15 printables ideas and how to sell them 

Creating and selling printables online is a fantastic way to generate passive income. Printables are digital products that you craft and make available online for customers to buy, download, and print at home. Printables can cater to  a wide variety of needs and interests — making them popular among a diverse group of buyers. Around a quarter of all Americans have personalized a product across industry categories. So why not become the person who sells them?

‍

The great news is that you don’t have to be an expert in graphic design or a seasoned content creator to start selling printable products and set up a stream of passive income! Here, we'll explore 15 printable designs you can sell online — and offer tips on how to successfully market and sell them.

15 printable ideas

1. Printable planners

Downloadable, printable planners are incredibly popular digital products, especially at the start of a new year. So they offer a great opportunity to get your feet wet in the printable world. You can create daily, weekly, or monthly planners — focusing on general productivity or specific goals like fitness or budgeting. You can also create planners for specific roles, like parents, teachers, or students.

2. Wall art

Art prints allow customers to quickly and affordably decorate their homes. You can create art in various styles, such as minimalist, abstract, or with motivational quotes. Again, you don’t need to be a professional artist! Think about what you would like to have in your home,  then have some fun creating it yourself. Find inspiration for your original printables in nature, astronomy, sculptures, painting, movies, music, and more. As long as you can visualize and create it, you can sell it!‍

You’ll want to make printable wall art _ so you can offer digital downloads in different file types and sizes to better suit multiple customers’ needs.

3. Coloring pages

Adult coloring has surged in popularity as a stress-relieving activity. Offering coloring sheets in themes like nature, animals, or abstract patterns provides a way for customers to have some fun, express themselves, and relax.‍

Of course, coloring sheets for kids remain  popular as ever, too!

4. Educational worksheets

According to market research, the online education market was valued at $399.3 billion in 2022 and is set to increase by 14% in the next 10 years. With homeschooling and supplemental education on the rise, educational worksheets for children are in high demand. Focus on core subjects like math, science, or language arts to create educational printables for workers in this growing sector.‍

If you are a teacher and already make your own worksheets, set up an Etsy store to sell them to others!

5. Meal planners and grocery lists

Help people organize their weekly meals and shopping with printable meal planners and grocery lists. You can create planners and lists that would satisfy a wide population as well as specialized versions that cater to specific dietary goals and restrictions. By addressing multiple customer segments, you’ll gain a wider audience for your printables.

6. Budget planners

Financial planning is a priority for many — but a lot of people find it hard to do. Having a printable budget planner for every month can help make things easier. Users can track their expenses, savings, and financial goals.

7. Fitness trackers

Fitness enthusiasts love tracking their progress. Offer printable fitness trackers for workouts, weight loss, or meal planning.

8. Checklists and to-do lists

Everyone needs a little help staying organized. Create checklists and to-do lists for daily tasks, travel packing, or event planning.

9. Calendars

Calendars are always needed. You can design them with themes, inspirational quotes, or even customize them for niche audiences.

10. Recipe cards

For all who love to cook — from hobbyists to budding chefs — printable recipe cards make great additions to any recipe collection.

11. Gift tags and wrapping paper

During the holiday season, printable gift tags and wrapping paper designs are a big hit — and a great way to make some extra seasonal cash by selling online.

12. Wedding planners

Weddings require a lot of organization, and digital printable wedding planners that capture all the ins and outs of the big day are a huge help to brides and grooms alike.You can also create add ons, like wedding invitations, name cards, or other custom stationery for the new couple.

13. Baby shower games

‍

Baby showers are full of fun games. Create printable versions of popular games like "Baby Bingo" or "Guess the Baby Food." Party games can make or break an event, so help people bring a little fun and friendly competition to their gatherings.

14. Stickers

Printable stickers for planners, scrapbooking, or just for fun can be customized and sold in sheets. You can make anything into a sticker — from original designs (graphic or text-based) to stock photos.

15. Business cards

Offer customizable templates for business cards for personal or professional use.

Tips for creating and selling printables online

Focus on quality and originality

In a world full of printable options, people will pay for quality. With that in mind, offer printables that are unique and set you apart from competitors. Here are some graphic design tools and resources you can use to create printables at a low cost — and sometimes for free — while still making sure they will impress your customers:

Adobe Creative Cloud

Adobe provides a suite of powerful tools for creating digital products such as graphics, illustrations, videos, animations, and more. Products like Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Premiere Pro, and After Effects are industry standards for creative professionals.

Autodesk

Autodesk offers software, like AutoCAD and Maya, that are widely used for creating 3D models, animations, and other design projects. These tools are popular in industries such as architecture, engineering, and entertainment.

Unity

Unity is a popular design software that allows you to create 2D and 3D games, simulations, and interactive experiences. It offers a robust ecosystem and a vast range of features to help you design, develop, and deploy your digital products.

Canva

Canva is a versatile tool suitable for beginners and experienced designers alike. It offers a mix of free and paid options, depending on the features you need for your projects. Changing up different free canva templates is a good way to start making your own products - try a printable planner or wedding invite to start!

There are many free workshops and YouTube videos on how to use these tools, to offer help any time you find yourself in need of a little technical support.

Choose the right platform

Square is a popular choice for selling printables, but you can also consider Shopify. These websites already have users who are looking for printables, making it easier for you to find and sell to new customers.‍

The best way to maximize the money you make from your printables is to set up your own online store. You can create a free one on WordPress. You can also start selling your products with SendOwl for free today.  (hint: use the SendOwl app on all of these automate checkout or delivery)

Optimize your listings and promote them on social media

Use relevant keywords in your digital printable titles and descriptions to improve visibility on search engines and within platforms. This is how most people will find your products for the first time!‍

Research different price points to ensure your products are priced appropriately and easily accessed on your landing page. You will also want to pay attention to search engine optimization, or SEO for short. SEO helps users find your products through search engines.

Leverage and analyze social media trends

Using SendOwl, you will have a ton of data to inform your marketing strategies. To reach a wider audience, you’ll want to promote your printables on social media platforms like Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. You can do this all through faceless accounts where you don’t need to share any personal information, but simply let your products speak for themselves.

Collect customer feedback

Use customer feedback to improve your products and create new ones that meet your audience's needs. Invite customers to leave reviews of their purchases, and track those reviews to improve your product offerings and quality over time.‍

You can collect email lists from customers by offering them promotions, early release, or other offers and ask them for feedback right in their inbox as well.

Offer bundles

Create bundles of related printables to increase value for your customers and boost sales.

By focusing on these printable ideas and following the tips provided, you can build a successful online business selling digital products that cater to a wide range of interests and needs.

Start creating your original printables today

You can start to sell digital printables today from the comfort of your home with little to no experience in ecommerce or graphic design using the steps outlined in this article. Whether you want to offer printable wall art, personalized digital planners, or other printable ideas, the creative market is brimming with possibilities.‍

Because of their high profit margins, digital printables are a great way to make extra income without the hassle of storing or shipping physical products. Better yet, sell them on your own website for free — with SendOwl. Get started today!

‍