Ask HN: Those making $500/month on side projects in 2026 – Show and tell

The thread is framed as a forward-looking exercise, yet the only concrete examples come from ventures that already exist. Respondents who meet or exceed the $500 mark describe activities outside software, certification arbitrage, dining clubs, poker-chip arbitrage, rather than code-based products. This suggests that the original question may be testing sentiment more than gathering replicable models.

Fear of competition dominates the discussion. Multiple comments state that revealing a profitable side project would invite copycats and erode margins. The reluctance to name projects contrasts with earlier 'build in public' trends, indicating that engineers now view secrecy as a competitive necessity rather than a cultural quirk.

The $500 threshold functions as a psychological anchor rather than a strict financial filter. Respondents round up or down to meet it, and some adjust figures for inflation or purchasing power. The number itself appears chosen for its accessibility, low enough to feel achievable, high enough to signal meaningful traction without requiring full-time commitment.

Only one software project is explicitly linked: a Dropbox-like frontend for arbitrary storage backends. The project’s GitHub repository is public, but the thread does not clarify whether the $500 revenue comes from donations, subscriptions, or another model. Other software-related replies either omit revenue details or describe projects still in development.