Bear Grips

Bear Grips Pro Shops

EARN PASSIVE INCOME

Best Print on Demand Side Hustles in 2026

Passive income opportunities that actually work — no inventory, no shipping, no design skills required.

Why Print on Demand Is the Best Side Hustle Right Now

Most side hustles require upfront investment, physical inventory, or trading hours for dollars. Print on demand flips that model entirely — you don't buy products until a customer orders them. No bulk orders. No warehouse. No guessing what will sell.

With platforms like Bear Grips Pro Shops, you can open a branded apparel shop in under 30 minutes, choose from 100+ premium athleisure products (Nike, Champion, Bella+Canvas, and more), and start selling immediately. Every order is printed, packed, and shipped for free — directly to your customer.

The barrier to entry is essentially zero: $0 to start, no minimums, and no technical skills needed. That's why print on demand consistently ranks among the best side hustles for people who want to earn money without quitting their day job.

Top Print on Demand Side Hustle Ideas

Sell Custom Merch for Your Community

If you run a gym, coach a team, lead a group, or have any kind of following — your community already wants your merch. Open a shop, add your logo to tees, hoodies, and hats, and share the link. Most sellers get their first sale within the first week.

Earn Affiliate Commissions

Bear Grips pays 10% recurring commission on every vendor you refer — forever. Plus $1 for every unit your referrals sell. Refer 10 businesses and you're earning passive income every single month without selling a single product yourself.

Niche Apparel Brands

Create apparel for a specific audience — dog lovers, nurses, hikers, gamers, yoga practitioners. Niche designs sell better than generic ones, and with no minimums, you can test 10 designs across multiple products without risking a dollar.

Event & Seasonal Merch

Sell custom apparel around events, holidays, and seasons. Back-to-school tees, holiday gift bundles, charity run shirts. Because print on demand has no inventory, you can launch seasonal drops without leftover stock.

White Label Your Own Brand

Use Bear Grips as your backend — your customers see YOUR brand, not ours. Build a full apparel brand without a factory, warehouse, or supply chain. Scale from 1 product to 200+ as your brand grows.

How Much Can You Actually Earn?

Your profit per item depends on what you sell and what you charge. A basic custom tee costs $19.88 on VIP — sell it for $34.99 and you pocket $15.11 per sale. A hoodie costs $36.88 — sell it for $54.99 and you keep $18.11.

Sell 30 items per month at an average $12 profit = $360/month. That's $4,320/year from a side hustle with zero inventory and zero shipping. Scale to 100 items/month and you're looking at $14,400/year.

Add affiliate income on top: refer 10 vendors paying $59/month = $59/month in recurring commissions. Refer Done-For-You VIP vendors at $109/month and earn $10.90/month each. Plus $1/unit on everything they sell. The earning potential compounds the longer you're in.

Print on Demand vs Other Side Hustles

Dropshipping
Cheap products from overseas, 2-4 week shipping, high refund rates
Bear Grips
POD: Premium US-made products, ~1 week delivery, free shipping included
Etsy / Handmade
You make every item yourself, can't scale, marketplace fees eat profit
Bear Grips
POD: Products are made for you, infinite scale, your own branded shop
Amazon FBA
$3,000-$10,000+ to start, warehouse fees, complex logistics
Bear Grips
POD: $0 to start, no inventory, no warehouse, no logistics
Freelancing
Trading time for money, income stops when you stop
Bear Grips
POD: Passive income — your shop earns while you sleep
Local Print Shop
50-100 piece minimums, $750+ upfront, you handle shipping
Bear Grips
POD: No minimums, $0 upfront, free shipping on every order

How to Start in Under 30 Minutes

  1. Sign up for a free Bear Grips Pro Shop — takes 2 minutes, no credit card
  2. Upload your logo and customize your storefront with your brand colors
  3. Browse the catalog and add your first 3 products using the mockup editor
  4. Set your retail prices (base price + your profit margin)
  5. Share your shop link on social media, email, or your website
  6. Start earning — we handle printing, packing, and free shipping

Start your merch side hustle today

Open a free shop in under 30 minutes. No inventory, no minimums, no risk. We print, pack, and ship free.

Start Your Free Shop →