Step-by-Step Guide to Earning from Selling Templates
Today, selling templates online has become a smart and popular way to earn money. It doesn’t require big investments, technical degrees, or huge teams. You can start it as a side hustle or even turn it into a full-time business.
In this article, I’ll guide you step-by-step in a very simple, understandable, and clean way so you can start earning money by selling templates successfully.
What are Templates?
Templates are ready-to-use designs or documents that help people save time. Instead of creating something from scratch, people prefer to buy templates and customize them.
✅ Examples of Templates:
- Resumes
- Business Cards
- Social Media Posts
- Website Layouts
- Presentation Slides (PowerPoint/Google Slides)
- Invoices
- Wedding Invitations
- Business Planners
- Ebooks
Why Selling Templates is a Great Business Idea?
- Passive Income: Create once, sell many times.
- Low Start-up Cost: You only need a laptop and internet.
- Huge Demand: Entrepreneurs, students, marketers — everyone needs templates.
- No Shipping Required: 100% digital — fast and easy.
Step-by-Step Guide to Start Earning by Selling Templates
Step 1: Choose Your Niche 🎯
First, decide what kind of templates you want to sell.
Some profitable niches are:
- Business Templates (Invoices, Proposals, Contracts)
- Education Templates (Study Planners, Project Reports)
- Creative Templates (Resumes, Portfolios, Invitations)
- Marketing Templates (Social Media Posts, Email Templates)
👉 Tip: Start with a niche you enjoy or understand well.
Example: If you love design, start with social media post templates.
Step 2: Research Market Demand 🔍
Before creating anything, research what is selling.
- Visit platforms like Etsy, Creative Market, Canva, and Envato Elements.
- Search for “Templates” and see:
- What types are popular?
- What designs people love?
- What price range they fall in?
✅ Example:
You find that “Instagram Post Templates for Coaches” are in high demand — that’s a good target.
Step 3: Choose Your Tools 🛠️
You need a tool to design your templates.
Best tools for beginners:
- Canva (free and paid versions)
- Adobe Illustrator (advanced)
- Figma (great for website templates)
- Google Docs/Slides (for planners, ebooks)
👉 Tip: Start with Canva if you’re a beginner. It’s very easy and offers professional results.
Step 4: Create High-Quality Templates 🎨
Now, start designing your templates.
Make sure they are:
✅ Easy to edit (buyers should easily customize colors, text, fonts)
✅ Professional-looking (clean, neat, attractive)
✅ Well-organized (use proper headings, sections)
✅ Useful (solves a real problem for the buyer)
✅ Example:
If you are creating a resume template:
- Use simple fonts.
- Keep margins and spacings clean.
- Highlight sections like “Experience”, “Education”, and “Skills”.
👉 Tip: Always create a few sample pages (like cover page, inner page) so buyers can see the full style.
Step 5: Prepare Downloadable Files 📁
After designing, save your template in appropriate formats.
✅ Common file types:
- DOCX (Microsoft Word)
- PPT (PowerPoint)
- Canva Template Link
- PSD (Photoshop)
👉 Tip: Offer editable files whenever possible. People love flexibility.
Step 6: Create Product Previews 📸
Good mockups and product images make a huge difference.
✅ Create:
- Beautiful screenshots of your template
- Mockup images (like a resume shown on a laptop screen)
👉 Tip: Use free mockup tools like SmartMockups, Canva, or Placeit.net to create stunning previews.
Remember: People buy what they see.
Step 7: Set Up Your Online Store 🛒
Now, you need to sell your templates online.
You have two options:
Option 1: Sell on Marketplaces
- Etsy
- Creative Market
- Gumroad
- Design Bundles
Option 2: Create Your Own Website
- Shopify
- Wix
- WordPress + WooCommerce
👉 Tip: If you’re a beginner, start with marketplaces like Etsy — easy setup, instant buyers.
Step 8: Price Your Templates 💵
Pricing is important.
✅ General pricing ideas:
- Simple Templates: $5–$15
- Medium Complexity: $15–$50
- Full Template Bundles: $50–$200
👉 Tip: Start with lower prices to get first customers and reviews. Then, increase your prices gradually.
Step 9: Write a Great Product Description ✍️
Your product description should be:
✅ Clear
✅ Simple
✅ Highlight benefits
✅ Explain how buyers can use the template
✅ Example:
Title: Modern Minimalist Resume Template for Canva | Easy to Edit
Description:
- Fully customizable in Canva (Free Account)
- 2 Pages (Resume + Cover Letter)
- Instant Download
- Perfect for Job Applications, Internships, and Professional Profiles
👉 Tip: Always mention what’s included and how it helps the buyer.
Step 10: Promote Your Templates 📢
Just listing templates is not enough — you need promotion.
✅ How to promote:
- Pinterest: Best platform for template sellers.
- Instagram: Share your designs.
- Blog: Write articles about resumes, planners, or social media marketing tips.
- Email Marketing: Build an email list to sell directly.
- Collaborations: Partner with influencers or bloggers.
👉 Tip: Pinterest is extremely powerful for selling digital products — focus on it.
Bonus Tips to Sell More Templates 🚀
✅ Offer Bundle Deals
Example: Instead of selling 1 Instagram post template, offer a bundle of 30 templates at a better price.
✅ Provide Usage Instructions
Include a simple “How to Use” PDF guide along with your templates.
✅ Upsell
After purchase, offer additional templates at a discounted price.
✅ Stay Updated
Keep updating your templates with new designs, trends, and ideas.
How Much Can You Earn?
✅ Beginners: $200 to $800/month
✅ Intermediate: $1,000 to $3,000/month
✅ Experts: $5,000+/month
Some template creators even make $10,000+ monthly with smart marketing and quality designs!
Real Success Story Example ✨
Sarah, a teacher from Texas, started selling study planners on Etsy.
- She spent weekends designing templates.
- Started with just 5 products.
- Promoted on Pinterest.
- After 6 months, she was earning over $2,500/month!
- Now she has a full online store with planners, schedules, and printables!
👉 Moral: It’s possible for YOU too — with consistency and smart work.
Final Words 🌟
Selling templates is one of the simplest, smartest, and most scalable ways to earn online.
You can start today even if you are a beginner — no big budget, no big risks.
Follow this guide step-by-step:
- Choose a niche
- Research the market
- Create beautiful templates
- Sell on marketplaces
- Promote your products
- Grow slowly but surely
✨ One good template can be sold hundreds (even thousands) of times!
Stay focused. Stay creative. Your passive income journey can start right here, right now.