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

24 ideas

  • 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
    Screen annotation app for Mac
    Built a Mac app for drawing and highlighting on screen during calls and presentations, after needing it personally.
    Online
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    Machinima tool sold inside Second Life
    An application sold within Second Life that helps users make machinima, earning small sales long after launch.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2011
  • Software and apps
    Paid card game for iOS
    Wrote a card game for iPhone that sells steadily with almost no maintenance.
    Hands-offOnline
    Hacker News, 2011