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# 10 Quiet Side Projects Making Real Money in 2025
- URL: https://huizhou92.com/10-quiet-side-projects-making-real-money-in-2025/
- Published: 2025-12-25T01:53:08.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-06T11:40:48.000Z
- Description: 10 Quiet Side Projects Making Real Money in 2025. While everyone on Twitter is chasing the next AI wrapper or prompt marketplace, a post on Hacker News ask。
- Author: huizhou92
- Tags: tech, Startups, #lang-en

While everyone on Twitter is chasing the next AI wrapper or prompt marketplace, a post on **Hacker News** asked a much more grounded question:

> *If you’re making more than $500/month from a side project in 2025, what are you building?*

The answers were refreshing.

No hype.  
No “AI will change everything” slogans.  
Just **small, specific problems solved well**—often in niches most of us never think about.

I picked **10 of the most interesting projects** from that thread.  
If you’re feeling burned out by endless AI discourse, this might help reset your brain.

## 1\. A Printable “Escape Room” You Can Play at Home

![Image](https://www.escape-team.com/media/pages/free-escape-room-diy-kit/b9b14b0aec-1714919456/cursor-and-instant-escape-room-kit-pdf-33-33-cmyk-preview.jpg)

![Pasted image 20251224224319](https://images.hxzhouh.com/blog-images/2025/12/c6356e4f549a9ccf01fc210f49373dcd.png)

Instead of building a physical escape room, this project sells **downloadable PDF escape games**.

Users buy a script, print it, cut it out, and use a companion app to play puzzles at home—perfect for parties or family gatherings.

- **MRR:** \~$1,000
- **Website:** [https://www.escape-team.com/](https://www.escape-team.com/?ref=huizhou92.com)  
**Why it works:**  
Digital distribution + physical interaction = low cost, high perceived value.

## 2\. Managing Xbox Consoles in Children’s Hospitals

![Image](https://i0.wp.com/childlifemommy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/FullyLoaded1.png?ssl=1)

![Image](https://coplay.io/content/images/size/w2000/2024/07/CoPlay-Dashboard-1.png)

A children’s hospital wanted an Xbox in every room—but managing dozens of consoles manually was a nightmare.  
This project built a **centralized admin system** to configure, update, and manage all consoles remotely.

- **MRR:** \~$6,000
- **Website:** [https://coplay.io/](https://coplay.io/?ref=huizhou92.com)

**Why it works:**  
A painfully specific enterprise problem, with a buyer who *really* needs a solution.

## 3\. One-Off Online Fax (Yes, Fax)

![Image](https://www.ifaxapp.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/send-and-receive-online-faxes.png)

![Image](https://images.ctfassets.net/r6vlh4dr9f5y/7ML5CSf1sJF2wGS6iFPijX/7cde22c140d74f1802df95e29f9be91a/Screenshot_of_sending_fax_in_Dialpad.jpg)

Sometimes you just need to send **one fax**. Not a subscription. Not an account.

This service does exactly that: upload → pay → send.

- **MRR:** \~$500
- **Website:** [https://justfaxonline.com/en/](https://justfaxonline.com/en/?ref=huizhou92.com)

**Why it works:**  
It monetizes inconvenience. And faxing is still inconvenient.

---

## 4\. Duplicate Photo Finder for macOS

![Pasted image 20251224224418](https://images.hxzhouh.com/blog-images/2025/12/475b81c89de6057592ca579d910698a1.png)

![Image](https://eclecticlight.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/prefsresedit.png?w=640)

A macOS app that detects **duplicate and visually similar images**—handy for photographers with massive local libraries.

- **Paid users:** 100+
- **Website:** [https://maheepk.net/projects/dedupx/](https://maheepk.net/projects/dedupx/?ref=huizhou92.com)

**Why it works:**  
Local storage is exploding. Cleanup tools age *very* well.

## 5\. GPS-Based Check-In for Teams and Classes

![Image](https://serialio.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/GeoFence_Automatic_Check-in_Based_On_Location_iPhone_353x600.jpg)

![Image](https://www.youhere.org/assets/Options/yh_start.png)

Teachers, coaches, or team leads set a location and time. Participants must physically be there to check in—verified by GPS.

- **MRR:** \~€500
- **Website:** [https://www.youhere.org/index.php/start/](https://www.youhere.org/index.php/start/?ref=huizhou92.com)

**Why it works:**  
It replaces paper sign-ins with proof, not trust.

---

## 6\. Practicing Cold Calls by Actually Making Calls

![Pasted image 20251224224614](https://images.hxzhouh.com/blog-images/2025/12/9fb7b51dc6146e05585629c78ac83375.png)

![Image](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/64f44392bca35ec50e5d2397/6884f312150f03a43ec3ffdb_Heading%20%2864%29.png)

Most sales practice tools simulate calls on screen.

This one **actually dials your phone** and connects you to an AI, forcing you to practice under real conditions.

- **MRR:** \~$500
- **Website:** [https://coldcallgym.com/](https://coldcallgym.com/?ref=huizhou92.com)

**Why it works:**  
Fear reduction through exposure—not theory.

## 7\. Paying Your Kids to Save on Taxes

![Image](https://www.livablesolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Small-Business-File-System-Photo-1-9-2.jpg)

Parents log their kids’ work (filing, photos, admin tasks), treat it as a legitimate business expense, and route income into tax-advantaged accounts like a Roth IRA.

- **MRR:** \~$500
- **Website:** [https://trypixie.com/#how-it-works](https://trypixie.com/?ref=huizhou92.com#how-it-works)  
**Why it works:**  
It turns tax optimization into a family financial strategy.

## 8\. Turn Photos Into Printable Coloring Pages

![Image](https://colorifyai.art/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2025/06/coloting-page-for-kids.webp)

![Image](https://i.etsystatic.com/23190174/r/il/657ec0/4703647124/il_570xN.4703647124_a5yg.jpg)

Upload a photo of your pet, child, or vacation—get a clean black-and-white coloring page ready to print.

- **Website:** [https://dreamandcolor.com/](https://dreamandcolor.com/?ref=huizhou92.com)  
**Why it works:**  
Personalization beats stock content every time.

## 9\. Tracking Hard Drive Prices on eBay

![Image](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/TjoAAOSwId1nx6x5/s-l1200.webp)

![Image](https://monday.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Untitled-233.png)

This project scrapes eBay listings for disks and memory cards, parsing titles with **200+ regex rules**, then monetizes via affiliate links.

- **MRR:** $400–$600
- **Websites:**  
[https://unli.xyz/digitalfilmstock/](https://unli.xyz/digitalfilmstock/?ref=huizhou92.com)  
[https://unli.xyz/diskprices/](https://unli.xyz/diskprices/?ref=huizhou92.com)

**Why it works:**  
Data cleaning is painful. If you do it once, others will pay.

---

## 10\. A Daily Logic Puzzle (No Ads)

![Image](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81TGAvXf-HL._AC_UF894%2C1000_QL80_.jpg)

Each day has a new puzzle: easy on Monday, brutal on Sunday. Revenue comes from **selling puzzle packs**, not ads.

- **Website:** [https://cluesbysam.com/](https://cluesbysam.com/?ref=huizhou92.com)  
**Why it works:**  
Habit + ownership beats ad-driven distraction.

## The Real Pattern Here

None of these projects are “sexy”.  
But they all share something powerful:

- A **very specific audience**
- A **clear, painful problem**
- Simple pricing
- No dependence on hype cycles

In a world obsessed with AI, these projects quietly remind us:

> **Making money is often about reducing friction, not inventing the future.**

If you want to build something sustainable, maybe don’t ask  
*“What’s the next big thing?”*  
Ask instead:

**“What’s an annoying problem people already tolerate?”**

*Source discussion:*  
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46307973](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46307973&ref=huizhou92.com)