Online business services ideas you can start in the UK
48 ideas
These 48 ideas let you serve other businesses and professionals entirely online, so you can work from home or anywhere with a reliable connection. They suit people with workplace experience, such as admin, finance, sales or HR, who can turn that know-how into a paid service.
Online networking group for a niche
Host online networking meetings for a specific group, such as local firms or women in business, funded by membership fees.
- £100-800
- Side hustle
- Online
Data entry and clean-up service
Offer data entry, record clean-up and digitising for businesses, with a few helpers for bigger jobs.
- £300-2k
- Part-time
- Online
Small team answering service with extended hours
Run a small remote team covering evenings and weekends for businesses that need calls answered beyond office hours.
- £1k-5k
- Part-time
- Online
Online budgeting and money planning coach
Run video sessions that help individuals and couples build budgets, plan big spends and get on top of everyday money.
- £200-1.2k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online office search service
Run a website that helps businesses shortlist offices and flexible workspaces, earning fees from the providers.
- £300-2.5k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online planning drawings service
Offer remote drawing packages for planning applications, using client photos and measurements or a hired surveyor.
- £500-3k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online career guidance and coaching
Help adults and young people choose a career, training route or next job through one-to-one video sessions.
- £200-2.5k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online currency order and delivery service
Take foreign currency orders online and deliver or hold them for collection, without a busy high street shop.
- £5k-25k
- Part-time
- Online
Employer visa and sponsor licence support
Help small UK employers with sponsor licence applications and hiring overseas workers, working remotely.
- £2.5k-9k
- Part-time
- Online
Online accountant for freelancers and contractors
Serve freelancers, contractors and online sellers anywhere in the UK by video call and cloud software.
- £1k-5k
- Side hustle
- Online
Home-based admin and data entry service
Take on routine back-office work for small firms on a monthly contract, from your own desk at home.
- £100-1k
- Side hustle
- Online
Back-office outsourcing team for businesses
Build a small team that takes on ongoing admin, data processing and support work for companies on contract.
- £1.5k-8k
- Full-time
- Online
Loan broker working under an authorised firm
Introduce borrowers to lenders under an FCA-authorised firm's umbrella, without needing your own authorisation.
- £500-3k
- Side hustle
- Online
Specialist legal or academic transcription
Focus on a niche such as legal, medical or research recordings and charge higher rates for accuracy.
- £200-1.2k
- Part-time
- Online
Bookkeeping and admin for small firms
Combine day-to-day bookkeeping with admin support for owner-run businesses, on a fixed monthly fee.
- £300-2k
- Part-time
- Online
Online business address and mail scanning
Sell a business address with mail scanning and forwarding to remote firms and sellers, managed mostly online.
- £1k-5k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online van and car lease broker for businesses
Match small firms and self-employed drivers with van and car lease deals through a simple website and enquiry service.
- £1.5k-7.5k
- Part-time
- Online
Online toner and ink shop
Sell toner and ink online to small businesses and home offices, with orders sent straight from your wholesaler or a small stock at home.
- £500-2.5k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online tax support for small businesses
Offer remote tax planning, VAT and company tax help to small firms on monthly packages.
- £1k-5k
- Part-time
- Online
Dental insurance introducer (side hustle)
Point people who want dental cover towards an authorised insurer or broker and earn a fee or commission for each referral.
- £200-1k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online laminating machine and pouch shop
Sell laminators, pouches and film to schools, offices and print shops through your own website and marketplaces.
- £500-4k
- Side hustle
- Online
Online payroll bureau with a small team
Build a bureau serving dozens of employers remotely, with staff to handle the pay runs.
- £2k-10k
- Full-time
- Online
Online transcription and typing service
Turn audio and video recordings into accurate written text for clients across the UK, working remotely.
- £100-900
- Side hustle
- Online
Online tax service for small businesses
Offer yearly accounts and tax returns for small firms and limited company directors, all handled online.
- £1k-5k
- Part-time
- Online
About these ideas
Options range from online career guidance and coaching and specialist legal or academic transcription to online export guidance for small firms. Before you choose, think about who would pay for your service and how you would reach them. Check whether your field needs qualifications, insurance or registration with a regulator, and how you will handle client data. Start by testing demand with a small number of clients before you invest in a website or stock.
More ideas
- Online property auctions for a local area
- Small business tax and accounts practice
- Divorce paperwork helper
- Online mailroom supplies and refurbished machines
- Premises finder for small businesses
- Associate business broker alongside your day job
- Medical billing bureau for clinic groups
- Online CV and cover letter writer
- Online packaging supplies shop for small sellers
- Online lab and school science supplier
- Online envelope and stationery supplier
- Online corporate gifts and branded merch
- Online bag and packaging trade supplier
- Online export guidance for small firms
- Niche product importer selling online
- Online workplace safety supplies shop
- Used shop fittings reseller (online)
- Small laser cutter and engraver reseller
- Online office supplies wholesaler
- Online legal matching service for one niche
- Online packaging bag shop for small businesses
- Online ice cream equipment and parts shop
- Online gemstone identification and reports
- Export agent for UK-made goods
Questions
Do I need qualifications to start an online business services company in the UK?
It depends on the service. Coaching or transcription may need no formal licence, but tax, legal or financial advice can be regulated. Check the rules for your specific service, and whether clients will expect certain credentials or insurance.
How do I find my first clients for an online service?
Start with people who already know your work, such as former colleagues and employers. Then consider LinkedIn, local business networks and directories. Check what your target customers read and where they look for help, then offer a small trial project.
What should I check about data protection when working online?
If you handle client or customer information, check whether you need to register with the Information Commissioner's Office and follow UK GDPR. Also consider secure file sharing, written client agreements and how long you keep personal data.