Passive Income Ideas For Software Quality Testers [2024]
Interested in earning passive income as a software quality tester in 2024?
We put together a few of the best passive income ideas you can start as a software quality tester 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 software quality tester.
Here's the full list:
1. Make passive income with a niche blog ($31.5K/month)
Starting a niche blog could be a great way to supplement your income as a software quality tester by sharing your insights and expertise. You could focus your blog on topics within the software testing field, such as best practices, common challenges, tool reviews, or even career advice for new testers. This would allow you to build a community around a topic you already know well, making your content valuable and engaging.
To succeed, find your niche within the broader field of software testing and create unique and informative content. You could write how-to guides, top product lists, or conduct video interviews with industry experts. Over time, as your blog gains visibility, you could monetize it through affiliate links, brand collaborations, and speaking engagements at relevant industry events.
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.
2. Make passive income with an affiliate marketing business ($77.5K/month)
As a software quality tester, you could supplement your income by starting an affiliate marketing business. Given your familiarity with technology, apps, and software, you could promote software tools, testing applications, or even educational courses related to quality assurance. By sharing your expertise and recommending products you trust, you could earn a commission for each sale made through your referral links.
This side hustle allows you to leverage your existing knowledge and network, making it easier to find relevant products and brands to partner with. Imagine writing blog posts, creating video tutorials, or posting on social media about the tools and resources you find valuable in your work. With time and consistent effort, this could develop into a steady stream of passive income that complements your main 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.
3. Make passive income with an online course sales business ($85K/month)
As a software quality tester, you could leverage your expertise by creating online courses focused on software testing techniques and best practices. This is a growing field, and many people want to learn from experienced professionals. By breaking down the complexities of your day-to-day work into easy-to-follow lessons, you could provide valuable insights to beginners or those looking to advance their skills.
The process is straightforward: identify a target audience, develop your course material, and select an online learning platform to host and sell your course. Given that the e-learning market is booming, with expectations to surpass $645 billion soon, there is a significant opportunity for you to generate a passive income stream. All you need is some initial effort in course creation, and you could start earning money while helping others grow in their careers.
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.
4. Make passive income with an ai based business solution ($55.8K/month)
As a software quality tester, you could leverage your expertise in software to start an AI-based business solution that optimizes business processes. Since you are already familiar with identifying bugs and ensuring software quality, you could easily transition into developing or implementing AI tools that automate repetitive tasks, like customer service responses or data analysis. This could help companies improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.
Given the growing demand for AI solutions, your background in software testing could also give you an edge in ensuring the robustness and reliability of these AI tools. Many AI platforms come with user-friendly interfaces and robust support, making it accessible even if you don't have extensive experience in AI technologies. With a strategic focus on high-impact areas, you could find this a promising avenue to earn passive income by helping businesses stay competitive.
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.
5. Make passive income with an AI writing tool ($255K/month)
As a software quality tester, your attention to detail and experience with software tools positions you well to venture into the AI writing tool market. You could develop or partner in creating an AI-powered tool that helps generate accurate and engaging content for businesses, bloggers, and students. Your unique skill set will be valuable in ensuring the tool is error-free, efficient, and highly reliable, leveraging your testing expertise to fine-tune the product.
Not only does this align with the growing demand for quality content, but it also provides a steady stream of passive income. Once the tool is developed and launched, ongoing revenue could come from subscriptions, licensing, or ads, effectively supplementing your current income without requiring constant involvement.
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.
6. Make passive income with a lead generation tool ($108K/month)
As a software quality tester, you already have a solid understanding of software development and user experience. This knowledge positions you well to create a lead generation tool that can identify and capture potential customer leads for businesses. By automating the often laborious process of finding new clients, your tool could help companies focus more on converting leads into customers, thus streamlining their marketing efforts.
Imagine developing a platform that integrates with websites, social media channels, and other digital touchpoints to collect valuable data like email addresses, phone numbers, and interests. This could offer businesses a much-needed service as the demand for efficient lead generation is high. Leveraging your tech skills and attention to detail, you could build a reliable and user-friendly product, making this venture a profitable addition to your income streams.
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.
7. Make passive income with an email marketing tool ($992K/month)
If you're a software quality tester, diving into the world of email marketing tools could be a unique way to supplement your income. Given your experience in evaluating software, you possess the skills needed to ensure an email marketing tool runs smoothly and efficiently. This expertise could help you create a reliable product that businesses are willing to pay for.
Creating an email marketing tool involves developing a software application that helps users write and send bulk emails. You could take advantage of the booming email marketing industry, which is expected to reach $2.53B by 2028. Since email marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach customers, your tool could attract a broad range of users from entrepreneurs to real estate agents, providing a steady 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.
8. Make passive income with a wordpress plugin business ($33.4K/month)
Starting a WordPress plugin business could be a great fit for you as a software quality tester, considering your keen eye for detail and problem-solving skills. As someone who tests software for bugs and usability, you likely come across various issues that software users face. By developing plugins that address these pain points, you could create valuable tools that others would be willing to purchase.
If you've used WordPress, you'll know that plugins are essential for running a successful website. By creating a plugin that solves a specific problem you’ve identified, you could supplement your income and potentially earn passive income. You could sell your plugins on platforms like CodeCanyon or even on your own website, tapping into a broad market of WordPress users.
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.
9. Make passive income with a niche website ($107K/month)
As a software quality tester, starting a niche website could be a great way to supplement your income. You could choose a specialized topic you're passionate about and knowledgeable in, such as software testing tools, tips, and best practices. By creating compelling content that offers value to fellow testers and those in the software industry, you can drive traffic to your site.
Once you have a steady stream of visitors, there are several ways to monetize, like affiliate marketing for testing tools, placing ads on your site, or even selling your own digital products like e-books or courses. Over time, your niche website could become a reliable source of passive income. If you have a specific interest and the dedication to explore it deeply, building a niche website could be your next rewarding project.
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.
10. Make passive income with a rescue product ($160K/month)
As a software quality tester, you could leverage your analytical skills and attention to detail by starting a rescue product business. By repurposing waste or surplus materials into valuable consumer goods, such as transforming unused fabrics into fashionable accessories or converting reclaimed wood into stylish home décor, you could create a sustainable side hustle that resonates with eco-conscious customers.
Not only would this business allow you to tap into your creativity and passion for sustainability, but it also requires minimal initial investment. You could begin by sourcing materials from manufacturers with excess inventory or local waste facilities, and either partner with artisans or use your own crafting skills. This venture offers the possibility of generating passive income while contributing positively to the environment.
How much you can make: $20,000 — $300,000/month
Jakt, a digital product and innovation studio based in NYC, works with both startups and large enterprises, operating on a revenue of $4 million in 2018 with a 20% profit margin, with focus on referrals and channel partnerships to attract and retain clients.
11. Make passive income with a garage organizer business
If you're a software quality tester looking to supplement your income, starting a garage organizer business could be a smart move. Many people need help to declutter and organize their garages, and this service is in high demand among homeowners and businesses alike. Given your analytical skills as a tester, you could excel in identifying the most efficient ways to utilize space, making you well-suited for this type of work.
In this business, you would help clients create customized storage solutions by installing shelving, cabinets, and other organizational tools. This involves understanding your clients' specific needs and preferences, much like how you would understand a user's requirements in software testing. Your ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously as a software tester can also come in handy in this role.
Moreover, good customer service skills and effective communication are crucial, as you'll need to work closely with your clients throughout the organization process. You'll also find that marketing and networking skills will be essential to attract new clients and grow your business over time. This venture can start small and scale up as you get more comfortable and build a client base.
How much you can make: $10,500/month
Curate Labs is a creative practice focused around ethical and sustainable design, with an annual publication that champions good business and a travel platform that advocates conscious travel, founded in 2016 by co-founders Abb-d Choudhury and Sara, bootstrapped, now turning into one business with 3 departments and aiming for 50-100% increase in revenue.
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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.
