Top 5 Side Hustles For Software Developers
The ultimate list of the top 5 side hustles for software developers
If you're a developer and need to earn some extra cash, the first thought that comes to mind is probably freelancing. You're already building software, so why not build (and sell) software for others? However, what if I told you that there are other, better ways to start making money as a software engineer?
Since the internet is making money from home more accessible than it's ever been, here I have listed down the five most popular side hustles for software developers.
1. Paid newsletter
There are millions of software developers in the world. And there's a good chance that you can monetize your time by selling them a resource that teaches them something they can't seem to get from books, blog posts, and online courses — your experience.
Starting your own paid newsletter is one of the easiest and fastest ways to generate a side income as a software developer. If you don't have an audience and budget to promote your writing, I highly recommend you to check https://substack.com/.
Pros
Highly demanded nowadays
Well suited for monetizing an existing audience
Cons
- Time-consuming
Links to start with
2. Micro SaaS
I have always been interested in side projects and have tried to develop my apps or software. From time to time, I've come across a good idea but always ended up not having the time or energy to take it further. And here, Micro SaaS comes into the game: narrow and straightforward focus problem-solver solution that's don't take forever to build and lunch.
Also, with a Micro SaaS, you can make money twice — the first time by charging your customers and the second by selling it (microacquire or microns).
Pros
It can be launched in weeks on months
Don't require expensive infrastructure
It can be done without cash costs
Cons
A good idea may be hard to find (should solve a real problem)
Requires marketing knowledge or existing audience to distribute
Links to start with
3. Micro Course
Have you ever had a skill or knowledge that you wished to share with other people but didn't want to go through the hassle of creating a blog, website, and mailing list? If it is a software development-related topic, one way of sharing this knowledge is by creating a Micro Course. The best part is that the courses are very affordable because they are short, and the quality of the content is terrific.
The topic should be narrow and cover one particular part of technology or process. The price shouldn't be that high and can vary from $20 to $50 for the course. Your event can make it free to attract new people and build your audience.
To generate an idea, use the following micro-framework:
What I want to hear/learn from technology or process(where I am good at now) before I understand it.
Pros
It can be launched in days or weeks
It can be done without cash costs
Сan be sold by b2b model
Cons
Requires marketing knowledge or existing audience to distribute
Requires infrastructure to distribute(email newsletter, personal blog, LMS)
Links to start with
4. Themes development
Selling good themes for Ghost, Shopify, WP or TailwindCSS can be an exciting and profitable side hustle for software developers. It's very suitable for a web developer who has some experience in client projects but still can use this experience to create his theme and sell it on the market. You can start here by researching niches in demand and not very competitive.
Pros
- Suitable for developers with experience in such projects
Cons
- Сompetitive market
Links to start with
5. Build your personal brand
Building a personal brand may not seem like a valuable side hustle for software developers, but it is one of the most effective. Instead of creating a product, app, or service, software engineers can build their personal brands.
It may sound too broad and will take some time to build. Still, in the long term, this side hustle can open many alternative career options and audiences for which it will be much easier to sell newsletters, micro-courses, or get users for the Micro SaaS.
Pros
- Getting highly valuable over time
Cons
- It takes a lot of time and effort to build
Links to start with:
Summary
So, these are the side hustles I recommend. I highly encourage you to try each of these out and see which ones you like best! Once you've gotten the hang of them, ask yourself how long it would take before you could replace your full-time income with income from your side hustle. If you can make that happen quicker than a year, definitely go for it. If not, keep chipping away. I guarantee you that if you struggle hard enough, you will find success sooner or later. You have to be willing to do whatever it takes!
Support
Thanks for reading. I Dmitry founder of Secure Statement Converter. If you liked it, joining the email list or sharing on Twitter would be awesome.