The term ‘side hustle’ has gone from niche to mainstream. All signs are that we’re a nation that are now actively seeking ways to earn a few extra quid. And for some, the taste of success in this area means they’re quitting the nine to five to pursue their dreams of turning hobbies and passions into full time careers.
Nearly two in five people (39%) in the UK have admitted to starting a side hustle in 2025. Equally, Google reports searches for the term have increased more than three-fold since the end of Covid. The enforced isolation and tectonic shift in the market that created, coupled with the subsequent cost of living crisis, has created the perfect storm for individuals across the UK to think about how to boost their coffers.
Technological advances and the ease with which you can use supporting tools, and the power of social media to very quickly create an engaged audience and fan base, even for niche products and services, means the opportunity to build a side hustle has never been easier.
However it’s those very same tools that are now helping the kitchen-table entrepreneurs make their hobbies and passions fully-paid careers. eBay, which has now incredibly been operating for almost 30 years, can lay claim to be the original platform to help people turn over a few quid on used and old items clogging up space in the wardrobe, attic or garage.
The popularity of newer sites such as Vinted, which increased revenues by a staggering 36% between 2023 and 2024, rising from €596m to €813m, shows just how much we’re ready to take advantage of simple-to-use digital tools and apps that make the job easier.
Equally, design and visual assistance tools like Canva means anyone thinking about professionalising their operations can do so with ease and with little cost. The platform that allows easy and low cost design assistance has more than doubled its user base in the last two years, going from 100m global users in 2023 to 220m in 2025.
It’s led to a flourish of supporting tools to further aid the process. UK print specialists, Where The Trade Buys, has launched a new service, specifically for those trying to get to grips with some of those tools that can best help turn a side hustle into a full-time career.
Emma Thomson from Where The Trade Buys, said: “Whether it’s crafting artwork, making labels for homemade jam, or creating sharable packaging design for those addictive influencer-style unboxing moments, getting to grips with simple-to-use tools like Canva can make all the difference.
“Helping people to learn how to print from Canva and transform their designs into low-cost, usable tools to professionalise their business can make all the difference between earning a few quid for the rainy-day savings pot, or quitting the nine-to-five and devoting all your time to making it your career.
“That’s why we’ve launched a whole section on our site to help support those who want to make more of their products and services in a more efficient manner.”
And those who can earn big sums from tiny businesses are growing. According to available figures, the proportion of digital micro businesses earning more than £100,000 annually rose from 11% in 2022 to 17% in 2024, a 55% increase in just two years.
According to ONS figures tracking the volume of start-ups being registered in the first quarter of 2025 is up 2.8% on the same period in 2024, to 89,515. But Ecommerce and online retail is an industry where side-hustles appear to be having the most impact. The retail industry showed a marked bucking of the trend, its 9.1% increase in the same comparative periods showing it to be the strongest rise across all sectors.
Emma adds: “The stats prove this is unlikely to be a passing phase, just because, in the last five years, global health and difficult economic issues may have dictated the way people looked for ways to earn extra cash. For a newer generation, who want greater autonomy in the way they live their lives, having total control over how they earn their money, is a far less daunting prospect. When 61% of Generation Z admit to having a side hustle, there are clear indicators that mean this is way more than just a fad.”
Read more:
The rise of the side hustle: How thousands are turning hobbies into paid careers