12 Passive Income for Web Developers [2024]

Updated: February 22nd, 2024

12 Passive Income for Web Developers [2024]

As a person seeking to earn passive income, you know it is a long-term decision requiring short-term trade-offs. If you are willing to invest your time, skills, and money towards achieving this goal, the potential to generate substantial income in the long run, is immense.

As a web developer, you are lucky because the technology-driven world heavily relies on your expertise. Small and large businesses alike require web development services to operate effectively, making this profession an ideal source of passive income.

However, to succeed in web development and earn passive income, you must commit to your craft, continually improve your skills, and stay current with industry trends.

In this blog post, I will share some ideas for how Web Developers can make passive income. Stay tuned for tips on how to get started!

1. Start a saas product developer business

As a web developer, creating a SaaS product can be a great way to generate recurring revenue. By creating a product that solves a common problem for other businesses, you can attract a large user base and earn a steady income from subscription fees. Once your product is developed, it can continue to generate revenue without significant ongoing effort, allowing you to focus on other areas of your business.

SaaS product is online software that uses a license to access. With cloud computing omnipresent, starting a SaaS company is a low barrier to entry idea with exponential growth potential.

Modern users recognize the SaaS cost-saving benefits and the ability to offer project collaboration. Besides, there are multiple technologies you can use to build SaaS platforms.

To build a successful SaaS product, you need database management skills, programming language, cloud computing, design & development skills.

If you decide to build a SaaS solution, start by conducting market research and competition analysis.

Before starting the development, you must choose a good app monetization model and select an appropriate technology stack.

How much you can make: $40 — $18,933,333/month

How long does it take to build: 114 days (?)

How I Bootstrapped A Social Media Automation Tool To $2MM/Year

MeetEdgar, a bootstrapped social media automation tool founded in 2014 by Laura Roeder, has grown to $4 million in annual recurring revenue and more than 5,000 customers, with a team size of two dozen, achieved through content marketing, social media marketing, and organic search.

About
Chris started MeetEdgar about 10 years ago
Revenue
Chris grew the business to $333K/month
Read by 13,898 founders

2. Start an affiliate marketing business

By promoting other people's products or services through affiliate marketing, you can earn a commission on each sale generated through your unique affiliate link. As a web developer, you can use your skills to create content that attracts traffic to your site and promotes the products you are affiliated with. Once your content is created, it can continue to generate revenue over time.

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 22,330 founders

3. Start an online jewelry store

By creating an online jewelry store, you can sell your products to a wide audience and generate passive income. As a web developer, you can use your skills to create an attractive and user-friendly online store that showcases your products. Once your store is set up, it can continue to generate revenue without significant ongoing effort.

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 19,001 founders

4. Start a content writing company

Starting a content writing company can be a great way to generate passive income as a web developer. By hiring other writers and editors, you can delegate work and focus on business development, while still earning a share of the profits. Once you have a team in place, your company can continue to generate revenue without your direct involvement, allowing you to step back and focus on other ventures.

Content writing involves writing, editing, and publishing content in a digital format. Examples of content include a blog post, product description, and podcast script—eBooks, press releases, or landing page content.

Becoming a content writer allows you to work as your boss. Therefore, you choose whatever working schedule suits you and take a manageable workload. Moreover, content writing helps you develop essential skills you may not obtain from regular writing.

Content writing is a highly-on-demand service, as companies compete for the online audience who often begin their shopping journey by searching for relevant and educative content online. Therefore, a content writing company is an excellent source of passive income.

To start a content writing company, research the market and choose a suitable niche. Sketch a proper business plan and create a website. Hire a pool of talented writers and leverage modern technology to streamline operations.

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

How much does it cost to start: $600 (?)

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

How Dani Mancini Transformed Her Freelance Gigs Into A SaaS Business

Scribly.io, a subscription-based copywriting service providing high quality content that helps businesses scale at roughly 50% of the cost of hiring in-house, created by Dani, a first-time entrepreneur who started with just a few hundred dollars worth of projects and with the help of three other writers; as of last month, Scribly.io topped $14K monthly revenue.

About
Dani started Scribly.io over 5 years ago
Revenue
Dani grew the business to $37K/month
Read by 12,289 founders

5. Start a subscription box business

By creating a subscription box related to web development, you can generate passive income on a recurring basis. By curating and shipping boxes of products related to your niche, you can attract a loyal subscriber base and earn a steady income over time.

Subscription box businesses offer customers a niche set of products on a monthly basis.

They're in high demand as they add value to customer service, offer exclusive products and can be highly profitable.

To start a subscription box business, understand your niche market, provide quality products, perfect your box design, build a good relationship with fulfillment companies, and market your service.

How much you can make: $400 — $16,666,667/month

How much does it cost to start: $210 (?)

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

How I Started A Gift Box Business For Non Traditional Brides

Vowed Box Co. is a line of curated, quirky gift boxes with non-traditional brides in mind, offering four different products that have helped the business become profitable most months since its launch in 2018, with a monthly income of roughly $600.

About
Lindsay started Vowed Box Co. about 6 years ago
Revenue
Lindsay grew the business to $400/month
Read by 29,640 founders

6. Sell digital products

Web developers can create and sell digital assets, such as stock photos or 3D models. Digital assets are easy to distribute and can continue to generate revenue for years to come.

Digital products are top-rated. They’re easy to create and share and a great way to build a business.

Digital products can be software-based, like an app or game, or information-based, like an ebook or course. They can also be something else entirely—like a membership site or a community. The possibilities are endless!

So what makes digital products such a great way to build a business? Well, first of all, they’re effortless to create. You don’t have to hire anyone else to do it for you; you can do it yourself! And because there’s no risk of having inventory sitting around in your garage, digital products can be sold directly from your website without worrying about moving merchandise.

How much you can make: $10,000 — $1,766,666/month

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

How long does it take to build: 58 days (?)

My Finance Newsletter & Community Hit A $3M Run Rate This Year

Contrarian Thinking is a premium membership community that teaches its 1.5 million members how to implement cash flow strategies to achieve financial freedom, with a current run rate of $3 million and a goal of $50 million ARR in five years.

About
Codie started Contrarian Thinking about 4 years ago
Revenue
Codie grew the business to $250K/month
Skills
Public Speaking, Copywriting, Community Building
Costs
It cost Codie $5000 to start the business
Read by 4,784 founders

7. Start a tech blog

Blogging has become a lucrative business idea for those who possess relevant knowledge and the ability to communicate effectively with readers. By sharing valuable insights, bloggers can earn money through various means such as affiliate marketing, sponsorships, and Google Ads.

A tech blog is a website that covers the latest news and developments in the technology industry. A tech blog typically covers topics such as new products, startups, and industry news.

To start a tech blog, you will need strong writing skills and experience in the technology industry. You should also have a good understanding of the latest trends in technology.

The success of your writing is going to be long-term, but if you do it right now there's the potential for handsome profits! You can start a tech blog and make $37,073 per year.

Starting a tech blog is a great way to share your knowledge of the latest technology trends with the world. This type of business is growing in popularity as people are looking for ways to keep up with the latest news and developments in the tech industry.

How much you can make: $200 — $25,000/month

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

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

My Security YouTube Channel Hit 100K Subscribers & Makes $25K/Month

All Things Secured is a personal security and privacy brand with over 100,000 YouTube subscribers, 160 written guides, and 110 videos that have reached 11 million people worldwide; the founder's goal is to make online security and privacy attainable to anyone regardless of their age or technical proficiency.

About
Josh started All Things Secured about 7 years ago
Revenue
Josh grew the business to $25K/month
Costs
It cost Josh $100 to start the business
Read by 5,722 founders

8. Start a wordpress template business

Web developers can create website templates and sell them on online marketplaces like ThemeForest. Once a template is created, it can continue to generate revenue without any further effort on the developer's part.

How much you can make: $4,333 — $18,933,333/month

I Turned My 'MVP Template' Into A Business That Now Makes $4,380/Month
About
Alexandro started SaasRock almost 2 years ago
Revenue
Alexandro grew the business to $4.33K/month
Costs
It cost Alexandro $500 to start the business
Read by 3,959 founders

9. Start a website hosting platform

Web developers can offer website hosting services to their clients or sell hosting packages through online marketplaces. Hosting can be a great source of passive income, as customers will continue to pay for hosting services on a recurring basis.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $300,000/month

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

How long does it take to build: 67 days (?)

How I Turned My Teenage Hobby Into A Profitable Static Web Hosting Service

Tiiny.Host is a web hosting company that's doubled its monthly recurring revenue every three months, amassing 40,000+ users by providing an easy-to-use hosting and file sharing solution, and built up its brand through SEO.

About
Elston started tiiny.host over 4 years ago
Revenue
Elston grew the business to $2K/month
Costs
It cost Elston $100 to start the business
Read by 4,529 founders

10. Start an etsy shop

Etsy is a popular platform for creatives to sell their products, and web developers can leverage this opportunity by building and designing a visually attractive and user-friendly shop. Once the shop is up and running, you can create various passive income streams by optimizing product listings, using social media to promote the shop, and partnering with influencers to increase visibility.

Etsy has been around for over a decade, and the platform has become more popular for creators, entrepreneurs, and consumers.

The platform started as a place for crafters to sell their supplies and handmade goods. Now it has become a venue for artists and small businesses of all kinds to sell their products.

If you just started your shop or want to sell your products on Etsy, there are many different ways to kill on the platform. With the tips and advice of Etsy sellers who’ve been in your position, you’ll soon be successful!

How much you can make: $100 — $750,000/month

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

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

How I Started A $12K/Month Business Selling Productivity Planners Online

Chasing Planner Peace is a planner company that has expanded from selling planner inserts on Etsy, to offering a one-stop shop customizable planner experience with over 300 inserts, a planner line, and various other related products, gaining a monthly revenue of around $25,000 at its busiest time of year.

About
Jess started Planner Peace over 8 years ago
Revenue
Jess grew the business to $22.5K/month
Read by 61,897 founders

11. Start a wordpress maintenance services

WordPress websites require ongoing maintenance, and web developers can offer maintenance services to their clients or sell maintenance packages through online marketplaces. Maintenance services can be a great source of passive income, as customers will continue to pay for maintenance services on a recurring basis.

How much you can make: $600 — $100,000/month

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

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

How I Started A $1.4K/Month WordPress Support Service

Work Hero is a WordPress support and maintenance service that went from working with one website in December 2019 to 13 recurring customer sites today, earning ~$1470/month with most customers paying an unlimited fee of $149/month.

About
Kevin started Work Hero over 5 years ago
Revenue
Kevin grew the business to $12.2K/month
Costs
It cost Kevin $1000 to start the business
Read by 7,202 founders

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you build passive income as a Web Developer?

Yes, as a web developer, you can build passive income by creating digital products such as templates, plugins, and courses, which can be sold online. You can also earn passive income by building and owning profitable web applications, generating ad revenue through content creation, or affiliate marketing by promoting products through your website.

How to make passive income as a Web Developer?

To make passive income as a web developer, you can create digital products, such as WordPress themes and plugins, and sell them online. You can also create and own profitable web applications, build niche websites generating ad revenue, or become an affiliate marketer and earn commissions from promoting other people's products. Additionally, offering web development services with a recurring revenue model can also help to generate passive income.

Is passive income for a Web Developer truly passive?

Passive income for a web developer can be considered passive since it generates revenue even when the developer is not actively working on a project. However, it requires significant effort upfront to develop the product or web application, market it, and attract customers. Once established, it can provide a relatively stable source of income with minimal maintenance, but it still requires some effort to maintain and update the product or application.

Conclusion

Online passive income is an excellent option if you are a Web Developer looking for ways to make some extra money. Several options are available, and many of them can be started with little to no investment.

Do your research, find something that interests you, and get started! You may be surprised at how quickly those extra dollars start adding up. What have you got to lose?

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.