The best online side hustles in 2025 to earn extra income from home

Online tools and platforms mean it’s easier than ever to work, start businesses, market products, and find clients remotely. Just use these tools to power a side gig that suits your goals and personality. 

This article contains a list of 25 online side hustles you can do from home, plus resources to help you start. We’ve also finished the article with tips about choosing the best side hustle for you and a few red flags to avoid. Read on to learn more!

An online side hustle is work you do on the internet outside of your regular job. Since you use digital tools to earn, you can do your side hustle from home, a coffee shop, the beach, or anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection.

Some online side hustles are jobs where you get paid per hour or task. But many people use their side hustle to scratch an entrepreneurial itch and start a small business.

The benefit of this is that you can earn more than an equivalent job, but there’s also a higher chance of failure. 

Deciding whether to get a job or start a business is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing your side hustle.

Here is a list of the best online side hustles you can begin in 2025. We’ve included the pros and cons of each one, as well as actionable steps you can take to get started. 

We’ve split the side hustles into 3 categories so you can quickly find ones that fit your skills. The categories are: content and community, e-commerce and services.

Check the table below or scroll through the article to find the best side hustle for you. If you need help deciding, head to the end of this article, where we’ve got plenty of tips you can use to choose.

Selling digital products involves creating, marketing and selling digital goods such as ebooks, courses, templates, graphics, or software online. It's ideal for creative individuals or experts in a particular field who can leverage their expertise to create valuable digital content.

Pros

• It’s cheap to start selling digital products, you just need an idea and a way to process payments

• High scalability, create your product once and sell it as many times as you want

• Potential for passive income as you don’t need to create new products or fulfill services 

Cons

• Many niches are already very competitive 

• Requires marketing skills

• Can be tough to build a product people will pay for

Watch the video below to get a step-by-step lesson on how you can sell digital products with MailerLite.

Starting a newsletter involves curating and sending regular written updates or insights via email to a subscribed audience. It’s the ideal online side gig for individuals who are passionate about a specific topic, industry, or hobby and have good writing skills. 

Pros

• Start for free with an email marketing platform like MailerLite

• Possible to build authority in your chosen area

• Many newsletter monetization options including ads, digital products, and selling services 

Cons

• Requires consistent content creation to retain subscribers

• Building and maintaining a subscriber list can be challenging

• High competition in popular topics requires a distinct voice or unique content

Paid newsletters are like regular newsletters but you charge people to access your content. It's a great model for writers, industry experts, or influencers with a loyal following. Paid newsletters can be lucrative side hustles to do from home if you find an audience willing to buy your content. 

Pros

• The recurring revenue model brings earning consistency and has the potential for high income

• Creates a direct connection with your audience

• Requires fewer subscribers to monetize than ad-based monetization models

Cons

• Need to deliver high-quality content consistently

• Building a subscriber base takes time

• Subscription fatigue means it can be hard to convince people to pay for your newsletter

Content creators use social media platforms to create and share engaging content and build an audience. Once they’ve built the audience, they can monetize it through sponsorships, ads, or affiliate marketing. 

Growing a social media audience will also help with many of the side hustles on this list. For example, it’s far easier to sell digital products, freelance services, or paid newsletter subscriptions if you have an existing audience to promote your idea to. 

Pros

• Easy and free to start, just create an account on your chosen social platform

• Diverse monetization options

• Creative freedom and potential to post about topics you enjoy

Cons

• Algorithm changes affect visibility

• Platform dependency. Social sites like Facebook and Instagram can delete your page at any moment. Building an email list can reduce this by giving you a direct connection with your audience

• Lots of competition in some niches from other content creators

There are many ways to earn on Amazon, the first we’ll look at is the brand’s influencer program. Participants of this program create video reviews for Amazon products and then earn a commission when someone buys the product after watching the review. 

Pros

• Easy online side hustle to start, just review products you’ve already bought from Amazon

• Automatic distribution from the Amazon algorithm

• Potential for videos you create to earn for a long time

Cons

• Need to buy products to review

• The Amazon algorithm controls whether people see your content

• Need to be comfortable in front of the camera

Self-publishing through platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) allows authors to publish and sell their books online. It's the perfect online hustle for aspiring authors seeking full creative control and higher royalties.

Pros

• Control over the publishing process and no need to get a book contract

• Higher royalties compared to traditional publishing

• Sell globally as soon as you publish your book

Cons

• You need to do your own marketing and promotion

• It’s hard to create a quality product if you lack editing and publishing experience

• Lack of traditional publishing support and resources

Starting a YouTube channel involves creating video content and publishing it on YouTube. It's ideal for charismatic individuals who enjoy being on camera or have a specific expertise or passion they want to share. 

Once you start getting views and subscribers, you can monetize the channel through YouTube’s native ads service, creating sponsored content, selling products, offering freelance services, or creating and selling digital or physical products.

Pros

• Opportunity to reach a global audience

• Various revenue options like ad earnings, sponsorships, and merchandise sales

• Creative freedom in content production

Cons

• Requires consistent content creation 

• High competition among content creators

• Time-consuming video production and editing process

Affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing strategy where individuals earn a commission by promoting the products or services of other companies. It's suitable for those with strong marketing skills who can effectively promote products to their audience.

Pros

• Potential for high earnings if you choose the right products

• No need to create or manage stock

• Flexibility in promotion strategies

Cons

• Need for audience building and trust

• Dependence on affiliate program policies which can change at any moment

• Fluctuating income based on sales performance

Creating and selling online courses involves turning your knowledge or skills into structured learning materials delivered through an online platform. It's ideal for subject matter experts or educators looking to monetize their expertise and reach a wide audience.

Pros

• Scalable income potential as you can create once and sell repeatedly

• Flexibility in course creation and delivery

• Ability to help others learn and grow

Cons

• Need for course planning and content creation

• Competition from other online courses

• Requirement for marketing and promotion efforts

Podcasting involves creating and publishing audio content on a regular basis. It's perfect for individuals who are passionate about a particular subject and skilled in communication and storytelling. While it can be hard to grow an audience, the audience you do grow will often keep listening to you for the long term. 

Pros

• Creativity freedom in content creation

• Ability to build a loyal audience and generate authority in your industry

• Potential for monetization through sponsorships and ads

Cons

• Time-consuming production and editing process

• Need for consistent content delivery

• No built-in growth mechanism

Blogging involves creating and publishing written content on a blog platform on topics of interest to a target audience. It's perfect for individuals passionate about a particular subject who enjoy writing and sharing their thoughts and expertise.

Pros

• Can be a fun creative outlet that grows your authority

• Potential to earn money through ads, sponsorships, or affiliate marketing

• Ability for bloggers to build a loyal readership

Cons

• Need for consistent content creation

• Time investment in building audience and traffic

• Competition in the blogging space

Creating an online community involves building a group of individuals who share common interests, goals, or values. This can be done through social media or dedicated online platforms. It’s ideal for individuals passionate about a particular topic who want to facilitate connections and share knowledge among like-minded people.

Pros

• Opportunity to establish leadership and authority in a niche

• Builds meaningful relationships and networks

• Potential monetization through memberships, sponsorships, or exclusive content

Cons

• Hard to get traction in the early stages of community growth

• Communities can lose value if they grow too large

• Moderating a community can be time-consuming

Etsy is an e-commerce platform specializing in handmade, vintage, and unique goods. It's an ideal online side job for artisans, crafters, or vintage collectors looking to sell their creations to a niche audience. 

Pros

• Targeted audience of buyers looking for products like yours

• Built-in marketplace and selling tools 

• Crafting and creating products to sell can be enjoyable 

Cons

• Listing and transaction fees

• Competition within niche markets

• Hard to scale sales if you make products yourself

Becoming a seller on Amazon involves listing and selling products on the Amazon marketplace. It’s an easy way to start an e-commerce store as you can access Amazon’s existing audience and the e-commerce giant has plenty of tools to help you sell. 

You can even use Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) to send out orders with almost zero effort on your behalf. Just ship your products to the Amazon warehouse and the company will fulfill orders as they come in. 

Pros

• Access to a massive customer base

• Fulfilled by Amazon simplifies order fulfillment

• Tools for payments, product discovery and more

Cons

• Competition from other sellers

• Fees and commissions

• Potential for account suspensions or policy changes

eBay is an online marketplace where individuals and businesses can buy and sell almost anything. It's the ideal online side hustle for sellers looking to reach a large audience and sell both new and used items. 

One of the biggest differences between selling on eBay and Amazon is that on eBay each listing can appear in the search results, whereas secondary listings for a product on Amazon are hidden in the “New & Used” section. This can make it easier to get visibility on eBay if you’re a new seller.

Pros

• Wide audience of potential buyers

• Easy listing process

• Sell via auction or fixed price

Cons

• Listing fees 

• Competition from other sellers

• Need for effective product descriptions and photos

Dropshipping is a retail fulfillment method where a store doesn't keep the products it sells in stock. Instead, when a store sells a product, it automatically purchases the item from a third party and has it shipped directly to the customer. 

It's suitable for entrepreneurs looking to start an e-commerce business with minimal upfront investment, especially those with marketing skills, as your ability to generate customers is the main factor that will define your success. 

Pros

• Low startup costs, just create a website and start promoting products 

• No need for inventory management

• Wide range of products to sell

Cons

• Thin profit margins make staying profitable tough

• Reliance on suppliers and shipping times

• Customer service challenges for returns and refunds

A TikTok shop is an online store built right into TikTok. It lets you promote products in your videos, which people can buy without ever having to leave the platform. Plus, you can get product exposure in TikTok’s dedicated shopping tab. 

Pros

• Easy to start since you don’t need to create a separate online store

• Use TikTok’s audience growth features to build exposure

• Good way to monetize an existing TikTok account

Cons

• Reliant on the TikTok platform and algorithm

• Hard to find profitable products 

• As of July 2025, there’s still a risk that TikTok will be banned in the U.S.

Creating no-code apps involves using platforms that allow users to build software applications without the need for traditional coding skills. Vibe coding is when you use AI tools to create software and apps with prompts.

Both no-coding and vibe coding are useful for entrepreneurs, business owners, or individuals who have an idea for an app, but lack the programming skills to create it.

Pros

• Enables non-technical people to create custom apps

• App subscription revenue can be extremely profitable

• Learn new tech skills that can help with your day job

Cons

• Dependence on the capabilities and limitations of no-code platforms

• Cost uncertainty if the platform pricing changes or business scales

• While typically easier than coding, there’s still a learning curve to no-code platforms

Print-on-demand stores design graphics that they add to items like t-shirts, cups or bags. They then sell these products in online stores and use third-party platforms to fulfill the orders. It’s perfect if you have design skills and want a very low-risk way to sell products with your designs. 

Pros

• Low starting cost. Just pay for your online store and marketing software.

• Easy to scale since you don’t do any product fulfillment

• Can make quick money if you have an audience to sell to

Cons

• Profit margins are typically very low

• Hard to differentiate yourself if you don’t have an existing brand

• Reliance on third-party stores

Online tutoring involves providing educational support or instruction to students remotely via video calls or online platforms. It's a suitable side hustle for English teachers, educators or anyone with expertise in a particular field that people are willing to pay to learn. 

Pros

• Flexible schedule and the ability to work from anywhere

• Wide audience reach can help with generating clients

• Existing platforms can help you find students

Cons

• Need for subject matter expertise

• Competition from established tutoring services

• Difficulty of standing out in competitive niches

A virtual assistant provides administrative, technical, or creative support to clients remotely. Tasks can include email management, scheduling, social media management, and more. It's suitable for individuals with strong organizational and communication skills who enjoy working independently.

Pros

• Potential for flexible work hours

• Wide range of tasks and industries

• Long-term client relationships

Cons

• Dependence on client workload

• Initial challenges in building a client base

• Can be hard to increase your earnings

Freelancing is when you offer services to clients. Common services to offer include freelance writing, graphic design, website design, digital marketing, proofreading, bookkeeping, or programming. 

You’ll typically work on a per-project brief with the contract ending once the work is done. It's a great online side hustle for people with marketable skills who want to use them to earn more outside of their regular work.

Pros

• Flexibility in how much work you do

• Diverse range of earning opportunities 

• Potential for high earnings if you have experience

Cons

• Inconsistent income

• Need for continual self-promotion and pitching

• Hard to scale as you’re selling time for money

If you like the idea of freelancing but have skills in areas such as management or sales rather than service fulfillment, you could create an agency side hustle. 

Like freelancing, you’ll still have to decide on a service to offer, the difference being that you’ll pay others to fulfill the work for you while you focus on getting customers. 

Pros

• Good option if you don’t have skills that suit freelancing

• Possible to scale into a full-time business if you are good at time and people management

• Potential for high earnings

Cons

• Can be time-consuming which can be problematic if balancing around another job

• Inconsistent earnings as you’re reliant on attracting clients

• You need to keep a team of freelancers or employees happy

If you have skills in a particular area but don’t want to offer your services as a freelancer or agency, you could try online coaching. This is where you guide people through challenges in their lives that relate to your experiences.

Pros

• Earn from your skills without actually doing the work

• Low startup costs and fixed time commitment

• Can be easy to get clients if you have a strong reputation or network

Cons

• Only open to people with certain experiences

• Hard to scale as you’re trading time for money

• Marketing your services can be tough when starting out

Testing apps and websites involves reviewing and providing feedback on their functionality, usability, and overall user experience. This side gig is suitable for those who have a keen eye for detail and want a part-time side hustle with little commitment.

Pros

• Flexible work hours and the ability to work from home

• No special qualifications required beyond basic tech proficiency

• Opportunity to see and use new products before they are widely available

Cons

• Pay per test can be low

• Work availability can be inconsistent and unpredictable

• Certain demographics may get more test requests than others

Finding side hustle success means picking one that suits your lifestyle and pushes you towards your goals. That’s how you can ensure you’ll be happy to spend your spare time on a side gig once your regular work is done. 

Here are some of the key points to consider when choosing a side hustle.

1. Think of your goals

People start side hustles for many reasons, but here are 4 of the most common. Choose the one that resonates the most and then look for a side hustle that meets this target.

Earn extra money

If you want to earn extra cash, the best side hustle will typically be a paid job. This could be using your existing skills to freelance, or taking an online job that is paid per hour. 

The benefit of a side job is that you’ll get guaranteed income, although like a regular job, you’ll be limited in the amount you earn by the amount of time you put in. 

Start a business

Many people start businesses as their hustle. The benefit of this is that you can scale the business and may be able to go full-time. 

Grow your expertise

Some side hustles like blogging or starting a podcast complement your day job by helping you grow expertise in your industry. They may not be the most lucrative way to earn extra money, but the extra authority you build can benefit your career. 

Have fun

Sometimes you just want to do something because it’s fun. This could be posting on social media about a topic you enjoy or learning new skills by creating apps and products. 

Having fun is especially important when you consider that you’ll be spending time outside your working hours on the side hustle. If you don’t find the activity enjoyable, the temptation of switching to Netflix or scrolling TikTok will become far more attractive. 

2. Consider your skill set

Your skill set also plays a big part in how you make money online. Think about the things you’re good at and choose a complementary side hustle. 

You could also choose a side hustle based on the skills you want to learn. For example, if you want to learn web design, take some courses on the topic and offer your services once you’ve gained the required level of expertise. 

3. Think about how much time you can offer 

Different side hustles require vastly different time investments. Testing products or pet sitting can be done in just an hour or two a week, while starting a YouTube channel or a community could end up like a full-time job, depending on how committed you are. 

Be aware that the time commitment of some side hustles can quickly spiral. For example, when running an agency or freelancing, you may start working just a couple of hours a week, but client demands could see this increase quickly.

4. Research competition

One of the best ways to start a side hustle is to look at what is already in high demand and base your efforts around this. For example, a writer could look at the fact that there are many successful freelance writers and see that it’s likely to be an area where they could find work. 

If you can’t see anyone doing what you want to do, it could be a sign that it isn’t a skill or service that people are after. On the other hand, it could also be a big opportunity to stand out! 

5. Choose the best advertising channel

Getting people to discover your side project is one of the hardest parts of being successful. This makes marketing and sales skills especially important. 

Here are some channels to explore.  

Your existing network

If you just need a small number of clients to have a successful side hustle, you can promote your gig to your existing network. 

For example, a successful professional may be able to offer freelancing services to people they know. Or a dog owner may be able to reach out to pet-owning friends to offer pet-sitting services. 

Once you have happy clients, you can ask people to refer you to others they know. 

Social media

We’ve included growing an audience on social media, as an example of a side hustle, but it’s also an effective way to make other side hustles work. 

The simple reason is that once you have an audience, you can promote your business to these people without paying for the reach. The key is to choose an audience and a side hustle that match. 

For example, if you have a large professional network on LinkedIn, offering freelance services or creating a course could be a good option. Or if you have an Instagram account dedicated to running, you could promote a community or sell running merchandise.

You can also use paid ads on social media to promote your product or service. You can start with a budget of just a few dollars each day.

Search engines

Creating a website and optimizing it for search engines can be a powerful distribution channel. The downside is that it can take a long time to pay off and competition in many niches is extremely tough. But if you can make it work, you’ll get targeted traffic visiting your website every day without paying a cent in advertising fees.

Newsletters

Email is a marketing channel that is complementary to the other channels we’ve mentioned. 

While they don’t help with awareness, email marketing lets you communicate with potential customers which is an effective way to generate sales further down the line. 

And once you’ve generated sales, you can also use email marketing to target customers and bring in repeat sales. 

Use built-in distribution

Many side hustles have platforms that will help you get clients. This can help if you are a beginner in your field without an audience or network.

Examples of platforms that will help you find an audience include Upwork and Fiverr for freelancing, Rover for dog sitting, Amazon for product selling, or UserTesting for testing products.

Not all side hustles are built equally. Here are some red flags that we think most people should avoid. 

Side hustles that require a big upfront investment

Many side hustles require some investment, whether that’s buying software, equipment, or advertising space. 

But if a side hustle requires a bigger investment than you can afford to lose, you should really consider whether you have the skills and time available to make it work. 

Maybe start with a low-stakes side hustle and build up to bigger goals as your experience grows.

Low-paying side hustles

Some side-hustles you’ll see advertised, like taking surveys or earning through stepping apps, are extremely low-paid and unlikely to be worth your time unless you really enjoy the activity itself. 

The exception is that many side hustle business ideas require you to work for free while you build up the business. For example, you might need to create digital products to sell, set up an online store, build a social audience, or find freelance clients. 

Working for free in these cases can be worthwhile. But, if you’ve been trying for a while and are still not earning much money or seeing the potential to do so, you may want to consider another option.

Side hustles you don’t enjoy

Side hustles are activities you do in your free time outside of your work. If you don’t enjoy the one you choose, staying consistent will be much harder. Choose a hustle that you find fun to increase your chances of success.

Side hustles that could lose a lot of money

You’ll see people boasting online about big gains they’ve made from side hustles like day trading or crypto investing. 

The problem with these schemes is that while you can earn money fast, you can also lose a lot of money fast. For the vast majority of people, side hustles like this are best avoided. 

Side hustles that seem too good to be true

I received a message on WhatsApp a few weeks ago promising the opportunity to earn 4 figures in just a few hours a month. This would have been pretty tempting, except that the message came unsolicited from an unknown number on WhatsApp. 

While it is certainly possible to earn those kinds of results from a side hustle, you’ll typically only achieve them after significant work. If an opportunity seems too good to be true, it probably is.  

Now you know both the best side hustles to choose and tips for being successful. The next step is jumping in to start. 

Use the steps mentioned above to choose a side hustle that meets your goals and then start working towards them!