Online Business Ideas

The online business world is fast exploding as starting a business online takes way less capital and physical labor than starting a brick-and-mortar business.  The first step to getting started is to have a business idea that is worth acting upon.

In this blog post, we aim to give you 50+ ideas to launch your own online business with links to similar establishments that thrive online.  If you have a talent, there is a market for it – you can have a thriving business that utilizes your unique potential.  We encourage you to browse through the websites shared below and glean enough inspiration to start your very own online business.

1. Online Jewelry Store

Online Jewelry Store

Kelly’s Treasure is a Christian Jewelry store specializing in Christian Bracelets, Christian Gifts, Christian Necklaces, and other types of beautiful christian accessories.

This website specializes in designing inspirational Christian inspirational jewelry.  You can refine your jewelry to cater to a particular niche that targets a specific audience.  For example: Vintage jewelry, ethnic patterns, men’s accessories, custom designs, etc.

2. Online Clothing Store

Online Clothing Store

Deborah & Co. offers modest, yet cute and feminine clothing options for women.  They operate as family based business, specializing in clothes for women, maternity and kids.

While this website specializes in modest clothing for women and kids, you could narrow it down even further.  For example, party wear for little girls, plus size clothing for women, etc.

3. Web Hosting Service

Web Hosting

Black Chicken Host offers competitively-priced hosting solutions, specifically targeted for farmers and homesteaders.  They aim to help clients contribute to the online sustainability community in a meaningful fashion.

This website reaches out to farmers and homesteaders who understand sustainability.  You could provide hosting and support for a specific target such as women entrepreneurs, home-based businesses, etc.  

4. Web Designing Service

Web Designing

Design by Insight specializes in mobile responsive WordPress designs for the Genesis Framework as well as design and formatting for e-books and print on demand.  Their goal is to work with clients to develop a visual expression of their vision.

There is so much you can do when it comes to designing a website.  You could specialize in creating new blogs, migrating existing websites or creating custom functionality.

5. Selling eBooks

Selling ebooks

ProBlogger is a one stop shop for all resources you need to create a successful blog.  This site is dedicated to helping other bloggers learn the skills of blogging, share their own experiences and promote the blogging medium.  Problogger sells a variety of ebooks that provide step-by-step instructions to help blogs reach their potential.

With ebooks, there is no end to what you can write about.  Choose a topic that you are passionate about, a niche you have considerable experience in and turn it into an ebook.  Topics can vary from parenting to marketing – if your content is valuable, it will sell.

6. Blogging

Blogging

A Mama’s Story is a blog folks visit for information and inspiration.  The blogger sells advertising and hosts sponsored reviews and giveaways as a means to monetize her blog.

Identify what you are passionate about and start a blog based on that field.  As the website above, you can sell advertising and write sponsored posts.  Blogging can also serve as a base to sell other products and services you offer.

7. Digital Scrapbooking Store

Digital Scrapbooking Store

My Memories is an online store that sells scrapbooking kits, supplies, templates, software and custom gifts items.  They offer just about everything a person needs to start compiling their own scrapbooks.

There are a lot of women who love scrapbooking but cannot find all the supplies they need under one roof.  You can sell unique/customized scrapbooking supplies online.  You can also help clients who lack time by compiling the customer’s scrapbook on their behalf and shipping it in exchange for a fee.

8. Organic Cosmetics Store

 Organic Cosmetics Store

Cowgirl Dirt is an online store that sells cosmetics made with organic ingredients.  Their tagline identifies their cosmetics as pure, natural and western.

This website has an underlying western theme that makes it different from other online cosmetic stores.  You can choose one such unique theme (fruity, herbal, essential oils, etc.) to make your organic cosmetic store stand out among competitors.

9. Sell Paintings

Sell Art

Stacy Lee Art is a website dedicated to selling digital artwork rendered by a particular artist.  She specializes in art that inspires and brings hope, healing and beauty to the masses.

If you are a talented artist, you can showcase your unique style of art online.  You can choose to build your store around the type of art you paint – abstract, nature, still life, portraits, etc.

10. Online Book Store

Whole Heart Online Book Store


Whole Heart Store is an online store established to sell books that encourage and equip Christian parents to raise wholehearted children for Christ.

Even as this store sells books targeted towards Christian parents, you can compile a list of books that would interest your target demographic and sell them online.  Suggested categories include home management, leadership, cookbooks, historical fiction and biographies.

11. Graphic Designing

FiveJ Graphic Designing

Five J’s Design offers ebook design and conversion services, as well as graphic designs  customized to suit their clients’ needs.

If you love working with graphics and photo editing software, you can offer your services online.  You can create ebook covers, graphics packages for websites or sell individual items such as headers, buttons and social media sharing buttons.

12. Online Fitness Classes

Fit 2 B Online Fitness Classes

Fit 2 B Studio is an online gym that provides wholesome workouts for the whole family.  They offer a workout library with a variety of videos to subscribers for a reasonable fee.

If fitness is your forte, you can create videos and offer classes online.  You can choose exercises that you specialize in (pilates, weight training, toning, stretches, etc.) or target a specific set of people (elderly, pregnant women, athletes, etc.).

13. Selling Handmade Soaps

Victoria May Handmade Soaps

Victoria May sells fragranced, handmade soaps, bath and skincare products.  These handmade products target customers who are looking for safe and chemical free products.

Soap making is a skill that can easily be learnt if you have the time and resources to do so.  You can specialize in a particular line of fragrances that might appeal to your potential customers.

14. Online Bead Store

Online Beads Store

A Bead Store is said to be the designer’s source for beads and beading supplies.  They sell quality beads and related supplies at affordable prices, and packaging them in quantities suitable for both retail and wholesale buyers.

This would be a great business for someone who knows about jewelry and beading in particular.  If this is something you have tried your hand at, you can offer a one stop shop for all things related to beading.

15. Kids Activities

KukuCrate Kids Crafts

Kukucrate is a theme and activity-based learning platform designed for kids.  It combines arts, crafts, science, and imaginative play to promote creativity, learning, growth and fun.  For a monthly subscription, the child receives a new crate each month with craft supplies and activity suggestions based on a particular theme.

Pre-packaged craft crates solve a host of issues for parents who would like to craft with their kids but lack the creativity or time required to gather the supplies.  If you have a creative mind and a unique idea that would appeal to kids, you can package the related craft supplies and sell them online.  You can also target kids of a particular age group to further refine your reach.

16. Kids Stories

Children's Story Books

Christian Story Books for Children is a website that offers illustrated children’s story books for sale.  The stories aim to instruct kids while keeping them entertained.

If you are a story teller at heart and can draw illustrations that appeal to children, you can self-publish a library of children’s books.  You can target a specific age group such as preschoolers, elementary kids or teenagers depending on the content you write.

17. Kids Curriculum

CurrClick Kids Curriculum

CurrClick is a website that offers free live online clubs, low cost online classes and instantly downloadable eBook resources from top publishers.  From subject specific, age appropriate curriculum to a variety of unit studies, this website has it all.

If you are a seasoned teacher or have the experience to create a curriculum for kids, this is a viable business idea.  You can sell your grade/subject specific curriculum on your own website or in affiliation with a curriculum publisher.

18. Homeschooling Resources

Notebooking Pages Homeschool Resources

Notebooking Pages helps homeschoolers create a compilation of what has been learned and experienced in any number of subjects or activities and organize it in a notebook or binder.

Seasoned homeschooling parents and experienced teachers can utilize their skills to create resources for other homeschoolers.  If a particular subject or grade level is your forte, you can create a lesson plan and workbooks, bundling it for sale online.

19. Life Coaching

Online Life Coaching

Living Life with Passion and Purpose offers to help women of all ages and backgrounds discover their unique God-given destiny and purpose.  Fortified with the challenges she experienced in her own life, this coach helps women overcome their obstacles and live a life on purpose for God.

People who have experienced the ups and downs of life are usually in a position to mentor the younger generation and be a positive influence in their lives.  Based on your personal experience, you can offer your services as a life coach for a specific age group and target audience.  You can offer life coaching to help women determine their career path, manage their homes, formulate a life plan and become better wives/mothers. 

20. Business Coaching

Business Coaching

Kim Toth is a small business coach who helps women over the age of 50 build a business they love.  She offers training, tools and tips to help older women launch their own business and make an income from home.

An experienced businesswoman obviously has the acumen to train others on how to launch and manage their business.  Just as the coach above caters to women over 50, you could coach a particular age group or narrow it further to a specific line of business.

21. Online Meal Planner

Online Meal Planner

Plan to Eat is an online meal planner that helps customers plan their meals, organize their recipes and create a grocery list based on their meal plan.

You could streamline meal planning and offer meals customized for people on a particular diet – gluten free, dairy free, diabetic, paleo, vegetarian, etc.

22. Online Cooking Classes

Online Cooking Classes

Gnowfglins is an online cooking academy of sorts that offers courses to teach participants the basics of cooking with real food.  They offer clients multimedia training material on various topics in exchange for a subscription fee.

Depending on your cooking expertise, you could offer cooking classes targeting a specific age group.  For example, salad making with smaller kids, gourmet cooking with homemakers, party food with teenagers, etc. 

23. Transcription Service

Transcription Service

Digital Sermon Transcription is a website dedicated to transcribing Christian sermons that are available as audio files.  Their premise is that while people may not listen to a 30 minute sermon, they will spend a few minutes reading the text version of it.

People who are proficient in English can offer to transcribe audio files or create subtitles for videos.  You can narrow your transcription service to focus on podcasts, conferences, etc.

24. Translation Service

Online Translation

French English Translation is a website that offers French to English and English to French translation by someone who has a background knowledge of the specified subject.

People who are proficient in more than one language can offer translation services online.  You could translate documents, videos and audio files, specific to the industry you have a working knowledge of.

25. Freelance Writing

Freelance Writing

Yael Writes is the website of a professional writer who offers her content writing services in exchange for a nominal fee.  A freelance writer is someone who can write engaging content on a given topic.

You can become a freelance writer online and offer to write content on a particular niche.  Depending on your area of expertise, you can write about anything from marketing and productivity to home management and pregnancy.  You can either write under your own name or mask a ghost writer and let the client take credit for your writing.

26. Online Editing and Proofreading

Online Editing Service

Claire Kidd has established an online business to offer a base for her editing and proofreading services.  She edits documents, magazines, books and website content.

If you have a thorough knowledge of grammar connotations and sentence structures in the English language, you can become an online editor/proofreader.  You can narrow down your services to a particular niche – books, blog posts, magazine articles, websites, etc.

27. Virtual Assistant

Virtual Assistant

Erin Blaskie Inc. is a website that offers entrepreneurs a virtual team to assist them in their business.  Most businesses choose to go with a virtual assistant these days as it reduces their establishment costs.

You can offer your services as a virtual assistant depending on the tasks you can do proficiently.  You can be a virtual assistant in charge of administration, marketing, bookkeeping, social media, or limit it to a particular industry like real estate or information technology.

28. Online Finishing School

Online Finishing School

The Elegance Course is an online etiquette course that teaches women the intricacies of being a lady.  The course helps women take better care of themselves and carry themselves like a proper lady.

You can offer similar courses online that focus on different aspects of etiquette including appropriate fashion, table manners, speech, body language and grooming.

29. Image Consultant

Image Consultant

Dotting i is the online home of an image consultant who offers solutions in various formats for individuals to enable them to project an authentic, appropriate, attractive and affordable image.

As an image consultant, you can cater to women holding a specific role such as, manager, salesperson, celebrity, speaker, author, diplomat, social butterfly, etc.

30. Internet Radio

Blog Talk Radio - Internet Radio Service

Blog Talk Radio is an online radio station where clients can host their own live talk radio show that reaches millions of listeners worldwide.  They also offer a premium service where the hosts can pay for additional features.

You can launch a radio station and invite hosts based on a particular target audience – kids, teenagers, businessmen, homemakers, etc.  You could also choose specific content to narrow your focus like music, speeches, sports, therapy, business, etc.

31. Online Auctions

Online Auctions Through Ebay

Ebay is a website widely known for online auctions.  People buy and sell items from just about any available category.

You can use ebay to sell things you no longer find useful.  You could also auction popular items you possess, thereby getting the best bang for your buck.

32. Deals and Coupons Site

Coupon and Deals Site

Coupon Mom belongs to a lady who who established an entire business by sharing deals and coupons to help people save money on groceries.  A deal and coupon site will attract a lot of visitors, and that traffic can be monetized to build the business.

You can start a website that shares deals and coupons specific to the area you use reside in.  You could also delineate it based on specific categories such as, organic food, household items, gadgets, holidays, etc.

33. Social Media Consultant

Crystal Washington Social Media Consultant

Crystal Washington is a social media consultant who teaches professionals of all knowledge levels how to leverage marketing techniques, social media and networking effectively.  She offers paid membership to a social media club online to help people harness the power of social media effectively.

If you have a considerable experience in social media, you can offer your services as a consultant to both online and offline businesses.  Depending on the social media platforms you are proficient in, you can offer customized training to help businesses extend their reach and bring in more customers.

34. SEO Consultant

Aleyda SEO Consultant

Aleyda Solis is an International SEO Consultant who helps businesses build websites that are optimized for search engines.  Not all websites show up in search engines when people search for specific keywords online.  An SEO consultant audits websites and suggests ways to improve their ranking in search engines which will drastically increase the customer base.

If you are proficient in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and keyword searches, you can offer your services as an SEO consultant to both online and offline businesses.

35. Resume Writing Service

Chesapeake Resume Writing Service

Chesapeake Resume Writing Service is a website that offers job consultation and resume writing services for a minimal fee.  They also offer to create additional career documents such as cover letters and online profiles.

In addition to resume writing, you can also offer clients an assessment of their strengths and recommend suitable career paths depending on their strengths, education and experience.

36. Personal Shopper/Stylist

Personal Stylist

Stitch Fix is a business that employs personal stylists who help clients pick clothing and accessories based on their individual tastes.  Clients fill in an online style profile, a personal stylist shops on their behalf and the items are then shipped to the client.

If you have a good sense of fashion and understand style statements, you can offer your services as a personal shopper/stylist.  You can target the age group or category you are most comfortable with such as, homemakers, businesswomen, senior citizens, etc.

37. Video Production

Video Production

Journey Box Creative is an online video production company that helps organizations grow their culture through film.  Based on the client’s requirements they compile photos, journals, notes and artifacts into videos that showcase the client’s brand.

If you know the intricacies of video production, you can create commercials, training videos, music videos, interviews, documentaries, fund raising videos and promo videos for online and offline clients.

38. Herb Store

Herb Store

Bulk Herb Store is a one stop shop for everything related to herbs.  It is a family run business that sells quality herbs and their own homemade concoctions online.

This is a viable business idea for someone who has in depth knowledge of herbs and their uses.  You can establish your herb store online and offer door delivery along with customized herbal delivery advice.

39. Online Parenting Community

Online Parenting Community

The Parenting Place is an online community that offers paid membership packages for parents.  These packages include a magazine subscription, access to online videos, coaching sessions and more.

Any experienced parent possesses the basic knowledge required to guide a younger parent.  You can offer one on one coaching sessions packaged with resources that helped you in your parenting journey for a nominal fee.  To streamline it even further, you could choose to mentor parents with children of a particular age group.

40. Online Family Therapist

Online Family Therapist

Thelma Costello is an experienced therapist who offers counseling for individuals, couples and families online through Skype, and thereby caters to a larger client base.

If you are a licensed therapist, you can broaden your reach by offering therapy sessions online.  You could target a particular problem area such as depression, addiction, stress or cater to a particular set of people such as kids, teenagers, parents, couples, etc.

41. Professional Organizer

Professional Organizer

Get Organized Now is a website dedicated to help people organize their homes and offices.  It offers tons of tips, ideas, checklists, articles, e-courses and slideshows to help people live an organized life.

As a professional organizer, you can offer your expertise through books, courses, videos and articles targeting specific areas that need to be organized.  You can go one step further and offer your services as a consultant to help get client’s homes and offices in order.

42. Online Planners

ListPlanIt Online Planner

ListPlanIt is a website that offers online and printable lists to help people plan in detail and streamline their life.  The website has hundreds of eplanners and lists for various categories that can be viewed and downloaded at a nominal fee.

If you are a planner at heart and can create detailed lists/planners, you can upload them online and sell them to customers for a monthly subscription fee or on a per download basis.

43. Online Interior Decorator

Online Interior Decorator

Jojo Online Interior Design is a website that offers online design solutions for homes worldwide.  For a fixed price, the interior decorator obtains the client’s specifications and drafts a suitable design.

If you have an eye for detail and experience as an interior decorator, you can offer your services online.  Clients can supply you with photographs of the space they need designed along with their specifications, and you can provide consultation and design sketches for a nominal fee.  You can choose to specialize further in designs for homes, offices or exterior spaces.

44. Online Pattern Store

Online Pattern Store

PatternFish is an online store where customers can buy their knitting and crochet patterns as customized downloads.  Customers can browse through the patterns available online and purchase the ones they require as PDF files that can be downloaded onto their computers and printed out if required.

This is a viable business opportunity for all avid knitters and crocheters.  You can launch your own online store to sell knitting and crochet patterns that you have created.  You could showcase patterns based on category such as, caps, scarves, cardigans, etc.  You could also narrow your focus and offer patterns for babies, kids, or plus sized women.

45. Selling Handmade Candles

Online Candle Store

Melt is an online store that sells luxury handmade scented candles.  The website offers candles of a variety of fragrances and sizes that customers can browse through and order online.

If you possess the knowledge and tools to handcraft candles, opening an online storefront will greatly expand your customer base.  You can also include candle stands, diffusers and candle-making kits as part of your online inventory.

46. Online Sewing Workshops

Online Sewing Workshop

eSewing Workshop is a website that offers online sewing workshops for beginners who want to learn sewing from scratch or for experts who want to improve their skills.  For a subscription fee, members are allowed access to online learning videos that teach them the skill they need to master.

If you are an experienced seamstress, you can launch sewing courses online that cover a variety of topics, such as, sewing basics, pattern making, embroidery, alterations, etc.  You can offer access to all your online videos for a monthly subscription fee or you could conduct classes with different modules that are delivered weekly to the participant.

47. Kids Accessories Store

Kids Accessories Store

My Little Monkey Accessories is an online store that sells a variety of accessories for little girls.  The website offers different styles of handmade hair accessories, hats and jewelry at affordable prices.

If you have a knack of creating cute kids accessories, you can reach more people by selling them at your own online store.  You can refine your target customer base by specializing in products for baby girls or restrict your inventory to just hair accessories such as barrettes, clips, hair bands and ponytail holders.

48. Online Wedding Store

My Wedding Favors; Online Store


My Wedding Favors is a one stop shop for brides and grooms to purchase favors (return gifts) for their wedding guests.  The couple behind the website discovered that thousands of people were searching for the term ‘wedding favors’ online and decided to launch a business that would fulfill that need.

It appears that ‘wedding’ is one of the most search-for terms online, so any wedding related business will prove to be popular.  Your business need not be restricted to wedding favors, but could include wedding decor, invitations, flowers, and the like.

49. Health and Nutrition Consultant

Online Nutrition Coaching

Healing Thru Food is a website that offers consultation to help clients get better health through proper nutrition.  Online nutrition coaching proves to be the right solution for people all over the world striving towards a healthier lifestyle.

As an online nutrition consultant, you can offer your services through one on one health assessments or through generic courses.  You can also specialize in one or more of the following: weight loss, healthy pregnancy, stamina boosting, disease prevention, detoxification, etc.

50. Party Supplies Store

Birthday Party Supplies Online Store

Birthday Direct is a one stop shop that fulfills all party supply needs.  They offer theme oriented party supplies that include everything from decorations and crafts to plates and cups.

You can launch your own online party supply store and provide invitations, decorations, party favors, balloons, crafts, party games, plates, cups and napkins for every theme you offer.  You can choose to streamline your niche to focus on kids birthdays, baby showers, holiday parties, adult birthdays, graduation parties, etc.

51. App Developer

iPhone App Camera+

Camera+ is a photo app developed exclusively for iPhones and iPads.  The app offers a variety of advanced features that help amateur users transform their photos and make them look more professional.

If you have some experience in app development, you can create innovative apps and offer them for Apple and Android users.  There is no end to the kinds of apps you can create.  You can choose a category you are familiar with such as, productivity, games, photography, etc. and take it from there.

52. Copywriting Services

Copywriting Services Online

Carline Anglade-Cole is a million-dollar copywriter who has established a thriving online business through her copywriting service experience.  Copywriting is basically writing text for the purpose of advertising or marketing a product, business, person, opinion or idea (Source: Wikipedia).

Offering your services online will drastically cut down establishment costs for both you and your clients.  When you gain enough experience, you can take it a step further like the copywriter above did and offer ebooks and online courses to train other budding copywriters.

53. Online Music Classes

Online Music Classes by Shankar Mahadevan

Shankar Mahadevan Academy is an online music academy that trains budding vocalists and musicians in various styles of Indian music.  They offer separate tracks for school students, people from corporate sectors and even for music teachers.

You can offer online music classes specifically for vocalists or for a particular instrument.  You could also narrow it down to a particular style of music such as jazz, rock, classical, contemporary, etc.

54. Grocery Planning

Grocery Planning Online Course

Grocery University is a website that offers workshops on how people can save money on groceries.  They offer short courses for a nominal fee that include audio files and workbooks to go along with it.

People all over the world are trying to reduce their monthly grocery budget.  If you are a frugal shopper, you can share how you do it through a workshop as the website above.  You can include specific information on budgeting for groceries, how to find local deals and which deals are truly worth the trip to make your course more relevant.

This has been a mammoth post!  We hope you have found some inspiration through these 50+ online business that are successfully making money online.  We encourage you to find what you are good at and consider launching an online business that will help you make the most of your potential.

Click here for additional help on turning your talents into a profit!