How To Make Money From Coding: A Worthwhile Side Hustle?

In recent times, coding has changed from a complex and unusual skill to an easily accessible language that drives innovation across all types of business.

You might be looking at a career change or a way to generate income on the side. No matter what your reason is, our guide will take you through the basics of coding and how you can use coding skills to make money.

What Is Coding?

Coding, also commonly known as programming, is the skill of writing code (instructions) that computers can follow, to perform multiple tasks such as building apps and websites.

Those instructions are created in programming languages that link human thoughts and computer operations. In essence, you’re communicating with machines to let them know what tasks to perform.

Coding can be likened to a chef’s recipe. A chef will add ingredients step by step in order to complete the recipe. A programmer will follow a similar sequence by giving a computer step by step instructions to complete a program. These ‘recipes’ can range from basic to very complex.

Coding / Programming Languages

There are several programming languages and each is used for different reasons:

• Javascript: one of the better known coding languages, Javascript creates the interactive parts of websites. It’s an imperative language for front end development, which has more recently been used for back end development too.

• Python: a versatile language renowned for its ease of use and readability. A very popular choice for those new to coding, thanks to the plain speaking syntax.

• Java: an object-oriented coding language that is widely used in Android apps and cross platform systems.

• SQL: Structured Query Language is designed for creating databases and manipulating database information.

• HTML (HyperText Markup Language): technically, this isn’t a programming language but a markup language. It’s used to present and structure website content (headings, links images etc).

• CSS (Cascading Style Sheets): works in conjunction with HTML by styling the HTML structures.

• C/C++: provides a clear structure to programs and controls the efficiency and memory of systems. Mainly used in Apps and games where performance is important.

• Swift: this is specific to Apple and is used for creating macOS and iOS apps.

What’s Involved In Coding?

A typical coding process will involve the following:

• Analysis - understanding the concept that needs solving or creating.

• Planning - working out your approach and how to break down the project into manageable elements.

• Creating code - creating the program using the programming language(s) of your choice.

• Testing - thorough checks to ensure the code works as designed.

• Fixing bugs - fixing any problems identified during the testing stage.

• Maintenance - continually making sure the code is fit for purpose and updating any relevant parts.

Making Money From Coding

Now the important part - how can you utilise your programming skills to earn income?

There are a few avenues you could pursue to make money from coding. These will be dependent on your skill level and whether you want full time employment, to be your own boss, or just to earn a few quid as a side hustle.

Here’s a heads up on what you might like to consider:

1. Full Time Employment

The most consistent path to making money through coding is from full time employment:

• Beginner level jobs: QA Engineer, IT Analyst, Technical Support Specialist or a Junior Developer/Programmer.

• Mid to senior level jobs: Data Scientist, Software Engineer, Mobile App Developer, Software Engineer or Full Stack Developer.

• Specialised jobs: Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security etc.

Average Coding Wages

The average salary for a programmer in the UK is £35,896 per year. The ranges look something along these lines:

• Beginner Level: £20,000 to £30,000 per year

• Experienced Level: £30,000 to £50,000

• Specialised Level: £40,000+

In addition to the guaranteed income from full time employment, you’re also likely to get other benefits such as a pension and training opportunities.

2. Freelance Programmers

Being a freelance coder provides the flexibility to set your own hours, so you can either make money as a side income or manage a few projects for different clients.

Some popular freelance platforms that will allow you to advertise your coding services include Upwork, Freelancer and Fiverr.

Common Freelance Coding Services

• API integration

• Mobile app creation

• Bug fixing

• Website development

• Wordpress integration

• Custom development

Freelance Coding Pay Rates

As you’d expect, the amount you can charge and earn as a freelance coder will vary depending on your experience, skills and location.

Here are some typical rates for freelance programmers:

• Average: a typical rate for freelance coders is £35 to £55 per hour.

• Day rate: a lot of freelance programmers prefer to charge by the day. Day rates can average approximately £438 per day, with specialised services commanding up to £654 per day.

• Specialised day rates: freelancers offering services such as eCommerce development or flash animation can charge up to £65 per hour.

3. Sell Your Own Products

With the right experience, you could create and sell your own products such as:

• Website themes and templates: sell Wordpress themes and create templates for Shopify, for example.

• Mobile apps: build your own apps for use on Android and IOS platforms.

• Training courses: you could create your own training materials such as e-books, online courses etc.

• Plugins and extensions: develop your own add-ons for browsers and platforms such as Shopify and WordPress.

4. Consultancy Services

As your skills grow, you can consider becoming a consultant and upping the price for your services. Some consultancy services you might offer are:

• Performance optimisation

• Security audits

• Architecture design

• Code reviews

• Modernising legacy systems

Consultants are usually experts in what they do, so tend to charge premium prices that can be £150+ per hour.

How To Build Your Coding Career

It doesn’t matter which route you take to utilise your coding skills, there are concrete fundamentals that can push you to success:

• Problem solving: approach problems methodically.

• Communication: be able to talk about technical subjects clearly.

• Continuous learning: be sure to keep up-to-date with new technologies.

• Time management: ensure you manage your time wisely to meet any deadlines.

• Project management: organise project work and distribute resources effectively.

Create a Portfolio

It’s vital that your customers can see your skills, and creating a stunning portfolio gives you the perfect shop window to display your wares. Be sure to:

• Add any testimonials or feedback.

• Explain how you approached problems and resolved them.

• Include any diverse jobs that showcase your range of skills.

• Include metrics that emphasise the impact of your work.

Continue to Learn

Technology changes at a rapid rate, and it’s important to stay on top of any changes so you can compete with the best.

• Keep up with industry trends

• Join coding forums and communities

• Attend workshops and webinars in your field

• Set time aside to learn about new technologies

• Think about specialising in popular areas

Network With Other Programming Professionals

There’s no better way to open doors for work than speaking to other coding professionals.

• Take part in tech meetings and hackathons

• Utilise Facebook, X and LinkedIn to connect with other programmers

• Share your work and portfolio on social media and your own website

• Join developer forums and communities (local and online)

Summary

Whilst coding is a technically skilled asset in your armoury, it’s also an excellent opportunity to generate income full time or on the side.

Making money from coding isn’t something that happens overnight and it takes time to learn the skills required to be a good developer. It’s best to build yourself a solid foundation by learning a couple of programming languages.

It’s worth creating a few of your own projects to hone your skills and work out which areas your skills are suited to. Once you have established where your expertise lies, you can then think about the best way to monetise your skills.

The most successful coders are those with the ability to combine their technical abilities with the less glamorous aspects such as problem solving, time management and adaptability.

Be sure to keep up-to-date with the latest technologies and follow the tips in our guide and you’ll soon be on the way to being a successful coder.

Alternatively, if you’re not sure you have the skills for professional coding, you can always consider other side hustles you can do from home - such as social media management, audio transcription, or even Matched Betting.