13 Passive Income Ideas For Cloud Solutions Architects [2024]

Updated: September 9th, 2024

Interested in earning passive income as a cloud solutions architect in 2024?

We put together a few of the best passive income ideas you can start as a cloud solutions architect 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 cloud solutions architect.

Here's the full list:

1. Make passive income with an ai based business solution ($55.8K/month)

As a cloud solutions architect, you could supplement your income by starting an AI-based business solution. Given your expertise in designing and implementing scalable cloud infrastructure, you are well-positioned to develop AI tools that can optimize business processes like customer service, inventory management, or data analysis. These tools could help companies automate repetitive tasks, improve efficiency, and make well-informed decisions.

With the growing demand for AI solutions, many companies are eager to adopt technologies that give them a competitive edge. By tapping into this market, you could create a sustainable source of passive income, leveraging your existing skill set and industry knowledge. Plus, many platform providers offer user-friendly interfaces and strong support, making it easier for you to get started even if you're new to AI.

Launching an AI-based business solution could be a strategic move to innovate and boost business performance, benefiting both you and your future clients. Focusing on high-impact areas and developing a solid implementation plan will be crucial to your success. This venture not only allows you to explore new technological frontiers but also builds on your strengths in cloud architecture.

How much you can make: $4,000 — $120,000/month

How long does it take to build: 125 days (?)

How We Launched A $120K/Month Audiobook Publishing Course

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2. Make passive income with a mobile app ($70.3K/month)

As a cloud solutions architect, creating a mobile app could be a great way to supplement your income and dive into entrepreneurship. Leveraging your technical skills, you could develop an app that addresses specific needs within your industry or offers unique solutions to common problems. Even if you're new to coding, there are plenty of resources and skilled developers available to help turn your vision into reality.

This venture involves designing an app that is not only functional but also engaging and user-friendly. Your cloud expertise might give you an edge in optimizing the backend and ensuring the app's scalability and reliability. By effectively marketing your app and capturing the interest of users, you could earn passive income through advertisements, in-app purchases, or subscription models.

How much you can make: $1 — $500,000/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

We Started A $6M/Year Bachelorette Party App

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.

Read by 10,941 founders

3. Make passive income with an AI writing tool ($255K/month)

As a cloud solutions architect, developing an AI writing tool could be an exciting and practical way to earn passive income. You have the expertise to design and deploy cloud-based applications, allowing you to create a powerful, scalable platform for your AI writing tool. This tool could help bloggers, businesses, and students by automating the content creation process to produce high-quality, error-free text quickly and efficiently.

The demand for consistent, quality content is higher than ever, making your AI-driven tool both relevant and necessary. You could position yourself at the forefront of technological innovation, leveraging your cloud architecture skills to create a product that significantly enhances productivity for writers around the globe. This endeavor doesn’t just promise financial benefits but also the satisfaction of bringing an impactful, innovative solution to the digital world.

How much you can make: $4,000 — $1,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 52 days (?)

I Built A Simple AI Writing Tool That Makes $60K/Year

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.

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4. Make passive income with an email marketing tool ($249K/month)

As a cloud solutions architect, you could leverage your technical skills to develop an email marketing tool, capitalizing on the growing demand in the industry. Given your background, you'd have the expertise to create a robust, scalable tool that meets the needs of various businesses—from entrepreneurs to real estate agents. The global email marketing tool market is expected to reach $2.53B by 2028, indicating a substantial opportunity for new and innovative solutions.

Starting an email marketing tool could be relatively straightforward for you, beginning with purchasing a domain and hosting account. Once operational, you could automate and optimize email campaigns for your clients, allowing you to generate passive income through subscription plans or service fees. Moreover, implementing and managing such a tool could also enhance your professional portfolio, showcasing your ability to build complex, high-utility software solutions.

How much you can make: $120 — $2,083,333/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 170 days (?)

I Built A SEO Tool That's Completely Free For Users [From Lebanon]

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.

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5. Make passive income with a wordpress plugin business ($33.4K/month)

As a cloud solutions architect, starting a WordPress plugin business could be a great way to supplement your income and make extra money. If you’ve encountered common issues while working on cloud solutions, you could develop a WordPress plugin to address these problems. Your technical skills in designing cloud systems can be invaluable in creating plugins that are effective, efficient, and reliable.

You could sell these plugins on popular online platforms like CodeCanyon, or even on your personal blog or a dedicated website. This venture allows you to leverage your cloud expertise in a new and rewarding way. By focusing on solving specific needs, you could transform your existing knowledge into a steady stream 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

How I Coded A Website Plugin Making $600 Per Month

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.

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6. Make passive income with a social media automation business ($148K/month)

As a cloud solutions architect, you could leverage your technical expertise to start a social media automation business. This involves developing or integrating tools to schedule posts, automate interactions, and analyze data for clients like small businesses and influencers. These clients would pay you to streamline their social media engagement, saving them time and enhancing their online presence.

Given your familiarity with cloud services, you could host these automation tools on scalable cloud platforms, ensuring reliability and performance. By staying updated on social media trends and maintaining strong client relationships, you could create tailored solutions that meet the specific needs of your clients. This side hustle not only taps into your existing skills but also opens up opportunities to earn passive income.

How much you can make: $4,000 — $400,000/month

How long does it take to build: 50 days (?)

How I Bootstrapped A Social Media Automation Tool To $2MM/Year

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.

Read by 15,146 founders

7. Make passive income with an online course sales business ($85K/month)

As a cloud solutions architect, you could leverage your expertise to create an online course that teaches others about cloud infrastructure, deployment strategies, or cost optimization. With the e-learning market projected to be worth over $645 billion in the coming years, there is a huge potential for earning passive income by sharing your knowledge. By creating a course, you can reach a wide audience and offer them valuable insights into complex cloud solutions that many businesses are eager to learn.

You could target beginners who are looking to enter the field or even experienced professionals wanting to deepen their understanding. Platforms like Udemy or Coursera make it easy to host and sell your course, allowing you to focus on creating high-quality content. By doing so, you can supplement your income and build a steady stream of passive revenue while helping others develop their skills.

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 (?)

I Make $120K/Year With My Print On Demand T-Shirt Side Hustle

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8. Make passive income with a YouTube channel ($72.1K/month)

Starting a YouTube channel could be an exciting way for a cloud solutions architect to supplement their income. You could create content that explains complex cloud concepts in simple terms, offers tutorials on popular cloud platforms, or shares insights on best practices. This not only helps others in the field but also opens up opportunities for ad revenue, sponsorships, and possibly selling your own educational materials.

Imagine making detailed guides on deploying and managing cloud solutions or providing tips on cloud architecture best practices. By consistently sharing valuable content, you could grow an audience and establish yourself as an expert in the field. Over time, as your channel builds traction, you could turn this project into a steady stream of passive income.

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 (?)

How A Young Entrepreneur From Nigeria Started A Profitable Blog

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.

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9. Make passive income with a niche blog ($31.5K/month)

As a cloud solutions architect, starting a niche blog could be a fruitful way to share your specialized knowledge and insights in cloud computing. You could focus on specific areas like cloud security, migration strategies, cost management, or new technology reviews. By creating unique and informative content such as how-to guides, product reviews, and news commentary, you could build a passionate online community interested in these topics.

Monetizing your blog could involve affiliate marketing, sponsored content from relevant brands, and even speaking at industry events. Additionally, leveraging platforms like YouTube for video tutorials and interviews could help grow your audience even more. This approach not only supplements your income but also establishes you as an expert in your field, opening doors for more opportunities.

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 (?)

How I Turned A Crappy Idea Into A $3M/Year Business

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.

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10. Make passive income with an affiliate marketing business ($77.5K/month)

As a cloud solutions architect, you could start an affiliate marketing business to supplement your income by promoting products and services related to your field. Given your expertise, you could recommend cloud services, software, and tools that you already trust and use in your profession. Each sale made through your referral links could earn you a commission, adding up to a steady stream of passive income over time.

To get started, look for products and brands that align with your professional knowledge and experience. For instance, partnering with cloud service providers or software companies could resonate well with your audience. By leveraging your expertise and network, you could build a reputation as a reliable source of recommendations, making it easier to earn commissions on the products you endorse.

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 (?)

My Affiliate Marketing Business Earns $500K/Year Profit [No Employees]

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.

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11. Make passive income with a niche website ($107K/month)

If you’re a cloud solutions architect, starting a niche website could be a savvy way to supplement your income and share your expertise. You could focus on specialized topics in cloud computing, like best practices for hybrid cloud setups, optimizing multicloud environments, or even in-depth reviews of cloud services. This allows you to turn your day-to-day experiences and knowledge into valuable content that attracts a dedicated audience.

Creating compelling, focused content will be crucial, and you’ll need to invest some time in research, content creation, and search engine optimization (SEO) to build your audience. Once your site gains traction, various monetization options open up, such as affiliate marketing for cloud tools, ad placements, or even selling your own digital products like e-books and online courses.

In essence, a niche website could become a reliable source of passive income over time, utilizing the specialized knowledge you already possess in your field. If you have a specific interest and a passion for cloud solutions, this project could not only boost your income but also establish you as an authority in your niche.

How much you can make: $400 — $250,000/month

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

How I Leveraged My LinkedIn Network To Create A $1.8M/Year Procurement Conference

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12. Make passive income with a cold email service business ($170K/month)

As a cloud solutions architect, starting a cold email service business could be a smart way to supplement your income. With your strategic thinking and technical skills, you could help businesses reach new clients directly through targeted email campaigns. This involves crafting compelling emails, analyzing client needs, and using email marketing tools to track metrics like open rates and conversions.

Given your knack for solving complex problems and understanding client requirements, you could effectively research target audiences and tailor email messages to engage them. Furthermore, the demand for lead generation services is high, offering you ample opportunities to grow your clientele. By starting with smaller businesses and scaling up as you build success stories, you could establish a rewarding side business that leverages both your marketing know-how and technical expertise.

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 (?)

How I Launched A $200K/Month Gmail Mail Merge Tool

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.

Read by 13,518 founders

13. Make passive income with a SEO & lead generation service ($60K/month)

As a cloud solutions architect, you could leverage your technical background to start a SEO and lead generation service to supplement your income. By using your expertise, you could offer businesses optimized solutions that attract potential customers and convert them into leads, utilizing your understanding of data and technical systems to improve their online presence.

Getting into lead generation would involve learning the basics of SEO and digital marketing, skills you might grasp quickly given your technical experience. This venture could offer you an additional revenue stream, notably because businesses always need more customers and your technical expertise could give you a unique edge in this space.

How much you can make: $8,000 — $200,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $3,750 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

How I Started A $35K/Month Agency Specialized On Link Building

A link building company co-founded by Justas Markus has grown to make an average of $35k per month in recurring revenue with a focus on delivering high-quality services through manual processes and focusing on fewer markets.

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meet the author
Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.