ONLINE INCOME & BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

💰Explore legitimate online business models, platforms and tools that can help you create additional income streams. Some may become relatively passive after setup, while others require ongoing work, marketing and customer service.

👕 PRINT-ON-DEMAND PLATFORMS

Print-on-demand (POD) allows you to sell customized products without purchasing inventory in advance. Products are generally produced after a customer orders, and the POD provider handles production and fulfillment.

• Printful — Great for building a branded print-on-demand business and connecting products to stores such as Shopify, Etsy and WooCommerce. Offers apparel, accessories, home products, embroidery and more, with no order minimums.
• Printify — Great for product variety and comparing different print providers. Offers 1,300+ products and integrations with Shopify, Etsy, Wix, WooCommerce, eBay and other selling platforms.
• Gelato — Great for businesses selling internationally. Uses a large global production network and integrates with platforms including Shopify, Etsy and WooCommerce.
• Redbubble — Great for artists who want a built-in marketplace instead of creating their own online store. Upload your artwork and Redbubble arranges production and shipping when customers purchase.
• Fourthwall — Great for creators, influencers and small brands that want merchandise plus their own storefront. It offers POD products, a no-code storefront and fulfillment without requiring inventory.
• Spreadshirt — Great for selling custom apparel and merchandise through your own shop or an existing marketplace. Sellers can use a free Spreadshop, the Spreadshirt marketplace or integrations with other stores.
• Spring — Great for creators who want to sell branded merchandise directly to their audience.
• Zazzle — Great for designers interested in personalized products, gifts, stationery, invitations and merchandise.
• Amazon Merch on Demand — Great for creators who want eligible designs sold on Amazon without managing inventory or shipping themselves.

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

Want your own brand/store? → Printful or Printify
Want lots of product choices? → Printify
Want international/localized production? → Gelato
Don't want to build your own store? → Redbubble
You're a content creator/influencer? → Fourthwall or Spring
Want personalized gifts and designs? → Zazzle
Want to sell through Amazon? → Amazon Merch on Demand

Important: Print-on-demand removes much of the inventory and fulfillment work, but it is not automatically passive income. Sellers still need designs, product selection, pricing and marketing.

📦 DROPSHIPPING PLATFORMS & SUPPLIERS

Dropshipping lets you sell products without keeping the inventory yourself. When a customer places an order, a supplier generally fulfills and ships the product directly to the customer. You still remain responsible for choosing products, pricing, marketing and the customer experience.

• Shopify — Great for building your own branded dropshipping store and connecting it with supplier and fulfillment apps.
• DSers — Great for businesses that want to find and manage products from AliExpress and process dropshipping orders.
• Spocket — Great for finding dropshipping suppliers, including suppliers based in the U.S. and Europe.
• Zendrop — Great for e-commerce sellers looking for product sourcing, fulfillment and dropshipping tools.
• AutoDS — Great for automating parts of product importing, price monitoring, inventory and order management.
• CJdropshipping — Great for product sourcing, fulfillment, warehousing and international dropshipping.
• Modalyst — Great for online stores looking for dropshipping products and supplier connections.
• SaleHoo — Great for researching suppliers and finding products through a supplier directory.
• AliExpress — Great for accessing a very large selection of products from international sellers and suppliers.
• Syncee — Great for finding suppliers and managing dropshipping products through an online marketplace.
• Wholesale2B — Great for accessing dropshipping products from multiple suppliers and connecting them with online stores.
• Inventory Source — Great for supplier-directory access and automating inventory and dropshipping workflows.

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

Want to build your own store? → Shopify
Want to dropship from AliExpress? → DSers
Looking for U.S. & European suppliers? → Spocket
Want sourcing + fulfillment? → Zendrop or CJdropshipping
Want more automation? → AutoDS
Want to research suppliers first? → SaleHoo
Want a huge product selection? → AliExpress
Want multiple supplier connections? → Syncee or Wholesale2B

⚠️ BEFORE CHOOSING A DROPSHIPPING SUPPLIER

Don't choose a supplier based only on a low product price. Check product quality, shipping times, return policies, fulfillment reliability, customer reviews, integration costs and available customer support.

Ordering a sample before heavily promoting a product can also help you see what your customer is actually going to receive. 

🔗 AFFILIATE MARKETING PLATFORMS & NETWORKS

Affiliate marketing allows you to earn commissions by recommending qualifying products or services from other businesses. You generally receive a unique tracking link, and commissions depend on each program's rules, attribution terms and eligible purchases.

• Amazon Associates — Great for recommending physical products across a huge range of categories sold through Amazon.
• Awin — Great for finding affiliate programs across retail, travel, finance, technology and many other industries.
• impact.com — Great for discovering and managing affiliate, creator and brand partnerships.
• CJ Affiliate — Great for publishers looking to work with established brands across numerous industries.
• ShareASale — Great for finding affiliate programs from online retailers and businesses across many niches.
• PartnerStack — Great for B2B, SaaS and software affiliate and partner programs.
• ClickBank — Great for finding affiliate offers, particularly digital products and online offers.
• Rakuten Advertising — Great for publishers interested in affiliate partnerships with established brands.
• FlexOffers — Great for accessing affiliate programs across many different product and service categories.
• eBay Partner Network — Great for publishers recommending products, collectibles, refurbished goods and other items sold through eBay.
• Shopify Affiliate Program — Great for creators and educators whose audience is interested in starting or growing an online business.
• Fiverr Affiliates — Great for recommending freelance and business services to entrepreneurs and small-business owners.
• Partnerize — Great for publishers and brands managing partnership and affiliate-marketing relationships.

🛍️ RETAIL & PHYSICAL PRODUCTS

Amazon Associates → General consumer products
eBay Partner Network → New, used, vintage and collectible products
Awin → Retailers and consumer brands
CJ Affiliate → Major brands and retailers
Rakuten Advertising → Retail and established brands

💻 SOFTWARE & BUSINESS TOOLS

PartnerStack → SaaS and B2B software
impact.com → Software, brands and partnership programs
Shopify Affiliate Program → E-commerce and online-business audiences
Fiverr Affiliates → Freelance and business services

📚 DIGITAL PRODUCTS & ONLINE OFFERS

ClickBank → Digital products and online offers
Awin → Mix of digital and physical brands
impact.com → Digital services, software and brands

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

General product recommendations? → Amazon Associates
Want many brands in one network? → Awin, CJ Affiliate or impact.com
Business/software audience? → PartnerStack
Digital products? → ClickBank
Vintage, collectibles or resale audience? → eBay Partner Network
Small-business/e-commerce audience? → Shopify Affiliate Program
Audience needs freelancers or business services? → Fiverr Affiliates

⚠️ IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

You don't need to join every affiliate network. Start with programs that closely match your website and audience.

Also clearly disclose affiliate relationships when you recommend products or services. In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission's Endorsement Guides provide guidance on disclosures for endorsements and affiliate relationships. 

💰 BLOG & WEBSITE AD MONETIZATION PLATFORMS

Blog and website ad monetization platforms allow publishers to earn money by displaying advertisements on their websites. Earnings can depend on factors such as website traffic, visitor location, niche, advertiser demand, page views and ad engagement.

This can become a recurring income stream once a website has established content and consistent traffic, although maintaining and growing the site usually requires ongoing work.

• Google AdSense — Great for website owners and bloggers looking for a widely accessible way to begin monetizing website content with advertising.
• Journey by Mediavine — Great for growing websites working toward more advanced ad monetization. Journey requires publishers to install Grow so the site can be evaluated for its advertising program.
• Mediavine — Great for established content websites that meet Mediavine's current eligibility and quality requirements.
• Raptive — Great for established publishers looking for managed advertising and website monetization services.
• Ezoic — Another option for publishers exploring website advertising and monetization technology.

📝 TYPES OF WEBSITES THAT CAN USE ADVERTISING

Examples include:

Blogs • Recipe Websites • Travel Blogs • Business Resource Websites • Educational Websites • Lifestyle Blogs • Home & Garden Websites • Parenting Blogs • Finance Websites • Technology Blogs • Craft Websites • Fashion Blogs • Beauty Websites • Hobby Websites

💡 HOW BLOG AD INCOME WORKS

A simple model is:

Create Helpful Content → Attract Website Visitors → Display Ads → Earn Advertising Revenue

A website with many useful evergreen articles may continue receiving visitors from search engines, Pinterest, social media, email and other sources long after individual articles were published.

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

Newer website? → Research Google AdSense
Growing content website? → Journey by Mediavine
Established content publisher? → Research Mediavine or Raptive
Want another ad-technology option? → Ezoic

⚠️ IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

Advertising income is not guaranteed passive income. A blog generally needs useful content and traffic before advertising becomes meaningful.

Also compare each network's current eligibility requirements, revenue arrangements, contracts, site-performance effects and policies before applying.

---

✍️ GET PAID TO WRITE & PUBLISH PLATFORMS

You do not necessarily need to build your own blog before publishing online.

Some platforms allow writers to publish articles, stories, essays, educational content, opinions, guides or other written content and potentially earn money through partner programs, memberships, reader engagement or other monetization systems.

• Medium Partner Program — Great for writers who want to publish articles on an established writing platform and potentially earn through Medium's Partner Program. Eligible stories can earn based on activity and engagement from Medium members.
• Vocal — A publishing platform where creators can publish stories and explore the platform's available creator monetization opportunities.
• Substack — Great for writers who want to publish posts and newsletters while building free and paid subscribers.
• HubPages — A long-running publishing platform where writers can publish articles and participate in available monetization programs.

🖊️ WHAT CAN YOU WRITE ABOUT?

Depending on the platform's rules:

Business • Personal Finance • Food • Travel • Lifestyle • Technology • Productivity • Education • Parenting • Careers • Entrepreneurship • Personal Experiences • Tutorials • How-To Guides • Essays • Stories • Reviews

💰 HOW WRITERS CAN EARN

Different platforms use different systems.

Potential models include:

Reader Engagement • Paid Memberships • Advertising Revenue • Subscriber Payments • Partner Programs • Affiliate Marketing • Sponsorships • Tips • Selling Your Own Products

For example, Medium currently allows accepted Partner Program writers to make eligible stories available through its paywall and earn based on story performance and member activity. Eligibility requirements apply.

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

Want to write articles? → Medium
Want a newsletter + writing business? → Substack
Want another creator publishing platform? → Vocal
Want to build your own long-term writing business? → WordPress + your own website

💡 TWO DIFFERENT WAYS TO MAKE MONEY WRITING

Publish on Someone Else's Platform

Medium → Write articles → Build readership → Potentially earn through its Partner Program.

Build Your Own Blog

WordPress → Publish articles → Build traffic → Monetize with ads + affiliate marketing + sponsorships + products + email marketing.

A writer can also use both approaches.

⚠️ IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

Payment programs and eligibility requirements can change. Always check a platform's current rules before joining.

Medium, for example, currently requires writers to meet Partner Program eligibility requirements, apply and be accepted before earning through the program.

---

📰 NEWSLETTER MONETIZATION PLATFORMS

Newsletters can become businesses by building an email audience and monetizing through paid subscriptions, advertising, sponsorships, affiliate marketing or products and services.

• Substack — Great for writers and creators building free and paid newsletter audiences.
• beehiiv — Great for newsletter publishers interested in audience growth and newsletter monetization tools.
• Ghost — Great for building an independent publication with newsletters, memberships and paid subscriptions.
• Kit — Great for creators building an email audience around content, digital products and other creator businesses.
• Mailchimp — Great for businesses using newsletters to promote products, services and offers to their email subscribers.

💰 WAYS TO MONETIZE A NEWSLETTER

Paid Subscriptions • Sponsorships • Advertising • Affiliate Links • Digital Products • Courses • Memberships • Coaching • Services • Your Own Products

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

Writer starting a paid newsletter? → Substack
Newsletter-focused business? → beehiiv
Want your own independent publication? → Ghost
Creator selling products? → Kit
Small business email marketing? → Mailchimp

💡 NEWSLETTER BUSINESS EXAMPLE

Choose a Niche → Publish Helpful Emails → Build Subscribers → Develop Trust → Monetize

For example:

Small-Business Newsletter

Free weekly business tips

• affiliate recommendations
• sponsored content
• business templates
• premium membership
• paid digital products

One audience can therefore support several different income streams.

⚠️ IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

Building an email list is usually a long-term strategy rather than instant income. Focus first on giving subscribers a clear reason to join and continue opening your emails.

Also follow applicable email-marketing, privacy, advertising and affiliate-disclosure requirements.

💻 DIGITAL PRODUCT PLATFORMS

Digital-product platforms allow you to sell products customers can access or download online, such as ebooks, printables, planners, templates, worksheets, checklists, guides, digital art, graphics, AI prompts, educational materials and business resources.

• Payhip — Great for beginners selling digital downloads, courses, coaching and memberships from one platform.
• Gumroad — Great for creators who want a simple storefront for digital products and other creator offerings.
• Etsy — Great for printables, planners, templates, digital art, invitations and other creative digital downloads.
• Shopify — Great for building your own branded store and selling digital products alongside physical products.
• Ko-fi — Great for creators selling digital products while also offering memberships and accepting supporter contributions.
• Creative Market — Great for fonts, graphics, templates, illustrations and other professional design assets.
• Sellfy — Great for creators who want their own storefront for digital products, subscriptions and merchandise.
• Lemon Squeezy — Great for software, digital products and subscriptions, with merchant-of-record services.
• Podia — Great for combining digital downloads with courses, coaching and an online community.
• Creative Fabrica — Great for fonts, graphics, craft designs, printables and other creative digital resources.
• Design Bundles — Great for selling fonts, SVGs, graphics, templates and other design resources.
• Teachers Pay Teachers — Great for teachers and creators selling educational worksheets, classroom activities and teaching resources.
• itch.io — Great for independent games, game assets, digital tools and creative projects.
• itch.io — Great for independent games, game assets, digital tools and creative projects.

📄 PRINTABLES, PLANNERS & WORKSHEETS

Etsy → Printables, planners, trackers and worksheets
Payhip → Downloadable PDFs and resource bundles
Gumroad → Digital downloads and creator resources
Ko-fi → Smaller digital products and creator downloads
Teachers Pay Teachers → Educational worksheets and learning resources

🎨 GRAPHICS & DESIGN ASSETS

Creative Market → Professional graphics, fonts and templates
Creative Fabrica → Fonts, crafts, graphics and printables
Design Bundles → SVGs, fonts, templates and design assets
Etsy → Digital art, invitations, templates and creative downloads

📚 EBOOKS, GUIDES & BUSINESS RESOURCES

Payhip → Ebooks, guides, templates and bundles
Gumroad → Ebooks, guides and creator products
Shopify → Building your own branded digital-product business
Sellfy → Digital downloads through your own storefront
Podia → Guides plus courses, coaching and community

🤖 AI PROMPTS & BUSINESS TEMPLATES

Payhip → Prompt collections and business-resource bundles
Gumroad → AI prompts and creator/business resources
Etsy → Templates and eligible digital downloads
Shopify → Selling under your own business brand

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

New to digital products? → Payhip or Gumroad
Want marketplace traffic? → Etsy
Want your own branded business? → Shopify
Already have followers? → Ko-fi
Sell fonts or graphics? → Creative Market, Creative Fabrica or Design Bundles
Sell educational resources? → Teachers Pay Teachers
Want downloads + courses + coaching? → Podia or Payhip
Sell software or digital subscriptions? → Lemon Squeezy

💡 IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

A marketplace and your own store serve different purposes. A marketplace such as Etsy can provide access to shoppers already searching on that platform, while Shopify gives you more control over your own branded storefront. Platforms such as Payhip and Gumroad can provide a simpler starting point for selling downloads directly.

Many sellers eventually use more than one sales channel rather than depending entirely on a single platform.

📚 SELF-PUBLISHING PLATFORMS

Self-publishing platforms help independent authors and creators publish and sell ebooks, paperback books, hardcover books, workbooks, journals, educational books, children's books and other publications without using a traditional publisher.

• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) — Great for self-publishing ebooks, paperbacks and hardcover books and reaching customers through Amazon.
• IngramSpark — Great for independent authors and publishers seeking broader print and ebook distribution to bookstores, libraries and retailers.
• Lulu — Great for print-on-demand books, workbooks, journals and selling books directly through your own channels.
• Draft2Digital — Great for distributing ebooks and print books to multiple retailers and library channels from one platform.
• Blurb — Great for photo books, art books, portfolios, cookbooks and other highly visual publications.
• Barnes & Noble Press — Great for independent authors who want to publish ebooks and print books for Barnes & Noble readers.
• Kobo Writing Life — Great for independently publishing ebooks and reaching Kobo readers internationally.
• Apple Books for Authors — Great for authors who want to make ebooks available to Apple Books readers.
• Google Play Books Partner Center — Great for publishers and authors who want to sell ebooks through Google Play Books.
• PublishDrive — Great for authors and publishers seeking multi-store ebook, audiobook and print distribution tools.
• StreetLib — Great for authors and publishers interested in international digital-book distribution.

📖 EBOOKS

Amazon KDP → Amazon Kindle
Kobo Writing Life → Kobo readers
Apple Books for Authors → Apple Books
Google Play Books → Google ecosystem
Draft2Digital → Distribute to multiple stores
PublishDrive → Multi-channel distribution

📕 PAPERBACK & HARDCOVER BOOKS

Amazon KDP → Amazon-focused print-on-demand publishing
IngramSpark → Broader bookstore and library distribution
Lulu → Print-on-demand and direct selling
Barnes & Noble Press → Barnes & Noble ecosystem
Draft2Digital → Print distribution options

🎨 PHOTO, ART & VISUAL BOOKS

Blurb → Photo books, portfolios and visual publications
Lulu → Custom books and creative print projects
IngramSpark → Professional publishing and distribution

📝 WORKBOOKS, JOURNALS & ACTIVITY BOOKS

Amazon KDP → Workbooks, journals and eligible activity books
Lulu → Workbooks, journals and custom printed books
IngramSpark → Books intended for wider retail distribution

👧 CHILDREN'S & EDUCATIONAL BOOKS

Amazon KDP → Children's and educational books for Amazon customers
IngramSpark → Useful when broader bookstore/library distribution is important
Lulu → Educational and custom-print projects
Barnes & Noble Press → Another direct publishing channel

🌎 WIDER DISTRIBUTION

IngramSpark → Bookstores, libraries and retailers
Draft2Digital → Multiple ebook and print channels
PublishDrive → Multiple international stores and formats
StreetLib → International digital distribution

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

Publishing your first book? → Amazon KDP
Want to reach bookstores and libraries? → IngramSpark
Want multiple ebook stores without managing each separately? → Draft2Digital
Creating workbooks or custom books? → Lulu
Creating photography or art books? → Blurb
Want additional ebook reach? → Kobo Writing Life, Apple Books or Google Play Books

💡 IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

You do not necessarily have to choose only one publishing platform. Depending on the distribution terms you select, an author may use Amazon KDP for Amazon while using other services for wider distribution.

Before publishing, also check each platform's current rules regarding ISBNs, royalties, printing costs, distribution, content requirements and exclusivity. These can affect where else you are allowed to distribute a particular edition.

🎓 ONLINE COURSE PLATFORMS

Online course platforms help you create and sell courses, tutorials, workshops, masterclasses, training programs, educational videos, memberships and other learning experiences.

• Teachable — Great for entrepreneurs and creators selling online courses, coaching and digital learning products.
• Thinkific — Great for building a branded online learning business with courses, communities and memberships.
• Kajabi — Great for combining courses, coaching, memberships, websites, email marketing and sales tools in one platform.
• Podia — Great for creators who want to sell courses, downloads, coaching, webinars and community access.
• LearnWorlds — Great for creating more advanced and interactive online learning experiences.
• Udemy — Great for instructors who want to publish courses on an established learning marketplace.
• Skillshare — Great for creators teaching creative, business, design and practical skills through an established learning community.
• Payhip — Great for beginners who want to sell courses alongside digital downloads, coaching and memberships.
• Thinkific — Great for educators and businesses that want their own branded course website.
• Mighty Networks — Great for combining online courses with memberships and an active community.
• Circle — Great for community-centered courses, memberships, events and discussions.
• LearnDash — Great for businesses that want to create courses on their own WordPress website.
• MemberPress Courses — Great for WordPress businesses combining courses with paid memberships.
• Coursera — Great for learners and institutional education; course publishing is generally partnership-based rather than an open marketplace for individual instructors.

🏪 WANT YOUR OWN COURSE BUSINESS?

Teachable → Beginner-friendly course business
Thinkific → Branded courses and learning programs
Kajabi → Courses + marketing + website + email
Podia → Courses + downloads + coaching
LearnWorlds → Advanced learning experiences

🛍️ WANT AN EXISTING MARKETPLACE?

Udemy → Large course marketplace
Skillshare → Creative and practical skills

These can be helpful when you don't already have a large audience, although marketplace rules, pricing and instructor compensation work differently from running your own course website.

👥 COURSES + COMMUNITY

Mighty Networks → Courses, memberships and community
Circle → Courses, events and community
Thinkific → Courses and communities
Kajabi → Courses, coaching and community

🌐 WANT COURSES ON YOUR OWN WORDPRESS WEBSITE?

LearnDash → Full learning-management system for WordPress
MemberPress Courses → Courses combined with WordPress memberships

📦 COURSES + DIGITAL PRODUCTS

Payhip → Courses + downloads + memberships + coaching
Podia → Courses + digital downloads + webinars + coaching
Kajabi → Courses + coaching + memberships + marketing

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

Creating your first course? → Teachable or Payhip
Already sell digital products? → Payhip or Podia
Want everything under one business platform? → Kajabi
Want your own branded learning website? → Thinkific
Want marketplace exposure? → Udemy or Skillshare
Community is central to your business? → Mighty Networks or Circle
Already have WordPress? → LearnDash or MemberPress Courses

💡 IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

There are two very different types of course platforms:

Your own storefront/platform — You have more control over your brand, pricing and customer relationships, but you generally need to bring your own audience.

Course marketplace — The platform already has learners searching for courses, but you have less control and must follow the marketplace's pricing, promotion and instructor rules.

Before choosing, compare monthly fees, transaction fees, payment processing, course limits, email tools, certificates, memberships, community features and how you will attract students.

🔄 MEMBERSHIP & SUBSCRIPTION PLATFORMS

Membership and subscription platforms can help creators and small businesses build recurring revenue by offering premium content, digital downloads, private communities, newsletters, courses, exclusive resources or ongoing services.

• Patreon — Great for creators offering paid memberships, exclusive content and member benefits.
• Ko-fi — Great for creators combining memberships with digital products, commissions and supporter contributions.
• Substack — Great for free and paid newsletters, written content, podcasts and subscriber communities.
• Mighty Networks — Great for building paid communities, memberships, courses and events.
• Circle — Great for businesses creating private communities, memberships, courses and events.
• Kajabi — Great for combining memberships with courses, coaching, email marketing and a business website.
• Podia — Great for memberships alongside courses, coaching and digital downloads.
• MemberPress — Great for creating paid memberships directly on a WordPress website.
• Ghost — Great for publishers and creators building paid newsletters, memberships and subscription websites.
• beehiiv — Great for newsletter businesses that want subscriptions, audience growth and monetization tools.
• Buy Me a Coffee — Great for creators accepting supporter contributions and offering memberships.
• Fourthwall — Great for creators combining memberships with merchandise and an online storefront.
• Uscreen — Great for businesses selling subscription-based video content and video memberships.
• Thinkific — Great for educational memberships, courses and learning communities.
• Discord — Great as a community space for businesses and creators building private member communities.

📚 DIGITAL RESOURCE MEMBERSHIPS

Offer members ongoing access to printables, templates, planners, worksheets, business resources, guides or downloadable libraries.

Patreon → Membership tiers + exclusive downloads
Ko-fi → Memberships + digital-product shop
Payhip → Digital products + memberships
Podia → Downloads + memberships + courses
Kajabi → Premium resource libraries + marketing

✍️ PAID NEWSLETTERS

Substack → Paid newsletters + community
beehiiv → Newsletter growth + monetization
Ghost → Your own publication + memberships
Kit → Creator email audience + paid content opportunities

👥 PAID COMMUNITIES

Mighty Networks → Community + courses + events
Circle → Professional private communities
Discord → Community discussions and member interaction
Kajabi → Community connected to courses and products

🎓 EDUCATIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Thinkific → Courses + memberships
Kajabi → Courses + coaching + memberships
Mighty Networks → Learning + community
Podia → Courses + downloads + memberships

🎥 VIDEO MEMBERSHIPS

Uscreen → Subscription video libraries
Patreon → Exclusive member videos
YouTube Memberships → Membership features for eligible YouTube channels
Kajabi → Video courses and premium learning content

🎨 CREATOR MEMBERSHIPS

Patreon → Strong all-around creator membership option
Ko-fi → Membership + shop + supporter contributions
Buy Me a Coffee → Simple supporter memberships
Fourthwall → Memberships + merchandise

🌐 MEMBERSHIPS ON YOUR OWN WEBSITE

MemberPress → WordPress membership websites
Ghost → Subscription publishing websites
Kajabi → Hosted membership/business website
Mighty Networks → Branded community-centered membership business

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

New creator? → Ko-fi or Patreon
Selling downloadable resources? → Payhip, Ko-fi or Patreon
Paid newsletter? → Substack, beehiiv or Ghost
Community is the main product? → Mighty Networks or Circle
Courses + membership? → Kajabi, Podia or Thinkific
Already use WordPress? → MemberPress
Video subscription business? → Uscreen
Merchandise + membership? → Fourthwall

💡 MEMBERSHIP IDEAS

You don't have to create something completely new every week. A membership could provide:

Monthly printable bundles
Template libraries
Business-resource libraries
Educational materials
Premium newsletters
Exclusive videos or tutorials
Courses and workshops
Private community access
Member discounts
Early access to new products
Monthly Q&A sessions
Group coaching  

🧑💻 FREELANCE INCOME PLATFORMS

Freelance platforms connect independent professionals with people and businesses looking for specific services. Freelancers can earn income using skills such as writing, graphic design, virtual assistance, bookkeeping, marketing, social media management, web design, photography, video editing, consulting, translation, data entry and technology services.

• Upwork — Great for freelancers seeking short-term projects, ongoing contracts and professional client work across many industries.
• Fiverr — Great for packaging specific skills into services clients can purchase, from design and writing to marketing and technology.
• Contra — Great for independent professionals who want to showcase their portfolio, find opportunities and work with clients.
• Freelancer.com — Great for browsing freelance projects across writing, design, technology, marketing and other fields.
• PeoplePerHour — Great for freelancers offering project-based professional and digital services.
• Guru — Great for professionals seeking freelance projects across business, creative and technical categories.
• Toptal — Great for experienced professionals in areas such as software development, design, finance, product management and consulting; admission involves screening.
• 99designs — Great for graphic designers offering logos, branding, packaging, web design and other design services.
• DesignCrowd — Great for designers interested in freelance graphic-design projects and design contests.
• Taskrabbit — Great for eligible local service providers offering hands-on services such as furniture assembly, moving help and home tasks.
• Thumbtack — Great for local professionals offering services such as photography, home services, lessons, events and personal services.
• LinkedIn — Great for building professional visibility, networking and finding freelance or contract opportunities.

✍️ WRITING, EDITING & CONTENT

Upwork → Writing and editing contracts
Fiverr → Articles, copywriting, proofreading and content services
Contra → Portfolio-based creative services
PeoplePerHour → Writing and marketing projects

🎨 GRAPHIC DESIGN & BRANDING

Fiverr → Logos, graphics and branding packages
99designs → Specialized design marketplace
DesignCrowd → Graphic-design projects
Upwork → Longer-term and project-based design work
Contra → Creative portfolios and client projects

📱 SOCIAL MEDIA & DIGITAL MARKETING

Upwork → Social-media management and marketing contracts
Fiverr → Packaged marketing services
Contra → Independent marketing professionals
PeoplePerHour → Digital-marketing projects

🗂️ VIRTUAL ASSISTANCE & ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

Upwork → Virtual assistants and administrative contracts
Fiverr → Specific administrative services
Freelancer.com → Administrative and data-related projects
PeoplePerHour → Remote business-support services

💻 WEB, SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY

Upwork → Developers, programmers and web professionals
Toptal → Experienced, screened professionals
Fiverr → Website and technology services
Freelancer.com → Development and technical projects
Contra → Developers and independent digital professionals

📊 ACCOUNTING & BUSINESS SERVICES

Upwork → Bookkeeping, accounting and business consulting
Fiverr → Business-support services
Guru → Finance, administrative and professional services
LinkedIn → Networking and finding direct business clients

📍 LOCAL FREELANCE SERVICES

Not all freelance work has to happen online.

Thumbtack → Local professional services
Taskrabbit → Local hands-on tasks and services
LinkedIn → Local professional networking and business relationships

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

New freelancer? → Fiverr or Upwork
Want ongoing client contracts? → Upwork
Want to sell clearly packaged services? → Fiverr
Creative professional with a portfolio? → Contra
Graphic designer? → 99designs, Fiverr or Contra
Experienced tech/finance professional? → Toptal
Want direct professional relationships? → LinkedIn
Offer local services? → Thumbtack or Taskrabbit

💡 SERVICES PEOPLE CAN TURN INTO FREELANCE INCOME

Beginners sometimes think freelancing is only for programmers or professional writers. Many skills can become services, including:

Virtual assistance • Social-media posting • Canva design • Product listing • Customer support • Bookkeeping • Proofreading • Resume writing • Website setup • Pinterest management • Email marketing • Research • Data entry • Video editing • Photography • Translation • Voice-over work • Tutoring • Business consulting

⚠️ IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

Freelance platforms can help you find clients, but they are only one way to build a service business. You can also find clients through your own website, referrals, networking, social media and local business relationships.

Before joining a platform, compare its seller fees, payment rules, withdrawal options, client protections, competition and account requirements. Never pay a supposed client directly to receive a job, and be cautious of requests to move payments outside a platform when doing so would violate its rules.

🎨 CREATIVE ASSET MARKETPLACES

Creative asset marketplaces allow designers, artists, photographers and digital creators to sell or license graphics, fonts, templates, illustrations, mockups, SVG files, digital papers, presentation templates, website themes, stock assets and other creative resources.

• Creative Market — Great for selling fonts, graphics, templates, illustrations, mockups and other professional design assets.
• Creative Fabrica — Great for fonts, SVGs, graphics, craft designs, embroidery files, printables and creative resources.
• Design Bundles — Great for selling SVGs, fonts, graphics, templates and craft-related digital designs.
• Envato Market — Great for themes, templates, graphics, video assets, audio and other professional digital resources.
• Envato Elements — A subscription-based creative library covering templates, graphics, video, audio, fonts and other assets; contributor opportunities depend on Envato's current program requirements.
• Etsy — Great for original digital designs such as printables, invitations, templates, SVGs and digital art that meet Etsy's seller rules.
• Adobe Stock Contributor — Great for licensing original photos, illustrations, vectors, videos and other eligible creative assets.
• Shutterstock Contributor — Great for licensing original photography, illustrations, vectors and video content.
• Freepik Contributor — Great for eligible creators contributing vectors, photos and other visual resources.
• Vecteezy Contributor — Great for creators contributing vectors, photos and video assets.
• Gumroad — Great for selling your own design packs, templates and creative downloads directly to customers.
• Payhip — Great for creating a simple storefront for templates, graphics, printable resources and other digital assets.

🔤 FONTS & TYPOGRAPHY

Creative Market → Professional fonts and typefaces
Creative Fabrica → Fonts and craft-oriented designs
Design Bundles → Fonts and bundled creative assets
Envato Market → Fonts and professional design resources

🖼️ GRAPHICS & ILLUSTRATIONS

Creative Market → Graphics, illustrations and design packs
Creative Fabrica → Graphics, illustrations and craft designs
Design Bundles → Graphics, clipart and design bundles
Adobe Stock → Licensed illustrations and vectors
Shutterstock → Licensed illustrations and vectors

✂️ SVG & CRAFT FILES

Creative Fabrica → SVGs and craft resources
Design Bundles → SVGs and cutting-machine designs
Etsy → Original downloadable craft designs
Payhip → Sell your own SVG collections directly

📑 TEMPLATES

Creative Market → Social media, presentation and business templates
Envato Market → Website, presentation and design templates
Etsy → Printable and editable templates
Gumroad → Template bundles and creator resources
Payhip → Business and printable template collections

📸 STOCK PHOTOS, VECTORS & VIDEO

Adobe Stock Contributor → Photos, illustrations, vectors and video
Shutterstock Contributor → Photos, illustrations, vectors and video
Freepik Contributor → Visual creative assets
Vecteezy Contributor → Vectors, photography and video

🛍️ SELL DIRECTLY TO YOUR OWN AUDIENCE

Gumroad → Simple direct digital selling
Payhip → Digital storefront and downloads
Etsy → Marketplace selling
Shopify → Your own branded store

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

Fonts & professional graphics? → Creative Market
SVGs & craft designs? → Creative Fabrica or Design Bundles
Printables & editable templates? → Etsy
Photos, vectors or illustrations? → Adobe Stock or Shutterstock
Want to sell directly to your audience? → Payhip or Gumroad
Professional website/design templates? → Envato Market
Want your own creative brand/store? → Shopify

⚠️ IMPORTANT: CHECK YOUR LICENSES

This is especially important for creative products.

Buying a font, graphic, photograph, template or SVG does not automatically mean you can resell the original file. Each marketplace and creator can have different rules for personal use, commercial use, print-on-demand, end products, redistribution and resale.

Creators should also make sure they own or have the necessary rights to the work they upload, including fonts, photographs, graphics, trademarks and other incorporated material.

📸 STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO PLATFORMS

Stock photography and video platforms allow photographers, videographers, illustrators and other creators to license original visual content to businesses, marketers, publishers, designers and other customers. Contributors generally earn royalties or other compensation when eligible content is licensed.

• Adobe Stock Contributor — Great for contributing original photos, illustrations, vectors and video to Adobe Stock.
• Shutterstock Contributor — Great for photographers, illustrators and videographers who want to license creative content through a large stock marketplace.
• Alamy Contributors — Great for photographers with editorial, travel, lifestyle and general stock photography.
• Getty Images Contributor — Great for experienced photographers and videographers interested in commercial, editorial and creative licensing opportunities.
• iStock — Great for creators interested in contributing stock photos, illustrations and video through the Getty Images/iStock contributor ecosystem.
• Dreamstime — Great for photographers and illustrators looking for another marketplace for licensing stock content.
• Depositphotos Contributor — Great for contributors interested in licensing photos, vectors and video through another established stock marketplace.
• Pond5 — Great for stock video, footage, music, sound effects and other media assets.
• Freepik Contributor — Great for eligible creators contributing photography, vectors and other visual resources.
• Vecteezy Contributor — Great for contributors creating photography, vector graphics and video.
• 123RF Contributor — Great for photographers and designers seeking an additional marketplace for stock content.

📷 STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

Adobe Stock → Commercial and creative photography
Shutterstock → Broad stock-photo marketplace
Alamy → Editorial, travel and general photography
Getty Images / iStock → Commercial and editorial imagery
Dreamstime → General stock photography
Depositphotos → Commercial stock images

🎥 STOCK VIDEO & FOOTAGE

Adobe Stock → Stock video clips
Shutterstock → Video footage
Pond5 → Strong focus on video and media assets
Getty Images / iStock → Commercial and editorial footage
Vecteezy → Stock video contributions

✏️ ILLUSTRATIONS & VECTORS

Adobe Stock → Illustrations and vectors
Shutterstock → Illustrations and vector graphics
Freepik → Graphic and vector resources
Vecteezy → Vector designs
Dreamstime → Illustrations and creative imagery

📰 EDITORIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Alamy → News, travel, events and editorial imagery
Getty Images → Editorial photography and footage
Shutterstock → Eligible editorial content

Editorial content can have different submission, captioning, release and licensing requirements from ordinary commercial stock photography.

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

New to stock photography? → Adobe Stock or Shutterstock
Travel/editorial photography? → Alamy
Stock video? → Pond5, Adobe Stock or Shutterstock
Vectors and illustrations? → Adobe Stock, Freepik or Vecteezy
Professional/editorial work? → Getty Images/iStock
Want multiple income channels? → Consider contributing to more than one non-exclusive marketplace where their current terms permit it.

💡 WHAT CAN PEOPLE CREATE?

Potential stock content includes business and workplace photos, food photography, nature, travel, backgrounds, textures, lifestyle images, seasonal images, product-style scenes, vertical video clips, aerial footage, illustrations, icons and vector graphics.

⚠️ IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

Uploading a photo does not guarantee sales. Successful stock contributors usually build larger portfolios and pay attention to image quality, commercial usefulness, titles, descriptions and keywords.

Also check whether you need model releases or property releases, particularly when recognizable people or certain private properties appear in commercial content. Each marketplace has its own acceptance and licensing requirements.

Avoid uploading material you do not have the necessary rights to sell or license, including protected logos, artwork or other copyrighted content.

🎵 MUSIC & AUDIO INCOME PLATFORMS

Music and audio platforms can help musicians, producers, composers, voice artists and audio creators earn income from songs, beats, sound effects, stock music, audiobooks, podcasts and other original audio content.

• Spotify for Artists — Great for musicians managing their presence and audience on Spotify after distributing their music to the service.
• Apple Music for Artists — Great for musicians managing their artist presence and performance information on Apple Music.
• Bandcamp — Great for independent musicians selling digital music, physical releases and merchandise directly to fans.
• SoundCloud for Artists — Great for independent artists distributing and promoting music and accessing eligible monetization tools.
• DistroKid — Great for independent musicians who want to distribute music to major streaming services and digital stores.
• TuneCore — Great for independent artists distributing music to streaming platforms and digital music services.
• CD Baby — Great for independent musicians looking for music distribution and related artist services.
• UnitedMasters — Great for independent artists seeking music distribution and artist-development opportunities.
• Pond5 — Great for creators licensing stock music and sound effects alongside other media assets.
• AudioJungle — Great for selling royalty-licensed music tracks, jingles and sound effects for creative projects.
• Songtradr — Great for music creators interested in distribution and music-licensing opportunities.
• BeatStars — Great for producers selling and licensing beats to artists and other creators.
• Airbit — Great for producers who want to sell and license beats online.
• ACX — Great for audiobook authors, publishers, producers and narrators working on audiobook production and distribution.
• Voices — Great for voice actors seeking voice-over opportunities for commercials, narration, videos and other projects.
• Fiverr — Great for offering voice-over, audio editing, podcast editing, music production and related services directly to clients.

🎶 MUSICIANS & INDEPENDENT ARTISTS

DistroKid → Music distribution
TuneCore → Distribution + artist services
CD Baby → Independent music distribution
UnitedMasters → Distribution + artist opportunities
Bandcamp → Direct-to-fan music sales

🎧 STREAMING

Spotify → Streaming audience
Apple Music → Streaming audience
SoundCloud → Music discovery, distribution and eligible monetization

For many streaming services, artists normally use a music distributor to deliver releases rather than uploading directly through the artist dashboard.

🎹 BEATS & INSTRUMENTALS

BeatStars → Sell and license beats
Airbit → Beat marketplace and licensing
Fiverr → Custom beat and music-production services

🎬 STOCK MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS

Pond5 → Stock music and sound effects
AudioJungle → Music, jingles and audio assets
Songtradr → Music licensing and distribution

🎙️ VOICE-OVER & NARRATION

Voices → Voice-over opportunities
ACX → Audiobook narration and production
Fiverr → Voice-over and narration services
Upwork → Freelance voice and audio projects

📚 AUDIOBOOKS

ACX → Audiobook production and distribution opportunities
Findaway Voices by Spotify → Audiobook distribution tools
Author's Republic → Audiobook distribution

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

Independent musician? → DistroKid, TuneCore or CD Baby
Want to sell directly to fans? → Bandcamp
Sell beats? → BeatStars or Airbit
Create stock music? → Pond5 or AudioJungle
Interested in music licensing? → Songtradr
Voice-over artist? → Voices or Fiverr
Audiobook narrator? → ACX
Audio freelancer? → Fiverr or Upwork

⚠️ IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

Music and audio income can come from several different sources: streaming royalties, direct music sales, beat licensing, synchronization/licensing opportunities, stock audio, audiobook narration, voice-over work and freelance services.

Creators should understand the difference between owning a copyright, licensing a work and transferring rights before accepting agreements. Also review each platform's rules concerning royalties, exclusivity, distribution rights, samples and AI-generated or AI-assisted audio.

Never upload music, beats, samples or recordings you don't own or have permission to commercially use.

📝 BLOGGING & NEWSLETTER INCOME

Blogging and newsletter platforms can help creators, writers and small-business owners build an audience and potentially earn income through advertising, paid subscriptions, affiliate marketing, sponsorships, digital products, memberships and services.

• WordPress.org — Great for building a self-hosted blog or content website with extensive control over design and monetization.
• WordPress.com — Great for creators who want a hosted WordPress website without managing their own hosting.
• Substack — Great for publishing free and paid newsletters while building a subscriber community.
• beehiiv — Great for building and monetizing a newsletter with subscriptions, advertising and audience-growth tools.
• Kit — Great for creators building an email audience and selling products, subscriptions or other creator offerings.
• Ghost — Great for creating an independent publication with newsletters, memberships and paid subscriptions.
• Medium — Great for writers who want access to an existing reading platform and its available writer-monetization program.
• Blogger — Great for beginners who want a straightforward Google-hosted blogging platform.
• Wix — Great for combining a blog with a small-business website, services or online store.
• Squarespace — Great for building a polished website that combines blogging, newsletters, products and services.

💰 ADVERTISING INCOME

Once a website develops sufficient traffic and meets the applicable requirements, advertising can become another potential revenue stream.

• Google AdSense — Great for website owners beginning to explore display advertising.
• Mediavine — Great for established content publishers that meet Mediavine's current eligibility requirements.
• Raptive — Great for established publishers that meet its current traffic and eligibility requirements.
• Ezoic — Provides monetization and technology tools for eligible digital publishers.

💌 PAID NEWSLETTERS

Substack → Free + paid newsletters
beehiiv → Newsletter growth + monetization
Ghost → Independent paid publication
Kit → Creator email audience + products
WordPress → Build a newsletter around your own website

🔗 AFFILIATE MARKETING

A blog or newsletter can also earn commissions by recommending relevant products and services.

Amazon Associates → Physical and consumer products
Awin → Multiple brands and industries
impact.com → Brand and software partnerships
CJ Affiliate → Established brands and retailers
PartnerStack → Software and SaaS products

Affiliate relationships should be clearly disclosed to readers.

📦 SELL YOUR OWN PRODUCTS

Blog traffic does not have to be monetized only through advertisements.

You can direct readers toward your own:

Ebooks • Printables • Templates • Courses • Memberships • Physical products • Coaching • Consulting • Freelance services

Platforms such as Shopify, Payhip, Gumroad and WooCommerce can support this approach.

🤝 SPONSORSHIPS

As an audience grows, businesses may pay for sponsored articles, newsletter placements, product features or other partnerships.

Creators should clearly distinguish sponsored content and paid endorsements from independent editorial content.

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

Want your own long-term content website? → WordPress
Newsletter is your main business? → Substack or beehiiv
Want an independent paid publication? → Ghost
Creator selling products to an email audience? → Kit
Want an existing reading audience? → Medium
Blog + business website together? → WordPress, Wix or Squarespace
Ready to explore website ads? → Start by checking Google AdSense and, as traffic grows, compare larger publisher networks.

💡 WAYS A BLOG CAN MAKE MONEY

A single blog can eventually combine several income streams:

Advertising + Affiliate Marketing + Sponsored Content + Digital Products + Physical Products + Memberships + Courses + Services + Email Marketing

This is important for beginners because blogging itself is not the income source. The blog attracts and serves an audience; monetization comes from the business models connected to that audience.

⚠️ IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

Blogging and newsletter businesses usually take time to develop. Publishing large amounts of content does not automatically create traffic or income.

Focus first on helpful original content, a clearly defined audience, search visibility, email-list growth and trust. Then add monetization methods that fit what that audience actually needs.

🎥 CREATOR & CONTENT MONETIZATION

Creator monetization platforms help people potentially earn income from videos, social content, livestreams, podcasts, newsletters, memberships, fan support, sponsorships and digital products. Monetization options and eligibility vary by platform.

• YouTube Creators — Great for long-form videos, Shorts, livestreams and building a video-based audience.
• Facebook for Creators — Great for creators building audiences through Facebook videos, Reels, posts and other eligible content.
• Instagram for Creators — Great for Reels, photos, Stories and creator-brand partnerships.
• TikTok for Creators — Great for short-form video, livestreaming and creator opportunities available to eligible accounts.
• Twitch — Great for livestreaming, gaming, entertainment and community-driven content.
• Patreon — Great for turning followers into paying members through exclusive content and membership benefits.
• Ko-fi — Great for memberships, supporter contributions, commissions and digital-product sales.
• Buy Me a Coffee — Great for creators who want a simple way to receive supporter contributions and offer memberships.
• Substack — Great for writers, podcasters and creators building free and paid subscriber communities.
• beehiiv — Great for newsletter creators interested in subscriptions, advertising and audience growth.
• Fourthwall — Great for creators who want to combine merchandise, memberships and a branded storefront.
• Spotify for Creators — Great for podcasters and audio/video creators publishing and managing shows on Spotify.

🎬 VIDEO CREATORS

YouTube → Long-form videos, Shorts and livestreams
Facebook → Reels, video and social content
Instagram → Reels and visual content
TikTok → Short-form video and livestreams
Twitch → Livestreaming and community

📱 SHORT-FORM CONTENT

TikTok → Short videos
Instagram Reels → Short visual content
Facebook Reels → Short-form Facebook content
YouTube Shorts → Short vertical videos

Creators can repurpose an original idea across platforms when doing so complies with each platform's policies, but content should still be adapted for the audience and format of each platform.

👥 MEMBERSHIPS & FAN SUPPORT

Patreon → Paid memberships
Ko-fi → Memberships + supporter contributions + shop
Buy Me a Coffee → Support + memberships
Fourthwall → Memberships + merchandise
YouTube → Membership features for eligible channels

🎙️ PODCAST & AUDIO CREATORS

Spotify for Creators → Podcast publishing and management
YouTube → Video podcasts and interviews
Patreon → Premium member-only audio
Substack → Podcasts + paid subscribers

✍️ WRITERS & NEWSLETTER CREATORS

Substack → Paid newsletters
beehiiv → Newsletter monetization
Patreon → Member-only writing
Ko-fi → Supporters + memberships

🛍️ CREATOR MERCHANDISE

Fourthwall → Creator storefront + merchandise
Printful → Print-on-demand fulfillment
Printify → Print-on-demand products
Shopify → Your own branded creator store

🤝 BRAND PARTNERSHIPS

Creators can also earn through sponsorships, brand partnerships and affiliate marketing.

Useful platforms include:

impact.com → Creator and affiliate partnerships
Awin → Affiliate programs
Amazon Associates → Product recommendations
Shopify Collabs → Creator-brand collaborations

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

Long-form video? → YouTube
Short videos? → YouTube Shorts, Facebook Reels, Instagram Reels or TikTok
Livestreaming? → YouTube, Twitch or TikTok
Membership income? → Patreon or Ko-fi
Newsletter creator? → Substack or beehiiv
Podcaster? → Spotify for Creators
Merch + membership? → Fourthwall
Want to sell your own products? → Shopify, Payhip or Ko-fi

💡 A CREATOR CAN HAVE MULTIPLE INCOME STREAMS

A creator business does not have to depend on platform advertising alone. Potential revenue streams include:

Advertising • Affiliate commissions • Sponsorships • Memberships • Fan support • Digital products • Merchandise • Courses • Coaching • Freelance services • Paid newsletters • Licensing

Building several appropriate revenue streams can reduce dependence on a single platform.

⚠️ IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

Having followers does not automatically mean an account qualifies for monetization. Platforms can have eligibility requirements involving location, age, account status, audience size, content performance and policy compliance, and those requirements can change.

Creators should check the platform's current monetization rules before building a business plan around a particular program.

Also, avoid depending entirely on social-media platforms. Building an email list, website or other audience channel you control can give your business another way to stay connected with followers if a platform changes its algorithm, policies or monetization programs

🛍️ RESELLING & FLIPPING PLATFORMS

Reselling and flipping involves sourcing pre-owned, vintage, estate, collectible, clearance or other eligible goods and reselling them for a potential profit. Different marketplaces attract different buyers, so choosing a platform that fits the item can be just as important as the price.

• eBay — Great all-around marketplace for pre-owned goods, vintage and estate items, jewelry, collectibles, electronics, fashion and hard-to-find products.
• Poshmark — Great for new and pre-owned fashion, shoes, handbags, jewelry, accessories and eligible home products.
• Depop — Great for vintage, Y2K, streetwear, trendy clothing, jewelry and fashion accessories.
• Mercari — Great for reselling a broad variety of everyday goods, collectibles, fashion, electronics and household items.
• Vinted — Great for secondhand clothing, shoes, accessories and other categories supported by the marketplace.
• Facebook Marketplace — Great for local resale, furniture, household goods and products that may be expensive or inconvenient to ship.
• OfferUp — Great for buying and selling locally, particularly household goods, furniture and other local resale items.
• Whatnot — Great for live selling, collectibles, fashion, jewelry and community-based selling.
• Etsy — Great for eligible vintage items and handmade products; check Etsy's current vintage and seller requirements before listing.
• Ruby Lane — Great for antiques, vintage collectibles, jewelry, art and higher-end vintage merchandise.
• The RealReal — Great for consigning eligible authenticated luxury and designer fashion, handbags, jewelry and accessories.
• Vestiaire Collective — Great for buying and selling eligible pre-owned luxury and designer fashion.
• thredUP — Great for eligible secondhand clothing and accessories through an online consignment/resale model.
• Chairish — Great for vintage and pre-owned furniture, décor, art and design-focused home pieces.

💍 JEWELRY & ESTATE ITEMS

eBay → Vintage, estate, costume and collectible jewelry
Etsy → Eligible vintage jewelry
Ruby Lane → Vintage, antique and higher-end jewelry
Poshmark → Fashion and pre-owned jewelry
Whatnot → Jewelry through live selling
The RealReal → Eligible luxury/designer jewelry

👗 PRE-OWNED CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

Poshmark → Fashion, shoes, handbags and accessories
Vinted → Secondhand fashion
eBay → Broad fashion market
Mercari → Everyday resale
Depop → Trend-driven fashion

🕰️ VINTAGE & ESTATE GOODS

eBay → Broad vintage and collectibles market
Etsy → Vintage products that meet Etsy requirements
Ruby Lane → Antiques and curated vintage
Whatnot → Collectibles and live-selling categories

👖 Y2K, RETRO & TRENDY FASHION

Depop → Strong fit for trend-driven and Y2K fashion
Vinted → Affordable secondhand fashion
Poshmark → Fashion and accessories
eBay → Broad buyer base

👜 DESIGNER & LUXURY RESALE

The RealReal → Luxury consignment
Vestiaire Collective → Pre-owned designer goods
eBay → Large resale marketplace; authentication services are available for certain eligible categories/items.

🪑 FURNITURE & HOUSEHOLD ITEMS

Facebook Marketplace → Local pickup and large items
OfferUp → Local resale
Chairish → Design-focused furniture and décor
eBay → Smaller shippable collectibles and household goods

🧸 COLLECTIBLES

eBay → Broad collectibles marketplace
Whatnot → Live collectible selling
Mercari → General collectibles and resale
Ruby Lane → Vintage and antique collectibles

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

Best general-purpose resale marketplace? → eBay
Fashion and accessories? → Poshmark
Y2K/trendy fashion? → Depop
Lower-priced secondhand fashion? → Vinted
Everyday resale items? → Mercari
Vintage and estate pieces? → eBay, Etsy or Ruby Lane
Luxury/designer goods? → The RealReal or Vestiaire Collective
Live selling? → Whatnot
Large local items? → Facebook Marketplace or OfferUp
Vintage furniture and décor? → Chairish

💡 WHAT CAN PEOPLE RESELL?

Depending on marketplace rules, common categories include jewelry, watches, handbags, clothing, shoes, belts, scarves, hats, collectibles, books, toys, electronics, home décor, vintage goods, antiques and estate finds.

⚠️ IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

A low purchase price does not automatically make an item profitable. Before buying inventory, consider:

Purchase cost + marketplace fees + payment costs + packaging + shipping + returns + promotion/advertising + taxes + your time.

Also research sold prices, not just current asking prices. An item listed for $100 does not mean buyers are actually paying $100.

For vintage items, use “vintage” only when the item meets the applicable marketplace's definition. For designer goods, sellers should also understand authentication and counterfeit policies before listing.

🏷️ HANDMADE & CREATIVE SELLING PLATFORMS

Handmade and creative marketplaces help makers, artists, jewelry designers, crafters and other independent creators sell handmade jewelry, accessories, art, home décor, personalized gifts, stationery, craft products and other original creations.

• Etsy — Great for handmade products, personalized goods, craft supplies and eligible vintage items.
• Amazon Handmade — Great for approved artisans who want to sell handcrafted products to Amazon customers.
• Goimagine — Great for U.S.-based makers looking for a marketplace focused on handmade products.
• Shopify — Great for makers who want to build their own branded online store instead of relying entirely on a marketplace.
• Big Cartel — Great for independent artists and makers who want a simple storefront for a smaller product collection.
• Square Online — Great for makers who sell both online and in person and want their website and payment system connected.
• Ko-fi — Great for creators combining physical products with digital downloads, commissions and memberships.
• Storenvy — Great for independent brands, artists and creative sellers looking for an online storefront and marketplace presence.
• eBay — Great for makers who want to sell handmade products alongside vintage, estate or other eligible merchandise.
• Faire — Great for established makers and brands interested in selling their products wholesale to independent retailers.

💍 HANDMADE JEWELRY & ACCESSORIES

Etsy → Handmade jewelry and accessories
Amazon Handmade → Artisan-made jewelry and gifts
Shopify → Your own jewelry brand and website
Goimagine → Handmade-focused marketplace
Square Online → Online + in-person jewelry sales

🎁 PERSONALIZED PRODUCTS & GIFTS

Etsy → Personalized gifts and custom products
Amazon Handmade → Handmade and customized products
Shopify → Your own personalized-gift business
Goimagine → Handmade gifts and creative products

🎨 ART & CREATIVE PRODUCTS

Etsy → Original art and creative products
Big Cartel → Independent artists and small creative brands
Shopify → Branded art business
Storenvy → Independent creative products
Ko-fi → Art, commissions and creator products

🧶 CRAFTS & HANDMADE HOME PRODUCTS

Etsy → Handmade décor and crafts
Amazon Handmade → Artisan home and gift products
Goimagine → Handmade goods
Shopify → Independent craft store

🏪 SELL ONLINE + AT CRAFT FAIRS

Square Online → Particularly useful for sellers taking payments at markets, fairs and pop-up events while also selling online
Shopify → Online store + point-of-sale options
Etsy → Marketplace storefront alongside in-person selling

📦 WHOLESALE YOUR HANDMADE PRODUCTS

Once a maker can produce inventory consistently, wholesale can become another sales channel.

Faire → Sell wholesale to independent retailers
Shopify → Build direct wholesale/B2B options
Etsy → Primarily retail rather than a dedicated wholesale marketplace

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

New handmade seller? → Etsy
Want access to Amazon shoppers? → Amazon Handmade
Want a handmade-focused alternative? → Goimagine
Want your own brand and website? → Shopify
Small collection of art or handmade goods? → Big Cartel
Sell at craft fairs too? → Square Online
Artist taking commissions? → Ko-fi
Ready for wholesale? → Faire

💡 WHAT CAN PEOPLE SELL?

Depending on marketplace rules, handmade businesses can include:

Jewelry • Bracelets • Necklaces • Earrings • Hair accessories • Bags • Candles • Soap • Crochet • Knitted products • Artwork • Pottery • Woodwork • Home décor • Stationery • Greeting cards • Wedding products • Personalized gifts • Craft supplies • Seasonal decorations

⚠️ IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

Before choosing a handmade marketplace, compare listing fees, transaction fees, payment-processing fees, advertising costs, shipping tools, marketplace traffic and handmade-product rules.

Also pay close attention to each platform's definition of “handmade.” Some marketplaces permit production partners under specific conditions, while others have different requirements.

For handmade businesses, your price should account for more than materials:

Materials + packaging + marketplace fees + labor/time + overhead + shipping expenses + marketing + desired profit.

Underpricing handmade work is one of the easiest ways to generate sales without actually building a profitable business.

🏢 WHOLESALE SELLING PLATFORMS

Wholesale selling allows a business to sell products in larger quantities to retailers, boutiques, shops, resellers and other businesses, usually at a lower per-unit price than the retail price. It can help product-based businesses move larger quantities and develop ongoing retailer relationships.

• Faire — Great for brands and makers looking to sell wholesale to independent retailers and boutiques.
• Alibaba.com — Great for manufacturers, suppliers and businesses interested in reaching wholesale and B2B buyers internationally.
• Amazon Business — Great for eligible sellers interested in reaching business customers purchasing products through Amazon.
• Shopify B2B — Great for established Shopify businesses that want to manage wholesale and direct-to-consumer selling through their own brand.
• Wholesale Central — Great as a directory connecting retailers with wholesalers, distributors and suppliers.
• Global Sources — Great for businesses researching international suppliers, manufacturers and B2B sourcing opportunities.
• JOOR — Great for fashion brands and retailers managing digital wholesale relationships.
• NuORDER by Lightspeed — Great for brands and retailers managing B2B commerce and wholesale ordering.

🛍️ SMALL BRANDS & INDEPENDENT MAKERS

Faire → Independent retailers and boutiques
Shopify B2B → Wholesale through your own branded store
Amazon Business → Business buyers within Amazon's ecosystem

👗 FASHION & ACCESSORIES

Faire → Boutiques and independent stores
JOOR → Fashion wholesale
NuORDER → Brand-to-retailer commerce
Shopify B2B → Your own wholesale storefront

🌎 INTERNATIONAL B2B & WHOLESALE

Alibaba.com → International B2B marketplace
Global Sources → International sourcing and supplier discovery
Wholesale Central → Wholesale supplier directory

🏭 MANUFACTURERS & SUPPLIERS

Alibaba.com → Manufacturers and wholesale suppliers
Global Sources → Supplier and manufacturer discovery
Wholesale Central → U.S.-focused wholesale directory and supplier research

🌐 SELL WHOLESALE FROM YOUR OWN WEBSITE

A business doesn't necessarily need a wholesale marketplace.

Shopify B2B → Create wholesale purchasing experiences within Shopify
WooCommerce → Wholesale functionality can be added to a WordPress/WooCommerce store using appropriate extensions
BigCommerce → B2B e-commerce capabilities for businesses requiring more advanced selling features

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

Small handmade/product brand? → Faire
Want boutiques to carry your products? → Faire
International B2B selling? → Alibaba.com
Fashion brand? → JOOR or NuORDER
Already use Shopify? → Shopify B2B
Want Amazon business customers? → Amazon Business
Looking for suppliers rather than customers? → Wholesale Central, Alibaba.com or Global Sources

💡 RETAIL VS WHOLESALE — SIMPLE EXAMPLE

Suppose a handmade product normally sells directly to a customer for $30 retail.

A retailer might purchase multiple units from the maker at a lower wholesale price and then resell them at the retail price.

The maker earns less per item but may receive a larger order at one time.

That is why wholesale pricing must be calculated carefully. Your wholesale price still needs to cover:

Materials + Labor + Packaging + Platform/Payment Fees + Overhead + Profit

📋 BEFORE SELLING WHOLESALE

A business should consider establishing:

Wholesale price • Suggested retail price • Minimum order quantity/value • Minimum reorder • Production time • Shipping terms • Payment terms • Return/damage policy • Product catalog or line sheet • Business contact information

⚠️ IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

Wholesale is not simply giving a large discount to anyone who asks.

Before offering wholesale pricing, calculate whether you can produce or source larger quantities profitably at the lower selling price. Also verify potential buyers and understand applicable resale certificates, sales-tax rules and other requirements in your jurisdiction.

Wholesale marketplaces also differ substantially: some are designed for brands selling to retailers, while others are primarily useful for businesses finding manufacturers and suppliers. Your directory should make that distinction clear.

🧠 COACHING & CONSULTING PLATFORMS

Coaching and consulting platforms help professionals sell expertise through one-on-one sessions, group coaching, strategy calls, business consulting, mentoring, workshops and ongoing advisory services.

• Paperbell — Great for independent coaches who want scheduling, payments, coaching packages, contracts and client management in one place.

• Kajabi — Great for coaches and consultants who also want to sell courses, memberships and digital products while using built-in marketing tools.

• Teachable — Great for combining coaching with online courses and educational products.

• Thinkific — Great for coaches who want structured learning programs, courses and communities alongside their services.

• Podia — Great for selling coaching together with courses, webinars, memberships and digital downloads.

• Mighty Networks — Great for group coaching programs built around a private community, courses and events.

• Circle — Great for community-centered coaching programs, group discussions and member events.

• CoachAccountable — Great for coaches who want client accountability, goal tracking, worksheets, scheduling and progress-management tools.

• Delenta — Great for managing coaching clients, scheduling, payments, programs and courses from one platform.

• Simply.Coach — Great for independent coaches managing clients, sessions, goals, notes and coaching workflows.

• CoachVantage — Great for one-on-one coaching practices that need scheduling, contracts, invoicing and client management.

• Satori — Great for coaches managing client enrollment, programs, scheduling and session administration.

• HoneyBook — Great for consultants and service professionals who need proposals, contracts, invoices, scheduling and client-management tools.

• Bonsai — Great for consultants and freelancers managing proposals, contracts, invoices, projects and clients.

• Clarity.fm — Great for experts offering paid advice and consulting calls in areas such as business, marketing, startups and technology.

• Calendly — Great for coaches and consultants who primarily need a simple way for clients to schedule meetings and consultations.

• Zoom — Great for delivering virtual coaching sessions, consultations, workshops and group programs.

👤 ONE-ON-ONE COACHING

Paperbell → Coaching packages + scheduling + payments + client management
CoachAccountable → Client goals, accountability and progress tracking
Simply.Coach → Coaching workflows and client management
CoachVantage → Scheduling, contracts and invoicing
Satori → Coaching programs and client administration

👥 GROUP COACHING

Kajabi → Group programs + courses + marketing
Mighty Networks → Coaching + community
Circle → Group discussions + events + membership
Thinkific → Educational coaching programs
Podia → Coaching + webinars + digital products

💼 BUSINESS CONSULTING

HoneyBook → Proposals, contracts, invoices and client management
Bonsai → Consulting contracts, invoicing and projects
Clarity.fm → Paid expert consulting calls
Calendly → Consultation scheduling
Zoom → Virtual consulting meetings

🎓 COACHING + COURSES

Kajabi → Coaching + courses + memberships + marketing
Teachable → Coaching + courses
Thinkific → Courses + communities + learning programs
Podia → Coaching + courses + downloads
Mighty Networks → Courses + coaching + community

📅 SCHEDULING & CLIENT APPOINTMENTS

Calendly → Simple scheduling
Paperbell → Scheduling specifically tied to coaching packages
HoneyBook → Scheduling within client workflows
Simply.Coach → Coaching appointments and client management

📄 CONTRACTS, PAYMENTS & CLIENT MANAGEMENT

Paperbell → Coaching-focused business administration
HoneyBook → General service-business CRM
Bonsai → Contracts, invoices and project administration
CoachVantage → Coaching-specific client administration

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

Starting a one-on-one coaching business? → Paperbell or Simply.Coach
Want strong accountability tools? → CoachAccountable
Coaching + courses + memberships? → Kajabi
Group coaching + community? → Mighty Networks or Circle
Business consultant? → HoneyBook or Bonsai
Want to sell individual expert calls? → Clarity.fm
Need simple appointment scheduling? → Calendly
Already sell courses? → Teachable, Thinkific or Podia

💡 TYPES OF COACHING & CONSULTING BUSINESSES

People can build service businesses around expertise such as:

Business Coaching • Marketing Consulting • Career Coaching • Leadership Coaching • Financial Education • Productivity Coaching • Social Media Consulting • E-Commerce Consulting • Branding Consulting • Sales Coaching • Writing Coaching • Creative Coaching • Technology Consulting • Small-Business Mentoring

Professionals should stay within their qualifications and any licensing requirements that apply to regulated services.

⚠️ IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

A coaching platform is a tool for running the business; it does not automatically bring clients.

A new coach or consultant may only need:

A clear service + simple website or profile + scheduling + payment method + video meeting tool + basic agreement

More expensive all-in-one platforms can make sense later when the business needs automation, courses, memberships, communities, email marketing or larger client-management systems.

Before paying for software, compare monthly fees, transaction costs, contracts, payment processing, scheduling, client portals, course tools and cancellation terms. Current features and prices can change.

🖥️ SOFTWARE, APPS & SaaS

Building software can become an online business by selling access to a web application, mobile app, software tool, browser extension, AI tool, automation service or subscription-based SaaS product.

You don't always need to be an experienced programmer to start. No-code and low-code platforms now make it possible to build certain types of applications with much less traditional coding.

🧩 NO-CODE & LOW-CODE APP BUILDERS

• Bubble — Great for building web applications, marketplaces, dashboards and SaaS products without traditional coding.

• Glide — Great for creating business apps, portals and internal tools using a visual builder.

• Softr — Great for building client portals, directories, membership sites and business applications.

• Adalo — Great for creating mobile and web applications using no-code tools.

• FlutterFlow — Great for visually building more advanced mobile and web applications.

• Webflow — Great for sophisticated websites and web experiences with visual development tools.

🤖 AI-ASSISTED APP BUILDING

• Lovable — Great for turning natural-language instructions into web applications and prototypes.

• Replit — Great for building, testing and deploying software with AI-assisted development tools.

• Bolt — Great for rapidly creating web applications using AI-assisted development.

• v0 — Great for generating web interfaces and applications with AI assistance.

⚙️ AUTOMATION SOFTWARE & MICRO-SAAS

Small businesses can also create specialized tools that solve one specific problem rather than trying to build a huge software company.

• Zapier — Great for connecting applications and building automated business workflows.

• Make — Great for visually building advanced multi-step automations.

• n8n — Great for flexible workflow automation and more technical automation projects.

• Airtable — Great for creating database-powered workflows and lightweight business applications.

💳 SELLING SOFTWARE & SUBSCRIPTIONS

Once you have built software, you need a way to charge customers.

• Stripe — Great for accepting payments and managing recurring SaaS subscriptions, invoicing and different billing models.

• Paddle — Great for SaaS and software businesses that want subscription billing combined with payments, tax handling and other merchant-of-record services.

• Lemon Squeezy — Great for selling software, SaaS subscriptions and digital products with checkout and subscription-management tools.

📱 MOBILE APPS

• Apple Developer — For developing and distributing applications within Apple's ecosystem.

• Google Play Console — For publishing and managing Android applications through Google Play.

• FlutterFlow — Useful for visually building mobile applications.

• Adalo — Useful for no-code mobile and web application development.

🌐 HOSTING & DEPLOYING SOFTWARE

• Vercel — Great for deploying modern websites and web applications.

• Netlify — Great for deploying and managing websites and web applications.

• Cloudflare — Great for web infrastructure, security and application services.

• Render — Great for hosting applications, databases and web services.

💡 SOFTWARE BUSINESS IDEAS

A software business doesn't have to start with a huge application.

Someone could create a:

Appointment Scheduler • Invoice Generator • Content Planner • Social-Media Tool • Keyword Tool • Pricing Calculator • Budgeting App • Inventory Tracker • Customer Portal • AI Assistant • Business Name Generator • Resume Tool • Meal Planner • Fitness Tracker • Membership Tool • Analytics Dashboard • Chrome Extension • Industry-Specific Calculator

A small tool solving one clear problem for one specific audience can become a Micro-SaaS business.

💰 COMMON SOFTWARE BUSINESS MODELS

Monthly subscription → Customer pays every month
Annual subscription → Customer pays yearly
Freemium → Basic version free, advanced features paid
One-time purchase → Customer buys the software once
Usage-based → Customer pays according to usage
Tiered plans → Basic, Pro, Business, etc.
Lifetime deal → One payment for long-term access
Business licensing → Companies pay to use the software

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

No coding experience? → Bubble, Softr or Glide
Want AI to help build the app? → Lovable, Replit or Bolt
Want a mobile app? → FlutterFlow or Adalo
Building business automation? → Zapier, Make or n8n
Need SaaS subscription payments? → Stripe
Want merchant-of-record support? → Paddle or Lemon Squeezy
Need web-app hosting? → Vercel, Netlify or Render

💡 IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

You do not need to build the next Facebook or Shopify to create a software business.

A small application that saves a particular group of customers time or solves a repetitive problem can be a legitimate business opportunity.

Start by identifying:

Who has the problem? → What problem are they experiencing? → How are they solving it now? → Could a simple tool make the process easier? → Would people pay for that solution?

Build and test the smallest useful version before spending heavily on development.

⚠️ BEFORE LAUNCHING

Software businesses have responsibilities beyond building the application. Depending on what the product does and where customers are located, owners may need to consider:

Privacy • Data Security • Terms of Service • Customer Support • Billing & Cancellations • Taxes • Accessibility • Software Licensing • Intellectual Property • App-Store Rules • Data Protection Requirements

Never assume that a no-code or AI-generated application is automatically secure, legally compliant or ready for paying customers. Test it carefully and obtain appropriate professional guidance where necessary.

📄 TEMPLATES, PRINTABLES & DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES

Templates, printables and downloadable resources can become an online business because creators can design a product once and sell copies digitally. Examples include planners, worksheets, checklists, business templates, educational activities, trackers, spreadsheets, invitations, social-media templates and digital guides.

• Etsy — Great for selling original printables, planners, invitations, worksheets, templates and other eligible digital downloads.
• Payhip — Great for beginners selling downloadable PDFs, templates, ebooks, bundles and other digital products.
• Gumroad — Great for creators selling templates, guides, digital resources and downloadable products directly to an audience.
• Shopify — Great for building your own branded digital-product store instead of depending entirely on a marketplace.
• Ko-fi — Great for combining downloadable products with memberships, commissions and supporter contributions.
• Creative Market — Great for professional templates, graphics, presentation designs, fonts and other creative assets.
• Creative Fabrica — Great for eligible fonts, graphics, craft resources, templates and printable designs.
• Design Bundles — Great for SVGs, graphics, fonts, templates and other design resources.
• Teachers Pay Teachers — Great for original educational worksheets, classroom activities, lesson resources and learning materials.
• Canva Creators — Great for eligible designers who want to contribute templates and other design content within Canva's creator program.

📅 PLANNERS & ORGANIZATION PRINTABLES

Examples:

Daily Planners • Weekly Planners • Monthly Planners • To-Do Lists • Habit Trackers • Goal Planners • Calendars • Cleaning Schedules • Meal Planners • Grocery Lists • Budget Planners

Good platforms:

Etsy → Marketplace discovery
Payhip → Simple digital storefront
Gumroad → Direct digital selling
Shopify → Your own branded store

💼 BUSINESS TEMPLATES

Creators can sell resources such as:

Business Planners • Marketing Plans • Content Calendars • Social-Media Planners • Client Forms • Inventory Trackers • Expense Trackers • Pricing Worksheets • Checklists • Business Workbooks • Spreadsheet Templates

Good platforms:

Payhip → Business-resource bundles
Gumroad → Creator and entrepreneur products
Etsy → Business templates and planners
Shopify → Your own business-resource brand

🎓 EDUCATIONAL PRINTABLES

Examples:

Worksheets • Flashcards • Tracing Pages • Handwriting Practice • Math Activities • Reading Activities • Puzzles • Classroom Resources • Homeschool Materials • Educational Games

Good platforms:

Teachers Pay Teachers → Education-focused marketplace
Etsy → Educational printables
Payhip → Downloadable learning resources
Shopify → Build your own educational-product store

🎉 EVENT & PARTY PRINTABLES

Examples:

Invitations • Birthday Printables • Wedding Templates • Baby-Shower Games • Bridal-Shower Games • Party Games • Thank-You Cards • Signs • Gift Tags

Good platforms:

Etsy → Strong fit for event-related digital products
Creative Market → Professional design templates
Payhip → Direct downloads
Shopify → Branded event-template business

📊 SPREADSHEETS & TRACKERS

Digital products don't have to be PDFs.

Creators can build:

Budget Spreadsheets • Sales Trackers • Inventory Trackers • Expense Trackers • Savings Trackers • Business Dashboards • Content Trackers • Project Trackers

These can be created using tools such as Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel and sold through platforms that support digital downloads.

🎨 EDITABLE TEMPLATES

Examples:

Social-Media Templates • Flyers • Business Cards • Workbooks • Presentations • Media Kits • Price Lists • Menus • Lead Magnets

Canva is commonly used to create editable designs, but sellers should carefully follow Canva's current licensing rules when creating products for resale.

📦 DIGITAL BUNDLES

Instead of selling everything individually, creators can combine related products.

For example:

Small-Business Starter Bundle

Business Planner

• Budget Worksheet
• Expense Tracker
• Marketing Planner
• Social-Media Calendar
• Pricing Worksheet
• Business Checklist

Bundles can increase the perceived usefulness of a collection while giving customers several related resources in one purchase.

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

New to printables? → Payhip or Etsy
Want marketplace shoppers? → Etsy
Already have an audience? → Payhip or Gumroad
Want your own branded store? → Shopify
Educational resources? → Teachers Pay Teachers
Professional design templates? → Creative Market
Fonts, SVGs or craft resources? → Creative Fabrica or Design Bundles
Want to contribute templates to Canva? → Canva Creators

💡 LOW-COST DIGITAL PRODUCT IDEAS

A beginner could start with something simple:

One-Page Checklist • 5-Page Planner • Grocery List • Budget Worksheet • Habit Tracker • Business Checklist • Social-Media Calendar • Kids Activity Pack • Printable Journal • Spreadsheet Tracker

Then related products can gradually become larger bundles, collections or memberships.

⚠️ IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

“Digital” does not mean “anything found online can be resold.”

Creators should make sure they have the necessary rights to commercially use fonts, graphics, photographs, illustrations, templates and other elements included in their products.

Also check the selling platform's rules and the licenses of any design tools or assets you use. Commercial-use rights and resale rights are not always the same.

The advantage of downloadable products is that there is usually no physical inventory or shipping, but creators still need to consider marketplace fees, payment fees, customer service, taxes, marketing and product updates.

🌐 YOUR OWN WEBSITE — SELL DIRECTLY WITHOUT DEPENDING ON A MARKETPLACE

Building your own website gives a small business a central place to sell physical products, digital products, services, memberships, courses, subscriptions, bookings or other offerings under its own brand.

Unlike a marketplace, your website becomes your business's online home. You have more control, but you are also responsible for attracting visitors.

🛒 E-COMMERCE WEBSITE PLATFORMS

• Shopify — Great for building a dedicated online store for physical or digital products and growing into a larger e-commerce business.
• Wix — Great for small businesses that want a website, online store, services and marketing tools together.
• Squarespace — Great for visually polished websites selling products, services, memberships or appointments.
• WooCommerce — Great for businesses that want to add extensive e-commerce functionality to a WordPress website.
• BigCommerce — Great for growing businesses requiring more advanced e-commerce and B2B capabilities.
• Square Online — Great for small businesses selling both online and in person through Square.
• Ecwid — Great for adding an online store to an existing website or creating a straightforward e-commerce presence.
• Big Cartel — Great for artists, makers and independent sellers with relatively simple product collections.

📝 CONTENT, BLOG & RESOURCE WEBSITES

• WordPress.org — Great for content-heavy websites, blogs, directories, resource centers and businesses wanting extensive customization.
• Wix — Great for beginners building a combined business and content website.
• Squarespace — Great for professional business websites with blogging and commerce features.
• Ghost — Great for publications, newsletters, memberships and paid content.

💻 DIGITAL-PRODUCT STORES

Your own website can sell:

Printables • Planners • Templates • Ebooks • Worksheets • Checklists • Digital Art • Business Resources • AI Prompts • Educational Materials • Downloadable Bundles

Good choices include:

Shopify → Full branded store
WooCommerce → Digital products through WordPress
Wix → Website + digital products
Squarespace → Website + commerce
Payhip → Simpler hosted digital-product storefront

🧑💼 SERVICE BUSINESSES

A website can also sell or generate leads for:

Consulting • Coaching • Freelancing • Photography • Graphic Design • Virtual Assistance • Bookkeeping • Marketing • Web Design • Tutoring • Local Services

Useful combinations include:

Website + Service Page + Contact Form + Appointment Booking + Payment System

Calendly can handle appointment scheduling, while Stripe, PayPal and Square provide payment services.

🔄 MEMBERSHIPS & SUBSCRIPTIONS

Your website can also become a membership business offering:

Premium Resources • Member-Only Downloads • Courses • Private Content • Communities • Monthly Bundles • Coaching Programs

Useful options include:

Shopify → Subscription capabilities through compatible solutions
WordPress + MemberPress → Membership website
Kajabi → Memberships + courses + marketing
Ghost → Paid content + newsletters
Squarespace → Member-focused content and website tools

⭐ GOOD STARTING CHOICES

Physical products? → Shopify
Digital products? → Shopify, Payhip or WooCommerce
Blog/resource website? → WordPress
Services + website? → Wix or Squarespace
Online + in-person sales? → Square Online
Artist or small handmade brand? → Big Cartel
Membership/content business? → Ghost, MemberPress or Kajabi
Large/growing e-commerce operation? → Shopify or BigCommerce

🆚 YOUR WEBSITE VS A MARKETPLACE

Marketplace: Etsy, eBay, Amazon, Udemy, etc.

Advantages can include an existing audience and built-in marketplace search. The disadvantages can include marketplace fees, competition, platform rules and less control over the customer experience.

Your Website: Shopify, WordPress/WooCommerce, Wix, Squarespace, etc.

You generally have greater control over your brand, website structure, products, content and customer journey, but you must develop your own traffic and audience.

💡 A STRONG STRATEGY: USE BOTH

Small businesses do not necessarily have to choose between a marketplace and their own website.

For example:

Etsy + Your Website → Handmade or digital products
eBay + Your Website → Vintage, estate or resale products
Amazon + Your Website → Physical products
Udemy + Your Website → Courses
Social Media + Your Website → Content and product discovery

The marketplace can help customers discover you, while your website can serve as the long-term home of your brand.

🏠 WHAT SHOULD YOUR BUSINESS WEBSITE INCLUDE?

A simple small-business website might begin with:

Home → About → Products/Services → Resources or Blog → Contact → FAQ

Depending on the business, you may later add:

Email Signup • Reviews/Testimonials • Policies • Memberships • Courses • Affiliate Resources • Directory • Booking • Customer Account • Search

⚠️ IMPORTANT FOR BEGINNERS

Having your own website does not automatically create traffic.

You still need ways for people to discover it through channels such as:

Google/Search → Social Media → Email Marketing → Pinterest → YouTube → Referrals → Advertising → Partnerships → Marketplace Profiles

Think of the website as your business headquarters, while these other channels are different roads that can bring visitors to it.

Platforms can help you reach customers, but your own website and email list can become important long-term business assets.