Paid vs Unpaid Internships: What You Should Know

Internships are a crucial step for anyone starting their career. They offer practical experience, help you build skills, and introduce you to how real companies work. But when you’re choosing between internship offers, one key factor often stands out:

Money.

Some internships pay. Others don’t. Many students ask, “Should I accept an unpaid internship just to get experience?” or “Is a paid internship always better?”

This guide helps you understand the real value of both types of internships. You’ll learn:

• What each type of internship offers
• When it makes sense to choose unpaid work
• How to assess if an opportunity is worth your time
• Ways to make unpaid internships work for you
• Red flags to avoid in both types

Let’s start with the basics.

What Is a Paid Internship?

A paid internship offers a fixed stipend or hourly wage for your time and work. These roles may be part-time or full-time, remote or in-person. You’re expected to contribute to real tasks while also learning on the job.

Common traits:

• Monthly or hourly pay
• Formal application and interview process
• Often structured with timelines, reviews, and team assignments
• Found more often in larger organizations or funded startups

What Is an Unpaid Internship?

An unpaid internship does not offer financial compensation. Instead, it’s presented as a learning opportunity where your reward is mentorship, experience, or access to networks.

Common traits:

• No stipend or payment
• Flexible work hours or project-based structure
• Often found in nonprofits, small businesses, or new startups
• Sometimes less formal or loosely defined

You can browse both types of internships using filters for paid and remote roles on JobPe.

Why Companies Offer Unpaid Internships

Some organizations—especially those with tight budgets—offer unpaid internships because they:

• Can’t afford a stipend but want to mentor newcomers
• Need short-term help for a project
• Want to test someone's skills before offering a paid opportunity

This isn’t always bad. But it does mean you need to assess if the learning justifies the time.

Benefits of Paid Internships

Financial Support

You earn while you learn. That’s especially helpful if you’re:

• Paying for your education
• Supporting family
• Living away from home

Even a small stipend can cover transport, data bills, or meals.

Real Deliverables

Companies that pay interns usually expect more—and that’s a good thing:

• You’re treated like a team member
• Assigned real responsibilities
• Reviewed on actual outcomes

This gives you better stories for interviews later.

Professional Experience

Paid internships often follow a proper structure:

• Weekly reviews
• Defined projects
• Mentorship or onboarding
• Exposure to meetings and tools

Career Edge

Paid internships are often competitive. Landing one shows employers:

• You can stand out in a crowd
• You were trusted to contribute
• You know how to manage expectations

Use a resume builder to highlight your paid internship projects clearly.

Benefits of Unpaid Internships

Unpaid doesn’t always mean unworthy. If chosen well, these roles offer important advantages—especially early on.

🌱 Flexible Structure

• Often project-based or remote
• Easier to balance with classes or exams
• Good for short-term exposure or testing a field

Learning-Focused

• More forgiving if you’re still figuring things out
• Great chance to ask questions and shadow experienced people
• Less pressure to perform perfectly

Skill Building

Even if you’re unpaid, you might:

• Learn new software or tools
• Write your first article or report
• Help organize an event
• Run small campaigns

These experiences build your project portfolio.

Expand Your Network

Sometimes, unpaid roles connect you with:

• Industry experts
• Small founders who offer mentorship
• Peers in similar roles

One connection can lead to a better-paid role later.

How to Decide: Paid vs Unpaid

Assess if a role is worth it—regardless of money.

Learning Value

• Will you work on real tasks, not just observe?
• Are you learning something new?
• Do you get to use tools relevant to your career?

✅ Mentorship Access

• Will someone review your work?
• Are there check-ins or feedback sessions?
• Can you ask questions comfortably?

✅ Project Outcomes

• Will you have at least 1–2 tasks you can showcase?
• Is there a clear goal for your internship?
• Can you use your work in your portfolio?

✅ Time Commitment

• Is the schedule too heavy for the benefit?
• Does it clash with exams, jobs, or family?
• Will it block you from better roles later?

If a role fails on two or more of these points, it may not be worth your time—even if it’s paid.

When Is It Okay to Accept an Unpaid Internship?

Unpaid internships can make sense when:

• You're early in college and want exposure
• The company is small but offers great learning
• You’re changing careers and need skill proof
• You’ll work closely with someone you admire
• The internship is short-term or part-time

Sometimes, an unpaid internship helps unlock a paid one next.

Red Flags to Watch Out For

Unpaid or paid, watch for these warning signs:

• No clarity on tasks or supervisor
• Training fees or charges to join
• No feedback or learning plan
• No contract or timeline
• Vague promises of “exposure” but no work
• Too many interns doing the same thing

If you’re unsure, look up company reviews on Glassdoor.

How to Make the Most of Any Internship

📌 Set a Goal

Examples:

• Learn SEO writing
• Understand social media marketing
• Improve Excel and reporting
• Learn agile workflows

Write your goal on Day 1 and reflect each week.

🧰 Build Work Samples

Create a mini-portfolio with:

• Reports or dashboards
• Screenshots of campaigns
• Links to published work
• Presentations you helped build

Use Notion or Google Docs to organize them.

🤝 Ask for Feedback

• Request 1-on-1 feedback before you leave
• Ask what you did well and what to improve
• Use this in your next role or interview

📄 Get Recommendations

Request:

• A testimonial on LinkedIn
• A reference email or phone number
• Permission to list them on your resume

Resume Tips for Paid and Unpaid Internships

Don’t hide unpaid internships. Frame them with results.

Resume bullets:

• “Wrote 8 blog posts that generated 10K+ views”
• “Assisted in 3 virtual events with 500+ attendees”
• “Analyzed 200 survey responses to find feature gaps”
• “Created 15 Instagram designs, reaching 50K users”

Use clear formatting to showcase impact.

Plan Ahead: Use the Internship to Land a Job

After your internship:

• Update your resume and LinkedIn
• Reach out to your manager later
• Track salary trends to stay informed
• Practice interview answers with mock tools
• Apply faster with auto-apply systems

If you performed well, the company may invite you back.

Final Thoughts: It's Not Just About the Money

Money matters, especially when you’re balancing studies and expenses. But not every unpaid internship is a waste—and not every paid one is great.

The real question: Will this internship move me closer to my goals?

Use that as your filter. The right decision comes from asking what you’ll walk away with—not just what you’ll earn this month.

Learn, contribute, and move forward. Paid or unpaid—your time should always be valuable.