Best Side Hustles in Australia for 2026
The best side hustles in Australia for 2026 are the ones that score well on cost, flexibility, speed to first dollar, a skill that keeps paying, and tax admin: for most people that means freelancing a skill you already have, tutoring, virtual assistant work, or part-time remote sales. Payscale’s 2026 Australian data puts the median for tutors at AU$30.80 an hour and virtual assistants at AU$30.88, but what you actually keep depends on your tax bracket. From 1 July 2026 the ATO’s lowest tax rate drops from 16% to 15%, and if you earn through an app, the platform is already reporting your income to the ATO.
Asking “what side hustle should I start in 2026?” Use the scorecard and keep-rate calculation below with your own hours. Want a longer list of ideas first? Start with our side hustle ideas for mums. Already working full time? Our guide to the best side hustle for working moms covers the 10-hour week in detail.
The 2026 Side Hustle Scorecard: five criteria, 10 points
The 2026 Side Hustle Scorecard rates each option from 0 to 2 on five things that decide whether a side hustle is worth it in Australia this year. Add the points for a score out of 10.
- Start-up cost. 2 = a laptop and phone you already own. 1 = a course, equipment or a car you rely on. 0 = stock or a buy-in.
- Hours flexibility. 2 = any hour you like. 1 = set windows (after school, US business hours). 0 = daytime hours you don’t have.
- Time to first dollar. 2 = paid within a couple of weeks. 1 = within a few months. 0 = no clear date.
- Skill that compounds. 2 = the skill raises your rate or opens a career. 1 = some growth. 0 = the same pay for the same work in year three.
- Tax and admin load. 2 = simple. 1 = ABN, invoicing and records. 0 = ABN plus GST from day one, or heavy record keeping.
The scores below are our judgement against those criteria, not data. Pay figures are Payscale Australia medians, checked in October 2026; they are self-reported, include people working full time, and your rate will vary.
| Side hustle | Score /10 | Breakdown (cost, flexibility, first dollar, compounds, admin) | Public pay data (AUD) | Wrong for you if… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancing a skill you already use (writing, design, admin) | 8 | 2, 2, 1, 2, 1 | Depends on your trade; check data for your own job title | Your employment contract has a conflict-of-interest clause |
| Tutoring (online or in person) | 7 | 2, 1, 2, 1, 1 | Median AU$30.80 an hour, 10th to 90th percentile AU$20.01 to AU$56.38 (Payscale AU, tutor) | Your free hours don’t line up with after-school hours |
| Virtual assistant | 6 | 2, 1, 1, 1, 1 | Median AU$30.88 an hour, 10th to 90th percentile AU$20.27 to AU$50.51 (Payscale AU, virtual assistant) | You need income this fortnight; finding steady clients takes time |
| Remote sales: appointment setting or closing | 6 | 1, 1, 1, 2, 1 | Appointment setter median AU$25.58 an hour, middle half AU$24.40 to AU$30, from only 8 profiles (Payscale AU, appointment setter). Many roles are commission-only and are not captured by a base rate | You need a fixed amount every week while you learn |
| Pet sitting and dog walking | 6 | 2, 1, 2, 0, 1 | Varies by suburb and platform | You want the work to lead somewhere bigger |
| Reselling (buying to sell, not decluttering) | 5 | 0, 2, 2, 0, 1 | Profit depends on margins, not hours | You can’t tie up cash in stock |
| Rideshare or food delivery | 5 | 1, 2, 2, 0, 0 (rideshare needs GST from the first dollar) | Per trip, varies by city and platform | You don’t have a reliable car |
Read the table this way: 8 to 10 means start this month, 6 to 7 means start once you fix the weakest score, and 5 or below means it is probably a second job dressed up as a side hustle. One rule overrides every score: if anything asks you to pay to join, recruit others to earn, or promises a set income, walk away. Our guide to side hustles that are not MLM covers those red flags.
What you actually keep: the 2026 keep-rate calculation
Your keep-rate is what a side hustle pays per hour you actually spend on it, after tax. Side income is added on top of your job, so it is taxed at your marginal rate, not your average rate. The ATO’s 2026-27 resident tax rates are 15c per dollar from $18,201 to $45,000 and 30c from $45,001 to $135,000, plus the 2% Medicare levy for most people.
The formula: keep-rate = (money earned minus costs) divided by every hour spent, multiplied by (1 minus your marginal rate).
Worked example, with illustrative inputs you should swap for your own:
| Step | Tutoring (illustrative) | Commission-only setting, early months (illustrative) |
|---|---|---|
| Money earned | 5 paid hours at AU$30.80 (Payscale median) = AU$154 | AU$600 in commission over a month |
| Costs | AU$0 | AU$0 |
| Every hour spent | 6 (5 sessions plus 1 hour of prep and messages) | 40 (10 hours a week, including calls that didn’t book) |
| Before-tax rate per hour spent | AU$25.67 | AU$15.00 |
| Keep-rate if your job puts you in the 30% bracket (30% plus 2% Medicare = 32%) | AU$17.45 | AU$10.20 |
| Keep-rate if you are in the 15% bracket (15% plus 2% = 17%) | AU$21.30 | AU$12.45 |
The keep-rate test shows why the hourly figure on a job ad is never the number to compare: unpaid prep, travel and slow months pull it down, and your tax bracket takes a fixed slice off the top. Commission work looks worst at the start, which is the honest trade-off with remote sales.
Remote sales as a side hustle: the honest version
Remote sales means booking calls (appointment setting) or running sales calls (closing) for businesses, from home. It scores a 6 because the skill compounds: a setter who learns to qualify and book well can move into closing, and sales skills travel to almost any industry. It loses points on time to first dollar and on predictability.
- Commission is common. Many setter and closer roles are commission-heavy or commission-only, and most people take months, not weeks, to earn consistently. Brooke’s own first month in remote sales, in 2020, was $440.
- Employee or contractor changes your rights. The Fair Work Ombudsman says employees can be paid commission-only only when an award or enterprise agreement allows it, and award-free employees on commission must still get at least the National Minimum Wage. Contractors on an ABN don’t get that floor.
- Hours are set by the leads. Many clients are in the US, so calls can land in your early morning or evening.
Most remote sales side hustles in Australia are run as a contractor, so read do you need an ABN to be a remote closer before you sign anything, and ask any business whether there is a base rate before you accept a role.
If you want structured training, She Sells runs two programs: She Launches (live coaching, role play and frameworks, without direct placement) and She Soars, a career program through the She Sells Cert III in Remote Sales certificate where, once you’re certified, the recruitment team works with you to land a role within 90 days, or your money back.
Wondering if remote sales could be your 2026 side hustle? Book a free call with the She Sells team and ask the commission questions first.
The 2026 tax rules every Australian side hustler needs
The ATO already sees your app income
Under the Sharing Economy Reporting Regime, digital platforms must report income that suppliers earn when payments flow through the platform. It started on 1 July 2023 for ride-sourcing and short-term accommodation, and from 1 July 2024 it expanded to all other reportable transactions. Platforms report twice a year, by 31 January and 31 July, so 2026 is a year when the ATO can match platform data against your tax return.
Hobby or business
The ATO says that if you earn money through continuous and repeated activities for the purpose of making a profit, you are likely running a business, and that you need to declare side hustle income either way. A one-off sale, or an activity where you don’t seek a profit, isn’t treated as being in business.
ABN and GST
Running a business usually means an ABN, records and possibly GST. GST registration is required once your GST turnover reaches $75,000 a year, but rideshare drivers must register regardless of turnover. That is why rideshare scores 0 on admin in the scorecard.
How to choose your side hustle this week
- Write down your real free hours and when they fall.
- Score your top three options on the 2026 Side Hustle Scorecard.
- Run the keep-rate test with your own marginal rate and an honest count of unpaid hours.
- Check the admin: will you need an ABN, will a platform report your income, do you hit a GST rule?
- Give it 90 days before judging it, then rerun the keep-rate with real numbers.
The side hustle with the highest hourly rate is rarely the best one; the best one is the option you can sustain in the hours you have, at a keep-rate you are happy with, building a skill you still want in 2027.
Want to see if remote sales could work for you? Book a free call with the She Sells team.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to declare side hustle income in Australia?
Yes. The ATO says you need to declare additional income earned through a side hustle, whether or not it counts as a business, and platforms now report many payments directly under the Sharing Economy Reporting Regime.
Do I need an ABN for a side hustle?
If your side hustle is a business, meaning continuous, repeated activity aimed at a profit, you will generally need an ABN. Most contractor roles, including many remote sales roles, ask for one before they pay you. A one-off sale or an activity without a profit motive doesn’t make you a business.
What is the best side hustle in Australia with no experience?
On our scorecard, tutoring and pet sitting score highest for a fast first dollar with no special equipment, and freelancing scores highest overall if you already have a skill people pay for. Remote sales also takes beginners, but expect a learning curve and commission-based pay at first.
Does the 2026 tax cut change what I keep from a side hustle?
Only if your total taxable income sits between $18,201 and $45,000, where the rate falls from 16c to 15c per dollar from 1 July 2026. If your job already puts you between $45,001 and $135,000, each extra side hustle dollar is still taxed at 30c plus the 2% Medicare levy for most people.
Is remote sales a good side hustle in 2026?
It can be if you want a skill that grows into a career and can handle uneven pay while you learn. Many roles are commission-only, calls often follow US business hours, and most people need months to earn consistently. Check whether you’d be an employee or a contractor before you accept.
Results vary. Nothing here is a promise of income. See our earnings disclaimer.
