The Template Economy: How Selling Templates Became a Money-Making Side Hustle

Have you ever used a template? You probably have—templates make life a lot easier. Whether it's for a resume, a PowerPoint presentation, or a social media post, templates are everywhere, helping us save time and look professional with minimal effort. And now, templates aren’t just for quick personal projects; they’re becoming a lucrative business.

In the last few years, indie creators have turned the humble template into a profitable side hustle, creating templates for tools like Canva, Excel, and Notion, and selling them online. Want to know how this works? Let's dive into this growing world of template-selling, why it’s booming, and how you can start your own template business.

Why Templates Are Big Business

Templates provide a ready-to-use solution, often customizable to meet specific needs without needing advanced design or technical skills. As digital tools like Canva, Excel, and Notion become more popular, people are looking for high-quality templates to speed up their work and improve the quality of their output. This demand has opened doors for anyone with a knack for design or organization to monetize their skills.

Popular Template Types You Can Sell

So, what kind of templates can you sell? Here’s a look at some popular types, each with its own audience and market potential.

1. Canva Templates

Canva is a top choice for people who need design but aren’t necessarily designers. Its drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create beautiful visuals, but for non-designers, starting from scratch can be intimidating. That’s where Canva templates come in. Templates for social media posts, presentations, posters, and more are in high demand, and platforms like Canva itself and Gumroad allow creators to sell directly to users.

Why Canva Templates Are Great to Sell:

• Huge user base looking for quick, quality design options

• Passive income from a few high-quality templates

• The templates can be created without design experience by following Canva’s user-friendly tools

2. Excel Templates

Excel templates are surprisingly profitable. From financial trackers and budgeting tools to project management sheets, people are willing to pay for templates that save them time on repetitive tasks.

Example: Some Excel templates can sell for $10 to $20 each. Sites like BuyExcelTemplates.com show that there’s a sizable market for them, with some sellers reportedly earning over $20,000 a month from Excel templates alone!

Why Excel Templates Are Great to Sell:

• Excel is used across many industries, so there’s demand from a broad audience

• Templates are reusable, so once they’re built, they can sell for years

• You don’t need advanced skills; common functions and formulas are enough to create valuable templates

3. Notion Templates

Notion is a favorite for note-takers, project managers, and "second brain" enthusiasts who use it to organize their lives. In the last few years, Notion templates have skyrocketed in popularity, with users seeking templates for productivity, content planning, and personal organization.

Selling Notion Templates:

• Notion’s user community is highly engaged, and they’re always looking for new ways to optimize

• You can sell Notion templates on sites like Etsy or join Notion-focused Facebook groups

• The search interest for “Notion templates” has grown significantly, making it a timely market

Steps to Start Selling Templates

Interested in creating and selling templates? Here’s a simple step-by-step guide:

1. Pick Your Platform
   Decide which type of template suits your skills and interests. Canva, Excel, and Notion are a few popular choices, but you could also look into PowerPoint, Squarespace, Figma, and Webflow.

2. Market Research
   Look at what’s already selling well. Study the most successful templates and identify what makes them popular.

3. Create Unique, High-Quality Templates
   Quality matters. Aim for at least 20 top-notch templates to give yourself a good portfolio. Make sure each template is customizable, user-friendly, and visually appealing.

4. Choose a Marketplace
   Each platform has marketplaces suited to specific templates: Canva’s platform is great for Canva templates, while Etsy works well for Notion templates. Gumroad and your own website are also options.

5. Promote on Social Media
   Share tutorials, success stories, and tips to attract buyers and build a following. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest can help showcase your templates and attract an audience interested in your niche.

Why We Love the Template Economy

Here are a few reasons why selling templates is a fantastic side hustle:

• Passive Income Potential
  Templates are a set-it-and-forget-it product. Once you’ve made and listed your templates, they can keep selling with little maintenance.

• No Need to be a Designer or Expert
  Even if you’re not a design expert, you can start this side hustle. With a bit of research and practice, you can create valuable templates. You can also outsource to experts if needed!

• Easy to Scale or Sell
  Once your template shop is successful, you can either expand it or sell it as a ready-made business to other entrepreneurs.

Types of Templates That Sell Well

Looking for ideas on which types of templates to create? Here’s a quick list:

• PowerPoint Templates for business presentations

• Squarespace Templates for bloggers and small businesses

• Figma Templates for UX/UI designers

• Webflow Templates for web designers

Ready to Start?

The template economy is growing, and it’s not showing any signs of slowing down. With more people seeking ways to improve productivity and make life easier, high-quality templates are increasingly in demand. If you’re looking for a simple, creative side hustle, selling templates might be the perfect fit.

It’s time to turn your skills into a business—who knows, this might be your next big money-maker!