"Jobs like rent a friend" is searched by people who liked the idea and want more than one source of it. Here are nine, with what each pays and the catch in each.
| What it is | Pays | The catch | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Friend (Roavi) | The same work: company and local knowledge by the hour for visitors and newcomers | Your rate, $15 to $50 an hour typical; no commission | Volume depends on your city |
| Companion care (agencies) | Visits and outings with older adults | A scheduled hourly wage | Training, checks, a schedule; not for everyone |
| Tour guiding | Narrating sites and history | Hourly plus tips, or per tour | Licensed in some cities (New York); seasonal |
| Online conversation | Video or chat per minute (Rent a Cyber Friend and similar) | Your per-minute rate minus about 20% | The meter limits repeat clients |
| Paid language partner | Conversation practice for learners, in person or online | $15 to $40 an hour | Competitive online; easy in person as a Local Friend |
| Event hosting, brand ambassador | Greeting, sampling, hosting by the shift | Above minimum, by the day | Irregular |
| Plus-one work | A wedding, a work dinner, a reunion | Your rate, often a flat fee | Rare bookings, high trust |
| Pet sitting and dog walking | Company for someone's dog | $15 to $30 a walk, more overnight | Apps take a cut |
| Background acting | Being a body on a set in LA, Atlanta, New York | A day rate | Waiting, and only in film cities |
Which fit your city#
Visited or growing cities (New York, Miami, Mexico City, Medellín, Santo Domingo, Bangkok): Local Friend and guiding. Any city: companion care, pet sitting, online conversation. Film cities: background acting. Side hustles for extroverts sorts them by personality, and how much RentAFriend pays is the honest baseline for the original.
The one that is the same work#
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 FriendEvery city where you can do this today, with the live number of Local Friends in each: rent a friend, by the hour. In the United States the list is also by state.
Frequently Asked Questions
What jobs are like Rent a Friend?
Local Friend on Roavi (the same work, free to list, no commission, people message you free), companion care for older adults through agencies, tour guiding (licensed in cities like New York), online conversation sites paid per minute, event hosting and brand ambassador shifts, paid language partner work, plus-one work for events, pet sitting, and background acting in film cities.Which pays the most?
Per hour, a licensed guide on a good day or a Local Friend in an expensive city with reviews. Per reliability, agency companion care, which is a scheduled wage. Everything else is by the booking and depends on your city.