47 Auto Pilot Online Business Ideas (Quick Money)

Updated: July 24th, 2023

Are you wishing to start an auto pilot business but not quite sure what to start?

The good news is, there are so many autopilot business ideas you can start and earn a passive income.

If you're looking to start your own autopilot business, there are several low-capital options you can choose from.

Below is a list of the most profitable autopilot business ideas you can start today!

Here they are:

1. Start a transcription business

A transcription service converts live or recorded speech into a written or electronic text document. Transcription service is in demand globally across industries.

Becoming a transcriptionist can be a side hustle or a full-time job, so long as you have the right gear.

Do you plan to become a transcriber ? Take an online transcriptionist course and work on your listening skills. To succeed, you need a good typing speed and excellent language command.

How much you can make: $100,000 — $200,000/month

How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)

How We Started A $100K/Month Company That Provides Transcription Services

How this founder started a $100K/month guaranteed transcription service for medical, legal, law enforcement, financial, academic and general business industries, winning the NASPO ValuePoint transcription services contract over 26 other companies and learning valuable lessons about getting a coach and getting as much PR as possible.

About
Ben started Transcription Outsourcing, LLC almost 14 years ago
Revenue
Ben grew the business to $100K/month
Costs
It cost Ben $150000 to start the business
Read by 12,519 founders

2. Become an online fitness coach

Online fitness coaching is using live or recorded video to offer fitness classes to an online audience at a fee. To become successful in business, online fitness coaches should possess the following personal qualities:

  • Stay focused on clients’ needs and goals
  • Be ready to walk the talk
  • Ask the clients questions
  • Focused on educating the client
  • Adjust to a language clients understand

Increase in number of internet usersand more hours spent online, online businesses will keep thriving.

Therefore, fitness coaches looking to expand their businesses or venture into new markets can consider starting an online fitness coach business.

How much you can make: $250 — $39,875,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 142 days (?)

How I Started A $48K/Month Business With An Online Fitness Training Service

This case study is about a former personal trainer who launched his online personal training platform, TeamFFLEX, starting with no money and a lot of drive, and grew it into a 6-figure business in less than a year, now doing $48,000 a month with potential for continued growth.

About
Ryan started TeamFFLEX about 10 years ago
Revenue
Ryan grew the business to $82K/month
Costs
It cost Ryan $500 to start the business
Read by 25,244 founders

3. Start a dropshipping business

Dropshipping is a business model where you sell products to customers without holding inventory.

Instead, when a customer makes a purchase, you buy the product from a third-party supplier, who then ships it directly to the customer.

To start a dropshipping business on a budget, choose a niche or category of products you want to sell.

Next, set up an online store using platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. Then, find reliable suppliers from platforms like AliExpress, list their products on your store, and focus on marketing and customer service to grow your business.

Remember to carefully manage your expenses and monitor your profit margins to ensure profitability.

How much you can make: $6,000 — $3,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $6,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 10 hours/week

How I Started A $100K/Month Business Mentoring Dropshipping Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneur Kamil Sattar has developed multiple six-figure drop shipping businesses, and his company, e-commerce mentoring, specializes in helping others create their own successful companies, with favorite platforms including using Shopify and apps such as Loox reviews and SMSBump.

About
Kamil started E-commerce Mentoring about 7 years ago
Revenue
Kamil grew the business to $100K/month
Costs
It cost Kamil $1000 to start the business
Read by 24,252 founders

4. Become a business coach

Are you thinking of starting a career as a business coach?

Becoming a business coach can be a great way to help aspiring entrepreneurs while earning a healthy income. You may want to consider becoming a coach if you have skills in specialized business fields such as marketing, e-commerce, stress management, or leadership.

Many small-business owners are finding it hard to get started, grow, and succeed. As a business coach, your job will be to help entrepreneurs identify new opportunities and take advantage of the ones they already have.

How much you can make: $3,500 — $9,259,259/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

How I Started A $100K/Month Business Mentoring Dropshipping Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneur Kamil Sattar has developed multiple six-figure drop shipping businesses, and his company, e-commerce mentoring, specializes in helping others create their own successful companies, with favorite platforms including using Shopify and apps such as Loox reviews and SMSBump.

About
Kamil started E-commerce Mentoring about 7 years ago
Revenue
Kamil grew the business to $100K/month
Costs
It cost Kamil $1000 to start the business
Read by 24,252 founders

5. Start an ecommerce platform

Over the past decade, eCommerce has become an indispensable part of the global retail framework. According to statistics, over 2 billion people prefer shopping online.

While brick-and-mortar stores are still making more sales compared to online sales, the adoption of eCommerce is still rising, mainly because of the increased speed and convenience of online shopping.

Therefore, starting an eCommerce platform could set you on the right path to building a futuristic business.

How much you can make: $100 — $83,333,333/month

How long does it take to build: 110 days (?)

How We Started A $700K/Month Business Getting Targeted Traffic For Online Sellers

StoreYa co-founders Eyal Reich and Yariv Dror, along with CTO Pasha Zaft, created a suite of marketing and advertising apps that include Traffic Booster, which has generated an average of $700,000 MRR and helped the business win a 2018 Google Acquisition Performance award, as well as becoming a PayPal exclusive advertising partner.

About
Eyal started StoreYa over 11 years ago
Revenue
Eyal grew the business to $2M/month
Costs
It cost Eyal $5000 to start the business
Read by 10,228 founders

6. Start a web development business

A web development business is a company that builds and takes care of websites. They typically use coding and design skills to create online spaces that meet the needs of individuals or businesses.

These businesses help ensure websites work well and look good, playing a key role in the online presence of their clients.

How much you can make: $6,600 — $350,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $3,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)

I Built A $300K/Year Vue.js Component Library

Vuetify is a popular open-source user interface library, built with the Vue.js framework, that generates revenue through digital content and services such as paid digital content in the Vuetify store, direct support through consulting, ad revenue from Carbon ads on the documentation pages, and donations/sponsorships via GitHub and Patreon, generating an average income of $6,500 per month.

About
John started Vuetify almost 7 years ago
Revenue
John grew the business to $25K/month
Read by 45,082 founders

7. Start a blog

In recent years, blogging has become a highly sought-after & lucrative Business. This location-independent business is a creative outlet to reach a broader audience and even work at any time. According to Optinmonster’s list of blogging statistics and facts:

  • Blogs have been rated as the 5th most trustworthy source of gathering online information.
  • 77% of internet users read blogs.
  • Each month, approximately 409 million people view more than 20 billion pages.

Originally blogging started as an online journal, but today it is a highly profitable career option. Many people are choosing blogging as their full-time career and are earning their bread and butter from this profession.

If you want to start blogging as a side hustle or as a full-time profession, choose a niche you will enjoy writing about and have a content strategy ready. Then, create a mailing list, and decide on a good blog posting routine to keep your audience engaged.

How much you can make: $200 — $160,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 37 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How This 28-Year-Old Couple Quit Their Jobs And Make $20K/Month Running A Blog

Learn how one couple created a successful personal finance blog, The Savvy Couple, that now makes over $20,000 per month and has sold thousands of digital workbooks and courses, by focusing on purposeful content and optimizing their ROI with efficient time management.

About
Kelan started The Savvy Couple over 7 years ago
Revenue
Kelan grew the business to $20K/month
Costs
It cost Kelan $500 to start the business
Read by 27,277 founders

8. Start a mobile photography business

Want to start your own photography business? You're not alone. With the rise of social media and photo-sharing, blogging, and online retailing, it's never been easier to start making money behind your camera.

There are photographers shooting weddings, creating images for ad campaigns, freelancing for magazines, touring the world, taking photographs of destinations — the list is endless!

To start mobile photography , research the target audience and determine which specialization area is more lucrative. Invest in high-quality, professional cameras, lenses, and a computer with professional software photo-editing software.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 200 days (?)

Embracing the Experience Economy with a $300K/mo Photo Booth Startup

Photobooth Supply Co. offers a profitable business opportunity through their sleek and portable photo booths, with up to 97% satisfaction rate and a focus on customer experience, in a fast-growing event industry where photo booths are exploding.

About
Brandon started Photobooth Supply Co. about 11 years ago
Revenue
Brandon grew the business to $500K/month
Read by 15,173 founders

9. Start an online video editing business

Video editors manage camera footage, dialogue, sound effects, graphics, and special effects to produce the final film or video product. To become an online video editor, you must have media production and communication knowledge and the ability to work with others.

To start a video editing business, you can outsource video editing skills from an experienced professional. Your role will be to pick video footage from the customers and upload them for the video editor to do the magic.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $208,000/month

How long does it take to build: 145 days (?)

How We Developed A $6K/Month Online Video Editing Software

VEED.IO, a London-based start-up co-founded by Sabba and her partner, offers a simple online video editing platform using batch job cloud architecture to help social media managers across the world auto subtitle, filter, rotate videos and much more, earning the company $5,300 MRR and the founders Ramen profitability within just a year of starting.

About
Sabba started VEED over 5 years ago
Revenue
Sabba grew the business to $6K/month
Read by 11,764 founders

10. Start a film production company

A film production company is responsible for producing video content for social media, corporate promotions, television programs, commercials,s or other media-related fields. Ideally, the responsibilities of a video production company include scripting, location scouting, and also logistics to ensure a successful film.

Starting a film production company can be a daunting task. However, you can set up your business for success with proper guidance. Here are important steps for creating a video production company:

  • Determine the company niche
  • Choose a suitable company name
  • Draft a solid business plan
  • Hire an advocate to lead all legal matters of starting a company
  • Fund your business
  • Acquire video production equipment and skills
  • Create a website and market your film production company

If you are starting a video production company from scratch, consider creating some proof-of-concept projects so you can market the business. Alternatively, you may buy a franchise or an existing business.

How much you can make: $10,000 — $1,500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 165 days (?)

How I Started A $500K/Month Video Production Company From My Bedroom in LA

Lemonlight CEO, Hope Horner, co-founded an on-demand video production company that has produced over 7,000 videos for more than 3,000 brands, generating over $6 million in sales and growing to a 45-person team, all without taking any outside capital and being recognized in Inc 5000 and Entrepreneur 360 for three years in a row.

About
Hope started Lemonlight about 10 years ago
Revenue
Hope grew the business to $1.5M/month
Costs
It cost Hope $500 to start the business
Read by 17,096 founders

11. Become an online dating consultant

An online dating consultant is a person who provides advice to people in the world of Internet dating. An online dating consultant can help you direct your profile, help you write your first message to an online match, and help you make a great impression on your date.

Online dating can potentially be one of the world’s most remarkable customer service industries.

How much you can make: $5,200 — $11,250,000/month

How long does it take to build: 45 days (?)

How I Built My Own Business Improving Online Dating Profiles

The Match Artist helps singles take amazing photos for their online dating profiles through a 3-hour executive shoot, coaching, and email course, pioneering a new genre of photography, with an average monthly revenue of $5,000-$6,000 and a plan to double down on paid ad campaigns in the future.

About
Shane started The Match Artist over 6 years ago
Revenue
Shane grew the business to $5.2K/month
Read by 11,719 founders

12. Start an online community

Online communities bring people who share common values together. For anyone looking to start a side hustle and earn money, you need to figure out the best online communities to participate. More important, you need to figure out on how to translate your online community membership into dollars. Ideas of how to earn through online communities include:

  • Selling your products
  • Promoting affiliate links for a commission
  • Run ads
  • Sell online community membership
  • Start your own online community and charge for sponsored content

How much you can make: $1,000 — $1,816,666/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 4 hours/week

This VC Taught Himself How To Code And Is Bootstrapping His Own Startup

VC-turned-entrepreneur Phil Strazzulla, who previously built a successful b2b SaaS business, shares how he bootstrapped an online review site for HR software into a viable business with over $1k monthly revenues in just 3 months through organic search traffic growth and selling high intent leads.

About
Phil started SelectSoftware Reviews over 5 years ago
Revenue
Phil grew the business to $3.38K/month
Read by 16,589 founders

13. Start a niche web design business

Niche web design business focuses on a specialized market such as law, home improvement, videography, fashion, etc. typically, when a web designer niches down their services, they are simply choosing to concentrate on one industry and create websites for businesses within the particular niche. To become a niche web designer, consider honing the following skills and personal qualities:

  • Visual design, HTML, CSS, JavaScript
  • Strong communication skills
  • Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Teamwork and research skills
  • Attention to detail

Narrowing your focus to a particular niche gives you a higher chance of becoming a recognized expert and places you in a better position to charge more for your services.

How much you can make: $200 — $200,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 40 days (?)

How I Started A $30K/Month Web Development And Marketing Agency Focused On Locksmiths

The Locksmith Agency, run by Samuel Wilson, a licensed locksmith with over 10 years of digital marketing experience, is making $30k+ per month by providing digital marketing services such as Website Development, SEO, and Google Listing optimization services specifically for the locksmith industry.

About
Samuel started The Locksmith Agency (1-800-Unlocks) over 6 years ago
Revenue
Samuel grew the business to $30K/month
Costs
It cost Samuel $500 to start the business
Read by 6,410 founders

14. Start an online course sales business

Do you know you can make money selling what you are passionate about? People are making money creating courses and selling them online. Common online courses include music, cooking, coding, web design, dropshipping, etc.

Thus, you can turn it into a passive income by launching online classes if you have a skill. All you need is to choose a target audience, create the online course and choose an online learning platform where you can sell the course.

The e-learning market is expected to be worth over $645 Billion in the next few years.

How much you can make: $100 — $1,666,666/month

How long does it take to build: 190 days (?)

I Make $120K/Year With My Print On Demand T-Shirt Side Hustle

A multipreneur shares how she built a successful print on demand side hustle, generating $120,000 per year through multiple brands spread over various platforms.

About
Cinquanta started Cinquanta Cox-Smith over 14 years ago
Revenue
Cinquanta grew the business to $10K/month
Costs
It cost Cinquanta $100 to start the business
Read by 11,100 founders

15. Start a life coaching business

Life coach helps people in various areas of their lives using a combination of emotional intelligence, professional knowledge, and experience.

Life coaching is a popular industry worth over $2.85 billion, and the number of life coaches has increased by 33% between 2015-2019.

This is a very profitable business and can be started at virtually no cost. You’ll need a computer, a high-speed Internet connection, and a LinkedIn account to start. Then, you can begin coaching part-time in your spare time until you build up your clientele.

How much you can make: $100 — $660,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $750 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How I Launched A $5K/Month Platform To Connect With Growth Mentors

GrowthMentor, a platform connecting vetted growth mentors for one-on-one calls, founded by Fotis Panagiotakopoulos, has had over 2,500 mentorship calls booked to date and has seen success in using word of mouth, content marketing, and leveraging other people's networks as the primary drivers of customer acquisition.

About
Foti started GrowthMentor over 5 years ago
Revenue
Foti grew the business to $10K/month
Read by 41,903 founders

17. Become a college counselor

A college counselor is a professional who assists students with their educational and professional goals. The role helps students navigate careers they hope to pursue after college. Therefore, in this business, you support students undergoing personal or familiar challenges in choosing their career paths. To become a successful college counselor, you must possess the following qualities:

  • Organized with your practice
  • Practice ethically and professionally
  • Educate yourself
  • Confidence in your position and responsibility.
  • Respectful and non-judgmental

The demand for school and college counselors is growing tremendously. Therefore, it is a great time to start offering the services.

How much you can make: $50,000/month

How We Created A $50,000/Month Platform To Give Better College Counseling

EdTech company ConnecPath created WeAdmit, a platform for data science-backed college counseling, acquiring a $50,000 per month run rate, 20 paid contracts and 10 about to be signed, which aims to match students with the right mentors and offer a predictions service based on IQ and personality.

About
Pradeep started WeAdmit over 6 years ago
Revenue
Pradeep grew the business to $50K/month
Read by 7,178 founders

18. Become an IT consultant

Are you an IT graduate still looking for that dream job? Then becoming an IT consultant might be the right choice for you.

An IT consultant is an external analyst in charge of evaluating a company’s IT systems and helping them meets its business objectives. IT consultants analyze and diagnose a company’s IT infrastructure, understand the client’s needs, and design solutions to help companies’ IT problems.

How much you can make: $500 — $2,400,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $800 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

How I Built An Airtable Plugin That Lets Users Manage Their Data Better [$80K/Year]

Data Fetcher is a no-code tool that imports data into Airtable which has reached 190 paying customers in just over a year after launch and is making $6500 in MRR, with a goal of reaching $30k+ in MRR, for aspiring founders looking to bootstrap an app to life-changing revenue as a solo founder.

About
Andy started Data Fetcher over 3 years ago
Revenue
Andy grew the business to $23K/month
Costs
It cost Andy $100 to start the business
Read by 4,189 founders

19. Start a tutoring business

Starting a tutoring side hustle is a great way for teachers and students to earn extra monthly income.

If you are considering becoming a tutor, find an ideal tutoring niche, and craft a tutoring website.

Then, find your tutoring clients and market your side hustle online. You can choose to offer online tutoring as a part-time or full-time engagement.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $375,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $100 (?)

How long does it take to build: 15 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How I Started A $15K/Month SAT Tutoring Business While In College

A 22-year-old entrepreneur started an online SAT/ACT tutoring company from his bedroom which has seen a linear increase in student sign-ups each month, currently bringing in an average revenue of $15,000 a month and plans to triple in 2020.

About
Adam started SoFlo Tutors about 5 years ago
Revenue
Adam grew the business to $100K/month
Costs
It cost Adam $100 to start the business
Read by 18,690 founders

20. Start an e-book writing business

An eBook business is profitable and flexible, letting you start a business from anywhere, while it is a low-cost business that is easy to start. You can make a living self-publishing and selling eBooks online as long as you are ready to invest your time and money in it.

Anyone can start an eBooks business! Just choose a niche that interests the target audience, and ensure in-depth research.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $62,500/month

How much does it cost to start: $67 (?)

How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)

How We Started A $514K/Year Content Curation Agency With Just $35 [From India]

Content-Whale, a content curation agency, has achieved a Rs. 4 crore ($514k/year) turnover 4-5 years after being started with just Rs. 2500 ($35), and has a pool of more than 500 writers, aiming to become a market leader in the global content market.

About
Vaibhav started Content-Whale Private Limited over 6 years ago
Revenue
Vaibhav grew the business to $62.5K/month
Costs
It cost Vaibhav $35 to start the business
Read by 5,041 founders

21. Start a seo consultant business

An SEO Consultant provides professional advice to businesses helping them optimize their websites so they rank high in search results. Demand for SEO services and consultants is rising rapidly across industries as companies need search optimization to compete effectively.

If you are an SEO expert, you can start an SEO consulting business and earn decent profits by offering your services.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $1,800,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

I Got Tired Of Being Underpaid And Left To Start A $4M/Year PPC & SEO Growth Agency

Digital Position, a digital marketing agency, was founded by Roger Parent, who was unhappy being underpaid at his job; the company is now generating over $330k/month in revenue, and aims to generate $5m in 2022, with a long-term goal of hitting $30m before Parent is 40.

About
Roger started Digital Position™ almost 10 years ago
Revenue
Roger grew the business to $390K/month
Costs
It cost Roger $1000 to start the business
Read by 8,076 founders

22. Build an online research software

As the business world grows more complex, the need for reliable and effective online research software becomes more important. Online research software can help businesses save time and money by providing access to a wealth of information.

This type of software is used for a variety of purposes, such as academic research, market research, or competitive intelligence.

For example, Trello is powerful online research software that can help you organize and keep track of your research projects. With Trello, you can create custom boards to track your progress on specific projects, set deadlines, and collaborate with other researchers. Trello's estimated annual revenue is currently $15.8M per year.

Online research software is a great tool for businesses looking to better understand their customer base. The data collected by this process can be rich and informative, as it includes insights that help you grow your business in ways other methods may not address as accurately or completely.

How much you can make: $5,000/month

How long does it take to build: 635 days (?)

AcademicInfluence.com Pioneers A New Way To Compare Colleges And Scholars

AcademicInfluence.com helps parents and students find colleges that are a good fit with their revolutionary machine learning system to identify and track the influence of the faculty and alumni, resulting in over 100,000 organic search visits per month.

About
Jed started AcademicInfluence.com over 3 years ago
Revenue
Jed grew the business to $5K/month
Costs
It cost Jed $500000 to start the business
Read by 2,813 founders

23. Start a newsletter

Did you know that in the past five years, there has been more than a 50% increase in the number of people who read newsletters?

Newsletters are one of the few things you can use to market yourself as a trusted expert. A well-written newsletter can educate your subscribers and build connections with them.

Email newsletters are a great way to connect with customers and potential customers. It’s a newsletter’s job to inform, persuade, and sell to your audience.

How much you can make: $100 — $3,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $400 (?)

How long does it take to build: 22 days (?)

How I Started A $36M/Year Stock Market Research Newsletter

Financial media company MarketBeat, founded by Matt Paulson, provides objective financial information and real-time market data to empower individual stock investors to make better trading decisions, generating approximately $8 million in revenue in 2019 and ending the year with over 1.3 million unique email subscribers due to a freemium model with 75% of revenue from advertising and 25% from subscriptions.

About
Matt started MarketBeat over 13 years ago
Revenue
Matt grew the business to $3M/month
Read by 26,085 founders

24. Start a language translation service

Language translation services bridge the linguistic barriers, helping businesses reach a wider audience outside of a single language. A language translation job is an opportunity to cover a wide range of topics and meet people from different cultures.

To become a language translator , master a second language and earn some experience so you become fluent in the second language.

How much you can make: $40,000 — $550,000/month

How long does it take to build: 70 days (?)

Buying A Translation Company And Growing It To $4M/Year

DEMAN Translations grew from 6 employees and 1.5 million euros in turnover in 2015 to 17 team members and 3.5 million euros in sales in 2020 after acquiring 12 other translation agencies, with a goal to reach 6 million euros this year and 10 million euros in 2022.

About
Cédric started DEMAN Übersetzungen almost 9 years ago
Revenue
Cédric grew the business to $550K/month
Costs
It cost Cédric $1250000 to start the business
Read by 7,710 founders

25. Start a writing & editing business

A writing and editing business is a business that provides writing, editing, and sometimes proofreading services. Such businesses market their services to businesses, corporations, and individuals who might require those types of services.

The earning potential of writing and editing is incredible. Freelancing is one of the best ways to earn some extra money. If you like writing and editing, then freelancing can provide you with an opportunity to prove yourself as an expert, increase your network and help steer your career in a new direction.

Writing is one of the easiest businesses you can start. You might dream of becoming a professional writer, selling your stories to famous magazines, or writing books that millions around the planet will read.

How much you can make: $1,200 — $208,333/month

How much does it cost to start: $300 (?)

How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. -1 hours/week

How I Started A $10K/Month Business Writing Custom Long-Form Articles

A freelance writing program that teaches intermediate-level writers how to command $1,000 - $3,000 per article, with creator Arlie Peyton generating $10k a month from writing custom long-form articles that get premium results in the eCommerce and SaaS industries and for personal brands.

About
Arlie started Writing Income Accelerator over 5 years ago
Revenue
Arlie grew the business to $10K/month
Read by 9,625 founders

26. Build an iPhone app

The iPhone is the most popular mobile device in the world. It has changed how we interact with information, entertainment, and communication.

The iPhone has also changed the way we interact with each other. Since its release in 2007, it has become a staple in most people’s lives. It is more than just a phone; it is a tool for staying connected to friends and family and creating new connections.

The iPhone app market is an ever-changing landscape of innovation: it’s not just about making something that works well; it’s about creating something that stands out from the crowd.

It would help if you had something that appeals to your audience to succeed in this market. This can be as simple as ensuring your app has a catchy name or as complex as developing an entire brand identity around your app’s functionality.

How much you can make: $150 — $2,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $6,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How I Created A $60K/Month App That Collects In-Person Payments Through Stripe

Payment.co, an app built on top of the Stripe payment gateway for creating card-present charges, has grown to process over $70M in volume annually since launching in 2015, with the app collecting a 1% service fee on every single charge.

About
Ryan started Payment for Stripe about 9 years ago
Revenue
Ryan grew the business to $60K/month
Read by 18,915 founders

27. Start a podcasting business

Podcasting businesses often start as a hobby. You publish a few episodes and posts, and soon you will start getting engagements from interested parties.

However, to earn money from your podcasting business, you need to put a lot of effort and time into producing quality shows that address your audience's concerns.

To grow your podcast business, ensure regular publishing, which brings better growth, more listeners to your channel, and a higher income.

Here is a list of steps to help you transition the podcast from a hobby to a full-time podcast business:

  • Ensure a focused effort and adjust the tone of each podcast episode
  • Make podcasting your priority
  • Focus on building
  • Grow a mailing list
  • Aim at building a trusted brand
  • Develop a long-term growth and marketing plan

How much you can make: $5,000 — $349,983/month

How much does it cost to start: $200 (?)

How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)

Empire Flippers: $20M/Year Helping People Buy And Sell Websites

Empire Flippers is a thought leader in brokering online business deals, having brokered over $50 million worth of deals and grown their pool of potential buyers by hundreds every month through a focus on content marketing and middle-of-funnel content.

About
Justin started Empire Flippers almost 12 years ago
Revenue
Justin grew the business to $350K/month
Read by 9,597 founders

28. Become a social media marketer

Social media marketing is gaining website visitors or customers by promoting your company on social media. To succeed in social media marketing, you must regularly post tasty, entertaining, and engaging share material on your social media channels.

Everybody knows that social media is a tool that has become extremely important to businesses of all sizes. It allows them to connect with people worldwide and provides a platform for customer service. Social networks are changing the way we do marketing. They offer an opportunity for individuals, businesses, and organizations to reach millions instantly.

Nowadays, it is easy to earn money through social media marketing. You just need to invest some time and effort to make a profit. Social media has been an essential part of many businesses marketing campaigns, and it is expected to be a significant part of any company’s future.

How much you can make: $100 — $250,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,750 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

I Started My Own $20K/Month Social Media Marketing Agency

This case study follows Kelsey Chance and her creative agency, Good Chance Creative, which specializes in social media content creation, and in just 3 years she has grown her one-woman business to make $20,000 in monthly revenue through a niche in small in-house marketing teams and start-ups managing their social content, with key services including lifestyle brand photography, social media account management, copywriting, and eCommerce strategy consulting.

About
Kelsey started Good Chance almost 6 years ago
Revenue
Kelsey grew the business to $20K/month
Costs
It cost Kelsey $500 to start the business
Read by 6,463 founders

29. Start an affiliate marketing business

Are you looking for a side hustle to pay you a passive income? Affiliate marketing is one of those side hustles that will pay you well over the long term. It is a way to earn money online by promoting other companies' products and services. You will be paid a commission for each sale you make as an affiliate marketer.

To get started, learn how to find the right product and brand to partner with. For example, you may prefer becoming an affiliate marketer for an eCommerce store, partnering with a manufacturer, and marketing their products for a commission.

How much you can make: $500 — $773,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 55 days (?)

My Affiliate Marketing Business Earns $500K/Year Profit [No Employees]

This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

About
Spencer started Buildapreneur over 6 years ago
Revenue
Spencer grew the business to $80K/month
Read by 22,695 founders

30. Become a physical therapist

Physical therapists are trained professionals who evaluate and treat abnormal physical function relating to injuries, disability, or other health conditions. The professionals can diagnose and treat various injuries and health conditions and improve a person’s range of movement and quality of life, preventing further injury or disabilities.

A licensed physical therapist works in various healthcare settings, including private practice and fitness settings. To become a physical therapist, earn a doctor of physical therapy education and pass the licensure exams. Then, you can register your business and focus on growing the business.

How much you can make: $11,300/month

How I Make A Living As A Professional Cuddler

Professional cuddler, Sam Varnerin, developed her successful one-to-one cuddle service, Snuggle with Sam, as a result of recognising the universal human need for connection and touch, which also led to her opening Sam’s Snuggle School, a course for aspiring professional cuddlers.

About
Sam started Snuggle with Sam over 7 years ago
Revenue
Sam grew the business to $11.3K/month
Read by 15,259 founders

31. Develop an online survey tool

Online survey tools are a great way for businesses to gather customer feedback. They offer a convenient and cost-effective way to collect data from large groups of people. This service offers a variety of features, including a survey builder, a data collection tool, and a reporting system.

If you are interested in starting a business that helps businesses to gather customer feedback, then starting an online survey tool could be a great option for you. This business is growing in popularity as more businesses are using online surveys to collect data.

Typeform is a popular online survey tool that allows you to ask customers questions and get their feedback on the product. This can be used for many different purposes such as improving services or developing new products. Typeform told TechCrunch on the occasion of today’s funding announcement that its annual recurring revenue surpassed $70 million in 2021 after tripling over the preceding three years.

Building an online survey tool is a good business idea because there is a lot of demand for data collection. Businesses need to know more about their customers in order to be able to make better decisions.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $1,600,000/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

How I Started A $1.6M/Month Online Surveys And Research Tools Software

QuestionPro's Founder, Vivek Bhaskaran, shares the story of how he started the most robust survey software on the market, which has provided innovative technology to Fortune 100 companies, academic institutions, small businesses, and individual DIY researchers for over 12 years.

About
Vivek started QuestionPro about 19 years ago
Revenue
Vivek grew the business to $1.6M/month
Costs
It cost Vivek $60000 to start the business
Read by 11,373 founders

32. Start a resume writing business

The resume writing business is a service that helps job applicants write professional resumes, provide details about their past experiences, and highlight their skills. Resume writing makes it easier for clients to capture hiring managers’ attention and shows they are fully qualified on paper.

A successful resume writer should have strong communication skills, proofreading skills, typing skills, and relevant business experience. Besides, the resume writer should have strong interpersonal skills and proven success.

According to glassdoor, 68% of job seekers who hire professional resume writers find a job within 90 days. The study also points out that professionally written resumes score jobs faster and earn more.

Therefore, the demand for professional resume-writing businesses will keep increasing.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $62,500/month

How long does it take to build: 150 days (?)

How I Make $30K/Year On The Side Writing Resumes

This case study follows a business owner who doubled his income from side hustles in two years, earning over $30,000 annually by writing resumes and LinkedIn copy, blogging weekly, and increasing rates as he attracted more clients from online platforms like Craigslist and LinkedIn.

About
Mike started Critical Path Action about 9 years ago
Revenue
Mike grew the business to $3K/month
Read by 8,438 founders

33. Start a travel consulting business

Many people dream of traveling the world. Starting a travel consulting business is an excellent way to make a passive income, explore different parts of the world, and help others do the same.

As a travel consultant, you will provide advice to clients on various aspects of travel, including destinations, airfare, accommodations, and activities.

The objective is to assist tourists and travelers in planning personalized vacations, offer travel advice, and provide end-to-end travel arrangements for a fee.

By making use of industry knowledge and relationships with hotels, airlines, and destination experts, travel consultants can save their clients time and effort in designing their dream trips.

How much you can make: $14,167 — $1,500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $3,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

How We Started The $35M/Year Dubai's Leading Tour Operator

Rayna Tours and Travels, founded by Kamlesh Ramchandani and Manoj Tulsani, began its journey as a small travel counter inside a Dubai hotel, and has now grown into one of the UAE’s leading destination management companies with earnings exceeding $40 million per year.

About
Manoj started Rayna Tours over 18 years ago
Revenue
Manoj grew the business to $500K/month
Read by 6,639 founders

34. Start a SEO analytics

SEO analytics experts help businesses measure and report their website's SEO technical aspects. As an SEO analytics expert, you help act on the data to create growth of engaged organic traffic.

Demand for SEO professionals has increased worldwide due to the growth of digital awareness, technological advancements, and online competition. To become SEO analytics, learn how to use various SEO tools and learn SEO strategies.

35. Start a freelance writing business

Freelance writing can be a good career choice if you are looking for a flexible online job.

Working as a freelancer gives you the flexibility to define your work schedule. You can work from home at any time. Freelance writers work across various niches, writing about various topics assigned by the client,

To earn good money as a freelance writer, you need the following personal qualities:

  • Strong writing skills
  • Ability to meet deadlines
  • Stay on the cutting edge
  • Be a self-starter
  • Be up-to-date with the current writing tools & writing trends
  • Proper communication skills

How much you can make: $700 — $320,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $300 (?)

How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)

How I Started A $80K/Month Content Writing Business

How David Tile turned a freelance writing gig into an $80k/month business, discussing lessons learned through managing growing demands and maintaining a remote team operation.

About
David started Article-Writing Co about 13 years ago
Revenue
David grew the business to $125K/month
Read by 23,592 founders

36. Start a digital agency

A digital agency’s task is to make a business reach its advertising, marketing, or technology-related goals. Anyone with enough knowledge and passion for digital marketing can start and run a profitable digital marketing agency. With the proper skill set, the right tools, and the right mindset, you can start a successful digital agency.

The global digital agency market reached a value of nearly $305B in 2020. The future growth prospects of the digital agency market are projected to be high due to the rising population of people consuming and creating content through digital channels.

How much you can make: $6,500 — $43,700,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

How I Started A $22K/Month One-Stop Shop Marketing Company For E-commerce Businesses

Power Move Marketing is an innovative digital marketing company founded by Hailey Brooke McFadden, which has achieved an impressive monthly income of $22,075 and is projected to make almost $300,000 in its first year, by offering a one-stop-shop for e-commerce businesses looking for a marketing powerhouse with a female positive culture.

About
Hailey started Power Move Marketing about 4 years ago
Revenue
Hailey grew the business to $22K/month
Costs
It cost Hailey $400 to start the business
Read by 10,813 founders

37. Become a freelance app developer

A freelance app developer is a programmer who creates mobile apps for Android and iOS devices. Freelance app development business targets creating various apps that give a user-friendly experience.

To become a freelance app developer, first, touch up on your skills. There are several courses available online. Once you obtain the certification, choose your niche and focus on your skill set.

Then the best way to showcase your work is to build a portfolio website where you will display your skills, projects, and testimonials. Another way to promote yourself is to create your brand and blog. This will, in turn, build a network, and you will be able to connect with people and attract more clients.

How much you can make: $10,000 — $91,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $350 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

How I Started A $69K/Month Software Agency After A Failed Product Launch

A software agency started by a non-technical founder helps diverse clients with their minimum lovable product, boasting a revenue of over $700,000 this year with a 20% profit margin and a team of 8.

About
Andrew started Krit about 10 years ago
Revenue
Andrew grew the business to $91K/month
Read by 24,287 founders

38. Start a domain name business

In today's tech-centric world, domain names business has become profitable. You can make passive income buying and selling domains while working a few hours daily. To begin a domain-flipping business, search for a quality domain and register it. List the domain for sale, and target the right buyers, so you maximize profit margin.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $830,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,750 (?)

How long does it take to build: 39 days (?)

This Self-Taught WordPress Developer Started An $84K/Year Web Design Agency

Learn how Vathana Nguon started a freelance web design agency in Cambodia through self-taught WordPress design, attracting clients through search engine optimization and unique selling techniques, and utilizing tools like Themeforest and MailChimp to grow a steady stream of new and returning clients.

About
Vathana started Anachak Design over 8 years ago
Revenue
Vathana grew the business to $7K/month
Costs
It cost Vathana $1500 to start the business
Read by 3,038 founders

39. Start a dating coaching business

A dating coach offers training and guidance to improve the client's success in dating and relationships.

The dating coach evaluates the results of the client's actions and decides what changes to make to the client's dating approach to improve the outcome. Besides, dating coaches offer guidance and support, helping clients negotiate the often confusing first stages of their early romantic experiences.

Dating coaches have been around for years. A more recent trend is dating coaches who help people with conditions like autism overcome their situations and begin dating people they love. Do you love helping people achieve their dating goals? You can start a dating coach service today!

To start, identify a niche and create a website, to help you reach more people. You can target teenagers, divorced people, or older adults and help them through their dating life.

How much you can make: $1,500 — $683,333/month

How much does it cost to start: $20 (?)

How long does it take to build: 45 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 3 hours/week

How I Started A Business Where I Plan Romantic Date Nights For Couples

Meet Ta'Veca Collins, founder of Romance On The Go, a concierge service that promotes romance and intimacy; since becoming a preferred vendor for The W Hotel Fort Lauderdale, their gross income has increased to around $3,200.00 monthly, and they are currently expanding their team to meet the demands of new partnered hotels.

About
Ta'Veca started Romance On The Go, Concierge Services about 12 years ago
Revenue
Ta'Veca grew the business to $3.5K/month
Read by 24,017 founders

40. Start a time tracking app

A time tracking app is a tool used allows its user to clock in/out via an internet-connected device or to use a stopwatch to record the start and end of tasks. The time tracker apps also have analytics and reporting features that consolidate the data so that users can gain insights into time spent on different tasks, projects, and clients.

The growing need among managers and enterprises to improve employee productivity and adopt a remote work culture contribute to the high demand for time-tracking apps.

Therefore, if you are looking for the best App-based business, you may consider developing a time tracker application. Here is a high-level overview of some steps to get you started working on your business idea of the time tracker App

  • Define the project scope
  • Choose a software development methodology
  • Formulate the approach for your development project
  • Create a project team
  • Develop the project plan with timelines
  • Test the prototypes
  • Find suitable API solutions
  • Publish the Apps

How much you can make: $350 — $500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $3,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

How I Launched A $185K/Month Employee Time & GPS Tracking App

Labor Sync is a mobile application that provides business owners with the ability to track the time and GPS location of their mobile workforce and after just one year of use, they saved $104,000 across 45 employees despite starting off with no funds for advertising or marketing.

About
Dean started Labor Sync over 14 years ago
Revenue
Dean grew the business to $185K/month
Read by 7,487 founders

41. Create a digital wallet app

A digital wallet is a financial transaction application that runs on mobile devices. In today’s digital era, people demand the freedom to purchase anything and be able to pay from their digital wallets.

With technological advancement, making digital payments has become easier than ever before. Anyone can use mobile payment platforms to pay and accept payments online. Therefore, creating a digital payments wallet can be a great business opportunity.

To create a digital wallet, conduct extensive market research and create a business plan. It would help if you could hire competent programmers to create a secure payment gateway.

How much you can make: $220,000 — $1,500,000/month

How long does it take to build: 400 days (?)

How We Launched A $1.5MM/Month Digital Wallet and Financial Services Company

iCard is a leading e-money institution that offers a unique and 100% digital bank account alternative, with their app and services supporting the daily payments of people in over 30 European countries, and since launch in late 2017, the iCard app has seen around 500,000 downloads.

About
Yavor started iCard almost 16 years ago
Revenue
Yavor grew the business to $1.5M/month
Read by 10,173 founders

42. Start an e-commerce order fulfillment business

An e-commerce order fulfillment business involves providing product warehousing, packaging, and shipping services on behalf of online retailers.

Typically, the e-commerce order fulfillment founder operates behind the scenes, handling merchant inventory storage, customized packaging, domestic shipping logistics, and potential return processing.

By establishing a dependable and efficient fulfillment infrastructure that can seamlessly integrate with popular e-commerce platforms, businesses can concentrate on maximizing their sales and leave the hassle of speedy and reliable delivery to their fulfillment operations.

How much you can make: $18,000 — $25,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

How This Immigrant Entrepreneur Built A $60M/Year Fulfillment Business

ShipMonk, a technology-driven fulfillment center, went from $130K in revenue in 2014 to nearly $30M in 2018 and was named America's Fastest Growing Fulfillment Center, with projected revenue of $60M for 2019.

About
Jan started ShipMonk over 10 years ago
Revenue
Jan grew the business to $25M/month
Read by 16,627 founders

43. Start a white label reporting tools business

A white label reporting tool is software provided unbranded to a reseller. The reseller company rebrands and sells as if it were its reporting tool.

In most cases, a white label reporting tool is sold as a SaaS product where the company using the software is renting or leasing under a monthly or annual subscription.

With a white label reporting tool business, the reseller offers the tool to its clients without investing in development. The deployment is much faster than when the company was to hire its developers to do the product.

44. Start a sms marketing business

SMS marketing refers to sending promotional campaigns or transactional messages for marketing purposes using text messages.

With 85% 0f adults in the US owning a smartphone, SMS is an excellent way to reach customers directly. Recent statistics show that approximately 55% of US retailers plan to increase investments in mobile SMS marketing.

Typical applications of SMS marketing include:

  • Personalized promotions
  • Offers or discounts
  • Remarketing campaigns
  • Online surveys

Given the widespread adoption of SMS marketing, you better start your SMS marketing platform and offer businesses the service based on once-off purchases or long-term subscriptions.

How much you can make: $1,200 — $3,100,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,015 (?)

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

On Starting A $160K/Month CRM & Automations Company After A US Air Force Career

GreenRope, a self-funded CRM and marketing automation platform with over 1,000 customers in 20 countries, was built organically and focused on creating a positive, customer-centric culture without outside investment, with an all-in-one interface solving challenges in managing sales, marketing, customer service, and operations.

About
Lars started GreenRope almost 16 years ago
Revenue
Lars grew the business to $160K/month
Read by 11,063 founders

45. Start an online jewelry store

The online jewelry store industry has been growing rapidly. More and more people are buying cheaper jewelry online because it is easier and has a much more extensive selection.

The United States jewelry market was valued at about $76B in 2020, and diamond is considered to be the most valuable and lucrative among all forms of jewelry.

If you’re considering starting an online jewelry store to tap into this market, it’s crucial to choose the right e-commerce platform that can support your business needs and enable seamless transactions with your customers.

A great platform can help you showcase your products, manage your inventory, process payments securely, and provide an enjoyable shopping experience to your customers.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $833,333/month

How much does it cost to start: $7,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)

Starting And Growing A Jewelry Business To $4.6M/Year

Taylor & Hart CEO Nikolay Piriankov tells the story of the company's journey from a diamond trading business to an award-winning, disruptive e-tailer of custom-designed, ethical engagement rings and fine jewelry, offering a bespoke design service through specifically developed technology online and instore, and growing to £4-6M in annual revenue.

About
Nikolay started Taylor & Hart over 10 years ago
Revenue
Nikolay grew the business to $385K/month
Read by 19,334 founders

46. Start an online form builder

An online form builder is a tool that allows you to quickly and easily build online forms for your website.

Benefits of using a form builder:

  • Use to easily collect information from visitors, customers, employees, or even other businesses for marketing research.
  • Help businesses get more leads and increase conversion.
  • You can build beautiful and professional-looking forms in minutes.

How much you can make: $8,000 — $420,000/month

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

On Starting A $160K/Month CRM & Automations Company After A US Air Force Career

GreenRope, a self-funded CRM and marketing automation platform with over 1,000 customers in 20 countries, was built organically and focused on creating a positive, customer-centric culture without outside investment, with an all-in-one interface solving challenges in managing sales, marketing, customer service, and operations.

About
Lars started GreenRope almost 16 years ago
Revenue
Lars grew the business to $160K/month
Read by 11,063 founders

47. Start an online advertising agency

An online advertising agency helps businesses promote their products or services on the internet.

To start this business on a budget, first learn the basics of digital marketing through free online resources.

Create a professional website and set up profiles on social media platforms to showcase your skills.

Build a portfolio by working on mock campaigns or offering discounted services to friends and family, and gradually market your services to attract clients.

With dedication, you can grow your agency over time.

How much you can make: $2,797 — $1,250,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 45 days (?)

How I Started A $120K/Month Online Course For Social Media Marketing Agencies

Iman Gadzhi made over $1.2M in profit within two years with his social media marketing agency and education company, where he teaches entrepreneurs how to start and scale a profitable SMMA, with over 45 of his students making over six figures with their SMMA, and over 300 students having quit their regular jobs.

About
Iman started Grow Your Agency almost 7 years ago
Revenue
Iman grew the business to $120K/month
Read by 14,302 founders

meet the author
Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.