Interested in starting an Etsy printables business?
You’re not alone.
Printables have exploded in popularity over recent years. They’re a win-win for both buyers and sellers.
Buyers get useful material for just a few bucks. And sellers can create passive income streams from designs that take less than an hour to create. (It’s also the perfect job for travelers because everything is completely digital — no inventory needed).
The key is knowing what to create.
So, what are the best-selling printables on Etsy?
Let’s take a look.
Table of Contents
- What printables are most popular on Etsy?
- How to find Etsy printable ideas to sell
- Top 35 best-selling printables on Etsy
- 1. Journal Inserts
- 2. Chore Chart Checklists
- 3. Wedding Invitations
- 4. Meal Planners
- 5. Thank You Notes
- 6. Logos
- 7. Photography
- 8. Calendar
- 9. To-Do List Templates
- 10. Color Pages
- 11. Recipe Cards
- 12. Word Puzzles
- 13. Artwork
- 14. Stickers
- 15. Resume Templates
- 16. Wall Decor
- 17. Trivia
- 18. Homeschool Worksheets
- 19. Flashcards
- 20. Sight Words Card
- 21. Budget Spreadsheet
- 22. Sewing Patterns
- 23. Website Template
- 24. Baby Shower Games
- 25. Baby Shower Signs
- 26. Greeting Cards
- 27. Bible Scriptures
- 28. Bible Study Worksheets
- 29. Birthday Invitations
- 30. Clip Art
- 31. Scavenger Hunts
- 31. Food Labels
- 33. Study Materials
- 35. E-Books
- Frequently asked questions
What printables are most popular on Etsy?
If you want to create a profitable printables business, you need a keen eye for which printables customers gravitate to the most.
In most cases, this means printables that enrich their lives in some way — whether that be to inform, entertain, or just make life a little easier.
So before starting a design, ask yourself, “How will this make a buyer’s life better?”
Many of the most popular printables are based on seasonal interests.
Anything involving big holidays or wedding season (spring to fall) has strong potential. Focusing on seasonal printables allows you to schedule work ahead of time and create the structure that many new Etsy shops lack.
Unfortunately, seasonal printables only sell well while “in season.” So if you focus solely on one season, you won’t make consistent income year-round.
To combat this, create a mixture of seasonal and evergreen content, which doesn’t depend on trends or holidays.
That way, you take advantage of seasonal spikes, but also have consistent baseline sales. But that still leaves us with the question…
What types of Etsy printables should you actually create?
How to find Etsy printable ideas to sell
Finding Etsy printable ideas to sell is as easy as a Google search. But if you want to make the process completely foolproof, you can check out our list of the best digital products to sell on Etsy. We’ve already done the heavy lifting for you.
Another awesome resource is this free printables eBook that reveals exactly what type of printables sell best for each month of the year.
You can also do a deep dive on your own.
One easy way is to head over to Etsy and type “printable” into the search bar. By default, Etsy turns up some of the most popular printables in the search.
From there, filter your results to narrow them down by price range, color, etc.
Don’t be afraid to click around and check out the different products and shops to get a feel of what the top-selling printables on Etsy are.
Important: Finding printable ideas is only a tiny piece of the Etsy business puzzle. To learn how to set up your printable passive income business from start to finish, check out these free and paid Etsy printable courses.
I also just went through one of the most popular courses on the market — you can see my full Gold City Ventures review here.
Top 35 best-selling printables on Etsy
Here are 35 of the best printables to sell, in no particular order:
1. Journal Inserts
Long gone are the days of having to sell your kidneys to afford a premium journal from Hobby Lobby. Smart shoppers download their journal pages right from Etsy to the card stock paper of their choice.
2. Chore Chart Checklists
There’s no foolproof way to cut down on the bargaining it takes to get your child to do their chores. But at least a chore chart checklist can keep things laid out and plain (the next time they claim they didn’t realize it was their turn).
3. Wedding Invitations
No matter what life throws at people, love prevails through it all. Stress, sickness, pandemics, everything. And when it’s time for a lovestruck couple to take the next step and get married, they’ll need invitations to send out to their peeps.
4. Meal Planners
Between keto, gluten-free, and vegan, it seems like everyone follows a different diet these days. Make their life a little easier by providing meal planning templates to keep everything straight.
5. Thank You Notes
Thank you notes might seem like a lost art form, but it doesn’t have to be. In today’s busy, digital world, a pretty thank you note is sure to impress. People are realizing it’s a great way to show gratitude while standing out from the crowd — certainly more special than a text message.
6. Logos
The nine-to-five just isn’t cutting it for many people these days. People are sick of taking orders, and entrepreneurial spirits are flourishing. Logos are an essential part of company branding. And with a record-high 5.4 million new business applications, it’s no wonder why logos are one of the best printable ideas to sell.
7. Photography
A photo might be worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean it has to cost a thousand dollars. Etsy is chock full of independent photographers who are looking to sell their prints as digital goods. If you’ve got camera skills, you can be one of them.
8. Calendar
For as long as the days draw on, mankind will need calendars. Yes, believe it or not, some people prefer real physical calendars. Each year, millions of new calendars are sold to help people keep track of the passing days. Take this Etsy printable idea and use it to get your share of the market.
9. To-Do List Templates
The list of things to do seems never-ending. And while that seems pretty bleak, one upside to that fact is that you can sell to-do lists. Believe it or not, these things are one of the best-selling Etsy printables. Gotta love capitalism.
10. Color Pages
Whether you’re homeschooling your children or just an adult trying to relieve some stress, coloring pages have a place in everyone’s life. If you’re artistically inclined, you can create your own coloring pages to upload and sell on Etsy.
11. Recipe Cards
I’m the type of person that just googles recipes and picks the first option. But turns out, many cooking wizards like to tweak and create their own recipes. And for that, they need an organized system to keep track of everything. Enter your recipe card templates.
12. Word Puzzles
If you spend any amount of time on social media, then you know that Wordle (a simple word guessing game) has taken over the internet. But Wordle doesn’t have to be the only puzzle in town. Take a few hours and come up with your own crossword puzzle or other similar game, then sell them on Etsy for passive income.
13. Artwork
Artwork will never go out of style. If you’re an artist, you can make a little extra money by selling digital versions of your artwork and designs. You can also create reusable graphics that noobie designers can use in their work.
14. Stickers
Stickers add a pop of color to our lives. And during these dark times, they’re needed more than ever. For an Etsy shop owner, they’re low-effort digital products that can reap beneficial rewards. Many buyers use these for crafts like scrapbooking.
15. Resume Templates
Everyone is job-hopping during this crazy “Great Resignation,” making resume templates some of the most popular printables on Etsy. Anything that can give job hunters a bit of an edge over the competition will be rewarded with sales.
16. Wall Decor
Millenials love to decorate their homes. Long gone is the art inspo inherited from their boomer parents — this generation is into trendy words, bright neon colors, and other eye-catching patterns. With a little know-how, you can create visually engaging wall decor that has people fighting to give you their money.
17. Trivia
For those much-valued game nights at home, a little trivia comes in handy. Instead of opting for the mass-produced games we’ve played our whole lives, many people are choosing Etsy trivia for funnier, more unique facts and tidbits.
18. Homeschool Worksheets
Homeschooling has always been around, but the pandemic has pushed it into overdrive. More than ever, moms and dads need quality homeschool worksheets and other teaching materials to stimulate their kid’s minds.
19. Flashcards
Let’s be honest — much of school is rote memorization. Flashcards have long helped students hold onto what they learned (at least long enough to pass a test!). If you create your own flashcards, you can get a piece of the pie.
20. Sight Words Card
Sight word cards are handy aids for teachers trying to teach their students about words that don’t follow conventional spelling and pronunciation rules. They provide much-needed visual aids to help students associate certain words with certain options.
21. Budget Spreadsheet
In today’s crazy world, money is getting tighter and tighter for many people. Budget spreadsheets are a great way to track every penny and take back a little financial control, making them one of the top-selling printables on Etsy.
22. Sewing Patterns
Every garment started as a pattern. And even though it seems that each generation moves further and further away from homemade clothes, readily available sewing patterns can help ensure that these classic structures we love in our clothes are never lost. ‘
23. Website Template
Unless you’re a coder, website building can make you want to rip your hair out. Thankfully, many web hosts offer templates to help get business owners started, but those that want something a little bit more custom than the default options can turn to Etsy.
24. Baby Shower Games
Aside from the food, baby showers can be a bit of a slog to get through. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Well-thought-out baby shower games can provide some much-needed mental stimulation during an otherwise boring party.
25. Baby Shower Signs
Over the top gender reveal parties are so last decade. Modern parents are shifting away from expensive (and oftentimes dangerous) methods for revealing their baby’s identity and, instead, reverting to classic tactics — just telling their friends and family with a nice, big sign.
26. Greeting Cards
Sure, Hallmark is fine. But many people are over mass-produced greeting cards without a lick of originality. They want unique greeting cards made by independent audiences that don’t recycle the same jokes over and over again.
27. Bible Scriptures
In times like these, spiritual pick-me-ups are a must! At least if you are of the faith. Because so many people follow one religion or another, there’s a wide-open market for printed scriptures and other religious texts. If the Bible is your jam, you might also want to consider becoming a Christian life coach online.
28. Bible Study Worksheets
For those looking to deepen their understanding of the Bible, worksheets sure do come in handy. The best part about them is that they can target specific chapters or scriptures, rather than the entire bible, saving both time, money, and trees.
29. Birthday Invitations
Invitations, no matter the kind, are expensive. But printing them off yourself helps make them a little more affordable, which is why people love buying the designs through Etsy. If you’re artistically inclined, whip up a few different designs and see if anyone bites.
30. Clip Art
For the graphic designers among us, clip art packs can be a godsend. Not only can you produce something that’s higher quality than mass-produced stuff, but you can also help buyers save time looking for free or commercially free images (and avoid legal trouble).
31. Scavenger Hunts
Whether you’re a jolly soul with a youthful spirit, or just like the power of leading people all over the place, creating your own scavenger hunts provides endless possibilities if you’re clever enough to create their own. These are super popular with people throwing different types of parties.
31. Food Labels
If you’re a foodie, you’ve likely seen the cute little labels that sit in front of food stations at brunch or a home-catered meal. Sure, people can buy labels from the store, but there’s nothing quite as sleek as a printed label.
33. Study Materials
Whether you’re just getting started on your educational journey or are about to earn your degree, study aids are a great way to supplement your instruction. And if you’re one of the sharper tools in the shed, you can package this knowledge and resell it to others.
35. E-Books
One of the top printables on Etsy is one you might not expect — books. But not exactly the books you imagine. Instead of full-length novels (because who has that much ink), most digital books that can be printed from Etsy are shorter how-to guides, trivia facts, and short courses. So if you have a little knowledge to share, consider packaging it as an E-book.
Frequently asked questions
The most popular printables on Etsy vary by season. To see what printables are most popular for each month of the year, check out this free printables eBook. To maximize your earnings, mix trending seasonal printables with evergreen printable designs that sell year-round.
Printables sell like hotcakes on Etsy, but you have to know what you’re doing. That means knowing which types of printables to choose, knowing how to create attractive designs that sell, and knowing Etsy SEO and how to promote your designs.
Mitch is your typical nomadic backpacker. Or at least, he was. But after stopping in Colombia to take “one week” of salsa lessons, his life took a sharp left turn. He met a cute Colombian girl in dance class, fell in love, and got married. Over half a decade has passed since he left his career to travel the world as a digital nomad, and he’s never looked back.
Nowadays, he’s the blogger behind Project Untethered — where he runs an awesome email newsletter and Youtube channel teaching adventure-craved wanderlusters how to escape the rat race, earn money from anywhere, and build an “untethered life”.
His advice has been featured in Forbes, USA Today, Yahoo, MSN, Reader’s Digest, Condé Nast Traveler, and more.
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