The digital marketplace offers endless opportunities for creatives to monetize their skills. One of the most profitable and scalable ways is by creating and selling templates and presets. Whether you’re a designer, photographer, or content creator, selling these digital assets can generate passive income while helping others save time and improve their work.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
✔️ What templates and presets are
✔️ The best platforms to sell them
✔️ A step-by-step process to create and market your products
✔️ Strategies to maximize your earnings
If you’re ready to turn your creativity into cash, let’s dive in! 🚀
1. What Are Templates and Presets?
🔹 Templates
Templates are pre-designed files that help people create professional content quickly and easily. They can be used in:
✔️ Graphic design – Canva, Photoshop, Illustrator templates.
✔️ Social media – Instagram post templates, Pinterest pins, YouTube thumbnails.
✔️ Business documents – Resumes, business cards, presentations, invoices.
✔️ Website design – WordPress themes, landing pages, Shopify store layouts.
💡 Example: A Canva template pack with 30 Instagram post designs for entrepreneurs.
🔹 Presets
Presets are pre-configured settings for photo or video editing software. Instead of adjusting colors, brightness, and contrast manually, users can apply a preset with one click.
✔️ Photography – Lightroom presets for professional editing.
✔️ Video editing – Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro presets for color grading.
✔️ Music production – Audio presets for FL Studio, Ableton, Logic Pro.
💡 Example: A pack of 10 Lightroom presets for influencers who want a trendy Instagram feed.
2. Where to Sell Templates and Presets?
There are several platforms where you can sell digital products and make money. Here are some of the best ones:
📌 1. Creative Market
A top marketplace for graphic templates, fonts, and presets. Great for designers who want to sell their work to businesses and content creators.
✔️ Best for: Canva templates, Photoshop presets, Illustrator assets.
✔️ Commission: 30% per sale.
📌 2. Etsy
Etsy is a huge platform for digital downloads, making it a great place to sell templates and presets.
✔️ Best for: Lightroom presets, wedding invitation templates, resume designs.
✔️ Commission: Etsy takes 6.5% of each sale + listing fees.
📌 3. Envato Elements & ThemeForest
If you’re into web design or UI/UX, these platforms allow you to sell themes, templates, and plugins.
✔️ Best for: WordPress themes, website templates, video editing assets.
✔️ Earnings depend on exclusivity and subscription-based sales.
📌 4. Gumroad
A simple, flexible platform for selling digital products directly to your audience.
✔️ Best for: Lightroom presets, design templates, digital art resources.
✔️ Commission: 5-10% per sale, no marketplace competition.
📌 5. Sell on Your Own Website
If you want full control over pricing and branding, you can create your own store using:
✔️ Shopify
✔️ WooCommerce (WordPress)
✔️ Sellfy
This option requires more effort in marketing, but you keep 100% of the profits.
3. How to Create and Sell Templates & Presets
🔹 Step 1: Research Profitable Niches
Not all templates and presets sell well. Find what’s trending by exploring:
✔️ Creative Market’s best sellers
✔️ Etsy’s top-rated products
✔️ Pinterest trends
✔️ Instagram aesthetics
💡 Example: If you see that “boho-style Lightroom presets” are trending, you can create a similar product.
🔹 Step 2: Choose the Right Software
To create high-quality digital assets, you’ll need the right tools:
✔️ Canva – For social media and business templates.
✔️ Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator – For professional designs.
✔️ Adobe Lightroom – For photography presets.
✔️ Final Cut Pro & Premiere Pro – For video presets.
🔹 Step 3: Design High-Quality Products
Focus on:
✔️ Aesthetic appeal – Make your templates & presets visually appealing.
✔️ Ease of use – Ensure customers can use them effortlessly.
✔️ Diversity – Offer variations (e.g., light & dark mode, multiple color options).
💡 Tip: If selling Canva templates, make them fully editable so buyers can customize them easily.
🔹 Step 4: Package & Optimize Your Product
✔️ Name your files clearly (e.g., “Instagram Story Templates – 30 Pack”).
✔️ Include an instruction guide (PDF or video tutorial).
✔️ Use high-quality preview images to showcase your work.
📌 Example: If selling Lightroom presets, include before-and-after images in your product listing.
🔹 Step 5: Market Your Products
Selling digital products isn’t just about creating them—you need to promote them!
✅ Where to Market?
✔️ Instagram & Pinterest – Post aesthetic previews.
✔️ YouTube & TikTok – Show how to use your presets/templates.
✔️ Facebook Groups – Share in entrepreneur and photography communities.
✔️ Blog & SEO – Write tutorials to attract organic traffic.
💡 Example: Create a TikTok video showing how your Lightroom presets can transform a dull photo into a masterpiece.
4. Pricing Strategies: How Much to Charge?
Pricing depends on competition and product quality. Here are some guidelines:
✔️ Lightroom presets → $10 – $50 per pack
✔️ Canva templates → $15 – $100 per bundle
✔️ Website templates → $50 – $500
✔️ Video presets → $20 – $200
💡 Tip: Offer bundle deals (e.g., “Get 3 preset packs for $30 instead of $45”).
5. Maximizing Your Sales & Earnings
✔️ Run Discounts & Promotions – Use limited-time sales to boost conversions.
✔️ Offer Freebies – Provide 1-2 free templates/presets to attract buyers.
✔️ Create a Niche Brand – Focus on a specific style (e.g., vintage presets, minimalist templates).
✔️ Sell Licensing Options – Offer commercial-use rights at a higher price.
6. Is Selling Templates & Presets Profitable?
💰 Potential earnings:
- Beginner → $300 – $1,000/month
- Intermediate → $1,500 – $5,000/month
- Advanced (own website + ads) → $10,000+/month
Selling digital assets is a low-cost business with high profit margins. Once created, they can be sold over and over again with no inventory costs.
Final Thoughts: Start Selling Digital Products Today
Selling templates and presets is a fantastic passive income opportunity. With the right strategy, you can build a profitable online business that generates money while you sleep.
📌 Next Steps:
✔️ Choose a niche & platform
✔️ Design your first product
✔️ Optimize & market it
✔️ Start making sales!
🚀 Are you ready to start your digital product business? Let’s go!
