You might be surprised to learn that Canva templates could generate over $7,000 in just two months. These numbers come from my own experience selling templates on my website during November-December 2023.
Canva templates have emerged as a popular choice to earn passive income from design work. My side income stream now averages over a thousand dollars every month. The market responds quickly – you can start earning money just days after launching your products. Canva’s free-to-start approach makes it available to anyone who wants to build an online income stream.
This step-by-step piece will show you exactly how to make money selling Canva templates, whether you’re a design professional or just starting with digital products. We’ll cover everything from profitable niches to shop setup and product promotion. These elements will help turn your Canva skills into a steady income source.
Want to learn how to create and sell Canva templates that customers actually want to buy? Let’s take a closer look!
Understand the Canva Template Opportunity
The Canva template market offers amazing chances for growth. Canva’s powerful design platform has 135 million active monthly users worldwide. Creating and selling templates lets you tap into this huge and growing market.
Why Canva templates are just what people need
Canva has changed the way people think about design. People really need these templates because:
Canva’s user-friendly platform makes it easy for anyone to customize templates. You can create professional-looking content in minutes, even without design experience. Third-party templates give users unique designs and special features that you won’t find in Canva’s own collection.
The numbers are impressive – over 220 million monthly active users spread across 179 countries. Canva also has a huge content library with over 100 million assets. This creates a perfect environment where templates can thrive.
Template creators should know that 85% of Fortune 500 companies use Canva. Your templates could help both small business owners and big corporations get things done.
Who buys Canva templates and why they buy them
My experience selling templates shows these main customer groups:
- Small business owners and entrepreneurs who want professional branding but lack design skills or time
- Social media managers who want to keep their content consistent without hiring designers
- Educators and professionals looking for presentation templates and documents
- Freelancers and consultants who need business proposals and client materials
These buyers share similar reasons for buying. Even though Canva is easy to use, most people don’t like starting from scratch. Business proposal creators know that good visuals help close deals. They buy templates to save time and look professional.
There’s another reason why templates sell well. Canva’s library has single designs, but third-party sellers offer complete template packages. This helps businesses create a consistent brand image that really matters.
You might wonder if the market is too crowded
People often ask me if there are too many template sellers now. The numbers tell a different story.
Template buyers still outnumber sellers by a lot. The online world is full of people with different needs and design preferences. Each customer has specific design requirements that only certain templates can meet.
Successful template sellers show there’s room for everyone. One seller says, “I have not one but TWO profitable Canva template shops”. This shows you can succeed in different ways.
Your unique point of view and skills make you stand out. Nobody knows your target audience like you do. This means you can create templates that perfectly match their needs. Your special approach and design style can attract loyal customers, even in crowded categories.
The competition is real, but new sellers can still succeed by finding their niche and being different. The Canva template market keeps growing as more people use the platform. This creates new chances for designers to join and succeed.
Choose the Right Niche and Template Type
A profitable niche forms the foundations of a successful Canva template business. My experience selling Canva templates has taught me that targeting specific audiences works better than creating general designs. Let me show you how to find your perfect template niche and boost your earnings.
How to research profitable niches
You need to do proper market research before designing your first template. I start by searching my product idea on Google and Etsy to see what’s available and spot potential gaps in the market. This helps me see if people actually want my template ideas.
Your niche research should focus on these key elements:
- Demand indicators: Look for niches that have high demand but fewer competitors (ideally under 1,500 search results).
- Audience pain points: Figure out specific problems your templates could fix for potential customers.
- Seasonal vs. evergreen opportunities: Think about whether your templates will sell all year or just in certain seasons.
- Keyword research: Tools like eRank, Google Keywords, or Pinterest can show what people search for.
The most profitable niches are often found where high demand meets manageable competition. To cite an instance, photographers, virtual assistants, and authors are three profitable niches with less competition on platforms like Etsy.
Popular Canva template ideas to sell
My research and experience show these template types sell well consistently:
- Social media graphics: Instagram posts/stories, Pinterest pins, Facebook posts, YouTube thumbnails and banners
- Business essentials: Media kits, proposals, pricing guides, client contracts
- Educational materials: Workbooks, planners, worksheets for teachers and course creators
- Digital products: eBooks, lead magnets, content upgrades
- Specialized industry templates: Photography contracts, lash tech client records, virtual assistant agreements
Small business owners present a great chance for template creators. This broader category has many sub-niches, so you can serve multiple related audiences while staying focused. Some Etsy shops have made over 58,000 sales using this approach.
On top of that, it helps to find something unique. You might develop templates for an underserved niche or create a distinctive style to make your products stand out.
Matching your skills with market needs
The best way to sell Canva templates is to arrange your strengths with what the market wants. I spent lots of time figuring out which design styles and formats matched my skills before launching my template business.
Ask yourself these questions to match your skills with market needs:
- What design styles come naturally to you?
- Which template types do you enjoy making?
- Do you have special knowledge in any field?
Note that you don’t need professional design experience to succeed. Canva’s user-friendly interface lets beginners create high-quality templates that sell. The key is to make templates that give real value to your target audience.
Your templates should fix specific problems for clearly defined customer groups. If you target real estate agents, your templates should have ready-to-use sections for property details and agent information. This practical approach ensures your templates meet your audience’s actual needs rather than just looking good.
Designing Canva Templates That Sell
Beautiful templates alone won’t cut it—you need designs that comply with Canva’s rules and appeal to buyers. Let’s take a closer look at the technical and esthetic aspects of designing templates that sell.
Start with a blank design, not a Canva template
Your creative process must start with a blank canvas. This isn’t just a suggestion—it’s a requirement in Canva’s Content License Agreement. You can’t legally modify existing Canva templates and sell them as your own. Canva states it clearly: “You can’t sell Canva templates, even edited. They have to be all new original from you (starting with blank canvas)”.
Originality matters most when creating templates to sell. Your templates should reflect your creative effort. Ask yourself: “Is what I’m selling a unique design that I’ve put creative effort into? Or am I just reselling content I’ve found on Canva with minimal changes?”.
Use only free elements for accessibility
Your templates should be available to all buyers—even those without Canva Pro. Using only free elements will expand your potential customer base.
Finding free elements in Canva is simple:
- Type your search term (e.g., “FLOWER”) in the elements search bar
- Click the filter icon (three lines with circles) that appears
- Scroll down and select “FREE”
Canva Pro users see the filter icon, but free users can try this workaround: copy and paste these codes into your Elements search bar: brand:BAAAAP7rQ8M brand:BAAMOuJH0Ec. This shows only free elements, even on the free plan.
Tips for creating visually appealing designs
Canva’s designers emphasize the importance of research. “The key to good design is research. Ask yourself questions like, ‘Who is going to see this design?’ and ‘In what context?'”.
To create professional designs that sell:
- Limit your color palette – A clean, cohesive look needs just 3-4 complementary colors. “Limiting your palette to three [or] four colors tends to make your design look cleaner and more balanced”.
- Practice font restraint – “For beginners, a good rule of thumb is to never use more than two fonts in one design”. Create contrast by pairing a modern sans-serif with an elegant serif font.
- Maintain proper alignment – “Blank and even spacing is one of the most powerful elements for any design”. A professional appearance needs proper alignment of all elements.
- Embrace white space – “Learn to practice restraint. Limiting things like your colors, fonts, shapes, and images will make your final output look much more clean and cohesive”.
How to make your templates editable
User-friendly and editable templates lead to satisfied customers. Here’s how to create them properly:
Without doubt, you’ll want unlocked text boxes that let buyers customize text. Sample text helps guide users by showing expected length and tone.
Use Frames with placeholder images instead of direct image placement. This makes it easy for customers to add their own content.
A “How to use this template” page with clear instructions about editable areas and editing tips will help your customers. This extra support substantially improves customer satisfaction and reduces support requests.
Note that testing your template is crucial before selling. Make a duplicate file and try typical edits like replacing images, changing text lengths, and switching colors. This gives your customers a smooth experience when they customize your designs.
By doing this, your Canva templates will look good, stay legally compliant, become available to more people, and provide real value to your customers.
Create Your Deliverable and Product Assets
You’ve created a stunning Canva template, and now it’s time to get it ready for sale. Let’s look at how to package your template with a shareable link, deliver it professionally, and create eye-catching mockups that showcase your work.
How to generate a Canva template link
A paid subscription is essential to create and share template links. You’ll need Canva Pro, Teams, Enterprise, Education, or Nonprofits. Here’s how to generate your template link:
- Open your finalized design in Canva
- Click the Share button in the top right corner
- Scroll down to find More (three dots) or See all
- Select Template link from the options
- Click Create template link
- Select Copy to save the link
The template link creates a copy of your design that buyers can customize without changing your original. Don’t use the standard “Share this design” or “Collaboration link” options at the top of the sharing menu. These options give access to your original design and might cause issues if customers make unwanted changes.
Mobile users can follow these steps:
- Tap the Export icon in the top right corner
- Swipe sideways through sharing options
- Select Template link
- Tap Copy
Creating a PDF with the template link
Your template link needs a professional PDF package that buyers can easily use. This approach gives customers a well-laid-out, professional product:
- Create a new Canva document (A4 size works well)
- Add a title and brief description of your template
- Include instructions on how to use the template
- Insert the template link as hyperlinked text
- Download as a PDF (Standard), ensuring links remain active
Adding your template link to the PDF text is straightforward. Just highlight the text you want linked, click the link icon that appears, and paste your template link. Make sure to test the link by opening the PDF and clicking it before sending it to customers.
A dedicated folder in Google Drive or similar cloud storage can help you manage your template PDFs. This system becomes more valuable as your template collection grows.
Designing product mockups for your listing
Great mockups can boost your templates’ perceived value significantly. Canva’s built-in mockup tools help you show your designs in real-life contexts:
Creating mockups in Canva is simple:
- Select the photo or design you want to turn into a mockup
- Click Edit then find Mockups under the Apps section
- Browse available mockup options and select one that fits your product
- Adjust your design within the mockup
- Click Apply changes when satisfied
Canva Pro subscribers get additional flexibility with custom mockup templates:
- Add a photo to your design
- Select the image and click Edit
- Under Apps, select Mockups and then Create Your Own Mockup
- Canva’s AI will analyze your photo and identify surfaces for product placement
- Place your design onto the identified surface
- Customize using Fill, Fit, or Smart Crop options
The most effective mockups use clean, simple backgrounds with flat surfaces. Your mockups should show templates on devices, printed materials, or in relevant settings. This professional presentation helps buyers imagine how they’ll use your templates and increases your chances of making a sale.
Set Up Your Shop and List Your Templates
You’ve created your Canva template deliverables. Now let’s get them ready to sell by choosing the right platform and creating listings that convert. Your success depends on picking the perfect marketplace and writing descriptions that sell.
Selling on Etsy, Creative Market, or your own site
Each platform brings something unique to the table when selling Canva templates:
Etsy shines as a great place to start with its huge marketplace of over 95 million buyers. Listings cost $0.20 each (you’ll need to renew every four months) plus a 6.5% fee on sales. The best part? Etsy brings traffic to your shop without much marketing work. Start with at least 20 listings to show up in more search results.
Creative Market wants to see what you can do first – have 12-15 top-notch templates ready before applying. They handle the marketing but take half of what you charge. This platform works better once you’ve proven your templates sell elsewhere.
Your own website puts you in complete control with no direct competition. While you’ll need to work harder on marketing, you’ll keep more money from each sale. Many sellers choose WordPress with WooCommerce, Shopify, or Squarespace.
Sellfy lets you sell through your website or social media for $29 monthly. Gumroad might be cheaper – they just take 10% of each sale with no monthly fees.
How to price your Canva templates
Smart pricing looks at several key factors:
Check out what others charge on Etsy and Creative Market. Look at templates that match your quality and quantity. To cite an instance, see how a 40-template bundle should cost more than someone’s 15-template pack at $12.
Canva templates usually sell for $5-$20 based on how complex they are. Template bundles can boost your earnings while giving customers better value. Start with lower prices to get reviews, then raise them as your templates become popular.
Platform fees will affect your bottom line. Build these costs into your prices to stay profitable.
Writing effective product descriptions
Great product descriptions help sell more templates. Make sure to include:
- Clear product identification: Tell buyers exactly what they’re getting (eBook template, pricing sheet, social media bundle)
- Target audience: Who will love using this template?
- Usage scenarios: Show how the template solves problems
- Package contents: List everything in the download
- Usage instructions: Show how to access and customize the template
Answer questions before buyers ask them. Let them know if they need Canva Pro or if the free version works.
Tell buyers what happens after purchase – they’ll usually get a PDF with the template link and instructions. Remind them they need their own Canva account too.
Great listings with detailed descriptions and smart pricing strategies create the foundation for template sales success. Time spent getting these elements right will boost your sales dramatically.
Promote and Grow Your Canva Template Business
The right marketing strategy can boost your template business earnings. Your promotion approach becomes crucial once your templates go live.
Using Pinterest and email marketing
Pinterest offers a goldmine of opportunities for Canva template sellers. Research shows that 90% of weekly Pinterest users make purchasing decisions on the platform. These shoppers spend 29% more than non-Pinterest users. The platform drives 33% more referral traffic than Facebook and 200% more than X (formerly Twitter).
Your Pinterest strategy works best when you:
- Share content between 8pm-11pm and 2am-4am to maximize engagement
- Keep a daily schedule of 10-25 pins with an 80/20 mix (80% external content, 20% your own)
- Design multiple pins for each template to reach different audiences
Email marketing helps you build stronger connections with potential buyers. Your newsletters should include template links, and buyers need quick updates about new designs. This approach makes sense – email marketing generates about $38 for every $1 spent, making it a great investment.
Leveraging SEO and keywords
The right keywords can help more people find your templates. Marketplaces like Etsy rely on specific keywords to show your products to interested buyers. Specific niche terms work better than generic descriptions in search results.
Etsy and Creative Market already bring substantial internal traffic to your products. Etsy also lets you advertise your products with a daily budget you control.
How often to release new templates
New templates keep your shop visible and fresh. Monthly template additions show marketplace algorithms that your shop stays active. Fresh updates give you reasons to reach out to previous customers and email subscribers about new designs.
The competitive marketplace shows a healthy demand for templates. Regular new designs help you grab your share of this growing market.
Conclusion
Selling Canva templates is a great chance to build steady online income. This piece covers everything about this business model, from understanding the huge marketplace to promoting your finished products.
The Canva template business runs on solving actual problems for millions of users worldwide. These users want professional designs but don’t have time or skills to create them from scratch. Your templates bridge this gap perfectly.
The right niche makes all the difference in your success. Your templates will stand out in the marketplace when you focus on specific audiences with particular needs instead of creating general designs.
Design quality is vital for template success. Start with a blank canvas, use only free elements, and create truly editable designs that give real value to your customers. These steps ensure your templates stay legally compliant and easy to use.
Your choice of selling platform can affect your growth path greatly. Etsy gives you quick exposure, while Creative Market offers premium positioning. Your own website gives you full control over your business. Many successful sellers end up using all three channels at once.
Set your prices after researching competitors and evaluating template complexity. Platform fees must factor into your pricing to stay profitable while remaining competitive in the marketplace.
Marketing plays a key role to maximize your template sales. Pinterest marketing, email newsletters, and search engine optimization help build visibility for your template business.
Regular releases keep your shop fresh and create chances to connect with both new and returning customers. This consistency is essential for long-term success.
Making money with Canva templates needs dedication and creativity, but the rewards make it worth the effort. You have all the tools needed to start your template business today. The Canva template market grows as Canva’s user base expands – this chance awaits anyone ready to take action.
