The Best Type of Business to Start Around the World
We compared monthly Google searches for popular business types with how many of those businesses already exist, to show where demand is outpacing supply in each country.
Wherever in the world you’re thinking of starting a business, understanding the local market is as important as understanding the local culture.
There may be a huge customer base for a particular product or service in the place you’d like to start out, but if other businesses have already identified this niche, there may be little to gain. For example, Swiss web users make 2,700 searches on Google and Google Maps for a nearby “sauna” every month1, suggesting high demand — but our researchers found that Switzerland has 470 saunas listed on Google Places, giving a demand rate of just 5.7 searches per business.
To help identify the most in-demand businesses in each country, Remitly Business compared the number of monthly Google searches for each business type to the number of businesses of that type. We defined the businesses with the highest demand as those with the highest Google search volume compared to existing business numbers — i.e., demand relative to supply.
Key findings
Web users in Colombia make 281.8 monthly web searches for “kebab shop” per existing kebab shop — making it the most high-demand business compared to supply in any country.
Thrift stores are in high demand in India, Slovakia and Czechia, with over 100 searches per existing business in each country.
In the UK, the steak house is the most in-demand restaurant type, and cake shops are the most sought-after type of store.
U.S. insights
The most in-demand business type in the U.S. is “cat cafe,” with 257.7 monthly searches per business.
There are 4.6 searches for kebab shops per existing kebab shop, making it the most in-demand restaurant type in the U.S.
Thrift stores are the most in-demand retail business in the U.S., with a rate of 6.2 monthly searches per existing business.
Cat cafes have America’s highest demand-to-supply ratio
First, we identified the business type in every country with the most monthly searches compared to the number of existing businesses.
We found that Health & Beauty businesses of various types had the most promising demand levels in 38 countries, with Food and Drinks businesses top in 33 countries. Colombia has the most in-demand business relative to supply overall, with 281.8 monthly searches for “Kebab Shop” per existing business. The Health and Beauty business with the most demand anywhere in the world is “Sauna” in Argentina, with 104.0 searches per business. Learn more about doing business in Argentina(opens in new window) with our small business guide.
In the U.S., there are 67,000 monthly searches for “cat cafe” — but only 260 such establishments exist across the country. This makes 257.7 searches per cat cafe, suggesting this could be a good type of business to set up. The same can be said for Canada, where our analysis showed 113.8 searches per existing cat cafe in the country.
For the uninitiated, a cat cafe is a coffee shop that has its own cats that customers can observe or pet during their visit. The idea started in Taiwan and is popular in Japan, but U.S. cat cafes are restricted by safety regulations that require a separate room for the cats so that they are not around the food and drink.2
Kebabs are the most sought-after food (compared to supply) in Colombia and the U.S.
When we narrowed our analysis to restaurant businesses, we found that there are 7,310 monthly searches for Chinese Restaurants but only 73 such eateries in Slovenia — giving a search rate of 100.1 per existing business.
The Kebab Shop is the U.S.’s most in-demand restaurant business compared to supply (if “cat cafe” is primarily as an animal attraction rather than a cuisine). However, the demand is not exceedingly high: U.S. web users make 6,200 monthly searches for kebab shops, but there are 1,339 across the country, giving a demand rate of just 4.6 searches per business.
There are just 436 Turkish Restaurants in Canada, and this is Canada’s highest-demand eatery. However, with just 1,200 web searches per month, demand is still low — compared with other countries’ highest-demand restaurants — at just 2.8 searches per business.
Thrift store demand outstrips supply in 46 countries
Finally, we filtered the data to reveal the best type of retail store to start in every country.
“Thrift Store” is the number one type in each of the four countries with the highest-demand businesses (India, Czechia, Slovakia and Finland) and 46 countries altogether. Web users in India make 20,000 searches for thrift stores each month, but there are just 149 across the country. This gives a rate of 134.2 searches per existing business.
Thinking of working with suppliers or vendors in India? Read our guide on how to pay businesses in India from the U.S.(opens in new window)
Thrift stores are also the most in-demand retail business in the U.S., but with 21,410 thrift stores in the country, the demand rate is a relatively low 6.2 searches per business.
Beyond thrift stores, the retailer type with the highest demand in any country is Hardware Stores in Japan. There are 221,200 monthly searches for Japanese hardware stores but only 7,277 stores in the country, giving a rate of 30.4 searches per business.
Things to consider when starting a business in a new country
Starting a new business is a complex process, and it can be even more confusing when you’re starting one abroad. If you’re thinking of doing so, consider following some of these tips.
Research supply and demand. Inquire with local business forums and use tools like Google Trends to figure out what the local market needs — and what it already has enough of. If starting a small local business, consider walking the local area to get insight into supply.
Learn about the culture. Read up on the cultural differences between your home community and the one where you hope to start a business. Meet people locally to learn how business is conducted and any pitfalls to avoid.
Check out the tax implications. If you’re a U.S. citizen, your income is subject to U.S. income tax wherever you earn it.3 Speak to an advisor to find the best way to make money with a foreign business without being over-taxed.
Give as much as you take. Starting a business abroad means engaging not just with a market, but with a community. The more you offer of yourself and your ideas, while respecting the local culture and businesses, the more you will get back.
Set up your finances. As you immerse yourself in the culture, also ensure to immerse yourself in the business and financial rules of the country/countries where you’re operating. If you’re working with suppliers or contractors in another country, consider using Remitly Business(opens in new window) to send payments overseas.
Remitly Business is supported for businesses based in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and 23 European countries. To make sure your business is eligible, review the Business Account Agreement(opens in new window) and Acceptable Use Policy before signing up — these outline the business types we support and any restrictions that may apply in your region.
Methodology
To determine the best businesses to start in every country, we compared the monthly volume of Google searches with the number of currently operating establishments for each business type. The best business to start was defined as the type with the highest search volume relative to the number of businesses (i.e., the strongest demand relative to supply).
We started with a seed list of 100 business types on Google Places, including services, restaurants and stores. Then we identified the number of these businesses operating in each country using the Google Places API.
Next, we recorded the search volume for each business type on Ahrefs Keywords Explorer, using translated terms in each country's native language. Business types with fewer than 10 establishments in a country were filtered out.
Data is correct as of August 2026.
References
[1] Ahrefs (2026). Keyword=Sauna. https://app.ahrefs.com/keywords-explorer/google/ch/overview?keyword=sauna(opens in new window)
[2] The Cat Café (2026). What's A Cat Cafe? https://www.catcafesd.com/about(opens in new window)
[3] The Internal Revenue Service (2026). Frequently asked questions about international individual tax matters. https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/frequently-asked-questions-about-international-individual-tax-matters(opens in new window)
This publication is provided for general information purposes only and is not intended to cover all aspects of the topics discussed herein. This publication is not a substitute for seeking advice from an applicable specialist or professional. The content in this publication does not constitute legal, tax, or other professional advice from Remitly or any of its affiliates and should not be relied upon as such. While we strive to keep our posts up to date and accurate, we cannot represent, warrant or otherwise guarantee that the content is accurate, complete or up to date.
Business Guides from Remitly
A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Business in the US
Doing Business in Europe: 2026 Small Business Guide
Doing Business in Switzerland: 2026 Small Business Guide
Small Business FAQs: Essential Guidance for Business Owners
Take your business further
Wherever you decide to start your business, Remitly Business is built to help you send and receive payments across borders.