2026 Side Hustles: The Digital Businesses You Can Start in a Weekend

The countdown to 2026 is basically on, and you can feel it — that collective urge to shake things up, make more money, create more freedom, and finally dive into a business that doesn’t require a second life to maintain. The new year is bringing a wave of fresh opportunities for creators, side-hustlers, and anyone craving a low-lift, high-reward way to make extra income on their own terms. And the best part? Many of the hottest 2026 side hustles are fast, flexible, and surprisingly beginner-friendly. We're talking about the kind of digital business you can start in a weekend, even if your tech skills usually tap out after changing your phone wallpaper.

If you're craving a clean start with profit potential built right in, these are the 2026 digital side hustles worth jumping on now — so you can roll into the new year with momentum already working in your favour.

1. Launch Your Own PLR & MRR Digital Product Shop

If 2025 was the year creators discovered PLR and MRR, 2026 is the year they’re turning it into a goldmine. PLR (private label rights) and MRR (master resell rights) digital products are ready-made assets — ebooks, guides, templates, stock photos, planners — that you can brand, customize, and sell as your own.

This is one of the most popular 2026 side hustles because it’s fast, low-risk, and scalable. You don’t need to spend weeks creating content. You start with done-for-you material, add your magic, and start selling.

How to sell it:– Set up shop on Etsy, Shopify, Payhip, Stan Store, or Gumroad.– Post value snippets (a quote, a page, a mockup) on Instagram and TikTok.– Use Pinterest SEO to drive long-term traffic to your shop.– Run small promos to your email list — even a tiny list converts well with low-ticket digital products.– Bundle products for higher perceived value and impulse-friendly pricing.

PLR/MRR is the definition of a digital business you can start in a weekend — especially when the products are already done for you.

2. Build a Faceless Instagram Brand Using Reels + Aesthetic Image Packs

The faceless creator movement is not slowing down. In fact, 2026 is shaping up to be the biggest year yet for aesthetic, niche-specific Instagram brands that never show their face but grow like wildfire.

Think affirmation pages, cozy lifestyle vibes, business-tips-but-make-it-pretty feeds, or niche storytelling accounts. With bundles of faceless reels and stock images, anyone can launch one of these accounts fast — no filming, lighting, or on-camera energy required.

How to sell it:– Promote digital products that solve your niche’s problems.– Use affiliate links for passive income.– Direct traffic to your PLR/MRR shop.– Sell your own bundles, presets, journals, or mini-ebooks.– Offer custom content packs for other creators.

Faceless IG accounts are one of the easiest and most fun 2026 side hustles, especially with plug-and-play content.

3. Pinterest Digital Product Funnels

If Instagram is short-term dopamine, Pinterest is long-term wealth. Pins circulate for months — sometimes years — which makes Pinterest a dream for anyone who wants to build a Pinterest digital business you can start in a weekend and let it grow quietly in the background.

Pinterest + digital products = 2026’s quiet moneymaker.

How to sell it:– Create SEO-optimized pins linking directly to your shop.– Post Idea Pins featuring sneak peeks of what you sell.– Use templates from your PLR bundles to batch content fast.– Set up a simple funnel: Pin → landing page → digital product.

Once your pins take off, they keep bringing in traffic long after you’ve clocked out.

4. Start a Notion Template Shop

Notion isn’t going anywhere. In fact, 2026 will be its biggest year yet. People want minimalist, aesthetic templates to organize their lives — content calendars, budgeting tools, manifestation journals, small-business dashboards, daily planners, you name it.

Notion templates are fast to create, easy to duplicate, and wildly profitable.

How to sell it:– List templates on Etsy or your own storefront.– Record 5-second aesthetic “scroll-through” videos for IG Reels.– Include your template in bundles for higher-ticket sales.– Create seasonal drops — planners, holiday kits, 2026 refresh packs.

One weekend. One good design. Endless potential.

5. Sell Canva Templates for Creators, Coaches & Small Businesses

Canva is the internet’s favourite creative playground, and creators want templates they can customize fast. This makes Canva template shops one of the most accessible 2026 side hustles for beginners.

Create templates for social media posts, ebooks, lead magnets, business cards, media kits, brand kits — or niche down into something ultra-specific.

How to sell it:– Create themed template bundles (always a bestseller).– Post before-and-after template transformations to show the glow-up.– Offer low-ticket “starter packs” to build trust.– Add PLR or MRR rights for higher-value buyers.

If you can drag and drop, you can run this business.

6. Launch Micro Info Products

2026 is the year of small but mighty. Micro info products — short guides, swipe files, checklists, cheat sheets, quick wins — sell fast because people want clarity, not coursework.

These bite-sized digital products feel approachable, useful, and insanely easy to create when you start with PLR.

How to sell it: Pair your micro product with a related freebie to generate leads.– Sell it as a $7–$19 tripwire after someone opts into your list.– Bundle three or four micro products for a $37–$47 offer.– Post tiny “tips from the guide” reels to tease the content.

Simple. Fast. Highly profitable.

7. Create & Sell AI-Assisted Stock Photo Bundles

Aesthetic AI stock imagery is exploding — especially for creators, coaches, and small businesses who want elevated visuals without scheduling photoshoots. Think lifestyle shots, pink branding images, minimalist mockups, earthy flatlays and niche-specific packs.

If you can generate stylish, cohesive images? You’ve just unlocked one of the easiest 2026 side hustles to scale.

How to sell it:– Create themed collections (seasonal, pink branding, faceless lifestyle).– Sell in your own shop or on Etsy.– Post “behind-the-scenes” videos showing your generated images.– Offer PLR or MRR licenses for higher profit margins.– Bundle images with matching reels or templates.

Visual content sells because everyone needs it.

8. Offer Niche Micro-Coaching Using PLR Frameworks

This one flies under the radar, but it’s going to skyrocket in 2026. People don’t want months-long coaching programs — they want approachable, focused guidance in small doses.

You can use PLR to build your framework and offer:– 30-minute clarity calls– mindset mini sessions– goal-setting check-ins– content planning sessions

How to sell it:– Share “mini breakthroughs” in your IG stories.– Use your PLR journals or prompts as session bonuses.– Keep your niche ultra-specific for fast trust-building.– Offer bundle deals: session + guide + workbook.

It’s simple, intimate, and incredibly effective.

A Little Closing Nudge

2026 is bringing a wave of opportunity for creators who want things simple, flexible, and profitable. If you’ve been craving a new start, a fresh revenue stream, or something that feels doable in your real life, these 2026 side hustles are the easiest way to start building momentum now. Pick one, play with it this weekend, and see where it takes you. Sometimes the smallest digital idea becomes the biggest shift.