How to Make Money Online Selling Templates - BloggersBond
What You'll Learn: How to Make Money Online Selling Templates
You don't need to be a designer to sell templates. With free tools like Canva, Google Sheets, and Notion, anyone can create beautiful, useful templates that people will pay for. Create once, sell hundreds of times. This guide shows 9 beginner-friendly ways to start selling templates online with zero investment.
- 9 template-selling methods (Canva, Notion, Excel, Google Sheets, and more)
- Step-by-step instructions using free tools
- Realistic earnings (month 1: $50-200, month 6: $500-3000)
- 30-day action plan for absolute beginners
Sell Canva Templates (Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok)
What it is: Create social media templates in Canva. Small businesses need Instagram posts, Pinterest pins, and TikTok covers. You make the template once, sell it to hundreds of customers.
Step-by-Step:
- Sign up for free at Canva.com
- Choose a niche: coffee shops, gyms, real estate agents, yoga studios
- Create 10 Instagram post templates for that niche (use Canva free templates as base)
- Click "Share" → "Template link" → Create link
- List on Etsy or Gumroad: "10 Instagram Templates for Coffee Shops – Editable Canva" price $7-15
- When someone buys, send them the Canva template link
Sell Notion Templates (Planners, Trackers, Dashboards)
What it is: Notion is a free all-in-one workspace. Create templates for goal tracking, project management, habit tracking, or content planning. Notion users pay for ready-made templates.
Step-by-Step:
- Sign up free at Notion.so
- Create a simple template: "Weekly Habit Tracker" or "Content Calendar" or "Student Assignment Tracker"
- Add checkboxes, databases, and nice cover images
- Click "Share" → "Publish" → Get shareable link
- List on Gumroad or Etsy: "Notion Template – Habit Tracker" price $5-10
- Include tutorial video (2 minutes) using Loom free
Sell Excel/Google Sheets Templates (Budget Trackers, Calendars)
What it is: Create spreadsheets that help people organize their finances, schedules, or projects. Monthly budget trackers, expense logs, invoice templates, employee schedules.
Step-by-Step:
- Open Google Sheets (free) or Excel
- Create a "Monthly Budget Tracker" with categories: rent, groceries, utilities, entertainment
- Add simple formulas that auto-calculate totals
- Add colors and formatting to make it look professional
- Save as Excel file and PDF
- List on Etsy: "Monthly Budget Tracker – Excel & Google Sheets" price $4-8
Sell Resume and Cover Letter Templates (Canva/Word)
What it is: Job seekers pay for professional resume templates. Create modern, clean designs in Canva or Microsoft Word. Customers download and edit.
Step-by-Step:
- Search Canva for "resume template" – choose a clean, modern design
- Customize colors and fonts (make it unique but professional)
- Create a template link (Share → Template link)
- Create 3-5 different styles: minimal, creative, corporate, teacher, tech
- Bundle all 5 styles for $20-25
- List on Etsy: "5 Editable Resume Templates – Canva – Instant Download"
- Include cover letter template in the same file
Sell Airtable Templates (Project Management, CRM, Databases)
What it is: Airtable is like Excel on steroids. Businesses pay for ready-made databases: content calendars, CRM systems, inventory trackers, project management bases.
Step-by-Step:
- Sign up free at Airtable.com
- Create a "Social Media Content Calendar" base
- Add columns: Date, Platform, Post Idea, Status, Link, Notes
- Add sample data so buyers understand how to use it
- Click "Share" → "Create share link" → Allow duplicate
- List on Gumroad: "Airtable Social Media Calendar" price $10-20
Sell Social Media Caption Templates (ChatGPT + Notion)
What it is: Use ChatGPT to generate hundreds of social media captions. Organize them in a Notion or Google Sheets template. Sell to small businesses who struggle with posting.
Step-by-Step:
- Use ChatGPT prompt: "Write 50 Instagram captions for a coffee shop. Short, friendly, engaging."
- Copy the captions into a Google Sheet or Notion page
- Categorize them: "Funny captions", "Promotional", "Engagement questions"
- Create a shareable link (Google Sheets or Notion)
- List on Etsy or Gumroad: "100 Instagram Captions for Coffee Shops" price $5-10
- Include bonus: "20 hashtag sets"
Sell Email Newsletter Templates (Beehiiv, ConvertKit, Mailchimp)
What it is: Email newsletter creators need templates. Design HTML email templates or Canva templates for newsletter creators. Sell to bloggers, creators, and small businesses.
Step-by-Step:
- Create a simple email template in Canva (600px wide)
- Design: header image, welcome message, 3 content sections, footer with links
- Create 5 different styles (minimal, colorful, professional, creative, seasonal)
- Bundle them as "5 Email Newsletter Templates – Canva Editable"
- List on Etsy or Gumroad: price $10-20
- Include instructions: "How to export as image and paste into Mailchimp/Beehiiv"
Sell PowerPoint/Google Slides Templates (Presentations)
What it is: Businesses, teachers, and students need presentation templates. Create professional slide decks in Google Slides or PowerPoint. Sell on Etsy, Creative Market, or Gumroad.
Step-by-Step:
- Open Google Slides (free)
- Create a 10-slide template: title slide, agenda, 3 content layouts, quote slide, team slide, timeline, thank you slide
- Use consistent colors and fonts (pick 2 colors, 2 fonts)
- Create 3 different themes: "Corporate Blue", "Creative Pastel", "Minimal Black & White"
- Bundle as "30 Presentation Slides – 3 Themes – Google Slides" price $10-15
- Include instructions on how to edit and export as PDF/PPT
Sell Business Document Templates (Invoices, Proposals, Contracts)
What it is: Freelancers and small businesses need professional documents. Create invoice templates, proposal templates, contract templates, estimate templates in Google Docs or Word.
Step-by-Step:
- Open Google Docs (free)
- Create a professional invoice template: company logo, client info, services, rates, total, payment terms
- Create a proposal template: cover page, problem statement, solution, pricing, timeline, next steps
- Bundle as "Freelancer Starter Pack – Invoice + Proposal + Contract" price $10-15
- List on Etsy or Gumroad: target freelancers and small business owners
- Include instructions on how to customize with their logo and info
Monthly Earnings Expectations for Selling Templates
| Template Type | Time to Create | Expected Month 1 | Expected Month 6 | Passive Potential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 hours | $30-100 | $200-800 | High | |
| 30 min | $50-150 | $300-1000 | High | |
| 1 hour | $40-120 | $200-800 | Very High | |
| 1 hour | $50-150 | $400-1500 | Very High | |
| 1-2 hours | $100-300 | $500-2000 | High | |
| 30 min | $30-80 | $100-300 | Medium | |
| 1-2 hours | $50-150 | $300-1000 | High | |
| 1-2 hours | $40-120 | $200-800 | High | |
| 1-2 hours | $100-300 | $500-2000 | High |
30-Day Action Plan for Selling Templates
- Week 1 (Setup): Pick ONE platform (Canva or Google Sheets). Create 5 templates in that platform. Open Etsy or Gumroad shop (free). List 3 templates.
- Week 2 (First Sales): Create 5 more templates. Share your shop link on Pinterest and Reddit. Aim for first sale. Price low ($3-5) to get reviews.
- Week 3 (Expand): Create bundles (5 templates for $15). Add a second platform (Notion or Airtable). List 5 more products.
- Week 4 (Scale): Create 10 more templates. Raise prices to $7-10. Total listings: 20-30 templates. Aim for 10-20 sales = $70-200.
Beginner tip: Start with Canva templates or Google Sheets. They have the lowest learning curve and highest demand.
Premium marketplace for templates (takes 30% commission)
Template Income Tracker (Print or Copy)
| Date | Template Type | Templates Created | Sales | Revenue | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Track which template types sell best – double down on winners | |||||
Tip: One popular template can sell 1000+ times. Focus on quality over quantity.
Troubleshooting Guide - "My Templates Aren't Selling"
- No views? Your titles and tags need work. Search Etsy for similar templates. Copy their keywords. Use all 13 tags.
- No sales? Your photos aren't good enough. Show the template in use. Add mockups. Use Canva to create professional preview images.
- Low price? Raise it. $7 sells better than $4. People think $4 means low quality.
- Need more traffic? Pin each template 5 times on Pinterest. Join template-selling Facebook groups. Share your link.
Template Selling Success Roadmap
Earn $50-200. Create 20-30 templates. Learn SEO and listing optimization.
Earn $200-800. Identify bestsellers. Create more of what sells. Bundle products.
Earn $800-2000. Add second platform. Raise prices. Outsource design.
Earn $2000-5000+ monthly. Passive income from 100+ templates. Work 5 hours weekly.
This Week's Template Challenge for Beginners
Challenge: Create 5 Canva templates today (Instagram posts, resumes, or planners). Open an Etsy shop ($0.20). List all 5 templates with good photos and descriptions. Price at $5 each.
🔥 Extra credit: Bundle them as "5 Pack Social Media Templates" for $15. Create 5 Pinterest pins for each template.
Frequently Asked Questions about Selling Templates
Do I need design skills?
No. Canva has thousands of free templates. You just change colors and text. No drawing or design experience needed.
What platform should I sell on?
Etsy for beginners (huge built-in audience). Gumroad for simplicity (no listing fees). Both are free to start.
How many templates do I need to make money?
Start with 10-20 templates. With good SEO, 10 templates can earn $200-500 monthly. Scale to 100 templates for $1000-3000 monthly.
What sells best?
Budget trackers (Excel/Sheets), resume templates (Canva/Word), and social media templates (Canva) are top sellers for beginners.
Can I sell templates I made using Canva free?
Yes. Canva's free license allows you to sell designs you create, even using their free elements. Just don't sell the elements themselves.
Your Action Plan - Start Selling Templates Today (Zero Investment)
- Sign up for Canva right now (free)
- Search "Instagram post template" and customize one (5 minutes)
- Create 5 different templates in 1 hour
- Open Etsy shop and list your first template for $5
- Pin it on Pinterest 5 times
- Wait for your first sale – it will come faster than you think
Remember for beginners: Your first template sale will feel amazing. After that, you'll be hooked. Templates are pure profit – create once, sell hundreds of times. Start with one template today.