How to start a business with no money in 9 steps (+ free template)

It’s a challenging time to be an entrepreneur. Average real revenue declined by $11,850 per small business last year, according to Intuit QuickBooks’ Small Business Index 2025 report.

But, if you can launch your business without spending any money, you have much better odds of success.

While many small businesses focus on courting investors before going to market, we’ll show you how to start a business with no money.

Jump to:

1. Find your free business idea
2. Write a realistic business plan and budget
3. Network and leverage free resources
4. Create a website
5. Make a marketing plan
6. Build your brand
7. Leverage technology and AI
8. Validate your business
9. Get funding

Is it possible to start a business with no money?

What are your funding options?

1. Find your free business idea

Bootstrapping rather than getting investors or loans limits your options, but it can also help you narrow your focus. Take a personal inventory to help guide you toward a concept that taps into your skills, personal interests, and professional network.

You should also think about practicalities, as well, focusing on ideas with low startup costs and predictable expenses. Personal services don’t require expensive machinery, for example, or physical space to store and display. 

And if you work from home, you’ll eliminate the cost of renting an office or storefront. 

Here are a few businesses you can start with little or no money: 

• Creative: copywriting, graphic design, social media management
• Online: Dropshipping, e-commerce, affiliate marketing
• Services: Event planning, tutoring, landscaping, pet-sitting

2. Write a realistic business plan and budget

Once you’ve figured out what business you want, the next step is developing a solid budget and business plan.

Budget

Launching a business comes with numerous startup costs, but you should be able to remove or reduce several from this list: 

• Rent
• Office furniture and supplies
• Labor
• Tools and equipment
• Raw materials
• Opening inventory
• Website design and hosting
• Advertising and promotions
• Software
• Insurance, licenses, and permit fees

Business plan

Your plan should include market research, an executive summary, a description of your company’s organizational structure, your business model, descriptions of the products or services you’ll offer, as well as your current budget and financial projections.

Determine which you can cut and which are essential, as well as how much money you’ll need for each non-negotiable.

3. Network and leverage free resources

You might not be starting with a lot of capital, but there are a ton of resources you can tap that don’t cost a thing. Start by accessing your network of friends, family, and professional contacts for their knowledge, skills, resources, and even labor.

You can also find no-cost mentorship, training, and additional resources. 

• Small Business Development Centers
• Women’s Business Centers 
• The Minority Business Development Association
• Veterans Business Outreach Centers
• The U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Sites like Facebook and Reddit have online communities that can point you toward free and low-cost tools.

Mastermind groups are peer-to-peer online communities that meet regularly and utilize members’ diverse skill sets to provide ideas, advice, and accountability.

4. Create a website

Regardless of the scale of your business or the product you’re selling, you need a clean, modern-looking online presence. A website is the easiest way to market your brand, and since it’s virtual, there’s no office or retail space to pay for.

All-in-one platforms like Squarespace and Shopify let you register your domain name, set up web hosting, and choose your layout and design. 

Wix, Weebly, and WordPress have free editions, although the offerings are more limited. 

5. Make a marketing plan

Once your business starts to coalesce, it’s time to get the word out.

Don’t know how to market your business? Social media, online forums, local meetups, mastermind groups, your chamber of commerce, and word-of-mouth are all good ways to promote your product or service without spending any money.

But you may want to set aside a marketing budget for your startup that includes paid social media, a PR team, eye-catching activations, and more.

How important is social media for a no-money startup? 

Social media is one of the most effective free marketing platforms available to small businesses. A good campaign can cut through the static and reach a target audience.

Beyond marketing and building brand awareness, social media can generate useful feedback and help you find distribution channels and knowledgeable employees.

Rather than casting a wide net, though, focus on one or two platforms your target audience is most active on. If you’re trying to reach Gen Z, bet on TikTok and Instagram. But if you’re a B2B bootstrapper, LinkedIn is a better bet.

In most cases, social media will be people’s first exposure to your business, so think carefully about the brand voice you want to project. Share authentic content rather than slick promotional posts and engage frequently with followers, microinfluencers, and other startups

The key is treating social media as building a community rather than a digital billboard, which can cost you time and authenticity.

6. Build your brand

As you develop your company’s web presence and social media voice, it’s time to think about your brand, or what separates you from the competition.

Everything from your mission statement to your name and logo is an extension of your company’s voice and will inform your brand guidelines.

If you are launching a pet-sitting service, for example, are you focusing on providing a luxury service or using environmentally friendly products?

This is one place where getting feedback from friends, family and business contacts is useful. Your brand guidelines will inform your social media, public communications, hiring and other facets of your business strategy. 

7. Leverage technology and AI

While AI is still in its infancy, it’s already an integral part of business development. The key is learning how to use it without letting it run the show.

AI for idea generation

If you’re not sure what kind of business you want to start, AI platforms like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, or Claude can help you with thought starters. 

• Prompt example: "Brainstorm 10 low-cost business ideas for someone with skills in [list your skills] and an interest in [list your interests]."
• Prompt example: "Generate unique selling propositions for a [your business idea] targeting [your target audience]."

AI for business planning

Suppose you’re further along in the process. In that case, AI can help generate a working business plan that considers your key activities and resources, target audience, revenue strategy, and even your brand voice.

Prompt examples: 

• "Outline a lean business plan for a [your business type], focusing on minimal startup costs and quick revenue generation."
• "What are the essential financial projections I need to include in a business plan for a service-based business with no initial capital?"

AI for marketing

When you’ve chosen your business and solidified your business plan, platforms like Buffer or Later can generate ideas for marketing your product, from web layout to social media posts. 

Canva's AI features are a good resource for basic design, while Grammarly does the heavy lifting in writing.

Prompt examples: 

• "Write 5 catchy social media posts to launch a [your product/service] with a focus on [key benefit]."
• "Draft a concise, compelling website About Us page for a [your business type] highlighting our [values/mission]."
• "Generate 10 blog post ideas for a [your industry] blog that attracts [your target audience] and demonstrates expertise."

Not every suggestion will be a winner or appeal to your vision for your business. The apps should provide options and spark your creativity, not do everything for you.

8. Validate your business

Validating your business is a critical step in lining it up for future growth. It confirms there’s a market for you, helps you understand your target consumer, and tests whether you’ve priced and positioned yourself correctly.

Validating your business also allows you to attract investors or even business partners.

There are many ways to validate your business, including interviewing potential customers, conducting surveys, measuring reaction to your social media, and offering samples at pop-ups.

You can also launch a minimum viable product (MVP), essentially a beta model that tests the waters before you go into full production mode. 

9. Get funding

Once you’ve validated your business and felt good about the feedback you’ve received, it’s time to secure funding.

Banks and private lenders like Bluevine offer small business loans and lines of credit to businesses they feel present a low risk. Apps like PayPal and Square will lend thousands in small business funding and deduct the loan from your future sales.

If you think you have lightning in a bottle, venture capital and angel investors provide capital to promising startups in exchange for a piece of the business.

Crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter, GoFundMe, and Indiegogo allow businesses to get financial support directly from the public.

The Small Business Administration offers 7(a) loans of up to $5 million, as well as microloans for smaller amounts. There are also state, city, and private grants aimed at helping small companies.

If you can’t qualify for other types of financing yet, charging expenses on your credit card can help, but it comes with real risks, including higher interest rates than a business loan. In addition, if you can’t pay the balance off on time, your personal credit score could take a major hit.

Credit Cards are the top source of financing for small businesses in the U.S., according to QuickBooks’ Small Business Index 2025 report, but they’re really only good in the short term. (It helps if its a 0% intro APR card or you’re earning cash back or rewards.) 

Don’t use a card for recurring costs like rent or raw materials, and do everything you can to pay it off every month. A dedicated business credit card not tied to your personal credit is a safer bet.

Is it possible to start a business with no money?

It is absolutely possible to start a business with very little up-front cost. You just need to get a little creative. 

How much does it cost to start a business? 

On average, new businesses spend $40,000 in their first year. But that amount varies greatly depending on the industry you’re in, whether you’re offering a service or physical goods, the scale of your business, and plenty of other factors.

Microbusinesses with fewer than 10 employees only cost around $3,000 to launch, for example, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. With financing, you can even start a home-based franchise like Cruise Planners or GymGuyz for between $2,000 and $5,000.

In some cases, starting a business only requires a computer and a reliable internet connection. If you already have those, you’re essentially starting with zero expenses, except your sweat equity.

If you are offering a service like dog-walking or child care, you may need to pay for the appropriate licensing and permits, including sales tax permits.

What are your funding options?

Starting a business without money might sound impossible, but it’s not. The key is to know where to look for funding. While the initial steps, like developing a concept and creating a business plan, are free, you will need capital for things like marketing, production, and office space.

QuickBooks can help with financing through options like a QuickBooks Line of Credit for ongoing flexible access to funds. You can also explore other avenues, including friends and family, government agencies, and other private lenders.

Once you’ve gone to market, of course, your priority will shift from startup costs to business expenses. And QuickBooks accounting software is there to help you manage everything in one place.

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