100 business ideas to start in India: complete checklist and startup costs
I built my first business after an accidental wholesale order of 100 necklaces. That mistake paid my rent and taught me the most important startup lesson. Simplicity wins. India in 2025 rewards simple, useful businesses. The market is massive, digital payments flow smoothly, and customers from Tier 1 to Tier 3 are buying online and offline. UPI processes 13 to 15 billion transactions a month. ONDC opens distribution beyond the big marketplaces. There are over 60 million MSMEs. If you keep your costs low, choose the right model, and execute with discipline, you can scale fast.
Below are 100 business ideas to start in India, grouped with lean budgets, a complete checklist, and realistic startup costs.
Cost legend
– L = up to INR 1 lakh
– M = INR 1–10 lakh
– H = above INR 10 lakh
100 business ideas to start in India in 2025
1) Cloud kitchen, regional cuisine [M] FSSAI
2) Tiffin service for offices [L] FSSAI
3) Chaat or momo cart [L] FSSAI
4) Fresh juice kiosk [L] FSSAI
5) Home bakery or custom cakes [L] FSSAI
6) Millet based snacks brand [M] FSSAI
7) Frozen paratha and chapati supply [M] FSSAI
8) Specialty tea or coffee cart [L] FSSAI
9) Pickle and achaar brand [L] FSSAI
10) Healthy meal prep service [M] FSSAI
11) Amazon and Flipkart private label [M]
12) ONDC multi city seller account [L]
13) Instagram and WhatsApp shop [L]
14) Niche D2C brand, Ayurveda skincare [M]
15) Print on demand apparel [L]
16) Stationery and gifting brand [M]
17) Handmade decor on craft marketplaces [L]
18) Dropshipping Indian products to GCC [L]
19) Shopify store for regional foods [M]
20) Hyperlocal grocery subscription [M]
21) Tuition center for school subjects [L]
22) Spoken English and IELTS coaching [L]
23) Coding classes for kids [L]
24) Skill academy for Tally and Excel [L]
25) Digital marketing agency for MSMEs [L]
26) Short video content studio [L]
27) UGC creator service for brands [L]
28) SEO and performance ads agency [L]
29) Social media management in Tier 2 [L]
30) Career counseling and resume writing [L]
31) Mobile phone repair and accessories [L]
32) Laptop repair and data recovery [L]
33) EV two wheeler charging point [M]
34) EV battery swapping kiosk [M]
35) Solar rooftop reseller installer [M]
36) CCTV and home automation [M]
37) Water purifier sales and AMC [M]
38) AC service and annual maintenance [L]
39) Pest control franchise [M]
40) Car detailing and ceramic coating [M]
41) Salon or men’s grooming studio [M]
42) Home salon services [L]
43) Fitness coaching online [L]
44) Yoga and meditation studio [M]
45) Physiotherapy at home model [M]
46) Diagnostic sample collection partner [L]
47) Ayurveda clinic with doctor partner [H]
48) Pharmacy delivery partner model [L]
49) Health foods subscription [M]
50) Corporate wellness workshops [L]
51) Wedding planning and decor [M]
52) Event photo and video team [L]
53) Corporate events and exhibitions [M]
54) Party rentals and bouncy castles [M]
55) Micro catering for 50 to 200 pax [M]
56) DJ and sound rental [M]
57) Birthday planner in Tier 2 [L]
58) Flower and balloon decor [L]
59) Live streaming for events [L]
60) Travel and honeymoon planning [L]
61) Real estate lead generation agency [L]
62) Rental property management [L]
63) Homestay and Airbnb hosting [M]
64) Student PG management [M]
65) Property photography and video [L]
66) Interior design for 1BHK and 2BHK [M]
67) Modular kitchen installer [M]
68) Home painting contractor [L]
69) Facility management for societies [M]
70) Co working micro hub [H]
71) Agricultural inputs and seeds shop [M]
72) Drip irrigation installation [M]
73) Dairy products and paneer unit [M]
74) Cold pressed oil mill [M]
75) Mushroom farming [L]
76) Hydroponics small scale [M]
77) Organic vegetable subscription [M]
78) Jaggery and gur packaging [L]
79) Beekeeping and raw honey [L]
80) Spice grinding and blends [M]
81) Import of affordable gadgets IEC [M]
82) Export of handicrafts IEC [M]
83) Freight forwarding brokerage [M]
84) Customs documentation service [L]
85) Packaging design and supply [M]
86) Corrugated box unit [H]
87) Paper bag manufacturing [M]
88) 3D printing service [M]
89) Laser engraving and gifting [M]
90) Toy assembly and white label [M]
91) Accounting and GST filing service [L]
92) Company incorporation and compliance [L]
93) MSME Udyam registration service [L]
94) Trademark filing practice [L]
95) HR recruitment for MSMEs [L]
96) Virtual assistant agency [L]
97) Translation and localization [L]
98) Cybersecurity and data privacy advisory [L]
99) No code app development [L]
100) Corporate training in sales and CX [L]
Startup costs in India: realistic budgets
Here is a simple way to budget your first 90 days.
– Registration and legal: INR 5,000 to 30,000 depending on structure. Sole prop is the cheapest. LLP or Pvt Ltd via MCA SPICe+ often lands in 10,000 to 25,000 including professional fees.
– Licenses: FSSAI Basic 100 per year, State 2,000 to 5,000, Central 7,500. Shops and Establishment 1,000 to 5,000 depending on state. IEC 500. Trademark 4,500 to 9,000 per class plus attorney.
– Rent and deposit: Small kitchens or studios 25,000 to 75,000 monthly rent in Tier 1 with 2 to 6 months deposit. Tier 2 can be half.
– Equipment: Cloud kitchen 2 to 6 lakh. Salon 3 to 8 lakh. EV charging point 3 to 10 lakh. Home based service can be under 50,000.
– Inventory: D2C first batch 1 to 4 lakh. Tiffin service 25,000 to 60,000. Retail kiosk 1 to 3 lakh.
– Marketing: Start with 15,000 to 50,000 for creatives, product photos, landing pages, and first ads.
– Working capital: Keep 2 to 3 months of operating expenses. Even a simple tiffin service benefits from a 1 lakh buffer.
Quick comparison table: investment, margins, payback
Business | Typical initial investment | Gross margin | Payback window
Cloud kitchen | 4 to 8 lakh | 55 to 65 percent | 9 to 15 months
Tiffin service | 40,000 to 1.2 lakh | 35 to 45 percent | 3 to 6 months
D2C skincare | 3 to 7 lakh | 60 to 70 percent | 9 to 18 months
Salon, 4 chairs | 5 to 12 lakh | 30 to 40 percent | 12 to 20 months
EV two wheeler charger | 3 to 10 lakh | 20 to 30 percent | 18 to 30 months
Complete checklist to launch a small business in India
– Choose structure: Start as a sole proprietorship to validate. Upgrade to LLP or Pvt Ltd when you hit product market fit.
– Open current account, UPI, and a simple ledger: UPI is near zero MDR for most P2M use cases. Keep accounting from day one.
– Register on Udyam for MSME benefits: Priority to government tenders, easier credit, and subsidy schemes like CGTMSE and PMEGP.
– GST registration if needed: Threshold is usually INR 40 lakh for goods, INR 20 lakh for services, lower in special category states. If you sell interstate on marketplaces, register even if under threshold.
– Get sector licenses: FSSAI for food. Shops and Establishment. Trade license from local authority. IEC for export import. Fire NOC for larger kitchens and cafes.
– Protect IP: File trademark for your brand. India is a brand led market.
– Comply with DPDP Act 2023: Publish a privacy policy, take consent for personal data, secure customer data.
– Join distribution: ONDC through a seller app, Amazon and Flipkart seller accounts, Zomato and Swiggy for food, Google Business Profile for local reach.
– Build trust assets: GST invoice, business email, professional WhatsApp, and real photos of your operations.
– Track unit economics: CAC, AOV, contribution margin, and payback period. If payback is over 6 months at small scale, reduce CAC or switch channels.
How I validate ideas fast in India
I treat an idea like a small engineering project. I graduated in civil engineering, then moved into projects, e commerce, food, and later real estate. Each time I used the same method.
– Demand proof: Google Trends for India, marketplace search volumes, and competitor reviews. For a home bakery, I test 3 SKUs, 30 photos, and a WhatsApp order flow before renting a kitchen.
– Price discipline: I calculate ingredient costs to the gram. When I created the Uncle Fluffy cheesecake recipe, I cut wastage first. That single step made unit economics work.
– Micro launch: 14 day pilot in one lane, one society, or one marketplace. I watch repeat rate and refunds.
– Cash flow before features: After burning savings day trading years ago, I promised myself cash first, ego later. Keep working capital positive.
If you want tailored guidance on your exact city, budget, and idea, book a consultation with me. I can help you choose the right model, cost it correctly, and avoid common traps.
Licenses and registrations in one view
– Company: Sole prop, Partnership, LLP, or Pvt Ltd on MCA
– MSME: Udyam registration
– Tax: GST if above threshold or interstate supply
– Sectoral: FSSAI, Trade license, Shops and Establishment, Fire NOC, Pollution NOC where applicable
– Trade: IEC for import export
– People: PF and ESIC when headcount triggers apply
– Safety and policy: POSH policy for 10 or more employees
– Data: DPDP compliant privacy policy and consent logs
FAQs: business ideas to start in India and startup costs
What are the best low investment small business ideas to start in India with high profit in 2025?
– Tiffin service, home bakery, mobile phone repair, social media management for MSMEs, and ONDC first sellers. Each can start under INR 1 lakh and reach 30 to 60 percent gross margins if managed tightly.
How much capital do I need to start a cloud kitchen in India in 2025?
– Expect INR 4 to 8 lakh for equipment, licenses, rent deposit, initial inventory, branding, and two months of working capital. A focused 8 to 12 item menu helps you recover faster.
What licenses are required to start a food business like a tiffin or cloud kitchen in India?
– FSSAI license, Shops and Establishment registration, local trade license, Food Safety training where mandated, fire and hygiene compliances, and GST if over the threshold or selling on platforms.
What is the GST registration threshold for small businesses in India in 2025?
– Goods turnover threshold is generally INR 40 lakh. Services turnover threshold is generally INR 20 lakh. Special category states have lower limits. Inter state e commerce usually requires GST regardless of turnover.
What is ONDC and how can small sellers join in India in 2025?
– ONDC is a government backed open network that connects buyers and sellers across apps. You join through a seller network partner, upload catalog and rates, integrate logistics partners, and start receiving orders without being locked into one marketplace.
How do I register my small business on Udyam and what benefits will I get in 2025?
– Register free on the Udyam portal with Aadhaar and PAN. Benefits include priority lending, reduced collateral through credit guarantee, subsidy schemes, and easier access to government tenders.
What is a realistic marketing budget for a new D2C brand in India?
– Start with INR 30,000 to 75,000 for creatives, photography, website, and first ads. Aim for breakeven CAC within 45 to 60 days and scale only after repeat orders show up.
Ready to turn an idea into revenue
If you want me to review your short list, pick the best city and channel, set a clean cost sheet, and map your first 90 days, book a consultation with me. I will help you avoid expensive mistakes and move with confidence.
A short note on my story
I am Alaa Mohra. I arrived in the UAE in 2005 with little more than stubbornness. I studied civil engineering, earned a master’s in project management in the UK, then left engineering to sell those 100 necklaces I ordered by mistake. That e commerce hustle paid for my first properties in Dubai. I later built the Uncle Fluffy cheesecake brand from scratch, learned to bake, opened stores, and scaled. In 2015 I started investing in real estate and spent a decade proving results publicly, which led to my agency and awards. The pattern never changed. Start simple, measure relentlessly, protect cash, and grow only what customers love. If that sounds like the way you want to build your business in India, reach out and let us plan it together.