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

9 ideas

  • Services and freelancing
    Jingles and YouTube ads for local trades
    Writing jingles for plumbers, roofers and pest control companies, then running them as skippable YouTube ads in the client's area. AI music and voice tools now replace the studio.
    Online
    The Koerner Office, 2026
  • Services and freelancing
    AI second brain knowledge base for businesses
    The operator organizes a client's promises, decisions, projects and preferences into a set of linked markdown notes that AI tools can read, then keeps it current with ingest and review routines. It is sold as the first engagement because later automations depend on it.
    Under $100Online
    Build With AI, 2026
  • Services and freelancing
    Fund open source work via sponsors and consulting
    Gets income to support open source maintenance from Patreon, private consulting and a company sponsorship.
    Under $100Online
    Hacker News, 2024
  • Services and freelancing
    Private adult webcam sessions for regular clients
    Does adult webcam work with an established base of private clients, using it as flexible fallback income between jobs.
    A few hours a weekOnline
    Hacker News, 2019
  • Services and freelancing
    Freelance article writing for others
    Writes articles for other people, often on topics outside the writer's own expertise, as one of several side gigs.
    Under $100Online
    Hacker News, 2019
  • Services and freelancing
    Low-overhead solo legal side practice
    A solo lawyer takes referral clients for small legal jobs like setting up LLCs, winding down or selling a business, and reviewing NDAs, charging less than larger firms.
    Under $100
    Hacker News, 2019
  • Services and freelancing
    Enterprise software consulting on the side
    Does enterprise software consulting in the evenings.
    Under $100Online
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Services and freelancing
    Outsourced social media and blog posting for a firm
    Does social media and blog content for a jewelry company from home and subcontracts the work to a lower-cost writer.
    Under $100Online
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Services and freelancing
    Blog that brings in consulting work
    Runs a blog that has brought a steady flow of consulting opportunities.
    Under $100Online
    Hacker News, 2014