Gen Alpha side hustles: How kids are earning big online before they can even drive

Fast Company

a day ago

If Gen Z is known as the side hustle generation, Gen Alpha may soon take the crown.
A survey of 2,002 U.S. Gen Alpha and Gen Z individuals (ages 12 to 28) by social commerce platform Whop found that more than half are using the internet not simply for brain rot and catching up with friends, but also for earning cash.
The 'iPad kid' generation—the oldest of whom are just 15—are already putting their screen time to good use. Nearly half (47.1%) are actively earning online through digital side hustles like selling vintage clothing, streaming video games, and posting on social media. That's a 15% increase from last year. When it comes to knowing someone who makes money online, that number jumps to 72.3%.
Instead of relying on pocket money, Gen Alpha members are earning an average of $13.92 per hour from their digital pursuits—nearly double the U.S. federal minimum wage of $7.25. Based on those hourly earnings, they're pulling in the equivalent of a $28,000 full-time annual salary, all before turning 16. At the high end, 1.7% of Gen Alpha and Gen Z hustlers earned more than $40,000 last year.
Social media platforms have opened new doors for work, and young people raised online are best equipped to step through them. The most common side hustle is reselling new or vintage clothes, with one in five (20.1%) of Gen Aers and Gen Zers earning income this way. Others bring in money from streaming video games (14.1%) or competing in esports tournaments (13.1%).
About one in 10 (10.5%) are monetizing content by posting on social media or 'clipping'—repurposing YouTube videos, podcasts, or livestreams into short, shareable clips with viral potential. Only 9.1% are currently earning through brand sponsorships, though many still dream of becoming full-time creators.
'Social media raised this generation, so making money on the internet is now the norm. When you grow up watching YouTube creators and Twitch streamers living lavish lifestyles, it's only natural to want to be part of that,' Brett Malinowski, the marketing director at Whop, tells Fast Company. 'Many of today's biggest creators started posting content when they were teenagers—and now they realize that this is a way for them to make real money.'
So, what are these young hustlers saving for? While many are investing in cryptocurrency or stocks, or putting money aside for college, a house, or a big purchase, their main goal is a familiar one: gaining financial independence from the Bank of Mom and Dad.
These side hustles are also reshaping how they use screen time. Gen Alpha now spends 3.5 fewer hours per week on screens for entertainment or relaxation compared with Gen Z. Instead, they're dedicating about a fifth (20.3%) of their screen time to their hustles, slightly more than Gen Z, at 19.5%.
With the rising cost of living driving more people to seek extra income, the youngest cohort of workers are leading the charge—and they don't plan to slow down. Over half of Gen Aers (51.5%) say they intend to turn their side hustle into a full-fledged career.
As these generations enter the workforce in greater numbers, they're ditching the traditional path and forging their own. They're not just getting the bag—they're redefining how it's earned.