Passive Income Ideas For Platform Engineers [2024]
Interested in earning passive income as a platform engineer in 2024?
We put together a few of the best passive income ideas you can start as a platform 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 platform engineer.
Here's the full list:
1. Make passive income with an email marketing tool ($235K/month)
As a platform engineer, you could leverage your technical skills to build an email marketing tool that automates and optimizes email campaigns. Unlike a blog or website, email marketing reaches customers directly in their inboxes and has a high return on investment. This type of project is highly relevant in today’s economy, where the email marketing industry is expected to reach $2.53 billion by 2028.
You could start by developing a simple tool to help users create, manage, and send bulk emails. The barriers to entry are relatively low, involving just the purchase of a domain and hosting account. From there, you could continually improve the tool based on user feedback and market demands, potentially creating a reliable source of passive income as entrepreneurs, startups, and even real estate agents seek effective email marketing 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 (?)
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 ($148K/month)
As a platform engineer, you could leverage your technical skills to create a social media automation business. This involves developing tools to schedule posts, automate interactions, and analyze data for various social media accounts, helping clients such as small businesses and influencers save time and grow their online presence.
The increasing demand for consistent and strategic social media engagement means there are ample opportunities in this field. By integrating or developing software solutions and staying updated on social media trends, you could offer valuable services tailored to meet your clients' unique needs, providing a steady stream of passive income.
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 writing tool ($255K/month)
As a platform engineer, delving into creating an AI writing tool could be a practical and lucrative side project. Leveraging your engineering skills, you could develop a tool that uses artificial intelligence to automate and enhance content creation, making it easier for businesses, bloggers, and students to produce high-quality content quickly.
By addressing the growing demand for error-free, engaging, and time-efficient content, you could offer a solution that significantly improves writers' productivity across various fields. Not only does this venture build upon your technical expertise, but it also presents an exciting opportunity to innovate and impact the digital world positively.
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.
4. Make passive income with an ai based business solution ($55.8K/month)
As a platform engineer, you could consider starting an AI-based business solution to supplement your income and potentially create a steady stream of passive earnings. Leveraging artificial intelligence to improve business processes like customer service, inventory management, and data analysis could attract a wide range of clients eager to increase efficiency and cut costs. Since you already have expertise in managing and optimizing technical platforms, utilizing AI to automate repetitive tasks, gain customer insights, and predict market trends could be a natural extension of your skills.
Given the growing demand for AI solutions, there is a significant opportunity to tap into this expanding market. Many AI tools come with user-friendly interfaces and robust support, making it easier for you to implement and manage these solutions without needing a deep background in AI technology. By focusing on high-impact areas where AI can make a tangible difference, you could create a competitive edge for businesses and establish a successful passive income stream.
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 a lead generation tool ($108K/month)
As a platform engineer, you could leverage your tech skills to create a lead generation tool that helps businesses attract the right customers. This tool would automate the tedious process of identifying and capturing potential customer leads, integrating seamlessly with websites, social media channels, and other online platforms to gather essential data like email addresses and phone numbers.
By developing a lead generation tool, you could help companies focus on converting leads rather than spending time finding them. Given the high demand for efficient lead generation solutions, your tool could become a valuable asset for businesses looking to streamline their marketing efforts and grow their customer base. This venture could supplement your income, allowing you to utilize your current skills in a new, profitable way.
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)
Starting a mobile app could be a great way for platform engineers to supplement their income or even start earning passive income. With your background in technology, you likely already possess some of the technical skills needed to create a functional and well-designed app. You might not need to learn everything from scratch, just build upon your existing knowledge or collaborate with a skilled developer.
The key is to identify a unique problem or user need that your app can address, whether it's a productivity tool, a game, or something entirely different. Focusing on user experience and interface design will help make your app appealing to potential users. Marketing your app effectively is also crucial, as this will attract downloads and generate revenue.
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 a platform engineer, you understand the intricacies of software systems and how they fit together. Leveraging this skill set, you could create WordPress plugins to address specific pain points or needs within the WordPress ecosystem. For example, solving common server-side issues or optimizing database performance with a plugin could attract a broad user base.
Starting a WordPress plugin business allows you to use your technical expertise to develop a product that can be sold multiple times, creating a stream of passive income. You could sell these plugins on platforms like CodeCanyon, or directly from your own website or blog. This entrepreneurial avenue not only supplements your income but also gives you the flexibility to innovate and build solutions that make a real difference.
By focusing on providing solutions that your audience genuinely needs, you could create a sustainable business model. This approach ensures that your plugins don't just serve a purpose but become indispensable tools for other WordPress users, potentially leading to recurring revenue and customer loyalty.
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 survey tool ($304K/month)
As a platform engineer, you could leverage your technical skills and knowledge to develop an online survey tool, which businesses increasingly rely on to gather customer feedback. This venture offers you the opportunity to tap into a growing market where companies need efficient and cost-effective ways to collect and analyze data. By offering features such as a survey builder, a data collection tool, and a reporting system, you could create a service that meets this demand.
Starting an online survey tool would enable you to generate passive income by providing a subscription-based service, similar to popular tools like Typeform. With Typeform achieving an annual recurring revenue of $70 million in 2021, it's clear that there is substantial demand for such tools. Your expertise as a platform engineer positions you well to build a reliable, user-friendly product that businesses will find invaluable for improving their services or developing new products.
Operating in this space could not only supplement your income but also diversify your professional portfolio, showcasing your ability to create scalable solutions that address real-world business needs.
How much you can make: $40 — $1,600,000/month
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
GreenRope, a self-funded CRM and marketing automation platform with over 1,000 customers in 20 countries, was built organically and focused on creating a positive, customer-centric culture without outside investment, with an all-in-one interface solving challenges in managing sales, marketing, customer service, and operations.
9. Make passive income with a niche investment platform ($167K/month)
Starting a niche investment platform could be a natural fit for you as a platform engineer. With your technical skill set, you could create a specialized online exchange that caters to niche markets like collectibles, cryptocurrencies, or real estate. By offering unique investment opportunities, you could attract a dedicated user base interested in diversifying their portfolios.
As the founder, you could leverage your expertise to deliver a transparent and secure trading environment. This could result in recurring revenue through transaction fees and premium subscriptions. Plus, by focusing on niche markets, you could provide valuable alternatives for investors seeking options beyond traditional stock markets.
How much you can make: $2,000 — $600,000/month
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
Equity Residences is a luxury real estate investment fund that has raised $40 million from over 200 investors, offering them access to a portfolio of luxury vacation homes for investment and personal use, with a minimum investment of $161,500 and plans to acquire a further twenty residences ranging from $1.5M to $4M.
10. Make passive income with a niche blog ($31.5K/month)
Starting a niche blog could be an excellent way for you, as a platform engineer, to supplement your income by sharing your knowledge on topics that you find interesting and where you have considerable expertise. Whether it's novel cloud computing techniques, effective automation practices, or your insights on the latest trends in DevOps, there's a passionate online community eager to learn from your experiences. By finding a specific area that is underserved, you could fill that gap with high-quality content, such as how-to guides, insights on top tools for engineers, and comparisons between different platforms.
As your blog gains followers, you could monetize it through strategies like offering affiliate links to the tools and software you discuss, collaborating with relevant brands, and even speaking at industry events. With consistency and dedication, your niche blog would not only allow you to express your passion but also open up new revenue streams. Engaging regularly with your readership by answering their questions and providing valuable content ensures your blog stays relevant and continually grows.
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 niche website ($107K/month)
As a platform engineer, starting a niche website could be a rewarding way to supplement your income. You could leverage your expertise and passion in a specific technology or platform to create specialized content for a dedicated audience. By sharing insights, tutorials, and tips on topics you know well, you could attract visitors interested in learning from your experience.
Creating this content is just the beginning. By focusing on SEO, affiliate marketing, or even selling your own digital products like e-books or courses, you could turn your niche website into a steady income stream. If you're willing to invest time and effort upfront, this side project could eventually provide passive income, allowing you to benefit from your hard work continuously.
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.
12. Make passive income with a YouTube channel ($72.1K/month)
Starting a YouTube channel could be a fantastic way for you, as a platform engineer, to share your technical insights and unique experiences while potentially earning passive income. You might create videos that offer how-to guides, tips on best practices in platform engineering, or reviews of the latest tools and technologies. This not only helps others in your field but also creates an opportunity to monetize through ads, sponsorships, and even selling branded merchandise.
To succeed, you'll need to consistently produce quality content and engage with your audience. While it may require some upfront effort—like planning, shooting, and editing videos—the potential financial rewards and personal satisfaction could make it worthwhile. Besides, with your technical background, you are well-positioned to understand and leverage SEO and social media marketing to grow your channel.
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.
13. Make passive income with an online course sales business ($85K/month)
As a platform engineer, you could leverage your expertise to create online courses that teach others the skills and knowledge you've acquired in your career. Many people want to learn about cloud infrastructure, DevOps practices, and automation, and they would be willing to pay for a well-structured course. By developing and selling online courses, you could turn your professional knowledge into a source of passive income.
All you need to do is identify a target audience, create content that addresses their needs, and then choose a platform to host and sell your course. Given the e-learning market's rapid growth, with projections suggesting it will be worth over $645 billion in a few years, there is a significant opportunity to capitalize on this demand. This approach allows you to make extra money and potentially build a sustainable side business.
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.
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.
