Passive Income Ideas For Automation Engineers [2024]
Interested in earning passive income as a automation engineer in 2024?
We put together a few of the best passive income ideas you can start as a automation engineer 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 automation engineer.
Here's the full list:
1. Make passive income with a social media automation business ($139K/month)
As an automation engineer, you could easily apply your skills to start a social media automation business. This involves creating tools and services that help manage multiple social media accounts by scheduling posts, automating interactions, and analyzing data. By doing this, you could help clients, such as small businesses or influencers, save time and boost their online presence.
Given the high demand for consistent and strategic social media engagement, there’s a ready market for your services. You could leverage your technical expertise to develop or integrate software solutions that meet the specific needs of your clients. Staying updated on social media trends and building strong client relationships could make this both a profitable and satisfying side hustle.
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.
2. Make passive income with an AI writing tool ($255K/month)
As an automation engineer, you could leverage your skills in developing an AI writing tool to supplement your income. This venture involves creating a digital application that uses artificial intelligence to assist in generating content for businesses, bloggers, or students. Such a tool could utilize your programming and automation expertise to ensure that the content produced is accurate, engaging, and efficient.
Using your knowledge of automation, you could design a tool that dramatically reduces the time needed for content creation while maintaining high quality. This not only capitalizes on your existing technical skills but also taps into the growing demand for easily accessible, error-free writing. By offering a product that simplifies and speeds up the writing process, you could provide real value to users and create a new stream of passive income.
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.
3. Make passive income with an ai based business solution ($55.8K/month)
As an automation engineer, you could leverage your understanding of automation technologies to launch an AI-based business solution. This idea involves using artificial intelligence to optimize various business processes, from customer service to inventory management, without needing an extensive tech background. By integrating AI, companies could boost their efficiency, reduce operational costs, and make better, data-driven decisions.
With your skills, you could create AI tools that automate repetitive tasks, provide customer insights, and predict market trends accurately. The market for AI solutions is growing, and businesses are eager to adopt technologies that give them a competitive edge. Launching an AI-based business solution could be your opportunity to innovate and help companies improve their performance while generating passive income from platform subscriptions or software licenses.
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 an email marketing tool ($992K/month)
As an automation engineer, you could leverage your technical skills to create an email marketing tool. Email marketing is a powerful channel that businesses use to reach large audiences and generate sales. By developing a software application that helps users manage and automate email campaigns, you can tap into this growing market, projected to reach $2.53B by 2028.
Your expertise in automation makes you well-suited for this kind of project. Automation is key to successful email marketing, and your skills could help create efficient, user-friendly software that appeals to a wide range of users—from entrepreneurs to real estate agents. The initial steps are straightforward, such as buying a domain and hosting account, but the potential for growth and passive income is significant.
By creating an email marketing tool, you open the door to ongoing revenue streams as users subscribe to use your software. This could be an excellent way to supplement your income and potentially grow a thriving side business.
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.
5. Make passive income with a lead generation tool ($108K/month)
As an automation engineer, you could leverage your technical skills to develop a lead generation tool that helps businesses find new customer leads. This tool can automate the labor-intensive process of identifying potential clients by integrating with websites, social media, and other digital platforms. It could gather valuable information such as email addresses, phone numbers, and customer interests, making it easier for businesses to focus on converting these leads into paying customers.
Given the high demand for efficient lead generation, your tool could become an essential resource for businesses looking to streamline their marketing efforts. This creates an opportunity not only to generate extra income but also to break into the entrepreneurial world with a product that leverages your existing skill set. If you have a knack for tech and marketing, this could be a practical and profitable side project.
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.
6. Make passive income with a mobile app ($70.3K/month)
Creating a mobile app could be an excellent way for an automation engineer to supplement their income. With your technical skills, you're already versed in problem-solving and scripting, which can easily translate into app development. Whether it's a productivity tool that simplifies a common task or a niche app that addresses a specific need, you could use your expertise to build a solution that people will find valuable.
You don't need to know everything about coding; you could learn the basics or hire a skilled developer to bring your vision to life. The essential steps include planning the user experience, designing an intuitive interface, and thoroughly testing for any functionality issues. Once your app is polished, effective marketing will be key to attracting downloads and achieving user traction.
Given how integral mobile apps are to our daily lives, there is significant potential for generating substantial revenue if your app solves a problem or entertains effectively. So, with a good idea and some dedication, you could turn app development into a lucrative side hustle.
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 a wordpress plugin business ($33.4K/month)
As an automation engineer, you could find lucrative opportunities by starting a WordPress plugin business. Given your technical background, you are likely already skilled in problem-solving and software development. By identifying common issues that WordPress users face and developing plugins to address these problems, you could create valuable tools that people are willing to pay for.
Creating these plugins could start as a side project, leveraging platforms like CodeCanyon for distribution, or you could even sell them directly through a dedicated website or blog. This business venture could not only supplement your income but also provide the satisfaction of solving real-world problems for other website owners. Since plugins often require minimal ongoing maintenance once developed, this could represent a genuine source of passive income.
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.
8. Make passive income with an online course sales business ($85K/month)
As an automation engineer, you could supplement your income by creating and selling online courses related to your expertise. You have valuable skills in areas like programming PLCs, understanding SCADA systems, and implementing control strategies, which many people are willing to pay to learn. By developing an organized, easy-to-understand online course, you could turn your professional knowledge into a steady income stream.
Additionally, selecting the right audience and platform is crucial for your success. Identify who would benefit most from your course—be it students, entry-level engineers, or industry professionals looking to upskill. The e-learning market is booming, with an expected worth of over $645 billion in the coming years, making this a timely and potentially lucrative venture.
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.
9. Make passive income with an affiliate marketing business ($77.5K/month)
As an automation engineer, you could start an affiliate marketing business to supplement your income with minimal ongoing effort. By promoting products and services that align with your field, such as automation software, tools, or educational courses, you could use your industry knowledge to recommend valuable resources to your network.
To get started, you could research and partner with companies that offer products you trust and can confidently promote. This approach allows you to leverage your expertise and credibility to earn commissions on sales, creating a potential steady stream of passive income. Over time, as you build trust with your audience, your affiliate earnings could increase significantly, providing a rewarding financial boost alongside your engineering career.
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.
10. Make passive income with a niche blog ($31.5K/month)
As an automation engineer, you could start a niche blog focused on the latest trends, tools, and technologies in automation. By sharing your expertise on specific topics like industrial automation solutions, software development for automation, or in-depth how-to guides on troubleshooting, you could attract a dedicated audience interested in your knowledge.
Over time, you could monetize your blog by including affiliate links to books, courses, or tools that you genuinely recommend, and by partnering with brands relevant to the automation industry. Additionally, you could expand your reach by creating a YouTube channel for video tutorials and collaborating with other industry experts, helping you grow your following and generate passive income.
To succeed, it's essential to be passionate about your subject and consistently produce unique and valuable content. Regularly engaging with your followers will help you build a loyal community and increase the chances of your blog becoming a reliable source of extra income.
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 YouTube channel ($72.1K/month)
As an automation engineer, you could start a YouTube channel to share your unique skills and industry insights. You could create content around troubleshooting common automation issues, explaining different programming languages, or even showcasing hands-on projects. With ads, sponsorships, and perhaps selling your own merchandise, you might find this not only supplements your income but also helps build a personal brand.
Starting a YouTube channel involves planning content and producing videos consistently. You'll need to film, edit, and engage with your viewers to build a loyal audience. Although this requires effort, the potential payoff in terms of both income and personal satisfaction could make it a worthwhile venture.
How much you can make: $2,000 — $333,333/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,250 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
This case study follows the journey of a young entrepreneur from Nigeria who started a profitable blog generating a monthly revenue of $1,500+ through sales of advertising space, sponsored posts, and information products, and shares his strategies for success including a Twitter growth challenge and guest post pitches.
12. Make passive income with a niche website ($107K/month)
As an automation engineer, you could leverage your expertise to build a niche website focused on automation technologies, trends, or best practices. This type of site could attract other professionals and businesses interested in learning more about automation, providing you with a dedicated audience for your content.
You could create engaging blog posts, tutorials, or even software tool reviews that help others in your field. Over time, you might use affiliate marketing, ad placements, or sell digital products like eBooks or online courses to monetize your site. With consistent effort, your niche website could eventually become a steady source of passive income, allowing you to share your passion and knowledge while supplementing your earnings.
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.
13. Make passive income with a dropshipping business ($414K/month)
As an automation engineer, starting a dropshipping business could be a practical way to supplement your income and explore entrepreneurship. The beauty of dropshipping is that you don't need to handle inventory or manage shipping logistics, which means lower upfront costs and fewer operational headaches. You could leverage your analytical skills to optimize your online store, using data to choose a profitable niche and track performance metrics.
By setting up an online store with platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce, you could focus on marketing and customer service to grow your business. Moreover, your problem-solving abilities would be invaluable in finding reliable suppliers from platforms like AliExpress and ensuring a seamless shopping experience for your customers. Monitoring your expenses and profit margins could become second nature, making it easier to achieve and maintain profitability.
How much you can make: $6,000 — $3,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $8,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 10 hours/week
Entrepreneur Kamil Sattar has developed multiple six-figure drop shipping businesses, and his company, e-commerce mentoring, specializes in helping others create their own successful companies, with favorite platforms including using Shopify and apps such as Loox reviews and SMSBump.
14. Make passive income with an ecommerce reselling business ($83.3K/month)
As an automation engineer, you could consider starting an ecommerce reselling business to supplement your income. This venture would allow you to purchase goods for resale, enabling you to launch an online business without the hassle of production costs. Initially, you could leverage social media platforms for selling, avoiding the need for a website until your business scales up.
Given your technical skills, you could automate various aspects of the business, such as tracking inventory or managing customer interactions, freeing up more of your time. This strategy not only aligns with your expertise but also makes it possible to build a passive income stream alongside your main career.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $150,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,999 (?)
How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)
Empyre Off-Road, an e-commerce business founded by Greg Shuey which sells aftermarket parts for Toyota Tacomas, Tundras, and 4Runners, generated approximately $100,000 a month in revenue and was able to expand its product offering, focusing on content marketing, email marketing campaigns, and organic social media to attract and retain customers.
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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.
