80 online business ideas you can start in 2025

Thinking about starting an online business? Well, you're in the right place.

Most of us have, at some point, thought there’s got to be more than this. Whether you’re craving a career change, looking to make extra income, or dreaming of turning a hobby into something bigger, the idea of starting an online business has probably crossed your mind.

You’re not alone. Millions of people are building side hustles and launching online ventures, some for a bit of pocket money, others to create full-time freedom. The problem is, most folks fall at the first hurdle—finding a solid business idea.

That’s where this guide comes in. We’ve pulled together 80 online business ideas—from low-lift side hustles to scalable opportunities. There’s something for everyone, no matter your skills or experience.

We’re also going to look at how to get started with an online business and what you’ll need for it, so read on.

80 online business ideas you can start in 2025

1. Start an online shop

It’s never been easier to sell products online, so if you can imagine creating any sort of product, you should definitely consider an ecommerce business. But, there are two main considerations before getting started.

First, you need to create a website or find a platform like Whop to sell your thing, and then you need to consider the manufacturing and fulfillment side of the business.

It’s even easier if you’re selling something digital since Whop can take care of just about everything else for you, letting you concentrate on getting your product just right.

What you need: A product, a platform to sell on, marketing methods
How much it costs to start: Can be started for less than $100 or even free with the right platforms
How much you can earn: Varies wildly depending on marketing strength and product, $100 to $10,000+ per month

2. Explore dropshipping

Dropshipping is an ecommerce business model that lets you run an online store without actually holding any physical inventory. When you take orders, you forward them directly to your partner wholesalers or manufacturers who take care of the rest, including storage, picking, and packing.

Your main tasks as a dropshipper include marketing, sales, and customer support. But, a word of warning—since you don’t have much control over the logistics, when customers have issues, you’ll have to contact your manufacturer. Communication is key for dropshippers.

What you need: An ecommerce platform, dropshipping suppliers, marketing strategy
How much it costs to start: $50-$500, including ordering samples, paid marketing, and ecommerce platform fees
How much you can earn: Anywhere from $100-$500 per month is typical with the right methods for a single product dropshipping store

• How to find dropshipping suppliers
• Best dropshipping products for beginners
• Best dropshipping courses and communities

3. Sell your prints

If you’re creative type, consider the print-on-demand (POD) ecommerce model.

It’s just like dropshipping, except you’re adding a print service to the mix—and there are a lot of companies that will happily do it all for you. POD is a simple online business to run, and it's easy to fit in with other business models.

You’ll see lots of your favorite influencers selling their own ranges of mugs and hoodies, for example, which shows you just how easy it is to get started with POD.

What you need: Designs or artwork, print-on-demand supplier, online storefront
How much it costs to start: $20-$100 for initial designs and setup costs
How much you can earn: $75-$300 per month to start is typical, popular sellers with strong marketing can sell much more

4. Clipping

Clipping is creating short-form videos from the content (streams, videos, etc.) of celebs or content creators and sharing them on social media.

While some people do it just to grow their social media following, many content creators are actively looking to hire others to help with it. The best part? There’s real demand—and a market willing to pay.

This is why creators like Sketch and TJR are doubling down on clippers—people who take pieces of their content and post them on social media. Then, they get paid based on the views their posts get.

All you have to do as a clipper is find a Whop that offers content rewards, clip their content, and share it on social media. Once you meet the creator’s requirements, simply submit your clip on Whop—and get paid.

If you're interested in clipping, join Whop Clips to learn how to get started, and the Content rewards discovery page on Whop to find creators to clip for.

What you need: Video editing software, social media accounts, familiarity with viral content, clients or creators to clip for
How much it costs to start: Given that you already have a smartphone, clipping can be started for free 
How much you can earn: Anywhere from $50 to $5000+ per month, depending on your monetization approach.

5. Become an affiliate

Affiliate marketing is a huge—and for good reason. If you have any type of online presence (through social media, a website, or a newsletter) then you can make a lot of money with affiliate marketing.

How? By promoting the products of another businesses and getting paid every time someone makes a purchase with your link.

The time and effort affiliate marketing takes depends on the affiliate platform you work with. Some platforms and programs make it hard to succeed, while others make it easier—but that difference can have a big impact on how much you earn. What if there was a platform that offered both simplicity and strong income potential? That’s exactly what Whop does.

Becoming an affiliate on Whop is quick and effortless—just a couple of clicks. You get access to a wide range of creators to partner with. Whop handles all the technical details, so all you need to do is choose a creator, promote their whop, and start earning. The best part? You don't have to choose just one creator—promote as many whops as you like.

If you're interested in learning about affiliate marketing on Whop, make sure to check out our guide on Whop Affiliates.

What you need: A website or social media following, affiliate marketing platform, selection of affiliate-friendly products that you feel confident promoting
How much it costs to start: Can be done for free, but having an initial budget of around $200 for marketing is ideal
How much you can earn: $50-$1000 per month to start. Multiple affiliate offers and a large audience can easily push your earnings to $5000+

6. Sell handmade goods

Are you creative and crafty? If yes, you could turn handmade goods into a very successful online business. Scaling will be the ultimate challenge, of course, but true creativity and skill are prized, and handmade items of any kind will do well if you’re able to find and connect with the right market for it.

Sites like Etsy and Pinterest tend to be the first stop for people looking for really neat handmade items, and this guide to the best DIY products to sell online is a good place to get started.

What you need: Materials, production tools, marketplace or website, shipping supplies
How much it costs to start: $100-$500+, depending on materials
How much you can earn: $200-$5000 monthly

7. Create and sell gifts

Intellectual property is something you’ve got to be very careful about as a small business owner, but it’s sometimes possible to straddle the line by selling custom-made gifts that you design and make yourself.

Make sure to do plenty of research on what sort of imagery and designs you can and can’t play around with in this way, but custom gifts are a huge market on platforms like Etsy—just like this selection of Fallout-themed gifts shows, containing as it does several of the series’ most distinctive elements:

What you need: Gift materials, design software, ecommerce platform, shipping infrastructure
How much it costs to start: $100-$2500+ (if bulk buying wholesale inventory for a seasonal sale)
How much you can earn: $100-$1000 per month on average, up to $10,000 or even more for a well-executed seasonal launch.

8. Curate subscription boxes

Subscription boxes are a neat ecommerce model where you’ll be hand-picking a selection of products and selling them via a regular subscription. Just like how milk and newspapers used to be delivered to houses every day, you can set up innovative subscription boxes in exchange for recurring revenue—you’ll find that there could be a market for all sorts of boxes, such as monthly fitness supplements or weekly cheese selections.

What you need: Products, packaging, subscription management software, logistics
How much it costs to start: $500-$5000 for initial inventory, packaging, marketing and fulfillment
How much you can earn: $1000-$10,000 per month, can scale predictably with subscribers

How to start a subscription business: the secrets to monthly revenue

9. Retail arbitrage

Arbitrage is the practice of buying a product cheaply on one market and selling it for a higher price on another market, and you can take this into the world of ecommerce with a little research.

By taking advantage of programs such as Amazon’s FBA, Walmart Plus, and Facebook Marketplace, you may be able to establish consistently profitable retail arbitrage streams. For more details on how to get started, read our guide to retail arbitrage.

What you need: Initial inventory, good sourcing skills, accounts on marketplaces (Amazon, eBay), packing supplies
How much it costs to start: $5-$5,000+ for initial inventory (from thrift store to wholesale purchasing)
How much you can earn: $50-$200 per month part time and $3000-$5000+ per month if pursued full time, depending on niche

• How to find wholesale suppliers as a reseller
• Join a top reselling whop to get a profitable edge on inventory sourcing

10. Email marketing

Nearly everyone has an email address—often more than one—which makes email marketing one of the most powerful tools in any business’s arsenal. But while the potential reach is massive, few companies manage to use it effectively.

Change that by specializing in email marketing, lending your services to firms who want to take that extra step. Before you know it, you’ll be thinking about building out your own marketing agency.

What you need: Email marketing software, lead generation strategy, copywriting skills
How much it costs to start: $10-$200 per month for email software subscription. Possible to start with free tiers, with limits.
How much you can earn: $1500-$5000 per month, more with premimum clients or an agency

11. Paid newsletter

Newsletters are an extremely powerful extension of email marketing, but they can also be lucrative stand-alone revenue streams—to such an extent, in fact, that you can build an entire business out of a premium newsletter alone.

The key component here is value. If you’ve got some sort of content to provide your audience with, whether that’s a monthly short story, a weekly recipe, a deal round-up, or something else, you can charge a decent amount for a subscription.

What you need: Newsletter platform (Substack, Beehiiv, ConvertKit), engaging niche or content, audience-building methods
How much it costs to start: Free to around $50/month, depending on your chosen platform and audience growth strategy
How much you can earn: $100-$5,000+ per month, depending on subscriber count and pricing model

12. Digital marketing

Every business needs to market itself, and it’s one of the most important aspects of running a company. If you’ve got what it takes to make waves online, you’ve already got a leg up on most other entrepreneurs. Best of all, you don’t have to do too much more—simply offer out your services to other small businesses and entrepreneurs and show them what you can do.

Digital marketing is an all-in-one approach, covering more than just one or two areas like the previous entries. As a digital marketing business, you’ll be taking care of clients’ SEO, email marketing, social media, and much more.

What you need: Marketing knowledge (SEO, email, social media), client outreach methods, website or online presence
How much it costs to start: $100-$500 (software, tools, basic advertising)
How much you can earn: $500-$10,000+ monthly, depending on number and size of clients

13. Write and sell eBooks

Becoming an author has never been easier, thanks to the internet and the rise of self-publishing. Where once you had to convince a traditional publisher to let you in, today you can take control and get your work out there on your own terms.

As long as you have some experience, expertise, or just a story to share, you can consider self-publishing as a valid business idea if you’re able to produce consistent quality.

As Yanni from Yanni Trading Group puts it:

"Selling ebooks is a great online business because it has low startup costs, offers passive income potential, and allows you to share your expertise with a global audience.

Once created, an ebook can be sold repeatedly without additional production costs, making it a scalable and profitable digital asset. Plus, with the right marketing strategy, you can generate consistent sales and grow your brand over time."

You can also consider offering writing services to entrepreneurs or other people who want to write books but don’t quite have the time or skill for it. Ghostwriting means your name isn’t up in lights, but it’ll still bring the checks in.

What you need: Writing software, a publishing platform (Amazon, Gumroad), promotional methods
How much it costs to start: $0-$200 (minimal setup and promotional expenses)
How much you can earn: $50-$2,000 per month initially, scalable to $5,000+ with consistent sales and multiple titles

14. Sell online courses

Courses are one of the best ways to pick up any skill, so by creating and selling a course you’re creating a product that is highly desirable in nature. Granted, there are plenty of courses out there on the internet, so you’ll have to differentiate yourself from the rest in some way.

If you can ensure that you deliver your course effectively and pick a high-traffic marketplace like Whop to sell on, selling online courses can become very lucrative very quickly. It’s important to deliver value when you sell a course, but if your audience is appreciative, you might be able to incorporate other revenue streams such as memberships.

What you need: Course creation software (Whop, Kajabi, Teachable), video recording/editing tools, expertise in a topic
How much it costs to start: $100-$500 (software subscriptions, equipment)
How much you can earn: $500-$10,000+ monthly, dependent on niche, marketing, course price and reach

• How to create and sell courses on Whop
• Best LMS for selling courses online

15. Become a YouTuber

While you can create video content across many platforms, YouTube still reigns supreme. Plus, YouTube offers a direct way to make money with your videos—all it takes to start earning on YouTube is a subscriber base of 1000 and 4000 hours of video watch time.

If you choose a good niche and delivery high-quality content on a regular basis, then you will easily meet these thresholds.

Again, there’s tons of video content in just about every imaginable niche, but if you pick something you’re passionate about there’s every chance you’ll succeed as long as you’re willing to graft in order to get your channel off the ground.

Even in a crowded niche, you can become successful if you provide a different alternative for viewers.

What you need: Camera and microphone, video editing software, engaging niche or content
How much it costs to start: $50-$1,000 (basic equipment setup)
How much you can earn: $100-$10,000+ per month after monetization, sponsorships, and ads

16. Try TikTok

TikTok is geared toward shorter content and remains an extremely popular platform for content creators.

Ultimately, making YouTube or TikTok videos isn’t just about memorable videos —if you can make content that has actual value to watchers, you will be well on the road to monetization quite quickly. Plus, you can diversify your income streams with things like merchandise (see dropshipping and POD above) or memberships (below).

Check out our guides on how to make money on TikTok or how to sell products on TikTok to learn how you can monetize this popular social platform.

What you need: Smartphone, engaging content ideas, niche
How much it costs to start: Essentially free to $100 (for optional equipment or software)
How much you can earn: $100-$5,000+ monthly through sponsorships, ads, and product sales

• Top TikTok courses to help you grow, go viral, and make money
• Read our guide on making money with TikTok shop here

17. Podcasting

Podcasting has become an extremely popular form of content loved by people on the go, and it can make you a lot of money if you do it right. Once you’ve found a niche it’s all about that value—whether it’s entertainment or education.

There aren’t too many limits to what you can cover on a podcast, so whether it’s fireside chats about the state of the world or deep dives into various nooks of pop culture, there’s nothing stopping you from starting your podcast right away. You can start monetizing your podcast from the get-go.

What you need: Microphone, podcast hosting service, audio editing software
How much it costs to start: $50-$300 (basic equipment and hosting subscription)
How much you can earn: $100-$1000+ monthly through sponsorships, affiliates income can push up to $5000+ with a larger audience combined with premium memberships and digital product sales

18. Streaming

If gaming is your thing, whether it’s the latest FPS, Minecraft, MMORPG or just about any genre or title imaginable, there may be a streamer somewhere in you. Just get on Whop, YouTube or Twitch, hook up your mic and camera, and start playing—all that remains is to get discovered.

You don’t just have to play games to stream. Streaming is simply a live version of a YouTube video for a lot of creators, and many use it like a soapbox or a stage to share details of their life, work, experiences—whatever excites their viewers. Check out our list of the best live streaming platforms for creators.

What you need: Gaming or niche expertise, microphone/camera setup, streaming platform (Twitch, YouTube)
How much it costs to start: $100-$500 for equipment, software setup
How much you can earn: $100-$10,000+ monthly from subscribers, donations, and sponsorships

19. Blogging

Blogs are often the best authority on a variety of subjects, although they might be a slow-burn when it comes to revenue. It can take a little time to build up a following and a reputation as a blogger, but once you reach that critical mass there’ll be no stopping you.

This is one of the oldest ways to start earning an income online, and you can snowball your blog into a solid online business if you are able to consistently deliver good value and keep growing your reach. Get started by reading this guide to blogs that make the most money.

What you need: Blogging platform (WordPress), domain, hosting, writing skills
How much it costs to start: $50-$200 (hosting, domain, themes)
How much you can earn: $100-$5,000+ per month from ads, sponsorships, affiliate links, and product sales

20. Create cross-platform content

We’ve looked at content creation in various forms over the last few entries so it’s worth noting that the best content creation businesses (and yes, your favorite creators are businesses!) diversify their content. By doing this, they create multiple revenue streams and to reduce the risk of being deplatformed.

Many YouTubers also livestream on Twitch or do TikTok videos, plenty of bloggers have podcasts, and practically all of them try their hand at ebooks or courses at some point.

Basically, broadening your content can open up new revenue streams. Taking advantage of the fact that you’ve got a ready-made audience who won’t need too much convincing to consume your content on other platforms as well.

What you need: Multiple social platforms, content creation tools, video/audio editing software
How much it costs to start: $100-$500 (software and optional equipment)
How much you can earn: $500-$10,000+ monthly through combined audience monetization methods

21. Create UGC content

Content creation is usually about building a personal brand and growing an audience that snowballs as you consistently share content people enjoy.

UGC (User-Generated Content), on the other hand, is a bit different. While you still bring your own voice, style, and authenticity, the goal is to help a brand promote its products or services through content you make.

Finding paid UGC work can be a bit of a process—typically, you have to get your socials ready, create a portfolio, reach out the brands, and start accepting offers.

Whop's content rewards system makes it much simpler to get paid for UGC. All you have to do is browse paid UGC opportunities, create your content, and share your link. No portfolio or negotiating required.

What you need: Smartphone/camera, editing software, social media presence
How much it costs to start: Free to $100 (basic setup)
How much you can earn: $200-$3,000+ per month from brand deals and content sales

• UGC platforms for creators to turn content into cash
• UGC creator jobs: How to get brands to pay you big money

22. Sell memberships

If you have a following of any kind, paid memberships can be a huge revenue stream. Whether you’re teaching people how to trade or making videos on whatever subject, you will be able to sell memberships if you can guarantee value to those willing to pay a little more for it.

From member-only videos, to access to you for one-on-ones or anything else you can think of, this is a great addition to any content creation business.

A lot of platforms recognize the value of memberships and have on-platform options (such as YouTube Channel Memberships) but going off-platform will save you from losing a massive chunk of revenue to the platform.

What you need: Membership platform (Whop, Patreon, Kajabi), valuable content or community
How much it costs to start: $0-$100 (platform fees, initial marketing)
How much you can earn: $100-$10,000+ monthly with a solid member base

23. SEO expert

Search engine optimization is becoming one of the most vital components of running a business, and it’s not something everyone can wrap their head around.

You can pick up the basics with a little work, though, and there are some fantastic (including free) courses out there that’ll level up your SEO expertise to the point that you’ll start to be able to hire yourself out as an SEO consultant for a pretty penny.

As the internet continues to become a hub for practically every type of commerce, it seems as if SEO expertise will only grow in demand. For example, you could specialize in SEO for affiliate marketing or SEO for Shopify.

What you need: SEO skills, tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush, client outreach
How much it costs to start: $100-$300 (software subscriptions)
How much you can earn: $500-$10,000 monthly depending on clients and expertise level

24. Social media manager

Social media can be tricky for entrepreneurs and larger businesses alike, so if you’ve got some skill in that area, your services will very much be in demand. The number of businesses that outsource the management of their social media might surprise you.

If you set up a social media agency, you’ll be swimming in business in no time.

What you need: Social media knowledge, scheduling tools (Buffer, Hootsuite), client acquisition skills
How much it costs to start: $0-$200 (subscriptions, initial ads)
How much you can earn: $300-$5,000 monthly, scaling higher with multiple clients

Check out all social media related posts in our blog here

25. Community manager

If you’ve got a knack for dealing with people, you could try becoming a community manager or moderator.

All of those content creators, streamers, and other social media personalities who have Discord servers, Telegram channels and whops? All of them need help keeping their communities in order, taking care of member concerns and stepping in when a voice of authority is needed.

This can become a tricky gig at times, but most of the time it’s an extremely relaxed way to earn money.

What you need: Strong communication skills, community platforms (Discord, Telegram, Whop), moderation skills
How much it costs to start: $0-$50 (typically just the cost to join a community to network)
How much you can earn: $100-$2,500 monthly based on client base and community size

26. Remote sales

Another department that a lot of companies are willing to outsource is sales. While firms that do mega-deals won’t do this, most consumer-facing companies will, and you can look into setting up a remote sales agency that can take care of a variety of key sales processes on behalf of your customers.

You might end up taking on many of the less glamorous sales functions on behalf of your clients, but it’s still a lucrative online business if you get the mix right. Check out how Alexis Seleste went from $0 to $100k per month with as a remote closer.

What you need: Sales skills, CRM software, lead lists or lead generation tools
How much it costs to start: $50-$200 (CRM subscriptions, minimal marketing)
How much you can earn: $500-$10,000 monthly, plus commissions for high-ticket deals

27. Lead generation

Lead generation is something that you’d think companies do themselves, but is in fact very time-consuming and therefore often outsourced. That’s where you come in, helping different businesses by building lists of potential leads and then reaching out to them with tailored sales pitches.

You can do this for a variety of industries, and even influencers outsource lead generation these days—it’s definitely part of the remote sales universe, but worth its own mention because of how much potential for profit there is if you get good at this.

What you need: Lead gen tools, sales and outreach skills, CRM
How much it costs to start: $100-$500 (tools, software subscriptions)
How much you can earn: $500-$5,000 monthly based on client count and deal structures

28. Event planner

Event management is another of those skills that is extremely difficult to find, so if you’ve got it, use it! Whether it’s planning private events like weddings or focusing more on the corporate sector, the event space is growing again post-lockdown.

You’ll need to be organized and professional, and having an established contact network is a huge plus. This is something you can definitely manage remotely for the most part, but some in-person availability does help…

What you need: Planning skills, contacts, event management software
How much it costs to start: $100-$500 (software, marketing)
How much you can earn: $500-$5,000 monthly, scalable with experience and reputation

29. Virtual event planner

…unless the events you’re planning are virtual too! There are plenty of virtual event platforms around right now, and even if you or your clients aren’t quite ready for a trip into the metaverse, there are other ways to run virtual-only events.

That said, plenty of clients will be fine with a remote-only event planner as long as you can pull the strings competently from a distance.

What you need: Online event platforms (Zoom, Hopin, Whop), event planning skills, communication skills
How much it costs to start: $50-$300 (platform subscriptions)
How much you can earn: $500-$5,000 monthly depending on event size and frequency

Read about how to use the Events app on Whop to host your own virtual events for free

30. Web developer

Every business needs an online footprint, and the most controllable way to do that is with their own website. These are then upgraded and improved constantly, so as a web developer there’s always plenty of work out there.

Look at it this way—if 49 other people were to read this article and pick the other online business ideas on this list, that’s 49 new businesses willing to hire you to set up their new websites! For more info, check out how to sell a website.

What you need: Web development skills, coding software, hosting/domain
How much it costs to start: $50-$300 (software, hosting)
How much you can earn: $2500-$10,000 monthly with multiple projects or high-value clients

31. App developer

Just like websites, apps are becoming extremely ubiquitous. More and more businesses are sinking funds into app development, meaning that there’s plenty of work out there for a freelancer or fledgling business focused on app development.

It’s a challenging field but infinitely varied, and extremely satisfying as advancing technology makes more and more interesting applications possible to create.

What you need: Coding knowledge, app development software, device testing
How much it costs to start: $100-$500 (software, hosting, testing devices)
How much you can earn: $500-$10,000 monthly depending on complexity and number of projects

32. SaaS entrepreneur

Software-as-a-Service has really taken off in recent years, and it’s been one of the fastest growing industries around. Nowadays it’s possible to get almost anything done via SaaS, and while this’ll be something you will definitely explore as a business owner, you can actually make SaaS your business too.

If you’ve got some development skills or just a great idea, you can translate that into a fast-growing business and start making money with SaaS.

What you need: Coding knowledge or development team, domain/hosting, marketing budget
How much it costs to start: $500-$5,000+ (initial software development, marketing)
How much you can earn: $1000-$20,000+ monthly, scalable depending on product popularity

33. Sell templates

If you’re good at organizing and visualizing information, then software templates could be an excellent way of earning an income. Notion templates have been all the rage for a while now, and Whop has a thriving marketplace for your creations.

If Notion isn't your thing, you can also create templates easily with Canva. You can sell templates for just about anything - business plans, fitness trackers, shopping memos - the list goes on. Then, just sell your templates with Whop, Canva, or Etsy.

What you need: Template software (Notion, Canva), marketplace platform (Whop, Etsy)
How much it costs to start: $0-$100 (initial subscriptions, setup)
How much you can earn: $100-$5,000 monthly with strong marketing

34. Become a bug tester

If you’re in the field, you’ll know how crucial software testing is. No independent developer or software company can survive without rigorous testing, so if you have the requisite skills and resources, you could be able to get a lot of business quickly by becoming a bug tester, either on a freelance basis or by setting up your own company.

Bigger development firms can devote plenty of resources to bug testing, but smaller firms will be happy to take you on on a contract basis.

What you need: Testing skills, bug-reporting software, computer
How much it costs to start: Free to $50 (software)
How much you can earn: $100-$3,000 monthly based on client volume

35. Remote tech support

This is another one where smaller firms and even independent developers might be your target market. A company small enough not to have its own IT department still needs support, and while outsourcing to cheaper countries is still a thing, this model falls flat fast—your advantage lies in communication and quick response, ideally being (or at least working) in a similar time zone to your clients. 

Even when it comes to writing code, it’s important to communicate with your clients about what specific needs they have since anything from laws to units of measurement may differ from what you usually use.

What you need: IT knowledge, communication tools, CRM or ticketing software
How much it costs to start: $0-$200 (software, setup)
How much you can earn: $500-$5,000+ monthly based on clients and complexity

36. Graphic artist

Graphic designers and artists are always in demand, and always going to be in demand given that human creativity knows no limits. We’re in the middle of an AI revolution, but the odds are that it’ll disrupt other fields far more so than the creatives over the long term—if AI were to replace either Banksy or a hedge fund manager, which do you think is more likely?

If you’ve got artistic chops, you can have your pick of industries to worth in or with once you’ve built a solid portfolio. Check out our guide on how to make money as a digital artist.

What you need: Digital design software (Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Procreate), a portfolio showcasing your style, platforms to sell your work (Fiverr, Whop, Etsy)
How much it costs to start: $50–$500 (software subscriptions, optional drawing tablets)
How much you can earn: $200–$5,000+ monthly depending on your client base and niche market

37. Designer

This is just like the previous, but we’re being specific because there’s so much design work put into practically every product you can think of.

The device you’re reading this article with, for example, went across a designer’s screen or sketchbook at some point—so did whatever you’re wearing, the mug from which you’re sipping, and just about everything else around you. Design is everywhere, and so are designers.

Let's hear what Ilya Miskov from Whop has to say about design:

"We all get those days when we don’t feel motivated, ideas don’t come to us as easily, and we just feel like we’re not good designers at all. Especially if you compare yourself to other designers.

First of all, you need to stop doing that. Everyone’s path is different and unique, and so is yours. And believe me, those flashy designers that you see online probably had a bumpy road themselves, and there’s no saying what kind of problems they’re facing right now."

He adds:

"All I’m saying is, don’t let the highlights of other people posted on social media discourage you. Just be you, and you’ll inevitably find your own loyal audience. But the best tip I can give to any designer is – show up. Show up everyday, even if you’re feeling down and lacking ideas. I can’t count how many times staying persistent helped me find that spark again."

"You may think what you’re doing is pointless at first, but then as you’re exploring some new designs, your eyes start to shine, and you feel like you’re on top of the world.

My best design work in life came from these sudden rushes of creativity that I was able to find by staying consistent with my craft. Success does not suddenly fall on your head. You gotta show up to grab it."

What you need: Design software (Figma, Sketch, Adobe Suite), creative skills, an online portfolio
How much it costs to start: $50–$500 (monthly software, hardware)
How much you can earn: $500–$10,000 monthly with multiple projects and clients

38. Art consultant

Have an eye for art and design but don’t think you can cut it as an artist? Art consultant might be a good option! You’ll be leveraging your art background and helping clients get the digital (or physical, but most likely digital) art that they need by commissioning artists.

You can do this fully online, and it’ll require you to build and nurture relationships with artists, getting to know their styles and capabilities so you can get your clients exactly what they want.

What you need: Art knowledge, network of artists, client outreach skills
How much it costs to start: $0–$100 (minimal online setup, initial outreach)
How much you can earn: $500–$5,000 monthly, based on commissions and client budgets

39. Sell your music

Music is yet another area of creative skill that you’re able to monetize in more ways than traditionally possible—it’s not all about record deals or reality TV, thankfully.

There are a variety of music marketplaces on the internet, which means that there’s an exchange of music between their creators and buyers. Oftentimes, the latter are companies such as ad agencies looking to place tracks in their adverts, but all sorts of production firms need original music.

What you need: Music production software (Ableton, Logic Pro), distribution platforms (Distrokid, Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud), musical talent
How much it costs to start: $50–$500 (software, distribution fees, mixing and mastering)
How much you can earn: $50–$5,000+ monthly, scalable with consistent releases and promotion

40. Photography

Photography is a favorite hobby for lots of people, but it needs both a certain level of skill and finesse as well as some investment in good camera gear. This means that not every hobbyist will make it as a pro!

Even though a lot of photography gigs require your presence on location (such as wedding photography) it’s possible to make photography a purely online business by selling photos online. Stock photos are a very interesting niche too, and there are a lot of platforms you can use to sell your own stock photos.

What you need: Camera equipment, editing software (Lightroom, Photoshop), platforms to sell photos (Shutterstock, Etsy, Adobe Stock)
How much it costs to start: $100–$5,000 (equipment, software)
How much you can earn: $200–$5,000+ monthly, based on licensing, event shoots, or stock photography sales

41. Bookkeeper/accountant

Just about every business needs someone to take care of its books, and while most larger companies have entire teams of accountants, plenty are happy to take on freelancers.

How far you take it is up to you—simpler bookkeeping can be managed easily with the use of some simple software, but to take care of higher level accounts and ensure regulatory compliance you may need to get yourself certified.

What you need: Accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero), relevant certification or training, client management system
How much it costs to start: $100–$500 (software subscriptions, training materials)
How much you can earn: $500–$10,000 monthly based on clients and complexity

42. Recruiter

Recruiting is an easier field to get into than accounting since most firms outsource a lot of their recruiting. This is something you can take advantage of as a freelance recruiter, and there’s a great opportunity to provide a high-value alternative to most recruiting agencies.

This may be especially true if you have significant experience in a certain industry, since you’ll know better than most what companies really want from their hires. It’s also something you can do very effectively from a remote position or as an online business since job hunting has become such an online-first field.

What you need: Networking skills, recruiting software (LinkedIn Recruiter, ATS), communication skills
How much it costs to start: $150–$500 (software, outreach tools, potential marketing budget)
How much you can earn: $500–$10,000+ monthly, depending on placements and commissions

43. Online teaching and tutoring

Knowledge or expertise in a subject can easily be converted into a business via online teaching or tutoring. The latter might be especially easy to do since the education system provides a stream of ready-made clients, but don’t neglect the corporate world with training and development budgets just waiting to be spent on a service like yours.

It’s especially easy to do these days since there are lots of video conferencing tools that can streamline your processes. That said, if you’re already an experienced teacher or tutor, you may have to adapt—some students might prefer to have their cameras off, so you can’t read body language, and holding their full attention can be challenging since other tabs and apps are all screaming for attention in their taskbar.

What you need: Knowledge or expertise in a subject, video conferencing tools (Whop, Zoom, Google Meet), platform (Whop, Teachable, tutor.com)
How much it costs to start: $0–$100 (minimal tech setup)
How much you can earn: $100–$5,000+ monthly, scalable based on student numbers and pricing

44. Teaching languages

Very much related to the previous entry, languages deserve their own section because of their prominence. Communication is a basic need, and if you know a foreign language, you’ll often be able to command quite a decent rate for your services.

Don’t worry if all you speak is English—it’s the language most in demand, both from people moving to English-speaking countries and needing help to professionals working abroad and needing to learn English as their companies globalize and even adopt English as their business language. Check out our full guide to teaching English online for more information.

What you need: Fluency in at least two languages, video conferencing tools, teaching materials
How much it costs to start: Free to $50 (basic software)
How much you can earn: $200–$5,000 monthly, scalable with group sessions and specialized classes

45. Consultant

High levels of expertise or industry experience can be put to use in other areas, but if you’re a real expert, consider consulting. It might be worth looking into whether your current job is possible as a consultant, too—a little bit of market research will give you an idea of how many people can do what you do, and if your company would struggle to replace you, you might be able to turn your expertise into a consulting role.

This can then lead to broader opportunities where you offer that same service to other companies, and before you know it, you’ll be considering taking a couple more consultants on board to help you share the workload.

What you need: Expertise in a niche, communication tools, professional online presence (LinkedIn, personal website)
How much it costs to start: $0–$200 (basic setup, marketing)
How much you can earn: $500–$10,000+ monthly based on industry and expertise

• Signs you’re ready to start a consulting business
• Consulting business ideas

46. Copywriting

An image may be worth a thousand words, but if every website resorted to pictures alone we’d be on a one-way track back to hieroglyphics. This isn’t the case, and copy remains a vital part of practically every piece of online content out there.

All of that copy in turn has to be produced by a professional, making copywriting a huge business. Many copywriters work as freelancers so there’s plenty of potential in gathering other copywriters under your banner and setting up an agency.

What you need: Writing skills, SEO knowledge, clients, word processing software
How much it costs to start: Free to $100 (basic software, initial outreach)
How much you can earn: $500–$5,000 monthly depending on client base and content specialization

47. Grant writing

Grant writing is an area of writing that deserves a special mention because it tends to be paid higher than most other writing gigs. As a grant writer, you’ll be completing applications on behalf of businesses or individuals hoping to gain certain financial grants.

Part of the reason they’re coming to you is for specific expertise, though, so don’t expect to just walk into this sort of job and pick it up on the fly—you’ll need to come from an adjacent area, or at least spend some time researching grants before you can start your grant writing business.

What you need: Writing skills, knowledge of grants and applications, clients
How much it costs to start: $0–$200 (minimal setup, research materials)
How much you can earn: $500–$10,000 monthly, depending on number and size of grants secured

48. Technical writing

This one could go under copywriting, but most copywriters fall into the English major camp and can struggle to tackle in-depth engineering and scientific writing.

If your background resonates with the latter but you also fancy yourself as a writer, technical writing is a great opportunity. You can start by going it alone, and then broaden your business as your client base grows.

What you need: Specialized knowledge (tech, science, engineering), writing software, documentation tools
How much it costs to start: $50–$200 (software, basic setup)
How much you can earn: $1500–$8,000+ monthly, depending on workload, niche and complexity

49. Resume writing

Another very lucrative niche of writing and one that’s always in demand is resume writing. If you’re able to study the needs and norms of different industries and can tailor people’s skills and experience to suit what employers are looking for, you should be able to offer your services for a pretty penny on a variety of different platforms.

Granted, it’s a tricky business model since your customers probably won’t come back to you for a while (since you’d hope they’re able to hold the job you help them get) but the nature of economic cycles does at least mean that companies lay off tons of employees all too frequently - meaning more business for you.

What you need: Writing and formatting skills, market knowledge of industries, editing software
How much it costs to start: $0–$20 (either Google docs or Canva works)
How much you can earn: $200–$5,000 monthly, scalable with client volume and premium packages

50. Proofreader or editor

We’ve already mentioned a lot of business ideas that involve writing, including the previous three as well as creating and selling ebooks. The thing is, all of this written content needs to be proofread and, in most cases, edited. Most copywriting agencies will have their own editors on staff, but there’s no reason you can’t sell your services as a proofreader or editor of whatever written work you specialize in.

There are plenty of clients out there who understand the value of consistent, quality copy, and it’s them you should target.

What you need: Excellent grammar and writing skills, client outreach. Editing software like Grammarly can help.
How much it costs to start: Free to $100 if using editing software, outreach tools
How much you can earn: $300–$5,000 monthly, depending on project sizes and volume

51. Video editor

Video editing is an incredibly difficult skill to acquire and is in very high demand in some areas, so picking it up can make you very desirable in short order! Becoming an efficient and creative video editor will give you your pick of projects to work on, so whether you’re aiming at TV and mainstream entertainment, the corporate world, or more independent content creation, there are a huge amount of video editing and production gigs out there.

Despite how difficult it is, it’s actually something you can pick up practically for free—a lot of the best video editing software tends to be free, and you can find some great tutorials on platforms like YouTube.

What you need: Video editing software (Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, iMovie), editing skills, portfolio
How much it costs to start: $50–$500 (software, basic equipment)
How much you can earn: $500–$10,000 monthly based on clients and project complexity

52. Audio editor

Very similar to video editing, but without the visuals! It sounds like it should be easier, but it’s not—as a matter of fact, the audio track used by the video editor would likely go through an audio editor first.

It requires a lot of finesse since you need to ensure consistent sound quality across an entire production, cut out background noises, trim down pauses, and ensure that you don’t miss any gaffes that may have been made in the recording booth. As an audio editor you may be editing social media posts, audio books, or podcasts.

What you need: Audio editing software (Audacity, Adobe Audition), audio processing skills, portfolio
How much it costs to start: $0–$500 (software, audio equipment)
How much you can earn: $300–$5,000 monthly, depending on projects and client base

53. Voice over and voice acting

Voice acting is a field that’s currently undergoing a renaissance thanks to the success of high profile titles like Baldur’s Gate 3. This smash hit video game placed unprecedented emphasis on voice acting, to the point where each main actor also did extensive mo-cap for their characters. There’s never been a better time to get into the field!

That being said, the majority of VO and VA work will remain in sound studios or with remote recording, so no need to worry if you’re not theater-trained.

VO is actually a critical component when it comes to just about any sort of media—whether it’s film, sports, an explainer video or a documentary, you’re actually going to be more sensitive to lower quality audio and VO than you would be to lower quality (such lower resolution or grainy texture) video or visuals. 

What you need: Microphone setup, recording software, clear vocal skills
How much it costs to start: $50–$300 (microphone, basic setup)
How much you can earn: $200–$5,000 monthly, scalable with larger projects or consistent clients

54. Translator

If you’re bilingual or a polyglot, you’ve got a big advantage over plenty of other people. You can turn this advantage into a significant business opportunity by becoming a translator.

Lots of companies need translators for a variety of things when they move into new markets, and bureaucratic requirements are a thing too. Some countries need certified translators to sign off on paperwork when it comes to a variety of processes, and embassies could also be a great source of business. 

What you need: Fluency in two or more languages, translation software, clients
How much it costs to start: $0–$200 (minimal setup, basic software)
How much you can earn: $200–$5,000 monthly based on language rarity and workload

55. Virtual assistant

This doesn’t sound particularly glamorous since it’s often a starter-level remote freelance gig. However, good organization and communication skills go a long way, and you can easily find yourself building this out into a bona fide agency before too long.

You don’t even need much experience in the field before going in, although a good understanding of the corporate world and the knowledge of what managers want will help get you off on the right foot.

What you need: Organizational skills, communication tools, client outreach
How much it costs to start: $0–$100 if paying for premium project management software like Slack, Notion, or ClickUp
How much you can earn: $300–$5,000 monthly depending on number of clients and task complexity

Check out how you can create your virtual assistant business on Whop

56. Customer service agent

Customer service is another of those jobs that companies have realized people can be effective at from remote locations.

We’ll be the first to admit that it may not pay incredibly well if you’re doing it as a freelancer, and growth opportunities may be limited, but you can turn this into an in-demand online business with a lot of potential for job satisfaction since you’re spending your day helping people.

What you need: Communication skills, customer service platforms like Zendesk, phone/internet
How much it costs to start: Free to $50 (basic software)
How much you can earn: $200–$3,000 monthly based on client volume

57. Tax expert

Tax season is a source of plenty of headaches, which also means that it can be a fantastic opportunity. If you’ve got a background in tax, or even finance or law, you might look at becoming a tax expert or tax consultant.

You can then provide your services to both individual and business clients looking for help with managing expenses and deductions, and optimizing their tax returns.

What you need: Tax preparation skills/certifications, tax software, client network
How much it costs to start: $50–$500 (software, training)
How much you can earn: $500–$10,000 monthly based on complexity and client count

58. Financial advisor

A financial advisor is a trained and certified professional who is allowed to advise clients on investments and wealth-building.

The requirements for getting qualified may vary based on your location, but it’s not something you need to be a banker or stockbroker for—you can work independently and take on clients, manage their wealth and investment portfolios, and grow your own through your expertise.

What you need: Certification, financial knowledge, advisory tools
How much it costs to start: $100–$500 (certifications, software)
How much you can earn: $1,000–$10,000 monthly depending on client assets managed

59. Professional trader

On the other hand if you’re not up for the professional education and certification that goes into becoming a financial advisor, you can focus on building your own wealth instead.

Becoming a full-time trader requires a little bit of starting capital, both in terms of seed to grow as well as a computer, screens, fast internet connection as well as optional subscriptions to advanced data feeds.

From then on, though, you can do it however you like—put bags of cash on the line during the day as a day trader or scalper, or make some longer term deep value plays and emulate legendary online traders like the Roaring Kitty.

Whatever your style, trading can be a great career if you’re a quick mover with a good head for risk management. Just check out these top trading whops and trading Discord servers to get trading advice and education.

What you need: Capital, trading software, market knowledge
How much it costs to start: $500–$10,000+ (capital, subscriptions for software or trading communities)
How much you can earn: $500–$20,000+ monthly, highly variable. You can even lose money as a trader–in fact, most do, so exercise caution.

60. Domain flipper

You might think that domain flipping is dead, but if so, we’d ask you to think again. Sure, a lot of the big .com domains are gone and the current business manuals advise founders to pick extremely funky and unpredictable names, but there are newer domains as well as regional ones that you can look into.

Domain names can sell for $100,000s, even millions of dollars.

Blockchain address flipping is also a thing, and several crypto enthusiasts have done this successfully with .eth.

What you need: Initial capital, domain marketplace knowledge
How much it costs to start: $50–$1,000 (initial domain purchases)
How much you can earn: $100–$5,000 monthly, scalable with experience

61. 3D print your products

This would have been impossible a couple of decades ago, but today, a home 3D printer can be a fantastic investment! You can use your own printer or a 3D printing service to create products that you sell in your own online store—this’ll work just like any other online store, except you might need some CAD (computer-assisted drawing) skills to make your vision a reality.

If you’re doing your own printing you’ll probably have to think long and hard about fulfillment as well—storage, picking, packing, and delivery might all have to begin with you.

What you need: A 3D printer or printing service, CAD software (e.g., Fusion 360), ecommerce platform
How much it costs to start: $200–$2,000 for a reliable printer, or less if outsourcing your printing
How much you can earn: Typically $100–$3,000 per month, depending on your niche and marketing effectiveness

62. Become a tweet manager

Running a successful X (formerly Twitter) account is crucial for many online businesses and creators. The platform is great for creating an influence sphere and getting people to know the business/creator.

However, not many businesses are great at actually interacting with people and pushing out tweets that slap. If you believe your communication and social media management skills, you can offer tweet management services.

Tweet managers come up with tweets that have the potential to get viral on the platform - their content should be engaging, interesting, and should be able to digestible by all kinds of people. With the help of tweet managers, businesses and creators can boost their popularity in one of the top 10 social media platforms in the world.

What you need: Strong writing skills, knowledge of trends, scheduling software (e.g., TweetDeck, Hypefury), clients
How much it costs to start: Free to around $50/month for scheduling tools
How much you can earn: $300–$3,500 monthly per client, depending on content quality and audience growth

63. Provide IT consultant services

A huge chunk of businesses nowadays utilize computers and other digital components - but not all of them are good at it. While big businesses may have the capacity to get an IT team together, small businesses may not.

That's where IT consultants come in - they don't cost as much as a whole IT team and they can help out small businesses (and big businesses sometimes) with their IT-related problems.

One of the easiest ways to offer IT consultancy services to clients by creating a Whop for your business and adding the Calendar Bookings app to it so that your clients can join your whop for free, book a session with you, and you can get started on the job.

Another option is to sign up for freelancing platforms and look for IT consultant-related job postings.

What you need: IT expertise, remote access software, reliable communication channels, a professional website or Whop page
How much it costs to start: Around $100–$500, primarily software tools and setup costs
How much you can earn: $500–$10,000+ monthly, scaling quickly if you secure corporate contracts

64. Create a print-on-demand store

Print-on-demand has been a popular topic in the online business scenes for some time. It means instead of keeping a stock of goods, you print when you get a sale, or 'on demand.' The regular term refers to actual press products like books, but nowadays, people refer to clothing products like print t-shirts, hoodies, tote bags, etc.

One of the biggest advantages of print-on-demand stores is the minimal upfront costs and the low financial risk. Traditional businesses that hold an inventory requires capital. Print-on-demand stores, on the other hand, allows businesses to list their goods without having the actual product in their hand.

If print-on-demand sounds good to you, check out our guide on starting a print-on-demand business and the best print-on-demand products to sell.

What you need: Unique designs, a reliable POD supplier (Printful, Printify), online storefront
How much it costs to start: $50–$200, mostly for initial test products and design samples
How much you can earn: Typically $100–$3,000 monthly, easily scalable with effective marketing and trendy designs

65. Create and sell no-code websites

Before AI services became something that everyone on the internet uses, you had to have web development skills to create a website. Whether you wanted to generate ad revenue or create websites for other businesses/creators, you either had to build the website yourself or go into the service arbitrage path and pay someone to do it.

That's not the case anymore. If you're interested in AI platforms, you might've heard the term 'no-coding website' before. It refers to building websites using prompts for AI agents. Bolt.new and Lovable.ai are among the most popular AIs that you can use to build no-code websites for free.

Building no-code websites with AIs is something everyone can do. If you're interested in this idea, make sure to check out our guide on creating no-code websites (or apps) using Bolt.new and hosting them for free on Netlify.

What you need: No-code platforms (Webflow, Bolt.new), creative marketing strategy, basic web-design skills
How much it costs to start: $0–$100, with free trials and basic plan options readily available
How much you can earn: $500–$5,000 per month, depending on your sales strategy and client base

66. Offer career advice

Have you had success in your career? If the answer is yes, you can offer career advice to others for a fee.

You don't have to be a CEO or member of the 30-under-30 club to offer career advice. Clients can come to you for help with interview prep, salary negotiation, and team management skills. You can also help clients find their ideal career path based on their experience and interests.

As a career advisor you can host your services fully online, offering up career advice in ebooks and courses, and live video calls for face-to-face (virtual) sessions.

What you need: Career experience or HR background, video conferencing setup, digital marketing strategy
How much it costs to start: Free or minimal (up to $50-$100), using free or inexpensive video conferencing
How much you can earn: $200–$3,500 per month, significantly more if offering group courses or webinars

67. Virtual personal trainer

One great opportunity for making money online is with online fitness training. As a PT or fitness enthusiast you could offer up your fitness skills with an online community or coaching.

Share your skills with a self-led online course and pre-recorded classes for time-poor clients. Or, virtually train clients in real-time through live video sessions.

What you need: Fitness certification or relevant experience, virtual conferencing tools, client management software
How much it costs to start: Minimal setup ($50–$300), primarily software and basic equipment
How much you can earn: $300–$6,000 per month, scaling with online group training and specialized coaching programs

If you like the sound of making money with online fitness, check out:

• How to sell fitness programs online
• How to launch a virtual fitness community

68. Create and sell meal plans online

Selling meal plans is a great online money-maker. Anyone with a background in nutrition can create and sell meal plans online. There are multiple ways that you can do this, including selling a subscription to a weekly or monthly meal plan, creating and selling macro-personalized plans, and selling niche meal plans for specific dietary requirements.

This online business idea can be used in conjunction with online fitness training and life coaching services.

What you need: Nutrition expertise, meal-planning software, attractive website or whop
How much it costs to start: $50–$200, mostly software and initial marketing
How much you can earn: Typically $200–$5,000 monthly, scalable with recurring subscription-based customers

69. Provide conversation voice AI services

If you're in the AI scene, you might've heard of businesses using AI agents to take care of phone calls - whether they're reservations or sales. The thing with CVA (Conversation Voice AI) is that most businesses don't know how to integrate such technology into their workflows.

By creating a CVA agency, you can start offering the service of integrating CVA into business flows. Since everything related to AI is incredibly popular these days (and in the foreseeable future), you won't have any problems finding clients.

What you need: Knowledge of AI integration, CVA platforms (like Voiceflow or Dialogflow), website to attract clients
How much it costs to start: $100–$500, software subscriptions and initial demos
How much you can earn: $1,000–$8,000+ monthly, scaling rapidly if you land corporate clients needing automation

70. Create automation programs and sell them

Online automation can mean a couple of things. It can be using a Python script to quickly handle a task that would otherwise take hours or creating an automated AI agent to run your desired workflow 24/7.

If you have a knack for software/web development, you can offer to create automation solutions for their tasks. In freelancing platforms like UpWork and Fiverr, there's an actual demand for people who can help clients automate their workflows.

What you need: Coding or automation skills (Python, Zapier, Make), a Whop page or professional website
How much it costs to start: Minimal ($50–$200), primarily development tools and platform subscriptions
How much you can earn: $1500–$10,000+ monthly, highly scalable depending on the complexity and niche of your automations

71. AI Prompt Engineer

Since LLMs evolve so quickly, businesses everywhere are struggling to keep up and thus see the value for roles dedicated strictly to talking to these AI models as a prompt engineer. If you’re familiar with several LLMs like ChatGPT, Deepseek, Midjourney and Claude and are able to fine-tune prompts that generate impressive outputs, you might already be qualified to land such a role.

Working as a prompt engineer can mean dealing with business plans, automations, marketing strategies or visuals. Your role will primarily consist of crafting prompts and refining outputs yourself but can also include collaborating with or consulting others. 

Since the role is so new, working as a AI prompt engineer relies heavily on self-taught skills that include strong communication skills, creativity, experimentation rather than formal credentials.

So, building a diverse portfolio that highlights your best prompts and their use cases is the best way to land opportunities. As a skilled prompter, you should also be taking advantage of monetizing with proven AI side hustle brands who can potentially fund your whole lifestyle at some point.

What you need: Familiarity with LLMs (ChatGPT, Midjourney), strong prompting skills, a portfolio of successful prompt outputs
How much it costs to start: Free to about $200 (AI subscriptions and platform fees)
How much you can earn: Typically $500–$8,000 monthly, more with corporate or specialized clients

72. Collect and sell data

Even though AI models and search engines have plenty of data to work with right now, the demand for hand-collected, unique datasets still remains strong. So, if you know how to gather insightful niche information with methods like scraping or surveys to build on top of publicly available data, you can package and sell this as a product.

Make sure to choose a niche with a clear need for precise data that  can’t easily be found online or even using an AI tool–think Airbnb pricing trends in a specific city or a curated list of influencers including their behind-the-scenes engagement rates.

Whether you sell this data as paid reports in your own newsletter or if you sell it to companies to use for their own reporting or AI training, this data can command top dollar. As long as your insights are hard to find, unique, accurate and valuable, you’ll be able to stay competitive and immune to even the latest AI updates.

What you need: Data scraping tools, survey software, analytical skills, sales channel (newsletter, Whop store)
How much it costs to start: Minimal ($50–$200), mainly for tools and surveys
How much you can earn: $300–$5,000 monthly, higher if your data solves clear market needs

73. Done-for-you automation setups

One of the biggest bottlenecks preventing business owners from effective scaling is the management of an overwhelming amount of moving pieces and connections between platforms, data, and daily operations. From lead capture forms, CRMs, ecommerce sales data, invoicing software, and accounting, the manual management often leads to burnout or overall operational inefficiency.

Thus, the demand for individuals who are skilled in setting up intricate automations remains strong. If you have experience with tools like Zapier and Make and can adapt quickly to current business needs and priorities, you can earn a great online income offering done-for-you automation services.

This can be as simple as automating lead captures and email follow ups but can quickly become complex when building out intricate back-end systems with variable triggers and deliverables.

What you need: Automation expertise (Zapier, Make, Airtable), defined service packages, client management system
How much it costs to start: $100-$500 for automation software and initial client outreach setup
How much you can earn: $1000-$10,000+ monthly, scalable revenue through ongoing management services

74. Personal brand coach

Just about everyone is considering the idea of bolstering their online presence with a personal brand as pulling this off successfully opens up significant financial opportunities. However, anyone who is serious about getting started or increasing their reach and income will understand that they can’t do this alone, so they’re open to hiring a personal brand coach to keep them on track.

If you have a knack for social media growth, branding, storytelling, and reaching niche demographics, you can apply these skills to helping others grow their personal brand’s reach.

Your role as a personal brand coach can also be more on the financial side if you’re good at identifying and executing monetization opportunities which might include digital products, memberships, or one-on-one coaching.

What you need: Strong personal branding expertise, a professional online presence (LinkedIn, website), coaching platform (Whop, Kajabi, Zoom)
How much it costs to start: $50–$300 (initial setup, website, video conferencing tools)
How much you can earn: $500–$10,000+ monthly, significantly more with premium coaching packages or group workshops

75. Monetize faceless content

Just about every aspiring entrepreneur is feeling some form of FOMO in regards to the creator economy gold rush that’s making tons of individuals serious cash every day. However, one of the biggest reasons people aren’t taking action is because they’re afraid to show their face.

If you’re camera shy but still want to cash in as a creator, it’s easier today more than ever to monetize content even as a personal brand without ever having to show your face. Faceless affiliate marketing and faceless TikTok are two such methods, and both have great income potential once you take the time to grow your audience and build relationships with them.

What you need: Content creation skills, editing software, faceless content platforms (YouTube automation, podcasts, blogs)
How much it costs to start: Minimal, $50–$500 primarily for editing software and outsourcing costs
How much you can earn: $200–$8,000 monthly, scaling significantly with viral content and multiple monetization methods (ads, sponsorships, affiliate marketing)

76. AI-powered agency

Businesses are increasingly turning to AI to delegate tasks and roles with scalable automations. However, the average business owner doesn’t have the time or bandwidth to test and explore how exactly to leverage the power of AI. With a clear ROI and increasing FOMO from business owners who feel behind in the AI game, there’s more demand now than ever for AI-powered agencies.

The top two niches for AI-powered agencies are customer service and content marketing. In both of these categories, a well-executed AI setup can produce far greater results at a fraction of the cost compared to the human labor equivalent. You can charge for setup, customization, and ongoing optimization services that will allow you to cash in with recurring revenue.

What you need: Website or whop to showcase your agency, in-depth skills with different AI tools, familiarity with automations and programming is a huge plus.
How much it costs to start: $250-$1000 for AI and automation software and initial marketing budget
How much you can earn: $1,000 per month in profit can be had with a single client, so getting to $10,000+ monthly is realistic within 6 months to 1 year.

• What is ecommerce automation 
• The best AI chatbots for ecommerce

77. Resell PLR digital products

One of the hardest parts about selling digital products is the time-consuming process of creating them in the first place. Thankfully, with private label rights (PLR), you can access ready-made products that you can resell without neeing to do much more than slapping your brand name on them.

PLR digital products come in many forms, including ebooks, video courses, templates, lead magnets and even coaching programs. This variety makes it simple to pick a product type and niche that you’re most aligned with, making promotion relatively easy if you put in the work.

What you need: Access to PLR content providers, online storefront (Gumroad, Whop, Etsy), basic marketing skills
How much it costs to start: $20–$200 for initial PLR purchases and store setup
How much you can earn: $100–$5,000+ monthly, easily scalable through bundle offerings and targeted marketing

• Best PLR digital products to sell online
• Best free PLR products that you can resell for profit

78. Social media ghostwriting

Not every public figure has the time, skills, or interest when it comes to writing. So, if you’re good with words and are familiar with the copy that performs well on social media platforms, you can make money by offering ghostwriting services.

Some of the best platforms to offer such services include X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and Instagram. Each platform has different styles–X for example is more intellectual and in-depth, particularly with threads, LinkedIn can be more concise and highlights expertise, and Instagram is often story-based and emotionally engaging for reels. You can choose to be a platform specialist or offer ghostwriting services across different channels.

What you need: Strong copywriting skills, familiarity with social media platforms (X, LinkedIn, Instagram), client management tools
How much it costs to start: Minimal, $0–$100 for scheduling software and outreach efforts
How much you can earn: $500–$5,000+ monthly per client, scalable with multiple high-profile clients and premium packages

79. LinkedIn and resume optimization services

The job market feels more competitive than ever, with a diverse market that includes fresh graduates, those in-between jobs, and individuals looking to make a move to a different company. Everyone is looking to stand out, so there is a steady stream of savvy individuals that are looking to hire help in the form of career optimization services.

If you have experience in recruiting and hiring or if you’re good at discovering and showcasing someone in their best light professionally, you can make an online business out of this skill. The most straightforward way to make money from this is by offering review and optimization services for LinkedIn and resumes.

While you’ll likely start by offering one-off services such as single profile audits and resume rewrites, you’ll eventually want to sell package deals to gain more consistent income.

What you need: Recruitment experience or HR background, strong writing skills, LinkedIn proficiency
How much it costs to start: Minimal, $0–$100 for basic software and outreach
How much you can earn: $300–$5,000 monthly, scaling with bundled services and recurring career coaching packages

80. Influencer outreach specialist

With the social media audience becoming more fickle and less trusting of influencers than ever, the demand for individuals who can act as outreach specialists in this field is incredibly underserved.

Your job as an influencer outreach specialist will be to identify, contact, and secure influencers that are hand-picked to be reliable, trustworthy, within budget, and aligned with specific brands. So, if you have a knack for social media and a good radar for sussing out whether or not an influencer is legit and reliable, you can do well in this role.

What you need: Strong knowledge of influencer marketing, analytical tools, communication and negotiation skills
How much it costs to start: $50–$300 for analytical tools and initial client outreach
How much you can earn: $500–$8,000+ monthly, depending on influencer deals and client campaign budgets

How to find influencers for brands

Launch your online business with Whop

Great execution is what turns a dream into a real business—and platforms like Whop make it easier than ever to get started. Launching your business on Whop means getting a prime piece of digital real estate, with built-in discoverability and exposure to customers who match your ideal audience.

Your whop becomes your online hub, where you can sell virtually any digital product or service. Whether it's trading advice, sports picks, coaching, tutoring, writing, digital art, templates, or masterminds—if you can create it, you can sell it on Whop.

Don't just take our word - here's what Whop sellers Bravo Six Picks has to say about Whop:

With Bravo Six Picks, we turned a passionate audience into a profitable membership-based community using Whop, the best platform for today’s entrepreneurs.

Whop makes it easy to sell memberships, manage access, and scale, all while keeping members engaged. By offering exclusive access and premium insights, we built a space where people see real value and are willing to pay for it.

If you want to monetize your community, Whop gives you everything you need to grow and automate. Work smart and let your community work for you.

Whether you need a platform to manage premium content subscriptions, a marketplace to sell your products, or a storefront for your digital services—Whop has you covered.

Online business FAQs

How to get started with your online business idea

Starting a business can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.

A lot of the online business ideas we’ve provided above can be started as side hustles, meaning that you can just jump in and start doing them—this essentially means that you’re starting off as a sole proprietor. Plus, many of these are cheap businesses to start.

Once you start getting serious about your business, it’s time to consider changing legal structure. Sole proprietorships are generally fine, but they do have a couple of big disadvantages such as personal liability.

Incorporating your online business or establishing an LLC is a great way to insure yourself against this risk.

Beyond the limited liability that an LLC provides, you’re also able to take advantage of pass-through taxation, and have the credibility that goes with an established firm—clients may take your fledgling business more seriously if you present it as an LLC than as a sole proprietorship tied so closely to your personal brand.

Aside from the legal structure for your online business, you’ll also have to grab a federal employer identification number and choose your business name.

The latter step might not sound like much, but branding is everything these days. A great business name that ties into the nature or niche of your business can be a brilliant marketing tool.

Should you start an online business?

A lot of people tend to be quite blasé about how “easy” it is to start your own business, and while some of the ideas we provided above have low entry barriers, starting something new is always a challenge.

When not to start an online business

The most successful entrepreneurs we think of today had massive advantages through which they were able to get off the ground. Bill Gates (full name: William Henry Gates III) was the beneficiary of access to cutting edge computers via his private school at an age where most children didn’t know a computer was, and Jeff Bezos’ parents put hundreds of thousands of dollars into his little ecommerce startup that we now know as Amazon.

Elizabeth Holmes, now incarcerated but once Wall Street’s favorite entrepreneur, benefitted from her father’s vice-presidency at Enron and investment from her rich neighbors. Sam Bankman-Fried, whose career path has been eerily similar to Holmes’, is the scion of Stanford Law professors Barbara Fried and Joseph Bankman. 

Even Kenneth C. Griffin, the billionaire Republican donor and founder of market maker Citadel who recently claimed that “markets are efficient because of active managers (like his own hedge fund) setting the prices of securities”, was given a push-start by his grandmother who had herself inherited multiple businesses and farms. 

The point here is that a lot of successful (or successful to a point, in some of the examples) entrepreneurs have a safe, stable background from which they can take risks and found their ventures. Most entrepreneurs fail, and not just once—it’s considered a badge of honor in Silicon Valley to have failed multiple times before finally striking gold.

The problem is, not everyone can afford to fail. While it might be a risk worth taking, you may need to think long and hard about whether you can afford to give up your day job and start a new business—you still need to pay your bills, after all.

That’s why we’ve spoken several times about taking your time getting things off the ground, and treating your new business idea as a side hustle until it reaches a critical mass and generates enough money for you to live off comfortably. 

Why you should start an online business 

Despite the arguments against starting an online business, there’s every chance that you could make it work, turning as little as a couple of hours a week into a side hustle that doubles or triples your existing income. It’s all about your expectations—if you want to be the next tech billionaire then the bar’s set pretty high, but you’ll find it far easier to succeed if your goals are attainable.

The thing about starting an online business is that it doesn’t have to be hard. It’s extremely easy to get started with an online business or side hustle today thanks to the tech and tools out there. The vast majority of online business ideas we posted above are ones that you can get started with almost immediately.

If you want to be a video editor? Download Resolve, and Google some tutorials. YouTuber or streamer? Create an account on YouTube and get your phone or screencap software out. Need to learn a new skill to start one of the ecommerce businesses? Check out Whop, you should find a course or community that’ll help you get started.

How to start an online business

One of your first steps to starting your online business is having a business plan. Getting all of your thoughts down on paper won’t just help you refine via iteration, it’s also a requirement in some jurisdictions when filing for a freelancing or business license.

Check out our guide to how to create a business plan and also look over these business plan templates to get you started.

You should also think about your target persona and your customer policies. Courtney Gras, the Director of Operations at Whop emphasizes the importance of the relationship between the creator and their customers:

"A big step to growing an online business that is easily overlooked is to be completely obsessed with your customer: know their habits, know their needs - inside and out,"

she says.

"Being able to answer clearly: why you are the right person to help solve their problems through your products or services? If you can nail this, everything else follows!"

Then, think about what infrastructure you’ll need to run your business. If it’s POD, you’ll need marketing, an online site or store, and partners for manufacturing, printing, and fulfillment. For a YouTube business, you’ll need video and audio capture gear (a mobile phone might be fine, though) and software to edit said video and audio as well as images (for thumbnails and inserting into video) along with a YouTube account.

The differences between those two options are stark—some online businesses can be done purely with a single platform, such as with YouTube doing everything for you in the background including processing platform ad revenue and customer donations or subscriptions.

With other business ideas, you might also need to think about linking up with payment processors, cloud hosts, customer service providers, and much more. It’s a huge plus when a single partner, like Whop for example, can provide you with each and every one of those services no matter what sort of business you choose to start!

Finally, remember to take care of yourself. Realizing a business idea and becoming an entrepreneur can be as much of a heady rush as it is a drain on your time and resources, and it’s important to be mindful of your own capacity and responsibilities.

Even though it’s worth putting time and energy into your work, don’t neglect family, friends, or your own mental health.