"Get paid to be a friend" comes with "online", "app", "free", "reddit" and "how to". It is real, it is freelancing, and the honest version fits on one page.
The two ways#
In person, by the hour. A visitor or a newcomer to your city pays you for a few hours of company: a meal, a game, a neighbourhood, a first weekend. Platonic, in public. This is what Roavi and RentAFriend list.
Online, by the minute. Video or chat with someone who pays per minute. This is Rent a Cyber Friend and similar sites; you never meet.
The apps and sites that actually pay#
| How it works | What you earn | Platform's cut | Free to join? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roavi (ours) | In person, by the hour; people message you free | Your rate, most $15 to $50 an hour | None | Yes |
| RentAFriend | In person, by the hour; hirers pay about $24.95 a month to message | Your rate, reported $20 to $50 an hour, cash | None from you | Yes |
| Rent a Cyber Friend | Online, per minute, video or chat | Your per-minute rate | 20% | Yes |
| Anything that asks you to pay to be listed | Walk away |
How much it pays, honestly#
You set the rate; the number that matters is volume. A three-hour afternoon at $30 is $90. Two bookings a week is a good month in a city people visit or move to; two a month is normal in a quiet one. RentAFriend's own friends report long silences outside the five biggest US cities (why); on Roavi the people who message you did not have to pay first, which is the point, and the honest caveat is that our US list is still thin. What the work actually is and how much RentAFriend pays.
The rules#
18 or over. Platonic, always; the platforms remove anyone who treats it otherwise. Meet in public, keep your own transport, agree hours and rate in writing before you meet. Report the income as self-employment.
How to get your first booking#
Three real photos, a bio that says what you are good company for ("I know every taquería in Jackson Heights" beats "I like having fun"), a rate you would be glad to get, fast replies. Local Friend on Roavi (disclosure: our platform): you list free, set an hourly rate (most list $15 to $50; New York, San Francisco and Tokyo at the top), and visitors or newcomers to your city message you free to spend a few hours with you, platonic and in public: food, a game, a neighbourhood, a first weekend. You are paid directly and Roavi takes no commission. A person reviews your profile (18+, verified email, three real photos) before it goes live. Volume depends on your city: strong in Santo Domingo, Medellín, Bogotá, Mexico City, Buenos Aires and New York, thin in most other US cities today.
Your rate, your hours, no commission, no membership between you and the people who message.
Become a Local FriendRead next: paid friendship, what it is and how to earn, get paid to hang out with people, jobs like Rent a Friend.
For India, where most of the searches for this come from: rent a friend jobs in India.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you really get paid to be a friend?
Yes, as freelancing. In person: list on Roavi (free, no commission, you set your hourly rate) or RentAFriend (free to list, the hirer pays a membership) and visitors or locals pay you by the hour for platonic company. Online: Rent a Cyber Friend pays per minute of video or chat and keeps 20%. There is no employer and no salary.How much do you get paid to be a friend?
You set the rate. In person most people list $15 to $50 an hour (higher in New York, San Francisco and Tokyo), paid directly with no commission on Roavi. Online, per-minute rates you set, minus the platform's 20%. Volume is the real variable: a few bookings a week in a busy city, a few a month in a quiet one.Is there a free app to get paid to be a friend?
Roavi is free to list and takes no commission; the people who message you pay nothing to do so. RentAFriend is free to list but charges hirers a membership. Any site asking you to pay to be listed is not one to use.