22 Profitable Business Ideas to Explore in 2023 for under $100

Starting a new venture doesn’t necessarily require a significant financial investment. With as little as $100, you can initiate a profitable enterprise that could potentially turn into a successful full-time business. 

Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or someone looking for a side hustle, these 22 profitable business ideas are not just easy on the pocket, but they’re also designed to generate consistent income. Dive into our comprehensive guide and discover how to get started on these profitable business ideas that could help you achieve financial freedom.

Without further ado, let’s jump right into our list of business ideas. 

Find the most interesting business idea for you:

Online Business Ideas

• Blogging
• Dropshipping
• Online Courses
• Photo Editing 
• Become a YouTuber
• Graphic Design
• SEO Consulting
• Affiliate Marketing
• Amazon FBA
• Podcasting
• Selling on eBay
• Social Media Management
• Print-On-Demand T-Shirts
• Become an Influencer
• Sell Your Digital Photos

Offline Business Ideas

• House Sitting
• Consulting Business
• Airbnb Management
• Home Bakery
• Bike Shop
• Personal Styling Business
• Pet Sitting

Online Business Ideas

The internet is a great place. You can connect with people all over the world, watch movies, play games, and start a business. Let’s look at some of the best, highly profitable online business ideas you can start with little-to-no money. 

Blogging

All you need to start a blog is a website. You can purchase web hosting and use our blog name generator to create your name. 

Blogging is one of the easiest ways to start a business. Keep in mind that blogging is a long-term investment. You shouldn’t expect quick results. But, as your blog starts getting traction and you begin attracting visitors, you’ll have different monetization options. 

Most bloggers earn money with sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, and online courses. It’s not uncommon for successful bloggers to clear seven figures in profit per year. (That’s over a million dollars)

Every business needs a name and website. You can use our business name generator to create the perfect name for your new business. You can also select a logo for the selected business name from our predefined list.

Dropshipping

Do you want to sell products online but don’t want to invest in stock? If that’s the case, dropshipping might be the perfect solution for you. Dropshipping is a business model where you promote products on your website and sell them as your own, but someone else takes care of the inventory and shipping. 

You will generally get lower margins for products you dropship compared to products you buy, store, and ship yourself. The main appeal of dropshipping is you can start without investing in inventory. 

We suggest you search for dropshipping partners on popular platforms like Doba, Oberlo, and SaleHoo. You will also need a domain, web hosting, and a website to start selling. 

Online Courses

You have a skill you want to teach and get paid for teaching. In the old days, you had to organize conferences or work with people one-on-one. But today, you can create your own online course and charge people who want to access your knowledge. 

The best thing about online courses is that you only have to create them once. You can sell the same course to an unlimited number of people. This is one of the businesses that’s the easiest to scale. 

You can focus your attention on marketing your course once you create the content. Make sure you find a hungry audience and give them what they want. 

Photo Editing 

The increasing prominence of social media platforms and the demand for high-quality visuals has paved the way for a lucrative opportunity in the form of a photo editing business. With just a computer, professional editing software, and a good eye for detail, you can offer services such as retouching, color correction, image restoration, and more. 

These days you can also use AI to help with image correction. Download the Midjourney software which works alongside Photoshop to create enhanced images. 

As the world becomes increasingly digital, businesses and individuals alike are seeking expert photo editing services to enhance their online presence. Whether it’s for e-commerce product images, real estate photography, personal portraits, or social media content, your skills could transform ordinary shots into visually stunning images. So if you’re adept at manipulating digital images and have a flair for creativity, a photo editing business could be a profitable venture with minimal startup costs.

Invest into programs such as Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom, learn the skills from YouTube and watch your business bloom. And if you want some fun effects on your photos, then you check out a software like BeFunky which transforms your image with a simple click.

MORE: What is .ai domain?

Become a YouTuber

In the digital age, starting a YouTube channel is not just a creative outlet, but also a potentially profitable business idea. With the platform reaching over 2.1 billion users monthly, it presents a unique opportunity to tap into a global audience. 

YouTube content creators generate income through ad revenue, brand partnerships, sponsored content, and more. Whether you’re passionate about vlogging, cooking, tech reviews, fitness, education, or virtually any niche, there’s an audience for you on YouTube. With just a camera, editing software, and an engaging concept, you could create content that educates, entertains, and influences. 

Remember, consistency and quality are key to building a substantial subscriber base and turning your YouTube channel into a lucrative venture.

To start, pick a niche that interests you most, use your iPhone or a high quality camera. If you have the option, invest in a microphone. If you don’t have enough money for a good light, you can start simply by using sunlight. Download DaVinci Resolve for editing, and you’re good to go. 

Graphic Design

Graphic design services are another profitable business idea with tremendous potential in our increasingly digital world. Businesses of all sizes rely heavily on graphic design to build their brand identity and communicate with their customers. 

Whether it’s designing logos, creating engaging social media posts, developing website layouts, or producing marketing materials, your skills can significantly impact a company’s branding efforts. The beauty of a graphic design business lies in its flexibility – you can work from anywhere, choose your clients, and set your own rates. With just a computer, design software, and a creative mindset, you can offer your services to a variety of industries.

So if you have an eye for aesthetics and a knack for creating visually compelling designs, starting a graphic design business could be your route to entrepreneurial success. Invest into programs such as Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop, and, once again, you can learn all the skills through a platform like YouTube. Start offering your services on Upwork or Fiverr to start, and later apply for freelancing gigs on LinkedIn (or start with LinkedIn right away).

SEO Consulting

In the digital era, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services stand out as a highly profitable business idea. As businesses increasingly shift online, the demand for SEO experts who can improve a website’s visibility on search engines has skyrocketed. 

SEO involves strategically optimizing website content and structure to rank higher in search engine results, driving more organic traffic, and ultimately, boosting sales. This can include keyword research, link building, technical website optimization, content creation, and more. If you have a knack for understanding search engine algorithms and staying on top of the latest digital trends, an SEO services business could be a perfect fit. 

With minimal startup costs and the potential for high returns, this venture offers the opportunity to work with diverse clients and truly make a difference in their digital success.

Learn SEO skills from platforms like Coursera, where you can learn for free, or pay a small amount for a certificate.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketers earn money by promoting other peoples’ products in return for a commission. You insert an affiliate link on your website or social media, and every time someone makes a purchase from the link you shared, you get a commission. 

The number one thing you need to have if you want to be a successful affiliate marketer is an audience. You can use affiliate marketing on your blog or your social media channels. 

The commissions you can earn start at 1% and can go as high as 50% for certain products. This is a relatively simple business model you can easily scale. The profit potential is amazing. 

Amazon FBA

The FBA stands for “Fulfilled by Amazon”. Amazon FBA is a great business model for everyone that wants to start an e-Commerce business but doesn’t want to deal with shipping, returns, and customer support.

So how does Amazon FBA work? It’s pretty simple—you send your products to Amazon, create your listing, and then, hopefully, start getting sales. Amazon will make sure to ship your products to the buyers, and they will take care of all the returns and customer service issues. 

This model enables e-Commerce businesses to focus on developing high-quality products and marketing their inventory. If that’s what you prefer over shipping logistics, then Amazon FBA might be a great option for you. 

Podcasting

This is another simple business idea you can start with almost no money. There are free podcasting tools you can use when you start. One we can recommend is Buzzsprout. 

Podcasting is a great way to establish yourself as an expert in your niche. The formula for success is similar to blogging. You have to create amazing content that appeals to your target audience. 

You can monetize podcasts with sponsored content, affiliate marketing, sell your own products, or charge for premium content access. The great thing about podcasting is that it’s easy to scale. 

MORE: How to Start a Podcast

Selling On eBay

Reselling items is one of the oldest business ideas. The basic idea is simple – you buy something low and sell it high. The bigger the price difference, the more you can pocket. You can start with absolutely no money if you want. But you need to have something you can sell. 

The trick to building a successful eBay business is to master the art of creating amazing listings. You need great pictures and appealing descriptions. It also helps if you search for relevant keywords people use when searching for products. 

You can find different success stories online about eBay sellers leaving their 9 to 5 jobs and building a fortune reselling on eBay. 

MORE: 15 Tips To Make Your Brand Stand Out from The Competitors

Social Media Management

We live in an era where it’s hard to find a business that doesn’t have a social media presence. It’s a must to be present online. But most small (and large) businesses lack the time to continuously post on their profile. This is where social media management comes in. 

Social media management is on the rise. Businesses need help and are willing to pay good money to have their social media channels active and engaging. 

You can scale your business if you develop systems to streamline your work process. Start with one client and scale as you master the skill. 

Print-On-Demand T-Shirts

This is the perfect opportunity for artists and creatives who don’t want to deal with printing, inventory, shipping, and customer relations. All you have to do is create amazing designs and sell them on one of the print-on-demand platforms. We recommend Redbubble, Printful, and Printify.

You can start this business with zero money down. However, we recommend having at least basic design skills to attract the right people. 

Print-on-demand is another business that is easy to scale since you’re outsourcing printing and shipping. All you have to deal with is the design part.  

Become An Influencer

Influencers are everywhere, and it seems that every young person wants to become one. They often show their luxurious lifestyle, and it’s normal that people want to be just like them. But, you don’t have to ride a Lamborghini to be an influencer. 

You can build a thriving business if you find the right niche and people attracted to what you have to share. It helps if the thing you’re talking about is actually your passion. 

Influencers make money with sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, and their own merchandise. Some influencers built multi-million businesses with their online profiles. It’s a lucrative business if you can find your niche. 

Sell Your Digital Photos

Photographers used to make money by taking wedding pictures and corporate ads. Not anymore. You can easily make money online by selling your digital photos. 

Stock photo sites pay solid money to the best photographers who upload their photos. You can even sell prints or turn your photos into NFTs if you understand the technology. 

You don’t even need expensive equipment. While it’s true that professional cameras cost a fortune, you probably have a very capable lens in your smartphone. That’s more than enough for you to start. 

Offline Business Ideas

Don’t neglect old-school offline business ideas just because the internet allows you to start a business from home. You can still find many low-cost business opportunities in the real world. Let’s look at some of them. 

House Sitting

The basic idea of house sitting is simple – you take care of other people’s homes while they are away. The tasks you have to do include watering the plants, taking care of the pets, mowing the lawn, and making sure their property stays in perfect condition. 

You can find wealthy people who own more than one property and are willing to pay solid money for house sitting services. 

You can find clients with a website and social media profiles. You can advertise your service in the local newspaper, or ask your friends and family for referrals. 

Consulting Business

You can start a successful consulting business if you have specific skills people are willing to pay money for. The important thing is that you can provide value to your clients. The more value you deliver, the more you’ll get paid. 

You can market your consulting business through a website. You can cold-call potential clients or advertise online. A great way to get new clients is through referrals from past clients. Make sure you always deliver outstanding results to improve your chances of getting referrals. 

Airbnb Management 

There are a lot of Airbnb providers that simply don’t have the time to take care of their properties. This is where you come in. You provide your clients with complete management of their Airbnb properties. 

Airbnb managers typically take care of bookings, order cleaning services, and make sure that property owners can collect their paychecks without worrying about daily operations. 

With the rise of short-term rentals, starting an Airbnb business can be very lucrative. All you have to do is convince homeowners to give you a chance and find guests. 

Home Bakery

The first thing you need to start a home bakery is baking skills. And you’ll probably need some basic equipment to actually bake the goods. But, if you know how to bake, there’s a good chance you have the tools you need already in your kitchen. 

A great thing about home baking is that you can start small. You can start with a couple of cakes over the weekend and scale when the demand increases. 

We recommend you build a website where you promote your home bakery. You can also use local newspapers, social media, or ask your friends and family for referrals. 

Bike Shop

The bike industry is booming, and bike brands are hitting record years. The more bikes there are, the bigger the need for bike shops. After all, bikes do get broken, and it’s usually cheaper to get them fixed than to buy new ones. 

You will need bike repair skills to open a bike shop. And you’ll also need basic tools to start operating. You can start small and only offer basic repairs when you start. You don’t need many tools if all you’re doing is fixing tires and adjusting brakes. 

Personal Styling Business

This is a great service business that requires no special equipment to operate. What you need are great styling skills and a keen sense of fashion. You will also have to keep up with the latest fashion trends, but that’s probably what you do already if you’re thinking about starting a personal styling business. 

You can find clients by promoting your outfits on social media accounts. Fashion profiles and amazing pictures usually attract the attention of fashion aficionados. These are the people you want to target. 

You can also get a lot of referrals from past clients. Make sure you always deliver amazing work. 

Pet Sitting

Pet sitting is similar to house sitting. Your job is to take care of other people’s pets when they don’t have the time or when they are away. 

You can start this job with no money. You do have to love animals, and you need some basic pet handling skills to ensure pets are taken care of. 

Advertise your skills in local newspapers or ask your friends and family for referrals. You can even get your first clients by knocking on people’s doors and asking if they need a pet sitter. 

Key Takeaways

It’s never been easier to start a business than it is today. You can build a highly profitable business with almost no money, but with a good social media presence, hard work and the right tools. You can check some of our other articles if you’re determined to start your business on the right track. 

We shared some of the most profitable low-cost business ideas that we know of. All you have to do is pick the one that’s best for you and start working on it. Make sure you try the tools we recommend to business owners. Having the right tools can help you build a thriving business.