15 Side Gigs to Earn Cash with Canva (Beginner-Friendly!)
To cover the cost of this website and the time I spend writing these posts, sometimes I link to affiliate products. If you choose to buy through these links (at no additional cost to you), thank you so much! It makes it possible for me to keep doing this.
With over 170 million users worldwide, Canva has become a powerhouse in the world of digital design—offering an intuitive, free-to-use platform that empowers anyone to create stunning graphics, videos, presentations, and more.
But here’s the exciting part: you don’t have to be a professional designer to turn your creativity into income.
Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent, a student, or someone looking for a side hustle, Canva opens the door to real, scalable ways to make money online—all from your laptop or tablet.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through 15 proven strategies to monetize your Canva skills, complete with tips, tools, and real-life success stories.
💡 Why Canva Is Perfect for Making Money
- No design experience required – templates make it easy to get started.
- Free version available – you can begin without spending a dime.
- Highly visual content sells – social media, digital products, and printables are in high demand.
- Passive income potential – once created, digital products sell repeatedly with zero extra effort.
- Global marketplace access – platforms like Etsy, Shopify, Fiverr, and Amazon let you reach customers worldwide.
Now, let’s dive into the 15 best ways to make money with Canva.
1. Design and Sell Printables
Printables are digital files that customers download and print at home. They’re one of the most popular categories on Etsy—and they sell fast.
Popular printable ideas:
- Daily planners & weekly trackers
- Budgeting spreadsheets
- Coloring pages (for adults and kids)
- Wall art & motivational quotes
- Wedding planning checklists
- Bachelorette party games
- Cleaning schedules
- Baby shower invitations
👉 How to do it:
- Use Canva to design your printable.
- Export as PDF (high-quality).
- Upload to Etsy, Shopify, or Gumroad.
- Set a price ($5–$15 is common).
- Let automation handle delivery after purchase.
2. Start a Print-on-Demand (POD) Business
You’ve heard of Teespring, Printful, and Redbubble—but did you know you can use Canva to design products that get printed only when someone buys them?
This means no inventory, no shipping, no risk.
Top POD items:
- T-shirts
- Mugs
- Phone cases
- Tote bags
- Posters & canvas prints
👉 How to start:
- Create a design in Canva (use brand colors, fonts, and style).
- Connect your Canva account to a POD provider like Printful, TeePublic, or Printify.
- Upload your design to their product catalog.
- List your item on Etsy, Shopify, or even Instagram.
When someone orders? The printer handles everything—from printing to shipping.
💰 Earnings: You earn $5–$20 per sale, depending on the product and markup.
🌟 Bonus: Add a personal touch with custom slogans or inside jokes to stand out.
3. Create Low-Content Books
Low-content books are perfect for passive income because they require minimal text but offer tons of value.
Best-selling low-content book types:
- Gratitude journals
- Doodle notebooks
- Sketchbooks
- Puzzle books (word searches, mazes)
- Activity books for kids
- Blank recipe journals
👉 How to create:
- Open Canva → Search “Journal Template” or “Blank Notebook.”
- Customize with borders, headers, and decorative elements.
- Export as PDF.
- Sell on Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) or Etsy.
📌 Amazon KDP Note: You can publish directly to Kindle and paperback formats—ideal for reaching global audiences.
✅ Tip: Offer themed versions (e.g., “Nature Lover’s Journal” or “Entrepreneur’s Daily Tracker”) to boost visibility.
4. Sell Canva Templates
Templates are in high demand—especially for entrepreneurs, bloggers, and small businesses who want professional-looking content without hiring a designer.
Popular template types:
- Instagram story templates
- Facebook post templates
- Pinterest pin designs
- Resume templates
- Presentation decks
- Email newsletter layouts
👉 Where to sell:
- Etsy – huge audience searching for ready-made designs
- Fiverr – offer custom template packages
- Your own Shopify store – build authority and brand loyalty
💡 Pro Tip: Create bundles (e.g., “Social Media Starter Pack: 50 Templates”) to increase average order value.
📈 Example: One creator earns $3k/month selling Canva templates for coaches and solopreneurs.
5. Design Digital Products That Scale
Digital products are arguably the best way to generate passive income—create once, sell forever.
Using Canva, you can create:
- E-books (with Canva-designed covers and interiors)
- Stock photo packs
- Social media kits
- Notion templates
- Google Slides presentation templates
- Printable stickers & clipart
👉 Platforms to sell:
- Etsy – ideal for creative digital downloads
- Gumroad – simple setup, great for creators
- Payhip – excellent for subscription-based models
- Your own website – full control + higher profit margins
🔥 Hot Trend: “Notion Templates for Productivity” now sell for $20–$50 each—with thousands of copies sold monthly.
6. Offer Social Media Graphic Design Services
Businesses need consistent, eye-catching visuals—but many don’t have time or design skills.
That’s where YOU come in.
Use Canva to deliver high-quality graphics for:
- Instagram posts & stories
- Facebook ads
- Pinterest pins
- YouTube thumbnails
- LinkedIn carousels
👉 How to charge:
- Charge hourly ($25–$50/hour)
- Offer packages (e.g., “10 Posts + 5 Stories = $150”)
- Provide monthly retainer plans ($300–$800/month)
💡 Niche Down: Become a “Pinterest VA” or “Instagram Designer for Coaches”—this increases your value and helps you stand out.
💬 Real-Life Example: Kristin earns $4k/month designing Pinterest graphics for bloggers while running her own blog.
7. Design Logos for Small Businesses
Every startup needs a logo. And Canva’s Logo Maker tool makes it easy—even for beginners—to create professional logos.
👉 What to offer:
- Logo design
- Brand kit creation (colors, fonts, icons)
- Social media branding package
- Business card design
💡 Where to find clients:
- Fiverr – search “logo design” and apply
- Upwork – bid on projects
- 99designs – contest-based model (higher pay, competitive)
✅ Price Range: $50–$300 per logo (custom packages go higher).
🎯 Pro Move: Offer a “Brand Identity Package” that includes logo, color palette, font pairings, and usage guidelines.
8. Design E-Book Covers
Self-publishing is booming, and authors need help creating click-worthy e-book covers.
Canva makes it simple to design beautiful, professional-looking covers—even if you’re not a graphic designer.
👉 What to offer:
- Custom e-book cover designs
- Premium templates for indie authors
- Cover concepts based on genre (romance, thriller, fantasy, etc.)
📌 Sell On:
- The Book Cover Designer – pay-per-sale model (you get 70%)
- Fiverr / Upwork – direct client work
- Etsy – sell pre-made templates or custom designs
💰 Pricing: $25–$100 per cover (depending on complexity and revisions).
✨ Bonus: Create a portfolio of genre-specific cover styles to attract niche authors.
9. Create Pinterest Graphics & Become a VA
Pinterest drives consistent traffic to blogs, websites, and online stores—so businesses will pay to have strong pins. Read This
As a Pinterest Virtual Assistant (VA), you can:
- Design 10+ pins per week
- Optimize pin descriptions with keywords
- Manage multiple client accounts
- Set up brand kits using Canva
👉 Services You Can Offer:
- Pin design (vertical 1000x1500px format)
- Monthly content calendar
- SEO-optimized pin descriptions
- Link tracking & analytics
💰 Hourly Rate: $25–$35/hour (beginner), up to $60+/hour with experience.
🚀 Fast Track: Join a free workshop like “Launch Your Pinterest VA Business From Home” to learn the exact steps.
10. Design Invitations & Announcements
Weddings, birthdays, baby showers, and parties all need invitations—and people love personalized, printable ones.
Popular invitation types:
- Birthday party invites
- Wedding save-the-date cards
- Bridal shower invites
- Baby gender reveal announcements
- Retirement party invites
- Bachelorette party game cards
👉 How to sell:
- Create templates in Canva (add editable fields for names/dates).
- Offer both printable PDFs and digital-only versions.
- List on Etsy, Creative Market, or your own shop.
📌 Trend Alert: “Minimalist wedding invites” and “cute unicorn birthday invites” are top sellers right now.
11. Launch a Canva Course for Beginners
If you’re passionate about teaching others how to use Canva, create a course—and earn recurring income.
Course ideas:
- “Canva for Beginners: Design Like a Pro in 30 Days”
- “Create Stunning Instagram Posts in Under 5 Minutes”
- “Build a Brand Kit in Canva (Perfect for Entrepreneurs)”
- “Make Money with Canva: A Step-by-Step Guide”
👉 Best Platforms:
- Thinkific – full control, best for building your brand
- Udemy – massive audience, lower royalties
- Skillshare – great for exposure, but less revenue
💡 Monetization Tips:
- Offer a free mini-course first (lead magnet).
- Upsell a premium course bundle.
- Include downloadable Canva templates as bonuses.
💬 Fun Fact: Some creators earn $5,000+ per month selling Canva courses to small business owners.
12. Design Websites Using Canva
Yes—you can build full websites using Canva’s new Website Builder feature.
It’s mobile-responsive, drag-and-drop, and perfect for:
- Bloggers
- Freelancers
- Local service providers (coaches, photographers, tutors)
- Artists & creatives
👉 How to monetize:
- Build a few sample websites (e.g., “Coffee Shop Website,” “Fitness Coach Site”).
- Share them in Facebook groups, 99designs, or Creative Market.
- Offer freelance website design services.
🌐 Pro Tip: Focus on a niche—like “Canva Websites for Wedding Planners”—to attract targeted clients.
13. Become a Canva Contributor (Currently Closed)
Canva’s Contributor Program lets designers upload photos, graphics, stickers, videos, and templates to be used in Canva’s library.
When someone uses your content in their design, you earn a royalty.
While new sign-ups are currently paused due to high demand, it’s worth keeping an eye on.
✅ When open again, contributors earn:
- Royalties per download (varies by content type)
- Passive income from millions of users
- Global exposure
🔔 Watch the Canva Contributor page for updates. You can also join the waitlist now.
14. Join the Canva Affiliate Program (Empower Canvassador)
Become an Empower Canvasser and earn commissions by promoting Canva Pro.
👉 How it works:
- Sign up at canva.com/affiliates
- Share your unique affiliate link
- Earn $50 per referral when someone signs up for Canva Pro
Requirements:
- Active social media following
- Publish at least one Canva tutorial/blog post per month
- Promote Canva authentically
💡 Best Content Ideas:
- “How I Made $1,000 Using Canva”
- “Top 5 Canva Hacks for Beginners”
- “Canva vs Photoshop: Which Should You Use?”
📊 Bonus: Combine with YouTube or TikTok content to grow faster.
15. Share Canva Tutorials on YouTube
Video is king—and YouTube is still one of the best places to build authority and earn money.
Start a channel focused on Canva tutorials, and grow a loyal audience.
Great video ideas:
- “How to Make a YouTube Thumbnail in Canva”
- “5 Canva Tips Every Blogger Needs”
- “Edit Videos in Canva (No Editing Skills Needed)”
- “Canva for Students: Easy Projects for School”
- “Turn This Canva Template Into a Viral Post”
👉 Monetization Path:
- Grow to 1,000 subscribers + 4,000 watch hours → enable YouTube Ads
- Apply for brand partnerships (e.g., Canva, Gumroad, Skillshare)
- Sell your own products (courses, templates, ebooks)
📱 Gear Needed (Beginner):
- Smartphone + ring light
- Free editing app (CapCut, iMovie)
- Good lighting and quiet space
📈 Real Result: One creator made $1,200/month just from YouTube ads after 6 months of consistent posting.
Final Thoughts: Start Small, Think Big
You don’t need fancy equipment, years of experience, or a degree in design to make money with Canva.
All you need is:
- Creativity
- Consistency
- A willingness to learn and share
Pick one method from this list—maybe selling printables or offering social media designs—and start today.
Over time, combine multiple streams (e.g., templates + courses + affiliate marketing) to build a fully passive, scalable income.
Remember: Your creativity is valuable. And with Canva, you have the power to turn it into profit—without ever leaving your home.
Did you enjoy this article?
👉 Share it with a friend who wants to make money from home!
💬 Leave a comment below — what’s your favorite way to make money with Canva?