Why Writing Paywalled Articles is No Longer a Viable Side Hustle?

Writing paywalled articles is no longer a good passive income stream you can count on.

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I started regular blogging on the Medium platform four years ago (2021–01). I recall the excitement of receiving $36 for only a few paywalled articles.

So, I kept publishing my articles — about two per week — mainly sharing my experiences and insights on E2E Test Automation and Continuous Testing. As I wrote more and gained more followers on Medium, my passive income from paywalled articles gradually grew. I hoped that by publishing more high-quality new content, combined with the accumulated impact of my past articles, my Medium monthly income could reach $1,000 per month by 2025.

However, in July 2023, Medium changed its Partner Program for the worse. Despite consistently publishing high-quality articles — over 150 featured in software testing newsletters — at a rate of about three per week and amassing nearly 6,000 followers, my passive income from Medium steadily declined, reaching…