All Side Hustle Ideas

Software and apps side hustle ideas

A web app, SaaS, mobile app, browser extension, bot or API that people pay for or that earns from ads.

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

12 ideas

  • Software and apps
    Simple apps and games monetized later
    Builds small apps and games for niche audiences and earns by adding paid features and selling ad space.
    Online
    Hacker News, 2022
  • Software and apps
    Small niche web tools monetized with ads
    Builds small web tools that solve narrow business problems, often around obscure shipping forms or data formatting chores. Income comes from display ads on the tools that get found.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2016
  • Software and apps
    Android client for a photo messaging app
    Built an Android app that added features to a popular messaging app, earning from an in-app purchase and ads until it was removed from the store.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Online JavaScript compression tool
    A free web tool that compresses and combines JavaScript files, earning from AdSense.
    Under $100Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Tabletop RPG calculator with ad income
    A calculator tool for a tabletop game that was picked up by a gaming site and earns from an ad on it.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Local bus times Android app
    An Android app showing bus times for the owner's area, earning from optimized in-app ads.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Small Android apps portfolio
    Publishes several small Android apps that earn modestly without ongoing work.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Android app with ads and in-app purchases
    Made a free Android app with a paid version, earning from ads, in-app purchases and paid downloads.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Android apps funded by ads
    Makes Android apps earning from ads, with a soundboard app as the main earner.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Android notepad app earning ad revenue
    A simple Android app built to learn the platform that now earns from in-app ads.
    Under $100Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Free web solitaire game with ads
    A browser solitaire game that earns from ad revenue, built as a weekend project.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014
  • Software and apps
    Old Android app earning small ad income
    Wrote an Android app to learn the platform, updates it lightly, and earns a little from ads.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2014