14 Best Part-Time Business Ideas In India For 2023

Starting a part-time business is a low-risk way to explore all the different business ideas you have while still having a full-time salary. This can be either something you actually wanted to do or something just for extra income. But making an online business come into play isn’t always easy. Doing the right research and time management is the key. Below we have listed some of the top part-time business ideas which you can start without quitting your job.

List Of Top 14 Part-Time Business Ideas in India

1. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing simply means promoting products or services made by another company and earning a commission for doing it.

The most common way in which affiliate marketers get paid is Pay-Per-Sale or PPS, in which affiliates are compensated for each sale they bring. Other ways of getting paid include Pay-Per-Click (PPC) and Pay-Per-Lead (PPL).

Starting an affiliate business requires little to no investment. You can join any affiliate network free of cost and start promoting deals and offers your audience might be interested in. As it is a performance-based business, you can eventually turn it into a full-time venture that provides surplus income.

The niche in which you can start affiliate marketing is long. Below you can find some of the prominent ones:

• Technology
• Health and Fitness
• Fashion and Beauty
• Lifestyle
• Hobby
• Pet care
• Travel

Insights

Skills Required	Having good Problem Solving, Decision-making skills and little technical knowledge is a Plus.
Average Earnings	₹2.5 LPA (Glassdoor)
Time Needed	Flexible ( The more time you give more money you will get back home)
Useful Resources	EarnKaro (Affiliate Marketing Platform), Voluum (Tracking Tool), Google Analytics ( Traffic Analysis Tool), Pretty Links (Link Clocking Tools)

If you also find affiliate marketing interesting, you can check out our in-depth guide explaining how to start affiliate marketing from scratch.

2. Dropshipping

A drop shipping business is one of the low-investment part-time business ideas. Dropshipping is a type of order fulfilment method that does not require you to keep an inventory of the items you are selling. Instead, you buy products from the supplier after the order is placed, and the supplier ships them to your customer.  

When done rightly, dropshipping can be a profitable business as most dropshipping businesses don’t require a lot of capital or time to set up and operate.

Dropshipping can seem challenging at first as you need to work on your store, customer service, and finding the best suppliers until you see a wholesome income flow. But it can be a good source of passive income, and eventually, it can become your full-time work.

Insights

Skills Required	Product research, E-commerce knowledge, Marketing skills, Customer service, Analytical skills, Communication skills, Financial management, Time management
Average Earnings	₹1 to ₹4 LPA
Time Needed	5 to 6 Hours / Day
Useful Resources	Shopify (Online website builder), Oberlo ( Dropshipping Plugin), WooCommerce(Ecommerce Plugin for WordPress) SaleHoo (Directory of Wholesale companies).

3. Print-On-Demand Business 

Print-on-demand is another great part-time business that you can start. Print-on-demand is a simplified way to sell products without keeping an actual inventory. What most of the sellers do is collaborate with a supplier who specializes in customizing white-label products like bags, mugs, t-shirts, wall art, socks, and more and exhibit their creative side. Although you can also manufacture products and maintain an inventory.

Once your customer makes a purchase, your supplier will get the details of the design and quantity of the products ordered. Once the design is printed, your order will be packed and shipped by the supplier to the end customer. This means that you don’t have to pay for the products until you have made a sale.

You can start your print-on-demand business with little to no investment, as you don’t have to keep any inventory or spend money on materials and equipment. The only investment you need to make is of your time for creating the designs and building your brand presence online.

Insights

Skills Required	Product research, E-commerce knowledge, Marketing skills, Customer service, Analytical skills, Communication skills, Financial management, Time management
Average Earnings	Unlimited
Time Needed	5 to 6 Hours / Day
Useful Resources	Shopify (Online website builder), WooCommerce(Ecommerce Plugin for WordPress) SaleHoo (Directory of Wholesale companies).

4. Customized Gifting Business

Who doesn’t love personalized gifts? Customized gift boxes and personalized gifting has become a trend nowadays. Giving overrated and mundane gifts like photo frames and chocolates have become old school. People are now looking for gifts that have a personal touch to them. Hence, starting a customized gifting business can be a good part-time business idea.

For starting a customized gifting business, all you need is to stay up to date on the current trends and create gifts that resonate with them. Also, purchasing raw materials which are economical in bulk.
In gift customization, you can experiment with various products like customizing gift baskets, photo frames with digital artwork, handwritten notes, and much more.

Insights

Skills Required	E-commerce skills, Creativity, Marketing skills, Customer service, Organizational skills, Financial management, Knowledge of gift-giving occasions and trends, Negotiation skills, Time management
Average Earnings	Unlimited
Time Needed	5 to 6 Hours / Day
Useful Resources	Shopify (Online website builder), Oberlo ( Dropshipping Plugin), WooCommerce(Ecommerce Plugin for WordPress)

5. Freelance Photography

Another good part-time business idea for Students is photography. If you are a person who has a knack for photography and loves to be on the creative side, then you can turn your hobby into a profitable part-time business.

You can start doing freelance photography, wherein you can do photoshoots like portraits, passport photos, headshots for online profiles, etc., indoors by turning your room into a studio or shooting outdoors at different locations.

You can also do event photography, such as at weddings, sporting events, engagements, baby showers, etc. Apart from this, you can also sell your photos to large stock photo websites like Shutterstock and earn passive income.

Since you are doing freelance photography, you can choose your work timings. Also, according to your convenience, you can accept or reject a client you want to work with.

Insights

Skills Required	knowledge of composition, lighting, colour theory, and editing software. Proficiency in camera operation, aperture and shutter speed settings, and camera movement.
Average Earnings	₹4.3 LPA (AmbitionBox)
Time Needed	5 to 6 Hours / Day
Useful Resources	Glassdoor, Naukri, Indeed (for finding work), Adobe Creative Cloud (suite of tools for photographers), PetaPixel (news, reviews, and tutorials on photography and videography)

6. Become a Live Streamer

Live streaming has become a very popular and effective way for content creators to engage seamlessly with their audience. It has been getting a lot of traction and attention as you get to engage with your audience in real time and can deliver content in new and innovative ways.

A professional streamer is someone who earns money through live-streaming content such as music, art, gaming, and other things with the help of donations, subscriptions, advertisements, and sponsorships.

There are many types of live streaming you can do, including music & performing arts, talk shows & podcasts, sports & fitness, food & drink, etc.

Starting a live-streaming business requires little investment. You can start with your phone and a tripod. You can signup on websites like Twitch to start streaming today.

Insights

Skills Required	Technical proficiency, Presentation skills, Communication skills, Creativity, Marketing skills, Time management skills, Business acumen, Community management
Average Earnings	₹54K per annum (Glassdoor)
Time Needed	4 to 6 Hours / Day
Useful Resources	OBS Studio, Restream (for live streaming), Twitch Creator Camp (for tutorials and resources)

7. Handicraft Business

Starting a handicraft business is also one of the top business ideas for women and others that have become popular these days. With the help of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, people nowadays sell personalized, handcrafted things like décor items, crockery, paintings, handmade jewellery, etc.  

Social media platforms have given an excellent opportunity to people who are creative and can make aesthetically appealing items. They also help in increasing the reach of the buyers, hence giving them a chance to shop from any part of the country.

You can easily monetize your hobby of creating handcrafted items like wall hangings, handmade jewellery, paintings, macrame décor, or scented candles by starting it as a part-time business. With the use of social media, you can advertise your products and increase your reach to potential buyers.

Insights

Skills Required	Creativity and Design, Business and Entrepreneurial Skills, Marketing and Sales, Time Management and Organization, Quality Control
Average Earnings	Unlimited
Time Needed	5 to 6 Hours / Day
Useful Resources	Etsy, Amazon (Online Marketplaces), Udemy, Skillshare (Online Courses and Tutorials), Craft, Inc.” by Meg Mateo Ilasco (Book)

8. Social Media Management

In today’s world, no business can continue to exist without a strong social media presence, whether it’s a big company like Netflix or a small-scale company that makes handmade products. No matter the size, all businesses have social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc. Hence, this has increased the demand for social media management in India, which can be done easily alongside your full-time job.

To become a social media freelancer, you must have knowledge of social media algorithms. Also, to create good content and grow engagement, you must stay up to date with the current trends.

Insights

Skills Required	Communication skills, Marketing skills, Writing skills, Analytics skills, Creativity, Customer service, Tech-savvy,
Average Earnings	₹4 LPA (AmbitionBox)
Time Needed	There is no time limit. You can utilize as much time as possible on social media.
Useful Resources	Hootsuite & Social Pilot (Social Media Management Tools), keyword tool for (Hashtag Research),

Moreover, we have also created a guide on some of the part-time jobs available in India that you can join from the comfort of your home. Do have a look.

9. Baking Business

If you have an interest in baking and cooking, why not turn it into a profitable side business? You can start this business from the comfort of your home and enjoy the flexibility it offers. You can even offer baking classes online with platforms like Skillshare and earn money from it.

As there is always demand for freshly prepared cookies, biscuits, and cakes, starting a baking business can be profitable. Just keep in mind to use high-quality ingredients and good presentation to reach potential customers and retain the existing ones.

Starting a baking business would require little investment to buy an oven and other baking equipment.

Insights

Skills Required	Precision, Attention to Detail, Creativity, Time Management, Adaptability
Average Earnings	₹2.5 LPA (AmbitionBox)
Time Needed	2 to 3 Hours / Day
Useful Resources	King Arthur Baking Company (for recipes, baking tips, and product reviews), YouTube (for following other bakers)

10. Blogging

If you enjoy writing, use blogging as a platform to communicate with everyone you want. These days, there are plenty of platforms where you can quickly learn how to blog. The perfect example is WordPress.com. You can start by journaling your experiences or by writing about a niche that you are interested in. Your blog can be as imaginative and engaging as you like. Those who desire to start a part-time business can consider this.

Starting a blog has several advantages, but getting viewers at first will take a lot of work. Once you have enough visitors, you can also make a significant sum of money through sponsors and ads. A blogger in India can easily earn between 1 and 1.5 lakh rupees each month.

Insights

Skills Required	Research skills, SEO knowledge, Creativity, Editing and proofreading, Time management, Adaptability
Average Earnings	₹3 LPA (AmbitionBox)
Time Needed	Flexible (You can Devote as much time as possible to Writing Blogs)
Useful Resources	EarnKaro (Affiliate Marketing Platform to Monetize blogs), Google Analytics ( Traffic Analysis Tool), WordPress, Wix, blogger (Website Builder CMS), and Ahref( For Keywords & Topic research.

11. Tutoring Services Online

The traditional way of learning has changed. More and more students are interested in taking online classes. It is either to supplement their regular classes, prepare for an exam, or to learn about a stream before jumping in and pursuing it as a full-fledged career option. As a result, online tutors are in demand. They get decent pay and have flexible working hours. If you have a flair for academics, starting an online tutoring business is a great option for you.

Insights

Skills Required	Strong communication, Flexibility, Technology proficiency, Subject expertise, Creativity, Time management, and Interpersonal skills
Average Earnings	₹3.6 LPA (talent)
Time Needed	5 to 6 Hours / Day
Useful Resources	Zoom ( for Video Calling), Up Grad, Edureka, Simplilearn (Online tutoring platforms)

12. Freelance Graphic Designer

If you have a knack for creativity and can think out of the box when it comes to designing, then you can start a part-time graphic designing business. As a freelance graphic designer, you would be designing social media posts, e-brochures, flyers, visiting cards, banners, logos, etc., for multiple brands. This business can be started with low investment as you only require a laptop and a stable internet connection.

Insights

Skills Required	Creativity, Design software proficiency, Typography, Color Theory, Attention to detail, Communication skills, Visual composition, Understanding of design principles
Average Earnings	₹3 LPA (AmbitionBox)
Time Needed	2 to 3 Hours / Day
Useful Resources	Fiverr (for searching side projects)

13. Freelance Video Editing

If you are familiar with software like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, Adobe After Effects, etc., then you can start doing freelance video editing. Companies and institutions are always on the lookout to hire freelance video editors to edit videos for event/ performances that happens occasionally.

Insights

Skills Required	Proficiency in Editing Software, Understanding of Video Formats and Codecs, Video Composition and Framing, Storytelling and Narrative Structure, Attention to Detail and Organization, Audio Editing and Mixing, Color Correction and Grading, Transitions and Effects
Average Earnings	₹3 LPA (AmbitionBox)
Time Needed	5 to 6 Hours / Day
Useful Resources	Glassdoor, Naukri, Indeed (for finding work), Adobe Creative Cloud (suite of tools for videographers), PetaPixel (news, reviews, and tutorials on photography and videography)

14. Web Designing

Every business nowadays has an online presence, and it has become difficult to stand out from the competition. You, as a web designer, can help brands to make their website exceptional and more user-friendly. You can earn a decent amount of money in this field and only require investing in a laptop and certain web designing tools.

Insights

Skills Required	Proficiency in programming languages, Experience with content management systems (CMS). Knowledge of front-end frameworks, user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design principles, and SEO techniques. Familiarity with back-end technologies. Understanding of responsive design and mobile-first development. Ability to design and implement custom themes and plugins for websites
Average Earnings	₹2.4 LPA (AmbitionBox)
Time Needed	5 to 6 Hours / Day
Useful Resources	Upwork, Naukri (for finding work), Stack Overflow (Q&A site for coders and developers), GitHub (Code hosting and collaboration platform for developers), Canva (graphic design tool), Bootstrap (open-source framework for responsive web development)

Conclusion

If you have the skills or desire for them, here are some of the top Part-Time Business Ideas in India that you can start without too much effort. You can work as much or as little as you like because you are your own boss, which is one of the major benefits of a part-time business. With that being said, earning a living income through a part-time business can be difficult without prioritizing and planning.

FAQs