26 Best Side Hustles to Make Money in 2026

14. Short-form video editing for brands

Brands and creators are drowning in video demand. HubSpot’s 2025 marketing research says short-form video delivers the highest ROI, and it’s also the most-used content format (30% of both B2B and B2C marketers use it). Short-form editors who can turn raw footage into TikToks, Reels, and Shorts often charge $300–$1,500+ per monthly package per client.

Example

You might handle 12–20 short videos per month for a coach, plus reuse those assets as content examples in a “short-form hook pack” product.

Upfront cost

$0–$300

Time required

5–20 hours/week

Income potential

$800–$5,000+/month

Required skills

Basic editing, pacing, hooks, and platform trends.

Challenges

Fast turnarounds, creative fatigue, managing expectations around “viral” performance.

How to start

Edit a few spec videos using free stock clips or a friend’s footage. Reach out to creators and small brands already posting but with weak editing. Offer a starter package, then raise prices as you lock in consistent results.

15. UX/UI or brand design

Brief overview

Good designers are always in demand. You have the flexibility to choose between designing conversion-friendly interfaces (UX/UI) and visual identity (brand) for clients. Brand designers often charge $50–$150+/hour or $1,000–$10,000+ per full branding or product design project.

Example

GameArt2D sells full GUI packs (buttons, HUD, windows) as ready-to-use UI assets for game interfaces.

Upfront cost

$0–$500

Time required

5–20 hours/week

Income potential

$1,000–$8,000+/month

Required skills

Design tools (Figma, Adobe), user-centric thinking, branding basics.

Challenges

Portfolio building, client feedback cycles, staying creative under deadlines.

How to start

Pick one narrow offer to start (e.g., “Landing page UI + mobile version” or “Brand kit: logo lockups + palette + type + mini style guide”). Build 2–3 strong samples (even mock projects), then sell the same thinking twice: 

1. As a service package
2. As a template/kit on Sellfy for people who can’t afford custom work.

Creative side hustles

These creative side hustles work best when you’re willing to ship imperfect work consistently (and not wait for inspiration like it’s a delivery order).

16. Sell print-on-demand products

Print-on-demand (POD) lets you sell merch (shirts, hoodies, mugs, posters) without holding inventory. You upload designs; the provider prints and ships when orders come in. It’s a classic creative side hustle with 50–70% profit margins on well-priced products.

Sellfy has built-in POD so you can design, list, and sell from the same dashboard. Learn more in this guide to selling merch with print-on-demand.

Example

Canva Greeting Cards & Templates has a dedicated section called “Print-on-Demand T-Shirts, Pants, Bags & More” with items like hoodies, beanies, tees, and home goods. 

Upfront cost

$0–$200

Time required

3–15 hours/week

Income potential

$300–$4,000+/month

Required skills

Basic design, niche understanding, marketing, and social media.

Challenges

Standing out, testing winning designs, dealing with returns, and shipping times.

How to start

Pick one tight niche (community, profession, inside jokes, micro-hobby), then create 10–20 designs that clearly “signal identity” (not generic quotes). Launch a small set of bestsellers first (tees + hoodies), order 1–2 samples to verify quality, then push consistently through one main channel (TikTok/IG Reels or a niche Facebook group) before you scale the catalog.

17. User-generated content creator

UGC creators make short videos and photos for brands to use in their ads and social feeds. It’s one of the fastest-growing creative side hustles, with many creators charging $100–$500+ per content package early on. 79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions (and it’s rated more impactful than brand-created or influencer-created content in that survey).

Example

Blush Bloom Aesthetics sells a 35-image stock photo collection aimed at helping entrepreneurs/influencers upgrade their social content.

Upfront cost

$0–$300

Time required

3–15 hours/week

Income potential

$300–$5,000+/month

Required skills

On-camera presence, basic filming, editing, storytelling.

Challenges

Outreach and negotiation, creative briefs, staying authentic while promoting.

How to start

Pick 1–2 niches you can film easily (skincare, fitness, food, apps), then build a tight portfolio of 8–12 sample UGC videos (different hooks, angles, and styles). Start outreach to DTC brands and local businesses with a simple offer (e.g., “3 videos/week” package) and clear usage terms. Once you’re shipping consistently, sell add-ons via Sellfy (rate card template, UGC script packs, content bundles, or a mini-course on your process).

Canva Greeting Cards & Templates has a dedicated section with print-on-demand hoodies, beanies, tees, and home goods.

18. Graphic design

Graphic design side hustles cover logos, social graphics, templates, and more. Digital assets like fonts, icons, and UI kits can hit 80-90% profit margins when sold as downloads. On Upwork, graphic designers commonly price at $15–$35/hr (median $25/hr), and the category has 100K+ reviews, which is a great sign of active buying.

Learn more about the best ways to make money using graphic design in this detailed guide.

Example

Mattovsky sells PSD-based stream overlay template packs for gamers and other streamers, showing how you can turn your design skills into a sellable digital asset.

Upfront cost

$0–$300

Time required

5–15 hours/week

Income potential

$300–$4,000+/month

Required skills

Design tools, typography, layout, and visual branding.

Challenges

Crowded marketplaces, pricing, and avoiding endless low-budget requests.

How to start

Create 2–3 small template packs for a specific niche (e.g., real estate reels, coaches’ carousels). List them as digital products on a specialized platform like Sellfy. Use Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok to showcase “before/after” and design process clips.

19. Make money with photography

Brief overview

Photography can be both a client service and a digital product business. Photographers increasingly earn from presets, stock packs, and courses, often with profit margins above 70%.

Check Sellfy’s guide on how to make money as a photographer plus the photography ideas in the digital products article.

Example

Underwater photographer Tobias Friedrich sells custom Lightroom presets through a Sellfy-powered store and talks about using automated delivery to earn “passive income” while focusing on shooting/travel. 

Upfront cost

$200–$1,500 (camera gear/software)

Time required

5–20 hours/week

Income potential

$300–$5,000+/month

Required skills

Photography, editing, basic marketing, client communication.

Challenges

Gear costs, finding a style, balancing client work vs. digital product creation.

How to start

Pick a niche (portraits, product, travel). Start with a mix of small shoots and digital products like presets or stock packs. Use a Sellfy store to host both your digital assets and, if you want, simple bookings or paid guides.

20. Sell handmade crafts

Brief overview

Handmade crafts are physical products you make yourself (candles, crochet, resin, pottery). This works when your style is recognizable, and your production is consistent. Etsy’s marketplaces connected 8.1M active sellers to 95.5M active buyers as of Dec 31, 2024, a strong signal of ongoing demand.

Example

The Backyard Apothecary sells handcrafted products like tallow soaps on a Sellfy storefront, a clean (pardon the pun) example of productized handmade items.

Upfront cost

$100–$800

Time required

5–15 hours/week

Income potential

$200–$2,000+/month

Required skills

Craftsmanship, product photography, basic branding and packaging.

Challenges

Inventory, shipping, pricing time-intensive work properly.

How to start

Start with 3 products, calculate true costs, then raise prices faster than you think you should. Your time is not free.

Simple side gigs to make money

These are side gigs to make money when you want something straightforward and you’re okay trading time for cash.

21. Rideshare driving

Brief overview

Driving passengers around via rideshare apps is a straightforward offline side hustle. Many drivers report gross earnings of $15–$30/hour before costs, with big differences by city and time of day.

Example

You could drive only during weekend nights or airport runs and treat it as a targeted “extra income” window.

Upfront cost

$0–$1,500 (vehicle, maintenance, insurance)

Time required

5–20 hours/week

Income potential

$300–$2,000+/month

Required skills

Safe driving, customer service, navigation.

Challenges

Fuel and maintenance costs, dealing with difficult passengers, late hours.

How to start

Ensure your car meets platform requirements, complete background checks, and experiment with different time slots. Track real net pay after costs to see if it fits your goals.

Learn how to sell online the simple way

See how

22. Pet sitting and dog walking

Brief overview

Pet sitting and dog walking are classic simple side gigs to make money if you like animals. Many walkers charge $15–$30 per walk, and sitters can earn more for overnight stays.

Example

You build a small roster of local clients and fill your mornings or evenings with regular walks. Sample schedule: You walk two dogs each weekday and do weekend sitting.

Upfront cost

$0–$150

Time required

3–15 hours/week

Income potential

$200–$1,500+/month

Required skills

Reliability, basic pet care, communication.

Challenges

Weather, schedule juggling, responsibility for someone’s pet.

How to start

Start with friends/family referrals, get reviews, then raise rates. Cheap clients are the hardest clients.

23. House cleaning and home organizing

Brief overview

Cleaning and organizing homes trades time and effort for reliable cash. Solo cleaners often charge $25–$60/hour depending on location and scope, with repeat clients providing steady income.

Example

You might focus on “move-in/move-out” cleans on weekends or recurring bi-weekly cleans for a few clients.

Upfront cost

$50–$300

Time required

5–20 hours/week

Income potential

$300–$2,500+/month

Required skills

Attention to detail, physical stamina, organization.

Challenges

Physical work, travel between clients, managing expectations on time and results.

How to start

Offer a first-time deep clean, then move clients to a recurring schedule. Recurring is where the money gets calmer.

Mattovsky sells PSD-based stream overlay template packs starting at $14.

24. Local handyman / odd jobs

Brief overview

If you’re handy, small repairs and odd jobs (mounting TVs, fixing shelves, basic yardwork) could be your perfect weekend hustle. Rates often sit at $25–$75/hour depending on skill and tools.

Example

You might spend Saturdays doing fix-it tasks in your area booked through local apps or word of mouth.

Upfront cost

$50–$500 (tools)

Time required

3–15 hours/week

Income potential

$300–$2,000+/month

Required skills

Basic DIY skills, safety awareness, problem-solving.

Challenges

Inconsistent demand at first, physical strain, liability for mistakes.

How to start

Start with the tasks you can do perfectly (assembly, mounting), get photos + reviews, then expand. Don’t “learn on the client.”

25. Food and grocery delivery

Brief overview

One of the simplest side gigs to make money involves delivering food or groceries through apps. You can make $12-$25/hour before expenses like gas, depending on your city and hours.

Example

Stack deliveries after your day job or on weekends to hit a specific monthly savings goal.

Upfront cost

$0–$800 (if you already own a car, it’s mostly fuel)

Time required

3–20 hours/week

Income potential

$200–$1,500+/month

Required skills

Navigation, reliability, customer service.

Challenges

Vehicle wear-and-tear, variable demand, dealing with weather/traffic.

How to start

Sign up for one or two solid delivery apps. Track hourly earnings after expenses. Focus on high-tip areas and busy times (lunch, dinner, weekends).

Side hustles to avoid in 2026

Some of these side hustles are high-risk, some are overhyped, and all of them are rarely worth your time:

• Get-rich-quick crypto or day trading schemes: High risk, often marketed with unrealistic returns.
• MLM / “recruit your friends” businesses: Revenue often depends more on recruiting than real product value.
• Generic dropshipping with low-quality products: Oversaturated and heavy on ad spend; easy to lose money.
• Expensive “Amazon automation” or done-for-you store offers: High buy-in, very little control, and lots of horror stories.
• Survey-only “income” promises: Fine for pocket change, but not a real side hustle that pays well.

Focus on skills and assets you control instead: digital products, services, and simple, transparent gigs.

FAQ

What is a side hustle?

A side hustle is any extra work you do to make money outside your main job. Usually it’s flexible, usually it’s on your terms (or at least that’s the goal). It can be offline, like delivery or tutoring, or online, like freelancing, selling templates, or running a small ecommerce store. The difference is simple, it’s not your full-time job, but it can grow into one if you treat it seriously.

How to make more money on the side?

Pick one thing you can actually stick with, not five half-baked ideas you “might start this weekend.” Go for something with decent margins, services and digital products tend to beat low-paying gigs fast. Set a weekly time block you can defend (even if it’s just 6 hours), get results, then raise your rates before you get “busy” and resentful.

How to start a side hustle?

Pick one idea you can ship fast. Turn it into a simple offer (what you do, who it’s for, price). Block 5–10 hours a week and protect it. Then validate with real people: a basic page or profile, plus 10–20 direct messages to likely buyers. Do the first few jobs/sales, collect feedback, and adjust your offer and pricing based on what people actually pay for.

Which side hustle pays the most?

There’s no “best” side hustle. There’s only what pays you the most based on what you can sell and how fast you can prove it works. The big money usually comes from one of two lanes: you either charge more because your skill is rare, or you build something you can sell without repeating yourself 50 times.

Why start a side hustle?

Because life got expensive, honestly. People start side hustles to cover bills, pay off debt, or build a savings buffer, but also because having one income stream feels like playing life on hard mode. The other reason is autonomy, you get to build something that’s yours, even if it starts as a scrappy weekend project.

And once you see money come in from something you control, it’s hard to unsee it.