Can You Really Make Money with Canva?
Yes. Thousands of people are making real money creating and selling Canva templates, printables and digital products. Some are earning a few hundred pounds a month as a side income. Others have built full-time businesses generating thousands per month.
Canva has democratised design. You no longer need Adobe Photoshop skills or a design degree to create professional-looking products. The platform gives you drag-and-drop tools, thousands of fonts, millions of elements and a template library that makes anyone look like a designer.
But knowing how to use Canva is only half the equation. The other half is knowing what to create, where to sell it and how to get it in front of buyers. This guide covers all three.
What Can You Create and Sell with Canva?
The range of products you can create in Canva is broader than most people realise. Here are the most profitable categories:
Social media templates
Instagram post templates, story templates, carousel templates, Pinterest pins, Facebook covers, LinkedIn banners. Small business owners and content creators need these constantly and will pay for well-designed, editable packs.
A pack of 30 Instagram templates can sell for 8 to 15 pounds. Create 10 packs and you have a solid product line generating sales daily.
Printable planners and organisers
Daily planners, weekly spreads, budget trackers, meal planners, habit trackers, goal setting worksheets. These are evergreen products that sell year-round with predictable seasonal peaks.
Ebook and lead magnet templates
Coaches, consultants and online business owners need professional ebook layouts, workbook templates and lead magnet designs. These are higher-value products that can sell for 10 to 25 pounds each.
Resume and CV templates
Job seekers want professional-looking CVs. Editable Canva resume templates are always in demand, particularly during January and September hiring seasons.
Presentation templates
Business presentation templates, pitch deck designs, webinar slide templates. These target professionals who need polished presentations but do not have time to design from scratch.
Brand kits
Complete brand identity packages including logo templates, colour palettes, font pairings, business cards, letterhead and social media templates. These are premium products that can sell for 20 to 40 pounds.
Digital invitations and cards
Birthday invitations, baby shower invites, wedding save-the-dates, holiday cards. Seasonal and event-based products with consistent demand.
Where to Sell Your Canva Templates
Etsy
The largest marketplace for digital products. Etsy has millions of active buyers specifically searching for templates and printables. The platform handles payments, listings and some marketing through its search algorithm. Fees are approximately 6.5% per transaction plus listing fees.
Gumroad
A clean, simple platform for selling digital products directly. Lower fees than Etsy (starting from 10% on the free plan) and you get more control over your customer relationships. Great for building a direct audience.
Shopify
If you want to build a branded online store, Shopify gives you full control. Monthly fee starts at around 25 pounds but you keep more of each sale. Best suited for sellers with an existing audience or marketing strategy.
Your own website
The most profitable long-term option. No marketplace fees, complete control over branding and pricing, and you own your customer list. WordPress with a simple ecommerce plugin works well for this.
Creative Market
A curated marketplace specifically for design assets. Higher quality standards but less competition than Etsy. Good for more advanced Canva template creators.
How to Create Canva Templates That Actually Sell
Creating templates is easy. Creating templates that sell consistently is harder. Here is what separates successful template sellers from unsuccessful ones:
Solve a specific problem
Generic templates do not sell well. A “social media template” is too vague. A “30-day Instagram content calendar for wellness coaches” solves a specific problem for a specific audience. The more specific your product, the easier it is to market and the more you can charge.
Make them genuinely editable
Your templates must be easy to customise. Use Canva elements and fonts that are available on the free plan. Avoid uploading custom fonts or elements that buyers cannot access. Test your template by editing it yourself from a different Canva account.
Create cohesive collections
Individual templates sell. Template bundles sell better. A complete social media kit with 50 matching templates, stories and posts in a consistent style is worth more than 50 random individual designs.
Invest time in mockups and previews
Your listing images are what convince people to buy. Show your templates in realistic context. A planner template displayed on a styled desk with a coffee cup and pen looks more appealing than a flat screenshot. Canva itself has mockup features you can use for this.
Pricing Your Canva Templates
Template pricing depends on the complexity, the niche and the platform. Here are typical ranges that work in 2026:
Individual templates: 2 to 6 pounds. Small packs (5-10 templates): 5 to 12 pounds. Large packs (20-50 templates): 10 to 25 pounds. Complete kits and bundles: 15 to 40 pounds. Premium products (brand kits, course materials): 25 to 60 pounds.
Do not underprice your work. Buyers associate higher prices with higher quality. A 15 pound template bundle that looks professional will outsell a 3 pound bundle that looks cheap.
Marketing Your Canva Templates
Creating great products is not enough. You need to get them in front of buyers:
Pinterest. The number one traffic source for digital product sellers. Create attractive pins for each product and link to your shop. Pinterest users are in buying mode and actively searching for templates and printables.
Instagram. Show your templates in action. Create Reels showing the before and after of customising your templates. Share tips about design and social media marketing. Build an audience that trusts your taste.
TikTok. Short videos showing your design process or demonstrating how to use your templates. The “Canva template” hashtag has billions of views. Even simple screen recordings of you designing in Canva can drive significant traffic.
SEO. Optimise your Etsy listings and website pages for search. Include keywords that buyers actually search for in your titles, descriptions and tags.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Creating for yourself instead of your audience. What you think looks good might not be what sells. Research what is already selling on Etsy before designing anything.
Ignoring the listing images. Your product could be amazing, but if your listing images look amateur, nobody will click through to find out.
Giving up too early. Most digital product sellers do not see consistent sales until they have 20 to 30 products listed. The first few weeks are about building your catalogue, not making money.
Not testing your templates. Always open your template from a fresh Canva account to make sure everything works. Broken templates lead to refund requests and negative reviews.
Get Started Making Money with Canva Today
The opportunity is real and the barrier to entry has never been lower. Canva gives you the tools. Etsy, Gumroad and Shopify give you the marketplace. All you need is the knowledge of what to create and how to sell it.
The My Sell System course walks you through every step of this process with 136+ done-for-you Canva templates included. You can customise them and start selling from day one. Get instant access for just 47 pounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is selling Canva templates legal?
Yes, completely legal. Canva Pro licence allows you to sell designs you create using Canva, including templates that use Canva elements. The key distinction is that you are selling your design work and layout, not the individual Canva elements themselves. Your buyers will customise your template in their own Canva account. Always use elements available on the free Canva plan when possible so all your buyers can access them regardless of their subscription level.
How much can you earn selling Canva templates?
Earnings range widely. A beginner with 10 to 20 templates might earn 50 to 200 pounds per month. An established seller with 50 to 100 well-marketed templates can earn 500 to 2,000 pounds per month. Top sellers with large catalogues and strong brand presence earn 5,000 to 15,000 pounds per month. The compound effect is significant. Every template you create adds to your catalogue permanently, so your earning potential grows with each new product.
What is the best platform to sell Canva templates?
Etsy is the best starting platform because it has the largest audience of buyers actively searching for templates. Gumroad is good for direct sales with lower fees. Shopify is best for building a branded store with full control. Many successful sellers use all three simultaneously to maximise their reach and income. The My Sell System course covers multi-platform setup in detail.
Do I need Canva Pro to create templates for sale?
You can create and sell templates using free Canva. However, Canva Pro makes the process easier with access to more fonts, elements, the brand kit feature and background removal tools. If you are serious about selling templates, Pro is worth the investment as it saves time and gives you more design options. Many sellers start free and upgrade once they are making consistent sales.