3 Money-making Side Project Ideas for UI/UX Designers
Side-projects are a big deal as a UI/UX designer.
They help you upskill, explore new interests and sometimes help you earn extra money.
In the past 15+ years as a UI/UX designer, I’ve been collecting ideas for money-making side projects. But there is no way I can act on all of them. So today I will share three of them.
Hopefully, you will get inspired.
#1 No-Code Templates
No-code movement is booming. There is a need for good design.
The no-code community is used to buying templates to speed up the process. And the design quality of most templates is low, mediocre at best. So I wanted to make some extra cash so I will research all the trending no-code, check-the-template marketplaces to see what’s missing or could be improved, and work on that.
There are so many tools, but just to name a few to get you started: Bubble, Adalo, Coda, Glide, Super, and Webflow, of course.
#2 Niche UI Design System
I don’t know about you but I have started buying design systems and UI kits left and right in the past few years.
And there is a shortage of quality there. I have found just one or two that use Figma component variability right and the components are really responsive. Creating a design system is not for everyone. But if you are a pixel nerd and that’s your jam, go for it. The most sold product in Gumroad in the design category is a design system.
This is all you need to know.
#3 Document and Sell Your Design Process
If you have years of experience and you made your own templates to speed up your workflow. That’s a half-done product ready for sale.
Could be anything, docs for user interviews, client onboarding, Figma starter files, workshop templates, even freelance contracts and invoices templates. You can save many people a lot of learning time and make some money in the process.
Make a bundle of docs, set a Gumroad sales page, and promote a free sample with the option to buy the premium.
I know, nothing groundbreaking and innovative.
But you should know that the most profitable businesses are the boring ones. The easiest place to start is an existing market.
And the way to stand out is quality.