16 profitable part-time business ideas in 2025

Top 16 part-time business ideas

Dog walking

A professional dog-walking business could tap into busy owners’ demand for pet care services. As work schedules occupy pet parents, convenience services that exercise dogs by walking them provide value. Dog walking leverages personnel time so owners do not sacrifice work or personal responsibilities. Walks improve canine health and behavior too, making the service more than just convenience.

As disposable income and pet “parenting” trends rise, professional services help owners enhance their dogs’ lives. A business matching engaged dog walkers to client homes coordinates personalized care scaled for the pets’ needs. With mobile apps managing scheduling and payment, professional walking further aligns with convenience trends.

How much you can make: $20,000 – $100,000 annually
How much does it cost to start: $500 – $3,000
How long does it take to build: 1-2 months

Freelance writing/content marketing

Freelance writing/content marketing offers professional freelance writing and content creation for brands and businesses needing blog posts, social media posts, website copy, emails, whitepapers, ebooks, case studies, and more.

The freelance writing service would handle content production for clients based on marketing goals, target personas, and preferred style guidelines. It helps build trust and nurture leads by regularly publishing useful, persuasive content that engages precise audiences ultimately driving conversions. Getting tailored, skillfully written content without the overhead of a full-time writer saves time and resources for organizations focused on progressing their operations, not sharpening writing skills.

How much you can make: $30K – $100K annually
How much does it cost to start: $1K – $5K
How long does it take to build: 1-3 months

AI-language translation services

AI-language translation services provide high-quality language translation and localization powered by artificial intelligence for businesses and individuals with global communication needs. The automated service would handle translation projects at scale, converting documents, websites, and media content into 50+ target languages. It helps make global business expansion frictionless by easing cross-border communication struggles that arise from conflicting tongues.

Simple APIs also allow translation integration directly into apps and websites to effortlessly serve global audiences. Lean operations mean cost savings passed onto customers. As international collaboration grows increasingly common, this allows small teams to painlessly explore foreign-language markets otherwise too complex or expensive to engage.

How much you can make: $50K – $200K annually
How much does it cost to start: $10K – $50K
How long does it take to build: 3-6 months

Pet business

Pet businesses offering products and services catered specifically to pets and their owners. This can be a promising business idea because pet adoption continues rising globally while owners treat companion animals as family and seek quality care. The pet business would sell specialty items like healthy foods, toys, and beds as well as provide grooming, daycare, or training services that pamper animals while easing ownership through convenience.

It helps ensure pets get expert attention improving their wellbeing while saving owners meaningful time to focus on other priorities. Tapping the resilient trend of humanization of animals allows profit through elevating pet lives via niche offerings adapting human luxury services to four-legged friends.

How much you can make: $30K – $100K annually
How much does it cost to start: $5K – $20K
How long does it take to build: 3-6 months

Car rental

Car rental rents out cars for people to drive on a short-term basis across days or weeks as needed. The rental company would maintain a fleet of vehicles like sedans, trucks, and vans that customers can borrow on-demand when traveling, or during transitions between buying new cars. It helps provide flexible transportation at reasonable day or weekly rates without long-term commitments. Renting delivers financial savings over ownership and taxi rides for temporary trips where personal car use is preferred.

As lifestyles and tourism activity become more transient in nature, easy access to clean, reliable rental cars bridges mobility gaps for both locals and visitors traveling to and within a region. Rental fleets offer the independence of driving without obligations beyond the rental period.

How much you can make: $50K – $200K annually
How much does it cost to start: $50K – $200K
How long does it take to build: 6-12 months

Car sharing

Car sharing provides members short-term access to shared vehicles parked locally whenever needed, rather than owning private cars themselves. The car share service would maintain a distributed fleet of fuel-efficient vehicles strategically parked at dedicated stations across a city or region. It helps provide on-demand mobility so members simply walk or transit to the most conveniently located car when required before returning it to any official parking spot.

Reducing personal ownership saves members thousands yearly on top of the environmental benefits from higher shared vehicle utilization rates and fewer overall vehicles manufactured. For many in dense areas not requiring daily driving, switching from private cars to sharing services unlocks affordability and flexibility from temporary access without burdens of asset ownership.

How much you can make: $50K – $200K annually
How much does it cost to start: $50K – $200K
How long does it take to build: 6-12 months

Photography

Photography offers professional image and video production including portraiture, event/wedding coverage, commercial product shoots, real estate listings, and more. The photography service would handle planning, lighting, shooting, and post-production of photos/videos tailored to each client’s needs, whether corporations, small businesses or everyday consumers capturing milestones.

It helps anyone communicate stories, emotions, and services better through elevated visual media capabilities. Capturing the perfect moments for website assets, brochures, digital ads or personal mementos provides value as customized, dynamic images increase engagement over generic stock photography.

How much you can make: $30K – $100K annually
How much does it cost to start: $5K – $20K
How long does it take to build: 3-6 months

Social media marketers

Social media marketers provide social media marketing services to brands and businesses aiming to improve their online presence and engagement. This can be a promising business idea as many companies struggle with content creation, community growth, and driving measurable value from social platforms despite increasing marketing reliance on social media.

The agency would offer tailored services like social branding, content posting schedules, online reputation cleanup, influencer partnerships, ads campaign management, and reporting/analytics setup across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. It helps clients reach relevant audiences and convert social media activity into website traffic, ranking improvements, more reviews and sales. As organic unpaid distribution grows more difficult, having specialized promotion planning and direct access to engage key demographics provides a major edge for products desperately seeking digital exposure.

How much you can make: $30K – $100K annually
How much does it cost to start: $1K – $5K
How long does it take to build: 1-3 months

Cell phone accessories

Cell phone accessories sell customized add-ons and protective cases for mobile phones and tablets. The store would offer trendy selections of chargers, speakers, lenses, grips, stands, and mounts that cater to how people actually use devices today. It helps mobile users showcase individuality through function or fashion by providing affordable accessories that match unique lifestyles.

Customers can personally customize protective cases onsite by printing photos, adding glitter effects, and selecting premium materials before same-day pickup. As mobile devices continue proliferating yet OEM options stay uninspired, a specialized accessories store allows the growing consumer base to complement standard phones through individualized add-ons and decorative modifications expressing personal flair.

How much you can make: $30K – $100K annually
How much does it cost to start: $10K – $50K
How long does it take to build: 3-6 months

Virtual assistant services

Virtual assistant services provide remote administrative and clerical support to clients through trained assistants working online. A virtual assistant service would assign assistants to handle routine back office and front office duties chosen by each client. It helps companies or entrepreneurs cost-effectively scale support across key business processes without additional onsite hiring.

By leveraging remote workers, independent contractors, and global labor pools, clients can direct specialized resources towards core competencies while saving substantial money outsourcing repetitive tasks virtually. As modern teams and workflows distribute across borders, full-service virtual assistance optimizes productivity through flexible, dedicated help from subject matter experts without geographic constraints.

How much you can make: $30K – $100K annually
How much does it cost to start: $1K – $5K
How long does it take to build: 1-3 months

Dropshipping

Dropshipping sells products without keeping them in stock. When a customer buys an item, the store orders it from a supplier, and the supplier then ships it directly to the customer. This method has several benefits. It lets someone start a business with little money upfront.

There’s no need to buy inventory or rent storage space since the store owner can offer many products without the risk of unsold stock. It also saves time on packaging and shipping. This model works well for online stores, it gives flexibility to try different products and markets. The store can focus on marketing and customer service.

How much you can make: $30K – $100K annually
How much does it cost to start: $5K – $20K
How long does it take to build: 3-6 months

Graphic design

Graphic design is a creative business that focuses on visual communication, it involves making eye-catching designs for various purposes like logos, websites, ads, and more. The main goal is to convey messages through visual elements and the companies need visuals to stand out in a crowded market.

This business helps clients make a strong first impression since it can boost their brand recognition and credibility. Graphic design work can be done remotely, which offers flexibility while allowing a diverse client base from different industries. The business can start small and grow over time. As skills improve, the designer can take on bigger projects. This field also allows for creativity and self-expression.

How much you can make: $30K – $100K annually
How much does it cost to start: $1K – $5K
How long does it take to build: 1-3 months

AI image and video editing

The AI-powered tools can handle complex editing tasks that would take humans much longer to complete and that’s why video startups are adopting this practice of using AI-powered tools. This business can help content creators, marketing teams, and media companies streamline their workflow and it can also make professional-level editing more accessible to beginners. The potential market is broad, ranging from social media influencers to large corporations.

How much you can make: $50K – $200K annually
How much does it cost to start: $10K – $50K
How long does it take to build: 3-6 months

Online tutoring

An online tutoring business provides personalized academic coaching and subject matter expertise to students remotely using video chat software and shared online whiteboards. As demand grows for flexible supplemental instruction, virtual tutoring increases knowledge access matching styles to individual needs. Initially focusing on STEM topics, an independent tutor demonstrates teaching abilities by aiding struggling learners by simplifying concepts through custom diagrams, and real-world analogies and encouraging accountability.

Over time, expanding subjects or grade levels relies on student progress appraisals and parent testimonials reinforcing individualized mentoring qualities. The cloud-based operation allows serving a wider geographic region virtually while controlling costs.

How much you can make: $20K – $50K annually
How much does it cost to start: $1K – $5K
How long does it take to build: 1-3 months

Lawn care and landscaping

A lawn care and landscaping business would provide groundskeeping services for the exteriors of residential and commercial properties such as grass cutting, hedge trimming, bed maintenance, and seasonal yard upkeep. As beautiful curbside greenery and gardens boost home values yet require consistent hard work, outsourcing these tedious chores allows homeowners more personal time while still enjoying lush landscapes on-site or afar.

Professional crews access specialized equipment and horticulture proficiencies maximizing seasonal health through fertilizing, aerating, mulching, and beyond. Over time, service specialization emerges around niche maintenance of water features, ornamental trees, lighting, holiday decor, and more as branding reputation reinforces whole property beautification.

How much you can make: $20K – $50K annually
How much does it cost to start: $5K – $10K
How long does it take to build: 1-3 months

Airbnb host

An Airbnb hosting business involves managing one or more residential properties for short-term lodging rentals marketed through peer-to-peer platforms like Airbnb. As travel preferences shift towards affordable whole-home stays offering household amenities, personalized spaces, and local connections, hosted properties meet the demand for authentic accommodations between hotels and timeshares.

An independent host begins by listing their extra dwelling or rooms showcasing design assets from location attractions to unique architecture and stylish furnishings for a competitive edge. Over time, reputation builds through guest satisfaction on factors like cleanliness, comforts, and responsiveness as much as digital photography and listing content.

How much you can make: $10K – $50K annually
How much does it cost to start: $1K – $5K (depending on existing property)
How long does it take to build: 1-3 months

Conclusion

We hope that you’ll find the right fit for yourself among these part-time business ideas that we’ve mentioned. If you want a successful business just remember that it takes time to build and with the right approach, we believe that you can turn this part-time business into something very profitable.