The painting business is one of the most overlooked blue-collar side hustles available today. Startup costs are low, demand is constant, and homeowners pay $1,000–$5,000 for a single interior or exterior job. The best part — you don’t need years of experience to get started. A few weekends of practice and the right business system is enough to start landing paying clients.
We reviewed every major painting business course available today so you know exactly which one is worth your money before you buy.
Quick comparison
| Course | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Six-Figure Painting Business Accelerator | $397 | Painters ready to scale with a crew |
| Painting Business Pro Training Program | $497 | Serious operators who want the complete system |
| How to Start a Painting Business | $89 | Complete beginners on a tight budget |
Our top picks
🥇 Painting Business Pro Training Program — Best overall
Price: $497 | Creator: Brandon Lewis
Brandon Lewis runs paintingbusinesspro.com and has built one of the most comprehensive painting business training programs available anywhere. This isn’t just a course — it’s a complete business system with sales scripts, estimating templates, on-demand coaching, and an active community of painting business owners.
What’s inside:
- Sales scripts that convert leads into paying clients consistently
- Estimating templates so you never underbid a job again
- How to build and manage a crew so you can take on more jobs
- Marketing systems for getting a consistent flow of leads
- On-demand coaching for when you hit roadblocks
Who it’s for: Someone who is serious about building a real painting business — not just picking up occasional jobs. If your goal is $10,000 a month or more this is the course that gets you there.
Who it’s NOT for: Someone who just wants to paint a few houses on weekends for extra cash. The price reflects the depth of the program — it’s built for serious operators.
Our verdict: The most complete painting business course available. Brandon has built a real community around this program and the results his students get speak for themselves.
→ Check out Painting Business Pro
Affiliate disclosure: We earn a commission if you purchase through our link, at no extra cost to you.
🥈 Six-Figure Painting Business Accelerator — Best for scaling
Price: $397 | Creator: Painting & Decorating Academy
If you’re already painting and want to scale from solo operator to a crew-based business, this is the course for you. It focuses specifically on the things that hold most painting businesses back from growing — commercial bidding, subcontracting, and building recurring relationships with property managers.
What’s inside:
- How to win commercial painting contracts that pay far more than residential
- Building a subcontractor network so you can take on more jobs than you can handle alone
- Getting recurring contracts with property managers and real estate companies
- Estimating and bidding commercial jobs correctly
- Managing crews and subcontractors without being on site every day
Who it’s for: A painter who already has some experience and clients and is ready to stop trading time for money and start building a real scalable business.
Our verdict: The best option for painters who are ready to grow. Commercial contracts and property manager relationships are where the real money is in this industry.
→ Check out Six-Figure Painting Business Accelerator
Affiliate disclosure: We earn a commission if you purchase through our link, at no extra cost to you.
How to Start a Painting Business — Best budget option
Price: $89 | Creator: Udemy**
If you’re brand new to the painting business and not ready to invest hundreds of dollars before you’ve made your first dollar, start here. This Udemy course covers the fundamentals — how to price jobs, how to find your first clients, how to handle objections, and how to deliver quality work that gets referrals.
What’s inside:
- Pricing and estimating basics for residential painting jobs
- How to find your first clients without spending money on ads
- Handling common customer objections
- Delivering quality work that generates referrals
- Basic crew management for when you’re ready to grow
Who it’s for: A complete beginner who wants to test the water before committing to a bigger investment.
Our verdict: At $89 this course pays for itself with a single painting job. A solid starting point before you’re ready to invest in a more comprehensive program.
→ Check out How to Start a Painting Business
Affiliate disclosure: We earn a commission if you purchase through our link, at no extra cost to you.
What to look for in a painting business course
It covers estimating and pricing in detail. Underpricing is the number one mistake new painting contractors make. A good course teaches you exactly how to price jobs so you’re making real money.
It includes sales and marketing. Getting leads and converting them into paying clients is the hardest part of running a painting business. Make sure the course spends serious time on this.
The creator ran a real painting business. Make sure the person teaching has real experience — not just someone who put together a generic business course.
It covers crew management. Painting is one of the easiest businesses to scale with subcontractors. A good course teaches you how to do this so you’re not limited by how many hours you personally can work.
Frequently asked questions
How much can you make with a painting side hustle?
Solo painters typically charge $25–$50 per hour or bid jobs at $1,000–$5,000 each depending on the size. Someone running a small crew can easily clear $10,000–$20,000 a month. The painting industry is massive and there is no shortage of work for operators who market themselves well.
How much does it cost to start a painting business?
You can get started for as little as $200–$500 for basic brushes, rollers, drop cloths, and a ladder. A more complete professional setup runs $1,000–$2,000. Painting has one of the lowest startup costs of any contractor business.
Do I need a license to start a painting business?
In most states no license is required for residential painting. Some states require a contractor’s license for commercial work above a certain dollar amount. General liability insurance is strongly recommended — budget around $400–$800 a year.
How do I find my first painting clients?
The fastest methods are door knocking in neighborhoods with older homes, posting on Nextdoor and Facebook Marketplace, and asking friends and family for referrals. Most new painting contractors get their first 5–10 clients entirely through word of mouth.