How to Get a Side Hustle with Your Phone Only

Your phone isn’t just a device for mindlessly swiping through social media or looking at cute videos. It’s an incredible money making machine right in your pocket. And you can start earning your share of the cash today with thousands of others who already have.

The Best Part? What You Don’t Need to Get Started

Shocking though it may be, you don’t need fancy equipment, or a college degree (and tens of thousands of dollars) to do so. Whether you’re a student searching for pocket money, a parent hoping to cash in while the kids are asleep or someone who simply wants extra income, your phone might be able to make that happen with little effort.

Here, we will show you exactly how to turn your smartphone into a money-making machine. Whether it’s selling stuff, offering services, creating content or just doing something all your friends come to you for help with — nothing is too strange when it comes to getting that side hustle money.

Why Your Phone Is Ideal for Side Hustling

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of actual ideas, let’s see why your phone is so perfect for helping you make money.

It’s Always With You

Your phone comes with you everywhere. This means that you can work on this during your lunch break, in the waiting rooms for appointments, and even while you’re on the train! These small pockets of time all add up to real earning potential.

Low Barrier to Entry

Assuming you already own and use a smartphone, starting a phone-side hustle costs little or nothing. So you’re armed with the main tool you require. The majority of apps are free to download and you can begin earning profits within hours after signing up.

Flexibility on Your Terms

Work whether you want, where you want and how long you want. No boss to tell you what to do, no schedule to follow. You’re in complete control.

Multiple Income Streams

You’re not stuck with just one way of making money. You can also mix and match various side hustles to benefit from multiple income streams, which provides a more stable financial cushion as well as the opportunity to earn higher amounts.

Preparing Your Phone for Business

Before you begin raking in the dough, let’s make sure your phone is up to the demands of your new side hustle.

Essential Apps and Tools

Here’s what you’ll need:

Tool Type	Use Case	Examples
Payment Apps	Get money	PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Stripe
Communication	Talk to clients	WhatsApp, Email, Zoom
Photo Editing	Produce better stuff	Canva, Snapseed, VSCO
Organization	Keep track of work and earnings	Google Calendar, Notion, Trello
Banking	Manage income	Your bank’s mobile app

Setting Up Your Digital Workspace

• Scrub Your Phone: Delete apps you don’t use to make room and cut distraction
• Organize Your Home Screen: Stick work-related apps in all one folder for easy access
• Turn On Notifications: Set up notifications for the apps you’ll be using for your side hustle
• Establish a Professional Email Account: Start with Gmail or Outlook to create an email address
• Add Payment Apps: Download and confirm your accounts in payment apps

Protecting Your Information

When you are transacting business on the phone, security counts:

• Strong Passwords or Biometric locks can be used
• Turn on two-factor authentication with all money apps
• Don’t share personal information unnecessarily
• Update Your Phone’s Operating System
• Backup important files in the cloud

Great Side Hustles to Consider This Year

Here are the most lucrative and convenient side hustles you can start with just your phone.

Selling Products Online

Reselling Items

One of the simplest ways to dip your toes into the online money-making world is through selling items. You might sell things from your own home, or purchase items at low prices to resell for profit.

Popular platforms:

• Facebook Marketplace: Best for local sales, selling furniture and electronics
• eBay: Great for collectibles, vintage goods and electronics
• Poshmark: Best for clothing, shoes, accessories
• Mercari: Great for everything from toys to tech
• Depop: Best for cool, vintage and one-off fashion pieces

How to succeed:

• Take high quality, well-lit photos from different angles
• Provide description with details on size, condition
• Price competitively by looking at other like items selling
• Respond quickly to buyer questions
• Ship quickly, and pack with care

Dropshipping Without a Website

You can even sell products without inventory stocking. When a customer orders an item from you, you buy it from your supplier who then sends the product directly to your customer.

Apps to use:

• Shopify Mobile: The simple way to run your business from your phone
• Etsy Seller App: Listing, orders and more
• AliExpress: Source products to sell

Freelance Services

Content Writing and Copywriting

Businesses will pay you to write for them if you are good with words. You can write blog posts, product descriptions, social media copy and more. For those looking to build their technical writing skills and establish an online presence, Technical Masterminds offers valuable resources and guidance.

Where to find work:

• Upwork: Giant marketplace, thousands of writing jobs
• Fiverr: Create “gigs” and let the buyers come to you
• Freelancer: Clicking on projects you are qualified to bid on
• ContentFly: Get regular writing assignments

Starting rates: as low as $15-$50 per article for articles written by newbies; may go up to $100-$500 or more, depending upon experience.

Graphic Design and Photo Editing

No more expensive software for you to buy. Apps such as Canva, Adobe Express and Over allow you to make professional designs directly from your phone.

What you can create:

• Social media graphics
• Business logos
• Flyers and posters
• Instagram story templates
• YouTube thumbnails
• Wedding invitations

Virtual Assistant Work

There are many business owners who could use a hand with relatively simple tasks, but they cannot justify hiring full-time employees to complete them. You can help them with emails, scheduling appointments, researching and customer service.

Tasks you might do:

• Answering emails and messages
• Booking appointments
• Data entry
• Social media posting
• Basic customer support
• Making travel arrangements

Typical pay: $15-$30 per hour

Content Creation

Social Media Management

Small businesses and hard working entrepreneurs need help managing and promoting their brand. You can also make posts, reply to comments and build their following.

Platforms to manage:

• Instagram
• TikTok
• Facebook
• Twitter/X
• LinkedIn
• Pinterest

What to charge: $300 to $1,000 a month per client

Launching a YouTube Channel or Podcast

You can record, edit and post videos or podcasts directly from your phone. Choose a subject you’re passionate about and just start building.

Content ideas:

• Product reviews
• How-to tutorials
• Daily vlogs
• Commentary on your hobby
• Storytelling
• Educational content

Money is coming from ads, sponsors and affiliate links. It does take time to build an audience, but successful creators can make thousands a month.

Photography and Stock Photos

You can shoot professional-quality photos on good phone cameras. You could sell your photos on stock photography websites.

Best platforms:

• Foap: Simple to use, pay you $5 per photo sold
• Shutterstock Contributor: Big market, make money per download
• Adobe Stock: High-quality marketplace
• Snapwire: Complete challenges and earn some cash

Task-Based Earning

Taking Surveys and Completing Offers

You won’t get rich, but it’s a quick and easy bit of cash during downtime. Businesses are willing to pay for your opinions and to try products.

Legitimate survey apps:

• Survey Junkie: Cash out at $5
• Swagbucks: Survey, watch videos and shop for points
• InboxDollars: Make money doing a variety of online tasks
• Prolific: Higher-paying research studies

Average income: $50-200/month by being diligent.

Mystery Shopping

Receive payment for visiting stores, restaurants or using services and reporting your first-hand experience.

Apps to try:

• Gigwalk: Do local task and get paid
• Field Agent: Quick in-store tasks
• Mobee: Shop at name-brand retailers as a mission shopper

Microtasks and Gigs

Do small digital tasks for money. These may be data entry, data verification, image tagging, transcription projects or website testing.

Platforms:

• Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk): There are thousands of minor tasks
• Clickworker: Data entry and research are work at home jobs
• Appen: AI Training Projects
• User Testing: Test websites and apps for companies, Get $10 every 20 minutes spent

  

Tutoring and Teaching

Online Tutoring

Share your expertise in the things you’re good at. Assistance available for homework, test preparation and learning new skills.

Subject areas in demand:

• Math and science
• English and writing
• Foreign languages
• Test preparation (SAT, ACT, GRE)
• Music lessons
• Coding and computer skills

Apps for tutoring:

• Cambly: Teach English to people who are not proficient, no experience necessary
• Preply: Own your rates and schedule
• VIPKid: Teach English to children in China
• Skooli: Tutors who have expertise in a multitude of school subjects

Pay: Varies from $15 per hour to $60 depending on the subject and experience

Creating Online Courses

If you’re good at something, film video lessons on your phone and sell them. It provides passive income as you only build the course once and sell it over and over.

Where to sell courses:

• Udemy: Publish, and reach millions of students
• Teachable: Teachable lets you use your own domain name, customize the look of your course
• Skillshare: Earn in watch time only
• Gumroad: Sell directly your own products

Building Your Phone-Based Business

After you pick out your side hustle, then it’s a matter of treating it like an actual business.

Creating a Schedule That Works

Do not attempt to be productive every second. Burnout is real for those with side hustles.

Sample Schedule:

Time Slot	Type of Activity	Time
Morning	Check messages and respond to clients	30 minutes Daily
Lunch break	Main work tasks	45 Minutes Daily
Evening	Focus work time	1-2 hours Weekdays
Weekend	Bigger projects, planning	3-4 hours Weekends

Tracking Your Income and Expenses

Financial tracking is necessary even for a small side hustle.

What to track:

• Every dollar you earn
• App fees and commissions
• Any supplies you buy
• Mileage if you drive for work
• Hours worked (to determine your hourly rate)

Recommended apps:

• QuickBooks Self-Employed: Automatic expense tracking
• Wave: Free accounting software
• Google Sheets: Simple spreadsheet tracking
• Mint: Overall financial overview

Marketing Yourself

You do have to tell people you exist and what services you offer.

Free Marketing Strategies:

• Work the socials: Post about what you’re doing and working on regularly on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok
• Spread the Word: Share what you’re doing with friends and family
• Online Groups: Be part of Facebook or Reddit group in your niche
• Portfolio Posts: Share the works with your friends and let others see what you can create
• Testimonials: Request feedback/review from your satisfied customers

Growing and Scaling Up

Once you’re generating consistent revenue, consider leveling up.

Ways to scale:

• Ratchet up your prices as you build experience
• Package or bundle services
• Automate repetitive tasks with apps
• Outsource some work to others
• Add complementary services
• Start by creating an email list of potential customers

Typical Issues and How to Tackle Them

Every side hustler faces obstacles. Here’s how to overcome them.

Finding Clients at First

The Problem: No one knows you even exist, so it seems like nabbing those first few customers is impossible.

The Solution:

• Start off with a few discounted services to gain reviews
• Leverage your personal network to source initial clients
• Be present in online communities where your dream clients are congregating
• Develop a portfolio of your sample works to demonstrate what you can do
• Be patient – It actually takes on average between 1-3 months for it to really pick up speed

Staying Motivated

The Problem: After the shine wears off, it’s tough to keep going.

The Solution:

• Set small, achievable weekly goals
• Celebrate wins, even tiny ones
• Visualize your progress on a chart or journal
• In groups of other side hustlers online for support
• It is easy to give up on your goal when you cannot see it

Managing Time

The Problem: You’re overwhelmed finding time for your main job, personal life and side hustle.

The Solution:

• Begin with the low, five-to-ten hours per week
• Employ time-blocking to schedule designated hours for your hustle
• Close out distractions while working
• Learn to say no to meaningless things
• Work during downtime (commutes, lunch breaks, etc.)

Dealing with Difficult Customers

The Problem: Customers complain, ask for too much or refuse to pay.

The Solution:

• Set clear expectations upfront
• Contracts or written agreements (even simple ones are preferable)
• Require deposits for larger projects
• Stay professional even when frustrated
• Learn when to fire bad clients
• Leverage platform payment protection whenever you can

Money Management for Side Hustlers

Making money is fun, but saving it and spending it well are even better.

Setting Up Separate Accounts

Keep your side hustle funds in an account separate from your personal accounts. This simplifies tracking and makes tax time easier.

Recommended setup:

• One checking account for side hustle
• A single tax savings account (25-30% of what you earn)
• Business Growth Savings
• Keep personal money completely separate

Planning for Taxes

Yes, you’ll have to pay taxes on your side hustle income. But if you prepare, it’s not scary.

Tax basics:

• Save at least 25-30% of your income
• Keep track of all business-related costs (they’ll be tax deductible)
• File quarterly estimated tax return if you owe more than $1,000 in taxes
• The first year you have to get tax software or a professional
• Retain receipts and other supporting documentation for at least 3 years

Reinvesting vs. Pocketing Profits

When you should reinvest in your business:

• First 3-6 months: Invest Most Earnings into Tools & Marketing
• Once you’re established: Reinvest 20-30% and keep the rest
• When you’re on a plateau: Put your resources into education and gear up to the next phase of growth

What to invest in:

• Better phone or gear if it comes
• Paid versions of useful apps
• Online courses to improve skills
• Advertising or marketing
• Help from others to scale up

Success Stories to Inspire You

Real people are making real money with these phone-based side hustles. Here are a few examples:

Sarah, 24 – Social Media Manager
Began managing Instagram for local coffee shops. Started with 1 client at $200/month. Now has 5 clients, takes home $3,500 each month working less than 15 hours a week.

Mike, 31 – Reseller
Buys clearance and sells on eBay. Started with $50. Now makes a modest $2,000-3,000 in sales per month, salvaging somewhere around about $800-1,000 in profit.

Jessica, 28 – Online Tutor
Teaching English on Cambly during the nights. Works 2 hours at a day (6 days in a week). Earns $1,200-1,400 monthly.

David, 19 – Content Creator
Creates TikTok videos about budget gaming. Started monetizing after 6 months. Now makes $500-800 a month from Creator Fund and sponsorships.

Tools and Resources You’ll Need

Here’s an entire toolkit for the phone-based side hustlers:

Essential Free Tools:

• Canva: Graphic design, video collage, logo maker
• Google Workspace: Docs, Sheets & Calendar for business
• Calendly: Schedule appointments easily
• Grammarly Keyboard: Spelling and Grammar Check
• Password Manager: Guard your login information

Paid Tools Worth the Investment:

• Canva Pro ($13/month): Extra design features
• Adobe Lightroom ($5/month): Photo editing professional
• LinkedIn Premium ($30/month): For finding clients better
• Later or Buffer ($10-15/month): Social media post scheduler
• Zoom Pro ($15/month): Longer client meetings

Learning Resources:

• YouTube: Free tutorials on everything
• Skillshare: Online courses ($32/month)
• Reddit subs: r/sidehustle, r/beermoney, any particular niche
• Facebook Groups: Support from side hustle communities
• Podcasts: “Side Hustle Show,” “Smart Passive Income”

Taking Action Today

You’ve learned so much about side hustles and phone-related income. Now is when you really start.

Your First Week Action Plan

• Day 1: Pick your favorite side hustle idea to pursue
• Day 2: Getting to know the apps and sign up for them
• Day 3: Set up payment options and complete professional profile
• Day 4: Make a sample of your product for samples or list your first products
• Day 5: Inform 10 people what you’re doing and how they could hire you
• Day 6: Subscribe to 3 Online Communities in Your Side Hustle Field
• Day 7: Apply for Your First Jobs or Attempt to Make Sales

Setting Realistic Goals

First month goal: Earn your first dollar. Seriously, that’s it. This works, which is already demonstrated by one successful transaction.

Three Month Goal: Between $200-500 overall. This covers your learning period.

Goal in 6 months: Consistent $500-$1,000 per month. You’re full on side hustler now.

One Year Target: $1,500-2,500 per month – or more. Think about whether this could be your full-time gig.

Wrapping It All Up

Launching a side hustle with nothing more than your phone is not a fantasy, it’s entirely practical. Thousands of people are already doing it and making hundreds to thousands a month.

The trick is to build gradually and keep learning through regular practice. You won’t achieve millions overnight, but with commitment, you can grow a significant income stream that offers greater financial freedom.

Your phone is already there in your hand. The apps are all available for free. The opportunities are waiting. The remaining question is: What are you going to do about the information?

Don’t wait for the perfect moment or until you feel completely ready. Start today with one small action. Download one app. Create one profile. List one item. Take one photo. Send one application. The first step is always the hardest, but it’s also the most important. Once you get started, momentum builds, confidence grows, and money starting to flow.

Your side hustle journey begins now. Make your phone work for you, not just the other way around.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much money can I realistically make with a phone-based side hustle?

Most beginners earn $200-500 in their first few months. With consistent effort, you can reach $1,000-2,000 per month within 6-12 months. Some truly successful side hustlers make $3,000-5,000 monthly or more, but it usually takes a year or more to achieve that. Your earnings depend on which hustle you choose, how much time you can afford to invest, and how good you are at what you do.

Do I need a special phone to start a side hustle?

Not really. Most side hustles work on any smartphone made in the last 5 years. A phone with a decent camera, enough storage for apps, and reliable internet access is all you need. Android or iPhone both work. If your phone is ancient and super-slow, it might be time for an upgrade, but start with what you have.

How many hours per week do I need to dedicate?

You can start with 5-10 hours per week. Most side hustlers work during a lunch break, evenings, and weekends. The more you do it, the more you earn. You get faster and more efficient and eventually earn more while spending less time. Some side hustles like creating content or selling products can become passive and make money even when you’re not working.

Will I owe taxes on my side hustle income?

Yes, all income is taxable. And if you’re making more than $600 per year from any single platform or client, they will send you a tax form. Even if the amount is less, you are still supposed to report it. The nice thing is you get to write off business expenses such as app fees, phone charges and supplies. Reserve 25-30% of your income to pay for taxes so there are no surprises. You might look at using tax software or speaking with an accountant. Learn more about self-employment tax requirements from the IRS.

But what if I’m not any good at anything?

The good news is that — for most — a phone-based side hustle requires no exceptional talents whatsoever. Selling stuff, answering surveys, mystery shopping, etc. All low-skill activities. If you’re interested in honing other skills like photo editing, writing or social media management, there are free tutorials available on YouTube. Begin with the easy stuff and learn it as you go.

When do I start earning money?

This varies by side hustle. You can make money selling items you already own within days. Task-based work, such as surveys, could be paid for on the same day. Service-based hustles such as freelancing can usually take 1–4 weeks to land your first client. It can take months to monetize content creation. The point is to start soon by doing so you can begin making soon.

Are these apps and platforms safe to use?

Only use established, well-known platforms that have thousands of reviews. Opt for platforms that offer payment protection where you can. Never give anyone money before meeting them or release any personal details that they don’t need. Secure your phone with passwords and two-factor authentication. If it seems too good to be true, that’s because it is.

Can I have more than one side hustle?

Absolutely! Most successful side hustlers work multiple revenue streams. You could sell stuff on marketplace platforms, do surveys in your downtime and freelance at night over weekends. Just don’t get stretched too thin. It’s better to do one or two things well than 5 things badly.

What’s the No. 1 mistake that new side hustlers make?

Giving up too soon. The majority of people drop out during the first month because they do not get immediate results. Building any business takes time. The second is not running it like a real business — they’re sloppy, unprofessional or inconsistent. These mistakes can be avoided if you manage your expectations and commit yourself for at least 3-6 months.

Do I have to start a business/ get special permits?

For the overwhelming majority of small side hustles making less than $10,000 a year you can freelance as an individual without having to register a formal business. You report the earnings on your personal tax return as self-employment income. If you expand or need legal protection, you may want to create an LLC. Review your local laws, as some cities may require you to get a business license for particular activities. When in doubt, seek the advice of an accountant or take advantage of free resources from SCORE.org.