AI Side Hustles
Limitations

What Didn't Work: Limits and Risks in Real AI Side Hustles

The parts success stories skip, taken from the limitations listed on each sourced case, grouped by business model.

Updated October 20, 2026206 cases
Faceless YouTube

Faceless YouTube: what held cases back

  1. Adavia Davis

    $40,000 to $60,000/mo
    Independently DocumentedFaceless YouTube, about $50,000 a month as reported
    • Fortune frames this kind of content as part of the debate over low-effort AI content; platform policy could change
    • YouTube can demonetize channels it considers mass-produced or repetitive
    • Running costs of about $6,500 a month must be covered before profit

  2. Jonathan Laramy ("Chloe VS History")

    Not disclosed
    Self-ReportedFaceless YouTube
    • No revenue figure is disclosed
    • Production costs of up to about $1,070 per video are high for a new channel
    • Depends on YouTube monetization rules for AI content

  3. Mark Lawrence I Garilao (FUNTASTIC YT)

    $9,000 in one month
    Self-ReportedFaceless YouTube, about $9,000 a month as reported
    • YouTube has tightened rules on inauthentic, mass-produced content
    • Critics call this kind of content AI slop, which invites policy action
    • One viral format can stop working quickly
    • The figure is a single month

  4. Blake (@blakeryanunscripted)

    $4,635 a month
    Self-ReportedFaceless YouTube, about $4,635 a month as reported
    • The creator sells coaching, so the figure doubles as marketing
    • The figure type is not stated
    • 60 days is too short to show durability
    • YouTube can demonetise mass-produced AI content
Micro-SaaS & AI Products

Micro-SaaS & AI Products: what held cases back

  1. DimeADozen (Sal Aiello and Monica Powers)

    $66,000+ in about 7 months
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $9,400 a month as reported
    • A thin layer over a general AI model is easy for competitors to copy
    • Report quality depends on the underlying model
    • Revenue was earned over a short period before the sale

  2. Cal AI (Zach Yadegari and Henry Langmack)

    About $1.4M/mo gross profit
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $1,400,000 a month as reported
    • Ad spending of about $770,000 a month makes margins sensitive to ad costs
    • Calorie estimates from photos can be inaccurate
    • This is now a venture-scale company, not a typical side hustle

  3. SiteGPT (Bhanu Teja Pachipulusu)

    $10,000 MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • Growth relied on a rare viral launch week
    • Website chatbots are now offered by many competitors
    • Self-reported figure

  4. TypingMind (Tony Dinh)

    4,000+ paying users; $3,500 MRR from custom deployments
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $3,500 a month as reported
    • AI providers can add the same features to their own apps
    • Benefited from an existing audience built through earlier products
    • Self-reported figures

  5. Buildpad (Felix Heikka and his brother)

    $2,700 MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $2,700 a month as reported
    • General AI tools increasingly include memory features
    • Organic growth can stall without paid channels
    • Self-reported figures

  6. BoltAI (Daniel Nguyen)

    $10,000/mo one-time sales + $5,000 MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $15,000 a month as reported
    • Growth depended partly on attention from a well-known founder
    • One-time sales need a constant flow of new buyers
    • Self-reported figures

  7. Sleek (Mattia Pomelli and two co-founders)

    $10,000 MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • Large design platforms are adding similar AI features
    • Retention after the first renewal cycle is not covered in the source
    • Self-reported figures

  8. Photo AI (Pieter Levels)

    $105,000/mo revenue ($80,000/mo profit)
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $105,000 a month as reported
    • A very large personal audience is hard to replicate
    • AI photo generation is now a crowded market
    • Self-reported figures

  9. HeadshotPro (Danny Postma)

    $10,000,000+ since launch
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • No period or profit figure given
    • Many competing AI headshot tools exist
    • Company-published figure, not audited

  10. Chatbase (Yasser Elsaid)

    $9M ARR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $750,000 a month as reported
    • Very competitive market for AI support agents
    • Early timing in the AI wave helped
    • Self-reported figures

  11. Superpower ChatGPT (Saeed Ezzati)

    $20,000 to $30,000 MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $20,000 a month as reported
    • Depends entirely on ChatGPT's interface, which can change or add the same features
    • Browser store policies can affect distribution
    • Self-reported figures

  12. Vaultaire (Rasty Turek)

    $41,425 gross in August
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $41,425 a month as reported
    • Lifetime purchases create spikes, not predictable recurring revenue
    • App Store review and ranking changes
    • Self-reported figures, gross before Apple's cut

  13. AgentOS (Panche Isajeski)

    $9.5K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $9,500 a month as reported
    • The figure covers only about two months, so it says little about retention or long-term revenue
    • A payments business carries compliance and money-movement risk that AI agents do not remove
    • The revenue figure is self-reported with no records reviewed by the outlet
    • The public source does not say which AI tools are used or what they cost

  14. Kolbo.AI (Zohar Vanunu)

    About $60K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $60,000 a month as reported
    • The revenue figure is self-reported and covers only about ten months
    • Viral reach did not turn into revenue on its own; the founder says the tutorial was what converted viewers
    • An all-in-one wrapper depends on outside AI model providers for pricing and access
    • Competition among AI creative suites is intense

  15. Launch Fast (Hasaam Bhatti)

    $30K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $30,000 a month as reported
    • The revenue figures are self-reported
    • Growth leaned on a single partner community, which concentrates risk
    • A non-technical founder relying on AI-written code may struggle with complex bugs and security
    • Tools for Amazon sellers depend on Amazon's data access and policies

  16. Vugola (Vadim, @VadimStrizheus on X)

    About $11K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $11,200 a month as reported
    • The revenue figure is self-reported and covers only about four weeks
    • AI clipping is a crowded category with well-funded competitors
    • Video rendering and AI model costs can squeeze margins
    • Growth depends on posting content every day

  17. Voicy (Kourosh)

    $16K to $20K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figures are self-reported
    • Lifetime deals lift monthly revenue now but do not recur
    • Dictation is a crowded category with well-funded competitors
    • Costs and quality depend on an outside speech model API

  18. Base44 (Maor Shlomo)

    $189,000 profit in one month
    Partially VerifiedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $189,000 a month as reported
    • The profit figure is the founder's own, not audited by TechCrunch
    • Model costs are high and can erase margins
    • The AI app-builder market is crowded with large, funded competitors
    • This needed deep technical skill and is not a typical side hustle outcome

  19. AudioPen (Louis Pereira)

    $15K to $20K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • Self-reported range with no records reviewed
    • Voice-to-text AI apps face strong competition, including free built-in tools
    • The interview mentions dealing with DDoS attacks, a real operational risk for small apps
    • Details beyond the introduction need a free Indie Hackers account

  20. ParakeetAI (Jure Sotosek)

    More than $1 million a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $1,000,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported figure with no records reviewed
    • Using an AI helper in job interviews may break employer or platform rules, which is a reputational and legal risk
    • Results depend on a huge content engine that most people cannot copy quickly
    • Success came after more than ten failed products

  21. Lancer (Ivan Nedelkovski)

    $20K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $20,000 a month as reported
    • Depends on a single marketplace, Upwork, whose rules can change
    • Automated outreach can hurt reputation if proposals feel spammy
    • Self-reported figure with no records reviewed
    • Founder already had years of agency experience

  22. MyFutureSelf (Giancarlo Sarti)

    $12.9K revenue in one month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $12,900 a month as reported
    • Self-reported figure with no records reviewed
    • Monthly revenue varies (the page lists both $11K and $12.9K)
    • Paid ads and creator programs cost money and can lose money
    • Apps built quickly with AI can be unstable at launch, as theirs was

  23. Prayer Lock (Mau, @maubaron on X)

    $21,000 in sales in one month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $21,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported figures with no records reviewed by an outlet
    • Sales are gross, before Apple and Google fees
    • Weekly subscriptions can bring refunds and churn
    • Faith-based products need care to avoid seeming exploitative

  24. Profit AI (Jack, @jackdoesecom)

    $147,000 total since launch
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • Self-reported figures with no records reviewed
    • Depends on the Shopify platform and its app rules
    • Code written by AI still needs maintenance and security checks
    • Domain knowledge from years of consulting was a big advantage

  25. Stanley by Stan (Vitalii Dodonov)

    $50,000 MRR within six weeks
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $50,000 a month as reported
    • Built by an established company with an existing audience, which a newcomer will not have
    • Self-reported figure with no records reviewed
    • AI writing tools are a crowded category
    • Vibe coded products still need engineering to scale

  26. My AskAI (Mike Heap)

    $25k/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $25,000 a month as reported
    • Ongoing AI API bills
    • Competes with large support platforms
    • Self-reported figures

  27. Talknotes (Nicolas Jeanne)

    ~$5,000 per month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $5,000 a month as reported
    • Relies on one paid channel
    • SEO did not work for him
    • Exact profit unknown

  28. nichesss (Malcolm Tyson)

    ~ $30,000 a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $30,000 a month as reported
    • Built on a third-party AI API
    • Lifetime deals can cap future revenue
    • Figure is from 2022 and may have changed

  29. AutoMemes.ai (Max Ibarra)

    Around $2,000/month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $2,000 a month as reported
    • The project ended in 2026
    • Small revenue
    • Self-reported

  30. Subscribr (Gil Hildebrand)

    Over $500k this year
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • Self-reported
    • Competes with many AI writing tools
    • Depends on YouTube creator demand

  31. Magai (Dustin Stout)

    Almost $100K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $100,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Depends on third-party model providers and their pricing
    • Competes directly with the model makers' own apps

  32. Neural Frames (Nicolai Klemke)

    $100K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $100,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • AI video generation is compute-heavy and costly
    • Music and likeness rights can raise legal questions

  33. CodeGuide (CJ Zafir)

    $42K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $42,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • API costs are the biggest expense at about $2,800 a month
    • Depends on the AI coding tools staying popular

  34. AppAlchemy (Diego Roshardt)

    $17K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $17,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Reddit communities can ban self-promotion
    • AI API costs scale with usage

  35. Supergrow (Deven Bhooshan)

    $19K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $19,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • The lifetime deal platform took 40% and brought many feature requests
    • Lifetime buyers do not pay again

  36. MonAi (Florian Vates)

    $40K to $60K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $40,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported range
    • Most income depends on one app
    • App Store rules and fees apply

  37. Bold (Marcel Fahle and Rob Hope)

    ~$3K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $3,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported and early: three customers
    • Most income is consulting, not AI product
    • Revenue share amount still unknown

  38. Type Slash AI (Ihor Stefurak)

    $1,000 in pre-orders
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • Self-reported; sale price undisclosed
    • Very low barrier to copy
    • 2023 result in an early AI wave

  39. BetterPic (Ricardo Ghekiere and Miguel Rasero)

    $20,016 gross revenue in one month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $20,016 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Profit was thin relative to revenue
    • Crowded AI headshot market

  40. Turbo AI (Rudy Arora and Sarthak Dhawan)

    $13M+ lifetime revenue
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • Self-reported
    • Student-focused AI tools face academic-use rules
    • Large, fast-growing competition

  41. MathGPT (Nour Gajial and Yanni Kouloumbis)

    $50K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $50,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Schools have AI-use rules
    • Many competing AI homework apps

  42. Soulin Social (Cathy Kim)

    €2,900 MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • Self-reported
    • 8.2% monthly churn
    • Two months of nightly sessions to reach production quality

  43. Inbox Zero (Elie Steinbock)

    $10K+ MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Many competitors now
    • Email access raises privacy expectations

  44. Repo Prompt (Eric Provencher)

    5-figure MRR (>$10K a month)
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported, exact figure not given
    • Depends on AI model vendors
    • Fast-moving AI coding market

  45. CoverLetterGPT (Vince, Wasp)

    ~$550 MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $550 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Small income
    • Stripe and currency fees are the biggest cost

  46. Sheets AI Resume Builder (Colin McIntosh)

    $26K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $26,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Two different figures on the page
    • Many AI resume rivals

  47. Rezi (Jacob Jacquet)

    $215K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $215,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Nine years of work, not a quick win
    • Crowded market

  48. AiApply (Aidan Cramer)

    $25K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $25,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Page title and text give different figures
    • Job platforms may restrict automation

  49. ResumeUp.AI (Hareesh)

    $4K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $4,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Small revenue
    • Crowded market

  50. Castmagic (Blaine, Ramon and Justin)

    $120K+ MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $120,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Faces competition from general AI tools
    • AppSumo takes a large cut

  51. Kleo (Lara)

    $62K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $62,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • LinkedIn could change rules on AI content
    • Many rivals

  52. CutCoach (Ethan)

    $20K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $20,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Seasonal demand
    • Weight cutting has health risks; the app must stay safe

  53. Wrestle AI (George Lampropoulos)

    $17K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $17,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Monthly MRR is lower than the headline
    • Niche audience

  54. pre.dev (Arjun Raj Jain)

    $500K ARR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $41,667 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Competes with big AI coding tools
    • Agency funding hides true product costs

  55. Payout (Connor Burd)

    $20K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $20,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Paid ads cost money upfront
    • Legal claim content must be accurate

  56. Glam Up and Sprout (Nicole Cheung)

    $400K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $400,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Nine employees
    • Teen users raise care and privacy duties

  57. 3AK (Christian and Braylin)

    $20K+/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $20,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Still students
    • Niche sport

  58. Maxed AI (Max Hirsch)

    About $14K to $15K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $14,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Revenue is before ad spend of around $250 a day, so profit is not disclosed
    • Fitness and lifting apps are a crowded category
    • The business is about six months old

  59. Motionvid.ai (Anatoly Pashias)

    $7K MRR, after $120K from an AppSumo campaign
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $7,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • The $120K was a one-off launch, and lifetime-deal buyers do not pay monthly
    • He is an experienced developer who already ran another business, which is not a beginner starting point
    • AI video tools are a fast-moving, crowded market

  60. AI Toolbox (Adi Leviim and Mohammad El-Esawi)

    5-figure MRR (more than $10K a month)
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figures are self-reported and the exact revenue is not disclosed
    • The product depends on AI chat apps that could add the same features or change their pages
    • Two experienced developers built it, which is not a beginner starting point
    • Browser store rules and rankings can change

  61. John Rush (Unicorn Platform, SEO Bot)

    About $3M a year combined
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • He started with almost a million dollars to buy an existing product, which most beginners do not have
    • Running 26 products at once spreads attention thin

  62. AI Crea (Pauline)

    About 8K euros a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • AI image apps are a crowded market where new models can erase an edge quickly

  63. Supermeme (Ramsri)

    A little over $100K a year
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Low-maintenance apps can lose ground to faster-moving competitors

  64. Fastlane (Gaurav)

    About $69K a month in recurring revenue
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $69,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • The product is very new, so growth may not hold
    • AI video tools are a fast-moving and crowded category

  65. ToneAdapt (Kyan)

    $25K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $25,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • The app is only months old
    • A niche hobby audience can limit how big it gets

  66. Cat on Chair (Ryan)

    Over $18K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $18,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Viral growth can fade without a repeatable channel

  67. AI Carousels and Resume Maker Online (Fernando Pessagno)

    About $15K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $15,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • SEO traffic can drop with search algorithm changes
    • AI design tools face many competitors

  68. Stella (Sarah, Hot High Priestess)

    Over $300K in MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $300,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Growth this fast relied on an audience most beginners do not have
    • Revenue only two months in may not last

  69. Wakes (Reza)

    Close to $30K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $30,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Spiritual and wellness apps depend on trends that can shift
    • Generated content quality must stay high to keep subscribers

  70. STOPPR (David Attias)

    $12K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $12,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Copying a proven app invites competition from the original
    • Influencer and ad costs reduce profit

  71. Ken (solo mobile game developer)

    $155K in revenue
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • He had years of engineering experience that most beginners lack
    • Game revenue can drop when player interest fades

  72. Tomer (AI calorie tracker app)

    Over $80K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $80,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Large global apps can add local language support
    • Paid ads tie growth to ad costs

  73. Formula Bot (David Bressler)

    About $26K a month in recurring revenue
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $26,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Excel and Google Sheets now ship their own AI features
    • Free viral traffic can run up costs before revenue arrives

  74. Flame

    $10K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • He did not show current revenue on camera
    • Relationship advice from AI is not a substitute for professional help

  75. BasedLabs (Andrew and Michael)

    $10,000 MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • AI generator sites compete with many similar tools
    • Face swap and character tools carry misuse risks

  76. Cuppa AI (Ryan Darani, Chris Riley and Dan Beynon)

    $30,000 MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $30,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Search engines can penalize low-quality mass AI content
    • Model price changes affect margins

  77. Voiset (Denis Kirichenko)

    5,000 euros MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Large task apps can add similar voice AI features

  78. Rytr (Abhi)

    Seven figures in ARR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • This is an incubator-backed company with prior funding experience
    • General AI chatbots now compete directly with writing tools

  79. NinjaPear (Steven Goh)

    Over $15K in a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $15,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • He had a large audience and 20 years of experience, which beginners lack
    • Data businesses can face legal risk, as his last company did

  80. RightBlogger (Ryan Robinson)

    $350K ARR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Mass AI content can be penalized by search engines
    • Growth relied on an audience built over 12 years

  81. Cardstock and Scanemon (Kyle Fowler)

    $120K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $120,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Collectible card markets go through hype cycles
    • The first app took years to grow before AI tools existed

  82. Glowly and Overload (Will Baker)

    Over $10K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Revenue is before ad spend, so profit is not disclosed
    • Appearance-rating apps can raise body image concerns

  83. HabitKit (Sebastian)

    $15K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $15,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • AI plays a supporting role, not the core of the business
    • Habit trackers are a crowded category

  84. Sergiu Chiriac (AI Directories)

    Over $10K a month across his projects; record month $15.7K
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • AI is the market rather than the product
    • Directory value can fade if search engines change

  85. Romàn Czerny (Gojiberry AI)

    $27K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $27,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • He had a seven-figure exit and experience before this
    • Platform rules on LinkedIn automation can change

  86. Richard Wang (Leadmore AI)

    Over $30K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $30,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • He has years of engineering experience
    • Credit pricing ties revenue to usage, which can swing

  87. Snow Lee (Runbear)

    $400K ARR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $33,333 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • A seasoned founding team
    • The AI agent market is crowded and moves fast

  88. Timo Tzschetzsch (Setter AI)

    $10K+ MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • He already had a business and audience
    • A previous product at the same MRR collapsed

  89. Ulric Musset (Marblism)

    $250K ARR before a pivot
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Raised $4M, so not a bootstrapped side hustle
    • The original product did not last, so ARR fell after the pivot

  90. Wesley Tian (Aragon)

    Over $10M a year
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • He had machine learning experience and savings
    • AI headshots became crowded quickly

  91. Sebastian Volkis (TrendFeed, CodeSpring, ChatIQ)

    About $9.7K MRR in two months (ChatIQ)
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $9,700 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Customers churned to faster competitors early on
    • Course income depends on an audience

  92. Pranay Agarwal (Mockey.ai)

    About $12K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $12,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Ad revenue can swing with traffic
    • Mockup tools have many competitors

  93. Vasco Monteiro (Journalist AI)

    $70K+ MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $70,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • He had a prior exit and SEO experience
    • AI writing tools are crowded and depend on search engine policies

  94. Gemma Vincent and Jozef Maxted (Chat Thing)

    Nearly $12K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $12,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Most of the interview is behind a free account, so details are limited
    • Chatbot builders face many competitors

  95. Sveta Bay and Dan Kulkov (FounderPal, Makerbox)

    $20K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $20,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Most of the interview is behind a free account, so details are limited
    • Free tools can be copied and search traffic can drop

  96. Sébastien Night (OneTake AI)

    $500K ARR ($42K MRR)
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $42,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Most of the interview is behind a free account, so details are limited
    • He had an existing seven-figure business

  97. Mark Gadala (Post Cheetah)

    A little over $3K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $3,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Early MRR one month after launch says little about retention
    • Search engines may change how they treat AI content

  98. Kevin Natanzon (CreatorKit)

    Six-figure ARR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Exact revenue is not disclosed
    • He had prior startup income to reinvest

  99. Vika Loskutova and Obie Fernandez (Olympia)

    $6K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $6,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • 12% churn is high for a small subscriber base
    • Big AI assistants compete directly

  100. Rushab Jain and Vatsal Sanghvi (VisualizeAI)

    $30K acquisition
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • A one-time sale, not ongoing income
    • Small revenue before the sale

  101. Anuja Dhawan (Dubverse)

    High six-figure ARR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • High six figures is a range, not an exact figure
    • Large AI companies offer dubbing too

  102. Bilal Tahir (GPT Hotline, YOU-TLDR, PlainScribe)

    $2,500 a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $2,500 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Income is spread across many small tools
    • He did not reach all his goals for the year

  103. Romain Torres (Arcads)

    $10M ARR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $833,333 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • AI actor ads raise disclosure and consumer trust concerns
    • A venture-scale company, not a side hustle

  104. Marky (Arian Adeli)

    $21,888 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $21,888 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented

  105. MagicSlides.app (Sanskar Tiwari)

    $10,417 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $10,417 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented
    • Listed for sale on TrustMRR

  106. GETebook.ai (Bogdan Dragomir)

    $9,150 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $9,150 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented

  107. Vidgenie.ai (Sourav Bhar)

    $5,585 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $5,585 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented

  108. UXMagic.AI (Ronak Daga)

    $6,300 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $6,300 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented

  109. FootballGPT (Kevin Middleton)

    $5,356 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $5,356 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented

  110. WPConvert.ai (Jose Montero)

    $3,310 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $3,310 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented
    • Listed for sale on TrustMRR

  111. OpenAssistantGPT (Marc-Olivier Bouchard)

    $1,747 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $1,747 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented

  112. ShortsAuto.ai (Ahmad Tahir)

    $1,594 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $1,594 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented

  113. OpenShorts (Carlos Gracia)

    $1,343 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $1,343 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented

  114. BlitzReels (Virgile Rietsch)

    $1,194 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $1,194 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented

  115. Giovanni Brees (Meet Oscar)

    $45,000 MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $45,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • He has 15 years of growth and launch experience, which most beginners lack
    • The page is a framework write-up that promotes his services

  116. VoiceCheap (Kevin Rousseau)

    $16,347 revenue in the last 30 days
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $16,347 a month as reported
    • Revenue may include the VoiceStudio agency, not just software
    • Revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures change over time

  117. Math AI (Andrew Kalita)

    $1,124 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $1,124 a month as reported
    • Homework solvers raise academic integrity concerns
    • Revenue, not profit; churn is a stated issue
    • Depends on Chrome Web Store and search traffic

  118. Novaheadshot (Chris Bora)

    $12,126 all-time revenue
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • Listed for sale on TrustMRR
    • Recent revenue is only $120 in 30 days
    • AI headshots are a crowded market

  119. Evrika Study (Patrick Neicu)

    $115 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $115 a month as reported
    • Listed for sale on TrustMRR
    • Very small revenue so far
    • User growth claims on the listing are not verified

  120. Tanya van Gastel (The Multiverse AI)

    About $350,000 over two years
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • Revenue was split across three co-founders
    • Self-reported in a talk; no records shown
    • AI headshots became crowded quickly

  121. Jackie Chow (Trackings.ai)

    $25,000 to $30,000 a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $25,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported in a video; no records shown
    • His wider portfolio is mostly non-AI SEO agencies; only Trackings.ai is counted
    • Years of SEO experience and an existing audience helped
AI Agencies & Services

AI Agencies & Services: what held cases back

  1. Unnamed marketing consultant (Side Hustle School episode 3075)

    $1,000+ by month two
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services
    • Law firms raised privacy concerns
    • Restaurants did not see the value
    • Clients worried AI would replace staff

  2. Workflows io (co-founder Fivos Aresti)

    $3.3M ARR
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $275,000 a month as reported
    • A team of 21 means high payroll; profit is not disclosed
    • The founder already had deep agency experience
    • Self-reported figures relayed by an interviewer

  3. Corey Ganim

    $8,000 MRR
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $8,000 a month as reported
    • Relies on the founder's sales background and network
    • Capped at six concierge seats, which limits growth
    • Figures are secondhand from a teardown

  4. Chad Vavra (Chat Agency AI)

    $10,000 a month
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported revenue and client results
    • Bespoke work is hard to scale
    • Rapid AI tool changes can make builds obsolete

  5. Aptford (Sasha Aptlin)

    Nearly $50,000 from two contracts
    Independently DocumentedAI Agencies & Services
    • Income is lumpy and depends on landing large contracts
    • Needs real technical skill; this is not a beginner hustle
    • Clients may expect more than current models can deliver
    • One period of about six weeks says little about a full year

  6. Negodiuk AI Consulting (Dmytro Negodiuk)

    $11,000 revenue/mo
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $11,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported figure
    • Solo consulting income depends on his own hours
    • Client results are not independently shown

  7. Meerkats.ai (Santanu Dasgupta)

    $3K+ MRR
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $3,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported and early
    • Funded partly by grants and credits, so margins are not shown
    • Crowded AI SDR market

  8. Samplify (James Layfield)

    >$83K/mo
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $83,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported; figure from the header only
    • Enterprise sales cycles are long
    • Little public detail

  9. Garcy Studio (Tom Garcy)

    $340K/yr
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $28,333 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Revenue is from design work, not an AI product
    • Exact AI tools not named in the public part

  10. Topliner (Arsen Ibragimov)

    >$10K/mo
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported; exact figure not given
    • Little public detail
    • Niche B2B market

  11. Artificial Workflow (Andrew)

    $10K/mo
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • The business shut down
    • Early MVP had performance problems

  12. Chatfuel Clinic Suite (Fedor Pak)

    ~$1M ARR
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $83,333 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Built on an established company's assets
    • Health settings need careful privacy handling

  13. Avenue (Tom and his brother)

    About A$85K a month
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Door-to-door sales are slow and hard to scale
    • SMS and AI voice costs are a large part of their expenses

  14. DM Champ (Sohaib Ahmad)

    About $10K a month
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • An AppSumo launch had a 40 percent refund rate
    • AI agents that sell need careful oversight to avoid bad customer experiences

  15. AI Podcasting (Adithyan Ilangovan)

    $14.5K MRR
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $14,500 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Service businesses are harder to scale than pure software

  16. Julia McCoy (First Movers AI)

    About $250K a month
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $250,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • She had a large audience and agency experience before starting
    • Revenue is a run rate, not profit, and includes a team of about 15

  17. Aryan Mahajan (Zoro)

    $100K a month portfolio
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $100,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Most of the interview is behind a free account, so details are limited
    • He took on heavy credit card debt to get started

  18. Layer8 (Ali, Kevin and James Dubec)

    Around $50,000 a month
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $50,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • The founders are experienced filmmakers, not beginners
    • AI video tools change fast

  19. Simon Bergeron (Lemonbrand.io)

    Retainers from about $2,500 a month
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $2,500 a month as reported
    • Self-reported per-client prices, not total revenue
    • Inbox access involves sensitive client data and data protection rules
    • Active service work, not passive income

  20. Linara Bozieva (Ravenopus)

    Retainers of $20,000 to $30,000 a month
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $20,000 a month as reported
    • Per-client retainer range, not total revenue
    • Self-reported via Forbes; no records reviewed
    • Relies on a senior operator's experience; not a beginner model
Amazon KDP & Publishing

Amazon KDP & Publishing: what held cases back

  1. Chris Rawson and Angelina Stanzione

    $39,500 in 3 months
    Self-ReportedAmazon KDP & Publishing, about $13,100 a month as reported
    • Amazon requires disclosure of AI-generated content
    • Royalties are not profit
    • Self-reported figures

  2. Sam (self-publishing author and KDP tutorial creator)

    $10,155 net profit
    Partially VerifiedAmazon KDP & Publishing, about $846 a month as reported
    • Ads consumed about a quarter of royalties
    • Coloring books are a crowded KDP niche
    • Source is a third-party write-up of a video

  3. Tom Ryan (Selfarama)

    $12,000 in one month
    Self-ReportedAmazon KDP & Publishing, about $12,000 a month as reported
    • Early ad spend was lost before it became profitable
    • It took about 18 months to explain the product clearly
    • Self-reported figure
    • Uses children's photos, which needs careful privacy handling

  4. Ammaar Reshi

    841 copies sold (revenue not disclosed)
    Self-ReportedAmazon KDP & Publishing
    • Artists accused AI art tools of using their work without permission
    • Amazon paused sales citing suspicious review activity
    • No income figure was published
    • Viral attention is not a repeatable channel

  5. Tim Boucher (AI Lore books)

    Nearly $2,000 total
    Self-ReportedAmazon KDP & Publishing
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Modest income for the effort
    • AI-written books face reader skepticism and platform rules

  6. Low Content AI (Brian Donatiello)

    $14,761 MRR
    Independently DocumentedAmazon KDP & Publishing, about $14,761 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented
Print on Demand

Print on Demand: what held cases back

  1. Emily Odio-Sutton

    $220,300 in sales (2023)
    Independently DocumentedPrint on Demand, about $18,400 a month as reported
    • Profit is about 30% of sales by her estimate
    • Customer service load is higher than for digital products
    • Copycats are a real concern; she keeps shop names private

  2. Christina Umerez

    CA$470,000 (about US$347,500)
    Self-ReportedPrint on Demand, about $29,000 a month as reported
    • Revenue is not profit; production and fees are significant
    • Required two to three hours a day of uploading early on
    • Self-reported figures

  3. Love Eat Travel Repeat (Etsy print on demand shop owner)

    $8,081.93 revenue in one month
    Self-ReportedPrint on Demand, about $8,082 a month as reported
    • Self-reported by a blogger who also sells training
    • Revenue drops when she stops adding listings
    • Etsy fees and print costs take a large share
    • AI-generated designs face copyright and platform policy questions

  4. Folk Fable Studio (Nikolai Paquin)

    $16,000 revenue in one year
    Self-ReportedPrint on Demand, about $1,333 a month as reported
    • The business depended on one ad channel and ended when ad restrictions hit
    • Revenue is reported without profit after ad spend
    • AI art has unclear copyright status
    • Low average order value leaves thin margins after ads

  5. Ryan Hogue (Ryan's Method)

    $49,000 a month in passive income
    Self-ReportedPrint on Demand, about $49,000 a month as reported
    • The headline figure mixes four income streams
    • Teaching income depends on his audience
    • Marketplace policy changes can hit print-on-demand sales

  6. Blend (Vaibhav Prakash, Jamsheed Kamardeen and Vishwanath Kollapudi)

    $100K/mo
    Self-ReportedPrint on Demand, about $100,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • 2023 figure
    • Large team; not a solo hustle

  7. Becca Miller

    $1,500 a month
    Self-ReportedPrint on Demand, about $1,500 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • The source sells training, so it is promotional
    • Digital product prices on Etsy are low and competitive

  8. Jason Pagliaro (Guardian Custom Creations)

    Over $320 in two months
    Self-ReportedPrint on Demand
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Small amount so far
    • The source sells the workshop he took

  9. Shannon Davis

    $14,000 over three months
    Self-ReportedPrint on Demand
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • The source sells training
    • Etsy demand is seasonal and competitive
Automation & Workflows

Automation & Workflows: what held cases back

  1. Chris Sharkey (AI Automation Society member)

    $8,500 setup + $750/mo
    Self-ReportedAutomation & Workflows, about $750 a month as reported
    • Third-party integrations can fail mid-project
    • The client savings figure ($104,000 to $156,000 a year) is the builder's own estimate
    • Self-reported in a community post

  2. Justin Lob

    $20,354 a month
    Self-ReportedAutomation & Workflows, about $20,354 a month as reported
    • Long hours outside a full-time job
    • The interviewer sells the programme Lob joined
    • Revenue type is not stated
    • Client work can be lumpy month to month

  3. Nick Saraev

    $72,000 a month
    Self-ReportedAutomation & Workflows, about $72,000 a month as reported
    • He sells a paid community, so the story is also marketing
    • The description includes affiliate links
    • The figure type and period are not stated
    • Agency revenue can depend on a few large clients

  4. Orshot (Rishi Mohan)

    About $6.2K MRR
    Partially VerifiedAutomation & Workflows, about $6,200 a month as reported
    • Interview figure is self-reported; the open page is the company's own data
    • Usage-based pricing makes revenue harder to predict
    • It took about a year to pass 100 customers
    • Needs design and engineering skill to build

  5. FlowHunt (Yasha Boroumand)

    $10k/mo
    Self-ReportedAutomation & Workflows, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Crowded AI agent market
    • Mass SEO pages carry search quality risk

  6. Postiz (Nevo)

    $143K MRR
    Self-ReportedAutomation & Workflows, about $143,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Growth that depends on viral posts can slow suddenly
    • Social platforms can change their rules on automated posting

  7. Rayhan Mahmood

    Five figures a month
    Self-ReportedAutomation & Workflows, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • No exact figure is given
    • The post promotes his own product
Content Creation

Content Creation: what held cases back

  1. Unnamed side hustler (Side Hustle School episode 3152)

    About $1,400/mo
    Self-ReportedContent Creation, about $1,400 a month as reported
    • Some subscribers left wanting more than one summary a week
    • Book summaries raise copyright and author concerns
    • Takes five to six hours a week

  2. Ellis, St. Paul, Minnesota (Side Hustle School episode 2620)

    $8,000+ in commissions
    Self-ReportedContent Creation
    • Viral results are not repeatable on demand
    • Platforms may restrict automated or undisclosed promotional accounts
    • Affiliate disclosure rules apply

  3. The Clueless (Aitana)

    About $3,300 a month on average (EUR 3,000)
    Self-ReportedContent Creation, about $3,300 a month as reported
    • Undisclosed AI personas raise trust and labelling issues
    • Platforms increasingly require AI content labels
    • Income depends on brand appetite for AI influencers
    • The figure is self-reported

  4. World of AI (aitools.fyi)

    $6,000 a month
    Self-ReportedContent Creation, about $6,000 a month as reported
    • Depends on interest in AI tools staying high, which the founder says is declining
    • Directory and newsletter space is crowded
    • Self-reported figure

  5. Maverick Maltin

    Around six figures a month
    Independently DocumentedContent Creation
    • Income depends entirely on brand deals, which can dry up if the audience or the platforms change
    • The figure is given only as a range word (six figures), not an exact amount
    • Fast trend chasing can be hard to keep up; he calls consistency his biggest challenge
    • Contracts need proper legal review; AI review alone is risky

  6. Ole Lehmann (The AI Solopreneur)

    $176,885 in gross revenue
    Independently DocumentedContent Creation
    • Gross revenue, not profit
    • A launch month is usually the peak
    • Depends on audience attention on one platform

  7. Bloo (Jordi van den Bussche)

    More than seven figures in revenue
    Self-ReportedContent Creation
    • Revenue figure is vague and self-reported
    • Fully AI-made videos did not perform as well
    • Audience backlash against AI content is growing

  8. GeoSports (Frank)

    ~$40K/mo
    Self-ReportedContent Creation, about $40,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Ad income can swing
    • He already had a large audience

  9. Superhuman AI newsletter (Zain and Awais Kahn)

    Six figures a month
    Self-ReportedContent Creation, about $100,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • The fast start relied on a Twitter following of more than 400,000
    • Ad revenue depends on sponsor budgets

  10. Chris Koerner (The Koerner Office)

    $3K to $7K per sponsored send
    Self-ReportedContent Creation
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • The source is a vendor case study
    • He had a large podcast audience first

  11. Hasan Toor (The ProHuman)

    $60,000 a month combined
    Self-ReportedContent Creation, about $60,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Combined figure, so no single stream is clear
    • Depends on social platform reach

  12. Rowan Cheung (The Rundown AI)

    Eight-figure business
    Self-ReportedContent Creation
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Timing luck played a role, he says
    • No longer a side hustle

  13. Alex Fiore (AI Central)

    More than $150,000 from the ad network to date
    Self-ReportedContent Creation
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • The source is a vendor case study
    • Growth involved paid acquisition

  14. The Autopilot (Sascha Hoffmann)

    $726 MRR
    Independently DocumentedContent Creation, about $726 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented

  15. Casey Botticello

    About $21K in one month
    Self-ReportedContent Creation, about $21,700 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Dated February 2024; search ranking for AI content has changed since
    • A single best month, not a steady average

  16. Nik McFly

    $65,000 received
    Self-ReportedContent Creation
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • He sells a Suno course, so he benefits from promoting results
    • Shared with his wife; AI music rights and platform rules are unsettled

  17. Telisha "Nikki" Jones (Xania Monet)

    More than $52,000 (Billboard estimate)
    Partially VerifiedContent Creation
    • The deal is a record deal, not side-hustle income, and its value is undisclosed
    • The $52,000 is a Billboard estimate, not reported royalties
    • Suno faces copyright lawsuits from major record labels
Freelancing & Consulting

Freelancing & Consulting: what held cases back

  1. Sean, Provo, Utah (Side Hustle School episode 3103)

    Close to $3,000/mo
    Self-ReportedFreelancing & Consulting, about $3,000 a month as reported
    • ChatGPT sometimes invented statistics and names
    • Some clients were wary of AI and privacy; he used a basic NDA
    • Keeping each client's tone distinct takes careful editing

  2. Cami (@camiinthisthang)

    $30,000+ total
    Self-ReportedFreelancing & Consulting
    • No time period given for the $30,000
    • The post is partly promotional
    • Self-reported in one post

  3. Tony Dong

    CA$238,000 projected for 2023 (about $180,000)
    Independently DocumentedFreelancing & Consulting, about $15,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is total freelance income, so it does not isolate what AI added
    • The 2023 figure was a projection in December 2023
    • Results depend on a specialist niche and existing editor relationships
    • He warns that GPT-4 cannot yet write analytically in a voice readers understand

  4. Sultan Ali

    More than $3,500 total
    Independently DocumentedFreelancing & Consulting
    • Low prices mean modest total income for the hours involved
    • Most clients are students, which raises academic integrity questions
    • Demand depends on AI detectors and platform rules that can change
    • He does it part-time while looking for a full-time job

  5. Gabrielle Gerbus

    $33,200 so far in 2023
    Independently DocumentedFreelancing & Consulting
    • The figure mixes AI editing with her other services
    • She had four years of Fiverr reviews before adding this service
    • AI detection scores are unreliable as proof of quality
    • Team costs come out of the reported revenue

  6. Ryan Adams

    About $31,000 total
    Partially VerifiedFreelancing & Consulting
    • There is no job security and projects can end suddenly
    • Pay rates are set by the platform and can change
    • The work can be monotonous and poorly run, other contractors in the source say
    • His figure is self-reported

  7. Amanda Overcash

    Nearly $8,000 in under three weeks
    Independently DocumentedFreelancing & Consulting
    • The $8,000 came from one demanding project with up to 16 hour days
    • Work is project based and can stop without notice
    • Audits are strict and failing one can remove you from a project
    • Juggling it with a full-time job led to burnout for her before

  8. Utkarsh Amitabh

    Nearly $300,000 since January 2025, at $200 an hour
    Independently DocumentedFreelancing & Consulting
    • Rates like this go to people with rare, deep expertise, not beginners
    • Projects are confidential and depend on one company's demand
    • The work is intellectually demanding and takes hours per problem
    • Training AI on your expertise may change demand for that expertise later

  9. Nicole Cueto

    $670 a month on average
    Independently DocumentedFreelancing & Consulting, about $670 a month as reported
    • Following an AI itinerary without checking it is risky, so fact-checking is required
    • Income is modest and depends on hours worked
    • The article does not say whether the figure is revenue or profit

  10. Mo Zohourian

    $100/hour
    Independently DocumentedFreelancing & Consulting
    • Work can be inconsistent
    • Rates depend on platforms and projects
    • Hourly rate only; hours not stated
Digital Products

Digital Products: what held cases back

  1. Jen Glantz (Bridesmaid for Hire)

    About $6,300/mo passive income (all sources)
    Self-ReportedDigital Products, about $6,300 a month as reported
    • Exact income from the AI tool is not given
    • Relies on an established personal brand
    • Self-reported figures

  2. Eftakhairul Islam

    About $3,000/mo
    Self-ReportedDigital Products, about $3,000 a month as reported
    • Shop not named, so figures cannot be checked
    • AI art on Etsy is highly competitive
    • Copyright protection for AI-generated images is limited

  3. Rebecca Beach

    Up to $20,000/mo
    Self-ReportedDigital Products, about $20,000 a month as reported
    • Builds on 25 years of design and development experience
    • Digital product marketplaces are crowded
    • Self-reported figures

  4. Lance Junck

    $34,913 profit
    Independently DocumentedDigital Products, about $11,638 a month as reported
    • He launched very early, when few ChatGPT courses existed; the source says Udemy listed more than 429 ChatGPT classes by April 2023
    • Some students reviewed the course as too surface-level compared with free YouTube videos
    • Income depends on Udemy's search ranking, pricing, and revenue share, which the creator does not control
    • The figure is from 2023 and may not reflect current sales

  5. Claudine Lam

    Over CA$34,000 (about $25,000) in sales since 2022
    Independently DocumentedDigital Products
    • Early months made almost nothing, including a small loss in February 2022
    • Etsy fees, including a 12% off-site ad fee, cut into sales
    • Common printables face heavy competition and copying
    • Sales dropped when she was less active on the store

  6. AI Never Sleeps (Jonathan Chan)

    $19.2K in one month
    Self-ReportedDigital Products, about $19,200 a month as reported
    • Self-reported, one month only
    • Income mixes courses, community and agency work
    • Relies on a personal brand built over a long career

  7. Bailey Designed Co. (Bailey)

    $340,000 revenue
    Self-ReportedDigital Products, about $28,333 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Copying and reselling of designs is a near-daily problem
    • AI has brought many new competing shops
    • 2022 figures

  8. Joe Popelas

    Over $1M in one year
    Self-ReportedDigital Products
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Low-effort AI books can draw poor reviews and platform scrutiny
    • Revenue depends on paid ads, so profit is not disclosed

  9. Desiree Sandison

    About $34,400 in 11 months
    Self-ReportedDigital Products
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Etsy digital templates are a crowded market
    • AI drafts need editing to stay accurate and original

  10. Ben Issen (Side School)

    Six figures in revenue within a few months
    Self-ReportedDigital Products
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Six figures is a range, not an exact amount
    • Education income depends on continued demand for AI skills

  11. Ben Tossell (Ben's Bites)

    7-figure business
    Self-ReportedDigital Products
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Prior exit and large audience
    • Paywalled source limits detail
AI Chatbots & Voice Agents

AI Chatbots & Voice Agents: what held cases back

  1. SiteGPT (Bhanu Teja Pachipulusu)

    $10,000 MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • Growth relied on a rare viral launch week
    • Website chatbots are now offered by many competitors
    • Self-reported figure

  2. Chatbase (Yasser Elsaid)

    $9M ARR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $750,000 a month as reported
    • Very competitive market for AI support agents
    • Early timing in the AI wave helped
    • Self-reported figures

  3. Unnamed marketing consultant (Side Hustle School episode 3075)

    $1,000+ by month two
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services
    • Law firms raised privacy concerns
    • Restaurants did not see the value
    • Clients worried AI would replace staff

  4. My AskAI (Mike Heap)

    $25k/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $25,000 a month as reported
    • Ongoing AI API bills
    • Competes with large support platforms
    • Self-reported figures

  5. FlowHunt (Yasha Boroumand)

    $10k/mo
    Self-ReportedAutomation & Workflows, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Crowded AI agent market
    • Mass SEO pages carry search quality risk

  6. Negodiuk AI Consulting (Dmytro Negodiuk)

    $11,000 revenue/mo
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $11,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported figure
    • Solo consulting income depends on his own hours
    • Client results are not independently shown

  7. Chatfuel Clinic Suite (Fedor Pak)

    ~$1M ARR
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $83,333 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Built on an established company's assets
    • Health settings need careful privacy handling

  8. Avenue (Tom and his brother)

    About A$85K a month
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Door-to-door sales are slow and hard to scale
    • SMS and AI voice costs are a large part of their expenses

  9. DM Champ (Sohaib Ahmad)

    About $10K a month
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • An AppSumo launch had a 40 percent refund rate
    • AI agents that sell need careful oversight to avoid bad customer experiences

  10. Snow Lee (Runbear)

    $400K ARR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $33,333 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • A seasoned founding team
    • The AI agent market is crowded and moves fast

  11. Gemma Vincent and Jozef Maxted (Chat Thing)

    Nearly $12K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $12,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Most of the interview is behind a free account, so details are limited
    • Chatbot builders face many competitors

  12. OpenAssistantGPT (Marc-Olivier Bouchard)

    $1,747 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $1,747 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented
AI Newsletters

AI Newsletters: what held cases back

  1. Unnamed side hustler (Side Hustle School episode 3152)

    About $1,400/mo
    Self-ReportedContent Creation, about $1,400 a month as reported
    • Some subscribers left wanting more than one summary a week
    • Book summaries raise copyright and author concerns
    • Takes five to six hours a week

  2. World of AI (aitools.fyi)

    $6,000 a month
    Self-ReportedContent Creation, about $6,000 a month as reported
    • Depends on interest in AI tools staying high, which the founder says is declining
    • Directory and newsletter space is crowded
    • Self-reported figure

  3. Superhuman AI newsletter (Zain and Awais Kahn)

    Six figures a month
    Self-ReportedContent Creation, about $100,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • The fast start relied on a Twitter following of more than 400,000
    • Ad revenue depends on sponsor budgets

  4. Chris Koerner (The Koerner Office)

    $3K to $7K per sponsored send
    Self-ReportedContent Creation
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • The source is a vendor case study
    • He had a large podcast audience first

  5. Hasan Toor (The ProHuman)

    $60,000 a month combined
    Self-ReportedContent Creation, about $60,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Combined figure, so no single stream is clear
    • Depends on social platform reach

  6. Rowan Cheung (The Rundown AI)

    Eight-figure business
    Self-ReportedContent Creation
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Timing luck played a role, he says
    • No longer a side hustle

  7. Ben Tossell (Ben's Bites)

    7-figure business
    Self-ReportedDigital Products
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Prior exit and large audience
    • Paywalled source limits detail

  8. Alex Fiore (AI Central)

    More than $150,000 from the ad network to date
    Self-ReportedContent Creation
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • The source is a vendor case study
    • Growth involved paid acquisition

  9. The Autopilot (Sascha Hoffmann)

    $726 MRR
    Independently DocumentedContent Creation, about $726 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented
AI Resume & Career Tools

AI Resume & Career Tools: what held cases back

  1. CoverLetterGPT (Vince, Wasp)

    ~$550 MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $550 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Small income
    • Stripe and currency fees are the biggest cost

  2. Sheets AI Resume Builder (Colin McIntosh)

    $26K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $26,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Two different figures on the page
    • Many AI resume rivals

  3. Rezi (Jacob Jacquet)

    $215K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $215,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Nine years of work, not a quick win
    • Crowded market

  4. AiApply (Aidan Cramer)

    $25K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $25,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Page title and text give different figures
    • Job platforms may restrict automation

  5. ResumeUp.AI (Hareesh)

    $4K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $4,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Small revenue
    • Crowded market
AI Headshots & Photo Apps

AI Headshots & Photo Apps: what held cases back

  1. Photo AI (Pieter Levels)

    $105,000/mo revenue ($80,000/mo profit)
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $105,000 a month as reported
    • A very large personal audience is hard to replicate
    • AI photo generation is now a crowded market
    • Self-reported figures

  2. HeadshotPro (Danny Postma)

    $10,000,000+ since launch
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • No period or profit figure given
    • Many competing AI headshot tools exist
    • Company-published figure, not audited

  3. BetterPic (Ricardo Ghekiere and Miguel Rasero)

    $20,016 gross revenue in one month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $20,016 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Profit was thin relative to revenue
    • Crowded AI headshot market

  4. Blend (Vaibhav Prakash, Jamsheed Kamardeen and Vishwanath Kollapudi)

    $100K/mo
    Self-ReportedPrint on Demand, about $100,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • 2023 figure
    • Large team; not a solo hustle

  5. Wesley Tian (Aragon)

    Over $10M a year
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • He had machine learning experience and savings
    • AI headshots became crowded quickly

  6. Novaheadshot (Chris Bora)

    $12,126 all-time revenue
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • Listed for sale on TrustMRR
    • Recent revenue is only $120 in 30 days
    • AI headshots are a crowded market

  7. Tanya van Gastel (The Multiverse AI)

    About $350,000 over two years
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • Revenue was split across three co-founders
    • Self-reported in a talk; no records shown
    • AI headshots became crowded quickly
AI Courses & Education

AI Courses & Education: what held cases back

  1. Lance Junck

    $34,913 profit
    Independently DocumentedDigital Products, about $11,638 a month as reported
    • He launched very early, when few ChatGPT courses existed; the source says Udemy listed more than 429 ChatGPT classes by April 2023
    • Some students reviewed the course as too surface-level compared with free YouTube videos
    • Income depends on Udemy's search ranking, pricing, and revenue share, which the creator does not control
    • The figure is from 2023 and may not reflect current sales

  2. Ole Lehmann (The AI Solopreneur)

    $176,885 in gross revenue
    Independently DocumentedContent Creation
    • Gross revenue, not profit
    • A launch month is usually the peak
    • Depends on audience attention on one platform

  3. AI Never Sleeps (Jonathan Chan)

    $19.2K in one month
    Self-ReportedDigital Products, about $19,200 a month as reported
    • Self-reported, one month only
    • Income mixes courses, community and agency work
    • Relies on a personal brand built over a long career

  4. MathGPT (Nour Gajial and Yanni Kouloumbis)

    $50K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $50,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Schools have AI-use rules
    • Many competing AI homework apps

  5. Ben Issen (Side School)

    Six figures in revenue within a few months
    Self-ReportedDigital Products
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Six figures is a range, not an exact amount
    • Education income depends on continued demand for AI skills

  6. Ben Tossell (Ben's Bites)

    7-figure business
    Self-ReportedDigital Products
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Prior exit and large audience
    • Paywalled source limits detail

  7. Evrika Study (Patrick Neicu)

    $115 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $115 a month as reported
    • Listed for sale on TrustMRR
    • Very small revenue so far
    • User growth claims on the listing are not verified
AI Video & Clipping Tools

AI Video & Clipping Tools: what held cases back

  1. Vugola (Vadim, @VadimStrizheus on X)

    About $11K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $11,200 a month as reported
    • The revenue figure is self-reported and covers only about four weeks
    • AI clipping is a crowded category with well-funded competitors
    • Video rendering and AI model costs can squeeze margins
    • Growth depends on posting content every day

  2. Neural Frames (Nicolai Klemke)

    $100K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $100,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • AI video generation is compute-heavy and costly
    • Music and likeness rights can raise legal questions

  3. Motionvid.ai (Anatoly Pashias)

    $7K MRR, after $120K from an AppSumo campaign
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $7,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • The $120K was a one-off launch, and lifetime-deal buyers do not pay monthly
    • He is an experienced developer who already ran another business, which is not a beginner starting point
    • AI video tools are a fast-moving, crowded market

  4. Fastlane (Gaurav)

    About $69K a month in recurring revenue
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $69,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • The product is very new, so growth may not hold
    • AI video tools are a fast-moving and crowded category

  5. BasedLabs (Andrew and Michael)

    $10,000 MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • AI generator sites compete with many similar tools
    • Face swap and character tools carry misuse risks

  6. Sébastien Night (OneTake AI)

    $500K ARR ($42K MRR)
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $42,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Most of the interview is behind a free account, so details are limited
    • He had an existing seven-figure business

  7. Kevin Natanzon (CreatorKit)

    Six-figure ARR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Exact revenue is not disclosed
    • He had prior startup income to reinvest

  8. Anuja Dhawan (Dubverse)

    High six-figure ARR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • High six figures is a range, not an exact figure
    • Large AI companies offer dubbing too

  9. Vidgenie.ai (Sourav Bhar)

    $5,585 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $5,585 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented

  10. ShortsAuto.ai (Ahmad Tahir)

    $1,594 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $1,594 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented

  11. OpenShorts (Carlos Gracia)

    $1,343 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $1,343 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented

  12. BlitzReels (Virgile Rietsch)

    $1,194 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $1,194 a month as reported
    • MRR is revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures on TrustMRR change over time
    • No founder interview, so the build story is not documented

  13. VoiceCheap (Kevin Rousseau)

    $16,347 revenue in the last 30 days
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $16,347 a month as reported
    • Revenue may include the VoiceStudio agency, not just software
    • Revenue, not profit; costs are not shown
    • Figures change over time
AI Writing, SEO & Ghostwriting

AI Writing, SEO & Ghostwriting: what held cases back

  1. Sean, Provo, Utah (Side Hustle School episode 3103)

    Close to $3,000/mo
    Self-ReportedFreelancing & Consulting, about $3,000 a month as reported
    • ChatGPT sometimes invented statistics and names
    • Some clients were wary of AI and privacy; he used a basic NDA
    • Keeping each client's tone distinct takes careful editing

  2. Tony Dong

    CA$238,000 projected for 2023 (about $180,000)
    Independently DocumentedFreelancing & Consulting, about $15,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is total freelance income, so it does not isolate what AI added
    • The 2023 figure was a projection in December 2023
    • Results depend on a specialist niche and existing editor relationships
    • He warns that GPT-4 cannot yet write analytically in a voice readers understand

  3. Sultan Ali

    More than $3,500 total
    Independently DocumentedFreelancing & Consulting
    • Low prices mean modest total income for the hours involved
    • Most clients are students, which raises academic integrity questions
    • Demand depends on AI detectors and platform rules that can change
    • He does it part-time while looking for a full-time job

  4. Gabrielle Gerbus

    $33,200 so far in 2023
    Independently DocumentedFreelancing & Consulting
    • The figure mixes AI editing with her other services
    • She had four years of Fiverr reviews before adding this service
    • AI detection scores are unreliable as proof of quality
    • Team costs come out of the reported revenue

  5. nichesss (Malcolm Tyson)

    ~ $30,000 a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $30,000 a month as reported
    • Built on a third-party AI API
    • Lifetime deals can cap future revenue
    • Figure is from 2022 and may have changed

  6. Kleo (Lara)

    $62K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $62,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • LinkedIn could change rules on AI content
    • Many rivals

  7. John Rush (Unicorn Platform, SEO Bot)

    About $3M a year combined
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • He started with almost a million dollars to buy an existing product, which most beginners do not have
    • Running 26 products at once spreads attention thin

  8. Cuppa AI (Ryan Darani, Chris Riley and Dan Beynon)

    $30,000 MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $30,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Search engines can penalize low-quality mass AI content
    • Model price changes affect margins

  9. Rytr (Abhi)

    Seven figures in ARR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • This is an incubator-backed company with prior funding experience
    • General AI chatbots now compete directly with writing tools

  10. RightBlogger (Ryan Robinson)

    $350K ARR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Mass AI content can be penalized by search engines
    • Growth relied on an audience built over 12 years

  11. Vasco Monteiro (Journalist AI)

    $70K+ MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $70,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • He had a prior exit and SEO experience
    • AI writing tools are crowded and depend on search engine policies

  12. Mark Gadala (Post Cheetah)

    A little over $3K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $3,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Early MRR one month after launch says little about retention
    • Search engines may change how they treat AI content

  13. Casey Botticello

    About $21K in one month
    Self-ReportedContent Creation, about $21,700 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • Dated February 2024; search ranking for AI content has changed since
    • A single best month, not a steady average

  14. James Oliver

    Just under $4,000 total
    Self-ReportedAI Writing, SEO & Ghostwriting
    • Self-reported and small
    • Earnings stopped after he accidentally de-indexed pages
    • Search ranking for AI content is volatile

  15. Jackie Chow (Trackings.ai)

    $25,000 to $30,000 a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $25,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported in a video; no records shown
    • His wider portfolio is mostly non-AI SEO agencies; only Trackings.ai is counted
    • Years of SEO experience and an existing audience helped
AI Mobile Apps

AI Mobile Apps: what held cases back

  1. Cal AI (Zach Yadegari and Henry Langmack)

    About $1.4M/mo gross profit
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $1,400,000 a month as reported
    • Ad spending of about $770,000 a month makes margins sensitive to ad costs
    • Calorie estimates from photos can be inaccurate
    • This is now a venture-scale company, not a typical side hustle

  2. Vaultaire (Rasty Turek)

    $41,425 gross in August
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $41,425 a month as reported
    • Lifetime purchases create spikes, not predictable recurring revenue
    • App Store review and ranking changes
    • Self-reported figures, gross before Apple's cut

  3. MyFutureSelf (Giancarlo Sarti)

    $12.9K revenue in one month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $12,900 a month as reported
    • Self-reported figure with no records reviewed
    • Monthly revenue varies (the page lists both $11K and $12.9K)
    • Paid ads and creator programs cost money and can lose money
    • Apps built quickly with AI can be unstable at launch, as theirs was

  4. Prayer Lock (Mau, @maubaron on X)

    $21,000 in sales in one month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $21,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported figures with no records reviewed by an outlet
    • Sales are gross, before Apple and Google fees
    • Weekly subscriptions can bring refunds and churn
    • Faith-based products need care to avoid seeming exploitative

  5. MonAi (Florian Vates)

    $40K to $60K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $40,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported range
    • Most income depends on one app
    • App Store rules and fees apply

  6. CutCoach (Ethan)

    $20K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $20,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Seasonal demand
    • Weight cutting has health risks; the app must stay safe

  7. Wrestle AI (George Lampropoulos)

    $17K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $17,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • Monthly MRR is lower than the headline
    • Niche audience

  8. Maxed AI (Max Hirsch)

    About $14K to $15K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $14,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Revenue is before ad spend of around $250 a day, so profit is not disclosed
    • Fitness and lifting apps are a crowded category
    • The business is about six months old

  9. ToneAdapt (Kyan)

    $25K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $25,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • The app is only months old
    • A niche hobby audience can limit how big it gets

  10. Cat on Chair (Ryan)

    Over $18K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $18,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Viral growth can fade without a repeatable channel

  11. Wakes (Reza)

    Close to $30K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $30,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Spiritual and wellness apps depend on trends that can shift
    • Generated content quality must stay high to keep subscribers

  12. STOPPR (David Attias)

    $12K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $12,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Copying a proven app invites competition from the original
    • Influencer and ad costs reduce profit

  13. Ken (solo mobile game developer)

    $155K in revenue
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • He had years of engineering experience that most beginners lack
    • Game revenue can drop when player interest fades

  14. Tomer (AI calorie tracker app)

    Over $80K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $80,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Large global apps can add local language support
    • Paid ads tie growth to ad costs

  15. Flame

    $10K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • He did not show current revenue on camera
    • Relationship advice from AI is not a substitute for professional help

  16. Cardstock and Scanemon (Kyle Fowler)

    $120K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $120,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Collectible card markets go through hype cycles
    • The first app took years to grow before AI tools existed

  17. Glowly and Overload (Will Baker)

    Over $10K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • Revenue is before ad spend, so profit is not disclosed
    • Appearance-rating apps can raise body image concerns

  18. HabitKit (Sebastian)

    $15K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $15,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • AI plays a supporting role, not the core of the business
    • Habit trackers are a crowded category
Get Paid to Train AI

Get Paid to Train AI: what held cases back

  1. Ryan Adams

    About $31,000 total
    Partially VerifiedFreelancing & Consulting
    • There is no job security and projects can end suddenly
    • Pay rates are set by the platform and can change
    • The work can be monotonous and poorly run, other contractors in the source say
    • His figure is self-reported

  2. Amanda Overcash

    Nearly $8,000 in under three weeks
    Independently DocumentedFreelancing & Consulting
    • The $8,000 came from one demanding project with up to 16 hour days
    • Work is project based and can stop without notice
    • Audits are strict and failing one can remove you from a project
    • Juggling it with a full-time job led to burnout for her before

  3. Utkarsh Amitabh

    Nearly $300,000 since January 2025, at $200 an hour
    Independently DocumentedFreelancing & Consulting
    • Rates like this go to people with rare, deep expertise, not beginners
    • Projects are confidential and depend on one company's demand
    • The work is intellectually demanding and takes hours per problem
    • Training AI on your expertise may change demand for that expertise later

  4. Mo Zohourian

    $100/hour
    Independently DocumentedFreelancing & Consulting
    • Work can be inconsistent
    • Rates depend on platforms and projects
    • Hourly rate only; hours not stated
AI Chrome Extensions

AI Chrome Extensions: what held cases back

  1. Superpower ChatGPT (Saeed Ezzati)

    $20,000 to $30,000 MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $20,000 a month as reported
    • Depends entirely on ChatGPT's interface, which can change or add the same features
    • Browser store policies can affect distribution
    • Self-reported figures

  2. Launch Fast (Hasaam Bhatti)

    $30K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $30,000 a month as reported
    • The revenue figures are self-reported
    • Growth leaned on a single partner community, which concentrates risk
    • A non-technical founder relying on AI-written code may struggle with complex bugs and security
    • Tools for Amazon sellers depend on Amazon's data access and policies

  3. Voicy (Kourosh)

    $16K to $20K a month
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figures are self-reported
    • Lifetime deals lift monthly revenue now but do not recur
    • Dictation is a crowded category with well-funded competitors
    • Costs and quality depend on an outside speech model API

  4. Type Slash AI (Ihor Stefurak)

    $1,000 in pre-orders
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • Self-reported; sale price undisclosed
    • Very low barrier to copy
    • 2023 result in an early AI wave

  5. AI Toolbox (Adi Leviim and Mohammad El-Esawi)

    5-figure MRR (more than $10K a month)
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products
    • The figures are self-reported and the exact revenue is not disclosed
    • The product depends on AI chat apps that could add the same features or change their pages
    • Two experienced developers built it, which is not a beginner starting point
    • Browser store rules and rankings can change

  6. Math AI (Andrew Kalita)

    $1,124 MRR
    Independently DocumentedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $1,124 a month as reported
    • Homework solvers raise academic integrity concerns
    • Revenue, not profit; churn is a stated issue
    • Depends on Chrome Web Store and search traffic
AI Lead Generation & Outreach

AI Lead Generation & Outreach: what held cases back

  1. Workflows io (co-founder Fivos Aresti)

    $3.3M ARR
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $275,000 a month as reported
    • A team of 21 means high payroll; profit is not disclosed
    • The founder already had deep agency experience
    • Self-reported figures relayed by an interviewer

  2. Lancer (Ivan Nedelkovski)

    $20K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $20,000 a month as reported
    • Depends on a single marketplace, Upwork, whose rules can change
    • Automated outreach can hurt reputation if proposals feel spammy
    • Self-reported figure with no records reviewed
    • Founder already had years of agency experience

  3. Supergrow (Deven Bhooshan)

    $19K/mo
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $19,000 a month as reported
    • Self-reported
    • The lifetime deal platform took 40% and brought many feature requests
    • Lifetime buyers do not pay again

  4. DM Champ (Sohaib Ahmad)

    About $10K a month
    Self-ReportedAI Agencies & Services, about $10,000 a month as reported
    • The figures are self-reported and were not independently checked
    • An AppSumo launch had a 40 percent refund rate
    • AI agents that sell need careful oversight to avoid bad customer experiences

  5. Romàn Czerny (Gojiberry AI)

    $27K MRR
    Self-ReportedMicro-SaaS & AI Products, about $27,000 a month as reported
    • The figure is self-reported and was not independently checked
    • He had a seven-figure exit and experience before this
    • Platform rules on LinkedIn automation can change
FAQ

Common questions

Why do AI side hustles fail?

206 of our 206 cases list limitations or risks drawn from their sources. They are listed below in each case's own wording, grouped by business model.

Where do these come from?

Each item is a limitation or risk listed on the case page, based on what the source says or on gaps in what it discloses.

Data guides

More from our case data