10 Raspberry Pi Projects You Can Build in Under an Hour (No Extra Hardware Needed)

Whenever I discuss hardware projects with other developers, I hear the same excuse: “Raspberry Pi projects take too much time and require a lot of hardware.” But that’s not entirely true, and that’s exactly why I’m writing this article. I’ll show you some Raspberry Pi projects you can build in under an hour, some of them in less than 15 minutes.

Many Raspberry Pi projects can be completed in a short amount of time with very few resources. These include setting up a retro gaming console, creating an ad blocker, configuring a media center, and many more.

If you have a spare Raspberry Pi lying around, or you’ve just picked up your very first board and want to try something fun, this article is perfect for you. I’ll walk you through a set of projects you can quickly spin up and start playing with right away.

If you’re looking for inspiration for your next Raspberry Pi project, I’ve put together a list of 75+ ideas with full descriptions, difficulty ratings, and links to tutorials. Whether you’re a beginner or more advanced, there’s something here for you. Grab the list for free here!

Turn Your Raspberry Pi into a Retro Gaming Console

The first easy-to-set-up project is creating your own retro gaming console. If you’re anything like me and miss the good old days of playing classics like Super Mario, Sonic, or Street Fighter, then you’re going to love this one.

The good part is that you don’t have to go through the process of installing a lot of software to make this work. All you need to install a Retro-Gaming OS, and you are good to go. Currently, there are three most popular operating systems for retro-gaming: RetroPie, Lakka, and Batocera.

For this article, I will walk you through using Retro-Pie. RetroPie is an image designed for the Raspberry Pi that transforms your Raspberry Pi into a retro gaming console, allowing you to emulate classic systems such as the NES, SNES, and PlayStation.

Installing Retro-Pie is easy, as it is already available in the official Raspberry Pi Imager. Alternatively, you can also download the official image from the official RetroPie website.

The installation process is pretty straightforward if you’re already familiar with installing an operating system on a Raspberry Pi.

However, if you prefer a step-by-step walkthrough, be sure to check out our beginner’s guide article on setting up RetroPie on the Raspberry Pi. This article will also guide you through the process of installing your favorite retro games.

My advice for this project is to get a controller like this one from Amazon. Yes, there are games that you would easily play using your keyboard and mouse, but having a controller always takes things to the next level.

Alternatively, if you have some Bluetooth controllers lying around and don’t want to buy one now, then you can refer to this guide on how to configure Bluetooth controllers with RetroPie.

This project is pretty easy to set up. The only process that might be a little bit time-consuming is just downloading and installing the RetroPie OS. Once you are done with that bit, which is actually easy, you are good to go.

Block Ads Like a Pro

Blocking annoying ads on your devices can be a real headache. You can install an ad-blocker on your laptop, but then you have to do the same for your phone and every other device you use. And even then, some websites or apps might bypass your browser-based blocker.

But what if you could set up a network-wide ad blocker using your Raspberry Pi and automatically filter ads for every device? That is the project we will look at in this section.

Pi-hole and AdGuard Home are two of the most popular tools for this. They act as DNS-level ad blockers, filtering unwanted ads and trackers across your entire network with just a single Raspberry Pi.

For this project, I won’t recommend one tool over another. You can use whichever you prefer. I’ve worked with both, and they’re almost identical in terms of setup and day-to-day use. The installation process is straightforward for each, and the interfaces are simple to navigate.

If you prefer Pi-hole’s popularity and large community, follow our Pi-hole installation guide. But if you’d rather use the more modern and regularly updated AdGuard Home, you can check out our step-by-step guide for setting up AdGuard on Raspberry Pi instead.

Raspberry Pi Internet Speed Monitor

Another simple and genuinely useful project you can build is turning your Raspberry Pi into an Internet speed monitor.

For a personal home setup, it might not feel necessary, but if you’re managing a setup with several devices connected to the internet, then it’s the perfect way to keep an eye on your network’s performance.

The idea here is pretty straightforward: instead of manually running speed tests on your laptop or phone whenever the internet feels slow, your Raspberry Pi can automatically track your upload and download speeds throughout the day.

To make this work, we’ll be using Speedtest CLI, a lightweight tool from Ookla that lets you run internet speed tests directly from the terminal. You may already be familiar with speedtest.net, where you check internet speed on your browser, as shown in the image above. But for this project, we will be utilizing the CLI utility.

This project is extremely beginner-friendly and can be set up in a few minutes. You can check out the full guide in our article How to Monitor Internet Speed on Raspberry Pi (CLI & Python), which walks you through the installation process step-by-step.

Once it’s installed, you can take this project even further by creating a small script that logs your results into a file or spreadsheet. Some people even push the data to Grafana or Home Assistant to visualize their speed changes throughout the day.

My advice for this project is to set the script to run every hour or so using a cron job. That way, you’ll automatically build a history of your internet performance without ever touching the Raspberry Pi.

Build a Raspberry Pi Home Media Center

Another interesting and easy-to-set-up project is turning your Raspberry Pi into a home media center. This is actually one of my favorite projects. I am not a big fan of TV, so I always want a setup where I can stream my media – be it local or online.

The Raspberry Pi can be transformed into the ultimate media center. With the right software, it can serve movies, TV shows, live TV, and music to other devices in the home.

Now, there are different software programs you can use to achieve this. We actually have a whole article that lists the media center software that you can install for your Raspberry Pi. Here, I am referring to Plex, Kodi, Jellyfin, Volumio, etc.

Now, I won’t lie and say I don’t have a favorite option. Personally, I really enjoy using Kodi and Plex media server.

They’re both powerful, easy to navigate, and work perfectly on the Raspberry Pi. For this section, I’ll focus mainly on Kodi, as it’s the simplest and fastest option to get up and running.

The easiest way to get started is by using LibreELEC. LibreELEC is a lightweight distribution with a minimal OS that is just enough to run Kodi. It’s fast, stable, and works perfectly on almost any Raspberry Pi model. But LibreELEC isn’t your only option.

You can also explore OSMC. It is a lightweight Linux distribution designed specifically to run Kodi on the Raspberry Pi.

Once you have a media center set up, there is so much you can do. For example, you can decide to stream online or stream your local movies using your other devices, like a mobile phone. Additionally, with software like Kodi, you can install various add-ons, including ones that will enable you to watch your favorite sports.

Make Your Old Printer Smart

If you have an old printer lying around, your Raspberry Pi can instantly turn it into a smart, network-enabled printer that every device in your home can use.

When I say “old printer,” I’m simply referring to those printer models that only support a direct PC to printer connection, usually through a USB or proprietary cable, and don’t have any built-in Wi-Fi or smart features.

There’s only one main piece of software involved here, called CUPS. It turns your Raspberry Pi into a print server, allowing you to add and manage multiple printers from one place. We already have an article on how to install and set up CUPS on the Raspberry Pi that you can follow.

However, before you proceed, it is important to know that CUPS is pre-installed in recent releases of Raspberry Pi OS with Desktop. So if you just installed the desktop edition, you don’t need to manually install it. If you find the “Printers” tab under the Control Centre tool, you already have it.

Or, use the command below to check if you already have CUPS set up in your system:
sudo dpkg -l | grep cups

After installing CUPS, you might be wondering, what’s next? Well, the concept behind this project is actually straightforward.

You connect your printer to the Raspberry Pi using a standard USB cable. From there, the Raspberry Pi acts as a middleman for all your printing tasks. Whenever you send a print command from your laptop, phone, or tablet, the Raspberry Pi receives it over your network and relays it directly to the printer.

This effectively gives your old printer “smart” capabilities, letting it work wirelessly without built-in Wi-Fi or network features. Pretty cool, right?

While it won’t magically add advanced features like scanning or mobile printing apps, it’s a simple and powerful way to make an old printer much more useful in your home setup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uW03T28qcE

Stream Music to an Old Speaker

If you’ve got an old speaker collecting dust, your Raspberry Pi can easily turn it into a modern streaming device. Whether it’s a Bluetooth speaker or a classic wired unit, the Raspberry Pi provides a simple way to bring it back into your daily setup.

You can connect the speakers to the Raspberry Pi wirelessly via Bluetooth (if the speaker supports it) or use the 3.5 mm audio jack for wired output. Please note that the Raspberry Pi 5 no longer has an audio jack, so you may need a USB audio adapter for this option.

Once your speaker is connected, the Raspberry Pi basically becomes the brain of your audio rig. Instead of relying on the speaker’s limited features, you can use the Pi to stream anything – music, podcasts, radio, playlists, or even ambient background sounds.

To handle the actual streaming, you can install apps like YouTube, Volumio, or MoOde, depending on your preferred method of organizing content. YouTube is perfect for quick listening without any setup, Volumio can give you a Spotify-like experience across multiple devices, and MoOde is for audiophile tinkerers chasing that perfect sound.

Make Money with a Raspberry Pi

Maybe you didn’t know, but yes, you can actually make a bit of money with your Raspberry Pi, and there are a few different ways to do it. Some people try crypto-mining using the Raspberry Pi’s CPU, while others rent out unused storage space on their device.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvkaXj2Dca8

Unfortunately, these methods are usually slow, complicated to set up, and in most cases, the earnings are so tiny that it’s hardly worth the effort. That’s why, for this project, I prefer focusing on EarnApp.

EarnApp is an application that allows you to earn income by sharing your unused internet bandwidth. Out of all the money-making options available for the Raspberry Pi, EarnApp is by far the easiest and most beginner-friendly.

You simply install the app, link your account, and let your Raspberry Pi run in the background. The app uses a small portion of your internet bandwidth and pays you a small amount over time. It’s not life-changing money, but it’s much more straightforward than running crypto miners or storage-sharing nodes.

What I like about EarnApp is that, even though the earnings come in small amounts, you can easily boost them by connecting more devices. For example, in my case, I have a Raspberry Pi, a mobile phone, and two other PCs at work that all contribute to the total.

The more devices you add, the faster the balance grows, which makes EarnApp far more practical than options like crypto mining, where the returns are extremely low on a Raspberry Pi. Of course, there are rules to be aware of that we discuss in-depth in our article linked above.

Turn Your Raspberry Pi into a Torrent Box

Turning your Raspberry Pi into a dedicated torrent box is one of the simplest and most practical projects you can build. It doesn’t require advanced Linux skills, and most popular torrent clients work perfectly on the Raspberry Pi with minimal setup.

The setup is straightforward: install your preferred torrent client, configure basic download settings, and optionally enable remote access so you can manage everything from your phone or laptop. Since the Raspberry Pi uses very little electricity, you can leave it running 24/7 without worrying about your power bill.

If you want to explore your options, we already have a detailed guide you can link to: Best Apps to Use Your Raspberry Pi as a Torrent Box, which compares the top choices:

1. qBittorrent: According to my tests on Raspberry Pi, qBittorrent is currently the most advanced solution for managing torrent downloads. All the best features are built in, you can add plugins, and having the web interface available from any device on your network is really great.
2. Transmission: Transmission is lightweight, fast, and extremely easy to configure, making it perfect for beginners. It’s actually the one I use personally, mainly because I only download torrent files a few times a month and don’t need anything overly advanced.
3. Deluge: I have not worked extensively with Deluge. I haven’t tried many things about it, but feel free to check it out. It might be the solution you’re looking for.

You can choose any of these based on your needs, but the overall setup process is pretty simple.

Host a Minecraft Server on Raspberry Pi

Hosting your own Minecraft server on a Raspberry Pi is one of the most rewarding projects you can try. It gives you a private world to explore with friends or family, and the Pi (especially a Pi 4 or Pi 5) is powerful enough to handle small groups of players without breaking a sweat.

It’s also extremely cost-efficient. The Pi runs silently, uses very little power, and can stay online 24/7 without adding much to your electricity bill.

There are different ways to host Minecraft on a Raspberry Pi, and beginners are often unsure which server type to choose. You’ll see options like the vanilla Minecraft Server, Spigot, and PaperMC.

While all three work, my recommended option is PaperMC because it’s faster to install, more optimized out of the box, and handles plugins more efficiently. This makes a big difference on a low-power device like the Pi, especially if you plan to add any gameplay enhancements or allow multiple players.

We already have a full guide on our site that walks you through setting up a Minecraft server on Raspberry Pi. From installing PaperMC to configuring performance settings, managing your world, and keeping the server running smoothly.

Capture and Stream Video

If you’re interested in turning your Raspberry Pi into a small streaming or recording station, OBS Studio is one of the best tools you can use. While there are other lightweight capture applications available, OBS remains the most popular option for beginners and advanced users alike.

OBS Studio allows you to record your screen, capture video from a camera module or USB webcam, and stream directly to platforms like YouTube, Twitch, or Facebook Live.

The Raspberry Pi (especially the Pi 4 and Pi 5) is surprisingly capable when it comes to handling video tasks. With OBS Studio, you can combine multiple sources—your desktop screen, a webcam, images, overlays, and audio—into one polished layout.

This makes it perfect for tutorials, gaming footage, live events, or even simple home surveillance recordings. While it won’t match the performance of a high-end PC, the Pi does a great job for lightweight streaming and low-resolution recording.

What makes OBS ideal for Raspberry Pi users is its customizable setup. You can adjust the bitrate, encoder, frame rate, and resolution to match your Pi model’s performance.

For example, if you have a Raspberry Pi 5, you can comfortably record or stream in 720p. For slightly older Raspberry Pi models, you may want to scale down slightly. With a bit of tweaking, you can achieve surprisingly good quality without overheating or dropping frames.

We already have a complete guide on our site that walks you through installing and configuring OBS Studio on the Raspberry Pi. It covers everything from setup to creating your first scenes, so you can get your streaming or recording workflow running smoothly in no time.

In this article, I have only covered 10 projects. But there are many others that you can do in a short amount of time, like these 11 fun weekend projects. And if you’re just getting started with your Raspberry Pi, be sure to have a look at some of our recommended beginner-friendly projects.

Whenever you’re ready, here are other ways I can help you:

Test Your Raspberry Pi Level (Free): Not sure why everything takes so long on your Raspberry Pi? Take this free 3-minute assessment and see what’s causing the problems.

The RaspberryTips Community: Need help or want to discuss your Raspberry Pi projects with others who actually get it? Join the RaspberryTips Community and get access to private forums, exclusive lessons, and direct help.

Master your Raspberry Pi in 30 days: If you are looking for the best tips to become an expert on Raspberry Pi, this book is for you. Learn useful Linux skills and practice multiple projects with step-by-step guides.

Master Python on Raspberry Pi: Create, understand, and improve any Python script for your Raspberry Pi. Learn the essentials step-by-step without losing time understanding useless concepts.

You can also find all my recommendations for tools and hardware on this page.