Businesses You Can Start for Under $500, page 4

People who can combine persuasive copy, clean design, and basic tech to build pages that actually convert for coaches and info-product sellers

Startup cost

$300 – $3,000

Monthly earnings

$1,500 – $12,000 / mo

First income

3 to 8 weeks

Detail-oriented, fast-handed people who want a low-cost creative side income and can handle an intense holiday rush

Startup cost

$300 – $4,000

Monthly earnings

$600 – $4,500 / mo

First income

1 to 3 weeks

People who want an extremely low-cost, fast-start outdoor service and are genuinely comfortable and careful working on ladders

Startup cost

$300 – $3,000

Monthly earnings

$1,500 – $7,000 / mo

First income

1 to 2 weeks

Hands-on, crafty people who enjoy making physical products and are willing to learn labeling rules and grind through markets and online sales

Startup cost

$300 – $4,000

Monthly earnings

$200 – $3,500 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Skilled home bakers who want a low-cost, flexible side business and accept the legal limits of cottage-food rules

Startup cost

$300 – $3,000

Monthly earnings

$300 – $3,000 / mo

First income

2 to 4 weeks

Organized, people-oriented people who are trustworthy in clients' homes and enjoy turning chaos into calm

Startup cost

$300 – $3,000

Monthly earnings

$800 – $6,000 / mo

First income

2 to 5 weeks

Detail-oriented, trustworthy people who want low startup cost and steady recurring revenue from repeat residential clients

Startup cost

$300 – $3,000

Monthly earnings

$2,000 – $9,000 / mo

First income

1 to 2 weeks

Designers who can read data and turn dry numbers into clear, sharable visuals for marketing and PR teams

Startup cost

$300 – $4,000

Monthly earnings

$1,200 – $9,000 / mo

First income

2 to 6 weeks

People who can sell to local business owners and patiently execute the unglamorous, repeatable work of ranking businesses in Google Maps

Startup cost

$300 – $3,000

Monthly earnings

$1,500 – $12,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Outgoing storytellers who know their city well and enjoy performing for groups on their feet

Startup cost

$300 – $4,000

Monthly earnings

$600 – $5,500 / mo

First income

3 to 8 weeks

Relationship-driven salespeople who understand media buying and can sit comfortably between publishers and advertisers

Startup cost

$300 – $4,000

Monthly earnings

$500 – $15,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Patient builders with a real connection to a specific industry who can grind through a slow start

Startup cost

$300 – $5,000

Monthly earnings

$0 – $7,000 / mo

First income

4 to 9 months

People who think logically about apps and workflows and want to build software for clients without learning traditional programming

Startup cost

$300 – $3,000

Monthly earnings

$1,000 – $12,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Detail-oriented people who want flexible, fully remote work and are willing to handle the state commission and compliance steps

Startup cost

$300 – $1,500

Monthly earnings

$200 – $4,500 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Organized, physically capable people who want a low-cost service business without owning a truck or moving heavy furniture

Startup cost

$300 – $3,000

Monthly earnings

$1,500 – $7,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 weeks

People with a genuine eye for style and strong interpersonal skills who enjoy understanding what makes others feel confident

Startup cost

$300 – $4,000

Monthly earnings

$800 – $6,500 / mo

First income

2 to 6 weeks

Detail-obsessed people with strong Photoshop skills who prefer focused screen work over client-facing photography

Startup cost

$300 – $3,000

Monthly earnings

$500 – $6,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Hobbyist designers with a fandom, niche, or community who enjoy art and want a low-cost physical product to sell online and at conventions

Startup cost

$300 – $4,000

Monthly earnings

$100 – $4,000 / mo

First income

3 to 6 weeks

Visually creative people who can design scroll-stopping pins, understand SEO, and sell a retainer by tying their work to traffic and sales

Startup cost

$300 – $2,500

Monthly earnings

$800 – $9,000 / mo

First income

3 to 8 weeks

Analytical people who can sell, tolerate accountability for spend, and enjoy optimizing toward a measurable return

Startup cost

$300 – $4,000

Monthly earnings

$1,500 – $18,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Organized, persistent people who are comfortable knocking on doors, handling conflict calmly, and documenting everything precisely

Startup cost

$300 – $3,000

Monthly earnings

$800 – $6,000 / mo

First income

2 to 6 weeks

Developers and technical builders who can combine Liquid/theme skills with an understanding of what makes an online store actually sell

Startup cost

$300 – $3,000

Monthly earnings

$1,500 – $12,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months

Capable composers and producers who can write fast, finish tracks, and tolerate a long, uncertain ramp

Startup cost

$300 – $4,000

Monthly earnings

$0 – $3,000 / mo

First income

3 to 9 months

Clear writers with software or engineering domain knowledge who like turning complexity into usable instructions

Startup cost

$300 – $2,500

Monthly earnings

$2,500 – $12,000 / mo

First income

1 to 3 months