20 Best Businesses That Run Themselves In 2024

From brick-and-mortar companies to digital services, there are plenty of options for profitable businesses that run themselves. 

This can include installing vending machines and ATMs to producing websites and blogs that generate passive income through affiliate programs. 

We've compiled the best low-maintenance business ideas to help you decide the best overall. 

20 Best Businesses That Run Themselves In 2024 

Setting up a profitable business that runs itself is challenging, with startup costs, hiring staff, and other factors to consider. 

This guide covers self-sustaining businesses you can run locally and online services that can reach international clients. 

Whether you're looking to set up locally or globally, these are the 20 best businesses that run themselves in 2024. 

20. Self-Service Car Wash 

We're kicking off this guide to businesses that run themselves with one guaranteed to bring in a steady income stream. 

The setup for a self-service car wash business is based on a straightforward business model with great potential for repeat business on a regular basis. 

While some car wash businesses used to hire staff to clean customer vehicles, self-service systems remove the need for employees. 

If you're weighing the pros and cons between working as a solopreneur and an entrepreneur, this model falls firmly in the former category. 

Of course, you'll need to ensure security measures are in place for your car wash business to run in your absence. 

For example, cameras will need to be installed to monitor your car wash in case of damage. 

That said, the upfront costs and day-to-day operations are minimal, making it one of the best low-maintenance businesses. 

It's a great way to generate passive income once your initial investment and setup costs have all been covered. 

19. Vending Machines & ATMs 

Like running a car wash business, setting up a vending machine or ATM business is another type that runs itself after initial setup. 

Once you've acquired your machines, you'll need to decide which locations you plan to operate them for customers.

There are plenty of options for this, from schools and colleges to offices, hotels, and gyms, so reach out to places and make inquiries.

While a vending machine business usually involves selling drinks and snacks, you can sell other products in your machines.

Hand wipes, medical supplies, tech gadgets, and other personal care products are also sometimes sold in vending machines. 

Like a vending machine business, an ATM business has lots of scope for picking prime locations with many potential users passing by. 

Your machines will need restocking with products and cash, but you can sit back and streamline your tasks while earning money. 

18. Laundromat 

Opening a laundromat is among the best service business ideas you can start from, with consistent demand from the marketplace. 

The initial investment for setting up a laundromat business can be expensive, requiring premises and commercial-level washers and dryers.

However, you can expect consistent and loyal customers to return for regular washes once you're up and running. 

Like other service businesses, such as hairdressers, laundromats are in constant demand, making it a recession-proof industry. 

You can hire an assistant or take home the bulk of your profits and run your laundromat as a solo business with no employees. 

If you're a creative entrepreneur, you can combine other passive income sources with your laundromat while your customers wait.

This could be something as simple as installing vending machines selling detergents or snacks, which is also profitable. 

17. Dropshipping 

If you've ever been interested in retail but want to avoid the hassle of opening a physical store, consider a dropshipping business.

It involves setting up an online store, with customers placing orders automatically sent to your dropshipping supplier. 

This supplier then ships the order directly to your customer, removing the need to purchase and store your inventory. 

As such, much of the complicated and time-consuming work associated with a delivery business is handled for you. 

The first thing you'll need to do when setting up a dropshipping business is to decide what products you plan to sell. 

If you have access to a unique line of products you can purchase in bulk, start with these before expanding your product range. 

Alternatively, you can manufacture your own products; for example, if you've started a makeup line, you can use dropshipping to sell your products. 

You can focus on niche products for a specific market or more broad-ranging inventory, such as every day goods for ongoing consumption. 

Inventory tracking software can help you run your business smoothly, allowing you to generate money with a hands-off approach. 

16. Ebook Selling 

Writing and selling ebooks is one of the best stay-at-home mom jobs and a great example of a passive online business. 

This can involve anything from writing novels and other forms of fiction to compiling helpful information and resources on your hobbies. 

Your ebooks should be well-written, and offer value, so investing in proofreading or editorial services is worthwhile to create high-quality material. 

If one book isn't enough to put across all your ideas, consider breaking the content into multiple ebooks as part of a series. 

You don't have to restrict sales to your own books; you can help other writers reach their target audience by publishing their work. 

Reach out to any friends or family with writing experience and see if they have any material they'd like to sell. 

Once you've established the content, you can self-publish on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and elsewhere to garner sales. 

While writing a book can be time-consuming, once it's available to your audience, it can generate income without further involvement. 

15. Parking Lots 

Owning and operating a parking lot using automated self-payment kiosks for your customers is truly an autopilot business idea. 

Parking lots are typically located in urban areas close to other businesses and shopping centers where on-street parking isn't available. 

Hotels, airports, and train stations also commonly have parking lots nearby, with regular customers commuting or heading on vacation. 

These locations are likely to deliver consistent, reliable customers, with the option of selling parking spots on a regular basis. 

As a scalable business model, income from your first parking lot can be reinvested in additional lots to increase revenue further. 

With options to outsource maintenance and other running tasks, parking lots are great self-running businesses for reliable cash flow. 

The upfront investment for a parking lot can vary wildly, but the opportunity to generate revenue with minimal effort makes it worth considering. 

14. Print On Demand 

Like selling ebooks, running a print-on-demand service is a popular, self-sustaining business idea for people with creative skills. 

You can set up your print-on-demand business to cover all types of products, from canvas bags and totes to shirts and mugs.

Over time, you can experiment with various other product types and expand your range to include whatever meets customer demand. 

Like other online businesses, you'll need to set up a website to showcase your work and attract customers who appreciate your style. 

You can use a website builder to get started, adding content and building up your inventory based on the best-performing items. 

13. Membership Websites 

Membership websites are another example of how online businesses that run themselves can increase revenue exponentially over time. 

Setting up the website and producing content can take time, whether offering in-depth tutorials or a dedicated forum. 

A solid grasp of your membership website's niche topic is a must. You will also need to have an understanding of proper management and marketing strategies. 

If you're struggling with administration duties, check out the best virtual assistant services and hire someone to help. 

Once everything is up and running, you'll enjoy consistent income from members who are happy paying a premium fee for exclusive content. 

12. Amazon FBA 

Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) allows sellers to ship bulk items to Amazon's warehouses ready for shipping. 

This removes the need to handle your inventory, as well as store and pack items ready to post to your latest customer. 

You'll need to consider Amazon's fees and essential practices for success to maximize your profits using their platform. 

Access to your desired products is also essential, as Amazon doesn't provide you with any suppliers for your company's inventory. 

Once you've purchased your inventory and given Amazon their cut for the FBA services, everything else can be pocketed as profit. 

11. Billboard Rental 

It's impossible to drive into any town or city without seeing billboards hosting advertisements for incoming commuters. 

As such, setting up a billboard rental business is an effective way to maximize the potential of selling advertising space. 

Located in high-traffic areas, billboards are seen by thousands of people each day, with companies paying premium prices for a spot. 

Once you've updated your billboards with the latest advertisements, there's little manual labor required for maintenance and upkeep. 

Likewise, the returns from a billboard business can be exceptionally high, making it a wonderful option for setting up your own business. 

You can lease the space monthly or offer clients a discount if they're interested in long-term advertisement placements. 

10. Property Rentals 

The rental property business has been one of the best side hustles to pay off debt for decades and is a great way to earn from extra homes. 

If you don't have a second home but have the necessary capital to invest in property, you can invest in buildings to rent to customers. 

This can include residential buildings—for example, homes for student accommodations—or commercial buildings for offices and manufacturing. 

One of the main lures of setting up as a property manager is the consistency of income, with set prices for rental every month. 

The ability to sign up long-term tenants makes the rental property business one of the lowest-risk businesses that run themselves. 

If you need to carry out maintenance and repairs, you can hire contractors to do this for you as the property requires. 

9. Self-Storage Facility 

Owning a storage facility is another type of property that can be transformed into a profitable business with potentially high profits. 

Since a self-storage facility is a relatively bare-bones structure, it doesn't cost as much as you might think to get one established. 

You can pick up an inexpensive vacant lot of land and construct your own or invest in a pre-existing self-storage facility to rent out. 

Once your storage units are up and running, overall maintenance costs are meager, with tenants typically paying their own insurance. 

By using one of the many freelancer website templates, you can promote your self-storage facilities in your local area to find customers.

You can rent out each of your storage units on a short- or long-term basis, creating a hands-off business model with high-profit margins. 

8. App Development 

With digital product sales continuing to increase as more and more people rely on their smartphones, app development is a booming industry. 

While developing an app can take time and money, a successful application will bring in a steady income with little investment required in maintenance. 

Mobile games are common app types for generating passive income, and while it's a competitive market, there's lots of room for innovation. 

You'll need to check for bugs, fix issues as they arise, and put out updates for new features and content. 

These processes can be scheduled beforehand, while in-app purchases bring in additional passive income without any extra work. 

With app development one of the best freelance business ideas you can start, it's a no-brainer for those with programming know-how. 

7. Stock Photography 

Aspiring professional photographers often break into the field by selling their images online to stock photography companies. 

While the pay takes time to accumulate as you build up your content, it's a great side hustle that essentially runs on autopilot.

Once your photographs start to sell to customers, you'll be guaranteed a steady income from your new business venture. 

Before diving into stock photography, weighing the pros and cons is worthwhile to ensure it's the right business model for you. 

You'll need an understanding of the kinds of photos that are in high demand, allowing you to arrange more shoots accordingly. 

If you have a good camera and an eye for composition, stock photography can generate passive income with minimal effort. 

6. Online Courses 

Another excellent example of a business that runs itself similarly to an ebook-selling business is setting up a company selling online courses. 

This can include courses dedicated to helping college students pass their exams or deep dives into your favorite hobbies and interests. 

You'll need to break down each course into its core components, structuring the course in an easy-to-understand way for your customers. 

Creating a tiered system of difficulty is also an effective way to ease the user into the content and give them a sense of progression while maximizing the value. 

Other media can complement each online course, so if you're running a blog, be sure to post content linking to your courses. 

Selling online courses is one of the best international business ideas, with instant access to a global market of professionals. 

The more qualifications you have, the more value you can bring to the table and increase your reputation among your clients. 

5. Affiliate Marketing 

People with an established social media presence can quickly establish a self-running business as an affiliate marketer. 

Affiliate marketing involves working with companies and using your social media presence to promote their products or services to your fans. 

It's also a common way to generate income through a blog, with sponsored and guest posts that serve as advertising material. 

There are many great affiliate programs for mom bloggers, but the concept can be applied to all types of niche interests and topics. 

If you're social media savvy and have a growing audience online, you should consider affiliate marketing for a passive income stream. 

4. Content Licensing 

If you're a talented performer with experience writing or as a musician, content licensing is a recommended business model to try. 

This business model allows you to license your creative materials for use in a range of formats and earn money from their use.

For example, if you've written a new song, you could license it to an advertising firm for them to use as background music for radio ads. 

Expect to be involved in the negotiation of licensing agreements, but once you've gotten things set up, you'll be able to sit back and relax. 

The more creative content you produce, the more opportunities you'll discover from clients who want high-quality assets. 

It's a great way to bring in supplemental income along with earnings from live performances and the sale of your music or other creative works online. 

3. Blogging 

If you're a gifted writer with a flair for words and the ability to research a given topic, blogging could be a good passive income source. 

Before you begin, assess the pros and cons of blogging to see if you've got what it takes to deliver fresh and original content.

It needs to be consistent, so if you're an expert in a specific subject, use this knowledge to set yourself apart from the competition. 

Once your blog builds regular traffic, you can sign up for Google AdSense or reach out to brands and sell them ad space. 

You can also include your own online store, selling products such as merchandise and accessories directly to your reader base. 

2. YouTube

Like blogs, YouTube channels are popular self-running businesses that offer a variety of revenue sources to earn additional money. 

YouTube channels can cover any topic you like, with most channels sticking to one central theme to build their audience. 

Managing your content is a little time-consuming, and the best tools for freelancers can be utilized to improve your workflow. 

You can bring in revenue using YouTube's ad monetization system, as well as partnering with brands and getting them to sponsor your channel. 

The more views you get, the higher your profile will become, leading to potential deals with larger companies capitalizing on your channel.

This can lead to access to highly profitable affiliate programs, as well as free products to use and test for your audience to purchase. 

It's also possible to diversify your output into other forms of media, with many YouTubers also hosting podcasts and live streams. 

By inviting guests, you can further expand your target audience and gain subscriptions from like-minded people with similar interests. 

1. Social Media Management 

Our last pick for self-running businesses is one of the best solopreneur business ideas and centers around social media management. 

As a social media manager, you'll work with clients to plan and schedule their digital marketing campaigns and assess their performance. 

While the initial setup can take time, once you've scheduled the posts, you can sit back and track performance through analytical tools.

Platforms such as Hootsuite make scheduling incredibly simple and interacting with comments can be done while relaxing on the couch. 

Good communication skills are a necessity when becoming a social media manager, as you'll be expected to assist customers with their queries. 

The work can involve marketing campaigns for all types of businesses, so understanding your client's needs is also essential. 

As you pick up more experience, your workflow will improve and become more efficient as your social media services become a successful business. 

Summary

Whatever your educational or work background, plenty of great business models effectively run themselves. 

This guide has explored the most popular self-running business models you can use, whether working from the comfort of your home, locally, or globally. 

The more successful your business becomes, the more disposable income you'll generate, which can be spent on other business projects.