30 Side Hustle Ideas That Don’t Need Experience

Whether you’re saving for a dream vacation, paying off student loans, or just looking for extra cash, a side hustle can help you reach your financial goals faster. The best part? You don’t need years of experience or a special degree to get started.

A side hustle is any income-generating activity you pursue alongside your main job. It could be freelancing, selling products online, or offering services in your spare time. With the rise of remote work and digital platforms, it’s easier than ever to turn your skills, hobbies, or free time into profit.

From creative pursuits and online businesses to more unique side hustles, there’s an opportunity to earn extra income without quitting your day job. Whether you have a few hours a week or want to dedicate your weekends, this guide covers 30 proven ways to make money on the side.

For a comprehensive overview of all the ways to earn online, explore this ultimate guide on how to make money online.

30 profitable side hustle ideas to make money in 2026

1. Monetize a YouTube channel
2. Start a blog or newsletter
3. Secure social media sponsorships
4. Record a podcast
5. Participate in online surveys
6. Get paid to test apps
7. Become an affiliate marketer
8. Sell digital products
9. Start a dropshipping business
10. Offer digital marketing services
11. Develop mobile apps
12. Resell used or vintage goods
13. Advise eco-friendly businesses
14. Design and sell t-shirts
15. Develop a clothing line
16. Sell your photography
17. Sell your voice as a voice-over artist
18. Offer virtual interior design consultation
19. Create handmade goods
20. Become an IRL or online tutor
21. Transcribe or translate content
22. Teach fitness classes online
23. Deliver packages
24. Deliver groceries and other items
25. Rent out your home or spare room
26. Become a ride-share driver
27. Wash and detail cars
28. Mow lawns and do other landscaping tasks
29. Give neighborhood tours
30. Offer pet-sitting and dog walking services

Side hustle tools, platforms, and services last updated in December 2025.

Popular online hustles for digital creators

1. Monetize a YouTube channel

• Time to start: 1–2 weeks to create first videos
• Setup difficulty: Medium (requires basic video editing skills)
• Earning potential: $100–$10,000+/month (varies significantly by niche and audience size)
• Payout speed: Monthly (once you reach monetization thresholds)

With 2.53 billion monthly active users globally, there’s a good chance you already use YouTube. But did you know you can earn money by starting your own YouTube channel?

You don’t need expensive equipment or professional editing skills to start. Many successful YouTubers began with a smartphone and free video editing software. Focus on choosing a niche you’re genuinely passionate about—whether it’s gaming, cooking, personal finance, or DIY projects—and create content consistently.

Beginner advice

YouTube creators earn through the YouTube Partner Program, which allows them to monetize videos with ads. Once you meet the eligibility requirements (1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months), you can apply to join and start earning ad revenue. Beyond ads, successful creators also make money through sponsorships, affiliate marketing, channel memberships, and merchandise sales.

Lyn Allure built her YouTube channel to more than 400,000 subscribers by starting with simple lifestyle content, then evolving to share financial expertise as her interests matured. Her advice for beginners? 

“You absolutely have talent,” says Lyn in an interview with Shopify Masters. “You don’t have to be the best at something either, you just need to be helpful enough at it to help people.” 

Lyn was able to monetize her side hustle through AdSense, sponsorships, and merchandise.

How to get started

Start by making engaging videos and Shorts that appeal to your target audience. As you gain subscribers, explore monetization strategies such as joining the Partner Program and selling merch.

Harness AI: Use AI to research episode topics and draft social media promotion posts.

Next steps: Discover more ways to make money from YouTube.

2. Start a blog or newsletter

• Time to start: 1–2 weeks to set up
• Setup difficulty: Low to medium
• Earning potential: $100–$5,000+/month (takes 6-12 months to build)
• Payout speed: Monthly (once you reach platform minimums)

Blogging has long been a popular side hustle, but monetization can prove challenging. That’s why more and more bloggers are turning to subscription platforms like Medium or Substack, where independent writers can publish their work and get paid directly from their readers.

Beginner advice

Earning money directly from readers allows bloggers to build an audience over time and maintain a regular stream of monthly income. This avoids having to rely on intrusive ads, sponsorships, or finding freelance writing gigs.

How to get started

Once you’ve built a readership, consider selling products and merch to your fans. This is a great way to build awareness for your personal brand.

Next steps: Read the beginner’s guide to blogging.

3. Secure social media sponsorships

• Time to start: 3–6 months to build audience
• Setup difficulty: Medium (requires content creation and engagement)
• Earning potential: $100–$10,000+ per sponsored post (varies by follower count and engagement)
• Payout speed: Net 30 to net 60 typically

If you have a niche hobby, start producing content on TikTok or Instagram that appeals to that community. Once you’ve established a following, you can monetize your account through sponsorships, where brands pay you to promote their products.

Beginner advice

You don’t need millions of followers to land sponsorships. Brands increasingly value micro-influencers who have highly engaged, niche audiences. YouTube creator and stationery designer Amanda Rach Lee built her channel by first posting videos on her hobbies, which include journaling and making DIY notebooks. 

“I started because I genuinely enjoyed sharing what I was doing,” she says in an interview with Shopify Masters.

How to get started

Follow the influencer playbook by sticking to a consistent posting schedule on multiple platforms. Once you hit 5,000 to 10,000 followers, start reaching out to brands with a media kit showing your audience demographics and engagement rates.

Next steps: Try these tips to go viral on TikTok.

4. Record a podcast

• Time to start: 2–4 weeks to plan and launch
• Setup difficulty: Medium (requires audio equipment and editing)
• Earning potential: $500–$5,000+/month (after building audience)
• Payout speed: Monthly for sponsorships, immediate for listener support

Podcasting, like social media and blogging, has become a staple of online content. In fact, podcast audiences have grown consistently over the past six years.

Podcasting is comparatively cheap, too. A decent USB microphone sold specifically for podcasting can be purchased for less than $100, and recording platforms like Audacity are free and easy to use.

Beginner advice

Professional broadcasting experience isn’t necessary to start a podcast. Many successful podcasters began with basic equipment and improved their setup over time. The most important element is choosing a specific topic to discuss consistently.

Podcasts are also a source of reusable material. Erika Geraerts, founder of beauty brand Fluff, launched a podcast featuring conversations about beauty and identity, then repurposed that content across multiple channels including Instagram Reels, TikTok, and blog posts. “It’s all about repurposing that content, filming all of our podcasts so that we can put them up as reels or on TikTok, taking some of those conversations, perhaps repurposing that into blog content,” she explains.

Fluff’s podcast serves as an organic influencer program—guests share episodes with their own audiences, expanding Fluff’s reach. Within a few years, the brand’s customer base in the United States doubled, driven partly by its podcast reach.

How to get started

To start a podcast, find a theme or subject that resonates with a target audience. Record a few episodes in advance and plan a launch campaign. As the show grows, incorporate ads or sponsorships to turn the podcast into a side hustle.

Harness AI: Transcription tools can automatically transcribe podcast episodes with high accuracy, saving hours of manual work.

Next steps: Read the step-by-step guide to starting a podcast.

5. Participate in online surveys

• Time to start: Immediate (sign up and start)
• Setup difficulty: Very low
• Earning potential: $50–$200/month for consistent participation
• Payout speed: Varies by platform (instant to monthly)

There are countless companies and market researchers that want to know what people think of their products and services. Filling out surveys won’t pay bills, but it can pad pockets with extra money for the weekend.

Beginner advice

Most survey platforms are free to join and require no special skills beyond providing honest opinions. The key is managing expectations—surveys typically pay between 50¢ and $5 each, with most taking five to 20 minutes to complete. Be wary of scams that ask for upfront fees or promise unrealistic earnings.

How to get started

Websites like Branded Surveys, Swagbucks, and Survey Junkie have tons of surveys to get paid to take.

Next steps: Try these 23 proven ways to make money online.

6. Get paid to test apps

• Time to start: 1–2 days to set up and qualify
• Setup difficulty: Low
• Earning potential: $50–$150/week for active testers
• Payout speed: Weekly to monthly depending on platform

Nothing will halt a business faster than a website riddled with issues or an app that doesn’t work. So developers get testers to go in and push all the links and play with all the buttons to make sure things work before they go live. Guess what? You can get paid for that. Some competitive gigs even offer $100 for a 60-minute test, so there is money to be made.

Beginner advice

App and website testing requires no technical expertise—just the ability to navigate websites and apps while thinking out loud about the experience. Companies value honest feedback about confusing navigation, broken links, or unclear instructions. Most tests involve completing specific tasks while recording your screen and voice.

How to get started

Matchmaking sites like UserTesting, uTest, Userlytics, UserCrowd, and Enroll can connect testers with website and app testing gigs.

Next steps: Learn about apps with these examples.

Related article

50 Best Affiliate Programs for Marketers and Creators (2025)

Looking to boost your income as an affiliate marketer? Discover the commission rates and cookie windows of these top affiliate programs.

Profitable marketing and ecommerce hustles

Expanding your online activities into a full business is another route to side hustle success—or even a full-time career.

7. Become an affiliate marketer

• Time to start: 1–2 weeks to set up and get approved
• Setup difficulty: Medium (requires building an audience or platform)
• Earning potential: $100–$10,000+/month (depends on audience size and niche)
• Payout speed: Monthly (typically net 30 to net 60)

Affiliate marketing is when you advertise products or services on your platform and get paid a commission for any sales generated from your referrals (usually through a unique link or code).

If you have a podcast, are an influencer, or have a store of your own, consider trying affiliate marketing. It’s a great way to earn passive income you can reinvest into your content or business.

To get started, go to an affiliate marketplace like Impact or Awin and find the right products for you. If you’re a content creator or influencer working in the world of ecommerce, the Shopify Affiliate Program could be a lucrative side hustle.

Beginner advice

Successful affiliate marketing requires an existing audience—whether through a blog, social media following, email list, or YouTube channel. The key is promoting products that genuinely align with your audience’s interests and needs.

How to get started

Browse these affiliate programs for marketers and content creators.

Harness AI: Several link management tools use AI to monitor affiliate link performance and automatically recommend higher-paying alternatives.

Next steps: Read the affiliate marketing startup guide.

8. Sell digital products

• Time to start: 2–4 weeks to create first product
• Setup difficulty: Medium (requires creating valuable content)
• Earning potential: $500–$10,000+/month (passive income potential)
• Payout speed: Immediate (upon sale)

Digital products are items that exist only online. Examples include downloadable or streamable files such as MP3s, PDFs, videos, and technical templates.

Use existing skills to start a side hustle creating digital products. That might mean educational ebooks for an industry, custom music or visuals, or different kinds of digital templates.

If you’re a graphic designer, think about how websites are always on the lookout for unique fonts and eye-catching page layouts to set them apart.

Beginner advice

The beauty of digital products is they can be sold repeatedly without additional production costs. Start by identifying a problem you can solve for a specific audience—whether it’s a template that saves time, a guide that teaches a skill, or a tool that simplifies a process.

Eric Miller, founder of UX Kits, turned his design studio’s internal documents into digital products. 

“We would often have to create documents for clients to help illustrate a website or an app,” says Eric on an episode of Shopify Masters. “When we decided it would be a good time to have a product side of our business, it was just a natural approach to turn some of those documents into products that we could sell.”

The digital products took off immediately, achieving approximately 97% profit margins per sale.

How to get started

Once the product is created, start an online store to sell to customers. Promote products on social media with incentives such as a free sample or discount code.

Next steps: Sell these 11 digital products online.

9. Start a dropshipping business

• Time to start: 1–2 weeks to set up store and find suppliers
• Setup difficulty: Medium (requires supplier relationships and store setup)
• Earning potential: $500–$5,000+/month (highly variable based on products and marketing)
• Payout speed: 2–4 weeks (after customer orders and payment processing)

If you want to open a store but don’t like the idea of buying and storing inventory, consider starting a dropshipping business.

Dropshipping is an online business model where a third party produces and ships products on your behalf. All you have to do is set up your store, price your products, and make sales.

Because products are only bought and shipped after they’re ordered, dropshipping is a relatively low-risk side hustle. Since fulfillment is handled by your supplier, you can focus on marketing to your customers.

To get started, you’ll need to connect with reliable suppliers. Popular options include DropCommerce for North American suppliers and Syncee for access to global brands. These platforms offer free plans, allowing you to test products before committing to paid subscriptions.

Beginner advice

Dropshipping success comes from choosing the right products and reliable suppliers. Start with suppliers that offer fast shipping (ideally under seven days) to avoid customer complaints.

Tan Choudhury, dropshipping expert and YouTube creator, notes that the current era of organic social media makes dropshipping more accessible than ever. 

“The actions you need to take to get started really are not that difficult: design a Shopify store, order the product, shoot videos, and post it on social media—it’s four steps,” he says. 

His advice: “Start small, test products quickly, and scale what works.”

How to get started

Browse dropshipping apps to find suppliers that match your target market and shipping requirements.

Harness AI: AI Dropship uses AI to automatically adjust product inventory levels, reducing the risk of accepting orders for out-of-stock products.

Next steps: Find the best dropshipping niche.

10. Offer digital marketing services

• Time to start: 1–2 weeks to build portfolio and find clients
• Setup difficulty: Medium (requires digital marketing knowledge)
• Earning potential: $1,000–$5,000+/month depending on clients
• Payout speed: Typically net 15 to net 30

The surge of online businesses has created a demand for digital marketing services. Founders often look for freelancers who can manage content creation, run social media accounts, optimize websites, and more.

Beginner advice

Start by specializing in one or two services rather than offering everything. Whether it’s social media management, email marketing, SEO, or paid advertising, developing expertise in a focused area allows you to charge higher rates and deliver better results.

Josh Elizetxe, now founder of dental brand Snow, began his career by starting a digital marketing agency as a student. He built a team of approximately 20 remote freelancers and scaled to charging $10,000 to $20,000 per month for SEO projects and managing millions of dollars in advertising spend.

How to get started

Tap into this market by advertising services on freelancer platforms. Consider creating a demo website to showcase skills, or a portfolio containing previous work.

Next steps: Browse these content creator platforms.

11. Develop mobile apps

• Time to start: 3–6 months (requires learning or existing coding skills)
• Setup difficulty: High (requires programming knowledge)
• Earning potential: $2,000–$10,000+ per app project
• Payout speed: Upon project completion or milestones

Developing mobile apps can be a profitable venture if you’re proficient in coding or know how to use AI to code. Whether it’s a functional app or a fun game, the right app can generate significant income. And, as a solo developer, focused hours during evenings and weekends can be channeled into projects.

Beginner advice

App development requires technical skills, but numerous free resources exist to learn. Start with simple apps that solve specific problems rather than attempting complex projects. Many successful app developers began by creating tools they personally needed, then discovered others had the same problem.

How to get started

Challenge yourself and test skills by creating a simple app with a single functionality and releasing it on an app store.

Next steps: Learn how to make money using AI for software development.

12. Resell used or vintage goods

• Time to start: 1–2 weeks to source inventory and set up
• Setup difficulty: Low (requires good eye for value)
• Earning potential: $500–$3,000+/month depending on sourcing and platform
• Payout speed: Immediate to weekly

Another way to make extra money is to sell secondhand goods. You can resell items no longer being used on a local buy-and-sell group or on Facebook Marketplace. Level up by finding great thrift items and reselling them on a vintage marketplace. This is a fun side hustle idea if there’s a great eye for décor or fashion.

Beginner advice

Start by reselling items already owned to learn the process without upfront investment. As confidence grows, begin sourcing from thrift stores, estate sales, or garage sales. The key is developing an eye for quality items that are underpriced—whether that’s designer clothing, vintage furniture, or collectibles.

Nica Yusay, founder of vintage brand FashioNica, started her reselling business after college to help pay student loans. She would thrift five to six pieces weekly, create styling videos showing how to wear them, then sell the items through her online shop. 

“I think the reason I love thrifting so much is because of the thrill of the hunt—you never really know what you’re going to find,” she says in an interview with Shopify Masters.

Her advice: research pricing carefully (she initially sold a Saint Laurent button-up for only $15 to $20 when it was worth much more).

How to get started

If you have a knack for selling vintage clothing online, why not open an online store to expand beyond local marketplaces?

Next steps: Learn how to start a reseller business.

13. Advise eco-friendly businesses

• Time to start: 2–4 weeks to define offering and credentials
• Setup difficulty: Medium (requires sustainability knowledge)
• Earning potential: $75–$200+/hour for consulting
• Payout speed: Typically net 15 to net 30

Support businesses and individuals as they strive to become more environmentally friendly with a green business consulting firm, which helps balance profits with pollution reduction.

Beginner advice

Many businesses want to improve their environmental impact but don’t know where to start. Focus on practical, actionable advice—like reducing packaging waste, sourcing sustainable materials, or implementing energy-efficient operations.

Sarah Paiji Yoo, founder of Blueland, consulted with sustainability certification organizations when building her eco-friendly cleaning products company. 

“There are so many of these amazing organizations that have been doing this for decades and have extremely rigorous frameworks and processes for helping companies like us really build the right way,” she explains on an episode of Shopify Masters. 

How to get started

Build up green credentials by volunteering skills to local businesses and charities.

Next steps: Learn how to start a consulting business.

Creative and artistic home-based side gigs

Put your skills as a maker to work with these craft-based side hustles and creative ways to make money.

14. Design and sell t-shirts

• Time to start: 3–7 days to create designs and set up
• Setup difficulty: Low to Medium (easier with design skills)
• Earning potential: $200–$3,000+/month depending on design quality and marketing
• Payout speed: Weekly to monthly depending on platform

If you have a passion for design, print-on-demand businesses are fun, low-risk side hustles. Apps such as Printful allow you to easily upload custom designs onto t-shirts that are printed and shipped at the point of purchase, meaning there’s no need to make large inventory purchases upfront.

Beginner advice

Professional design skills aren’t required to succeed with print on demand. Many successful sellers use simple text-based designs, trending phrases, or niche-specific graphics. The key is understanding your target audience and creating designs they’ll want to buy and wear.

Ryan McCarthy, founder of Sugoi Shirt, built his solo t-shirt business using print-on-demand.

“I am print on demand and, to me, that is one of the major pros—I never really have to worry about getting all this inventory sold,” he explains. “It allows me to test designs a little more freely and I don’t have to stress so much about, you know, if this design flops, oh now I have 100 shirts I have to sell.”

McCarthy’s advice for beginners: Order blank samples of every shirt option available. “I just took a few hundred [dollars] and said, ‘I’m going to test every single shirt and feel it in person so I can really understand what I’m working with here.’”

How to get started

Shopify has everything you need to start selling print-on-demand products. Connect apps like Printful or Printify to your Shopify store, upload designs, and start marketing to niche audiences on social media.

Harness AI: Tools like Midjourney or DALL-E can generate unique design concepts and graphics, while ChatGPT can brainstorm design ideas and catchy phrases for target niches.

Next steps: Look into these print on demand companies.

15. Develop a clothing line

• Time to start: 3–6 months (requires design and manufacturing setup)
• Setup difficulty: High (requires design, manufacturing relationships)
• Earning potential: $2,000–$10,000+/month once established
• Payout speed: 4–8 weeks (after production and sales)

Sure, starting a clothing line might seem like more of a full-time job than a side hustle, but curating your own clothing line is easier than it sounds, especially using a dropshipping business model.

If you’re creative, you can level up your side hustle to design and produce your own clothing line from scratch. Sew original pieces or outsource your vision to a factory.

Beginner advice

Starting a clothing line doesn’t require fashion school or industry connections. Many successful founders began by identifying a gap in the market—clothing they couldn’t find for themselves.

Allegra Shaw, founder of Uncle Studios, started her fashion brand with no industry connections. 

“We had no idea what we were doing—we didn’t have any connections in the industry,” she explains in an episode of Shopify Masters. 

She drove around the outskirts of Toronto, physically knocking on factory doors and sending cold emails to manufacturers. Her first product, a white t-shirt, became the brand’s bestselling item and the same pattern is still used today.

How to get started

Start by sketching designs or creating mood boards for your clothing line concept. Research your target market and competitors to identify gaps.

Next steps: Browse dropshipping suppliers who specialize in clothing.

16. Sell your photography

• Time to start: 1–2 weeks to build portfolio and set up accounts
• Setup difficulty: Medium (requires photography skills and equipment)
• Earning potential: $200–$2,000+/month for stock photos; $500–$5,000+ for event photography
• Payout speed: Monthly for stock sites; immediate to net 30 for client work

Sites like Shutterstock and Getty Images are always looking to buy photos that can be used by clients on their websites and in ad campaigns. You can also sell your photography as prints or put them on items like a mug or sweatshirt.

You might even sell your photography as a service. Photographing events can be a full-time gig, but given you can pick your hours, it may also work as a side hustle.

Beginner advice

Start by selling stock photos while building skills and equipment. Stock photography provides passive income once uploaded, though individual photo sales are small (25¢ to $50 per download). Event photography pays better but requires booking clients and working specific dates.

How to get started

Build a professional portfolio to showcase your best photos. This could be a dedicated website or a profile on Instagram. Upload your strongest images to stock photography sites, and reach out to local businesses or event planners to offer photography services.

Next steps: Learn how to sell photos online.

17. Sell your voice as a voice-over artist

• Time to start: 1–2 weeks to set up and record demos
• Setup difficulty: Medium (requires quality microphone and recording space)
• Earning potential: $100–$500+ per project
• Payout speed: Upon project completion or milestones

Voice-over work can range from audiobook narration to voicing characters in animations. With a quality microphone and sound editing software, you can start this hustle from home.

Beginner advice

A professional studio isn’t required to start voice-over work. Many successful voice artists began with a decent USB microphone and a quiet space with minimal echo. Practice reading scripts out loud, develop different vocal styles, and record samples showcasing range.

How to get started

Create samples and join freelance platforms like Voices.com to find gigs.

Next steps: Explore creative ways to make money.

18. Offer virtual interior design consultation

• Time to start: 2–3 weeks to build portfolio and set up booking system
• Setup difficulty: Medium (requires design knowledge and software skills)
• Earning potential: $500–$3,000+/month depending on clients
• Payout speed: Upon project completion or deposit plus final payment

If you have a knack for home organization or décor, virtual interior design consultations are a low-cost way to provide advice, layouts, shopping lists, or renovation plans for clients. Consider creating a professional website with a client onboarding experience, where customers can upload information about their design challenges and request your services.

Beginner advice

Formal interior design credentials aren’t required to offer virtual consultations, though they can help command higher rates. Start by helping friends and family for free or at discounted rates to build a portfolio of before-and-after photos.

How to get started

Build a portfolio by creating interior solutions for friends and family, then start planning a user-friendly website. Set up a booking system, create service packages with clear deliverables (mood boards, floor plans, shopping lists), and market services on platforms where people actively search for design inspiration.

Next steps: Explore home business ideas.

19. Create handmade goods

• Time to start: 2–4 weeks to create inventory and set up shop
• Setup difficulty: Medium (requires craft skills)
• Earning potential: $300–$3,000+/month depending on craft and production capacity
• Payout speed: Immediate to weekly

If you’ve ever wanted to make money from your hobbies, ecommerce may provide the key to monetization. Although creating handmade products requires plenty of time spent learning a craft, it’s one of the best ways to stand out in a sea of commodity products.

Beginner advice

Start by making items you genuinely enjoy creating, even when no one’s paying you. Whether it’s carpentry, knitting, painting, jewelry making, or crafting, these hobbies can serve as the foundation for many unique side hustles.

Kristen Pumphrey, founder of P.F. Candle Co., learned to make candles at age 12 in after-school craft classes. When Etsy was just launching in 2006, she started selling handmade candles and various crafts. P.F. Candle Co. now sits on shelves of major retailers.

How to get started

Start small by creating five to 10 pieces, photograph them well, and start a simple Shopify store to test market demand.

Next steps: Discover crafts to make and sell.

Flexible side hustles for educators and communicators

Share your knowledge of a hobby or topic with people to earn money from a part-time educational job. If you possess valuable skills like event planning or time management, organizations may also be willing to pay to learn from your experiences. 

20. Become an IRL or online tutor

• Time to start: 1–2 weeks to set up and find first clients
• Setup difficulty: Low (if you have subject expertise)
• Earning potential: $25–$100+/hour depending on subject and experience
• Payout speed: Immediate to weekly

Teaching is incredibly rewarding, and thanks to online platforms like Cambly, TutorOcean, Preply, and Learn to Be, it’s easier than ever to become an online tutor. Even students are getting into the tutoring business, offering services like test prep and homework help, tapping into a market that’s expected to grow at a rate of 4.8% annually until 2033.

To make your tutoring side hustle extra profitable, consider creating an online course. Building a course takes considerable effort at the start, but once it’s set up, it can generate passive income continuously.

Beginner advice

You don’t need a teaching degree to start tutoring—just expertise in your subject and the ability to explain concepts clearly. Start with subjects you’re confident in, and you can expand as you gain experience. Many successful tutors specialize in areas they excelled at academically or use professionally, from Excel formulas to standardized test prep.

Courses and workshops are also a monetization strategy for brands and businesses. For example, Camille Ouellette, founder of jewelry brand Camillete, began hosting ring-making workshops after noticing customers were interested in her craft.

“People are very curious about how you make jewelry—metal is hard, so how you shape it, how you solder it, can be a little bit mysterious and intriguing,” she explains.

The workshops were soon generating 50% of Camillete’s revenue. Her advice for online course creators? Use your intuition to find the right subject. “I was just listening to what people were wanting or looking for, and it was an intuition as well for me to do this.”

How to get started

Identify the subject or skills you are most knowledgeable about, then look for students on tutoring platforms or at local educational institutions.

Harness AI: Platforms like MagicSchool.ai and Eduaide.ai can generate personalized lesson plans, create practice problems, and produce study guides tailored to individual student needs.

Next steps: Learn how to create an online course.

21. Transcribe or translate content

• Time to start: 1–2 weeks to set up and qualify
• Setup difficulty: Low (typing speed and language skills required)
• Earning potential: $15–$30/hour for transcription; $25–$75+/hour for translation
• Payout speed: Weekly to bi-weekly

A transcriptionist receives audio files from their clients and types out what they hear. These files may be videos, audio notes, phone calls, or even legal proceedings, so a good ear and quick fingers are crucial.

Beginner advice

Transcription requires accuracy and attention to detail more than speed (though speed improves with practice). Most platforms require typing at least 60 to 75 words per minute with high accuracy.

How to get started

Check out freelancer sites like Rev, TranscribeMe, and GoTranscript for transcription side hustle opportunities.

Harness AI: While AI transcription tools can handle basic transcription, human transcriptionists are still needed to handle technical terminology or other content elements that AI may struggle with.

Next steps: Explore service business ideas.

22. Teach fitness classes online

• Time to start: 2–4 weeks to plan classes and set up platform
• Setup difficulty: Medium (requires fitness knowledge and video setup)
• Earning potential: $500–$3,000+/month with subscription model
• Payout speed: Monthly for subscriptions; immediate for single sessions

With home workouts enjoying a surge in popularity, offering online fitness classes can be a lucrative side hustle. Platforms like Zoom and Instagram Live make it easy to host sessions from home. Become a fitness influencer and brand your healthy lifestyle, or share your workouts with a smaller, dedicated audience.

Beginner advice

You don’t need a massive following or fancy equipment to teach fitness classes online. Many successful online instructors started by offering free classes to build an audience, then transitioned to paid subscriptions or one-on-one virtual training.

Ross Oltorik and Jay Neyer, co-founders of portable strength training company Body Boss, created a virtual gym service after customers said they didn’t know how to use their products. 

“We started realizing we could actually act like a gym—we just don’t need a physical space. Why not just make a virtual gym?” Ross explains in an episode of Shopify Masters. 

They offered livestreaming workouts at set times and different service levels based on where customers were on their journey. Today they offer online fitness programs and guides for different skills levels and challenges.

How to get started

Offer free in-person classes before transitioning to an online subscription model.

Next steps: Learn how to start a fitness business.

Hands-on and local side hustles

With some spare time, you can make money by serving the needs of your local community.

23. Deliver packages

• Time to start: 1–2 days to sign up and pass background check
• Setup difficulty: Low (requires vehicle and clean driving record)
• Earning potential: $15–$25/hour depending on location and service
• Payout speed: Weekly

If you have some free time and a vehicle, you can start a side hustle as a delivery driver. Most delivery drivers choose when they want to work and only receive delivery assignments when they’re available.

Beginner advice

Package delivery requires a clean driving record and the ability to lift packages. Success comes from efficiency—learning your delivery area well, organizing packages strategically in your vehicle, and completing routes quickly to maximize hourly earnings.

How to get started

Sign up for a service like Amazon Flex and you can start picking up delivery blocks that fit your schedule.

Next steps: Explore gig economy opportunities.

24. Deliver groceries and other items

• Time to start: 1–2 days to sign up and pass background check
• Setup difficulty: Low (requires vehicle and smartphone)
• Earning potential: $15–$25/hour plus tips
• Payout speed: Weekly or instant cash out options

If you like the idea of driving for extra income but are not keen on having passengers, delivering groceries or takeout is a popular alternative.

Food delivery services have grown in popularity, with plenty of platforms to choose from. You can drive for well-known apps or local restaurants.

Beginner advice

Grocery delivery requires good organizational skills and customer service. Unlike package delivery where items are pre-packed, you’ll shop for customers’ orders in stores, which requires attention to detail.

How to get started

Check out Instacart or Spark Driver (Walmart’s delivery app) for grocery delivery side gigs.

Next steps: Explore food business ideas.

25. Rent out your home or spare room

• Time to start: 1–2 weeks to set up listing and prepare space
• Setup difficulty: Low to medium (requires clean, presentable space)
• Earning potential: $500–$3,000+/month depending on location and space
• Payout speed: Typically paid day after guest checks in

You already invest time and effort into maintaining your home—why not monetize it? Renting out your home or a spare room offers substantial earning potential. Rental platforms and apps simplify the process of listing short-term rentals.

Beginner advice

Start by renting out a spare room rather than your entire home to build reviews and learn the hosting process. Income from home rentals can also help you fund other side hustle ideas.

Bryan Davis, founder of Teddy Stratford, rented his spare bedroom on Airbnb while building his menswear company in New York. 

“Every single person who I was in the startup community with was renting at least one of their bedrooms on Airbnb … that was covering my rent,” he explains on an episode of Shopify Masters.

How to get started

Take your side hustle further by selling products to your guests. Use Shopify Collabs to earn commissions on products your guests might enjoy. If guests love the soap in your bathroom, why not place a QR code there that links directly to a purchase page?

Next steps: Find renters with an STP marketing strategy.

26. Become a ride-share driver

• Time to start: 1–2 weeks to sign up and pass checks
• Setup difficulty: Low (requires vehicle meeting requirements)
• Earning potential: $15–$30/hour depending on location and peak times
• Payout speed: Weekly or instant cash out

There are several options for those wanting to drive for a ride-share company. You can drive for tried and tested companies, or try independent options that cater to specific needs or cities. Wingz, for example, specializes in shuttling people to and from the airport.

Beginner advice

Ride-share driving requires a reliable, relatively new vehicle, a clean driving record, and good people skills. It’s another side hustle that could potentially fit around other efforts.

Nick Guillen, co-founder of Truff, drove for Uber while creating his hot sauce company. After quitting his corporate recruiting job, he drove in the evenings, leaving the days free to build a business.

How to get started

Decide which rideshare platform aligns with your schedule and vehicle type. If you are planning to sign up with Uber, check its driver requirements.

27. Wash and detail cars

• Time to start: 1–2 days to gather supplies
• Setup difficulty: Low (requires basic supplies and physical effort)
• Earning potential: $200–$1,000+/month depending on clients
• Payout speed: Immediate (cash or payment upon completion)

Washing cars, both inside and out, is a task that most people know how to do, but few are eager to do themselves. That’s what makes it such a lucrative side hustle. Costs can be kept low: just a few cleaning supplies that you may already have. Apps like Jobble have a ton of hourly labor jobs available in cities all over the world.

Beginner advice

As your skills and reputation grow, expand into paint correction, ceramic coating, and other premium services that command higher prices. Mobile detailing (traveling to customers) often earns more than stationary operations since customers pay for convenience.

How to get started

Offer your services to neighbors, friends, and family to build your initial client base and gain some word-of-mouth recommendations.

28. Mow lawns and do other landscaping tasks

• Time to start: 1–2 days to gather equipment
• Setup difficulty: Low (requires basic tools and physical capability)
• Earning potential: $30–$60 per lawn; $500–$2,000+/month seasonally
• Payout speed: Immediate (upon job completion)

Starting a lawn care service might seem daunting—especially the challenge of finding clients. However, platforms like TaskEasy and TaskRabbit offer a plethora of short-term lawn care and landscaping jobs. These tasks are perfectly suited for fitting into spare time and are ideal side hustles for those who enjoy outdoor work.

Beginner advice

Dustin Riechmann, co-founder of Fire Creek Snacks, helped his kids start a neighborhood service business during the pandemic. Starting with trash can cleaning, they expanded to additional services like window cleaning and garden weeding. They posted in neighborhood Facebook groups, made flyers, and leveraged customer testimonials to build repeat business.

How to get started

Start with basic services like yard maintenance to keep initial costs under low. As the client base grows, invest in professional-grade equipment that speeds up work and improves quality.

29. Give neighborhood tours

• Time to start: 2–3 weeks to plan routes and get permits (if required)
• Setup difficulty: Medium (requires local knowledge and storytelling ability)
• Earning potential: $100–$500+ per tour depending on group size
• Payout speed: Immediate (upon tour completion)

A study by Eventbrite shows that 78% of millennials prefer to spend money on experiences over products. Platforms like Showaround and Airbnb Experiences can help you access the growing demand for a good neighborhood tour.

Beginner advice

Remember that experiences designed for locals can be just as valuable as tourist tours.

Michael Washington, founder of Usal Project, focused on helping people connect with the Los Angeles area by showcasing nearby locations like Mount Baldy and Griffith Park trails. 

“What’s interesting to me is helping people realize a connection to where they are,” he explains in an episode of Shopify Masters. 

How to get started

Familiarize yourself with the most interesting and unique aspects of your neighborhood. Check local regulations, as some cities require tour guide licenses or permits.

Next step: Promote your tours with TikTok videos.

30. Offer pet-sitting and dog walking services

• Time to start: 1 week to set up profiles and insurance
• Setup difficulty: Low (requires love of animals and reliability)
• Earning potential: $15–$40 per walk; $25–$75 per day for sitting
• Payout speed: Weekly or upon service completion

People treat their pets as members of the family⁠—meaning they’re willing to pay for reliable professionals who can take care of their furry loved ones.

Beginner advice

Start by offering services to neighbors and friends to build testimonials and experience before joining platforms. Success comes from reliability—showing up on time, following pet care instructions precisely, and providing updates to owners. Consider getting pet first aid certification to stand out from other sitters.

How to get started

In the past, finding clients was the hardest part of becoming a dog walker or pet sitter, but with apps like Rover, Wag!, PetSitter.com, and PetBacker, it’s easier than ever to find owners in need of a hand.

Next steps: Learn how to start a pet business.

How to choose a side hustle

If you stick with a side hustle, it can become a profitable full-time career.

To see if a side hustle is a good long-term fit for you, consider how well it matches your interests, how it impacts your finances, and whether it works with your schedule.

Does the side hustle align with your interests?

After a long workday, you’ll need extra energy to focus on a side project. The best way to summon the effort needed for a side hustle is to choose a business you’re passionate about.

Perhaps you’re interested in a niche, such as gardening products. It could also be a business model that excites you, such as social media content creation. Whatever you choose, look for something that will help you swap doom scrolling for side hustling.

Is the side hustle financially viable?

Like any business, you’ll likely need to invest some time into your side hustle before it generates revenue. Initially, focus on establishing demand for your product or service to make your first sale.

Once you’ve made some progress, step back and assess your business’s profitability. It’s important to consider whether your efforts are worth the returns.

Does the side hustle fit your schedule?

With work, family, and daily responsibilities filling up most of your week, finding time for a side hustle can be challenging. If your schedule is already packed, pick a flexible business model that lets you break tasks into manageable chunks and complete them during spare moments.

Passive or hands-on: What’s your style?

Different side hustles require varying levels of involvement, and even passive income ideas take effort to get started.

For instance, setting up an affiliate marketing website can be labor-intensive, but needs less day-to-day management than a hands-on task like pet sitting.

Decide if you want a side hustle that needs your constant attention or one that allows for isolated bursts of work.

How to start a side hustle while working full-time

Side hustles are a fantastic way to earn extra income, but like all new ventures, they require upfront work to get traction. If you don’t choose an idea that fits your lifestyle, especially when balancing a full-time job, it’s easy for this extra work to sink to the bottom of your to-do list and, eventually, fall by the wayside.

Side hustles that conflict with your job and eat into social time are less likely to last. Follow these tips to give yourself the best chances of sticking with your side gig.

Respect your schedule

Explore side hustles that naturally fit into your available time slots. For instance, if you find that you have chunks of free time in the evenings, a side hustle that can be done entirely online, like freelance writing or graphic design, might be ideal.

Look for under-utilized times in your day—maybe you can work on your side hustle during a lunch break or while commuting via public transit.

Map out a realistic plan

Once you’ve chosen a side hustle, outline what you need to get started. This might include setting up a workspace, purchasing equipment, or networking for clients.

Set specific, achievable goals

Having measurable goals for your side hustle will help you stay on track and motivated. Instead of vague ambitions, set specific targets, like gaining a specific number of clients or creating a certain amount of content within a quarter.

Automate and delegate

Whether it’s an AI assistant, an SEO tool, or freelance support, look for automated solutions to make managing your side hustle easier. The goal is to reduce the time you spend on administrative or repetitive tasks, leaving more time for the actual work.

Aim to level up (or not)

Sometimes, it helps to decide early on whether you want to keep your side hustle as just that, or if you eventually want to turn it into a full-time business. This decision will influence how much time and effort you invest and guide your strategic planning.

Likewise, it’s important to think carefully about how much additional work you can add to your schedule without increasing your risk of burnout.

Side hustles to avoid

The internet is full of ads promising easy money and so-called influencers promoting get-rich-quick schemes. Steer clear of any side hustle that operates on a “pay-to-play” model, where you’re required to invest money upfront with the promise of future earnings. These opportunities often end up being time sinks, financial drains, or downright scams.

Here are several types of side hustles that are generally best avoided:

• Pay-to-play gigs. These require you to purchase the “opportunity” before you can start earning.
• Multilevel marketing (MLM) schemes. MLMs rely on your ability to recruit others to see any return.
• Time-consuming surveys. Some survey platforms offer minimal compensation for the time investment they require.
• Non-scalable crafts. Some crafted items are time-intensive but don’t sell for much, limiting your potential profit.
• Illegal activities. Engaging in these can damage your reputation with consumers.
• Speculative trading. Avoid high-risk trading that puts your principal investment at risk.
• Internships. View internships as long-term career plays rather than side hustles.
• Travel-intensive hustles. The costs of fuel and accommodation can quickly surpass your earnings.
• Monotonous data entry jobs. These tend to offer low pay for extensive, repetitive work.

Where will your side hustle take you?

Side hustles are a great way to earn extra income. But they also let you try your hand at a new business idea. As you develop skills and gain experience, what starts as a part-time gig can evolve into a profitable career.

Whether it’s walking dogs, delivering food, or selling things online, a side hustle is the first step toward financial independence. Start your side hustle with Shopify.

Feature illustration by Eugenia Mello

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