Side hustle ideas from people who actually run them

651 side hustles, each one described by the person running it, in a podcast, a YouTube interview or a Hacker News thread. Every idea links to its source. Filter by what it costs to start, how much time it takes, and how it earns.

AllDigital products 67Software and apps 205Content and media 105Physical products 105Services and freelancing 103Rentals and assets 36Directories and marketplaces 11Teaching and coaching 19
Startup costUnder $100$100 to $1k$1k to $10kOver $10k
TimeHands-offA few hours a weekPart-timeNear full-time
WhereOnlineIn personOnline and in person
Earns fromAdsAffiliateSubscriptionsOne-time salesService feesRentMarketplace cutSponsors and donations
CodingNo coding neededNeeds coding

11 ideas

  • Job board website that wins on marketing
    A simple job board website in a saturated category. The founder credits distribution and marketing, not the product, for its success.
    Directories and marketplaces
    Starter Story, 2026
  • Template marketplace for modern web frameworks
    Runs a directory of website templates for static site generators and frameworks, earning affiliate sales and now sponsorships.
    Directories and marketplaces
    Hacker News, 2024
  • Network of niche job boards and content sites
    Built job listing sites and blogs that run mostly automatically and cover expenses with ads and sponsorships.
    Hands-off
    Hacker News, 2021
  • Marketplace for premium startup domain names
    Sold a few domains at a profit and then launched a site selling high-quality startup names to fund other ventures.
    Hands-off
    Hacker News, 2016
  • Social network for amateur voice actors
    A community site where hobbyist voice actors connect and find work. It started by accident and now earns a steady monthly income.
    Hacker News, 2016
  • Marketplace for boat dock listings
    A marketplace connecting boat owners and dock spaces, grown by posting in boating groups and forums.
    Directories and marketplaces
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Online marketplace for plant nurseries
    A niche marketplace where garden centers sell plants nationwide, with the owner taking a share of each sale.
    Directories and marketplaces$1k to $10k
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Theme marketplace for Ghost blogs
    A marketplace for themes for a blogging platform.
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Marketplace for Flash website components
    Runs a marketplace and sells components on larger marketplaces, still earning from support and sales.
    Directories and marketplaces
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Local penny auction website
    A penny auction site for a local market, relying on manual bank transfers for payment since cards are rare, with plans to white-label it.
    Part-time
    Hacker News, 2011
  • AI-built niche directory sites
    The operator uses scraping tools and an AI coding assistant to build a listing site for a niche, then monetizes through leads, ads, affiliate links or listings. One example was a luxury restroom trailer directory.
    Hands-off
    The Koerner Office