12 Most popular side hustles in 2025

If we said that hustling for money has become a trend in the U.S. and worldwide, would you agree? 

If not, maybe these stats from Market Watch will convince you:

• 54% of Americans say they’ve adopted a side hustle to supplement their primary source of income in the last 12 months.
• 71% of Gen-Zers and 68% of millennials are most likely to start a side gig.

If you’re looking to start a side hustle, this post highlights some popular ones you should consider. 

12 Most popular side hustles that can’t be ignored

Most of the side hustles below are easy to begin. However, some may need more time and commitment before you can generate tangible income from them. So, you should set realistic goals about what you intend to gain over time.

That said, here are extra income ideas to consider if you wish to start a side hustle. 

1. Online tutoring and selling courses

Besides your day job, how about teaching others something you’re good at? The online education industry is projected to be worth $279.30 billion by 2029. And, you can be among those profiting from it.

You can make good money as an online tutor. Platforms like GetResponse, Learn to Be, Preply, Tutor Ocean, and TakeLessons.com have made it easier to monetize your knowledge. You can teach anything, whether it’s a language or a skill, or help clients seeking to prepare for a test get better at their current jobs. You can also target beginner, intermediate, and even professional-level learners. 

Online tutoring can be done via live sessions on video conferencing platforms like Zoom or Google Meet. 

Alternatively, you can create and sell online courses. While this might be tasking to set up, it runs on autopilot once you’re done—and you can continue to generate passive income. Keep in mind that tutoring and course creation depend on effective planning and high-quality resources. Aim to deliver the promised value to your prospective learners. That’s how you’ll attract and retain students.

The GetResponse content monetization platform has made it even easier to sell your courses online. You get access to an AI-powered course builder that simplifies your course creation process. You can engage your students through interactive quizzes and market your courses using integrated email campaigns, landing pages, and automation tools – all from one place. 

2. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing where a company (a.k.a. advertiser or merchant) pays a third party (affiliate or publisher) a commission for marketing its products or services. For example, a travel blogger promotes popular hotel websites and earns commissions for bookings on the advertiser’s site.

As an affiliate marketer, you can earn high recurring income or one-time payouts, depending on the affiliate program. Some merchants pay up to 20-50 percent commission on sales you generate.

Find profitable affiliate programs you can get started with. Target profitable niches like:

• Saas and marketing software
• E-commerce
• Finance
• Technology
• Pets 

Use your free time to find potentially profitable affiliate programs across niches— a simple Google search can help. For instance, if you search for “Technology affiliate programs,” the top result is a curated list of tech affiliate merchants. With this, you can do a more specific search for the brand you want to work with and check out their affiliate offers.

Alternatively, check affiliate marketplaces like ClickBank, Impact, FlexOffers, and ShareASale. Choose merchants with a reward system you’re pleased with. Be sure to note the terms of your potential affiliate marketing program.

At GetResponse, we have two profitable affiliate programs that offer recurring and one-time payments.

If you already have an active platform (say a blog, YouTube page, podcast, etc.) leverage your existing audience to kickstart your affiliate marketing side hustle. If you don’t, start building one. You can use GetResponse to create your affiliate marketing website and start earning. 

3. Writing and Self-Publishing E-books

This is another one of those part time side hustles that allow you to earn from sharing your knowledge, hobby, or passion with others. When you think about self-publishing e-books, Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is probably the first platform that comes to mind. But, there are other self-publishing sites like: 

• Gumroad 
• Kobo
• Barnes & Noble
• Lulu

These platforms often charge a percentage from your sales, so keep that in mind when setting your book price. 

You can self-publish any type of e-book that interests you. Write short stories, self-help books, tutorials, guides, or even academic e-books. For instance, author, Hazel Paradise, has self-published some guides on Gumroad and attests to earning significant income.

Consider creating multiple ebooks covering different interests or topics readers are likely to enjoy. Do some research— take note of the types of e-books that are in high demand on a particular platform (Amazon, Gumroad, etc) and target those.

Over time, you can sell the e-books on your own website if you don’t want the percentage cuts from self-publishing sites. Promote your ebook on social media and create engaging content that prompts your audience to buy your published books.

4. Freelancing services

Freelancing is a popular side hustle idea, thanks to platforms like Upwork and Fivver. You can also find high-paying freelance gigs on LinkedIn.

Offer a freelance service that matches your existing skillset and expertise. For instance, you can take freelance writing gigs, offer graphic design design or programming services, among others.

To get started:

• Choose your freelance platform
• See what similar freelancers on that platform charge for their work and stay within that range. 
• Create an engaging freelancer profile with a detailed description of your services. 
• Craft a nice proposal template you can tweak when applying for client job requests.
• Find relevant jobs and apply.

Most freelance platforms may have specific guidelines/policies on client engagements and interactions— pay attention to them.

Depending on your niche, you may need to create a detailed portfolio or freelancer website so clients can easily get acquainted with the quality of your work. 

GetResponse has a user-friendly website builder you can use to create an engaging site for your freelance services. Take advantage of AI-powered features and compelling templates to win potential clients.

5. Blogging

Blogging is a fun side hustle that allows you to share your thoughts, experiences, or knowledge with other people. According to Darren Rowse of Problogger, it’s possible to earn about  $30,000 yearly as a blogger.

Blogging is a strong medium for expressing yourself, building an audience, and making money. It’s an interesting venture, and there’s only a little barrier to entry. Platforms like Substack, Medium, and Vocal Media have made it easy to start a blog and attract an interested audience. You can even monetize your writing and get paid through subscriptions on these platforms.

Starting a blog is straightforward:

• Choose a niche or topic you know and that aligns with your interests. You can be a travel blogger, finance blogger, news blogger, and so on..
• Sign up on a blogging platform – we have Wix, WordPress, or Squarespace if you want to build your own website.
• Continue to publish valuable, high-quality content.

You can also take advantage of social media platforms to give your blog posts more visibility.

Over time, you can monetize your blogging platform through various ways. You can generate revenue through Google Ads that show on your blog site, affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and even digital product sales.

6. YouTube Channel

Of course, YouTube makes it to our list of profitable side hustle ideas. The idea behind creating and growing your following on YouTube centers around the long-term results you’ll get. 

As a YouTuber, you can join the YouTube Partner Program where you earn from ads that pop up while users watch your videos. YouTubers with at least 1,000 subscribers and over 4,000 video watch hours yearly can join the program.

You can also generate money through paid sponsorships— brands pay you to promote their products in your content. If you have a website like the dropshipping store or online course page we discussed, you can send your YouTube audience there, too. 

Your YouTube channel will do better if you share good content that appeals to your target audience. Good video editing skills can also help you stand out. Apps like Canva, Capcut and Inshot have made it simpler to enhance your YouTube videos.

7. Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing gives you an opportunity to make money by selling affiliate products or through profitable brand partnerships. You’ll mostly need to create posts— like videos or reels promoting a product. You can use your creative skills to create content like product reviews, how-to tips, tutorials, or even a commentary featuring the products you’re promoting.

Trend Hero reveals there are 64 million Instagram influencer accounts. That’s a large number you can join. 

Keep in mind that influencer marketing thrives when you have a large following. Here’s a stat by HypeAuditor, showing how much Instagram influencers earn based on their follower count:

From the above, you can see that:

• Nano-influencers (1k-10K followers) can earn $1,420 monthly on average
• Mega influencers (over 1M followers) can earn about $15,356

The figures are attractive, right? 

But, don’t be pressured to quickly grow your follower count. It could make you lean toward tactics like buying fake followers who won’t engage with your content anyway. Remember that you earn from the actual sales you generate.

Instead, invest quality time and attention in the early stages. Show up consistently, engage with your audience, and network with others. You can choose to grow your audience one platform at a time (Instagram isn’t the only social network where influencer marketing thrives). 

If you already have a good following, consider creating a media kit that you’ll send to brands you want to work with. Here’s a good example:

Your media kit should include:

• A compelling personal bio
• Links to your active social media profiles, website, or/and blog
• Indications of your follower count, audience demographics, and engagement rate.
• Previous collaborations
• Services, content types, and price list
• Testimonials, if any

Reach out to your target brands, send a proposal, and highlight how you can help them reach more people. There’s also a good chance that brands you don’t reach out to will notice you and make an offer— if they like the content you’ve been putting out. 

Also, platforms like Upfluence, Collabstr, and Influencer Hero can help potential clients find you. 

Finally, prioritize promoting only brands you trust and go for products with a good track record. You want to avoid anything that could cause your audience to lose trust in your influencer brand.

8. Creating a Podcast

Podcasting is also among the popular part-time side hustles to make extra money from. It’s profitable and enjoyable. You need just a few hours daily, or even weekly to pre-record your audio content and put it on top platforms like Apple Podcast, Spotify, and YouTube Music.

Projections show that there will be about 113.62 million podcast listeners in the U.S. by 2029. So now’s a good time to start. Your podcast can address any topic, niche, or target audience. The idea is to find something you’re passionate about and talk about it. If you’re a blogger, YouTuber, or some other type of content creator, consider repurposing your content into a podcast. 

Monetize your podcast through ads, affiliate links (which you add to podcast descriptions), sponsored content, and paid subscriptions.

Before you start podcasting, it’s a good idea to reference similar podcast channels in the niche you’re targeting. See what others have been doing and how you can bring in your uniqueness.

9. Dropshipping Business

If you’re looking for a low-cost way to earn more money, then dropshipping is one of the best side hustles to make money from. 

With dropshipping, you’re acting as a middleman between manufacturers and buyers. You only need to set up your store with targeted products and market them. The products are shipped directly to the customer when they buy. So, you’re not handling any costs associated with inventory, packaging, shipping, or storage space.  Plus, you only pay for the products you sell after a purchase.

To start dropshipping, first determine the types of products you want to sell. Then:

• Find reliable suppliers for your target category. Assess their review and delivery rate on the platform you chose.
• Set up your online store. Use platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Shopify to reach potential buyers with your dropshipping business.

Market your products. Pinterest is particularly a nice place for this. Use relevant keywords (search phrases) to upload products and create pins— link them to your store. Also, use platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Instagram, and TikTok. You can use Google PPC ads to further boost your reach and attract more customers. 

Optimize your store for search engines by using popular keywords. You can use tools like Google Trends, Ahrefs, or Google Keywords Planner to find effective search terms or phrases you can use in your product descriptions for better search engine performance.

For a more profitable dropshipping side hustle, target products with high demand and low competition. Product research tools like Helium 10, Dropship Spy, and Ecomhunt can help you discover profitable products to sell. 

10. Pet-sitting and dog-walking

Next on our list of profitable side hustles are pet-sitting and dog walking. A bulk of your work as a pet sitter will depend on your availability and the types of pets you’re comfortable caring for. You can specialize in caring for dogs and cats, among others, or offer a combination of services. 

You can also focus solely on dog walking, which can be a convenient way to fit pet sitting into your spare time.

If you wish to offer pet-sitting or dog-walking services:

• Ensure you have the right facilities for a pet-sitting business. For instance, you should have a nice outdoor space pets can stay/play on. 
• Pay attention to your local laws concerning pet-sitting. 
• Get insured: general liability insurance will protect you from possible damages in this line of work.  An in-home business insurance and CCC (Care, Custody, and Control) coverage will also help.
• Consider taking basic pet first-aid and CPR courses to equip yourself better for the job. Showing that you’re certified can also help clients trust you more. You can sign up for a class with the American Red Cross Training Services.

To get clients, start within your neighborhood. Talk to friends, family, and acquaintances, too. There’s a good chance of getting referrals that’ll give your business an early boost. Take advantage of social platforms as well to announce your new side hustle and attract clients. Also use platforms like Rover, Wag, or Sittercity to reach them.

11. Babysitting and Child Care

Babysitting and in-home child care are good side hustles to make money from, particularly because they can easily fit into your own schedule. The demand for babysitting and childcare services is on a rapid increase. The market size is growing by 6.68% annually according to Polaris Market Research. 

You can make good money as a part-time live-out babysitter. A genuine love for children will make your babysitting and childcare side hustle more enjoyable. Plus, babysitting and child care come with significant responsibility.

As a babysitter, you can charge competitive hourly rates. You also get to build strong relationships with other families. Who knows? This could also open you up to more profitable opportunities. 

Each US state has local regulations to ensure the well-being and safety of children in your care. Look out for the one that applies to your location. 

If you’re just starting,

• Consider babysitting for short periods
• Start small, maybe one or two kids at a time. 
• Start with a family you’re already familiar with.
• Obtain first-aid and CPR certification to boost your knowledge and credibility

Research local licensing and permits required for childcare providers. Proper babysitting and childcare training is advisable, too. You’ll also find this on the American Red Cross website. 

Sites like care.com, babysitter’s registry, UrbanSitter, and babysits.com can help you find clients. Also, consider using social platforms and notifying your close networks about your babysitting and childcare services.

12. Niche photography/ Videography

This is one of the best side hustle ideas to make money from if you’re good with a camera. Even a smartphone with a nice camera can do the job. 

You can sell your photos to art galleries and personal clients or as stock images on sites like Shutterstock and Getty Images. For instance, the image below shows you how to become a contributor on Shutterstock:

If you want to sell stock photos, target popular themes and subjects on these platforms. 

Also, you can offer services as a photographer or videographer to local businesses or individual clients. For instance, those who need to capture an engagement, a business launch, a birthday party, or other memorable events. Take a cue from these photography portfolio examples and create a landing page where clients can see your work. 

Here’s some inspiration from Joee Wong:

Social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest are your buddies.  Also, use platforms like Thumbtack to advertise your services. 

Conclusion

Starting a side hustle is worth considering if you wish to earn extra cash. But, beyond that, these side hustles can become profitable in the long run.

In this post, you discovered some side hustle ideas like blogging, babysitting, online tutoring, self-publishing, dropshipping, affiliate marketing, and others. These side gigs vary in terms of initial investment. But they’re mostly low-cost and easy to start. 

As you begin, keep in mind that it’ll take a good amount of consistency to start yielding significant returns. Good luck!