Are you tired of the daily grind and the longer-than-necessary commute? Fed up of working for someone else and want to be your own boss? 

If so, you’re not alone. As someone who has started a number of businesses from home, I know firsthand the challenges and rewards of pursuing your own path. In my case, the main driver was more freedom and control over my schedule. For others, the driver is spending more quality time with family and working towards financial freedom on their own terms.

Whatever your driver is, it’s absolutely possible to start a business from home. To help inspire that creative spark and kickstart a potential new career for you, this article will explore the most promising, viable and best business from home ideas for starting and running a successful venture. While the journey may not be easy, the rewards of building something of your own can be truly life-changing. 

How much will you earn with a home business?

One of the first questions that comes to mind when considering a home business is, “How much can I earn?” 

The answer is that it completely depends on what you set up. There are various factors at play, but really your earning potential has no ceiling. However, it’s crucial to understand that building a successful home business requires hard work, dedication and the ability to take full responsibility for your success, as well as failures along the way.

There are different levels to your earning potential. Some home business opportunities, such as freelancing and providing services for others, involve exchanging your time for money. While you can certainly earn a decent income this way, your earnings are directly tied to your hourly or daily rate. In specialist areas, a good day rate can exceed £500, but it’s important to remember that your income will be limited by the number of hours you can work.

To earn a significant income, you’ll have to build an asset. This is a business that compounds over time and generates income even when you’re not actively working on it. This type of venture requires the development of scalable systems and processes, allowing you to grow your income beyond the constraints of swapping time for money. Building this type of business takes lots of time and effort, but the rewards can be substantial.

It’s worth noting that some individuals want to build a home business primarily for the lifestyle benefits, such as flexibility and the ability to work on their own terms. If this is your main motivation, a good target might be to aim for an income that matches your current employed salary. This was my aim initially when I made the jump from employed to self-employed. This can provide a sense of financial stability while allowing you to enjoy the perks of working from home.

Best business from home ideas 

Let’s get into our 14 best business from home ideas for those based in the UK. 

Online personal trainer

Passionate about fitness? Love helping others achieve their health goals? Becoming an online personal trainer might be the perfect home business idea for you. 

As an online personal trainer, you’ll have the opportunity to make a positive impact on people’s lives by creating personalised training programmes tailored to their specific goals. As well as exercise guidance, you might support clients on nutrition advice and healthy habits. 

One of the key advantages of being an online personal trainer is the flexibility and freedom it offers. You won’t need to be physically present in a gym to train your clients. Instead, one of your main jobs is to keep them accountable through regular check-ins and progress tracking via an app or online platforms. All of this means you can work with a larger client base, which makes being an online PT a more scalable business model.

To succeed as an online personal trainer, it’s essential to obtain recognised PT qualifications, such as Level 2 gym instructor and Level 3 personal trainer courses. These certifications will provide you with the knowledge and credibility needed to build trust with your clients and establish yourself as a reputable fitness professional in the online space.

After gaining your Level 2 and Level 3 certificates, it’s important to continue your professional development with specialist courses. These will allow you to open up your services to a broader range of clients and specialise your support. For example, gaining your Level 3 GP Exercise Referral Course will allow you to work with clients who have been referred from their GP or healthcare specialist.

Becoming a personal trainer allows you the opportunity to carve out your own business, opening the doors to unlimited revenue. As a successful online personal trainer there really is no cap on how much you can earn, making it one of the highest paying jobs and top business from home ideas!

If you’ve got a gym space where you live, it’s even possible to become a personal trainer at home. For more information in this area, read our blogs on starting a personal training business and the best PT marketing strategies you can use to make a name for yourself.

Virtual assistant

A virtual assistant, or VA, is a remote worker who provides support services to business owners, entrepreneurs and others. A VA can take on almost any task – as long as it can be done remotely. You’ll usually be doing things that your clients typically don’t have the time or desire to do themselves. 

The broad scope of activities covers everything from creative tasks to business admin and technical support. If you’ve got a particular skill, you could choose to specialise in a certain area. If you’re a jack-of-all-trades, you could offer a wide range of different services. 

Common tasks that are outsourced to VAs include:

• Managing email inboxes
• Creating graphics
• Scheduling social media posts
• Conducting content research
• Overseeing project management

As a home-based business idea, it’s perfect for individuals with a diverse skill set and a knack for organisation and time management. As well as this, a good VA has excellent communication skills, is proactive and has the ability to adapt to different working styles and preferences. 

There’s a low bar to entry as you don’t need any qualifications for this role, so a good track record and reviews are essential here. All in all, it’s one of the best business from home ideas if it suits your skillset. 

Video editor

Video content is an essential communication tool for businesses and individuals. With the rise of platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram, the demand for skilled video editors has never been higher. If you have a keen eye for detail and a creative flair, starting a home-based video editing business could be a lucrative and fulfilling venture.

As a video editor, you’ll be responsible for taking raw footage and transforming it into polished, engaging content. It’s a great skill to have as many people, including me, don’t like editing videos and stitching them together. It takes time and patience that many business professionals don’t have. This is where you come in. 

With video editing being a technical skill, a lot of editors usually have some form of university degree from a relevant course. Even so, most video editors are self-taught in the first instance, so it’s definitely a skill that is honed over time.

One of the key advantages of offering video editing services is the broad range of clients you can work with. In addition to editing social media content, you may also find opportunities to edit podcasts, promotional videos and other audiovisual media. To stand out in a competitive market, it’s a good idea to develop a strong portfolio that showcases your skills and style. 

Freelance writer

Freelance writing involves creating content for other businesses. This is mainly in the form of online materials such as website copy, sales pages, blog posts, informational resources, articles and email marketing campaigns. As far as the best business from home ideas go, it’s perfect.

Whilst the rise of AI-generated content has created some challenges for generic writers and content farms, there’s still a demand for writers with real-world experience and specialised knowledge. Freelance human editing is also becoming increasingly sought-after in the age of AI as more businesses rely on low-cost machine-generated content. 

Writing and editing is a competitive world though. For this reason, it’s a good idea to carve out a niche and develop expertise in a specific area. It could be technology, finance, health or something else. For me, it’s beneficial to niche down in an area you’re passionate about so you can write about it over the long term.

Getting started as a freelance writer is relatively easy. There are a number of freelance platforms you can sign up to, such as Fiverr, Freelancer, PeoplePerHour, Upwork and many more. When I first started freelance writing in 2016, I used these platforms to build my client base and gain valuable experience. Beware though, these platforms are super competitive. This isn’t necessarily with high quality writers, but it makes it much more difficult to cut through the sheer number of people applying and super low prices. 

To stand out in the freelance writing and editing market, it’s crucial to develop a portfolio of your own to demonstrate your skills and style. The best way to do this is by creating a website or simple blog where you can showcase your work, share your insights and attract potential clients. This is what got me started. 

Run a money making website

For those with experience of working on company websites or from a digital marketing role, why not use that knowledge to run and monetise your own website? 

This is exactly what I did. After a year or two of working on other company websites, I thought I could do this for myself and started my own simple site. Over time I learned more skills and grew into it. 

This was around 10 years ago now. The internet landscape has changed a lot since. It’s now saturated with content and websites on every niche going, meaning it can be challenging to attract readers and build an audience. Not impossible though. If you have something unique to say and value to give, there are still tonnes of opportunities to monetise your website.

There are a few ways that websites can generate income for owners. Digital ads is one way. These are those programmatic display ads that show up between content, at the bottom of a page and sometimes through pop ups. You don’t need a person to click on an ad to get paid either.

Popular display ad networks, such as Ezoic, Raptive and Mediavine, pay based on impressions. This is the RPM or rate per mille. The rate depends on your niche, but you’re likely to earn anywhere from £5 up to £40 per 1,000 views. With a good amount of views a month, this can add up nicely and relies purely on getting people to your website. 

Other popular ways to earn money on your website are through affiliate marketing on relevant products or services, selling direct advertising space and through sponsorships with other businesses. It’s good to have a combination of multiple revenue streams to keep yourself diversified. 

If building a website from scratch seems daunting, consider buying an existing site. There’s a thriving market for buying and selling websites, ranging from starter ‘seed’ sites to fully established platforms. It’s getting tougher, but the website business can be incredibly profitable, with sites often selling for 20 to 40 times their monthly earnings.

Website designer

Website design has become a highly sought-after skill, making it an excellent home-based business idea for those with a creative flair and technical know-how. 

Although DIY website builders like Squarespace and Wix have made it easier for business owners to create their own websites, not everyone has the time, patience or design skills to make their site look as polished and effective as possible. This presents a fantastic opportunity for website designers to specialise in these platforms.

For local businesses, in particular, having a website designer who understands their unique needs and can create a site that reflects their brand can be a game-changer. By focusing on these clients and mastering the intricacies of popular DIY website builders, you can carve out a profitable niche in the website design market. 

If you have a more advanced technical background, you may also consider offering custom website development services. This route allows you to take on larger clients who require bespoke websites and complex functionality, such as e-commerce platforms or interactive sites. 

To get started as a website designer, consider creating a portfolio that showcases your skills and style. You should also use freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr to find clients and build up your reputation.

Youtuber & Social influencer 

If you’re comfortable in front of the camera and have a passion for creating engaging content, becoming a YouTuber or social media influencer is one of the best business from home ideas. 

As an influencer, your primary goal is to grow a dedicated audience that trusts your opinions and recommendations. While the magic number varies, aiming for at least 10,000 followers is a good starting point. Although the more, the merrier.

To succeed as an influencer, it’s a good idea to have a clear niche or speciality. With this you can then offer value. Whether it’s beauty, fashion, technology or lifestyle, focusing on a specific area will help you attract a loyal following and establish yourself as an authority in your field. Once you’ve built a substantial audience, you can start monetising your content through ads, sponsored posts and brand partnerships.

One of the most appealing aspects of becoming an influencer is that you can start with virtually no upfront costs. Social media platforms are free to use, and you can begin creating content using just your smartphone or a basic camera. However, to stand out in the crowded influencer market, it’s crucial to approach this business idea with a well-defined strategy and consistent effort to keep the algorithms happy.

Keep in mind that growing a substantial following and attracting brand partnerships can take time. Patience, persistence and a willingness to adapt to the ever-changing social media landscape are key to long-term success as an influencer.

Social media manager

Whilst we’re on the topic of social media, managing the channels for other businesses is a more than viable home business option. 

Many business owners find managing their social media channels to be time-consuming and distracting from their core responsibilities. This is where social media managers come in – offering a valuable service that helps businesses stay connected with their audience and promote their brand online.

As a social media manager, you’ll be responsible for creating and implementing social media strategies that align with your clients’ goals and target audience. This includes developing content calendars, creating posts, engaging with followers and analysing performance.

To succeed in this role, you’ll need to have a good understanding of the latest social media trends, best practices and platform algorithms, plus strong communication skills and a creative eye.

Podcaster

Podcasting has exploded in popularity in recent years. If you like engaging conversations and have a curiosity about a particular subject, starting a podcast could be the perfect business from home idea.

To get started, you’ll need a few essential tools: a high-quality microphone, audio recording software and call recording software for interviews. While having some basic audio editing skills is a plus, there are plenty of user-friendly editing programs and tutorials available online to help you get up to speed quickly.

One of the most appealing aspects of podcasting is the relatively low barrier to entry. Unlike other media formats, you don’t need a large budget or a professional studio to create a successful podcast. With the right equipment and a compelling concept, you can start producing episodes from the comfort of your own home.

As your podcast grows in popularity, you can start monetising your content through sponsorships and advertisements. It’s important to keep going with podcasts if you are to be successful. It’s thought that 90% of podcasts don’t make it past three episodes. Then 90% of those podcasts don’t make it past episode 20. So, if you get to episode 21, you’re already in the top 1%, making it one of the best business from home ideas. 

Online private tutor 

Online tutoring is another business from home idea that requires expertise or skill in a particular area. With the rise of remote learning and the growing demand for personalised instruction, rather than a face-less course, online tutoring has become increasingly popular among students of all ages and backgrounds. It can be a fulfilling role for those who like to share knowledge.

An online tutor can operate in almost any field – there’s a market for everything! Common tutor areas include academic subjects like maths and science, but also other fields like coding, art and music. You can also offer tutoring services to help students pass specific tests.

To get started as an online private tutor, consider joining established dedicated platforms like Tutor Hunt, TutorHouse, or Preply. These platforms connect tutors with students and handle much of the administrative work, including payment processing. As you build your reputation and client base, you may also want to create your own website and market your services directly to students and parents.

Create an online course 

As mentioned in the book ‘The $100 Startup’ by Chris Guillebeau, which I’ve read recently, creating and selling online courses can be a low-cost, high-impact way to start a successful home-based business. 

You can think of creating an online course as a much more scalable, but less personal, version of private online tutoring. Unlike one-on-one tutoring, an online course allows you to package your expertise into a format that can be accessed by hundreds or even thousands of students at a time. Once you’ve invested the time and effort into creating high-quality course content, you can sit back and earn money with minimal ongoing maintenance and work. With this one, you’re not just exchanging time for money.

There are plenty of online platforms to build a course on, such as Teachable, Thinkific and Udemy. These places make it easy to create, organise, manage and sell your course. However, to make an online course work, you have to get it in front of the right audience which requires good marketing.

Home studio therapist

If you have the dedicated space at home and the passion to go with it, becoming a home-based therapist is a good business idea from home. It allows you to build your own business and enjoy the many benefits that come with being your own boss. 

Popular therapist roles include sports massage therapists and beauty therapists. As a sports therapist you can carve out a niche in a specific sport or offer a broader range of services. You can team up with gyms, fitness studios and potential sports teams. 

For sports massage, it’s essential you’re properly qualified. Take a look at our comprehensive Level 3 Sports Massage Course which is accessible to all and approved by Active IQ and Ofqual. 

After graduating with your Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy, you can then continue your professional development and business growth with our Level 4 Sports Massage Course.

As a beauty therapist, you can help clients with their makeup, hair, nails and other beauty needs. This is a great option for style-focused entrepreneurs who want to turn their passion into a profitable business.

When starting any therapy business, it’s essential to be patient and consistent in your efforts. Building a strong client base may take time, but as word-of-mouth marketing spreads and your reputation grows, you can expect to have a steady stream of clients if you deliver high-quality services. 

Online planner

In today’s fast-paced, non-stop society, busy people find themselves with little time to plan important events and experiences. Planning is a valuable service that helps clients save time and reduce stress by taking care of the details and logistics.

With this at home business idea, it’s essential to specialise into an area – be that travel, weddings or something else. Even within travel, as a planner you can focus on creating custom itineraries for adventurous individuals looking to explore remote corners of the world or on luxury trips to popular resorts of Europe. 

Another popular area of specialisation is event planning, which can include anything from weddings and anniversaries to christenings and conferences. As an event planner, you’ll be responsible for coordinating all aspects of the event, from selecting the venue and vendors to managing the budget and timeline. Wedding planning, in particular, is a highly sought-after service, as many couples want to ensure that their special day is perfect in every way. If this suits your skills and ambitions, it’s one of the best business from home ideas without a doubt. 

Building a successful planning business from home requires delivering exceptional service and creating a strong reputation in your industry. 

Sell homemade products

If you have a creative flair and enjoy making things by hand, selling homemade products could be a good home business idea for you. Whether you specialise in physical goods or digital products, there are opportunities to turn your skills and passion into a thriving e-commerce venture.

In terms of physical items, there are tonnes of options! You could create handmade jewellery, artisanal soaps, candles, art or home decor pieces. If you have a talent for baking, consider selling homemade cakes, cookies and other sweet treats. You can combine these with special occasions, to niche down even further. 

With the rise of print-on-demand services, you can design your own artwork or slogans and have them printed on a variety of products, such as t-shirts, mugs or phone cases. This is all without the need to hold stock or handle shipping.

Digital products offer another exciting avenue for creative entrepreneurs. If you have an eye for design, you could create and sell digital assets such as printables, graphics or templates. For example, many people sell spreadsheet templates on platforms like Etsy, providing valuable tools for budgeting, project management or meal planning.

When it comes to selling your homemade products, you can use already existing marketplaces or create your own e-commerce website using platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce or Squarespace. Having your own website gives you more control over your brand, customer experience and profit margins, but it also requires more time and effort to set up and maintain.

Good questions to ask before you start business from home idea

Before putting one of these ideas for a business from home into action, it’s essential to ask yourself some key questions to ensure you’re well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. 

• Are you passionate enough? 

Starting a business from home requires a great deal of hard work and dedication. You’ll likely face setbacks and obstacles along the way, but having a genuine passion for what you do can provide the energy and motivation needed to persevere. Ask yourself if you truly love the idea of your home business and if you’re willing to put in the effort to make it succeed.

• Can you give it enough time? 

Running a business often demands a significant portion of your attention and energy. Before diving in, evaluate your current commitments and responsibilities. Determine whether you can realistically dedicate the necessary time to your new venture. If not, maybe put the business idea on hold until you can give it the priority it deserves.

• Do you have the financial backing? 

Although you can start a home business on a budget, there will still be some costs associated with setting up and operating. These will all depend on the type of business you go into so check these out. In the early stages of your home business, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to hire a team. Would you be comfortable handling your website, your socials and other bits?

Some of the best business from home ideas in our list allow you to spread the cost of the qualifications needed to get started. For example becoming a personal trainer or becoming a sports massage therapist both allow you to pay with interest free monthly installments.

• Is the market there and can it grow? 

The first step is to make sure your business can generate enough revenue to cover your expenses and provide a reasonable income for yourself. After that and the business matures, do you have a plan for increasing profitability? It’s helpful to analyse any competitors and identify ways to differentiate your offerings. Make sure there’s a realistic and sustainable path for your business to grow and thrive in the long term.