Imagine waking up to a “cha-ching!” notification from Etsy—while you’re still in bed. I know if your like me, I’ve always dreamed of creating a passive income side hustle. Now while there is truly no side hustle that is “passive” (everything takes consistency and work), some side hustles are a little more passive than others (ie digital products).
That’s the magic of selling digital printables: low effort after setup, no shipping hassles, and the chance to earn passive income every single day.
If you’re creative (or even just organized) and dream of a side hustle that fits into your busy life, selling printables on Etsy might just be your perfect match.
Here’s exactly how to get started — and how to stand out.
Why Printables Are Booming on Etsy
Printables are simply digital files that customers buy, download, and print at home — think planners, wall art, wedding invitations, budget trackers, kids’ activity sheets, and more.
I’ve bought countless printables off Etsy (wall art, templates for digital products) and the list goes on…
Why are they so popular?
- They’re affordable.
- They’re instantly accessible.
- They can be beautifully customized for any taste or occasion.
Better yet? Once you create a printable, you can sell it over and over without any extra work.
Finding Hot-Selling Printable Ideas
Before you start designing, you need a product idea people are already looking for.
Here’s how to find one fast:
- Browse Etsy: Type “printable” in the search bar and see what’s trending.
- Use third party apps that can track sales, keywords and product listings to gain an accurate idea of the sales certain printables can make. Marmalead is a great example.
- Seasonal hits: Calendars, gift tags, planners, and party invitations sell BIG around holidays.
- Solve a problem: Budget templates, meal planners, chore charts — people pay for simplicity.
✨ Pro Tip: Use Etsy search suggestions (those little dropdown hints) to spot trending keywords instantly! There are also a ton of apps and websites that can help track and suggest keywords and product listing to help you rank higher faster. AI can be a massive help and timesaver here!
Creating Your Printables (Without Fancy Skills)
You don’t need to be a graphic designer!
Here’s how beginners create stunning products:
- Use Canva (free and easy!) for making templates, planners, and art prints.
- Buy premade templates – then create your own digital product or ebook to resell! (I’m not creative at all, but I like to write, this is where templates can help to create a finished product rather than wasting time to create your own!
- Try Adobe Illustrator if you want more pro-level designs.
- Stick with clean, easy-to-read fonts.
Always design in high resolution (300 DPI) for crisp printing.
What kinds of files should you sell?
Stick to PDFs for printables, and occasionally offer JPGs or PNGs for things like digital wall art.
Setting Up Your Etsy Shop (the Smart Way)
Getting your shop live is quick — but setting it up right makes all the difference.
- Choose a clear, memorable shop name.
- Design a simple, professional logo (Canva again!).
Write a short but friendly shop bio that builds trust.
Most importantly: clear policies. Let buyers know these are digital files, not physical items, to avoid confusion.
Crafting Listings That Actually Sell
A pretty printable is great — but your listing needs to convince someone to click “Buy.”
✔ Create mockups showing your printable in real life (on a clipboard, a fridge, a desk, etc.).
✔ Add videos – that show your product in real time, I find it helpful too see a snip of a digital product rather than guessing from a bunch of product photos.
✔ Write a keyword-rich title that describes your item and hits Etsy SEO (e.g., “Minimalist Weekly Planner Printable PDF | A4, Letter Size”).
✔ Be crystal clear in the description: what’s included, how they download, and what they can (and can’t) do with the file.
✨ Pro Tip: Offer a free bonus page (like a matching checklist!) to make your listing even more irresistible.
Pricing for Profit (Without Scaring Buyers Away)
Most printables range from $2 to $15 depending on complexity, with some ebooks ranging between $20 to $100. Here’s how to price smartly:
- Check competitors’ pricing in your niche.
- Remember Etsy charges fees (~6.5% + listing fees), so factor that in.
- Consider offering bundles — e.g., 5 wall art designs for $10 — to boost order size.
Start simple, and once you build trust, you can add higher-ticket items or bundles.
Getting Your First Sales (and Then More)
“Post it and they will come” is a myth. Here’s how to actually get traffic:
- Pinterest: Create pins for your printables! Pinterest users LOVE downloadable content.
- Etsy Ads: Start small ($1–2/day) to boost your top listings.
- Instagram or TikTok: Show your designs in action (behind the scenes, organization hacks, DIY decor).
Remember you can have a create product, but you need traffic to drive sales. For example – there are a ton of budget planners on Etsy but there are creators on Instagram and Tik Tok that drive thousands of dollars in sales with a simple $8 budget planner – simply because they have trust (from their audience) and scale (enough eyes) from their platform to convince people to buy!
✨ Real Talk: Your first few sales might take time. But once Etsy sees you’re getting traction, they’ll show your shop to more buyers. Stay patient!
You’re Closer Than You Think
Selling printables on Etsy isn’t just a side hustle — it’s a low-stress way to build an income stream that grows while you sleep.
You don’t need to be a tech whiz. You don’t need tons of time.
Etsy is a great platform to start selling digital products on, its simple, user friendly and comes with traffic built in. You just need a product that helps someone make their life easier, prettier, or more organized — and the willingness to put it out there.
🎯 Challenge for Today:
Pick ONE printable idea you love.
Design it using Canva.
Open your Etsy shop.
You could have your first listing live by tonight and your first sale tomorrow.
