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.

29 ideas

Software and apps
Solo-built mobile game
A mobile game built by a former big tech employee after leaving a full-time job. It grew with no paid marketing.
Online
Starter Story, 2026
Software and apps
Online text case converter tool
A free web tool for converting text case, built up over years.
Online
Hacker News, 2024
Software and apps
Meme maker with animated text tracking
Created a web tool for making GIF memes with text that follows motion, after finding it hard to do elsewhere.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2022
Software and apps
Online solitaire game platform
A solitaire site that began as a Mac app, found by looking for popular apps with poor reviews, and now supports the owner.
Online
Hacker News, 2022
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
Coupon site and tiny developer tools
A coupon site for developers plus a set of single-purpose web tools such as encoders and HTML cleaners.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2021
Software and apps
Average weather lookup tool for travelers
Runs a site showing historical average weather by city and month. Income so far is from ad revenue, with plans to add more features.
Online
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
Online multiplayer word game with ads
Runs a multiplayer Boggle-style game online. It earns from advertising and paid memberships.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
Portfolio of small web learning tools
Runs a set of small web apps for learning music notes, non-Latin alphabets and languages with flash cards. Income comes from ads and paid premium plans.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
Free online tools for converting delimited data
Built a set of web tools for converting between data formats like CSV. Income comes mostly from Google ads plus an occasional affiliate link.
A few hours a weekOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
Free online map chart maker funded by ads
Runs a free tool that lets people make colored maps of countries and regions. Income comes from display ads and occasional donations.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
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
Role-playing game for preschool kids
Made an online role-playing game for young children that earns a modest monthly amount.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Software and apps
Social game built with a partner developer
Runs a social game with a developer partner that earns steadily with little ongoing time.
Hands-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
Phone GPS tracker with ad revenue
A web tool that tracks phones periodically and shows locations on a map, earning from site and YouTube 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
Browser strategy game with niche audience
Created a web game that earns enough to live on while traveling.
Online
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
Music notation training web app
Built a site for practicing reading music notation while learning piano. It earns on its own without promotion.
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
Software and apps
Online PC building tool with ads
Runs a tool for assembling a PC online and earns from ads and affiliate programs.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Software and apps
Unicode text effects tool
A free site for playing with Unicode text and ASCII art, earning small ad income.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014

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