The Small Businesses Americans Want to Start in 2026

Six in 10 adults say they want to be their own boss. Over five million per year follow up by submitting a new business application.

Meanwhile, AI tools are changing both the employment landscape and the technical potential available to the lone entrepreneur or small team. And as society adjusts to the ever-changing shape of 21st-century life, new opportunities to make money doing what you love regularly arise.

So what types of businesses are Americans thinking about starting? Business lender OnDeck analyzed the number of searches for advice for particular business types to see which are most popular around the country — and to find the ones for which interest is rising the fastest.

What we did

We used Google Trends to identify the types of small businesses with the most searches over the past 12 months, both nationally and in the most populous U.S. cities. In addition, we found the top trending business types by uncovering those with the highest percentage increases in Google search volume in 2026.

Key Findings: Most popular small business ideas.

• Americans are searching for how to start a cleaning business more than any other category.
• The business type with the fastest-growing interest among U.S. entrepreneurs is Spotify Podcast.
• New York City’s trending small business type among would-be entrepreneurs is Medical Courier.
• In San Diego, there is more interest in starting a Photography business than any other type of business idea.

More Americans want to start a cleaning business more than any other type of new business.

First, we analyzed Google Trends data to see which business types Americans are searching for most frequently. We found that, nationally, the three sectors in which people most commonly seek new business advice are Cleaning, Real Estate and Restaurants.

Setting up a cleaning service seems like a simple way to start your own small business. You don’t require premises or extensive storage space, and little capital is needed to get up and running. Clients can be found through existing connections or social network groups.

However, to make cleaning a sustainable venture, it is essential to strategize by pricing appropriately and considering how to grow beyond your first few clients. You will also need to look into whether the business is best run as a sole proprietorship, limited liability company (LLC) or corporation and establish your chosen structure for tax purposes

It is advisable to conduct research or training in cleaning techniques and safety factors if you’d like your business to grow.

A rising number of U.S. entrepreneurs are researching how to start a Spotify Podcast business.

The small business in which entrepreneurs’ interest is rising the fastest does not even require you to leave home. The number-one trending small business type, measured by search growth over the 12 months to June 2026, is Spotify Podcast.

There are two main ways to make money with a Spotify Podcast. One is through the Spotify Partner Program, where you earn ad revenue or (for video episodes) a share of Premium Subscriber revenue, based on the number of minutes watched. The second way is through subscriptions. These can be established directly through the Spotify for Creators program or managed through a third-party partner such as Patreon or Substack.

Cleaning, Bookkeeping and Vending Machine businesses are the most commonly researched across major U.S. cities.

Among the 20 most populous cities with sufficient available data, we found that the most commonly researched small business types to start in 10 of them are Cleaning, Bookkeeping and Vending Machine.

In San Diego, people search for “How to start a Photography business” more than for any other business type. “One thing I’ve learned while building my photography business in San Diego is that having talent isn’t enough — you also need structure,” says Mekhi Monche, a Visual Content Creator. Photography may seem like a creative business, explains Monche, but knowing how and when to invoice clients can help the business stay afloat while managing steep costs.

Entrepreneurs in America’s largest cities are increasingly interested in starting online businesses on platforms like Spotify and YouTube.

Among the business types with the fastest-growing interest from entrepreneurs are both traditional services (e.g., bookkeeping in Houston, Los Angeles and other cities) and more contemporary opportunities (e.g., Spotify Podcast in Indianapolis and YouTube Channel in Austin, Texas).

In New York City, the number one trending business type is Medical Courier. A medical courier delivers medicines, medical supplies and equipment, specimens and documents between hospitals, pharmacies, labs and other facilities. You need a clean driving record and a medical courier certification for this work. But otherwise, the main hurdle is owning and maintaining an appropriate vehicle and equipment, including containers and protective wear.

The seasonal business with the most interest from entrepreneurs is the Food Truck.

If your line of work includes quiet seasons with little or no trade, you may have the perfect opportunity to set up a line of business that picks up the pace in those slow months. For our final analysis, we identified the seasonal businesses that Americans are researching the most.

The top result is Food Truck — with an honorable mention of Ice Cream in fifth place. Food trucks are a $3 billion business in America. Some may not turn a profit in the less hospitable months, but when the sun is out and more local events are running, increased footfall can lead to big profits.

If you’re looking for a summer business that keeps you outdoors and active, you might be among the many Americans keen to know how to start a Landscaping business. It’s the second-most searched business type. Like many small businesses, the passion for the work itself can be thrown into stark relief by the strategic and administrative requirements for making it financially viable. In the case of one small landscaping firm in Hawaii, the solution was to team up based on each other’s complementary skill sets.

“Malu’s knowledge of ecosystem dynamics and my understanding of business strategy has been the driving force behind our company’s success,” says Christian de Quevedo, co-founder of Lēʻahi Landscaping. “We’ve managed to strike that delicate balance between creating beautiful, functional landscapes and ensuring they are environmentally responsible.”

How to fund a small business

Dreams and hard work will only get you so far without the capital for equipment, space and marketing. Here are some tasks to consider when figuring out how to get started with your start-up.

1. Figure out the costs.

Common starting costs include office or shop space, equipment, stock, permits, insurance and salaries — at least enough for you to get by while the business gets established. The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers a calculator tool to help you figure out what you need to break even.

2. Consider self-funding — carefully.

Using your own savings or help from friends and family can be a simple way to get your cash flow started. However, the financial risk is all yours, and it is essential to consider the effect on others (partner, family, etc.) of staking your personal security on an unproven venture.

3. Explore crowdfunding.

If you have a great idea or a unique selling point on a tried-and-tested model, others may be willing to support your project financially.

• Venture capitalists offer investment for equity, expecting an ongoing share of the profits rather than lending money to be repaid. They may want some say in the choices you make as the business owner.
• Crowdfunders are more likely to be interested in receiving your product or just being part of your inspiring story. But it takes a serious marketing effort to make worthwhile funds this way.

4. Apply for a small business loan.

A business loan can be an effective way to get funding to invest in growth or smooth cash flow. Two common types of business funding are business term loans, which provide a single upfront sum, and business lines of credit, which provide access to a credit limit that you can tap for available funds as needed. Because loans carry a cost of borrowing that on-hand funds don’t, it’s important to use them wisely and thoroughly research your options before borrowing. Use a business loan calculator to estimate payments and ensure they fit your budget.

Methodology

We built a seed list of common types of small businesses and used Google Trends data to identify the ones with the highest search volume for the query “How to start a *insert business type* business” for the 12 months from June 2025 to June 2026.

Then, we identified the business types with the highest relative Google search volume nationally and in the 20 most populous cities for which sufficient data were available. Finally, we identified the cities with the highest percentage increases in Google searches for these queries to determine the top “trending” business types in each location.