The data comes from the small business payments provider, Remitly Business, which spoke to over 1,000 side hustle owners to explore how side hustles are taking shape in 2025, from who’s doing them to how much people are really earning.
How much do side hustles make
| How much do you typically earn monthly from your side hustle? | Percentage of respondents |
| Nothing yet | 5% |
| Less than £100 | 36% |
| £100 – £499 | 32% |
| £500 – £999 | 11% |
| £1,000 – £1,999 | 6% |
| £2,000+ | 3% |
| Prefer not to say | 1% |
| It varies too much to be able to say | 6% |
Most side hustles (36%) are bringing in less than £100 a month, with a further one in every twenty side hustles not bringing in any money at all.
Around a third of side hustles are moderate earners, bringing in between £100 to £499, enough to potentially cover a weekly shop, energy bills or top-up savings.
High earners are rare, with less than one in ten side hustles bringing in over £1000 per month.
On average people with a side hustle earn £367.88 a month.
Further Findings:
- Men (24%) are more likely to earn more than £500 a month than women (17%).
- On average, men earn £393.70 a month from a side hustle, compared to women’s average of £339.77
- The majority of side hustles require little to no upfront investment, with nearly half of the respondents (49%) saying they didn’t need to pay anything to get started.
Remitly Business’s experts give five tips to start and sustain your side hustle:
- Start small and test your idea: Avoid big financial commitments upfront. Test your concept with a low investment to see if there is genuine interest or demand.. If you are selling a product, try a limited batch first or implement a pre-order model to gauge interest.
- Track everything: Use budgeting tools or a basic spreadsheet to track income, expenses, and time spent. This will help you understand your side hustle’s actual profitability and clearly see whether your time investment is worth the return.
- Save for taxes: In the UK, self-employed or side hustle income over £1,000 per year needs to be declared. Set aside around 20-30% for taxes. Many new side hustlers underestimate tax calculations. You may also need to register for Self Assessment with HMRC.
- Diversify income sources: Don’t rely on one platform. Algorithms, platform policy changes, or market saturation can affect your income stream overnight. To stay resilient, explore complementary revenue streams (like coaching, subscriptions, or licensing your content/skills).
- Be smart about managing your side hustle income: Be intentional with your earnings, regardless of whether you’re saving, reinvesting, or sending money to loved ones. If possible, create a separate business account, pay yourself a regular ‘salary’ from side hustle profits, and consider your long-term goals.
