If you’re creative, you should learn how to sell Canva templates and make money selling designs and printables.
After all, there’s plenty of money to be made with an online job like graphic design, and one of the best ways to start this business is to create and sell Canva templates.
We’ll cover everything from finding a design niche for your Canva template to setting up your own online shop.
So if you’re ready to start making money fast with designs, read on!
Selling Templates
If you’re a creative person, there’s a good chance you’ve thought about selling digital products online.
After all, there’s money to be made in the world of graphic design, and with the right tools and techniques, you could be well on your way to making a profit.
Ready to create passive income selling digital printables online?
Watch the FREE training below to learn everything you need to know to start making money today!
Why Sell?
There are a few reasons why someone might want to sell Canva templates.
Some people simply create Canva designs and templates and want to share their work with others. Others want to create a side hustle to make some extra cash that comes in without extra work!
One of the most significant benefits is that you can earn a passive income from selling templates. You can make money online even when you’re not actively working on new designs.
Another benefit is that you can completely control your Canva template designs. You can create any design you want without worrying about someone else stealing your work.
Who Buys Templates?
There is a growing market of online buyers who buy Canva templates. They prefer buying pre-made templates for a variety of reasons.
By purchasing a Canva template, buyers can get a head start on their projects and have a professional-looking design to work with as a starting point for their projects.
Creating a creative custom design from scratch can be time-consuming, especially if you aren’t a professional designer.
They’d rather save time and pay someone to design a professional-looking template than spend hours creating one themselves.
With a Canva template, they can get a great-looking design without putting in the extra effort to learn how to use design software.
They also buy templates to support the template creators. Some template buyers are happy to support those who create the templates they need and use.
This is especially true for small businesses and entrepreneurs who understand how hard it is to run a business. They may feel good about supporting someone else’s small business by purchasing their templates.
By buying a Canva template, they show appreciation for the creator’s hard work and design skills and help fund future template creation.
How To Sell Canva Templates
Selling templates can be a great way to make extra money on the side or even full-time, so let’s talk about how to sell Canva templates.
1. Get An Account
There are two different types of Canva accounts- free and Canva Pro.
The free Canva account is excellent for basic designs, while Canva Pro will give you access to extra features like the ability to create custom fonts and graphics and sell your templates in the Canva marketplace.
The free Canva account is excellent for starting your own business at a low start-up cost, even if it has some limitations in design. You can practice making your first Canva template using the free version and see if it is something you enjoy.
Once you understand how a Canva account works and are ready to make money with more designs, you can upgrade from the Free Canva account to take your design skills and make money in many ways!
Canva Pro is $12.99/month or $119 if you pay annually, but we think the price is worth some of the extra features. If you’re serious about making and selling templates (or printables), you can easily make back that money.
2. Pick Your Template Idea
When picking a Canva template to sell, it’s essential to consider what will be most popular and valuable for other Canva users.
A great way to come up with ideas for templates is to look at other popular templates on Canva and see what you could improve upon.
Are people looking for vectors for articles and blogs? Do businesses need clean components for advertisements?
You can create many types of templates, but you want to make sure you pick a select few so that your work is fruitful and profitable before expanding and putting tons of hours into designing products to sell.
You can also look for popular digital products on other sites like Etsy and see if there’s a way to design templates like them in Canva.
3. Create Canva Templates
Designing templates is the fun part!
You can either create your own Canva template from scratch or use one of Canva’s many built-in templates as a starting point to alter for new purposes.
If you’re starting from scratch, think about what kind of design would be most appealing to your target customer. You want to design a template that is easy to use and can be used for various purposes but also sticks out for its looks and design.
For example, a clean and corporate look is probably a good idea to sell templates to businesses.
If you’re targeting the individual Canva user, on the other hand, you might want to go for something a little more fun and creative.
4. Get Designs Ready To Deliver
Once you have created a beautiful design in Canva, it’s time to export it for sale! When your digital products are exported, it’s ready to be delivered to your customer.
Depending on your needs, there are a few different ways to deliver digital products:
Online Marketplace
If you’re selling your design through an online marketplace, you’ll need to export it as an image file. To do this, select the “Download” option from the toolbar above the canvas.
You can choose to download your design as a JPG, PNG, or PDF file.
PDF Deliverable
If you want to deliver a print-ready PDF deliverable, select the “PDF” option from the toolbar above the canvas if you want a print-ready PDF deliverable.
Your file will be downloaded as a PDF, ready to print!
Template Sharing
If you want to share your design online with a shareable template link, select the “Share” option from the toolbar above the canvas.
You’ll be able to copy the template link to your design, which you can then share with anyone you’d like!
5. Start Your Shop Page
Creating a shop to sell your Canva templates is a great way to make extra money and see your work by more people.
Here are a few tips for getting started:
1. Choose the right platform. You can use many different platforms to set up a shop, such as an Etsy shop or a Shopify store. Each has its pros and cons, including the costs of doing business, so it’s important to research which one will work best for you.
2. Create attractive listings. Like any product, your templates must have well-written, eye-catching listings for better sales. Make sure to include high-quality photos and detailed descriptions.
3. Set fair prices. Pricing your templates too high will discourage buyers, but pricing them too low can make it hard to earn profits. Once you’ve picked your templates and designed them, see what price competitors are selling their templates at.
4. Promote your shop. Once you’ve set up your shop, promote it on social media, your own business website, and other online platforms. This will help you reach a wider audience and sell more templates.
Template Ideas
Some of the popular template ideas to sell are:
- Sticker packs
- Card templates
- Social media graphics
- Planners and journals
- Social media templates, like Instagram post templates
- Recipe card templates
- Blog graphics
- Social media banners
Design Tips
When selling Canva templates, there are a few things to keep in mind to make the process as smooth as possible:
Find Out What Sells Best
If you’re a Canva user, you know that there are countless templates to choose from when you’re looking to create social media graphics or design.
But have you ever wondered which ones sell the best?
If you’re thinking about creating your own template, it’s worth researching which designs are in high demand before making your first template.
See which ones are the most popular and try to identify what makes them successful.
Don’t forget to test your template before making it available for sale. Maybe start by offering it free to a small group of people and getting their feedback.
Make sure it’s easy to use and that people want to buy it before putting it up for sale!
Look For Inspiration
When you’re starting to sell digital products, it can be helpful to look for inspiration. This can come from other designers’ work, online templates, or even designs you see in the real world.
Once you’ve found some inspiration, figure out what you like about the design. Is it the overall aesthetic? The use of color? The way the text is laid out?
You can start incorporating those elements into your own template when you’ve pinpointed what it is you like or what buyers demand.
By taking inspiration from other sources, you can create unique designs and stand out from the competition.
Get Artsy
It’s essential to make them stand out from the rest when creating templates to sell. One way to do this is by adding artsy touches that make them look stylish and professional.
Here are a few tips for doing just that:
Use Free Elements: A free Canva account offers a wide variety of free elements that you can use to jazz up your templates. There’s no shortage of ways to add extra flair, from illustrations and icons to frames and patterns.
Choose Another Helpful Online Design Tool: Canva is an excellent option for creating templates, but other online design tools can also be used to incorporate more into your work. Some of these include Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Inkscape.
Add unique touches: If you’re artistic, you may have your own style and way of drawing or designing- that may be a great way to tick out and draw in buyers!
Clear (But Fun!) Fonts
Use fonts that are easy-to-read on any template you make.
Like this picture! Do you actually read wine or do you see something a little… different?
Using easy-to-read fonts doesn’t mean you have to stick to bland, standard fonts, but buyers need to be able to read to buy!
There is plenty of fun, clear fonts out there that will make your design elements look great. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Roboto
- League Spartan
- Sanchez
- Montserrat
- Proxima Nova
- Playlist Script
- Trocchi
If you want to add a little personality to your templates with your own fonts, try using a script or handwritten font. Just make sure it’s still easy to read!
Make Things Simple
Try to make things simple for your customers, and as template designers and users, we have plenty of advice!
Use easy-to-read fonts and keep your design elements simple and organized. Consult with friends to ensure your template reads well and does what it should for users.
You can also simplify things for your customers by providing clear template links. When someone clicks on a link to download your template, they should be taken directly to the template page on Canva.
If you’re selling digital products, you must ensure that your customers can easily download and use your templates.
Ensure your template files are compatible with the most popular design software programs, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
Making things simple for your customers will help them use and enjoy your templates and make it more likely that they’ll purchase more templates from you in the future.
Setting Up Shop
Setting up a shop to sell templates can be a great way to make passive income, and many don’t take too much effort to set up and manage.
Here are 4 platforms you should explore for your shop options:
Shopify
If you’re serious about selling Canva templates, using Shopify is a great way to get started, and it’s our top pick- we even use it for our printables and templates!
With its ease of use and powerful features, Shopify can help you build a successful online business selling Canva templates.
You can create a professional-looking online store that is easy to set up and manage by using Shopify.
You can also use Shopify’s built-in marketing tools to help promote your templates and drive traffic to your store, which means more money in your pocket.
A sales page will help increase traffic and conversions, providing you with a platform to showcase your work.
Etsy
Creating an Etsy shop page is also a great way to start selling the templates you create on Canva. It’s a huge website that reaches millions of users every day!
To get started, go to Etsy and click ‘Sell on Etsy’ at the top of the page. From there, you’ll be able to create your shop and start listing your templates on your sales page.
Be sure to include detailed photos and descriptions, so buyers know exactly what they’re getting when buying printables from your Etsy shop.
Use the keywords in your shop title and description to help potential buyers find your templates quicker.
You can also use Etsy’s marketing tools, like Ads, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest marketing, to help promote your templates and drive sales.
Your Own Website
By having your own website, you’ll better control the sales process and ensure customers have a good experience.
Plus, it’s a great way to showcase your work as a professional and build your reputation as a designer.
Use a web host like BlueHost to set up your website. They offer free domain names and easy-to-use website builders!
Once your website is set up, you can create landing pages or a blog post for each template link. It gives potential buyers more information about you and your products than a third-party platform.
Be sure to include plenty of photos and a complete description of each template, and include clear links to your templates so customers can easily find them.
Creative Market
Creative Market is an excellent platform for selling Canva templates. It’s easy to use and has a wide range of products, making it an excellent choice for designers looking to sell their work.
By listing your templates on Creative Market, you’ll be able to reach a wide range of potential customers and make some extra money doing what you love.
It’s essential to set a fair price for your templates. If you’re unsure what to charge, look at similar products on the site and price your own templates accordingly.
Also, when listing your templates on Creative Market, add clear product images and a detailed description. This will help customers understand what they’re buying and ensure they’re happy with their purchase.
Tips For Your Templates Business
If you want to start selling the templates you make on Canva, we recommend checking out this free eBook on selling products online.
We also have some tips to help get you started and keep your business running smoothly:
Plan A Return Policy
Up above, this is an example of our return policy from our Shopify store. It helps customers know what to expect from us and keep things on the up and up when they buy from us.
When selling a template on Canva, have a clear and concise return policy so both you and the customer know what happens in the event of a dispute.
The return policy should be prominently displayed on your template listing and should include the following information:
- What is your refund policy?
- Are there any conditions under which a refund won’t happen?
- How long does the customer have to request a refund?
- What is the process for requesting a refund?
Make Good Descriptions With SEO
When you make a template on Canva, make a good description and use SEO to make it easy to find online.
The best way to write a good description is to be clear about the template and what it can be used for and mention any special features.
If you don’t know about SEO (search engine optimization), you can learn from this simple course, but here is some info to get you started.
For SEO, you need keywords that people use to find products. If it’s a template, it may be ‘easy to use template,’ ‘template to edit,’ or other options with graphics info, industry uses, or more.
For example, this article has an SEO keyword of ‘how to sell Canva templates’ because that’s exactly what people want to know!
Watermark Your Work
It’s a good idea to protect the templates you create is a good idea by watermarking them.
This will ensure that people know the templates are yours and discourage others from stealing them when you list them on your website or a third-party shopping platform.
There are a few ways to do this in Adobe Photoshop. The first is to simply add your logo or website URL in the corner of each template design.
You can also create a transparent watermark and place it over your templates. This is especially useful to avoid having your design screenshotted and plagiarized.
FAQs
What is a Canva template?
A Canva template is a pre-designed graphic that can be used to create various designs. They can be customized to match someone’s brand identity and much more.
For example, a Canva template can be used to create an infographic, a flyer, or a blog post graphic.
All someone needs to do is choose a template that fits their specific design needs and then customize it with their own text, images, and colors.
Do I need to know how to use a graphics program to create a template on Canva?
If you’re unfamiliar with a graphics program, don’t worry- with a bit of time and effort, anyone can create unique designs using Canva.
You can check YouTube for tutorials and online articles to get step-by-step directions, but trust me when I say it’s pretty easy to navigate!
Who buys templates made on Canva?
People who buy templates made on Canva usually look for a quick and easy way to create professional-looking designs.
Templates are an ideal solution for those who don’t have the time or budget to hire a professional designer.
Can I legally sell the templates I create on Canva?
You can’t use Pro content in templates of any type, including website templates, social networking websites, documents, projects, or otherwise for distribution and/or sale to third parties unless it’s a template created for usage on Canva (i.e., a template that brings your customers back to design on Canva).
How do I ensure someone doesn’t resell my template after buying it?
There is no way to stop someone from reselling your template after buying it on Canva or most sites.
The best thing to do is include a clause in your terms and conditions that prohibits the buyer from reselling the template.
You could include a statement like: “This template is for personal use only and may not be resold.”
How do I set the prices for my templates?
When setting the price for your templates, there are a few things to consider.
- First, consider how much time and effort you put into creating the template. You might want to charge more if you spent significant time perfecting the design.
- Secondly, consider the value that your template will provide to users. If your template is unique and will save users time and money, you can justify charging a higher price.
- Finally, pay attention to what similar templates are selling for. If you price your template too high, you may have trouble finding buyers; if you price it too low, you may not be making enough profit.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for more income you can earn passively, you should start selling digital products like Canva templates.
People have a high demand for artistic works for professional businesses, and Canva is an excellent platform for creating designs.
You can use it to create templates that sell right away and create a stream of passive income.
With a little effort, you can start making money from your Canva templates in no time!