Digital products, software and online assets
Digital products are created once and sold many times. Software products (SaaS), plugins, apps, communities and websites can become assets that earn repeatedly. They take time to build and market, and most don't succeed at first, but they're among the most scalable methods.
What these methods share
- Solve a real problem for a specific audience.
- Marketing matters as much as building.
- Licensing and IP: protect your work; respect others' licences.
- Payments: M-Pesa for local customers, international gateways for global sales.
599. Micro-SaaS (small software service)
What it is: A small subscription software product solving one problem (e.g. invoicing for salons, SMS reminders for clinics). How it works: Build → launch → subscriptions → support.
| Skills | Programming, product thinking, marketing |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop, hosting |
| Where to find work | Target customers directly, online |
| Payment | Monthly subscriptions (M-Pesa, cards) |
| Realistic earnings | Very low to high |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Talk to 20 potential users before building; launch a simple version. Pros: Recurring revenue. Cons & risks: Support and churn. Scam warning: As usual: no "guaranteed SaaS income" courses. Kenya notes: Local SaaS with M-Pesa billing and eTIMS features has demand (CBET Planner is one local example of a niche SaaS).
600. Mobile app with subscriptions or ads
What it is: An app earning from subscriptions, in-app purchases or ads. How it works: Build → publish → grow users → monetise.
| Skills | App development, marketing |
| Cost & equipment | Developer accounts |
| Where to find work | App stores |
| Payment | Store payouts |
| Realistic earnings | Very low to high |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Solve a specific local problem. Pros: Scalable. Cons & risks: Discoverability. Scam warning: Respect user privacy and store policies. Kenya notes: Kenyans prefer M-Pesa for payments; integrate carefully.
601. WordPress plugins and themes
What it is: Building and selling WordPress plugins or themes. How it works: Develop → list on marketplaces or own site → support.
| Skills | PHP, WordPress development |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop |
| Where to find work | Marketplaces, own website |
| Payment | Sales, subscriptions |
| Realistic earnings | Very low to high |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Build a plugin solving a local need (e.g. M-Pesa checkout). Pros: Large WordPress market. Cons & risks: Support load. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: M-Pesa WooCommerce plugins are in demand.
602. Browser extensions
What it is: Building browser extensions with freemium or paid features. How it works: Develop → publish → monetise.
| Skills | JavaScript |
| Cost & equipment | Developer account fees |
| Where to find work | Browser stores |
| Payment | Subscriptions |
| Realistic earnings | Very low to medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Solve a productivity pain point. Pros: Global reach. Cons & risks: Store policies. Scam warning: Never collect user data without consent. Kenya notes: Global audience; local niche tools also possible.
603. API products
What it is: Selling access to data or services via an API. How it works: Build API → documentation → usage-based billing.
| Skills | Back-end development |
| Cost & equipment | Hosting |
| Where to find work | Developers, businesses |
| Payment | Usage fees |
| Realistic earnings | Low to high |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Offer a useful API (e.g. Kenyan location data, SMS tools); see the REST API project. Pros: Scalable. Cons & risks: Reliability demands. Scam warning: Respect data protection rules. Kenya notes: Developers need local data and payment APIs.
604. Code templates and starter kits
What it is: Selling website templates, app starter kits and boilerplates. How it works: Build → sell on marketplaces or own site.
| Skills | Development, documentation |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop |
| Where to find work | Developers, marketplaces |
| Payment | Sales |
| Realistic earnings | Very low to medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Package your best project as a template. Pros: Reusable work. Cons & risks: Competition. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Templates with M-Pesa integration stand out.
605. Fonts and typography design
What it is: Designing and licensing fonts. How it works: Design → font files → licensing.
| Skills | Type design |
| Cost & equipment | Font software |
| Where to find work | Font marketplaces |
| Payment | Licences |
| Realistic earnings | Very low to medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Study type design; start with display fonts. Pros: Long-tail income. Cons & risks: Skill-intensive. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: African-inspired type designs are a niche.
606. Photo presets and editing packs
What it is: Selling Lightroom presets, LUTs and editing packs. How it works: Create → sell online.
| Skills | Photo editing |
| Cost & equipment | Editing software |
| Where to find work | Creators, marketplaces |
| Payment | Sales |
| Realistic earnings | Very low to low |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Build an audience showing your edits. Pros: Digital product. Cons & risks: Free alternatives. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Presets tuned for African skin tones are a niche.
607. Online community or membership site
What it is: A paid community offering learning, networking or support. How it works: Platform → content → memberships.
| Skills | Community building, expertise |
| Cost & equipment | Platform fees |
| Where to find work | Your audience |
| Payment | Memberships |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Start with a free group; add paid value. Pros: Recurring. Cons & risks: Requires engagement. Scam warning: Don't run "investment clubs" as communities. Kenya notes: Professional and skill communities can attract members.
608. Niche directory website
What it is: A directory of businesses or services earning from listings and ads. How it works: Build directory → listings (free/paid) → ads.
| Skills | Web development, SEO |
| Cost & equipment | Hosting |
| Where to find work | Businesses wanting visibility |
| Payment | Listing fees, ads |
| Realistic earnings | Very low to medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Pick an underserved niche (e.g. county-level services). Pros: Asset. Cons & risks: Traffic building. Scam warning: Verify listings to avoid scams. Kenya notes: Local service directories have value.
609. Niche job board
What it is: A specialised job board (see the job board project). How it works: Employers pay to post; job seekers apply free.
| Skills | Web development, marketing |
| Cost & equipment | Hosting |
| Where to find work | Employers in your niche |
| Payment | Posting fees |
| Realistic earnings | Low to medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Pick a niche (e.g. NGO, tech, hospitality jobs). Pros: Recurring. Cons & risks: Fake job moderation. Scam warning: Screen employers; never charge job seekers. Kenya notes: Fake job adverts are common; moderation builds trust.
610. Website flipping (buying, improving and selling websites)
What it is: Buying underperforming websites, improving them, and selling at a higher value. How it works: Acquisition → improvement → sale via marketplaces.
| Skills | SEO, content, valuation |
| Cost & equipment | Capital |
| Where to find work | Website marketplaces |
| Payment | Sale proceeds |
| Realistic earnings | Losses to high |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Learn valuation; start small. Pros: Asset-based. Cons & risks: Fraud in listings. Scam warning: Verify traffic and revenue claims carefully. Kenya notes: International marketplaces are used.
611. Domain name investing
What it is: Buying and selling domain names. How it works: Register valuable domains → sell to buyers.
| Skills | Market research |
| Cost & equipment | Registration fees |
| Where to find work | Domain marketplaces |
| Payment | Sales |
| Realistic earnings | Very low to medium |
| Time to first income | Months to years |
How to start: Be selective; avoid trademark-infringing names. Pros: Low cost per domain. Cons & risks: Many never sell. Scam warning: Cybersquatting on brand names is illegal. Kenya notes: .co.ke domains are registered via accredited registrars.
612. Stock 3D models and game assets
What it is: Selling 3D models, textures and game assets. How it works: Create → upload to marketplaces.
| Skills | 3D modelling |
| Cost & equipment | Software (Blender free) |
| Where to find work | Asset marketplaces |
| Payment | Royalties |
| Realistic earnings | Very low to medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Build a consistent asset pack. Pros: Passive-ish. Cons & risks: Competition. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: African-themed assets are scarce.
613. Online courses platform (multi-instructor)
What it is: Running a platform hosting courses from multiple instructors. How it works: Platform → instructors → revenue share.
| Skills | Platform management, marketing |
| Cost & equipment | Platform costs |
| Where to find work | Learners, instructors |
| Payment | Course sales share |
| Realistic earnings | Low to high |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Focus on a niche (e.g. Kenyan professional skills). Pros: Scalable. Cons & risks: Quality control. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: M-Pesa payments are essential.
614. Spreadsheet and business templates store
What it is: Selling Excel/Sheets templates (budgets, inventory, payroll helpers, chama records). How it works: Create → sell online.
| Skills | Excel (Excel) |
| Cost & equipment | Laptop |
| Where to find work | SMEs, chamas, individuals |
| Payment | Sales |
| Realistic earnings | Very low to low |
| Time to first income | Weeks |
How to start: Create locally relevant templates. Pros: Simple product. Cons & risks: Easy to copy. Scam warning: As above. Kenya notes: Chama and SACCO templates are popular.
615. SMS and USSD services (with licensed aggregators)
What it is: Building SMS or USSD-based services (reminders, information, voting, payments). How it works: Partner with licensed aggregators; build services; charge clients.
| Skills | Development, telecom APIs |
| Cost & equipment | Aggregator fees |
| Where to find work | Schools, clinics, SACCOs, NGOs |
| Payment | Service fees |
| Realistic earnings | Medium |
| Time to first income | Months |
How to start: Use licensed SMS/USSD providers' APIs. Pros: Reaches feature-phone users. Cons & risks: Regulation; costs. Scam warning: Never send spam or premium-rate scams. Kenya notes: USSD reaches users without smartphones; CA rules apply.
Summary
- Digital products include micro-SaaS, apps, WordPress plugins, extensions, APIs, templates, fonts, presets, communities, directories, job boards, website flipping, domains, 3D assets, course platforms, spreadsheets and SMS/USSD services.
- Solve real problems, market consistently, respect privacy and licences, and expect slow starts.
Check yourself
What does SaaS stand for? (four words)
Show answer
software as a service
Is registering a famous brand's name as a domain to sell it back legal? (yes or no)
Show answer
no
Which technology reaches users without smartphones? (one of SMS or USSD)
Show answer
USSD