Sell These 5 Digital Products If You’re Just Starting

Introduction.

So you’re thinking about selling digital products online but don’t know where to begin? I get it—it can feel overwhelming.

You hear about people making money from eBooks, courses, or templates, and you wonder, How do I even start?

The good news is you don’t need to be a tech expert or have a big audience to begin. You just need the right product idea, the right tools, and the right plan.

Let me walk you through 5 simple digital products you can start selling today—even if you’re completely new to this.

These aren’t just random ideas. These are beginner-friendly, low-cost to create, and have real potential to make you money with minimal effort upfront.

Why Digital Products?

Before I get into the list, here’s why digital products are such a great choice—especially when you’re starting from zero.

No inventory needed. You don’t have to store anything in your garage.
Low upfront costs. You can often create them for free using tools like Canva, Google Docs, or Notion.
Sell them 24/7. Once you upload it, people can buy while you sleep.
Unlimited copies. Create it once, sell it forever.

According to Statista, the global digital content market is expected to hit over $400 billion in 2025. That’s a huge opportunity—and there’s room for you, even if you’re just getting started.

1. Printable Planners & Templates

Planners, calendars, checklists, budget trackers—these sell like crazy on Etsy, Gumroad, and even your own website. If you know how to use Canva, you can create these in an afternoon.

What makes them great for beginners:

You don’t need design experience (Canva has templates).
You can sell them on platforms with built-in traffic like Etsy, or use Gumroad.
You can make versions for different niches—like wedding planners, fitness trackers, or small business checklists.

Tip: Find what people are searching for on Etsy by typing in keywords like “daily planner printable” or “budget tracker.” You’ll see what’s trending.

2. Digital Journals or eBooks

Got something helpful to teach? You can turn it into a simple eBook or digital journal. You don’t need to write 200 pages. A 20-30 page PDF that helps someone solve a small problem works great.

Examples:

A journal for self-reflection
A guide for beginners starting a side hustle
A short eBook on simple healthy meals for busy parents

Tools to create:

Google Docs or Microsoft Word for writing
Canva or Designrr for formatting

You can sell it for $5–$20 depending on the topic and quality. That might not sound like much, but if 100 people buy it, that’s real income.

3. Notion Templates

Notion is a free productivity app that’s super popular with students, creatives, entrepreneurs, and teams. If you know how to use Notion (or are willing to learn), you can create and sell custom templates.

Popular ideas:

Budgeting dashboards
Content calendars for creators
Student planners
Startup pitch deck organizers

People pay $10–$50 for a single Notion template. And once it’s built, you can sell it an unlimited number of times.

You can sell these on:

4. Canva Templates

If you enjoy creating visuals (like Instagram posts, Pinterest pins, resumes, or presentations), you can sell editable Canva templates.

These are hot sellers because people want good design but don’t want to create it from scratch.

Why it works:

Business owners and creators always need fresh content.
Templates save them time, so they’re happy to pay.
You can create them in Canva and share a link directly.

Example ideas:

Instagram story templates
Resume templates
Social media graphics for small businesses

Tip: Check out what’s trending on Creative Market or Etsy to spark ideas.

5. Online Mini-Courses or Workshops

I know this might sound like a big leap, but hear me out. You don’t need a big course. A 30-minute recorded workshop teaching a very specific skill can sell really well—especially if you price it low ($10–$50).

Think about:

A Canva workshop for beginners
A “How to Start a Freelance Profile” mini-course
A simple email marketing tutorial

You can use tools like:

Teachable
Podia
Gumroad for PDF and video downloads

Record it with free tools like Loom or Zoom. No fancy studio setup needed—just good lighting and a clear message.

FAQs

Do I need a website to sell digital products?

Nope. While having your site is great, platforms like Etsy, Gumroad, and Payhip let you sell directly without needing your store.

What if I don’t have an audience?

Start small. Etsy, Creative Market, and Notion marketplaces already have built-in traffic. Share your products on Reddit, Facebook groups, or Pinterest to get early sales.

How do I handle payments?

Most platforms take care of it for you. You just connect your PayPal or bank account and they’ll deposit the money once a sale happens.

Can I make money with this?

Yes. It won’t happen overnight, but it’s very doable. I’ve seen creators with zero followers make their first $50 within days of launching. Once one person buys, others will follow—especially if your product is helpful and easy to use.

Final Thoughts

Starting with digital products doesn’t have to be complicated. I started small, made a few mistakes, and learned what worked by just trying things out.

The five ideas above—planners, eBooks, Notion templates, Canva templates, and mini-courses—are not only beginner-friendly but also low-risk. You don’t need to be a designer or tech expert. You just need to be willing to try.

If you’re feeling unsure, pick one of these ideas and give yourself a weekend to create a rough version. Test it, tweak it, improve it later. But start. That’s where the real magic happens.

Now I’m curious—Which of these digital product ideas would you start with first? Or is there another one you’ve been thinking about but haven’t tried yet? Let me know!