If you're looking for a side hustle that doesn't require a big investment and has the potential to bring in steady income, selling digital planners might be the perfect fit. More people are moving away from paper planners and using digital tools to stay organized, which means there's a growing demand for well-designed planners that work with apps like GoodNotes and Notability.
Whether you're a designer or just someone who loves planning and organization, creating and selling digital planners can be a great way to make money online.
This guide will walk you through everything from choosing a niche to marketing your planners on platforms like Etsy and Shopify. With the right approach, this side hustle can turn into a reliable source of income, and you don’t need any special skills to get started.
Why Are Digital Planners A Good Side Hustle in 2025?
The rise of digital products has transformed the way people earn money online. Among the most profitable and scalable digital products are digital planners.
If you’ve ever used a planner to organize your life, imagine turning that concept into a source of passive income. According to Printify, the digital planner market is set to reach 1.3 billion by 2028!
Digital planners are in high demand as more people shift from traditional paper planners to digital alternatives compatible with apps like GoodNotes, Notability, and OneNote.
This trend creates a golden opportunity for entrepreneurs, creatives, and side hustlers to design, market, and sell digital planners online, generating income while they sleep.
In this guide, we’ll explore why selling digital planners is a profitable business model, how to create them, and where to sell them. We’ll also dive into proven marketing strategies to maximize your sales and grow your business.
Is Selling Digital Planners a Smart Side Hustle?
Digital planners offer several advantages that make them an attractive online business. One of the biggest benefits is the low startup cost. Unlike physical products, digital planners require no inventory, no manufacturing, and no shipping.
Once you create and list your planner, it can generate sales on autopilot. Another major advantage is the high-profit margins. Since digital planners are created once and sold repeatedly, you can earn up to 90% profit per sale.
This is significantly higher than selling physical planners, where material and shipping costs eat into your earnings.
Perhaps the most appealing aspect of this side hustle is the passive income potential. Unlike freelance work or coaching services that require your active participation, a well-designed digital planner can sell repeatedly without ongoing effort.
Many sellers on Etsy and Shopify report making $500 to $10,000 per month simply by selling planners.
Demand for digital planners continues to grow as more people adopt paperless productivity solutions. The market includes students, entrepreneurs, professionals, and individuals looking for better ways to manage their time, goals, and finances.
This broad audience increases the likelihood of success for sellers who can create unique and valuable planners.
How Much Can You Make Selling Digital Planners?
The income potential from selling digital planners varies widely. Some Etsy sellers make a few hundred dollars a month as a side income, while others report making $5,000 to $10,000 per month.
One YouTube entrepreneur, Bailey, revealed that she earns over $1,000 per week just by selling digital planners. Another seller on Etsy shared that they consistently make $5,000 per month from their digital planner shop.
These numbers highlight how lucrative this side hustle can be, especially with the right niche and marketing strategy. Several factors influence your earnings, including the niche you choose, the quality of your planners, and your marketing efforts.
Selling a basic digital planner without promotion might not yield great results, but a well-designed planner marketed effectively can generate consistent income.
Those who diversify their offerings with planner bundles, premium templates, and additional productivity tools tend to earn more. Selling planners on multiple platforms, such as Etsy, Shopify, and Gumroad, also increases revenue potential.
Steps To Starting a Digital Planner
A digital planner can help people plan, schedule, and remember important upcoming events. By taking the right steps to create a high-quality digital planner, you can start to earn some extra income:
Step 1: Choose Your Niche
Success in selling digital planners starts with selecting the right niche. The most profitable planners cater to specific audiences with unique needs. Instead of creating a generic planner, focus on a niche such as:
- Business planners for entrepreneurs and freelancers who need to manage projects, invoices, and client schedules.
- Fitness and wellness planners for those tracking workouts, meal plans, and self-care habits.
- Student planners for organizing assignments, deadlines, and study schedules.
- Financial and budget planners for tracking expenses, savings goals, and investment plans.
- Daily and weekly productivity planners designed for time management and goal-setting.
Choosing a niche allows you to stand out in a crowded market. Instead of competing with general planners, you can target a specific audience searching for a solution tailored to their needs.
Step 2: Create Your Digital Planner
Once you’ve chosen a niche, the next step is designing your planner. Beginners can use Canva, a simple drag-and-drop design tool, while more advanced designers might prefer Affinity Designer or Adobe InDesign for greater customization.
To make your planner more functional, ensure that it includes features such as hyperlinked tabs for easy navigation.
Many users expect digital planners to work seamlessly with apps like GoodNotes and Notability, so linking sections for months, weeks, and special categories can enhance the user experience.
Consider adding interactive elements such as goal-setting sections, habit trackers, or budgeting templates to make your planner more valuable. Buyers are more likely to pay a premium for planners that help them stay organized in a meaningful way.
Step 3: Sell Your Digital Planner Online
Once your planner is designed, you need a platform to sell it. Several online marketplaces and platforms are available, each with its own advantages.
Etsy is one of the most popular platforms for selling digital planners due to its built-in audience of buyers looking for digital products. However, competition can be high, so optimizing your Etsy listing with relevant keywords is crucial.
Shopify offers more control over branding and pricing but requires effort to drive traffic to your store. Many successful sellers use a combination of Etsy for visibility and Shopify for a more professional storefront.
Gumroad is another option that allows you to sell digital planners directly to customers without listing fees. While it doesn’t have the organic traffic that Etsy does, it’s a great option for those building an audience through social media or email marketing.
Creative Market is ideal for those selling premium designs, but it has an approval process, so it may not be suitable for beginners.
Many sellers also create their own websites to host their digital planners, using SEO and blog content to drive traffic and increase sales without paying marketplace fees.
Step 4: Market Your Digital Planner
Creating a great planner isn’t enough—you need to promote it effectively to generate consistent sales.
Search engine optimization (SEO) plays a key role in getting your planners discovered. When listing your planner on Etsy or your website, use long-tail keywords in your title and description, such as “minimalist budget planner for iPad” or “daily digital planner for entrepreneurs.”
Writing a detailed, benefit-driven description that includes relevant keywords will help your listing rank higher in search results. Pinterest is one of the best platforms for marketing digital planners.
Since users search for organization and productivity tools, posting eye-catching pins of your planners can drive traffic to your shop. Creating multiple pins for each planner, joining group boards, and using trending keywords in pin descriptions can increase visibility.
Instagram and TikTok are also powerful platforms for showcasing your planners. Posting behind-the-scenes content, tutorial videos, and customer testimonials can help attract potential buyers.
Many sellers find success by offering limited-time discounts and promotions through their social media pages.
Strategies to Scale Your Side hustle Into A Business
As you grow your digital planner business, consider offering planner bundles to increase sales.
Instead of selling a single planner, create packages that include multiple templates or complementary tools, such as a goal-setting workbook or a budgeting spreadsheet.
Building an email list can also boost long-term sales. Offering a free digital planner sample in exchange for an email sign-up allows you to connect with potential customers and promote future product releases.
Sending exclusive discounts and personalized recommendations to your email subscribers can turn one-time buyers into repeat customers.
Another strategy is to turn your digital planners into printables. Some customers prefer physical planners, so offering a printable version allows you to reach a broader audience.
Listing printable planners on Amazon KDP or selling them as PDF downloads can add another revenue stream to your business.
Suggested reading: Grow your business: 2025 trends & tips moving forward
Answering Common Questions About Digital Planners
Responding to the most common FAQ'S:
1. Is it hard to make a digital planner?
No, creating a digital planner is surprisingly easy, even for beginners. With free and affordable design tools like Canva, Affinity Designer, and Adobe InDesign, you can create a professional-looking planner without prior experience.
The key is to focus on functionality—include hyperlinked tabs, dated pages, and goal-setting sections to enhance user experience.
Start by researching existing digital planners on platforms like Etsy and Pinterest to see what’s trending. Then, use templates or create a custom design that fits a specific niche, such as fitness, budgeting, or business planning.
Once you finalize your planner, export it as a PDF with interactive hyperlinks for seamless use with apps like GoodNotes or Notability.
With a bit of creativity and market research, you can create a profitable product in just a few days.
2. Can you really make passive income selling digital planners?
Yes, selling digital planners is a proven way to earn passive income. Unlike physical products, digital planners require no inventory, printing, or shipping, which means once you create and list your planner, it can sell indefinitely with minimal effort.
Many Etsy and Shopify sellers make $500 to $10,000 per month from digital planners alone.
The passive income potential depends on three key factors: niche selection, design quality, and marketing strategy. Choosing a niche with consistent demand, such as productivity or business planning, increases sales potential.
High-quality designs that solve real problems attract repeat customers. Marketing through SEO, Pinterest, Instagram, and email lists can drive traffic to your store and boost revenue.
With proper strategy and optimization, digital planners can generate recurring income with little maintenance, making it an ideal passive income side hustle.
3. Where is the best place to sell digital planners for passive income?
The best platforms for selling digital planners include Etsy, Shopify, Gumroad, and your own website. Each has its own pros and cons depending on your business goals.
Etsy is the most popular marketplace due to its built-in audience searching for digital planners. However, competition is high, and Etsy charges listing and transaction fees.
Shopify allows you to create a fully branded online store, giving you complete control over pricing, customer experience, and marketing. The downside is that you need to drive your own traffic.
Gumroad is a great option for simplified selling, especially if you’re marketing through social media. Many sellers also create a personal website to drive organic traffic through SEO.
The best approach is to sell on multiple platforms to maximize exposure and income potential.
4. How much money can you make selling digital planners?
Earnings from selling digital planners vary widely, but many sellers report making anywhere from $500 to $10,000 per month.
Some even scale their businesses to six figures by expanding their product offerings, creating planner bundles, and automating marketing efforts.
Income depends on factors like niche selection, pricing, competition, and marketing strategy. Planners in high-demand niches such as business, productivity, and budgeting tend to sell better.
Pricing varies, but most digital planners range from $10 to $40 per download. Selling just 10 planners a day at $15 each results in $4,500 per month.
Top sellers boost income by offering bundled planner sets, custom templates, or printable add-ons. They also use SEO, Pinterest, and email marketing to drive traffic and conversions. With the right approach, this side hustle can replace a full-time income.
5. What are the biggest mistakes to avoid when selling digital planners?
One of the biggest mistakes new sellers make is creating generic planners that lack a specific target audience. Instead of making a general “daily planner,” focus on niche-specific planners like “fitness tracker for busy moms” or “business planner for freelancers.”
The more specialized your planner, the easier it is to attract customers.
Another mistake is poor design quality. Customers expect hyperlinked tabs, aesthetic layouts, and user-friendly navigation. If a planner lacks these features, buyers will leave negative reviews, hurting your sales.
Failing to optimize product listings with SEO keywords is another common pitfall. Use long-tail keywords like “digital business planner for iPad” to increase visibility on search engines and marketplaces.
Lastly, many sellers ignore marketing. Simply listing a planner won’t generate sales. Use Pinterest, Instagram, and email marketing to promote your planners and attract consistent buyers. Avoid these mistakes, and your digital planner business can thrive.
Suggested readings:
Final Thoughts
Selling digital planners is one of the best side hustles for earning passive income. With low startup costs, high demand, and scalable growth potential, this business can become a steady source of income with the right approach.
By choosing a profitable niche, designing high-quality planners, optimizing your listings for SEO, and using effective marketing strategies, you can build a successful digital planner business. Whether you’re looking to make extra income or scale into a full-time business, now is the perfect time to get started.
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