Passive Income Ideas For Api Developers [2024]
Interested in earning passive income as a API developer in 2024?
We put together a few of the best passive income ideas you can start as a API developer today. These will help you increase your quality of life by bringing in more income for yourself or your business.
For each income idea, we’ll show you real-world examples, revenue expectations for each idea, plus some things you might need to know before you start your passive income journey as a API developer.
Here's the full list:
1. Make passive income with an email marketing tool ($992K/month)
As an API developer, you could leverage your coding skills to create an email marketing tool, which helps businesses manage and automate their email campaigns. By building an intuitive platform for crafting and sending bulk emails, you could tap into the booming email marketing industry, projected to reach $2.53 billion by 2028. Your technical expertise would allow you to create robust APIs for seamless integration with other popular applications.
Moreover, an email marketing tool could provide recurring income through subscription models. Entrepreneurs, startups, and even real estate agents are always seeking user-friendly tools to streamline their communication efforts. Your tool could meet that demand, providing you with a consistent and scalable source of passive income.
How much you can make: $120 — $20,833,333/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
H-supertools founder Hasan developed a set of free SEO and digital marketing tools generating $2k per month in profit using Google Adsense, affiliate marketing, selling ad spaces, and email, plans to launch a membership option, and has attained over 80k registered users and 300k monthly visits in less than two years.
2. Make passive income with a social media automation business ($139K/month)
As an API developer, starting a social media automation business could be a great way to earn extra income and leverage your existing skills. You could develop tools to schedule posts, automate interactions, and analyze data across various social media platforms, making it easier for businesses and influencers to manage their online presence.
In today's world, there's a growing demand for effective social media engagement, and your technical expertise could help fill that need. By building or integrating software solutions, you could create a service that saves clients significant time and enhances their social media strategy. Developing these tools could also allow you to stay updated on the latest social media trends, giving you a competitive edge while forging valuable client relationships.
For those who enjoy blending technology with marketing, a social media automation business could be a highly rewarding venture. It not only taps into a booming market but also offers a unique opportunity to diversify your income streams while utilizing your API development skills.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $400,000/month
How long does it take to build: 50 days (?)
MeetEdgar, a bootstrapped social media automation tool founded in 2014 by Laura Roeder, has grown to $4 million in annual recurring revenue and more than 5,000 customers, with a team size of two dozen, achieved through content marketing, social media marketing, and organic search.
3. Make passive income with an ai based business solution ($55.8K/month)
As an API developer, you could explore the possibilities of creating an AI-based business solution to generate passive income. An AI solution can automate repetitive tasks, provide deep customer insights, and even predict market trends. This not only reduces costs for businesses but also helps them make smarter decisions.
By leveraging your API development skills, you could integrate AI tools into existing systems, enhancing their efficiency and effectiveness. Businesses are increasingly seeking such solutions to stay competitive, making it a growing market. Starting an AI-based business solution can be a strategic way to monetize your tech skills and tap into a high-demand area.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $120,000/month
How long does it take to build: 125 days (?)
Mikkelsen Twins grew an online education company from scratch with over 800 students, making over 6-figures in profit every month thanks to their successful program, Audiobook Income Academy 2.0.
4. Make passive income with a lead generation tool ($108K/month)
As an API developer, you could create a lead generation tool that helps businesses find potential customers more easily. By developing a software application that integrates with websites, social media, and other digital platforms, you could automate the process of collecting valuable contact information like email addresses and phone numbers. This would allow businesses to focus more on converting these leads into customers, which they would find very valuable.
By leveraging your skills in API development, you could ensure that your tool seamlessly collects and organizes this data, making it more efficient for companies to manage their marketing efforts. Companies are always looking for ways to grow their customer base without spending excessive time on manual tasks, so there's a high demand for effective lead generation solutions. If you're entrepreneurial and tech-savvy, this could be a profitable side hustle or even a main business venture.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $400,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $600 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Dux-Soup is a LinkedIn automation tool that helps business owners and sales & marketing professionals generate more leads, increase efficiency, and save time; with over 70,000 users and revenue of nearly $5 million, it offers automated top-of-the-funnel LinkedIn outreach activities, targeted LinkedIn campaigns and multi-touch & personalized LinkedIn drip campaigns for lead generation.
5. Make passive income with a wordpress plugin business ($33.4K/month)
As an API developer, you could leverage your existing coding skills to create WordPress plugins and earn passive income. WordPress websites rely heavily on plugins to function efficiently and cater to various user needs. By identifying a specific problem or need within the WordPress ecosystem and developing a plugin to address it, you could generate a steady stream of income.
You could sell your plugins on online marketplaces such as CodeCanyon, directly on your blog, or set up a dedicated website for your plugins. Once developed, these plugins can provide ongoing income with minimal maintenance, allowing you to supplement your main job while exploring entrepreneurial ventures.
How much you can make: $120 — $120,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Wheely Sales CEO Josh created a lucky wheel popup that has grown revenue from $0 to $600/month in just 4 months since getting started and has attracted over 1.1 million users to his customers’ websites, all while proving that when it comes to creating a product, competition is validation.
6. Make passive income with a mobile app ($70.3K/month)
As an API developer, leveraging your technical skills to create a mobile app could be a powerful way to generate passive income. You likely have a solid understanding of backend development, which is integral to building robust and scalable mobile applications. By using your expertise, you could build a mobile app that solves a specific problem or fulfills a unique need, making it attractive to a wide audience.
Creating a mobile app requires a clear vision and some knowledge of frontend development or the resources to hire someone for that. You'd be responsible for planning the user experience, designing the interface, and ensuring the app functions smoothly. With effective marketing, your app could achieve significant downloads, offering a new stream of income that grows even while you focus on your main job.
Given the ubiquitous nature of mobile apps in everyday life, there's a vast market waiting for innovative solutions. If you have an idea—whether it's a productivity tool, a game, or something entirely new—your technical background as an API developer positions you perfectly to make it a reality.
How much you can make: $1 — $500,000/month
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
BACH, an app that plans and books bachelorette parties, has grown from $0 to >$1M net revenue run rate in less than 6 months, gained over 100,000 users in their first 60 days, and has over 40,000 parties using the app this month.
7. Make passive income with an AI writing tool ($255K/month)
As an API developer, you could find creating an AI writing tool a practical and lucrative venture. With the continued demand for high-quality content, an AI-powered tool could help businesses, bloggers, and students generate accurate and engaging articles quickly. By leveraging your skills in API development, you could design a tool that integrates seamlessly into existing platforms, offering users an efficient way to automate their content creation tasks.
Furthermore, the technical knowledge you possess can be used to ensure the AI writing tool remains error-free and user-friendly. This could be an excellent opportunity to develop a product that not only brings passive income but also showcases your innovation and technical prowess. Imagine providing a valuable service that transforms the writing process around the globe and relieves the workload of countless writers—that’s a significant way to make your mark in the digital world.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $1,000,000/month
How long does it take to build: 52 days (?)
Rytr, a new AI writing assistant developed by a startup platform and business incubator, has become a market leader, serving over 300,000 customers across the world and doing seven figures in ARR.
8. Make passive income with a niche website ($107K/month)
As an API developer, starting a niche website could be a great way to supplement your income and utilize your technical expertise. You could build a site centered on API development best practices, tutorials, or reviews of popular APIs. By sharing your knowledge, you can attract an audience of fellow developers who are seeking specialized content.
Investing time in creating quality posts, instructional videos, and tools can help build traffic to your site. Once you have an engaged readership, you could explore monetization options like affiliate marketing, ad placements, or even selling your own digital products such as e-books and online courses.
A niche website in your field doesn't just offer financial benefits; it allows you to establish yourself as an authority in API development. With dedication, your site could become a valuable asset that generates passive income over time.
How much you can make: $400 — $250,000/month
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
DPW (Digital Procurement World) is a fast-growing conference and community in procurement that has more than tripled in revenue since launching in 2019, capping out the year at €1.8 million, with 95% of their growth coming from inbound traffic leveraging LinkedIn and applying social selling techniques.
9. Make passive income with an online course sales business ($85K/month)
As an API developer, you could start an online course sales business to supplement your income by teaching others how to build and manage APIs effectively. With the growing demand for API-related skills in various industries, you could create courses that break down complex concepts into easy-to-understand lessons, helping beginners and even experienced developers enhance their skills. Creating and selling a course can provide you with a steady stream of passive income, especially if you continually update the content to stay relevant.
The e-learning market is booming, expected to be worth over $645 billion in the coming years. By leveraging your expertise, you could create high-quality, in-demand courses that resonate with those looking to dive into API development. With the right marketing strategy, you could reach a wide audience through online learning platforms, turning your knowledge into a profitable side hustle.
How much you can make: $100 — $300,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
A multipreneur shares how she built a successful print on demand side hustle, generating $120,000 per year through multiple brands spread over various platforms.
10. Make passive income with a niche blog ($31.5K/month)
Starting a niche blog could be a great way for an API developer to share expertise, engage with a community, and earn extra money. By focusing on specific API-related topics, such as tutorials, best practices, or industry news, you could attract fellow developers and tech enthusiasts.
You could create how-to guides, commentary, and news articles that answer common questions or solve particular problems. As your blog grows, you could monetize it through affiliate links, collaborations with brands, and speaking engagements at tech conferences.
Additionally, a blog can open doors to additional opportunities, like growing a YouTube channel with tutorial videos or getting featured in industry publications. Your passion for APIs and consistent, engaging content could help you foster a dedicated following, supplement your income, and advance your entrepreneurial journey.
How much you can make: $100 — $650,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $650 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Starter Story grew to 1.4 million monthly visitors and millions in annual revenue by sharing the stories of entrepreneurs. Pat breaks down the early days and how he grew the business into something that changed his life.
11. Make passive income with a cold email service business ($170K/month)
As an API developer, you could leverage your technical skills to start a cold email service business that helps companies reach new clients directly via email. This involves creating and sending targeted email campaigns to potential clients, using your knowledge of software to track important metrics like open rates and conversions. Your ability to analyze client needs and research target audiences will be valuable in crafting compelling emails.
You could also use your coding expertise to integrate robust email marketing tools, automate workflows, and manage datasets for more effective outreach. This business has the potential to scale: begin by helping small businesses with their lead generation, and as you gather success stories, you could expand your client base. Combining your technical know-how with marketing strategies could make this a rewarding side hustle that supplements your income efficiently.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $450,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $200 (?)
How long does it take to build: 35 days (?)
GMass, an email marketing platform that allows users to send cold emails and email marketing campaigns with Gmail, has attracted over 500,000 user signups, including major tech companies like Uber, LinkedIn, and Google, and now generates over $200K in monthly recurring revenue through a successful content marketing strategy and focused ad spend.
12. Make passive income with an affiliate marketing business ($77.5K/month)
As an API developer, starting an affiliate marketing business could be a practical way to supplement your income. You could leverage your technical skills to build a website or a blog where you share insights on the latest tools, frameworks, and software that developers might find useful. By promoting these products and services, you could earn commissions for every sale made through your affiliate links.
Additionally, your expertise in APIs means you could create content that resonates with other developers who trust your recommendations. This would not only generate passive income but also help you establish a reputation in the developer community. By choosing the right products and brands to partner with, such as eCommerce stores or manufacturers who produce development tools, you could maximize your earning potential through affiliate marketing.
How much you can make: $500 — $773,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $700 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
13. Make passive income with a marketing tool ($26K/month)
As an API developer, you could supplement your income by creating a marketing tool that automates and optimizes marketing tasks for businesses. There’s a strong demand for tools that can handle automated social media posting, track email campaigns, or aid in SEO optimization, helping companies save time and improve their marketing efficiency.
Leveraging your coding skills, you could develop user-friendly software designed to address the specific pain points faced by businesses. By conducting thorough research and gathering customer feedback, you can craft a marketing tool that stands out and becomes indispensable in the crowded market, leading to potential passive income as businesses adopt your solution. Dive into this opportunity and empower businesses with the tools they need to reach their audience more effectively.
How much you can make: $14,000 — $38,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,005 (?)
How long does it take to build: 59 days (?)
This case study is about a mobile app entrepreneur who started with a simple SMS autoresponder app and has since released 17 more apps, occupying a leading position in communication apps, with a good achievement of $6,000 in revenue (temporarily) and over 500,000 users for their free app.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
