Whether you want to test out your business idea before quitting your day job, earn some extra money in your free time, build new skill sets, or pursue more creative hobbies, a side hustle can be the perfect solution.
More than one-third (36%) of Americans have a side hustle, according to a 2024 survey by financial services company Bankrate, including 48% of Gen Z and 44% of millennial respondents. Plus, side hustlers make an average of $891 per month in extra income—an increase from $810 in 2023.
From home-based hustles to low-investment small business ideas and beyond, consider these 30 side hustle ideas to find the right one for you.
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30 best side business ideas
We’ve split up these side business ideas into five categories: side businesses you can start from home, side businesses you can do with no money, side businesses that require a bigger budget upfront, side businesses inspired by your hobbies, and side business ideas for creatives.
Side business ideas to start from home
- Become a virtual assistant
- Be a usability tester
- Become a dropshipper
- Rent your space
- Start affiliate marketing
- Offer consultancy services
1. Become a virtual assistant
Do you have incredible organizational and time management skills? Monetize them by becoming a virtual assistant. You’ll manage the administrative side of a business remotely, including scheduling appointments, arranging travel, managing emails, taking phone calls, and ordering supplies. The time commitment can be as big or small as you want, depending on how many clients you take on.
Ariana Rodriguez started her virtual assistant business in 2021 for $2,000, which included launching a website, taking a business course, and purchasing technology.
“In April, I began making $700 a month,” Ariana says. “By December I was making $6,000 a month and working a full-time job. I was able to hire a subcontractor to make the work more sustainable.”
Decide what services you want to specialize in offering, set up a website or LinkedIn account to promote your services, and start reaching out to business owners who might need your help.
2. Be a usability tester
A usability tester gives feedback on a website, app, or product. Many companies look for usability testers to improve new software before releasing it to the general public—and they offer compensation in return for testers’ time.
You can find usability testing opportunities through platforms like Wynter, UserTesting, and Userlytics, and then take on as many projects as your schedule allows.
3. Become a dropshipper
Dropshipping is an ecommerce business model that has minimal startup costs. You start an online store to sell products, but a third-party business, known as a dropshipping supplier, fulfills the order on your behalf so you don’t have to worry about the costs and logistics of holding stock yourself.
Thomas Sleeth, founder of Dropshipping Hustle, began dropshipping as a side hustle while working full time as a disability support worker.
“I was fascinated by the business model and completely immersed myself in it and spent all my free time and even some work time learning all I could,” Thomas says.
It took Thomas five months to start seeing consistent profits through his small side business and he quit his full-time job after about a year.
4. Rent your space
If you don’t have much time to invest in a side business idea, consider renting space in your home through sites like Airbnb or Vrbo. About 123 million people booked rentals and experiences through Airbnb in the third quarter of 2024, according to the company. Depending on where you live, a spare room, vacant home, or guest house can fetch upward of nearly $200 per night.
If you have spare commercial space, consider listing it on a platform like Peerspace to find companies looking to host photoshoots, galleries, launch events, workshops, and more.
5. Start affiliate marketing
If you’re a good marketer and have an engaged social media following, becoming an affiliate can be a lucrative business. Affiliate marketing works when you earn commission on a product you market for another company. This commission can range anywhere from 1% to 50%.
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30 Profitable Side Hustle Ideas To Earn Extra Money
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Discover 30 profitable side hustle ideas to help boost your income in 2025. From creative crafts to work-from-home jobs, find a side hustle that suits your lifestyle.
To build a successful affiliate marketing business, choose a niche. It’ll be easier to create supporting content around the products you’re promoting if you choose an industry you’re passionate about.
Next, find companies with affiliate programs you can join through sites like ShareASale, ClickBank, or Awin. Grab your referral links and promote them online. You’ll get a kickback whenever someone purchases through your affiliate links. You can share affiliate links via your link in bio on social media and via posts on your own blog.
6. Offer consultancy services
Offering consulting services means using your expertise in a particular field—such as marketing, IT, human resources, or finance—to advise or guide clients. First, define your niche and the type of clients you want to work with. Then, build a network of industry contacts that can help you secure your first few clients.
This type of side business requires very little in the way of startup costs and offers a great deal of schedule flexibility. However, while you can set your own hours, you’ll want to have at least some crossover with the typical working hours in your chosen industry.
Side business ideas to start for free
- Teach a language
- Start a house- or pet-sitting business
- Become a rideshare driver
- Deliver food
- Become a dog walker
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Free: The Big List of Business Ideas
To help you find the inspiration to start, we compiled a list of 100+ in-demand business ideas, broken down into categories like fitness, apparel, and gaming.
7. Teach a language
The online language learning market is forecast to be worth $91.6 billion by 2030, according to a report by Research and Markets. If you speak multiple languages, sharing your skills could be a lucrative side business.
Language tutoring can be done virtually or in person, either in one-on-one or small group sessions. Leverage online language learning platforms like Skooli, VIPKid, or Qkids to find clients. And if you don’t want people coming to your home, consider free-to-book spaces, such as a local library or community center. On average, tutors can earn up to $40 per hour teaching English on the side, but your exact rate may vary depending on experience.
8. Start a house- or pet-sitting business
Eighty-two million US households own a pet, according to American Pet Products Association data. When these pet owners travel, they’ll often seek out someone who can take care of their pets in their homes, making this the perfect side business idea if you like pets. It’s particularly common for people to hire pet sitters for their dogs and cats, but you may also encounter the opportunity to care for other types of animals, like birds, guinea pigs, rabbits, and more.
The average pet-sitting rates you can charge vary based on a number of factors, including location, fees taken by booking platforms (if relevant), length of stay, the needs of the pets, and the number of pets per job. Having pet-related qualifications, such as animal first aid or animal behavior training, as well as client testimonials and referrals can help you secure premium rates. Platforms like Rover and Wag can help connect you to clients.
If you’re not confident with animals, offer to take care of someone’s home while they’re on vacation. The rate you charge will depend on the size of the house, its location, and whether you’ll be staying overnight. Combine this with a full-time job that allows you to work remotely, and you’ll be able to earn extra income with minimal disruption to your regular job.
9. Become a rideshare driver
The rideshare industry is projected to grow to $185.1 billion by 2026, according to industry research. Becoming a rideshare driver is a great side business idea that can help you capture a slice of that growing market. Platforms like Uber and Lyft are a great place to start.
The best part about becoming a rideshare driver is that you’re in control of your own schedule. Nights and weekends tend to be peak times for customers, but since you’re your own boss, you can earn extra cash during any free time that works best for you.
10. Deliver food
People frequently use food delivery services like Uber Eats, Postmates, and DoorDash to order food to their homes or workplaces. You can become a delivery driver for those platforms and get paid to transport food to hungry customers. According to ZipRecruiter data, food delivery drivers earn an average of $18 per hour.
The barrier to entry to become a food delivery driver is low, which makes it a great side business idea. In most cases, you’ll only need a scooter, car, or bicycle; a driver’s license and auto insurance; and a smartphone.
11. Become a dog walker
For a smaller commitment than pet-sitting, dog walking is a great side business idea that gets you some exercise outside and earns you a bit of extra cash.
Many people aren’t able to exercise their dogs during the day due to their own work schedules. Platforms like Rover and Wag can help you find clients in your area. Not only is this side business flexible, but it also has great potential for repeat business, since dogs need walking every day.
Start by offering your dog walking services to friends and family if you’re looking to build up referrals. Posting in local community groups can also help spread the word about your services.
Side business ideas for bigger budgets
- Start a cleaning business
- Become an event planner
- Become a landscaper
- Sell coffee to local businesses
- Grow and sell microgreens
12. Start a cleaning business
Offering cleaning services can be a relatively low-cost side business idea. All you’ll need is some cleaning equipment and a vehicle to transport your cleaning supplies around.
Take it from Brian Winch, founder of parking lot cleaning company Cleanlots, who originally started his side cleaning business for $200.
“I provide a parking lot litter-cleaning service for property management companies,” he says. “My service is performed on-foot, using simple hand tools. Almost as easy to do as going for a walk. We walk the exterior property outside commercial properties and sweep up litter material into our collection tools then empty into waste bins on site.”
Eight weeks after starting his side hustle, Brian was making more money than at his full-time job, eventually grossing more than $650,000 per year.
“I started my business on the side because I wanted the security from the income of my day job to pay the bills while I gained experience growing my business,” Brian says. “The income I generated from my side hustle was invested back into it to grow.”
13. Become an event planner
From weddings and birthday parties to corporate events, taking over the organizational aspect of hosting an event can be a lucrative business venture.
Amber Sironen Massey took this approach when starting her side business, Epic Elopements. The wedding planning business handles everything from officiating, organizing vendors, and signing contracts.
“I knew I wasn’t going to be able to sustain a full income and needed more money to get the business going, so quitting my day job wasn’t an option,” Amber says. “I also wanted to make sure that I was on the right track with my market audience and that I was building traction before jumping in head first.”
Once you decide what type of events you want to specialize in, build a portfolio showcasing your past event planning work, and network with local venues, vendors, and industry professionals to establish relationships and find clients.
14. Become a landscaper
Landscaping can be as simple as mowing lawns and trimming hedges or as involved as planting and maintaining flowers. While you will need some tools, including a lawn mower and trimmer, there’s consistent demand for these services and the chance to build a loyal client base. Plus, it’s flexible—you can easily work around a full-time job or studies and pick up extra work when you want to boost your earnings.
15. Sell coffee to local businesses
Selling coffee to local businesses is a simple concept but a great side business idea: You brew high-quality coffee and cold brew and deliver it fresh to local offices, cafés, or shops that want to offer their customers something unique.
Everyone loves a good cup of coffee, and more businesses are looking for easy ways to improve their offerings without the hassle of brewing in-house. Plus, as people increasingly seek out local small-batch products, there’s a growing appreciation for a more personal, high-quality coffee experience—something you can provide.
To get started, invest in some quality coffee beans, a reliable cold brew setup, and durable containers that keep the coffee fresh. Try out a few recipes to create a smooth, consistent taste, then start approaching businesses, like co-working spaces or independent stores, to offer samples and let them know about your delivery service.
16. Grow and sell microgreens
Microgreens—small, nutrient-packed greens like arugula, radish, and pea shoots—are really popular at the moment with health-conscious consumers, chefs, and local restaurants.
Growing them doesn’t require a lot of space, which makes it ideal for anyone who wants to start small (even in an apartment) and expand gradually as demand grows. Many microgreens are ready to harvest in just a couple of weeks, so with a bit of consistency, you can quickly create a steady product supply. Look to restaurants, farmers markets, and health food stores to sell your greens.
Side business ideas inspired by your hobbies
- Start a photography business
- Sell thrift store finds
- Teach a class
- Sell online courses
- Organize people’s homes
- Repair and troubleshoot tech devices
- Offer home repairs and DIY services
17. Start a photography business
A passion for photography can become a rewarding side business. Alicia Ho of Precious Ones Photography turned her hobby into a gratifying business photographing families and children.
“The ability to get the creative juices flowing while creating heirloom artwork that will last a lifetime for families is such an incredible feeling,” she says.
To start your own photography business, decide on your niche—such as newborns, engagements, or pets—and build an online photography portfolio to showcase your work. You may also consider working with local businesses to provide brand photography, or with event managers to capture local events.
You can also sell your photos online via sites like Stocksy, Shutterstock, and Alamy, which pay photographers when their photos are commissioned, downloaded, or sold.
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18. Sell thrift store finds
People donate unwanted items to thrift stores every day, and if you have the patience to sift through their inventory, you’ll ultimately find gems you can flip for a profit online through marketplaces like eBay and Depop.
Kim Hawkins, president of EventsWholesale says, “I originally started selling items on eBay, and my goal was to get enough additional income coming in to quit my day job so I could stay home with my children.
“I started from scratch and invested very little money—under a hundred dollars—to get started, and then I would just reinvest the profit off of what I sold.
“Very quickly the business grew into more than a full-time job. Within two years, my husband was able to quit his day job to help with the business. The business has grown through the years.”
19. Teach a class
Teaching is a great way to make extra money on the side while also helping other people. You can teach anything that you’re good at, whether it’s cooking the best curry or pottery painting.
There are many ways you can package up your teaching too. For example, if you’re a skilled guitarist, you could offer music lessons as online group workshops, junior college courses, or in-person classes at a co-working space or community group.
Sites like Eventbrite and Meetup can help connect you with people looking for nearby classes, making them great marketing channels to reach potential students for your side business.
20. Sell online courses
An online course teaches people how to do something, while allowing them to tune in on their own schedule. Even the smallest niches can be monetized through an online course. Then, record your content and find a platform to host it, such as Vimeo, YouTube, or Wistia.
21. Organize people’s homes
If you’ve got an eagle eye for detail and organization, consider helping people transform their homes into functional, clutter-free spaces. This might include organizing a closet, revamping a pantry, or designing an entire room layout.
Begin by offering your services to friends and family or by posting on social media to get the word out locally. Share before and after photos to showcase your work, as visuals are powerful when it comes to organizing.
22. Repair and troubleshoot tech devices
Everyone uses technology of some kind, but not everyone knows how to fix their mobile phone, tablet, or computer if it breaks. This leaves a gap in the market for a tech-savvy pro to repair and maintain people’s devices so they can get back online ASAP.
You can either run this kind of side business from home and encourage people to bring their devices to you, or you can offer a mobile service, where you make home visits around people’s schedules.
Focus on the types of devices you know best, whether that’s smartphones, laptops, or gaming consoles. Start by advertising your services in local groups, posting on social media, and reaching out to friends and family that might need your help.
23. Offer home repairs and DIY services
If you’re handy and have your own tools, why not make extra income from your DIY skills? You can help people with small repairs around their homes, maintenance tasks, and DIY projects they might not have the time, tools, or expertise to tackle on their own.
From fixing leaky faucets and patching drywall to assembling furniture and hanging shelves, there’s a never-ending list of small jobs people need done around the house.
Side business ideas for creatives
- Sell your skills
- Start a clothing line
- Become an influencer
- Write an ebook
- Sell your art
- Private label your own products
- Sell handmade goods
24. Sell your skills
Most skill-based businesses are free to start, since you don’t need inventory.
Look at the skills you already have and research whether they’re in high demand.Popular skills-based side business ideas include freelance writing or editing, graphic design, and personal training.
Content consultant Ashley R. Cummings took this approach when starting her side business:
“I was working as a full-time corporate trainer and also teaching Russian at the university,” she says. “My background was in English, and I’d always loved writing, so I started taking on projects slowly. Eventually, I had enough clients to replace my full-time income from my 9-to-5 and teaching. So, I quit and started my freelance writing business.”
25. Start a clothing line
The fashion ecommerce market is valued at $883 billion, according to market research platform Statista. A print-on-demand business model can help you enter the market quickly and without a significant upfront investment.
First, create a few designs using a tool like Canva or Adobe Illustrator. Platforms like Printful, Lulu Direct, and Printify then allow you to upload your designs onto t-shirts, sweaters, hats, and more.When you receive an order through your online store, print-on-demand suppliers will print your design and ship it to the customer—no need to hold and manage inventory yourself.
26. Become an influencer
To start a side business as an influencer you need a loyal, engaged following on social media to whom you can then promote products and services.
The key is to choose a specific niche or topic that you’re particularly knowledgeable and passionate about. Then, consistently create and share high-quality content about that topic.
This might involve posting regularly on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, your own blog, or some combination of those channels. As your follower count grows, you can approach companies within your niche and offer to promote their products or services in exchange for money or freebies.
27. Write an ebook
If you’re a keen writer, self-publishing your own ebook can be a rewarding side business. To publish, you can go the DIY route by creating a downloadable PDF that customers can buy directly from your website, or self-publishing platforms such as Barnes & Noble Press and Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) allow you to upload your book’s contents, along with a cover and author biography.
KDP, for example, lets independent authors sell books on Amazon through a print-on-demand model. You don’t need to invest money upfront into producing the book. KDP will print, assemble, and ship your book to each customer whenever an order is placed.
28. Sell your art
Another great way to make money with a side business is to sell your art online, whether that’s greeting cards, digital art downloads, or textiles.
In addition to your own website, online marketplaces like Etsy and Society6 can help your brand gain more exposure as you’re starting out. Keep in mind, though, these ecommerce marketplaces take a cut out of any sale you make through them.
29. Private label your own products
Private labeling works when you outsource the production of a product to a manufacturer. It’s their job to create the product and then attach your branded packaging. Popular items to private label include pet products, vitamins and supplements, and skin care products. This side business does involve some time investment, though, since you’ll need to find a trustworthy manufacturer and test sample products before making them available to consumers.
30. Sell handmade goods
Handmade goods are among the most profitable things you can sell online, whether directly to consumers or other businesses. Take raw materials and turn them into something of higher value—be that clothing, jewelry, or skin care products—to sell through an online store and online marketplaces like Etsy.
Jen Greenlees, founder of Sydney So Sweet, started her side business selling handmade children’s products when her first daughter was born.
“At the time I was a high school chemistry teacher,” says Jen. “I ran my new business while teaching full time and also raising five kids.
“It took very little money to start, since I was making everything myself. Time was another issue. There were weeks during the fall where I was staying up until 2 a.m. to make and fulfill orders, and then getting up at 6 a.m. to get ready for work.”
Jen eventually took her side business idea full-time. “It was a huge risk at the time,” she says. “Teaching provided a great salary and benefits, and I gave up a lot leaving my job. But the risk has paid off, and the freedom I enjoy being an entrepreneur is worth more than any paycheck.”
Start your side business today
Bringing your side business ideas to life is a great way to earn extra cash outside of a full-time job. A side business also provides an opportunity to expand your skill set and build something that eventually could become your main income source.
When you start a business alongside your day job, it gives you a safety net to test the viability of your ideas while earning extra money. Figure out which side hustle ideas, business models, and products you and your customers like best. That increases the chance of success if you quit your day job to work on a side business full time.
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Side business ideas FAQ
What are the top side business ideas to start?
Some popular side business ideas include:
- Dropshipping through your own website
- Flipping vintage thrift store finds
- Teaching a language
- Becoming a virtual assistant
- Selling DIY handmade goods
How do I make time for a side business
The beauty of a home business idea is that you’re in control of your own schedule. You can balance a side business with a full-time job by working on your online business on your lunch break, evenings, or weekends. Make a plan, put in the hours, and you’ll get your side business off the ground.
How much tax will I pay on my side business?
Small business owners who earn extra money through multiple jobs will be taxed. The rate of taxation depends on your state and income bracket. As a safety net, save between 20% and 50% of the extra money you made through the side business for taxes.
How much money do I need to start my side business?
The amount you need to start a side business depends on what you’re offering, but most side hustles can get off the ground with a small initial investment. Focus on the essentials—like a few basic tools or supplies—and grow from there as you start bringing in clients. It doesn’t have to be expensive; a few hundred dollars (or less) is often all you need to get started.
What makes a good second job?
The best side business ideas give you freedom to explore new skills. They also are flexible with your full-time job, earn good money on the side, and sell products or services that are in high demand.