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How to Sell Bandwidth and Earn Passive Income With Little to No Effort

Of all the ways you can earn passive income, selling bandwidth is certainly one of the most interesting ones.

Most folks have uncapped bandwidth that just sits idly with no purpose, so why not monetize your unused internet?

There are many apps and software that take away the complexities of selling bandwidth, and all of them have their characteristics and benefits.

But which one is the most suitable for you?

In this guide, you’ll learn how to sell bandwidth, pick the best software for it, the risks, and turn it into a source of passive income.

Why You Should Consider Selling Bandwidth

There are many software plans and applications like HoneyGain that serve as an IP address hub in which you can offer your unused bandwidth and make money for it.

By allowing your internet bandwidth to other IP addresses, you get paid for every GB of data you share with the other users of the same application.

Here are some important points to consider:

  • An alternative source of passive income: No doubt you pay more for your internet plan than you actually need. By selling bandwidth, not only do you use up your excess internet, but you make money off of it.
  • It’s safe: Most clients that sell bandwidth are particularly careful when it comes to cybersecurity and privacy of their network, especially when sharing IP addresses is in question. But worry not; most of these bandwidth-selling platforms have excellent security, monitoring, and privacy protocols with rock-solid encryption.
  • More speed, more money: The faster your internet is, the more money you get. Service providers for selling bandwidth have special plans and benefits for their most determined and trustworthy users.
  • Even more money if you have multiple IP addresses: It’s important to mention that if you have more than one IP address, you can set them all up as well, which will generate even more income for you.
  • Different platforms have a variety of benefits: Some platforms allow you to set and modify your rates and how much you’ll actually sell. Some even allow swapping your internet connection for cryptocurrency, believe it or not. For example, Skycoin’s Skyminer application is a popular platform for this.

Problems With Selling Bandwidth

Selling bandwidth doesn’t come without hardships, risks, and even legal troubles if you’re selling it any other way than using the designated bandwidth-selling platforms.

Here are some of the problems you may come across:

1. Legal issues

Selling bandwidth is illegal and largely frowned upon by many internet service providers in the U.S. because it’s in direct violation of their Terms of Service.

Depending on where you live, please check both your local state laws and your bandwidth selling providers’ Terms and Conditions so you can decide how reliable they are.

Make sure you’re absolutely in the clear before you begin this passive income venture.

2. Low earnings

Don’t expect a huge amount of money as soon as you begin selling your bandwidth.

You first need to gain the trust and recognition of your bandwidth-selling provider as a reliable client, and then you may be eligible for their more beneficial plans that can offer you more rates.

3. Data security

Selling bandwidth comes with unreliable data security. Most of the listed providers claim that they don’t have access to your data and files, while others don’t mention this at all.

Again, make sure you absolutely read every paragraph of their Terms and Conditions regarding data access and data use.

4. Possible violations and crime-related issues

You never know where and how your bandwidth is used, and you hold no authority over what your client uses your IP address for. In the case that a client uses your bandwidth for internet crime, you may be deemed responsible for it.

What You’ll Need to Sell Bandwidth

The three most important things you’ll need to sell bandwidth are:

  • Internet access: Bandwidth-selling apps will require you to have access to the internet with a stable connection and no data restrictions.
  • An Internet-connected device: You’ll also need to have a device that is turned on and online 24/7.
  • An account for the bandwidth apps: A registered and verified account and an installed app of your platform for selling bandwidth is necessary.

Where to Sell Bandwidth

Selling your internet doesn’t go without complications and hardships.

However, if you’re still determined to take advantage of your unused bandwidth, you should consider using a provider for it.

We’ve compiled our list with the most secure providers for selling bandwidth which emphasize privacy and security over everything:

1. HoneyGain

HoneyGain is the first-ever software that turns your unused internet into passive income. It has loads of features and benefits that may be suitable to what your internet service package offers.

With a user-friendly interface in place, many users will find this app very easy to use. Just download the app, create your account, choose your plan, and start boosting your passive income.

What Makes This Option Great

As a top-ranking platform for this type of gig, HoneyGain also has one of the most secure layers. It ensures your internet is in safe hands because most of its clients have a trustworthy background.

  • Fees/Commission: N/A
  • Payment Methods: Paypal

2. PacketStream

PacketStream is another app that runs passively in the background, and it works as a peer-to-peer (P2P) bandwidth marketplace. This means you can buy and sell private internet bandwidth data.

PacketStream mainly focuses on users with residential proxies. It works via P2P bandwidth sharing with a “multi-hop proxy tunnel” that allows users to gain access to geolocation-restricted data.

What Makes This Option Great

The best thing about PacketStream is that it doesn’t use a lot of processing power and makes sure it doesn’t slow down your internet with any unnecessary features.

  • Fees/Commission: N/A
  • Payment Methods: Paypal

3. IPRoyal

IPRoyal is another platform that works as a data-sharing app and as a marketplace for selling and buying bandwidth.

IPRoyal focuses on the ethical side of selling bandwidth; they have their own residential proxy pool of trusted users.

While it’s new to the game, it has its benefits that may suit your money-making gig with lots of features.

What Makes This Option Great

When compared to the other apps, IPRoyal pays out more per GB of data from a single device, which can be very suitable for most users.

  • Fees/Commission: N/A
  • Payment Methods: Paypal or Bitcoin

How to Sell Bandwidth: Step-By-Step Instructions

Selling bandwidth is as easy as setting up an account on one of the platforms.

You don’t need anything else besides a stable internet connection and a device that runs all the time.

We’ll use HoneyGain as an example for setting up your bandwidth-selling workstation.

Step 1: Create a HoneyGain Account

First things first, sign up and create a HoneyGain account via their link. It only takes minutes.

Step 2: Download the App

Once you created and verified your account, download the app, and install it on your device.  Remember to choose the right app for your operating system’s device.

Step 3: Log Into Your Account

Once you’ve installed the app, you need to log into your account with the username and password on your application.

Step 4: Sync Your Dashboard

Sync your account with your dashboard.

Step 5: Plug Your Device and Keep It Plugged In

Once you’ve set up your dashboard, make sure you keep your device (that is, your phone or PC) plugged in at all times to start generating income.

Things to Consider When Selling Bandwidth

To maximize your potential earnings with selling bandwidth, there are a couple of important tips you should keep in mind.

1. More Is More

Having more than one IP address is much more beneficial than just one.

To unlock the full potential of your internet, utilize more IP addresses for a better income stream.

But, of course, some users only have one device and one IP address, and this is fine as well.

All of the bandwidth-selling apps have the option to use more devices, but PacketStream is the best one for this job because it has unlimited device capacity.

2. Keep Your Devices On

Usually, the devices you use for this method are mobile phones.

Always remember to keep your device on at all times so that your bandwidth app works and generates your income as you sleep.

Maintaining their battery on a charger barely costs any power, and some users like to diversify their sources with multiple sockets, so keep this in mind.

3. Try Out Any App You Find

If you don’t like one bandwidth-selling provider, try another. It doesn’t cost you a thing.

Or, if you’re feeling experimental, you can try and gauge multiple providers and see what works for you best.

We recommend trying both HoneyGain and PacketStream so you have better grounds for comparison.

4. Using New or Old Cell Phones

Using new and old cell phones when maintaining your bandwidth connections has pros and cons.

For example, using old cell phones you don’t use is generally better. However, old phones have the weakest internet security protocols, and hackers can easily exploit and hijack their vulnerabilities.

Meanwhile. using new phones is the best method if you want to keep your IP addresses safe because they have up-to-date security protocols that are difficult to crack. But using brand new phones just for this passive income gig is not worth it.

5. Don’t Expect High Income

All the providers mentioned above are safe and secure and don’t require much work from your side. But while you don’t have to lift a finger, don’t expect to make a lot of money in the beginning.

You won’t generate money as soon as you make a deal with the app and start selling bandwidth.

However, once you gain traction in the first couple of months, you’ll eventually start receiving decent passive income.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most popular inquiries regarding making money from bandwidth.

What’s Internet Bandwidth?

Internet bandwidth is the maximum data transfer rate of your internet connection. Basically, it serves to show you how much internet data can be transferred to a certain connection in a given amount of time.

The maximum capacity of the data transfer depends on your internet service provider, and they have various packages and plans they offer.

Take, for example, a virtual private network (VPN), a common bandwidth-sharing client. A VPN routes your computer’s internet connection via its private source instead of your internet service provider.

Can You Actually Sell Internet Bandwidth?

Most people don’t know that they can start selling excess bandwidth.

Usually, people choose plans that offer more bandwidth usage than they actually need, and this is how the prospect of selling bandwidth becomes viable for monetization.

Chances are, you probably don’t need that 4K streaming package, and you can use that excess data to your advantage for a passive stream of income.

Is Selling My Internet Bandwidth Worth It?

The average income is around $5 to $50 per month from one platform, so you have to combine other apps if you want to earn more.

This requires you to have a lot of unused internet data, not to mention running the risk of having your account closed if a client uses your internet in questionable ways.

How Do Bandwidth Selling Platforms Use My Internet Connection?

The app gains access to your internet via a different IP address or country, and its programs and applications become agents between you and the parties you sell it to.

When you authorize the sharing, the app acts as a middleman that rents your bandwidth, and your internet connection goes back and forth between you, the app, and their clients.

Is Selling Your Bandwidth Safe?

There is no guarantee that selling your bandwidth is absolutely safe. Not even the Google Play Store nor Apple Store support these apps on your phone.

Depending on your app’s Terms of Service, the provider may also gain access to your internet data.

Is Selling Your Bandwidth Private?

Unless you have multi-layered IP address security with the latest updates, you run the risk of having your security and data privacy stolen, especially when using data-sharing apps.

Remember, you’re letting an unknown client use your IP address to do whatever they like, most likely illegal downloads or questionable online purchases.

Is Selling Your Internet Illegal?

Selling your bandwidth isn’t a crime; the worst case scenario is that you may be fined by your internet service provider for breaking the Terms of Service.

Always make sure you read the fine print.

Similar Tutorials to Check Out

If you feel bandwidth selling might be too risky for you, here are similar but alternative ways to make money without much hassle:

  • How to sell on Amazon for beginners: This guide will show you that Amazon is a great way to make money from stuff you don’t need. Listing your items is easy, and you’d be surprised to see just what you can actually sell. Remember: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
  • Making money from lodging: This guide tackles the ins and outs of making money with lodging. With apps like Airbnb and VRBO, you can make a lot of money renting rooms you don’t usually occupy.
  • How to get paid to work out: Here’s a guide that will show you the many ways of getting paid to work out, believe it or not. You’ll get to know many apps that require from you an internet connection, a video camera, and your daily grind of staying healthy. A win-win method, for sure.

Wrapping Up

By now, you have a solid grasp of selling bandwidth and understand how easy it is to turn it into a decent side hustle without having to lift a finger.

Still, selling bandwidth has privacy and security risks if you don’t know how to pick a decent app for it, not to mention the legal trouble that may come from it with your internet service provider.

Otherwise, the best option for selling bandwidth is arguably PacketStream, but you’re welcome to try out the others.

Keep in mind it’s highly recommended that you read the terms to avoid any inconsistencies as you use these recommended apps.

If you’re interested in more easy gigs, feel free to visit Gigworker. There’s a plethora of passive income techniques that make good use of whatever you have at your disposal.

Was this article helpful? Share your thoughts below and share this with your friends considering selling their excess bandwidth online.

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