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.

50 ideas, page 1 of 2

Software and apps
Road trip visualization tool
A website for visualizing road trips, earning sales through organic traffic with peaks around holidays.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2024
Software and apps
Chrome extension collecting casino login bonuses
A browser extension that automatically claims daily login bonuses at online casinos for a monthly subscription.
Online
Hacker News, 2024
Software and apps
Online multiplayer domino game with donations
Built an online multiplayer version of a domino-based game, funded by donations after ads did poorly.
Online
Hacker News, 2022
Software and apps
Chess variant mobile game funded by donations
Built a single-player chess variant app without ads or in-app purchases, supported mostly by donations.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2022
Software and apps
Sports film review software
Software that ties game stats to video footage for coaches, sold to schools in many states.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2022
Software and apps
Niche Mac App Store app
Wrote a Mac app years ago that still makes steady daily sales through the app store without marketing.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2020
Software and apps
White-label stock analysis tool with revenue share
Built a web tool for stock technical analysis and offered it white-labeled to companies with distribution, splitting profits with them.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2019
Software and apps
API for sending cookies to customers
Built a service with an API that lets businesses send cookies to customers and partners across Europe and the US.
Online
Hacker News, 2019
Software and apps
Chart image and QR code API
An open source API that generates embeddable chart images and QR codes. Monetized as a hosted service.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2019
Software and apps
Localized wedding registry platform
An independent wedding registry site for a local market. Couples pay a one-time activation fee, and Google ads bring in traffic.
$1k to $10kHands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2019
Software and apps
Mac app for browsing video collections
Built a desktop app for managing video libraries and sells licenses. Donates the proceeds to charity.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2019
Software and apps
Online gaming logo maker for esports teams
A web tool that lets esports teams create mascot style gaming logos, currently in private beta.
Online
Hacker News, 2019
Software and apps
Pay-per-use SMS sending API
An outgoing text message API with flat pricing, small packages for hobbyists, and a free daily message. Has an open source version.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2019
Software and apps
Team calendar app sold as subscription
A team calendar software product that earns recurring revenue and could grow with more marketing.
$1k to $10kOnline
Hacker News, 2019
Software and apps
Published indie games with small ongoing sales
A few games the owner published that continue to sell a little each year without any input.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2019
Software and apps
Documentation software product for teams
Built a documentation product that earned its first revenue with little maintenance, and is planning a second version.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2018
Software and apps
Small portfolio of Android apps
Publishes several Android apps on Google Play. One got an editor's pick, which boosted sales for a while.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2018
Software and apps
Browser synth app with paid desktop version
Built a web-based synth and drum machine that is free as a demo. Sells a downloadable desktop version without the restrictions.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
Kanban task manager desktop app
Sells a cross-platform desktop task manager with a Kanban-style board, through a trial-based license on Gumroad and the Mac App Store.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
Competitor price monitoring software business
A competitor monitoring product that began as a side project and grew into a systemised business with a team, so the owner now acts more like an investor.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
DNS change monitoring and alerting service
A subscription tool that watches DNS zones for changes and alerts the owner, keeping a revision history. Aimed at people who manage DNS for clients.
Online
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
Encryption software for PHP code
Software for protecting source code with encryption, built to meet the owner's own need when existing products were very expensive. It has produced steady income for years with a small remote team.
Online
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
Image optimization app for Mac designers
A desktop tool that shrinks images without visible quality loss. Offered as a free version with paid upgrades, plus plugins for design software.
Online
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
Medical school entrance exam prep website
Built an online exam preparation platform for aspiring medical students together with a sibling. Once launched it needed very little upkeep and sold access to students.
Hands-offOnline
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 native and HTML5 mobile games
Publishes native apps and games along with HTML5 games, earning from app store sales. Income has declined as the stores have changed.
Online
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
Test prep sites for medical school exams
Built online prep resources for UK medical school entrance exams. Students pay for access, mostly in the months before the exams.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
Update hosting for private WordPress plugins
Built a service that delivers updates for private WordPress plugins and themes, which developers otherwise find painful to manage. Customers pay for the service.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
Automated website thumbnail service
A service that generates website thumbnails automatically. The owner bought it from another person, kept developing it, and earns from its customers.
Online
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
Music notation training website
Runs a website that helps people practice music notation. It has earned steadily for years.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
Older iPad game sold on the App Store
Sells a game for iPad through the App Store, which sold with almost no ongoing effort until app updates were needed for new platform requirements.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
Real-time transit tracking app for commuters
Built a mobile app that tracks commuter rail trains in real time. Downloads spike whenever the transit system has service problems.
Online
Hacker News, 2016
Software and apps
Royalties from programming books
Earns ongoing royalties from programming books written years ago, with little active work now.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2016
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
Disk cleaning app on the Mac App Store
Sells a Mac utility for cleaning disk space on the Mac App Store, with little marketing.
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
iPad port of a PC game
Ported an older game to iPad, free to download with one in-app purchase unlocking the full version.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Software and apps
Personalized children's books app for iPad
Sells personalized kids books through an iPad app and is splitting it into individual book apps.
Online
Hacker News, 2014
Software and apps
Printable bingo card software
Sells software for creating bingo cards, needing little support.
Hands-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
Simple Mac App Store app
Has a simple app in the Mac App Store that sells with no ongoing support.
Hands-offOnline
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
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
Buy and redesign an existing iOS app
Bought an iOS sleep calculator app from its owner and redesigned the interface.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Software and apps
Educational 3D and 4D geometry iPhone app
Built an iOS app that teaches what a tesseract is and lets users manipulate it. People keep buying it in a small niche.
Hands-offOnline
Hacker News, 2014
Software and apps
Mac web development app
A web development tool for Mac sold through the Mac App Store.
Hands-offOnline
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

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