Texas has four of the eleven biggest cities in the country, no state income tax, and a cost of living that still lets a side hustle move the needle. Here are ten that pay in 2026, with what each really makes after costs, and which fit the hours you have.
1. Local Friend: show visitors your city, at your rate#
Austin, San Antonio, Houston and Dallas all get visitors who see the convention centre and the hotel bar and nothing else. A Local Friend is someone who lives there and shows them the real version by the hour: barbecue and Tex-Mex where locals actually eat, Austin's live music beyond Sixth Street, the River Walk without the chain restaurants, the missions, a Rangers or Astros or Spurs game, how to get around a city built for cars. You set your hourly rate (commonly $20 to $40), Roavi lists you free and takes no commission, and the money is paid to you directly.
No licence is needed; you are not a tour guide. Profiles are reviewed before going live and need three real photos. Texas listings are still few, so a new profile in any of the four cities is one of a handful and shows up on the city pages immediately. Austin and San Antonio are where visitors ask most. Hours: whatever you set. How it works in the US.
2. Rideshare#
Houston (two airports, the Medical Center, the port), Dallas (DFW and Love Field, the convention calendar, the stadiums) and Austin (the airport, SXSW, ACL, F1 weekend) keep demand steady. After gas, $16 to $24 an hour, better at the airports and on event nights, worse in Houston traffic. Texas has no Prop 22 floor, so the number is what the app pays. Needs a car that passes inspection and a clean record.
3. Delivery#
DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart, Favor (Texas-only, and often better in the suburbs). After gas, $13 to $20 an hour. Lowest barrier, lowest ceiling, and the distances in Texas eat the margin faster than in a dense city.
4. Tutoring#
Test prep, math, science and English, in the suburbs of all four cities, $25 to $50 an hour in person and $20 to $40 online. Houston and Dallas have the biggest markets; Austin's is the most competitive. A degree or a strong score in the subject is enough for private tutoring.
5. Pet sitting and dog walking#
Rover and word of mouth. $25 to $50 a night for boarding, $15 to $25 a walk. Suburban Texas has more dogs per household than almost anywhere, and a yard is the whole qualification.
6. Notary loan signings#
Become a Texas notary (application, bond, about $100 to $150 all in, no exam), then a loan-signing agent. Each signing pays $75 to $125 and takes about an hour. Dallas and Houston's housing markets keep it busy, and it is evening and weekend work.
7. Event staffing#
Conventions (Dallas and Houston are among the busiest convention cities in the country), the stadiums, SXSW and ACL in Austin, the rodeo in Houston. $16 to $25 an hour through staffing agencies, in bursts.
8. Spanish interpreting and translation#
Texas has more Spanish speakers than any state but California. Medical and legal interpreting pays $22 to $45 an hour, more with certification; school and community interpreting less. Remote phone interpreting through the big agencies works from home anywhere in the state.
9. Airbnb co-hosting#
Manage someone else's listing for 10 to 20 percent of bookings. Busiest in Austin (events), San Antonio (the River Walk), Fredericksburg and the Hill Country, Galveston and the coast. Reliability is the skill.
10. Handyman and yard work#
Texas suburbs run on it: TaskRabbit, Thumbtack, Nextdoor. $30 to $60 an hour for someone who can hang a TV, assemble furniture, fix a fence or mow in August. A truck helps; a toolbox is enough to start.
What makes Texas different#
No state income tax: only federal and self-employment tax apply, so set aside about 20 to 25 percent instead of the 25 to 30 you would in California or New York. Four big metros instead of one, each with its own demand (Houston for driving and interpreting, Dallas for events and signings, Austin for visitors and co-hosting, San Antonio for tourism). And distance: everything is far apart, so the car-based gigs lose more to gas and the walkable-core gigs (Local Friend, tutoring, interpreting) keep more.
Which fits your hours#
- Evenings and weekends with a car: rideshare, event staffing, notary signings, handyman work.
- Evenings and weekends without a car: tutoring, interpreting, Local Friend in the walkable cores.
- A few hours between things: delivery, dog walking.
- A skill or a language: tutoring, interpreting, notary.
- You know your city and like people: Local Friend.
Starting as a Local Friend#
Free, ten minutes from your phone, three real photos, a review before you go live. Say which city and neighbourhood, what you are good for, and whether you speak Spanish; the specific profiles get booked.
Live in Texas? Show visitors your city at your rate.
Become a Local FriendThe other big states: California, Florida and New York. Side hustles where you actually meet people. En español: cómo ganar dinero extra en Texas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best side hustle in Texas?
For most people with a car and evenings: rideshare in Houston, Dallas and Austin, where the airports, the stadiums and the convention calendar keep demand steady and there is no state income tax on what you keep. For people with a skill: tutoring, Spanish interpreting and notary loan signings pay $25 to $150 an hour. For people who know their city and like people: Local Friend, where you set your rate and keep all of it; San Antonio and Austin are where visitors ask most.How much can you make with a side hustle in Texas?
After costs, typical 2026 ranges: rideshare $16 to $24 an hour after gas; delivery $13 to $20; tutoring $25 to $50; pet sitting $25 to $50 a night; notary loan signings $75 to $125 each; event staffing $16 to $25; Spanish interpreting $22 to $45; Airbnb co-hosting 10 to 20 percent; handyman work $30 to $60; Local Friend at the rate you set, commonly $20 to $40. With no state income tax, you keep more of each than in California or New York.Does Texas tax side-hustle income?
There is no state income tax in Texas, so only federal tax and self-employment tax apply. Anything over $600 a year from one platform is reported to the IRS on a 1099. Set aside about 20 to 25 percent and pay quarterly. That gap, against 25 to 30 percent in California or New York, is why the same gig nets more here.Which Texas city is best for side hustles?
Houston for rideshare and interpreting (the biggest airport system and the most Spanish speakers), Dallas for events and notary signings (the convention calendar and the housing market), Austin for Local Friend and Airbnb co-hosting (the most visitors per resident, SXSW, ACL, F1), San Antonio for Local Friend and tourism work (the River Walk and the missions bring year-round visitors).What is a Local Friend and how does it work in Texas?
Someone who lives in a city and shows visitors it by the hour: barbecue and Tex-Mex where locals eat, which neighbourhood, a game, the River Walk without the chain restaurants, Austin's live music beyond Sixth Street. You set your rate, Roavi lists you free and takes no commission, and profiles are reviewed before going live. Texas listings are still few, so a new profile in Austin, San Antonio, Houston or Dallas is one of a handful. No licence needed.Can I do a side hustle in Texas without a car?
Harder than in other states, because Texas is built for driving, but yes: tutoring, interpreting (much of it remote by phone), notary work, event staffing, pet sitting, Airbnb co-hosting and Local Friend in the walkable cores (downtown and East Austin, the River Walk and Pearl in San Antonio, Montrose in Houston, Deep Ellum and Uptown in Dallas) need no car.