How To Make Money With Canva – 9 Best Methods!
With over 100 million users, Canva is one of the most popular graphics design tool on the planet.
If you've ever tried making an eye-catching presentation, logo, or any form of online media, you've probably used Canva. And Canva is something I alongside plenty of other bloggers use on a day-to-day basis.
But did you know it's actually possible to make money using Canva if you know the right types of products and services to sell?
That's right: Canva can actually help you start a very lucrative, digital side hustle. And it doesn't matter if you have zero graphic design experience.
In this article, I'm going to cover how to make money with Canva so you can turn your next design session into some quick money.
Let's get to it!
How To Make Money Using Canva
Personally, I use Canva every week for plenty of things like creating graphics for social media or for my blog. Tom also uses Canva for the same reasons and for his YouTube channel.
But there are plenty of ways to make money with Canva that you can use if you're looking for a new side hustle.
Whether you make money with Canva templates, work as a freelance designer, or use another method, here are some real ways that you can start making money online with this robust graphic design tool.
1. Create Print On Demand Products To Sell
One of the most popular ways to make money using Canva is to use it to make designs and mockups that you sell on a print on demand store.
People do this all the time by designing merchandise graphics and logos on Canva and then selling their designs on different products. In fact, this is one way Tom made money in college, and he sold meme mugs on an Etsy print on demand store that used Printify.
The advantage of POD is that you don't have to worry about manufacturing or shipping your products. All you have to do is create unique designs with Canva, upload your designs to different products, and focus on marketing.
Plus, there are tons of different print on demand products you can sell like:
- Shirts
- Posters
- Wall Art
- Stickers
- Mugs
- Books
- Bags
- Shower Curtains
- Hoodies
- Phone Case
Canva is great for print on demand since it helps simplify the design process. And you can also use it to create banners and logos for your online store.
Additionally, Etsy is just one option for Canva POD selling. You can also try making money on Redbubble or opening a Shopify store and selling your products there.
2. Sell Low Content Books
Another interesting method to make money with Canva is to use it to design low content books.
Low content books are all the rage these days, and many savvy hustlers are making money online selling these books on Amazon Kindle and other online marketplaces.
So, what is a low content book? Like the name suggests, it's a type of book that doesn't have much content, and includes examples like:
- Journals
- Notebooks
- Coloring Books
- Planners
- Puzzle Books
- Children’s Books
It's very easy to make low content books with Canva since it has so many book and planner templates. The YouTube video above from Ivy Hang also shares how you can make money with Canva by designing these books and selling them on Amazon KDP.
Once you have enough books on KDP, it can turn into a nice passive income source. And if you find a type of Canva design that sells well, it's easy to scale with similar versions.
3. Sell Canva Printables & Digital Downloads
Speaking of autopilot income, another popular way to make money using Canva is to use it to create printables and digital downloads that you sell.
This is a popular method because your margins are extremely high. After all, you're just selling digital products, so there's no manufacturing or shipping costs to worry about!
A lot of people make money with Canva and Etsy by selling their designs there. Some common Canva printables you can sell on Etsy include:
- Coloring Pages
- Party Invitations
- Puzzles
- Thank You Cards
- Greeting Cards
- Planners
- Educational Materials
- Digital stickers
- Coloring Sheets
A lot of bloggers and influencers make money with Canva by selling these simple types of digital downloads. Branching into artwork and graphics can also work since many artists just sell digital downloads of their work.
Just note that you need a Canva Pro account to sell these digital downloads online. There are also a few other restrictions so be sure to reference Canva’s terms of service before getting started.
4. Sell Canva Templates
Did you know that you can make money with Canva templates? That's right: plenty of other people are willing to pay for Canva templates if you know how to create eye-catching designs.
Templates can help less experienced designers or those who do not have the time to create their own layouts from scratch. Not only are you helping others grow their business, you can make money doing it.
Here are some of the Canva template ideas you can design and sell:
- Business Cards
- Invitations
- Pinterest Pins
- Facebook Graphics
- Instagram Story Templates
- Cards
- Resumes and Cover Letters
- Flyers
- Ebook Templates
- Advertisement Templates
Tom has spent money in the past on Canva Pinterest templates, and there's definitely a market for this sort of stuff.
5. Become A Canva Contributor
If you're still wondering how to make money using Canva, you can always look into becoming a Canva Contributor.
This design website has a special creator program where you can earn passive income with your designs. You can also earn money by selling videos, stickers, and photos for other Canva users to make use of.
Joining this program is completely free, and you get paid with royalties for your work. Canva pays its contributors with PayPal cash or through Skrill or Payoneer.
You have to submit an application to become a Canva Contributor. Unfortunately, applications are paused right now, but keep an eye out for when this money-making opportunity is back.
6. Become A Social Media Manager
Another popular method for making money on Canva is to use it to offer social media management services to various clients as a freelancer.
This makes perfect sense. After all, Canva has so many awesome templates for Tik Tok, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram content. So, why not use its templates to make designs for your clients?
After growing my own social media accounts, I now frequently work with others to help their accounts grow. I manage accounts for several different businesses and frequently use Canva to to make money by creating various social media graphics.
Since these clients are on a retainer system, this help provides more steady monthly income. It has been a great gig to make money online, and it has been exciting helping these businesses grow.
Of course, you have to sell your skills as a social media manager to land clients. But you can apply to gigs on different remote job boards or find beginner jobs on Upwork to get your start.
Extra Reading – How To Become A Pinterest Manager.
7. Design Logos With Canva
Like becoming a social media manager, another idea to make money with Canva is to use it to sell logos or other similar designs.
Businesses both small and large need logos to use for their businesses. Many times new retailers, restaurants and other businesses need assistance creating this very important part of their brand.
You can use Canva to get paid by designing logos for businesses locally or online. Once you finalize this design, you can earn more money by helping them create business cards, flyers, signage and more by using that logo on various pieces.
Fiverr has plenty of sellers offering these types of Canva gigs. And you can find some with hundreds or even thousands of orders.
Branching into niche services is also a great idea. For example, some people earn money using Canva by designing YouTube thumbnails for content creators.
Alternatively, you can use Canva to design a lot of website elements and develop custom websites for people if you also have some programming skills.
8. Sell A Canva Design Course
Are you a professional at using Canva? If so, you can always consider making a Canva course and selling it to other content creators to help people while earning extra income.
People do this all the time, and there are lots of Canva YouTubers and bloggers who have courses to help people:
- Design better graphics
- Download the best templates
- Use the right fonts
- Generate website traffic with Canva designs on social media
When designing a course to make money, create an outline of what you are going to teach, and include what your customers will learn. Be sure to include any assignments that you might have incorporated.
As for pricing your course, be sure to keep in mind how long your course is and how difficult the material is. Also include various videos and images to explain different talking points in your course.
Don’t forget to plan promotions as well. After all, no one can sign up if they haven’t heard about it!
Extra Reading – How To Make Money Online For Beginners.
9. Create Ads With Canva
One final idea to make money using Canva is to use it to design ads for your ecommerce store.
Canva has thousands of stunning templates for things like Facebook and Instagram ads. So, if you run a dropshipping business or ecommerce store, you can use these templates to create unique ads to market your products and services.
This type of digital marketing side hustle is actually another way Tom made money in college. He was working at an advertising agency and with some freelance clients on the side, and Canva was very useful for designing his Facebook Ads.
Of course, running paid advertisements that are profitable also takes skill and the right targeting. But without great ads, it's practically impossible to run advertisements profitably.
Tips For Making Money With Canva
Now that you know how to make money with Canva, here are a few tips you can keep in mind while branching into this new side hustle idea:
- Test Several Niches: If you're trying ideas like selling Canva printables on Etsy or low content books, test several niches. It can take a while to find what type of designs or niches sell well to your audience or on a marketplace, so have patience!
- Consider Canva Pro: Canva Pro costs about $12.99 per month, but it's definitely worth investing in if you're serious about making money with Canva. The number of premium templates and designs you get is immensely useful. Plus, you need a Pro account to sell your digital downloads and templates online.
- Scale What Works: Once you find a design or online service to sell that works, focus on scaling it! This is the market telling you that your Canva designs and skills are heading in the right direction, so focus on doing more of what works.
Extra Reading – How To Make $100 A Day Guaranteed.
Final Thoughts
I am a long time Canva Pro user and I personally make money with Canva regularly in several different ways.
After all, I use Canva almost daily to make artwork for my own blog which generates advertising revenue. I also sell printables that I make on Canva and use Canva to design logos and social media graphics for some of my clients.
In fact, I now use it almost exclusively for myself and my clients, and my teens have even used it for their classwork projects as well.
If you're looking for ways for how to make money using Canva, the good news is that the opportunities are almost endless! And this affordable program is as beginner-friendly as it gets.
Personally, I use Canva Pro and it's been incredibly useful for making better designs and earning more money. But you can always start with a free account to test it out before investing.
Ultimately, earning money using Canva is a pretty fun side hustle. And you can always use it to improve your own online business as well!
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