Are you planning to start a business, but are short on budget? If you are, don’t worry. Not all successful businesses start with six-figure findings. Having enough money to start a business often stops us from following our dream of being business owners. Not all businesses require a huge investment. To help you start a business on a small budget, we have handpicked some top business ideas under $100.
List of 52 Business Ideas Under $100
1. Online Social Media Consultancy
Every business is now bound to take its business online via social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and more. While most of them don’t know how to plan their social media marketing, you can offer consultancy services backed by your social media skills from home.
2. Handmade Crafts
You can tap into your creativity and start a business within $100 selling handmade crafts. Whether it is handmade jewelry, home décor items, candles, or personalized gifts, there is a market for unique and handmade products. You can sell handmade craft items on online marketplaces like Etsy or set up an online store.
3. Tutoring
Tutoring is a home-based business in the education segment. It’s a profitable business without any investment. You can start a tutoring business just with no capital. Start by informing your friends and family of referrals, or some flyers at your local communities.
4. Reselling
You can also utilize online marketplaces like eBay, Amazon, or Poshmark to resell items. Look for good deals at thrift stores, garage sales, or clearance sales and resell them at a higher price. Try to focus on niche products or items with high demand to maximize your profit margin.
5. Blogging
You can start a blog of your own without any major investment. It’s simple and probably the most legitimate way of earning online. You can run a blog right from your home, without the need for any external help.
Learn More: How to Start a Blog and Make Money
6. Babysitting
If you love spending time with children, you can choose to start a babysitting business. You need practically no investment and can easily start with a $100 investment. The service only involves taking care of other children in the absence of their parents.
7. Web Design
You start to offer a web design service business from home. There are several tutorials available online offering free website designing courses. You can learn and practice for a few days. Small businesses often look for designers online on platforms like UpWork and Fiverr.
8. Home Decoration Services
If you have some creative skills, you can help homeowners decorate their homes in exchange for a fee. You don’t require a professional degree. With an eye for home decoration, you can start to offer your services.
9. Freelance Bookkeeping
Every company, small or big, does require business accounting services. You can opt to offer freelance bookkeeping services without any investment like bank reconciliation, e-filing, service tax, sales tax, payroll, etc.
10. Freelance Writing
You can use your skill words to create articles for others. Look up such writing projects online to offer content regularly. One can also write for corporate clients to help with their marketing projects to promote their products and services.
11. Graphic Designing Services
A top business to do now, good graphical designs are in high demand. You can learn to use the tools online for free via online tutorials and videos. You can use free tools to create logos and designs to offer graphics for clients online.
12. Online Surveys
Do you wish to earn money from home without any investment? Well, online surveys will pay you for that. Small online survey jobs without any skills will reward you to complete the set of questionnaires and opinions on varied subjects.
13. Review Website
Online users often look at in-depth reviews before buying any product or even service. With a very nominal investment, you can buy a few products or experience a few services and start reviewing them. You can be an internet influencer and can earn money via advertising and sponsorships.
14. Pet Training Services
If you are someone who is good with pets, can use the skills to train pets. New pet owners often find it difficult to train their pets. You can offer to train their pets out of your home without any investment.
15. Bed & Breakfast Business
Do you have an extra room at your home? If you do, consider starting a bed and breakfast business without any major investment at under $100. Use a free service like Airbnb to list your place, and you will only have to pay a service fee once there’s a successful reservation.
16. Editing Services
If you are good with creative writing and grammar, then you can start to help people produce better content. Companies and individuals even look for editors to offer in-depth editing services. You can opt to offer online editing services for writers or businesses in exchange for a fee.
17. Soap-Making Business
The organic soap market is growing at a steady rate. While the demand for natural soaps continues to rise, you can start a home-based soap-making business without any major investment.
18. ClickBank E-Products
The business involves selling digital products and can be started for under $100. You can start with your own Clickbank product, where you can earn a commission for every successful sale. You can also create a PDF e-book on any topic to start selling it immediately.
19. Used Books Selling
You can start a business by selling used books online. You first need to buy used books from different readers. Add up your profit margin, and then list the books on eBay or other sites selling second-hand books.
20. Email Marketing Services
Email marketing still remains a favorite tool of marketing among small businesses. If you can write attractive emails to build a connection with customers, you can offer your services online. You will help small businesses to carry out email marketing campaigns.
21. Online Dating Consultant
There are people who find it difficult to find a date. You can use your interpersonal communication skills to help others find a date by offering online consultations from home on your own time without any major investment.
22. E-Commerce Business
An e-commerce business offers you the ease to work from home without any major investment. You can choose to manufacture some products like soaps or candles at home or drop ship something or buy products wholesale to start selling online.
23. Logo Designing Services
You can use your creative skills to start a freelance logo designing business. You can choose to learn to design logos online for free via tutorial videos. Once done, you start taking up orders online to offer services to businesses looking for simple logos and branding elements.
24. Social Media Management Services
There are several businesses that don’t have a full-time social media person. While you can be at home, you can opt to manage their social media accounts. You can offer your remote social management services in the form of packages.
25. Copywriting Services
With an eye for creative content and writing skills, you can make money out of copywriting. While there’s no investment involved, you can start a copywriting business from home. As a freelance copywriter, you can take up assignments online from platforms like UpWork or Fiverr.
26. Ticket Booking Services
As a ticket booking agent, one needs to keep up with different travel sites for deals and offers. You will help them book trips with everything they need in exchange for a fee. Ticket booking is one of the most lucrative travel-related businesses under $100.
27. Online Photo Editing Services
Use can start an online photo editing service where you will edit pictures in-depth in exchange for a fee. There are several free tools available online. You can learn them online and then can offer editing services in packages.
28. Recycled Goods Seller
You can start a recycled goods business for under $100. Use your creative skills to create goods by using recyclable materials, to sell them later. Handmade recycled products have a sizeable market. You can choose to sell them online or via local shops.
29. Online SEO Consultancy
With some working knowledge of content and websites, you can offer online SEO services. Businesses and individuals will contact you to fix their SEO and you will go through your client’s site on how they can improve their ranking with better Search Engine Optimisation.
30. Childproofing Services
Childproofed homes help babies and small children stay safe, and parents have to worry less. The business is really cheap to start. Do note that you may have to follow certain state guidelines and regulations to child-proof homes depending on your location.
31. Packing Services
A business dealing with products will always need some sort of packaging. A low-investment business, you can start to offer packing services to local businesses. With an eye for little details, you can start a successful packing service business with a little investment.
32. Grocery Delivery Services
Local shops don’t have dedicated delivery services. With a bike, you can opt to start a delivery service in your locality to help local shops offer delivery services. You can be a personal shopper as well to help them buy and deliver things for a small fee.
33. Referral Services
You can contact businesses asking them to pay you a fee for successful referrals. As a referral service provider, you will telemarket for them or promote their services and products via different channels. Also, work with customers to help them find what they want, and then, in turn, charge these businesses.
34. Telemarketing Services
You can start a telemarketing business out of your home with a laptop and mobile. As a freelance telemarketer, you will help different small businesses sell their services and products. This may also include fixing appointments with customers and generating leads.
35. Marketing Services
Most businesses fail to sell their product or service due to poor marketing. If you are an expert, you can start an online marketing consultancy. Marketing in today’s world plays a major role in a company’s performance. You can choose to help them with their brand awareness campaigns.
36. Catering Services
You can start a small catering business for under $100 for birthday parties and small events. To keep the expenses low, you can choose to operate from home, keeping the overhead to a minimum. Tie up with event planners and other party agencies for a steady stream of orders.
37. Content Marketing Services
You can start a content marketing business backed by your writing skills. However, one needs to stay updated with Google’s changing algorithms and writing trends. One can also work as an exclusive content writer apart from writing for marketing and advertising materials.
38. Scrapbook Making Services
People often look for creative scrapbook layouts online. You can help them have their own scrapbooks with their desired layouts. You have to work on how they want their scrapbook to look, and assemble it for them.
39. Mobile Car Wash
Another business you can start for under $1000 is by offering mobile car wash services. Here you will visit customers’ locations to clean and detail their vehicles. You need to invest little money in car cleaning supplies and equipment. There is a good demand for car wash services among busy professionals or car owners.
40. Online Proofreading Services
Clients look for proofreaders online who can offer editing services. You will offer services online by letting clients send you their work. You return them after editing and proofreading for a fee.
41. eBook Writer
Reading has seen a huge transformation over the decades. While the love for reading is still there, the medium had changed. Most people now read on the internet. If you have something great to share, you can write an eBook and self-publish it to sell it on platforms like Amazon’s Kindle library.
42. Online Course Instructor
If you have some knowledge of any particular subject, you can start to offer online classes. You upload your classes for different courses on a platform like Udemy or Coursera to get paid. The platforms will charge a commission for every successful purchase.
43. Yoga Studio
While the gym is losing its charm among health enthusiasts, yoga is gaining stardom. You can start a yoga studio at home with a bit of training. You can do a short course to kick-start your own yoga classes from home without any major investment.
44. Professional Organizing Services
Often busy people need help to organize their own stuff. You can offer professional services to help them stay organized. This will primarily involve managing their homes or offices and systems for storing and utilizing all items.
45. Pop-Up Shop
Starting a retail shop can be very costly now. While instead, you can opt to start a small pop-up shop to sell something. This can be a food stall or something you can do on your own, cakes, or organic soaps.
46. Flea Market Vending
Flea markets are there all around the world. You can locate the ones closest to you via online maps and can start to vend for them. While the investment is low, you can start your vending business at under $100.
47. Freelance Bartending
With so many free online cocktail guides and videos, you can start to work as a freelance bartender on your own. You can learn and practice the skills at home. You may need some real-life experience, so it’s better to work under someone first before starting on your own.
48. Window Cleaning Services
The window cleaning business will require basic supplies, which are available at around $100. You can offer your services to retail stores, cafes, and shops with store windows. Once you start to work, you can invest in more equipment.
49. Scrap Metal Recycling
Metals like copper and aluminum are some of the most valuable common metals found across the world. While these metals remain in demand, you can choose to recycle them at a low cost. With your first sale, you can invest in new supplies.
50. Cleaning Services
Cleaning services can be a profitable low-capital business without any major investment. You can start to offer your services with some basic equipment for under $100. Once you start to rake up, you can use your earnings to expand your business.
51. Alteration Service Provider
With a bit of needle and thread skills, you can start an alteration service business from home. While the investment is very minimal, you will cater to clients who need altering garments. To start with, you can promote your services in your locality via friends and family.
52. Landscaping Services
You can choose to design landscapes. While there’s no major investment, you may put in your skills. You will have to mow lawns and pull weeds to make them look attractive. While the landscaping work may vary, you can charge your clients accordingly.
These are the recommended list of business opportunities you can start with a very little budget of under $100. The idea is to start with what you have, and then grow with the money you make. You need to be ready to put in the work to get the business going!
Editorial Team at 99BusinessIdeas is a team of experts led by Rupak Chakrabarty with over 25 years of experience in starting and running small businesses. Started in 2010, 99BusinessIdeas is now one of the largest free small business resources in the industry.
