All Side Hustle Ideas
Every idea links to its source

Side hustle ideas from people who actually run them

Real side businesses, described by their owners. Filter by cost, time and how they earn.

Ideas
651
ideas
Publications
14
publications and shows
Categories
8
categories

Browse by category

  • Digital products67
    Files sold online: templates, printables, ebooks, stock photos, fonts, presets, plugins, recorded courses
  • Software and apps205
    A web app, SaaS, mobile app, browser extension, bot or API that people pay for or that earns from ads
  • Content and media105
    A blog, niche website, newsletter, YouTube channel, podcast or social account that earns from ads, affiliate links or sponsors
  • Physical products105
    Making, printing or reselling physical goods, online or in person
  • Services and freelancing103
    Doing work for clients for a fee: freelance, consulting, done-for-you services, repairs, local services
  • Rentals and assets36
    Earning from something you own: renting property, rooms, equipment, vehicles, parking, vending machines, domains
  • Directories and marketplaces11
    A job board, listings site, directory or marketplace that connects buyers and sellers
  • Teaching and coaching19
    Live tutoring, lessons, workshops, coaching or cohort classes

Matching ideas

About the data

Startup cost
Under $100$100 to $1k$1k to $10kOver $10k
Time
Hands-offA few hours a weekPart-timeNear full-time
Where
OnlineIn personOnline and in person
Earns from
AdsAffiliateSubscriptionsOne-time salesService feesRentMarketplace cutSponsors and donations
Coding
No coding neededNeeds coding

116 ideas, page 3 of 3

  • Software and apps
    Anonymous messaging web app
    A web app for sending and reading anonymous messages, with paid accounts adding extra features.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    B2B SaaS app left running
    Built a business software product that still brings in monthly revenue with little attention.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Daily photo reminder app for iPhone
    Built an iPhone photo reminder app that Apple featured, earning without marketing spend.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Email files to cloud storage service
    A service letting users email files into cloud storage accounts, with premium paid accounts popular with realtors and lawyers.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Embeddable shared whiteboard plugin
    A jQuery plugin and backend service that adds a shared whiteboard to websites, sold by subscription.
    Online
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Small ERP system sold to local businesses
    Built a small ERP system sold to businesses on monthly fees.
    Online
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    SSL certificate add-on for Heroku apps
    Built an add-on that lets customers get SSL installed quickly. Reselling certificates required upfront cash.
    Over $10kHands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Web analytics and conversion tracking services
    Runs subscription services for tracking website traffic and ad conversions, solo and mostly hands-off.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Live streaming platform for event organizers
    A platform for event organizers to host and live stream events.
    Online
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Marketing attribution software with affiliates
    A subscription analytics product largely automated in onboarding and billing, with an affiliate program and agency customers that expand usage.
    Online
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Membership club for premium WordPress plugins
    Launched a membership offering premium WordPress plugins with support.
    Online
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Teaching and coaching
    Online music school
    An online music education site that earns from sales and recurring subscriptions, built in evenings and weekends.
    Online
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    PHP ad server software
    Built and maintains an ad server script with a hosted SaaS version, sold to site owners.
    Online
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Press release distribution service for media
    Runs a web service for sending press releases to media, used by customers promoting books and events, with a free tier for anonymous whistleblowers.
    $1k to $10kOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Proposal software for designers
    Building a web service that helps designers create client proposals.
    Online
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    WCF testing software products
    Built developer tools for testing WCF services, since expanded to several products and recommended by developers on Q&A sites.
    Online
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    International proxy for viewing foreign ads
    A proxy service for advertisers who want to see international ads and geotargeted landing pages, sold at a flat monthly price after minimal promotion on forums.
    Online
    Hacker News, 2011
  • Software and apps
    Licensing system for Android app developers
    Built an anti-piracy licensing system for their own Android apps and then sold it to other developers as a subscription service.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2011
  • Software and apps
    Self-hosted social network software
    Sold software that lets people build their own social network, later releasing the code for free.
    Online
    Hacker News, 2011
  • Software and apps
    Twitter scheduling app with freemium plans
    Built a Twitter app that helps users share more links without flooding followers. Offers a free plan and paid monthly plans.
    Online
    Hacker News, 2011