4 Beginner-Friendly Ways to Earn $1,000 Monthly Recurring Revenue Online

Starting your first online business and aiming for $10,000, $20,000, or even $83,333 in MRR can feel overwhelming. If you're just beginning and haven’t made your first dollar yet, don't worry—this guide is for you. Let’s focus on your first milestone: reaching $1,000 in monthly recurring revenue (MRR). Below are four beginner-friendly strategies to help you achieve this goal.

1. Build AI Tool Wrappers

Have you noticed the rise of indie AI tools? Many of these are what we call wrappers—tools that take existing technology, like OpenAI, Replicate, or ElevenLabs, and wrap them in a custom user interface (UI). These founders focus on simplifying the user experience while leveraging APIs from these advanced platforms.

Although building wrappers comes with the downside of paying for API usage, they are much easier and faster to develop than complex products. Many wrappers focus on tools like chatbots, content writers, or image generation. Emerging AI technologies continuously offer new opportunities, making wrappers an excellent option for generating $1,000 in MRR.

2. Sell Boilerplates and Starter Kits

If you’re technically inclined, creating and selling boilerplates or starter kits can be a lucrative avenue. These save developers time, helping them build products faster. While the market is competitive, there’s always demand for updated, streamlined, or niche-specific templates.

For example, you could create a boilerplate specifically for startups with modern tools like Stripe and Tailwind CSS integrated out of the box. Alternatively, focus on templates for trending technologies like AI-powered apps. Once created, boilerplates become a mostly passive income stream as you sell them repeatedly with minimal maintenance.

This approach isn’t limited to developers. Designers can create and sell pre-made design systems, UI kits, or no-code templates to cater to a growing audience of non-technical creators.

3. Create Specialized AI Chatbots

Custom GPTs gained attention when OpenAI introduced the feature, but they didn’t live up to the hype. However, the concept of specialized AI chatbots remains promising. By fine-tuning AI models with domain-specific knowledge, you can create valuable tools that cater to niche audiences.

For example:

• A lawyer could offer an AI chatbot trained on legal expertise.

• A fitness coach might provide an AI agent specializing in personalized fitness and nutrition advice.

• A financial advisor could create a bot offering guidance on specific investment strategies.

Unlike generic AI models, these chatbots would deliver specialized knowledge that users are willing to pay for. Fine-tuning AI models isn’t as difficult as it may seem, and OpenAI provides detailed documentation to guide you.

4. Productize a Service Business

Agencies and freelancers often work with repeat clients. Why not turn these interactions into a subscription model? By productizing your service, you can offer packages with clear deliverables and recurring billing.

For example, a web design agency might offer monthly updates and a set number of designs for $500/month. Social media managers could create plans for ongoing content creation and scheduling. Clients appreciate the convenience of reliable, ongoing support without needing to find new freelancers for each task.

By systemizing and streamlining your services, you can efficiently manage multiple clients while avoiding burnout. For just two clients paying $500 each, you’ll hit your $1,000 MRR goal.

Scaling Beyond $1,000 MRR

While these strategies are tailored for beginners aiming for $1,000 in MRR, they aren’t limited to that milestone. Many of the examples mentioned here generate far more revenue, proving that these ideas can scale.

Take that first step toward your $1,000 MRR milestone today. Who knows? It might just be the beginning of something much bigger.