Dreaming of being your own boss but put off by the thought of startup costs and stuffy office rentals? Starting an online business could be your answer.
In this article, we explain some of the best online business ideas to help you ditch the daily commute, work on your venture from anywhere with a WiFi connection, and reach a global marketplace - all from your laptop and phone.
And once you’ve got the ball rolling on your online business, we’ve explained how Wise Business can help you get paid internationally at the mid-market exchange rate without any hidden fees.
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Vibe coding is when you describe what you want to code (like an app or a website) to an AI model like ChatGPT or Gemini, and the AI writes the code to bring your idea to life.
That makes vibe coding more of a method than a standalone business - but it’s a great way to make money, which is only limited by your creativity.
Things to note:
Vibe coding isn’t a flawless process. AI often misses details and writes messy code. In fact, nearly 1 in 3 senior developers say that the time they spend fixing or editing AI-generated code offsets most of the time savings.1
If you choose to work as a vibe coder, you’ll need to have the knowledge and take the time to guide and correct as needed.
Startup costs are generally low, since all you need is a computer and an AI tool. However, the total effort can still be substantial depending on what you're building. For instance, if you decide to create a new app, you’ll need to come up with a unique, viable idea, then handle all the aspects of developing it — including design and user experience.
Once the product’s created, you’ll also need to find ways to reach customers.
Is YouTube the newest idea for an online business? No. But is it still one of the best ways to make money online? Absolutely.
The best part of YouTube is the diversity of revenue streams to choose from:
Memberships and tips: Viewers pay you in exchange for access to exclusive content or perks, usually managed through YouTube’s membership feature or platforms like Ko-fi and Patreon.
Advertising: Once your YouTube channel is popular enough to qualify for YouTube’s Partner Programme (currently 1,000 subscribers plus either 4,000 watch hours in the last 12 months or 10 million valid public shorts views in the past 90 days), you can earn money from advertisements shown in your videos2.
Affiliate marketing: You earn money by recommending products using affiliate links and codes in your videos, descriptions or comments.
Sponsorships and brand deals: Companies pay you to feature or review your products, typically after your channel has built a strong following.
Merchandise and products: You sell your own digital or physical products directly to fans.
Each path requires different skills, but all start with the same foundation: attracting viewers. That means defining a clear niche and creating high-quality videos that get people to tune in.
Not long ago, the only way to spend money on video games was by buying them. Today, people don’t just pay to play. Many are happy to pay just to watch others play.
That shift means your gaming skills can become an income stream. Platforms like Twitch and YouTube make it possible to share your gameplay and build a community. Earnings then come through viewer subscriptions, adverts or sponsorships.
But competition is fierce. Not only do you need to be a good gamer, but you also need to be a pro at keeping viewers entertained and engaged.
A poll of US game streamers found that about half never actually make money from it.6 Success streamers, however, can make a very comfortable living.
Dropshipping is a way of selling products online with your own digital shop, but without the up-front costs of buying, storing and shipping products.
Here’s how it works: You run an online shop that promotes products. When a customer makes a purchase, you order the item from the wholesaler, who ships it to the customer.
Dropshipping companies charge a fee for their services, and the quality of both the products and the customer service can vary widely.
It's worth researching carefully to find reliable suppliers that fit your needs - after all, it’s the first wise move you'll make in your new venture.
Affiliate marketing involves helping an existing business sell its products, then receiving a commission on sales you generate.
In most cases, you need a content platform like a blog or social media account that already brings in an audience. On that channel, you can share special tracking links or codes. When someone clicks through and makes a purchase, you get paid.
Becoming a successful affiliate marketer requires attracting and retaining your audience members and getting them to shop using your links or codes. You also need to choose affiliate programs that offer reliable payouts and fair commissions.
Recommended Reading: Dropshipping vs Affiliate Marketing: The Complete Guide
As an online tutor, you can share your knowledge across screens without worrying about classrooms or commutes. You choose when and where you work, and your students can log in from anywhere.
This job gives you a lot of flexibility, plus the satisfaction of helping someone learn. Online tutoring tends to be a crowded market, though. Unless the knowledge you’re sharing is specific and niche, you’ll be competing against many other would-be tutors.
To get started, you’ll need to have expertise in a topic, plus the ability and patience to teach and keep students motivated about learning. Startup costs are modest, especially if you use an existing platform like Tutorful or iTalki that lets you begin for free.3
Copywriting is the craft of writing words that sell. It involves writing website copy, ads, LinkedIn posts or any other written content that guides someone from interest to action.
Almost every business needs copy to explain and market its products or services, so demand for copywriting is strong. The challenge is that the field is crowded — and shrinking for human workers with the rise of generative AI.4
To stand out, copywriters today need to bring more: out-of-the-box creativity, marketing strategy, human empathy and a distinct tone of voice AI tools can’t easily replicate.
You’ll also need to market yourself and find clients — skills that don’t always come naturally to writers, but are required to succeed.
Recommended Reading: How much to charge for freelance writing
If you’re great at handling administrative tasks — scheduling, customer support, research — you could make a strong virtual assistant. This role lets you work with clients across the UK or overseas without leaving your home.
Plenty of online portals already exist to link up VAs with clients. That makes it easy and cheap to get started, but hard to get noticed. You’ll often be competing with VAs from other regions willing to work for lower rates. These days, you’ll be competing with AI VAs too.5
UK-based VAs can differentiate themselves by targeting clients who value UK hours, local knowledge or familiarity with UK business culture and customers.
A global business needs more than a great idea—it needs money management that isn't stuck in the past. When you're dealing with international clients or suppliers, the hidden fees and poor exchange rates from traditional banks can quietly eat into your profits. That’s where Wise Business comes in.
With Wise Business, you get the mid-market exchange rate and full transparency in fees. You can also hold and send money in multiple currencies and get local account details to make it easier for overseas customers to pay you.
If you’re ready to keep more of what you earn, Wise Business is for you.
Sources:
Sources last checked on date: 24-Sep-2025
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