6 Side Gigs That Are Oversaturated — Try These 6 Hustles Instead

If you want to bring in some extra money, you’ve likely looked into the different side hustle options. You may be confused about which gig to pursue, with so many available choices.

To save you time and stress, GOBankingRates consulted with experts about which side gigs are oversaturated and which need more people doing them.

Due to volume and competition, these are side hustles that have become too oversaturated recently, according to the experts.

“This field involves assisting businesses or individuals with various tasks, like managing calendars, organizing events and handling administrative work,” said Joel Kawira, an actor and content creator.

What Makes This Side Gig Oversaturated?

“Due to the growing number of companies seeking remote support, many people are now venturing into this area, making it highly competitive​​,” Kawira said.

There’s still money to be made in this field, but it may be difficult to start, since the competition has increased.

“Platforms like Fiverr, Freelancer and Upwork offer everyone opportunities for freelance gigs in areas like writing, graphic design and web development,” Kawira said. 

What Makes This Side Gig Oversaturated?

“The sheer volume of people offering their services on these platforms has made it challenging to stand out and secure consistent work​​,” Kawira explained.

While there’s money to be made in freelance work, the harsh reality is that it has become more competitive over the years, and you may have to spend more time building your portfolio. If you’re looking for instant access to cash, you may want to try another gig.

“With the rise of e-learning, teaching and online tutoring have become popular side hustles,” said Kawira.

What Makes This Side Gig Oversaturated?

“The field is becoming more competitive as more professionals turn to online platforms like Udemy, Skillshare and Wyzant to share their expertise or provide one-on-one tutoring sessions​​,” said Kawira.

With so many experts flocking to this side gig, you may struggle to get noticed.

You’ve likely heard about the idea of opening up a shop where you resell items online. This side hustle became more popular when more people were at home, and you may have considered opening up your own online store. 

What Makes This Side Gig Oversaturated?

“This is like opening a small shop in a huge mall where thousands of other shops sell similar things,” Kawira said.

Finding a way to stick out here could be challenging, since most ideas have already been done.

“Once promoted as a lucrative opportunity, this side hustle involves creating content on a wide range of topics — from motivational speeches to nature videos with calming soundtracks — without revealing the creator’s identity,” said Hamza Ben, side hustle expert and founder of Beacherpa.

What Makes This Side Gig Oversaturated?

“Established channels continue to dominate, leaving little room for new entrants to make their mark without significant investment in advertising and a patient, strategic approach to content creation,” Ben explained.

You also have to factor in the new AI-powered tools that have made creating videos in this space easier than ever.

This vague term covers everything from affiliate marketing to becoming a social media influencer. The basic premise involves marketing your services or products online to make sales or to land sponsorships.

What Makes This Side Gig Oversaturated?

“There are so many people talking about the same things, using the same tools and trying to get noticed by the same audience,” said Kawira.

While some side gigs are oversaturated, there are opportunities in other areas.

“The popularity of podcasts has created a demand for skilled audio editors,” Kawira said. “People with audio editing skills can offer their services to podcasters looking to enhance the quality of their content. Tasks may include editing out pauses, adding music or sound effects, and ensuring overall audio clarity.”

If you’re proficient at editing audio, you can narrow in on this niche to land clients, since podcasts have become more popular.

“With the rise of virtual events, there’s a growing need for virtual event planners,” said Kawira. “Those with strong organizational skills can offer their services to help plan and coordinate virtual conferences, workshops or social events.”

With virtual events becoming more common, you could specialize in organizing these to create a lucrative side hustle.

“Fluency in multiple languages opens up opportunities for students to work as translators,” Kawira said. “Whether it’s translating documents, website content or marketing materials, there’s a constant need for accurate language translation services.”

If you’re fluent in another language, you can use this as an opportunity to land a side hustle where you can stick out from the crowd.

With the rise of influencers and social media content creators, there’s an increased demand for those who can provide services in the field. The side hustle options include:

• Editing videos
• Taking photos
• Copywriting and other written content
• Content calendars
• Making digital templates
• Script writing.

With more people becoming pet owners during the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a higher demand for someone to help with dog walking or pet sitting as employees return to the office.

You can sign up for a platform like Rover to get started finding clients and picking up gigs at your convenience. You also don’t have to wait or build yourself up, as you can land clients within a reasonable time frame.

The rise of Airbnb has led to an increased demand for property managers who can help out with listings. Here are ways that you can profit from Airbnb without owning a property:

• Manage the listing
• Help create listings
• Offer a marketing service.

The side gig you decide to pursue depends on your skills and interests. The good news is that, even though some gigs have become oversaturated, there are still plenty of options for creating a new income stream.