5 Ways to Make Money with a Raspberry Pi Project
The Raspberry Pi is truly a revolution in the world of hardware and allows even people with limited knowledge of hardware design to come up with fully functional products in seconds. Not only is it a great way to get introduced to hardware design but also a great way to either earn some money on the side or start an actual million-dollar business. The best thing is that there are tons of different ways that you can make money through the Pi, some requiring more expertise and resources than others. Here are a few great business ideas for Raspberry Pi developers.
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Start Selling Circuit Boards
A lot of people don’t want to have to start from scratch and want ready-made boards to start their projects. One thing you could do is sell Compute Module boards. Compute Module boards are extensions that can boost the capabilities of the Raspberry Pi and allow users to have something they can build upon. Making them isn’t that difficult either – all you need is your functional specifications and a tool like Gumstix’s Pi Compute module board builder. You’ll be able to have a production ready Pi expansion board in minutes and have it shipped to you in as little as 15 days.
Crypto Mining
Crypto mining is the process of validating transactions on the blockchain or designated distributed ledger system in exchange for rewards. One of the obstacles to many people is the price of mining rigs and the high performance video cards needed to run them.
You could use the Raspberry PI to mine cryptocurrency and make money in the process. The best part is that it will cost you much less than any other rig you can find on the market. You’ll also be able to tweak it as you want and upgrade it if you ever need more computing power. All you’ll need to get started is an SD card that is compatible with the Pi, a crypto wallet, and a few other items, and you’ll be set to go. If you want to learn more, you can check this guide how to mine cryptos on the Raspberry Pi.
Write Reviews
Another way that you can make money with the Raspberry Pi is to either write reviews or make video reviews. This is a really simple way to make money with the Pi if you have experience with it. You could try some Raspberry Pi related products or try some gadgets and give your opinion. All you need is a cheap hosting account with WordPress and a domain name, and you’ll be good to go.
If you’re a Pi expert, another thing you could do is make tutorials and publish them on your blog, social media, and/or YouTube channel. These get a lot of views, and you could try all sorts of builds and take your viewers through the process.
Write a Book
If you have the knowledge, you could also use your expertise to release one or a series of books. Manuals for the Pi are very popular, and if you manage to write in a format that reaches a wide audience, it could work well. You could write about various Pi projects, offer tutorials, or create a guide for beginners.
Build a Gaming Console/Server
Some people use the Pi to create some crazy gaming consoles or servers. You could build dedicated servers using the Pi and start charging clients. You could also make all sorts of consoles using the Pi too. One of the most popular niches for Pi consoles is portable and retro inspired consoles.
Another thing you could do is use the Pi to make some cool gadgets like mini computers for instance. Nathan Morgan, a well known computer repair specialist, was able to create a miniature laptop that fits in the palm of your hand and comes with a miniature keyboard. There’s lots of space for items like that, and you should consider playing with the aesthetics and finding a way to make yours stand out either by using unusual materials or wacky designs.
The number of things you can do with the Raspberry Pi is quasi-infinite – you can literally make all sorts of products. Some products have even been made in the field of home automation and security. For instance, you could use the Pi to build smart doorbells that will be connected to the internet. Others have used the Pi to create smart security cameras. Let your imagination run free and see which types of products are in demand right now.
Starting a business on the Raspberry Pi is fairly straightforward, and there are tons of opportunities you can take advantage of. Play the field, and see if any of these ideas could be viable in your market.