12 Best Automated Business Ideas that Practically Run Themselves

One of the best ways to make $1,000 a month passively is to start an automated business that makes you money on autopilot.

There are plenty of automated business ideas that need very little attention from you, like selling print-on-demand products or creating and monetizing faceless videos.

You’ll need to put in work at the start before the passive income kicks in. 

But once you have the right systems set up, the money can keep rolling in with minimal maintenance.

It’s like planting a tree. 

You take care of it in the beginning, and then it grows and gives you fruit for years to come!

How to Invest in Automated Business

Investing in an automated business begins with picking the right idea that matches your skills and helps you reach your income goals.

For instance, someone who knows how to build WordPress templates can create and license them to earn royalties. 

A creative person, on the other hand, might do better by designing and selling print-on-demand products on Etsy.

Once you have your idea, invest in automated systems such as AI tools and content schedulers to handle most of the work for you.

The key is to build it once and let the systems do the heavy lifting, so you can make money even while you sleep.

12 Automated Business Ideas for Passive Income

High paying automated business ideas include starting a YouTube automation channel and creating an email newsletter.

1. Email Newsletter

An email newsletter is a great example of a fully automated business idea that’s mostly hands-free and generates income through sponsorships, affiliate links or product sales.

These niche newsletters often deliver exclusive insights, tips and deals straight to a subscriber’s inbox on a weekly or sometimes daily basis.

And you don’t even have to write these yourself!

With AI email marketing prompts and Aweber, you can let AI draft the first version of your newsletter for you. Simply edit it and polish it to match your voice.

Then set up an automated email sequence that sends emails to your subscribers and generates passive income for you.

2. YouTube Automation Channel

A YouTube automation channel is a channel that runs without you having to create the content yourself. 

You hire freelancers to handle tasks like scripting, creating faceless videos, voiceovers, and handling YouTube SEO.

This lets you earn money from YouTube ads and sponsorships while managing the channel behind the scenes.

When you weigh the pros and cons of YouTube automation, one clear takeaway is that it requires a significant upfront investment.

If you can cover the costs and stay consistent, the potential for passive income and long-term growth can make it well worth the effort.

3. Amazon Product Reviewer

When I first started as an Amazon reviewer, I never expected it to grow into a passive income side hustle.

Now, a few years later, I’m STILL earning from product reviews I recorded at the very beginning of this journey. (here’s my reviewer storefront)

There are many ways to make passive income as a product reviewer.

But one of the most profitable ways is to record Amazon product reviews and earn commissions when people watch them on Amazon.

You can also enlist others to create these videos for you.

Joining the Amazon Influencer program lets you earn affiliate commissions this way. And you don’t even need a large social media audience to apply!

Below is a YouTube video describing how the program works.

4. Stock Trading with Robo-Advisor

A stock trading robo-advisor is like having a smart computer manage your investments for you. 

Instead of picking stocks yourself, the robo-advisor uses algorithms to choose the best options based on your goals. 

It automatically buys and sells for you, so your money can grow without you constantly watching the market.

Starting this kind of automated business is simple, especially with platforms like SoFi that make investing easy for beginners.

SoFi’s robo-advisor helps you set your goals, recommends a portfolio, and handles the trades automatically to passively build your wealth.

5. Service Arbitrage

An automated service arbitrage business is when you sell a service to a customer, but someone else does the work. 

You essentially act as the middleman. 

You find clients, take their orders, and then hire another company or freelancer to complete the job for less. 

The difference between what you charge and what you pay is your profit.

It’s kind of like dropshipping, but instead of selling physical products, you’re selling services like graphic design and video editing.

You can use unlimited graphic design subscription services like NoLimit Creatives to handle the work for you. 

The best part is that this business model tends to have repeat customers who need on-going services. 

Clients will continue coming back, and you can keep outsourcing the work without lifting a finger.

6. AI Video Editing

Another great passive income business idea is using AI to edit short-form videos for clients. While it’s not as hands-off as service arbitrage, it comes pretty close!

I use tools such as Submagic AI to edit my short-form videos. You can use the same or similar tools to edit videos for clients and streamline the process.

These tools automatically add captions, effects, and transitions to make the final video look professionally done. 

It’s a great AI automated side hustle to start because short-form videos are super popular right now thanks to TikTok and YouTube shorts.

Since AI does most of the hard work, you can spend more time finding new clients and growing your business. 

As you get more clients, you can even hire someone to handle the AI edits for you and turn this into a solid passive income stream.

7. Vending Machines

Vending machines can sell snacks, drinks, toys, small tech gadgets, and they work 24/7 without needing a cashier.

Once the machines are set up and stocked, they make money around the clock while you focus on other things.

Although, it’s important to know that most cities or states require a vending machine permit and a business license.

You’ll also need to cover startup costs and keep inventory stocked to ensure the machines stay full and profitable.

The good news is that once you find the right locations, vending machines can quickly pay for themselves.

With a little maintenance and restocking, they can become a reliable source of passive income, earning you $100 a day or more!

8. Faceless TikTok Account

Just like YouTube automation, you can create faceless TikTok videos and earn money through brand deals, affiliate marketing, and the TikTok Creator Rewards program.

Once your system is set up, you can outsource the work to freelancers.

I tried it out and created a faceless TikTok account using these tools:

• Leonardo.ai

• Canva

• ElevenLabs

• Submagic

I wrote about how to make money with faceless TikTok videos using AI and shared my process for others to follow.

You can watch it on YouTube below.

9. Sell Low-Content Books on Amazon

Low-content books are things like journals, planners, and coloring books. They don’t need much writing, just creative designs or layouts. 

Once you create a low-content book, you can easily self-publish and upload it to Amazon KDP for sale.

Amazon prints and ships the books when someone buys them, so you don’t have to handle inventory or packing.

The best part is you can make as many books as you want and keep earning money long after they’re uploaded. 

You can design book covers and create coloring books using free tools like Canva. 

Plus, with tools like Designrr, AI can help write and format your low-content books for you.

It’s low-cost to start, and there’s no limit to how many books you can sell.

10. Self-Service Car Wash

Self-service car washes have low labor costs since most of the work is automated. You just need to restock supplies, maintain the machines, and collect the earnings.

Once the machines are set up, customers can wash their cars on their own, and you make money without needing to be there.

It’s a business that can run all day, every day, even while you’re sleeping.

With the right location, this can turn into a steady, reliable income stream. And as things grow, you can add more locations and watch your profits multiply.

So if you’re looking for fully automated business ideas, then self-service car washes are a profitable and low-maintenance option.

11. Real Estate Crowdfunding

Imagine having a portfolio of properties where you earn passive income without ever managing tenants or fixing leaky faucets. 

Real estate crowdfunding apps like Fundrise let you invest in real estate with just a few taps on your phone. 

You can start with a small amount of money, even as little as $10, and still get a piece of the profits from large properties.

The app handles everything, from picking properties to collecting rent, all while you sit back and watch your investment grow. 

It’s like owning real estate without the headaches of being a landlord. Over time, as property values go up, so does your wealth.

12. Passive Income Apps

One of my other passive income businesses is getting paid to share my online browsing data. 

In simple terms, you can earn money just by using the internet like you normally do every day!

You can get paid to share your data with passive income apps such as:

• HoneyGain

• Pogo

• Caden

These apps track your online activity, location, or purchases and use the data for market research. In return, they pay you for simply participating.

I use many of these apps to make an extra $10 – $50 in passive income each and every week!

Automated Business Ideas Final Thoughts

We all have limited time each day, and there’s only so much we can do. 

That’s why starting an automated business that earns passive income is such a smart move.

With the right systems in place, your business can keep making money even when you’re not working. 

This allows you to focus on other goals, spend more time with family, or just relax.

Over time, these passive income streams can grow your wealth and give you more financial freedom. 

The key is to start small, stay consistent, and let automation do the heavy lifting. With a little effort upfront, you can build a business that works for you around the clock.

Next, you may be interested in reading about the best AI Side Hustles to earn extra money and how to make $20 right now.