Everything You Need To Know About Selling Printables To Make Money (2024)

Selling printables on Etsy is the best side hustle out there right now.

Tons of women are making between $100-$1000+ a month selling printables online (see their success stories here).

My friend Julie sells printables on Etsy as a side hustle and she loves it because it’s passive income, meaning she essentially makes money in her sleep.

Find out how Julie earns $10,000/year selling printables on Etsy with thisfreevirtual training.

If you’re not sure what I’m talking about or interesting in learning more, you’re going to love this article!

What is a printable?

A printable is typically a digital file, usually a PDF that people can purchase and download right at home with their printers.

This is a great sell because people get their purchase immediately and can download the printable as many times as they want.

I love printables because they’re inexpensive and come in handy in many situations whether it be budgeting, organization, games, home decor, and so many other things.

The list is endless.

In this free training, learn which printables to sell to make money, how to start an Etsy shop, and how to 10x your Etsy sales.

Printables can be in the form of:

• Checklists
• Planners
• Calendars
• Worksheets
• Workbooks
• Home decor
• Quotes
• Habit trackers
• Games

For example, my friend Julie sells bachelorette scavenger hunt game printables [I know, so random, but sells like hot cakes on Etsy].

This is a popular sell because it’s an affordable way for bachelorette parties to spice up their night and have a lot of fun.

Related: 10 Printables You Can Make And Sell On Etsy

Below is an example of one of Julie’s printables she sells on Etsy.

Why creating and selling printables is a great side hustle

This is a fantastic side hustle for someone who wants multiple streams of income coming in.

This is exactly what I did in college and I loved having multiple sources of paychecks and cash always flowing into my bank account.

Making money with printables works like this:

• Create the printable
• Upload it to Etsy
• Get eyes on your Etsy shop and printables

People love this side hustle because it’s all done online.

You don’t need a store front and you don’t need to keep track of items and inventory. You get to work by yourself and set your own schedule.

You can also sign up for the freeThe Seasonal Products Secret guide that will help you see what are the best printables to sell.

How to know you shouldn’t create printables

I don’t recommend getting into this side hustle if you’re looking to build an online business that makes six-figures.

While there are some people who make six figures selling printables, it’s not all that common.

However, there are many people making $5,000-$50,000 a year selling printables online either with an Etsy shop or through their blog.

I do want to mention a couple people that are making a full-time living selling printables because it’s worth a mention.

A good example of someone making six-figures is Laura Smith from I Heart Planners, but it’s quite rare in my opinion.

There are other Etsy shop owners making $50,000+ a year with their printables like Michelle Rohr from The Secret Owl Society.

How much money can people make selling printables?

There are entrepreneurs making five-figures selling printables.

There are also people who spend a few hours a month making printables and create a passive income of $5,000 a year with their side hustle.It’s ultimately up to you how much money you make.

If you’re ready to start this side hustle today, check out the E-Printables Course that teaches you step-by-step how to make money selling printables on Etsy.

Below is a screenshot of Julie’s printable earning. Creating printables is not her full-time job, it’s only passive income on top of her main form of her income. $1,000+ a month is a lot in addition to her full-time job.

How to create printables

There are many different ways to create printables, but I find the easiest way is by using software like Canva or PicMonkey.

Another popular way is via Microsoft Word.

Some key tips to keep in mind are:

• Always check for grammar mistakes [have multiple friends or family members check for errors]
• Never copy other Etsy shop owners
• Put effort into your printables and ask yourself, “would I buy this?”
• Make sure your contact info is easily visible in case a customer has a problem

Programs to create printables

• Canva
• PicMonkey
• PhotoShop
• Microsoft Word

Creating printables doesn’t involve confusing software you’ve never used before.

You can even make printables using free tools like Canva, but I recommend paying for the pro version of Canva (typically $12 a month) because you get a ton of amazing features that make it worth the price.

This will help you make amazing printables that really stand out among others on Etsy.

How to make a printable with Canva

I use Canva for everything on my blog and even to make printables sometimes.

Here’s an easy process for making printables on Canva:

1. Create a Canva account and click Letterhead under recommended or type in Letterhead in the search bar. Click the first Letterhead templates that pops up (it’s the empty one).
2. Add texts, elements, backgrounds, etc. to create your printable.
3. Create the printable to your liking and export as a PDF.

Canva has some murky legal writing about creating printables on Canva and selling on Etsy.

For example, Canva has certain elements and fonts that require special licensing in order to use and resell.

Tricky and confusing, I know. I recommend reading Canva’s policy [if you don’t want to do that, read further].

You cannot use any of Canva’s premade templates and sell them as your own.

Tips for selling printables successfully

• Make your shop name easy to remember and type
• Listen to your customers
• Change what isn’t working
• Always edit and proofread printables

A couple examples of my favorite printable shops are:

• The Swag Elephant
• HelloLovelyPlanners

Are other people successful in selling Etsy printables?

Yes. You can do a quick search on Etsy and see all of the Etsy shops selling printables and how many orders they’ve had.

Many shops have over 1,000 orders and with the average printable costing $3, that’s well over $3,000.

Here are a few peoplesuccessfully selling printables:

• Jen atEdenwood Paperie. Aprintable event template that is totally customizable
• Rachel at Propserous Printables which has over 62 sales

How to find your niche

The important thing to remember is you can always change your niche.

I don’t recommend spending too much time on choosing your niche.

This can stall you for quite awhile because you want to make sure you do everything perfectly, but this also causes you to lose money since you’re spending so much time on it.

I find the best way to find your niche is by:

• Seeing what is popular and selling on Etsy
• A topic you’re naturally passionate about and enjoy
• Think about what kind of printables you’d want to buy and make those

How to find out what printables to make

• What do people need?
• What printables are people asking for?
• What kind of printable would help me in my life?

Where to sell your printables

• Etsy
• Shopify
• Your blog
• Facebook groups

How much to charge

The going rate for printables varies, with individual printables going for roughly $2-$5.

You can make a lot more money if you create a bundle pack, which can include anything from 5-20 printables.

There are even printable bundles out there that have 100+ pages included and these can go into the $50-$100 range.

When you create an Etsy shop, make it known that you offer this freelance service [if you want to make extra money].

Ways to make money selling printables

A great way to make money with printables is freelancing your services.

I’ve hired multiple people to make printables for me (including the owner of HelloLovelyPlannersmentioned above). Bloggers and influencers are always looking for people to make printables for them because it saves them time.

How to get eyes on your printables

• Facebook ads
• Use Pinterest marketing
• Tell your email list about them (if you have a blog)
• Set up affiliate partners to spread the word about your printables and get paid for it

Free guide on selling printables on Etsy

Are you wondering how to get started selling printables on Etsy? You may even be wondering what printables sell the best each month throughout the year.

If so, sign up for The Seasonal Products Secret [free guide] here.

This free guide teaches you how to capitalize on seasonal trends to make the most money.

How to get started right now

Selling printables on Etsy is the best side hustle out there right now.

Tons of women are making between $100-$1000+ a month selling printables online (see their success stories here).

This is the side hustle for you if you’re looking for something stress-free to start from home that also makes passive income.

You don’t need any previous experience to do this, you don’t need to be a graphic designer, and you don’t even need to be tech savvy for this. This is a great side hustle for someone low on time but wanting to make extra money.

Find out what kind of printables to make (so you can make the most money) and how to start an Etsy shop in this free training.

Final note

Most people are nervous before starting a side hustle or online business.

That’s a totally normal feeling. This means you’re about to do something uncomfortable and get outside of your comfort zone, but that’s where you grow.

Selling printables on Etsy is one of my favorite side hustles to recommend to people because it’s passive income and doesn’t require full-time work.

If you’re wanting to add another source of income to your life, start making printables today and list them on Etsy.

Do you want to sell printables as a side hustle?

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