9 Untapped Side Hustles For 2025 ($1,000/Day)

I tried nine different side hustles to see which ones are actually worth your time and which ones are a complete waste of money. I’ve rated them all from 1 to 10 so you know exactly which ones to avoid and which ones will make you the most money.

1. Beta Testing

Number one is beta testing. This is where you get paid to test out websites, apps, and games before they’re released to the public. Companies want to know if their products are user-friendly and if there are any bugs, so they pay people like you to test them out. I signed up for a site called UserTesting, which is one of the biggest platforms for this. The sign-up process was pretty straightforward. You just have to do a practice test to show that you can speak your thoughts out loud while you’re navigating a website. Once you’re approved, you can start taking paid tests. Most of them pay around $10 for a 20-minute test, which isn’t bad. The only downside is that you have to be quick to claim the tests because they disappear fast. I managed to do a few of them and made about $30 in a couple of days. It’s not going to make you rich, but it’s easy money if you have some spare time. I’d give this a 6 out of 10.

2. Focus Groups

Number two is focus groups. This is similar to beta testing, but it’s more in-depth. You get paid to share your opinions on products and services in a group setting, usually over a video call. I used a site called Respondent.io to find these opportunities. The pay is much higher than beta testing, usually between $50 and $150 per hour. However, it’s also much harder to get accepted into a study. You have to fill out a screening survey for each one, and they’re looking for very specific demographics. I applied for about 20 studies and only got accepted into one. It was a one-hour discussion about banking apps, and I made $100. It was great money for the time, but because it’s so inconsistent, I can only give it a 7 out of 10.

3. Selling Your Data

Number three is selling your data. Now, this might sound a bit sketchy, but there are legitimate companies that will pay you for your data. I’m talking about things like your browsing history and your shopping habits. One of the apps I tried is called Nielsen Computer and Mobile Panel. You just install it on your devices, and it runs in the background collecting data. They pay you roughly $50 a year just for keeping it installed. Another one is Honeygain, which pays you for sharing your unused internet bandwidth. I installed both of these, and honestly, you don’t even notice they’re there. It’s truly passive income, but the pay is very low. You’re looking at maybe $5 to $10 a month combined. It’s free money, but it’s not enough to change your life. I’d give this a 4 out of 10.

4. Renting Out Your Car

Number four is renting out your car. If you have a car that sits in the driveway most of the time, you can rent it out on apps like Turo. It’s basically like Airbnb for cars. I listed my car on the app, took some photos, and set my daily price. Within a few days, I got my first booking. The person picked up the car, used it for the weekend, and brought it back. I made about $150 for that trip. The potential earnings here are actually pretty high, especially if you have a nice car or live in a busy area. However, there are risks involved. People might damage your car or drive it like a maniac. Turo does provide insurance, but it’s still a hassle to deal with if something goes wrong. Plus, your car depreciates faster because of the extra mileage. Because of the risks, I’d give this a 6.5 out of 10.

5. Renting Out Your Storage Space

Number five is renting out your storage space. If you have an empty garage, basement, or even a spare bedroom, you can rent it out to people who need storage. I used a site called Neighbor. It’s very simple to set up. You just list your space, set the price, and wait for renters. I listed a corner of my garage and found someone who wanted to store some boxes while they were moving. It was very low maintenance. I just gave them a key, and they moved their stuff in. I made $50 a month from that. It’s not a huge amount of money, but it’s steady and requires very little effort. I’d give this a 7.5 out of 10.

6. Mystery Shopping

Number six is mystery shopping. This is where you get paid to go into stores and act like a regular customer while evaluating the service and cleanliness. I used an app called Field Agent. It shows you a map of tasks in your area. I found one for a local grocery store that paid $10. I had to go in, take a photo of a specific display, and answer a few questions. It took me about 15 minutes to complete. There were also some tasks for buying products and reviewing them. The pay isn’t great, and you have to factor in travel time and gas money. It’s okay if you’re already going to the store, but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it. I’d give this a 5 out of 10.

7. Transcribing

Number seven is transcribing. This involves listening to audio files and typing out what is being said. I signed up for Rev, which is a popular transcription site. You have to pass a grammar and transcription test to get in. Once I was approved, I started claiming jobs. The audio files can be anything from interviews to meetings. The pay is usually per audio minute, which sounds good, but it takes a lot longer than a minute to transcribe a minute of audio, especially if the quality is bad or people are talking over each other. I found it to be quite tedious and the hourly rate worked out to be pretty low, around $5 to $8 an hour starting out. Unless you’re a super fast typer, I don’t think it’s worth it. I’d give this a 3 out of 10.

8. Affiliate Marketing

Number eight is affiliate marketing. This is where you promote other people’s products and earn a commission for every sale you make. You don’t need to create a product, deal with customer service, or ship anything. I signed up for the Amazon Associates program, which allows you to promote anything on Amazon. I started a simple blog about tech gadgets and wrote reviews with my affiliate links. It took a while to get traffic, but once I did, the commissions started rolling in. The great thing about this is that it’s scalable. You can create content once, and it can generate income for years. The potential here is huge, easily over $1,000 a day if you stick with it. I’d give this a 9 out of 10.

9. YouTube

Number nine is YouTube. This is hands down the best side hustle I’ve ever done. You can make money from ad revenue, sponsorships, and by selling your own products or doing affiliate marketing. I started my channel discussing finance and investing, and it completely changed my life. You don’t even need to show your face if you don’t want to. There are plenty of successful “faceless” channels that just use stock footage and voiceovers. It takes a lot of work upfront to make videos and build an audience, but the payoff is insane. Once you have a library of videos, they work for you 24/7. It’s the ultimate passive income machine. I’d give this a 10 out of 10.