The best side hustles for software developers are productised services, automation for small businesses, templates and plugins, technical writing, mentoring and small software products. Most advice stops at freelancing, which is the easiest to start and the hardest to scale: you swap hours for money, and you already do that at your day job. The options below use the same skills in ways that are not capped by the hours you have left after work.
The software developer role is well paid and growing. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual wage for software developers at $135,980 (May 2025), with employment projected to grow 10 percent from 2025 to 2035. That earning power is exactly why a second income stream is worth designing carefully instead of copying the generic freelancing advice.
Quick comparison
| Side hustle | Upfront cost | Typical time to first payment (estimate)* | Scales without more hours? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Productised services | Low | Weeks | Partly |
| Automation for small businesses | Low | Weeks to 2 months | Partly |
| Templates, starter kits, plugins | Your build time | Months | Yes |
| Technical writing | Very low | 2 to 6 weeks | No |
| Mentoring and tutoring | Very low | Days to weeks | No |
| Small software products | Build time plus hosting | Many months, or never | Yes |
*Our estimates from common developer experience. Results vary widely with your niche, network and effort, and none of these are guaranteed income.
Before you start: check your employment contract
Many developer contracts include a moonlighting clause or an intellectual property clause that gives your employer rights to work you do outside hours, especially if it overlaps with their business. Read yours first. If it is unclear, ask HR in writing, or choose a side hustle in a different field from your employer’s. This single check protects everything that follows.
1. Productised services
Instead of selling your time, sell one clearly defined job at a fixed price: a site speed audit, a payment integration, a platform migration or a performance fix. A fixed scope means you can quote in minutes, work to a checklist and get faster every time you repeat it. It also removes the haggling that makes hourly work feel underpaid.
Best for: developers with one deep specialty. Needs: a laptop, a narrow offer and two or three examples of past work. Watch out for: scope creep. Write down exactly what is and is not included.
2. Automation for small businesses
Small businesses lose hours every week copying data between spreadsheets, forms, email and invoicing tools. A developer who can connect these with scripts or automation platforms can price the result instead of the hours. Pick one industry you understand, such as agencies, clinics or online stores, so your pitch and your tooling get reused. If you want background on where automation is heading, see our guide to RPA and AI.
Best for: developers comfortable with APIs and integrations. Needs: a laptop and a first client. Watch out for: maintenance. Agree a monthly support fee up front so fixes do not become free work.
3. Templates, starter kits and plugins
If you have built the same thing more than twice, someone else needs it. Starter projects, UI kits, themes, plugins and integration templates can be sold repeatedly after you build them once. The upfront effort is high and the first sale can take months, but income stops depending on your hours. Our post on selling digital products covers the selling side.
Best for: developers who already have reusable code. Needs: a few weeks of build time and a place to sell. Watch out for: building something nobody has asked for. Check that people are already searching for it.
4. Technical writing
Developer-tool companies pay for documentation, tutorials and comparison posts written by someone who can run the code. If you can explain a concept clearly, this is one of the quickest routes to a first payment because the starting cost is close to zero. The BLS reports a median annual wage of $90,390 for technical writers (May 2025), though it projects only 1 percent job growth for 2025 to 2035, so treat it as a steady skill rather than a boom market.
Best for: developers who like explaining things. Needs: a laptop and two or three writing samples. Watch out for: low per-word rates on content farms. Pitch developer-tool companies directly.
5. Mentoring and tutoring
Bootcamp students and career changers pay for code review, interview practice and someone to unblock them. It trades hours for money like freelancing, but rates are often better and the work is lighter after a full day of coding. Start with a few paid sessions and ask satisfied learners for a testimonial.
Best for: developers with a clear strength in one stack. Needs: any device and a decent reputation. Watch out for: burnout. Cap yourself at a fixed number of sessions per week.
6. Small software products
A narrow tool that solves one irritating problem for a specific group, such as a calculator, a browser extension or a small SaaS, can earn modest recurring income. Most never take off, so treat it as a long bet. Talk to real potential users before you build, and commit to a small first version.
Best for: developers who can wait months and enjoy building. Needs: several months and a low-cost hosting setup. Watch out for: the highest ceiling here also comes with the highest chance of earning nothing.
What to avoid
- Low-rate hourly marketplaces where you compete on price alone. If you do use freelance platforms, compare them first in our guide to the best freelance platforms.
- Courses or bundles that promise income before you have a single paying customer.
- Anything that needs months of unpaid building with no confirmed buyer.
How to choose
Three questions narrow it down quickly. How many hours a week can you really spare? How long can you go without income from it? And do you want money soon or a bigger result later? If you need income within weeks, choose a productised service, mentoring or technical writing. If you can wait months, templates and products are worth the build time. Start with one, run it for ninety days, then decide whether to add a second.
More side hustle guides
- Best side hustles for graphic designers
- Best side hustles for writers
- How to price your freelance work
- How many hours a week a side hustle takes
Find the one that fits you
If you are not sure which of these suits your time, budget and skills, take our free 2-minute quiz. It ranks side hustles against your answers and shows what to start first: the Side Hustle Finder.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best side hustle for a software developer?
There is no single best option. Productised services, mentoring and technical writing tend to pay fastest. Templates and small products can scale further but take longer to earn.
How much do software developers earn?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $135,980 for software developers as of May 2025. Side hustle income varies far more and depends on the option you choose and the time you put in.
Is freelancing a bad side hustle for developers?
Not bad, but it usually pays less per hour than the other options here and does not scale. It works as a starting point while you look for something better.
Can my employer claim my side project?
It depends on your contract. Check any moonlighting and intellectual property clauses before you start, and ask in writing if they are unclear.
How long does it take to earn from a side hustle?
Services and mentoring can pay within weeks. Templates and software products often take months, and some never earn. Treat any timeline as an estimate, not a promise.
This article is general information, not financial advice.
