Passive Income Ideas For Virtual Reality Developers [2024]
Interested in earning passive income as a virtual reality developer in 2024?
We put together a few of the best passive income ideas you can start as a virtual reality 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 virtual reality developer.
Here's the full list:
1. Make passive income with an email marketing tool ($992K/month)
As a virtual reality developer, you could capitalize on your technical skills to create an email marketing tool that simplifies how businesses communicate with their customers. You could develop unique features like VR integration in emails, allowing users to experience virtual tours or demos directly from their inboxes. This not only adds value to your customers but also keeps you ahead of the curve in a rapidly growing industry.
An email marketing tool could generate passive income through subscription fees or premium features. Once set up, the tool could automate many of its tasks, requiring minimal ongoing maintenance. Given the global email marketing tool market is expected to reach $2.53B by 2028, there's a significant opportunity for you to tap into a lucrative and expanding field.
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 an AI writing tool ($255K/month)
As a virtual reality developer, you could leverage your expertise in cutting-edge technology to create an AI writing tool that can generate high-quality content. This tool would cater to businesses, bloggers, and students looking for efficient writing solutions. By integrating AI into content creation, your tool could automate the writing process, producing error-free and engaging content with just a few clicks.
Such a venture aligns well with your tech-savvy background and could provide a substantial passive income stream. Given the rising demand for constant, quality content, your AI writing tool could become indispensable for users globally. By developing this tool, you could ease the workload of writers, transforming their process and enhancing productivity, while also establishing yourself in a burgeoning market.
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)
Starting an AI-based business solution could be an excellent way to supplement your income as a virtual reality developer. Leveraging artificial intelligence, you could create tools that optimize business operations, like automating repetitive tasks or providing valuable customer insights. These AI-driven solutions can help companies save time, reduce costs, and make smarter decisions, making your offerings highly desirable.
By integrating AI into areas such as customer service, inventory management, or personalized marketing, you could tap into a growing market with high demand for efficiency and innovation. Plus, you don’t need to be a tech expert to get started, as many platforms offer user-friendly interfaces and strong support. This could be a strategic move to diversify your skill set and open up new revenue streams while staying within the technology sphere.
Given the rapid growth in AI demand, launching an AI-based business solution could not only boost your income but also position you as a forward-thinking innovator in both the VR and AI industries. With a solid implementation plan and focus on impactful areas, the potential for success is significant.
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 mobile app ($70.3K/month)
As a virtual reality developer, you likely already possess many of the technical skills needed to create a mobile app. By leveraging your understanding of user experience and interface design, you could develop a unique app that stands out in the crowded marketplace. Whether it's a productivity tool, a game, or an augmented reality experience, your background gives you a head start.
Starting a mobile app could serve as a perfect side project that complements your current expertise. You’ll need to plan the user experience carefully, design engaging interfaces, and ensure the app runs smoothly by testing for bugs. With a clear vision and a bit of marketing effort, your app could attract a wide audience and generate passive income.
Given the widespread use of smartphones, the potential reach for a mobile app is enormous. If you have an innovative idea that can solve a problem or entertain people, developing an app can be a viable way to supplement your income and explore entrepreneurship.
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.
5. Make passive income with a wordpress plugin business ($33.4K/month)
As a virtual reality developer, you could diversify your income by starting a WordPress plugin business. Your technical skills and experience in solving complex problems can be leveraged to create plugins that address specific needs for WordPress users. For instance, you might identify a common issue in integrating virtual reality experiences within WordPress sites and develop a plugin that provides an effective solution.
This could be a great way to supplement your income, as every time someone purchases and uses your plugin, you would earn money. You could sell your plugins on platforms like CodeCanyon, on your blog, or even create a dedicated website for them. This idea allows you to utilize your existing skillset while tapping into a new market, potentially growing a sustainable 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
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 lead generation tool ($108K/month)
As a virtual reality developer, your skills in designing immersive experiences could be applied to creating an innovative lead generation tool. By developing software that automates the process of finding potential customers, you could help businesses capture valuable leads more efficiently. For example, your tool could gather email addresses, phone numbers, and interests from integrated websites, social media platforms, and other digital touchpoints.
This tool could eliminate the laborious task of manually searching for new clients, allowing companies to focus on converting these leads into paying customers. With the high demand for streamlined marketing solutions, your lead generation tool could become a profitable venture. This side project aligns well with your tech-savvy background and could significantly supplement your income.
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 a YouTube channel ($72.1K/month)
Starting a YouTube channel as a virtual reality developer could be a great way to supplement your income and share your expertise with a wider audience. You could create content that showcases project walkthroughs, tutorials on VR development tools, or even reviews and recommendations for software and hardware. This not only establishes you as an authority in the field but could also attract sponsorships and ad revenue.
Additionally, you could use your channel to provide educational content tailored to other VR developers or enthusiasts looking to break into the industry. Engaging regularly with your viewers through comments and social media can build a loyal following, increasing your potential income from ads and viewer support. The key is consistent, high-quality content that resonates with your audience.
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.
8. Make passive income with a niche website ($107K/month)
As a virtual reality developer, you could create a niche website focused on a specialized topic within the VR space, such as VR game development tutorials, industry news, or reviews of VR equipment and software. This could allow you to share your expertise and passion with a dedicated audience, crafting content that resonates with fellow developers, enthusiasts, and potential clients.
To get started, you’d need to invest time in researching your chosen niche, producing quality content, and learning about SEO to pull in the right visitors to your site. Over time, you could monetize your niche website through affiliate marketing, ad placements, or selling digital products like e-books or online courses related to virtual reality. By putting in the effort up front, your site could grow into a reliable source of passive income, letting you earn extra money while focusing on your primary career as a VR developer.
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 a niche blog ($31.5K/month)
As a virtual reality developer, starting a niche blog could be an excellent way to share your unique insights and experiences while supplementing your income. You could focus on topics that resonate with VR enthusiasts like the latest VR technologies, development tutorials, game reviews, or even industry news and events. By creating valuable, informative content regularly, you could build a dedicated following.
Over time, you could monetize your blog in various ways, such as providing affiliate links for VR equipment and games or partnering with relevant brands for sponsored content. Additionally, a successful blog might open up opportunities to speak at industry events or collaborate with other VR professionals. This way, your blog could evolve into both an additional income source and a platform to establish yourself as a thought leader in the VR community.
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.
10. Make passive income with a social media automation business ($139K/month)
If you're a virtual reality developer looking to diversify your income, starting a social media automation business could be a great fit. You could leverage your tech skills to create or customize tools that schedule posts, automate likes and comments, and even analyze social media data for various clients like small businesses and influencers. This would not only save them time but also help increase their online engagement and growth.
The demand for effective social media management is rapidly growing, and businesses are willing to pay to streamline these tasks. By staying updated on the latest social media trends and building strong client relationships, you could develop a steady stream of passive income. Plus, your unique skill set in VR and technology would give you an edge in creating sophisticated automation tools.
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.
11. Make passive income with a garage organizer business
As a virtual reality developer, starting a garage organizer business could be a practical way to earn extra income by utilizing your problem-solving skills and attention to detail in a tangible, real-world setting. You could leverage your technical background to develop 3D models and virtual layouts to show clients how their garages could look once organized. This could help your clients visualize the final outcome, making it easier for them to commit to the project.
Additionally, your experience in virtual reality could help you streamline your business operations with digital tools for project management, client communication, and marketing. By using your tech-savvy nature, you could create an efficient system to manage multiple projects and ensure high client satisfaction. This business would not only provide a needed service but also offer a flexible way to generate passive income alongside your primary career in virtual reality.
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.
