Starting a small business from the comfort of your home isn’t just a dream for the ambitious. It’s actually a practical, achievable reality for anyone with a bit of drive and creativity.
Whether you’re looking to ditch the 9-to-5 grind, pursue a passion, or simply earn some extra cash, the opportunities are there for those willing to put in the work. With the right tools and a bit of determination, you can start a business right from your home and work your own hours.
It gives you the freedom to work on your own terms, tap into markets worldwide, and, let’s not forget, the commute is unbeatable. So, if you’ve ever thought, “Maybe I could do this”, now’s the time to turn that thought into action.
Let’s take a look at 61 of the best small business ideas that can get you started, along with the top tools that’ll help you hit the ground running.
Why call WooCommerce your new home (for business)
Imagine an online space where you’re not just opening a store — you’re crafting a fully-owned, customized shopping destination. And it’s all yours. That’s the power that WooCommerce provides.
Built on the flexible, robust foundation of WordPress, it offers full customization and control, making it a solid choice for businesses of all sizes across all industries. That means you can benefit whether you’re selling handcrafted jewelry, offering consulting services, or launching a full-scale ecommerce empire.
Use cases are off the charts, too. You want to sell digital downloads? Done. Subscriptions? It can handle it. Physical products that need shipping? You’re covered.
And it grows with you, too.
Start small with the basics, then as your business venture expands, tap into the huge library of WooCommerce extensions to add new features like appointment booking, membership management, or automated tax calculations.
It could cost you thousands to build all of that from scratch, but this ecommerce platform has it all ready to go. That means you get to focus on what you do best: running your successful business.
61 small business ideas you can start at home
Now it’s the part you’ve been waiting for. Let’s explore 61 small business ideas that you can start right away.
1. An online tutoring business
The demand for personalized education is skyrocketing, making an online tutoring business a lucrative business option for anyone with expertise in a particular subject. From math and science to language arts, you can share your knowledge right from your living room.
It’s a fantastic at-home business idea because it requires minimal setup — just a computer, a good internet connection, and your expertise. WooCommerce comes into play by simplifying the administrative side of things.
It can handle bookings, payments, and even automate reminders for your upcoming sessions, making the process seamless for both you and your students. This way, you can focus more on teaching and less on the logistics.
Tutoring Chicago offers a solid example of this in action. The site is straightforward and includes an enrollment form, donation button, and more.
2. A car detailing business
Starting a car detailing business from home can turn your passion for cars into a profitable business. It’s perfect for those who have an eye for detail and enjoy making vehicles look their best. With just your garage, some high-quality cleaning supplies, and a bit of marketing, you can attract clients looking to improve their cars.
An informative website is essential for a car detailing business. And with WooCommerce on deck, you can manage appointments and payments with ease. Potential clients can visit your site, see the range of detailing packages you offer, and book their appointment right then and there. They can choose a date and time that works for them, and you get to manage your schedule and finances all in one place.
3. A landscaping business
If you’ve got a green thumb and a knack for transforming outdoor spaces, launching a landscaping business from home could be your calling. This home business idea taps into the desire for beautiful, functional outdoor areas, appealing to homeowners, businesses, and even local governments.
Whether it’s garden maintenance, landscape design, or hardscaping, your services can dramatically enhance a property’s curb appeal and value.
Here’s where WooCommerce helps your landscaping business flourish: by setting up a website with detailed service offerings, you can offer online booking and payment options, making it convenient for clients to hire you.
Marbia Landscape Design uses WordPress to great effect, with strong service listings shown in a portfolio style and a prominent call-to-action contact button.
4. An affiliate marketing business
Affiliate marketing is another at-home business idea you could pursue. It allows you to earn income by promoting other people’s products or services. It’s perfect for those who have a knack for marketing and a platform (like a blog, social media account, or website) with a dedicated audience.
WooCommerce sweetens the deal for an affiliate marketing business by offering powerful tools to integrate affiliate products right into your own website. With extensions like Amazon Product Importer & Affiliate, managing and displaying affiliate products from Amazon is a quick process.
Plus, tracking your commissions and managing payouts becomes much simpler, giving you more time to focus on content creation and audience growth.
5. A dog grooming business
Starting a dog grooming business from home is a fantastic way for animal lovers to blend their passion with entrepreneurship. The pet industry is stable and grooming is a service that’s always in need. From baths and haircuts to nail trimming and ear cleaning, dog grooming services can vary widely, offering something for every pup out there.
Dirty Paws is a full-service dog grooming business with an attractive WordPress website and integrated click-to-call buttons to entice pet owners.
6. A dog walking business
Another option is to start a dog walking business from your home. It’s another solid choice for dog lovers looking to get some exercise while earning income. This business caters to busy pet owners who want to ensure their furry friends get their daily walks, socialization, and exercise. You’ll also be providing peace of mind to owners and joy to pets.
8. A dropshipping business
Another option is to start a dropshipping business from your home. This business model means that you get to sell products without ever having to stock inventory or handle shipping. Instead, when you sell a product, you purchase it from a third party and have it shipped directly to the customer. This drastically lowers the barrier to entry for aspiring entrepreneurs.
And with the right extensions, you can easily integrate with suppliers, automate order fulfillment, and manage your online store within WooCommerce.
WooCommerce Dropshipping and AliExpress Dropshipping for WooCommerce are great options for integrating your drop-shipped products into your store with a few clicks.
9. A print on demand business
Or, you could go the print on demand route. This type of business is straightforward to set up from home and allows you to turn designs and ideas into physical products without having to handle production, inventory, or shipping. Create and sell custom designs on everything from t-shirts and hoodies to posters and books and the items are only printed after an order is placed.
There are several WordPress plugins available that directly integrate POD companies like Printify for WooCommerce and Printful Integration for WooCommerce so you don’t have to handle any aspect of this process manually.
10. A freelance writing business
Kicking off a freelance writing business from your cozy home office is another great choice. It’s ideal for anyone with a knack for storytelling, a passion for research, and a desire to make an impact through the written word. This can be turned into a business through blogging, copywriting, or crafting engaging articles for clients.
With WooCommerce, you can create custom product pages for different types of freelance writing services, allowing clients to purchase packages or book sessions directly online.
11. An event planning business
If you’re naturally good at planning things, launching an event planning business from your home could be a solid option, especially if you thrive on organization and creativity. Whether it’s weddings, corporate gatherings, or intimate birthday celebrations, being an event planner allows you to create memorable experiences for people.
Use your website to display a portfolio with prominent testimonials and a booking system so potential clients can reserve time to speak with you. WooCommerce Bookings is a useful extension to install for this purpose.
12. An interior design business
Have a knack for making interior spaces shine? Starting an interior design business at home is another option worth thinking about. It calls for a keen eye for design, a deep understanding of spatial dynamics, and the ability to communicate and realize a client’s vision.
And you can use WooCommerce for this business idea, too. Showcase your portfolio and readily display your services, their costs, and other details about your offerings. Because your business is visually-oriented, it’s all the more imperative that you present your work in a visually-appealing way. Categorize your services clearly — from full home renovations to room makeovers — and let clients book consultations directly.
Satin & Slate Interiors uses WordPress effectively, with an eye-catching design, an interactive portfolio, and a straightforward consultation form.
13. A house cleaning service
Starting a house cleaning service business from home is a solid business idea for those who take satisfaction in clean spaces and bringing order to chaos. This service caters to a wide audience, from busy professionals to large families, all seeking the comfort of a well-maintained home without the time or ability to do it themselves.
The best part here is that you can start this business small. All it takes is you, some cleaning supplies, and your time. It could eventually expand to a team as your client base increases, too. A simple website is all you need to market your business effectively. Set up a booking form so people can reserve a time slot for your house cleaning service and you’ll be good to go.
14. A catering business
If you like to cook, a catering business is another option you could start from your home kitchen. Catering offers convenience and can be an integral part of creating experiences for your customers. Your client base could be targeted (corporate events only, let’s say) or more broad and include every event type from seminars to weddings to intimate dinner parties.
If you opt for WooCommerce, you can use your site to display your service offerings, package deals, and a booking form. An extension like WooCommerce Bookings Availability allows potential customers to see if you’re available on the day of their event before even reaching out, which saves everybody time.
15. A social media management business
Launching a social media management business from your home permits you to take advantage of the digital marketing industry, where every post, tweet, and share is an opportunity to build brands and connect with audiences.
This business is perfect for those with a knack for storytelling, an eye for engaging content, and the ability to analyze trends. Social media management involves things like posting company updates, crafting strategies, engaging with communities, and driving measurable results for clients across various platforms.
Being a social media manager also means staying on top of trends and tapping into your creativity.
16. A photography business
Or, you could start a photography business from home. If you have some photography knowledge already, even better. But even without, if you have a passion for capturing moments and a bit of creativity, you can set up a photography business that stands out. Using WooCommerce, you can easily manage bookings for photo shoots, sell prints or digital copies of your photographs, and even offer photography-related products or services directly from your website.
Photography for WooCommerce is tailor-made for photographers looking to efficiently manage and sell their images, whether for events or as artwork. Its key feature is the batch photograph uploader, which simplifies the process of adding new photos to your store, making it possible to swiftly upload large quantities of images.
17. A search engine optimization or digital marketing business
An SEO or digital marketing business is still another solid option to consider when you want to start a business from home. List your SEO and marketing services on your website, offer consultations, or sell your services in packages people can outright buy.
You could even combine this business type with others like affiliate marketing, or you could sell an online course or ebooks discussing some of the knowledge you’ve acquired.
18. A video production business
Starting a video production company from the comfort of your home is another exciting prospect. This type of business includes things like the creation and production of various types of video content, such as films, documentaries, TV shows, commercials, and music videos. And it appeals to those with a knack for storytelling and visual creativity, offering the flexibility to work on projects that resonate with your interests and skills.
You can use a WordPress video plugin to feature videos prominently on your site to create a portfolio and promote your services. Or, you could even sell pre-made videos or video assets by using an extension like Product Video for WooCommerce.
