When it comes to commuting or remote work, half of U.S. workers prefer working from home. In fact, 40% of respondents in a Harvard Business School survey said they would accept a pay cut of 5% or more for the ability to telecommute. It’s also an increasingly common reason founders start their own businesses. If you’re interested in launching your own startup, there are plenty of small-business ideas you can launch from home.
Half of all small businesses start at home, according to the National Association of Women Business Owners. And 60% of all businesses without staff are home-based. All totaled, roughly 19 million U.S. businesses are based out of their owner’s home.
That’s thanks in part to the number of businesses that can be run with just a laptop, a good internet connection, and a specialized skill. Of course, the savings for not having to pay any additional rent don’t hurt either.
Looking to do away with commuting indefinitely? Here are some businesses that lend themselves to being based out of your house. (For more inspiration, read Inc.’s full guide to 25 small-business ideas for 2026.)
Social-media consulting
Many small-business owners lack the time to maintain consistent online profiles. If you know your way around X, TikTok, and Instagram, you can help to manage those accounts, scheduling posts and overseeing community engagement. More importantly, you can monitor metrics to increase interaction as you help a business grow.
This is one small-business idea that could be poised for phenomenal growth. Fortune Business Insights, a market research and strategic consulting firm, estimates social media management will grow from an estimated $29 billion this year to almost $165 billion by 2034.
Medical coding
While the job of compiling, processing, and maintaining patient records might seem like one that’s at risk of automation, the need for accuracy and focus on privacy (and the many regulations meant to ensure that) have offered a shield for medical coders. In addition, medical records are complex and lack uniformity. Some are typed, for instance, while others are handwritten. Also, the implementation costs of automating medical coding are a significant deterrent for health care facilities, says the American Academy of Professional Coders.
You’ll need to get certified, but this can be a good home-based business, letting you start small and ultimately scale your company to either a network of home-based workers or a more formal location in the future. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates this field will grow 7% from 2024 to 2034, which is faster than the average of all fields.
E-commerce
Artistic entrepreneurs work best in a comfortable environment. And whether you’re painting, creating with a 3-D printer, making jewelry, or some other expressive endeavor, working from home can be a big advantage. If you’re not artistically inclined, there are several other small-business ideas in this space, including drop-shipping, reselling, refurbishing, and more.
There are a wide variety of places to sell your products. The TikTok Shop is a good way to reach younger shoppers. Etsy also has a built-in customer base. Listing an item there costs 20 cents, and there’s a 6.5% transaction fee on the sale price. Etsy can also help advertise your goods beyond its site, for another cut of the sale price.
Consider focusing on niche items, such as pet accessories or hobby-specific items, since you’ll have a highly targeted customer base that tends to be loyal—and competition is often reduced. That will also let you validate demand before making a large financial commitment and help you decide how best to scale the business as you improve your marketing and build a database of repeat customers.
Tax preparation services
Tax codes are getting more complex each year. If you have the right skill set, which can be anything from a CPA license to an Accredited Tax Preparer (ATP) or Annual Filing Season Program (AFSP) certificate from the IRS, there’s an opportunity to help individuals and/or businesses file their returns.
You might, however, want to tailor your business toward a niche area like short-term rentals, e-commerce, or the creator economy. The latter is expected to bring in a global total of more than $221 billion this year, and many creators won’t know how to optimize their income for taxes. (Some may not even be aware of things like quarterly payments and itemization.) A competent tax professional can save them thousands of dollars while building a reputation in that niche, ensuring future customers.
AI consulting
Not every business owner knows how to utilize artificial intelligence, but a growing number want to incorporate it into their business. That’s creating a growing demand for businesses that can tailor a generative AI system, especially one that can instantly respond to customer problems and deliver satisfactory results.
Demand for AI-powered customer support is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of more than 23% from 2025 to 2033, with North American businesses dominating the demand. Your best bet is to initially target startups rather than businesses that have been established for a longer period of time, says Peter Hansen, director of research and policy analysis with the National Federation of Independent Business.
“A company founded in 2025 is much more likely to be spending on AI than a company started in 2018,” Hansen says. “It’s easier to bring in AI from the ground up and structure your company around it, as opposed to retrofitting your company around it.”
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—Chris Morris
This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister website, Inc.com.
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