Being a graphic designer is fun with some added twist. Competition in the design market is high and that makes it difficult for new designers to enter this industry and sell their services. Whether you work as an employee in a designer based company, work as a freelancer or own a business, having different sources of income is the best decision one could make in their early stage of career.
If you want to sell graphic design work online, then there are numerous online graphic design marketplaces which are highly popular among designers which allows you to sell resources such as photos, vector illustrations, digital art, digital paintings, 3D models, design templates, branding and rebranding assets, and many other forms of digital content. Selling graphics and vector designs is actually quite easy nowadays and there are many graphic design marketplace available online where you can start earning money today.
When we talk about selling designs online, some might find it difficult to understand how digital stores work. Well there are many queries for beginners like What types of design i can sell online? or Where can i sell my graphic designs? or Where to sell graphic designs? or How much can i earn from selling graphic designs online? Well, there are many ways to sell your creative work directly or indirectly depend on the platforms you choose.
First thing you have to own is a graphic design software like Photoshop, or Illustrator. Have basic knowledge of designing or find some useful tutorials on YouTube (Internet is filled with tutorials). Then you can start making simple designs in demand like Logo design, Cover design, Banner, Poster, Business Card, Background, Templates, Patterns, Mockups, etc. Start from designing a logo, logos are high in demand. Then move towards making other form of creative assets.
If you want free resources and inspirations for your design work, then do read this article 48 Best Websites For Free Design Resources.
Ways To Sell Your Designs & Services Directly To Buyers Online
Selling your creative work directly to a client can be beneficial for future opportunities. Whenever a buyer likes your work, it will make them more likely to contact you for another project in the near future. Having a bunch of clients and contacts can build a huge network where you will surely gets design orders more frequently.
Here are the following ways you can work directly for a client or buyer online:
Bidding For Work
Bidding for projects is basically like competing with other designers in the same expertise in order to get selected for the work. In other terms, we call it online freelancing which most of the designers are already familiar with. This method is full of hustle and freelancers do find this work quite difficult. Sometimes you can expect more than 100 bidders on a single design project and that really is hard for designers to continuing on such platforms.
The process of bidding related work can be done with following steps:
A Client is looking for a design such as Poster/Logo/Banner/UI etc.
The same client then add a project on freelancing websites with descriptive requirements and a competitive price that he is willing to offer.
Freelancers/Designers will then compete with other sellers, who are willing to bid on the project with their proposed price tag.
Then depending on the platform you use, you will have to showcase your best work in according to get selected for the project.
If you get selected, you will receive the amount for the work you done and that's it. In some cases, that can open a door for potential future projects.
Bidding isn't always bad. Designers, writers, coding enthusiasts can earn a huge sum of money per project. All you need in the beginning is some small projects in order get some positive reviews on your profile, gain a bit experience, and you are good to go.
You can find projects based on your niche on platforms like Upwork, Winatalent, Freelancer, PeoplePerHour, etc. by bidding and providing your best work.
Showcasing Your Gigs
This method is based on hiring for services where a buyer will look at your gigs and can approach you in order to hire for a project. This way you will have to upload your best content in the form of gigs to attract buyers. Buyer will directly contact you through the medium after you set a price on each gigs and services according to your need.
Owning a Digital Store
Have you ever thought of selling your digital content by creating an online store. Well, such stores does works like an actual shop where a buyer comes directly to look at your product and services. Some platforms are free to start, and some even costs an initial or annual platform fee in order for the business to keep going.
Designers can start their online digital shop/store for their designing work on popular websites like Etsy, Shopify, CreativeMarket, and Designhill.
Ways To Sell Your Designs & Services Indirectly To Buyers Online
Not everyone wants to deal with the headache that comes with interacting a client directly. Online platforms give opportunities to creative designers to simply add their designs on their marketplace.
Microstock Websites
Such platforms allows creators to upload their photos, illustrations, and vector work on like Shutterstock, Pond5, AdobeStock, iStock, 123RF, Freepik, etc. Your work will first needs to be approved by the platform admins itself, and when accepted, it will be displayed to the buyers looking for designs based on different types of keywords.
Selling designs on these websites simply means giving license of your creative work to buyers. You will still remain the complete owner of the design you just sold. You can sell photographs, patterns, illustrations, logo designs, design elements, templates, vectors designs, invitations, banners, etc. on microstock websites.
Related Article: 15 Amazing Sites To Find Copyright Free Stock Images
Selling design work through microstock platforms can't be considered as a full time earning source, but still can assist you in providing a good passive income.
Selling Designs As A Product
If you want to sell your designs without much of an interaction with the actual buyers, then selling them as an individual design product might bring you some good passive income. This method basically works as same as microstock websites, but with some added freedom of setting your own prices on each item.
You can call it something between owning a shop and selling your design on microstock websites. Showcase and sell your product on a healthy creative environment such as an online store, with the freedom of not dealing with buyers directly.
Online platforms like CreativeMarket, Etsy, Freepik, and Graphic River provides a great platform for designers to showcase and sell their content.
Here we will discuss about some websites which open doors of opportunities for newbies and professionals to start a decent passive income source.
NOTE: The list of websites is random in this article, and not in ranking order.
Fiverr is an online marketplace for freelance services which allows listing and applying for small jobs, or gigs. Founded in 2010, Fiverr is a good option for beginner freelancers to showcase their work in order to gain future clients and orders. It is widely famous for graphic designers and its functionality to set pricing on gigs depending on the seller.
Fiverr is not only limited in selling design related services, but also gives opportunity to sell basic, and professional service in wide range of fields. You can start selling your services soon after registration and verification. In the meantime, build a great portfolio of your work and start working on your gigs. With over 3.42 million active buyers, it makes Fiverr a perfect option for creators to earn from their skills.
Designs & Services You Can Sell On Fiverr:
Graphic Design - Logo Design, Vector Tracing, Brand Styles, Business Cards, Landing Page Design, UI/UX, Icons, Banners, Illustrations, Pattern Design, Portraits & Caricatures, Cartoons & Comics, Tattoo Design, Storyboards, NFT, Book Design, Album Cover, Resume, Flyer, Brochure, etc.
Digital Marketing - Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Content Marketing, Social Media Advertising, Video Marketing, Email Marketing, Web Analytics, E-Commerce Marketing, Music Promotion, Book & eBook Marketing, Podcast Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, etc.
Writing - Articles & Blog Posts, Translation, Proofreading, Resume Writing, Sales Copy, Social Media Copy, Case Studies, Book & eBook Writing, Brand Voice & Tone, UX Writing, Content Development, Speechwriting, eLearning, Technical Writing, Website Content, etc.
Video Editing
Visual Effects
Logo Animation
Website Development
Game Development
Web Programming
Cybersecurity
Voiceover
Song Writing
Coding
HR Consulting
99designs is an online freelancer platform for connecting graphic designers and clients. Founded in 2008, 99designs makes it easy to work with professional, creative experts from around the world.
It provides one of the best logo design services in terms of customer experience, but it's also pricey.
99designs is a platform where web and graphic designers can make a living out of selling services such as logo design, banner design, web design, poster, flyer, illustrations, infographics, Product packaging and many more. On 99designs, you compete with the community by joining contests to earn money where you can set your rates and work directly with clients.
Also Read: 10 Best Photoshop Plugins To Use In 2022
Also Read: What Is The Difference Between GUI And CUI?
There are multiple industries, styles and design categories you can choose to start working on 99Designs. There are Two ways to work on 99Designs -- Work directly with clients or Compete with the community. 99Designs is free to register and you can start freelancing right upon signing-up, but they charge a platform fee on every project to provide you with support, secure payments, and fraud protection. Rates and rewards vary depending on the type of design work.
Designs & Services You Can Sell On 99Designs:
Logo & Identity - Logo & brand identity pack, Business card, Logo & social media pack, Logo & brand guide.
Web & App Design - Website Building, Web page design, Landing page design, App design, Website Redesign, Blog, Icon or button, App Icon, App design, iOS App, Android App, Banner ad, Other web or app design.
Business & Advertising - Postcard, Leaflet, Direct Mail, Flyer, Poster, Album Cover, Podcast, Infographic, Brochure, Booklet, Pamphlet, Signage, Billboard, Banner, Email Newsletter, Menu, PowerPoint Template, Website Header, Resume.
Clothing & Merchandise - T-shirt, Clothing or apparel, Jersey, Merchandise, Bag, Cap, Shopping Bag, Cup or mug, Sticker.
Art & Illustration - Illustration or graphics, Business Illustration, Website Illustration, Book Illustration, Pattern, Card, Invitation, Greeting Card, Wedding Invitation, Character or mascot, Tattoo, 3D digital design, 3D Architectural Rendering.
Packaging & Label - Product packaging, Food Packaging, Retail Packaging, Cosmetics Packaging, Box, Product label, Food Label, Beverage Label, Beer Label, Wine Label.
Book & Magazine - Book cover, Interior book design, eBook Cover, Magazine cover, Book Layout.
Creative Market is an online marketplace for graphics and design assets. The platform provides a marketplace for creators to sell Graphics, WordPress themes, Stock photography, Templates, and other digital goods for use. Creative Market has over one million users and more than 250,000 purchasable items.
Designers can open a store on Creative Market where they can sell unique fonts, graphics, themes, photos, website themes, icons, brushes, photos, and templates. Creative Market is known for having a community of over millions of potential customers.
Creative Market is a platform for creators to license their design assets to use in personal or commercial projects. With it's wide range of design categories and a huge base of over 8 million members makes it a better place to start your design selling journey online. Here you have all the control over the product and your products will go live instantly as soon as you update them. That way you can set your own prices on the designs and change them later at anytime.
Creative Market charges a Platform Fee to cover some of the costs that are incurred when transactions are processed. This fee helps run Creative Market’s services and keep your transactions reliable and secure.
Designs & Services You Can Sell On CreativeMarket:
Graphics - Icons Illustrations Objects Patterns Textures Web Elements, Vectors.
Fonts - Blackletter, Display, Non Western, Sans Serif, Script, Serif, Slab Serif, Symbols | Calligraphy, Handwriting, Logo, Modern, Urban, Vintage.
Templates - Mockups, Social Media, Presentations, Email, Websites, Resumes, Cards, Business Cards, Brochures, Flyers, Logos, Magazines, Stationery.
Add-ons - Photoshop Add-ons, Lightroom Add-Ons, Illustrator Add-Ons, InDesign Palettes, Procreate Brushes, Affinity Designer Brushes, Actions, Brushes, Gradients, Layer Styles, Palettes, Plugins, Shapes.
Stock Photos - Abstract, Animals, Architecture, Arts & Entertainment, Beauty & Fashion, Business, Education, Food & Drink, Health, Holidays, Industrial, Nature, People, Sports, Technology, Transportation.
Web Themes - Blog, Business, Commerce, Plugin, Photography, Portfolio, Landing Page, Magazine, Minimal, Non-Profit.
3D Assets - Characters, Environment, Objects, Textures & Materials, Animals, Architecture, Food, Furniture, Vehicles | 3ds Max, Blender, Cinema 4D, FBX, OBJ, Maya, Low Poly, Rigged
Designhill is an online leading creative marketplace that fulfills the creative needs of businesses and individuals, who are looking for high quality designs. Designhill is a place for creators who are ready to provide their professional services such as logo design, web design, illustrations, branding, packaging and other types of graphic related work.
Designhill is a good service with a lot of potential, where talented freelance designers are ready to work for you at a range of affordable prices. It's free to join Designhill, and there is no subscription or fees required to list your services on the platform. Many designers work on Designhill full time while some only freelance to make extra money.
Also Read: 10 Must Have Plugins To Use In Photoshop
Designhill allow creators to bid on design projects, find new clients, & work on latest graphic design projects. Since dozens of freelancers apply or bid for a job, clients will hire you also based on your price, which can be hourly or fixed based. You can choose from thousands of graphic design gigs created by top design talents. You will find graphic design gigs across various industries.
How To Sell Designs On Designhill?
Open A Shop And Sell.
Earn From Design Contests.
Sell Your Graphic Design Services.
Work Exclusively For One To One Design Projects.
Pick The Task And Earn.
Sell Logos At Readymade Logo Store.
Earn From The Affiliate Program.
Create A Portfolio To Entice Buyers.
Designs & Services You Can Sell On Designhill:
Packaging & Label - Packaging Design, Label Design, Mobile Cover Design, CD Cover Design.
Illustration & Art - Card Design Or Invitation Design, Character & Mascot Design, Photoshop Design, Illustration And Graphics, Tattoo Designs.
Book & Magazine - Magazine Design, Book Cover Design, E-Book Cover Design.
Social Media - Twitter Header Design, Facebook Cover Design, Social Media Page, LinkedIn Cover Design.
Brand & Identity - Logo Design, Stationery Design, Letterhead Design, Envelope Design, Business Card Design, Brand Identity, Social Media Pack.
Business & Advertising - Poster Design, Powerpoint Design, Brochure Design, Catalog Design, Leaflet Design, Newspaper Ad Design, Advertisement Design, Newsletter Design, Menu Design, Calendar Design, Infographic Design, Email Design, Signage Design, Billboard Design, Car, Booth Design, Postcard Design, Print Flyer Design.
Website & App - Website Design, Landing Page Design, Banner Ad Design, Blog Design, App Icon Or Button Design, Mobile Apps Design.
Clothing & Merchandise - Sticker Design, T-Shirt Design, Merchandise Design, Cup Or Mug Design, Bag & Tote Design, Hat & Cap Design.
Vecteezy is a provider of digital imagery launched our service in 2007 that allows users to license images directly from artists. Vecteezy is a go-to source for high-quality visual resources. With over millions of designers, and marketers come to Vecteezy each month for free and paid vectors, stock photos, and 4k stock videos.
Trusted by designers at big giants such as Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, Google, Mac Donald's, Walt Disney, Dell, BBC. Designers and illustrators can start making money by uploading creative content after signing up on Vecteezy contributor program.
Vecteezy is a home for over millions of free vector graphics contributed by artists from all over the world. Creators interested in providing quality vectors, clip arts, icons, templates, posters, stock photos, stock videos, backgrounds, patterns, and banners can make some benefit out from this platform.
How do you make money on Vecteezy?
Vecteezy currently accepting Pro program applications for vector, video, and photo contributors. In their free program, they provide pay-per-download model, where designers can earn $5.00 per 1,000 downloads for vectors and photos, and $10.00 per 1,000 downloads for video. This program allows creators to maximize their download volume.
Designs & Services You Can Sell On Vecteezy:
Photos - Abstract, Animals & Wildlife, People & Lifestyle, Travel & Adventure, Nature, Technology, Business.
Vectors - 3D Podium, Mockups, Backgrounds, Banners, Flowers, Patterns, Wedding Invitations, Infographics, Templates, Flowers, People, Poster, Cover, Flyer, Landscape, Textures, Book Cover, Brochure.
Videos - Abstract Backgrounds, Family, Objects, Timelapse, Nature, Aerial, Lifestyle, Travel, Animals, Kaleidoscope, Products
GraphicRiver is part of Envato Market. GraphicRiver is an online marketplace for designers which deals in offering premium graphic design and web design services to organizations and businesses with their huge collection of graphic assets.
GraphicRiver is home to a vast community of creative graphic designers and illustrators with thousands of great, ready to use templates. On GraphicRiver, you can sell or buy premium design assets like Logos, Business cards, Vectors, Brochures, Banners, Infographics, Objects graphics, Templates, Illustrations, Flyers, Resumes, Icons, Web elements, and more. You can buy and sell Royalty-free designs, layered Photoshop files, Adobe add-ons and design templates for just a few dollars.
All the new graphic assets added to GraphicRiver are reviewed by Envato to make sure they meet high-quality design and functionality standards. GraphicRiver is a place for professionals and world-class creators so that you’ll always find vectors and design templates that catches your eye. You can earn money by selling your designs and templates. If you work hard and consistently upload high quality work, you can earn some serious money every month.
Designs & Services You Can Sell On GraphicRiver:
Graphics - 3D Renders, Backgrounds, Decorative, Illustrations, Photo Templates, Product Mockups, Others.
Print Templates - Flyers, Brochures, Business Cards, Stationery Cards & Invites, Signage, Food Menus, Magazines, CD & DVD Artwork, Newsletters, Infographics, Logo, Packaging, Photo Albums.
Web Elements - Social Media, YouTube Thumbnail, Banners & Ads, Badges & Stickers, User Interfaces, Sliders & Features, E-newsletters, Buttons, Forms, Photo Effects, Tables.
Add-Ons - Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom Presets, Aperture Presets, Sketch Plugins.
Vectors - Conceptual, Characters, Objects, Decorative, Shapes, Patterns, Web Elements, Tattoos, Covers.
Presentation Templates - PowerPoint Templates, Keynote Templates, Google Slides.
Icons - Objects, Business, Web, Hand Draw, Corporate, Currency, Medical, Technology, Characters, Seasonal, Media, Software, Abstract.
Fonts - Sans-Serif, Serif, Script, Decorative, Handwriting, Cool, Fancy, Comic, Geometric, Graffiti, Retro, Futuristic, Ding-bats.
Logo Templates - Symbols, Abstract, Mascot, Emblem, Combination, Animals, Objects, Social, Letters, Humans, Nature, Buildings, Numbers, Food, Crests.
Etsy is an online marketplace for unique and creative goods that connects sellers with buyers. Etsy is a global e-commerce company primarily focused on selling handmade or vintage items, craft supplies, and digital downloads. These items fall under a wide range of categories, including jewelry, bags, clothing, home décor and furniture, toys, art, as well as craft supplies and tools.
Etsy is home to special, extraordinary items, from unique handcrafted pieces to vintage treasures, keychains, cosmetics, and handbags. It is a place where people come together to make, sell, buy and collect unique items. Buying from Etsy is completely safe and protected by Etsy's policies, that makes it a special place for regular buyers comes looking for unique designs.
Also Read: 10 Common Mistakes Designers Make #1
Joining and starting a shop on Etsy is absolutely free. To sell on Etsy, you must create an account before you can open a storefront. But listing on Etsy charges $0.20 per item, plus a 5% transaction fee when an item sells. There are three basic selling fees: a listing fee, a transaction fee, and a payment processing fee. There's also an advertising fee for sales that come from Offsite Ads.
If you are serious in providing unique designs, and quality products, then Etsy could become a good source of income for you. There is an option to either list a product you are willing to sell or list a gig of a service you want to offer. You can earn anywhere from $70 a week to $1300 a month by selling printables on Etsy, but that is solely depends on your pricing and standard of the product.
Designs & Services You Can Sell On Etsy:
Apart from selling actual products, you can also sell digital downloadable content on Etsy.
Photography - Backgrounds, Abstract, Anime, Cartoon, Nature, Landscapes, Overlays, T-shirt Mockups.
Graphics & Printables - Logo Designs, Logo On Demand, Poster & Cards, Digital Papers, Illustrations, Digital Planner, Patterns, Wedding Invitations, Clip Arts, Brush Strokes, Paint Splatter, Seamless Elements, Banners.
Digital Artwork - On Demand Artworks, Vintage Poster, Cartoon Portrait, Pop Art, Minimalist Art, Paintings.
Collage - Family Tree, Planner, Collage Templates, Photo Album, Baby First Year Collage,
Templates & Others - Fonts, Photoshop Templates, Financial Planner Spreadsheets, Wordpress Theme, Resume Templates, Instagram Posts Bundle, Shopify Theme, Presentation Templates, Canva Templates, Wedding Templates, Email Marketing Templates, Magazine Templates, Envelope, Seamless bundle.
Freepik is an online platform that helps users find high-quality photos, premium vector files, illustrations, graphic assets and PSD files for their creative projects. With over millions of wide range of graphic resources to locate from, Freepik is the largest platform of free graphic resources and a go-to place for businesses and designers to grab premium, and high quality design assets.
Founded in 2010, Freepik also offers a wide catalogue of free resources. You can find them by filtering by “Free”, from the “Filters” option on the site. There are resources available on Freepik which anyone can download and use free of cost. Same way, there are also some design assets which can only be download by purchasing a 'Premium Membership' which then give unlimited access to over 21,907,000 Premium resources.
Freepik has a contributor program that lets graphic and web designers to upload, submit and sell their creative work. Designers can sell design assets like Backgrounds, Business Cards, Flyers, Vectors, Social Media Posts, Mockups, Patterns, Invitations, Templates, Video, or Posters to Freepik's contributor program.
How do you make money on Freepik?
Signing up on Freepik contributor program is free of cost and designers won't have to pay any platform fee to sell their product. Instead, designers would have to submit their 10 best designs (Vectors, Illustrations, Graphic assets) from any of their work in order to get selected for the contributor program.
Contributors are paid depending on their content downloads, which is known as the pay per download method. Freepik pays a bonus of $2.5 per 1.000 downloads per illustration during the first 30 days since the image is active at Freepik.
Designs & Services You Can Sell On Freepik:
Photos - Backgrounds, Abstract, Nature, Festival, Technology, People, Watercolor, Texture, Vintage, Grunge, T-Shirts, Travel, Business, Indoors, Geometric, Futuristic, Food, Medical, Matte Painting, Brush Stroke, Fantasy, Manipulation.
Vectors - Backgrounds, Gradient Set, Greeting Card, Patterns, Graphic Elements, Wedding Invitation, Festival Cards (Christmas, Holi, Diwali, Eid), Stationary Set, Business Card, Illustrations, Certificate Template, Vintage Elements, Brochure, Social Media Icons, Letterhead, Flyer, Banner, Instagram Stories Template, Collage, Landscapes, Hand Drawn, Infographics.
PSD - Logo Mockups, Wedding Invitation, Sign Mockup, Menu Templates, Business Card, Landing Page, T-Shirt Mockup, Letterhead, Resume Templates, Flyer, Festival Templates, Web Banner, Facebook Cover, Text Effects, Frames.
Collections - 3D Illustrations, Instagram Templates, One Line Art, Social Media Advertisement, Abstract Art, Creative 3D, Product Stand, 3D Food, Geometric shapes, 3D Food, Traditional Cartoon, Organic Patterns, Serif Fonts.
ALTERNATIVES
MasterBundles is a fairly young company that has proven by its experience
that awesome and high-quality designs don't have to cost hundreds or thousands of
dollars. Since 2016 the marketplace has become a reliable platform for buyers who
enjoy an assortment of great products for every taste and purpose, as well as for
vendors who can sell their ideas and goods at quite nice and profitable conditions.
MasterBundles clients are developers, designers, and just ordinary users from all
over the world.
The company is always happy to welcome new authors who surprise
customers with their new inventions in design. Now it is much easier to develop
online and offline projects because there is a huge platform with a variety of
offerings for all tastes. Clients are welcome to find the desired product and
purchase it in a few clicks.
Designs & Services You Can Sell On MasterBundles:
Graphics - icons, illustrations, patterns, logos, textures, backgrounds, t-shirt mock-ups, infographics.
Fonts Of Different Types - sans serif, serif, script, display, symbol.
High-quality Add-ons - Photoshop, Illustrator, Lightroom, and Procreate brushes.
Stock content - photos, vector images.
Multi-functional templates for presentations, social media, resumes, certificates, landings, WordPress, UI kits, magazines, and mock-ups.
The product topic depends on the customer's goals. Users can select the
necessary items using filters, which are also very easy to handle. Clients just need
to fill in the preferred criteria and wait for the resource to give relevant answers. It
usually takes a couple of seconds. Also, the website often provides special
discounts when people can get the web solutions for almost no cost.
Another advantage of the platform is the availability of a blog. The writers
regularly publish articles about current trends in web design, give useful tips on
different project development, and make selections of the best products which will
be useful for the work. Also, the team actively maintains pages on social networks,
where there is also plenty of interesting and useful content.
Start selling some quality designs online and begin your journey today. Learn how online selling works and how far your potential can reach on such marketplace. Who knows, which platform will suit your workflow and brings you a decent income stream. A creator can only know once he/she involves themselves into this world of creative marketplace.
Tune up for more in detailed articles on earning from selling designs, vectors, footages and other creative assets. Internet is full of opportunities and why not try your own luck by providing some demanding graphics work.
