of work and enduring not interesting tasks. I can do it. I'm alright with that. I'd like some money while I'm waiting to get residual income. Thanks for the helpful review.

Stephen Milley from Woodstown, New Jersey on June 04, 2013:

Sarah, I know I'm not the original person you asked about this, however Textbroker is a good way of starting out. In addition, to my knowledge, I wouldn't consider it a good source for a resume. In retrospect, it is a good way to make money and get experience writing articles.

The best way to think of Textbroker is like being a ghost writer. You are writing articles for someone else to own, usually for a client's website. Ghostwriting is a great way for writers to start out, however the downside is that you don't own the content...your client does (i.e. and that's what Textbroker is, in this case)!

Having said this, if I wanted to demonstrate to an employer I had experience in writing, I would work for a firm that I felt knowledgeable writing about and gain the experience in order to write about it. In addition, if I enjoyed information technology and wanted to know more things about it, I'd work at a news agency looking for IT writers. There are different ways to go about it.

As to plagiarism, what you write for your client is between the both of you. Therefore, I would not allow anyone to view what you have written. Again, it's like being a ghost writer. There are books out on being a ghost writer, too. You might want to check into that, as well.

I hope this helps!

Sarah on May 29, 2013:

Hi,

I am a college student in search for a summer job. I was thinking about working for Textbroker. However,when I spoke with one of my friends, he mentioned that I could not add this onto my resume because of plagiarism issues, since technically we could be writing articles for other college students who become our "clients." Do you think it would be an issue for me in the future if I work for Textbroker this summer? The whole "partaking in plagiarism" issue? I would really appreciate your feedback since you are a former employee of Textbroker. I am in dire need of a summer job and I am not sure if I could get in trouble later on for working for Textbroker.

Please please shed some light on this.

Thank you so much!

LaThing from From a World Within, USA on May 18, 2013:

Thanks for this hub.... I thought I was the only one who found those writing asignments to be little strange and not worth the time! Enjoyed reading this. Voting and everything :)

Jayme Kinsey from Oklahoma on May 18, 2013:

Interesting and honest appraisal. I suppose. I applied for Texbroker in November, and they say my application is still pending. I've even tried emailing them about the issue, but to no avail. I don't particularly like writing for sites of that kind. Usually because the only assignments available are, as you stated, boring beyond belief. And usually something I am not highly qualified to write on immediately. I need more than 20 minutes to research! I have slow internet! Still, would be nice to have it as an additional source of potential income.

Voting this up as useful!

Audrey Hunt from Pahrump NV on May 18, 2013:

Found this hub just in time. Someone recommended TB and just as I was ready to click away and join - TA DA! (Found this hub.)

I don't think yours truly can be friends with TB either :) Thanks for the insight and thanks to all who commented - I read each one. Whew!

Stephen Milley from Woodstown, New Jersey on May 18, 2013:

This was an informative post! I have bought the book from textbrokersuccess.com and have enjoyed the insights it gives. When I read an article or non-fiction book, I look for honesty and a balanced perspective.

I love how others comment and share their experiences and Textbroker is something I'd like to get some experience with. Thanks for this article and feel free to connect!

Jaye on April 21, 2013:

I started with Textbrokers at level 3. That's with a degree, proof-reading, and both a creative and technical writing background. Got fed up with the lack 3 work available and came out.

Went in again a few days later; triple checked everything on content, punctuation, and style. Still got a 3 a couple of hours later.

I'd love to see how their editors analyse. I read some content on the TB website which so turgid, I thought, "If that's what I'm supposed to be aspiring to, forget it."

I've just had my first article accepted at Constant Content. If the client likes it, that's a $150.00 payout. Even with CC's 35% cut, it's still looking better than TB's equivalent of around $6.00.

Anna Bragga from England on March 28, 2013:

@thoughtfulgirl2 Interesting to hear how you have made Text broker work for you. I signed up over a year ago with a level 4, and after 5 articles lost interest. It was the combination of low rates and mundane subjects that did it. But I have just started writing for them again, and really want to make a go of getting some direct orders and upgrading to level 5. I am trying to stick to my areas of special interest, hoping that will help make it more interesting.

Jo Anne Meekins from Queens, NY on March 11, 2013:

Thanks for this hub! I just signed up for textbroker last week and am awaiting my rating and access to the order pool. I figured I'd do a little research about what I was getting into and came across your article. Thanks to all of the comments, I have a clearer and more realistic view of what to expect from both perspectives. Voted up and useful.

Stay blessed!

A muire on January 18, 2013:

I recently joined Textbroker but have found it to be a dead loss. I have worked for a US on-line ad company for quite a while as a copy writer and have never even so much as had an article returned for revision, yet despite this and my university education I was rated 2 stars ! There are NO 2 star jobs so why they even bother to rate potential writers with 2 stars escapes me - they might as well just reject such applications.

All in all, Textbroker was a total and utter waste of time and effort.

Faith A Mullen on December 31, 2012:

I have been considering giving Textbroker a try, so this review is super helpful. Thanks for posting.

May Galnou from Melbourne, Australia on November 15, 2012:

Great article, thanks. I'm from Australia, but textbroker.co.uk accepts workers from all over. I'm going to check it out and see how I go. I'll also check out Fiverr thanks hotwebideas.

Bruce Chamoff from New York on October 27, 2012:

Hey MichelleMantel, I had bad experiences with textbroker.

As for Fiverr, you can make more money than just $5 per order if you become a level 2 seller or a top level seller. $5 is the minimum, but you can charge up to $20 on order extras and if you are a top level seller, you can sell upgrades for $50, so it is not just $5.

I love Fiverr and have made more money than I did on Textbroker. Plus Textbroker has unrealistic deadlines (24 hours for 500 to 1,000 words which includes proofreading. Very few people do well on Textbroker, but most people had a hard time making much money on it, especially since their deadlines to pay ratio.

On Fiverr, you have 30 days to complete a gig if you want to, but the sooner you set the completion date, the more sales you will get on it. Stick with Fiverr.

Bruce

MichelleMantel from Bloomington, IL on October 23, 2012:

Thanks for the article on TextBrokers.com. I just signed up and am waiting for approval of my license. I hope this turns out to be lucrative. You can also make good money on Fiverr but I definitely think anything $5 for 500 is just not worth it. We'll see how this works out!

Jane on October 06, 2012:

So glad to hear someone else say that their editing and proofreading skills tests have TONS OF ERRORS!!!!! I saw someone write about how they'd become an editor for them -- she mis-spelled her title as a "Copy right" editor. WTF? Right? Plus, every writer should be getting paid $25 per article because of wage laws in the United States. At the least, a contractor is defined by the IRS as someone who gets to negotiate their rate. Surely there will be fallout.

Tyler Tobin from North Carolina on September 24, 2012:

Very Good Hub. I am going to give Textbroker a shot for just some on the side writing. We will see how it turns out. Voted Up and Useful.

Tyler

audaciousangel on August 02, 2012:

I'm with the UK Textbroker, and the proofreading test is such bullshit. First I scored an 8 out of 10 and I was refused. Half of their answers were spelt incorrectly. It is quite a con. You should try Constant Content. They are strict, but at least you can sell your article for more than $5 per 500 words.

Chantele Cross-Jones from Cardiff on July 07, 2012:

Sounds like it could be worth a look, but not as a full time income, I just want to earn a little extra so it may be worth it. Although not sure I could write on half the subjects you mentioned lol!

Bruce Chamoff from New York on June 19, 2012:

Yes, it seems that between Drupal and Wordpress, the extension market which makes up plugins on Wordpress and modules on Drupal, the market is hot since those programs do not perform too much out of the box. Extensions make those sites come alive and I have developed my share of plugins for Wordpress, modules on Drupal and components on Joomla.

mskills (author) from North Carolina, USA on June 19, 2012:

@hotwebideas,

Bummer about the hacking incident. Let us hope Textbroker is willing to bend over backward to assist you in reclaiming and protecting your account.

Intriguing story about the direct order client. I imagine it is fairly uncommon to attract direct orders outside of the Textbroker environment. Is the Wordpress plugin market a lucrative one outside of that particular circumstance?

Bruce Chamoff from New York on June 19, 2012:

MSkills, after all this talk on Textbroker, I just found out that my account was hacked and the person changed my Paypal address to theirs.

For those of you who have Textbroker, please check your Paypal address settings.

Bruce Chamoff from New York on June 18, 2012:

Hey mskills, I will answer your question about the magic. Well, it never really is magic, but all I did was join a few teams. The one in particular that got me the actual direct orders was a Wordpress development team, since I develop Wordpress plugins. I then emailed the guy who started the team and introduced myself. It worked and got his attention. He gave me my first direct order a day later.

Now, I do have to admit: His requirements were a little unreasonable and you will experience that as a negative for direct orders. He wanted 2,000 words in 1 day. I am lucky if I can get 500 words in a day, but I worked on it all night and he wrote me a review that starts with "You Rock...". Unfortunately, the editors at Textbroker still kept me at level 3, but as long as the client thinks you rock, who cares what Textbroker thinks?

mskills (author) from North Carolina, USA on June 18, 2012:

Alright, now on to the rest. I'll start with ...

@hotwebideas,

Consider me impressed. The ONLY way I would give Textbroker another chance would be due to direct orders. If I could figure out the magic necessary to ensnare some of those, my review would likely need its own rewrite.

Excellent job finding a way to make Textbroker work for you.

@thoughtfulgirl2,

Sounds to me like you and I have found the same thing: Steady work, free creative reign, great pay ... wait a sec'! I'm still here at HP -- while the work is endless and the restrictions are minor, I can't really boast about the pennies.

@Rio C.,

One really big huge enormous gigantic run-on problem: I don't Facebook. Ethics, mostly.

Karen Hellier,

Thank you, thank you. If there is anything to take away from this hub, it is this: Mathematical Materials Used As Therapeutic Tools. Really.

@Ddraigcoch,

I'm sorry, but I had to stifle a guffaw while reading your comment. Anyone that has been exposed to the Textbroker work orders knows EXACTLY what you are referencing. Sorry about your poor experience with TB.

@Writer,

Tru dat.

@Tom,

Challenge is one thing. But the apathy ... oh, the apathy. Remind me again why I'm writing 500 words about plumbing in Antarctica?

@I agree,

Basically, if you aren't at least level 4 and receiving some direct orders, Textbroker is an often lonely place to solicit.

@amithak50,

You're welcome. At least someone is finding some merit in Textbroker.

@ramarshall,

If I ever decide to return to Textbroker, I'd be interested in that book of yours (yes, I checked out your website). You pretty much had me at "$50 per hour". Since your attempt didn't produce a hyperlink, allow me:

http://textbrokersuccess.com/

You're welcome.

@badaniels,

You are my idol. If I had any measure of intestinal fortitude, I would be doing exactly the same.

@Musashi2,

Oh, it'll pay for gas alright. If you're able to leave things like logic and creativity on the table at home, you'll find the money is quite right. I wish you the very best.

Bruce Chamoff from New York on June 18, 2012:

I admit since my last comment on this hub that I started making money on Textbroker and was rewarded three direct orders for a minimum of 2,000 words, so I changed my tune about textbroker, but I still think that the selection of orders available to a level 3 writer is terrible.

mskills (author) from North Carolina, USA on June 18, 2012:

Seeing as how the comments have been piling up and I've failed to address them in a timely manner, I'm going to split this up into two categories: Over 2 months old and everything else.