What immychat parents actually earn, and why the number changes
Our 65+ active parents earn somewhere between $245–4,450 a month, and Q2 2026 landed at a $1,020 average. Your grade decides where you sit on that scale: newcomer ($245–395) is your shift-one pay, steady ($545–845) usually kicks in by month 3, skilled ($1,080–1,780) around month 7, and star ($2,100–4,450) is the ceiling our most dedicated parents reach by month 13. Payday is every Saturday, $15 minimum.
We could have written a nicer-sounding brochure figure, but these numbers are pulled straight from what actually left our account last quarter. Scroll down to see the monthly pay for each grade, a rough timeline for climbing there, and roughly how our current lineup breaks down across those four tiers. You're the one who decides when your shifts happen — whether that's during naptime or once everyone in the house has gone to bed — so climbing this ladder has far more to do with your own rhythm than with luck.
The four grades, side by side
| Level | $/moMonthly $ | Reached byTypically reached by | Of textersShare of texters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newcomer | $245–395 | shift one | 25% |
| Steady | $545–845 | around month 3 | 34% |
| Skilled | $1,080–1,780 | around month 7 | 29% |
| Star | $2,100–4,450 | around month 13 | 12% |
Monthly pay per grade, taken from Q2 2026 payroll across 65+ active parents.
Speak two languages fluently? Check what our translators take home →
Newcomer
Your starting grade, live from the moment your first shift begins. Easy, closely supervised conversations fit around whichever hours work for your household, with a floor of 3 hours a day.
Steady
You're now handling several conversations at once without letting the quality slip. Same 3-hour floor as before, but a noticeably fuller shift by the time you log off.
Skilled
This is where the harder conversations and peak-traffic hours of the day usually end up. Shifts often run longer, and your replies hold steady even under pressure.
Star
The highest grade — strong volume, consistently sharp replies, and a willingness to cover the evening rush most people skip. Only about 12 parents in 100 reach it, and their pay sets the top of our range.
Where these figures actually come from
Nothing here is a projection or a rounded-up marketing number — every figure is lifted straight from the payroll our 65+ active parents were actually paid across the Q2 2026 cycle. Treat it as a snapshot of one specific quarter rather than a guarantee: your own paycheck traces back to which grade you've reached, the volume of shifts you take on, and how strong your conversations are. Expect the exact numbers to drift slightly each quarter as our team grows.
What actually moves you up the ladder
Time you genuinely put in
Logging 3 hours daily is your entry ticket, not the ceiling — pick up shifts beyond that floor and your pay climbs faster. A predictable half-hour most days beats one long shift squeezed in occasionally.
How your conversations land
Message count on its own doesn't move the needle — how engaged the other person stays does. Flat, one-line replies stall your progress; conversations people genuinely want to continue push it forward.
Adding translation to your shifts
Parents who also cover translation work pick up extra threads and tend to climb faster as a result. Knowing an extra language pays off in ways that aren't always obvious upfront.
Being asked for by name
One person who comes back specifically to talk with you is worth more than a handful of one-off replies ever will be. That kind of repeat trust is exactly what carries parents into skilled and star.
A few more things worth clearing up
Does $1,020 actually reflect a normal parent, or only the busiest ones?
We calculate it across the whole roster — all 65+ active parents, newcomers and everyone else — so it naturally falls somewhere between the newcomer floor and the star ceiling, pulled toward the top end by our most experienced members.
Honestly, how long before I would move up a grade?
Steady usually shows up by month 3, skilled around month 7, and star sometime past month 13 — though sticking with it and keeping your conversations lively count for more than the calendar does.
Are bonuses on top of these numbers, or already baked in?
They're baked in already — what you see for each grade is the whole month's earnings, activity bonuses and all, deposited every Saturday with a $15 floor.
I can barely manage the minimum hours some weeks — will that hold me back?
Not at all — hitting the 3-hour daily floor already keeps your account active at newcomer pay. Whenever your life has room for more hours or livelier conversations, that's what opens the door to the higher grades, on your own timeline.
Curious where you would personally land on this scale?
Newcomer spots are open right now — get your application in and a recruiter will schedule your first shift.
See the role