5 small-business ideas you can start from home

Roughly half of the 36.2 million small businesses in the U.S. are currently based out of people’s homes. And the number could be increasing as people have less patience for commuting and adding to their startup expenses. Telecommuting, fortunately, is supported by a large number of small-business ideas. Internet-based businesses can often easily be run by people who would prefer to work from home. It’s also an especially popular choice for sole proprietors who launch their company without a staff. For founders who are bootstrapping their business, working from home is often a necessity. The average cost of starting a small business, as estimated by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, is $30,000. Home-based startups, however, average between $2,000 and $5,000. Thinking about starting a business from your home? Here are a few ideas that could be well suited to that goal. (For more inspiration, read Inc.’s full guide to 25 small-business ideas for 2026.) Online tutoring and courses The skills and knowledge you’ve built up over the years, whether that’s in some corner of the business world or a popular (or niche) hobby, is likely in higher demand than you realize. The e-learning mar…