7 Real Online Side Hustles You Can Start Today (and how to make $100/day)

Some “gurus” push complicated systems and paid courses. These seven hustles are simple services people and businesses actually pay for. They require little to no startup cost, and many can be boosted by AI tools (I use Claude for writing). 

1) Copywriting (emails, ads, scripts) — fastest to start

What it is: Writing promotional text that helps people buy — emails, ad copy, sales pages, video scripts.

Why it works: Every business needs words that sell. With AI you can train a model to match a client’s voice and produce high-quality drafts fast.

Quick start (hours):

1. Pick one niche (e.g., Excel courses, fitness, local services).

2. Use an AI assistant (e.g., Claude) to generate first drafts, then polish them. claude.com

3. Create 3 sample emails + 1 sales headline as proof of skill.

4. Offer packages on Fiverr/Upwork or DM small businesses.

Pricing examples:

• 1 email: $20–$100

• 5-email bundle: $100–$250 (volume pricing lets you hit $10–$50/hour easily)

Scale path: Offer full funnels, scripts, or remote copywriter roles once you close a few clients.

2) High-Ticket Sales (commissioned closers)

What it is: Taking sales calls to close expensive products/services (usually $1,500–$10,000). You get paid a cut — often ~10%.

Why it works: Companies pay well for closers who can convert high-value leads.

Who it fits: People good at talking, resilient to rejection, and fluent in English (for US market).

Quick start (days–weeks):

1. Learn the basics of consultative selling (watch calls, study scripts).

2. Apply for remote closer roles or reach out to agencies hiring commission closers.

3. Take practice calls and record them for feedback.

Earnings example: 10% on a $1,500 sale = $150. If you do a few calls per day and maintain a realistic close rate, you can hit $100/day.

Alternative: If closing is too intense for you, see appointment setting below.

3) Appointment Setting (DM + calendar booking)

What it is: Qualifying leads and booking calls for closers. You don’t close — you get appointments.

Why it works: High-ticket closers need a steady stream of qualified appointments; companies will pay to get them.

Quick start (hours–days):

1. Learn qualification questions (budget, timeline, authority).

2. Practice setting expectations on the call/DM.

3. Use Calendly or similar to send booking links.

Earnings example: 3–5%–10% of sale or a flat fee per booked appointment. For a $1,500 sale, a 5% cut = $75. Booking multiple calls per day scales quickly.

4) Video Editing (long-form, vlogs, short-form repurposing)

Why it works: Demand is huge and editors who specialize win better rates than generalists.

Quick start (weeks):

1. Pick a style (vlogs, educational docs, or short-form retention edits).

2. Learn with YouTube tutorials and practice with raw footage.

3. Offer 1–2 demo edits to creators.

Pricing examples:

• Vlog edit: $200–$500

• Short-form repurposing: $50–$300 per repurposed video

Pro tip: If you can access a creator’s YouTube analytics (with permission), use retention spikes to pick the exact best clips — that’s a premium service.

5) Building Websites (no-code + AI)

What it is: Designing and delivering sites or funnels with no coding required (AI + no-code platforms).

Why it works: Small businesses want good sites quickly and affordably.

Quick start (days):

1. Put together a research doc: top 10 sites in one industry + what they do well.

2. Sell that doc as an audit or offer full build services.

3. Use a freelance web developer to fulfill early orders, or learn a no-code tool yourself.

Pricing examples:

• Basic website: $300–$500

• Five sites/month = $1,500+ (low effort once you outsource)

6) Automation Builder (Zapier / Make)

What it is: Automating repetitive business tasks (emails, notifications, CRM updates) using Zapier, Make, etc.

Why it works: Companies save time and money with automations.

Quick start (days–weeks):

1. Learn core automations on Zapier / Make via tutorials.

2. Offer small starter automations ($50–$150) like inbound lead routing or email sequences.

3. Build a portfolio of automations and gradually charge more.

Pricing examples: Start at $50 for small zaps; charge $300–$1,000 for complex workflows.

7) Influencer Marketing / Talent Agent

What it is: Find brand deals for influencers and take a commission (15–25%) for brokering the deal.

Why it works: Brands pay influencers to reach audiences; agents get a cut without producing content.

Quick start (weeks):

1. Pick influencers who don’t use haram elements if you prefer (e.g., no music).

2. Find creators with 200k–500k followers (sweet spot for early deals).

3. Reach out to brands with a clear one-page pitch showing why the influencer is a fit.

4. Use contracts (DocuSign, Pandadoc) and get signatures before negotiations.

Earnings example: A $3,000 deal with a 20% commission = $600. Close a couple of deals and you can easily exceed $100/day.

Final tips to actually get clients

• Narrow your offer. Specialize (e.g., “YouTube shorts repurposing for tech creators”) — it beats “I do everything.”

• Show proof. Share samples, before/after, and screenshots (redact private data).

• Price for value, not time. Clients pay for results and convenience.

• Start small, deliver big. Early positive reviews = more trust and higher rates.

• Use AI responsibly. AI (like Claude) speeds up work, but always human-edit outputs.