In this post, we’ll explore the best ways to make money with a 3D printer, highlight top-selling product ideas, and answer frequently asked questions about starting a 3D printing business. Whether you’re into crafting cosplay props, designing digital models, or teaching others, there’s a path for you to turn those plastic filament spools into profit. Let’s dive in!

Here are the quick links so you can jump to anything that interests you:

• 7 ways to make money with a 3D printer
• Top selling 3D printed item ideas
• FAQ

7 Ways to Make Money with a 3D Printer

1. Sell 3D printed products
2. Sell 3D model files
3. Become a 3D printing content creator
4. Launch a membership
5. Sell online courses
6. Teach/tutor other 3D model artists
7. Offer custom 3D modeling services

1. Sell 3D Printed Products

One of the most direct ways to earn money is by selling physical 3D printed items. The key is to find a niche and create products that people want to buy. The U.S. 3D printing market is worth $5.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $34+ billion by 2034 (19% CAGR), the industry is expected to more than double by 2028. This rapid growth means there’s never been a better time to enter the 3D printing market.

We’ve included some of the best selling 3D printed items with sales data for your inspiration to start with (see the next section below).

Where to sell:

• Etsy, eBay, and Amazon Handmade (great for reaching a large audience)
• Your own store (Payhip, Shopify, or WooCommerce) for better control over pricing and branding
• Facebook Marketplace to avoid shipping costs

How much can you earn?

One Etsy seller claimed their 3D printing store made over $200,000 in sales. While that might be an outlier case, many small sellers earn $100-$1,000/month, with some making $5,000+ if they scale production.

Tips for Success:

Make sure your prints are clean (fine-tune your printer settings to avoid obvious layer lines or defects) and consider post-processing to give a professional finish (priming and painting cosplay props, smoothing and polishing jewelry, etc.). Take clear, well-lit photos of your products from multiple angles – good pictures significantly boost sales online. Offer customization if possible (such as different colors, sizes, or personalized text) to add value for customers.

2. Sell 3D Model Files

If you’re skilled in 3D modeling, selling STL or OBJ files as digital products is one of the most profitable ways to make money. Since digital files require no printing or shipping, you can essentially establish a passive income stream and literally make money while you sleep!

Why should you sell 3D model files:

Digital products have virtually no production cost after the initial design work. Once you’ve made a 3D model, you can sell it an unlimited number of times on autopilot as platforms like Payhip will automatically deliver your files to your customers after purchase.

There’s a growing demand for quality 3D models because not everyone who owns a 3D printer can design their own objects. Hobbyists and other businesses are often willing to pay for well-made files, especially for things like D&D miniatures, cosplay armor parts, model kits, terrain pieces for gaming, or useful tools. According to estimates from Graphtreon, top Patreon creators producing STL files can earn $4,200+ per month, proving digital products can be highly lucrative.

Check out our guide on How to Sell 3D Models for a more thorough step-by-step guide to succeed in selling your 3D design files.

3. Become a 3D Printing Content Creator

Another route to monetize your 3D printing passion is through content creation. This means building an audience on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or a personal blog, and earning revenue through ads, sponsorships, affiliate marketing, or fan support (i.e. memberships).

If you enjoy sharing your projects, teaching others, or entertaining people with 3D printing, content creation can be both fun and profitable. Some 3D printing enthusiasts have turned into influencers, getting paid to review printers or show off new products, and their content in turn drives sales for their own products or designs.

You don’t need to be an expert to start creating 3D printing content-just a willingness to share and improve. Popular content ideas include tutorials (how to level a print bed, fix issues, or paint models), time-lapse videos of prints coming to life, project showcases (cosplay builds, DIY gadgets), product reviews, fun challenges (stress-testing filaments, unusual print orientations), and design process videos to attract CAD and 3D modeling enthusiasts.

4. Launch a Membership

This strategy works well when combined with the above where you’d create content around 3D printing, and then launch a membership or subscription service so you can provide exclusive content to your most loyal supporters.

Selling memberships is a powerful way to generate recurring revenue. A 3D printing membership can take various forms: a Monthly STL Club where subscribers receive exclusive 3D model files each month, an Educational Membership offering live webinars, tutorials, and a private community for learning, a Support Membership providing priority troubleshooting or consulting for businesses and educators, or a VIP Club that grants early access to new designs, discounts, and input on future creations. Or, all of the above!

Payhip has built-in support for memberships and subscription payments, making it easy to set this up. You can create a membership product, set a recurring price, and deliver content to members. The great thing is Payhip’s fee remains low (5% on the free plan) which is a small cut for handling all the recurring billing and advanced tools to manage your members or subscribers.

Consider offering tiers of membership: e.g., a basic tier with just the files, a higher tier that also includes a monthly live session or one-on-one time. This way, you can cater to both casual fans and super fans who are willing to pay more.

How much can you earn?

A Patreon called CobraMode (which creates fantasy miniatures for printing) has over 500 subscribers and makes about $4,300 per month by delivering new model files to members each month. That’s over $50,000 a year from a membership! The same can be done on Payhip, allowing you more control and direct relationships with your subscribers.

Check out our guide on How to Build A Membership Website for a more thorough step-by-step guide to succeed in launching your membership program.

5. Sell Online Courses on 3D Printing

If you’ve built a strong knowledge base in 3D printing, why not turn it into a profitable online course? The online learning industry is booming, and beginners are always searching for step-by-step guidance on 3D printing.

You have two main options:

• Course Marketplaces (Udemy, Skillshare) – These platforms provide built-in audiences, but they heavily discount courses (often selling a $100 course for $10-$20) and take a percentage of your earnings.
• Self-Hosted Selling (Payhip) – You set your own price and keep more of your revenue. Payhip allows you to sell courses or host video lessons on your own fully branded website. Many creators sell $50-$100+ courses on their own sites, while the same course might only earn $15 per sale on Udemy.

Check out our guide on How to Sell Online Courses for a more thorough step-by-step guide to launch your own course (includes a video tutorial).

How much can you earn?

Selling courses can be very lucrative because of the scalability – you make it once, and can sell it many times. Some comprehensive courses sell for $200 or more, especially if they target professional development (though for hobbyist 3D printing topics, under $100 is more common).

There are reports of top 3D printing courses on Udemy having tens of thousands of students (one basic course had over 8,800 reviews, which hints at even more total enrollments). Even though those were sold at low prices, it shows the volume of interest.

Tips to succeed:

Keep your course content updated if possible. 3D printing technology evolves (new software versions, new printer hardware, etc.), so updating your lessons or adding bonus content over time will keep the course relevant and well-reviewed. Happy students lead to good reviews and word-of-mouth, which drive more sales.

6. Tutoring and Online Coaching for Other 3D Artists

In addition to pre-recorded courses, there is a market for personalized tutoring or coaching in 3D printing and 3D modeling. Not everyone learns best from watching videos; some people want one-on-one guidance to ask questions and solve specific problems. If you’re experienced, you can offer tutoring sessions or consulting to help others level up their 3D printing skills or troubleshoot their projects. This is a more hands-on, interactive way to make money, and you can charge a premium for your direct time.

How much can you earn?

You can charge hourly or per session. Many tutors set rates based on expertise; as a ballpark, you might charge anywhere from $20/hour for basic tutoring to $50/hour or more for highly specialized consulting.

If you have formal credentials or a lot of experience, you can be on the higher end. If you’re just starting out in tutoring, you might begin a bit lower to gather some testimonials. Another model is to sell a package – for instance, “$150 for a 5-session package (one-hour sessions each) on mastering resin 3D printing.” This encourages a longer commitment and upfront payment.

You can use Payhip to sell your tutoring services by creating an online coaching product (no monthly fees!). Check out our guide on How to Start an Online Coaching Business for a more thorough step-by-step guide to launch your coaching business (includes a video tutorial).

7. Offer Custom 3D Model Services

If you have strong 3D modeling skills, another way to make money is by freelancing as a 3D modeler, especially for clients who need custom designs for 3D printing. Many individuals, inventors, or small companies have ideas for a product but no ability to create a 3D model for it. You can fill that gap and charge for your expertise. This is more of a service-based business: you work with clients, create models to their specifications, and deliver the 3D files (or even printed prototypes).

Freelance platforms are a common place to start. Websites like Fiverr and Upwork have categories for 3D modeling and CAD design. The competition can be global, but many clients specifically seek modelers with 3D printing knowledge (to ensure the model will be printable, not just pretty in software).

How much can you earn?

The pay can range from small one-off fees to large contracts for complex jobs. As a reference, the median hourly rate for 3D modelers on Upwork is around $25/hour (with typical rates ranging roughly $17-$30/hour on that platform). Experienced modelers or those with specialized expertise (like industrial design or character sculpting) can charge more – some earn $50/hour or higher, especially for rush jobs or intricate work.

Sometimes, clients might want a finished physical item, not just the file. If you have a printer, you could offer print-for-hire services in addition to modeling – essentially delivering the final printed prototype or part. This lets you charge for both the design and the production.

Top-Selling 3D Printed Item Ideas

What kinds of 3D printed products actually sell well? Here are five top-selling item ideas, each with some data or real-world trends to illustrate their potential:

• Cosplay Props & Costume Pieces – 3D printed helmets, armor, and accessories can sell for $100-$300+ each. Niche prop makers on Etsy have 100+ sales per item, with demand spiking around Comic Con and Halloween.
• Tabletop Gaming Miniatures – Fantasy miniatures, terrain, and gaming accessories sell well. Top Patreon creators earn $4,200+ per month from digital STL sales, while physical miniatures sell for $5-$30+ each.
• Home Decor (Planters, Vases, Lithophanes) – A viral 3D printed planter on Etsy sold thousands of units at $66.99 each. Modern vases, lamps, and seasonal décor also perform well, with holiday items seeing sales spikes.
• 3D Printed Jewelry – The $841.7M 3D printed jewelry market is growing 20% annually. Resin or nylon earrings and pendants sell for $15-$50, while metal versions can command premium prices.
• Replacement Parts & Functional Gadgets – Custom appliance knobs, brackets, and mounts solve real problems. A $0.50 plastic washer can sell for $20+ if it fixes an out-of-production item. Functional gadgets like phone stands and organizers also sell well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Now, let’s move on to some frequently asked questions that often come up for folks interested in making money with a 3D printer.

What is 3D printing?

3D printing is an additive manufacturing process that creates physical objects from digital designs by building them layer by layer. The most common types are FDM, which melts plastic filament to form objects, and resin printing (SLA/DLP), which cures liquid resin for high-detail prints. It’s used for prototyping, art, medical applications, and custom products.

How much money can I make from a 3D printer?

Earnings vary widely. Hobbyists may make $100-$500/month, while serious sellers earn $2,000-$5,000+. Successful 3D printing entrepreneurs report earnings up to $16,000 per month selling 3D-printed products on Etsy. Profit margins for businesses typically range from 20-30%. Selling digital STL files can generate passive income, with top designers making $4,000+ monthly.

How much does it cost to start a 3D printing business?

Startup costs range from $300-$1,000+. A basic FDM printer costs $200-$500, filament is $20-$30/kg, and tools cost ~$50-$100. Selling STL files requires design software (free or paid). Optional costs include business registration ($50-$100), packaging, and advertising. Scaling may require multiple printers ($200-$500 each).

How can I protect My 3D designs?

Copyright automatically protects your designs, but enforcing it can be tricky. You can register copyrights, use DMCA takedowns for infringement, and apply licenses (e.g., “personal use only”). Watermark renders, track digital files, and avoid sharing original CAD files. Trademarks and patents may help with brand protection. If you’re using Payhip to sell 3D designs, there are built-in security features that you can implement for free.

Can I make passive income with a 3D printer?

Yes! Selling STL files is the best passive income – design once, sell repeatedly. You can also earn from YouTube (ad revenue, affiliate links), online courses, memberships (exclusive models), or print-on-demand services. While setup requires effort, well-optimized digital assets can generate ongoing income.

Can I make money with my 3D printer?

Absolutely! Many people profit by selling prints, digital files, or services. The key is finding a profitable niche, marketing well, and optimizing costs. While it requires effort, 3D printing can be a rewarding side hustle or full-time business with the right strategy.

What is the most profitable thing to 3D print?

High-margin items include customized products (nameplates, keychains), jewelry, miniatures & collectibles, functional parts (replacement gears, mounts), and B2B prototypes. Digital STL files have nearly 100% profit per sale.

Can I make a business out of 3D printing?

Yes! Many turn 3D printing into a full-time business by selling products, files, or services. Scaling requires multiple printers or digital sales. The market is growing, and with smart branding, innovation, and diversification (e.g., offering workshops or B2B services), it can be highly profitable.

Making Money with Your 3D Printer

3D printing offers a versatile platform for making money, whether through selling creative products, digital designs, content creation, services, or educational materials. It’s entirely feasible to monetize your 3D printer; many people are already doing it successfully. If you’ve been on the fence about it, consider this your guide and gentle nudge to start turning printing into profit. Good luck, and happy printing!

The post How to Make Money with a 3D Printer: 7 Proven Ways to Profit appeared first on Payhip.

Whether you’re just starting or looking to scale, this guide covers proven strategies to help you make money as an influencer-without spending a dime out of your pocket. Let’s dive in!

13 Ways to Make Money as an Influencer

1. Get paid directly from social media platforms

There are 2 main ways to get paid via the social media platforms where you’re posting content:

1. Get paid by the platforms themselves

Many social media platforms have built-in monetization programs that pay creators to produce engaging content. These programs typically require creators to meet certain eligibility criteria, such as reaching a minimum number of followers or being in specific countries. Here are some of the most popular partner programs:

• YouTube Partner Program: Creators can earn ad revenue once they reach 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past year or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days. Some regions allow early access to monetization features like channel memberships, where subscribers pay for exclusive perks, and Supers, which lets fans buy Super Chats, Stickers, or Thanks to support creators. YouTube Shopping also allows creators to sell their merchandise directly through their channel.

• TikTok Creator Fund Program: TikTok pays eligible creators based on engagement, watch time, and video performance. However, payouts vary significantly and are best suited for creators who consistently produce viral content. Some creators find that TikTok’s revenue share isn’t as high as other platforms, so it’s often recommended to combine this with other income streams like sponsorships or affiliate marketing.
• Note that the Instagram Reels Play bonus program, which rewarded creators for views on Reels, was discontinued on March 9, 2023. However, Instagram is testing other monetization opportunities, such as ad revenue sharing and new features for creators to earn.

2. Get paid by your audience

Many platforms allow influencers to earn directly from their followers through features like donations, tips, and gifts. These tools provide a way for creators to generate income without relying on brand deals or platform payouts.

• Twitch: Viewers can send Bits, Twitch’s version of virtual tips, to support streamers during live sessions. To access this feature, you’ll need to apply for the Twitch Partner Program, which also unlocks additional revenue opportunities like channel subscriptions and ad revenue.

• YouTube: Creators can earn through Super Chat and Super Stickers, where viewers pay to highlight their messages during live streams. YouTube has also introduced Jewels, a feature that allows viewers to purchase digital gifts that can be exchanged for real earnings.

• Facebook: The Facebook Stars feature lets followers support their favorite creators by purchasing and sending Stars as virtual gifts. This feature applies to various types of content, including live streams, gaming sessions, reels, photos, and even text posts.

• TikTok: Viewers can send virtual gifts during live sessions, which creators can convert into real money.

• Instagram: Instagram enables creators to earn through Badges, a feature that lets viewers purchase and send monetary support during live videos.

2. Secure brand sponsorships

Sponsored posts are one of the most common ways influencers make money. Brands pay you to promote their products or services through posts, stories, or videos. To land high-paying brand deals, you need to position yourself as a valuable partner. Here’s how to do it:

• Pitch directly to brands via email or social media with a media kit showcasing your reach and past collaborations. You can create your content creator portfolio or website for free using Payhip. This will show brands that you mean business, and make it simpler for them to choose you as their next collaborator!

• Maximize the value or size of your deals

• Offer to include a link in your bio to drive traffic and boost conversions for the brands you promote

• Instead of a single sponsored post, propose a long-term collaboration with multiple pieces of content covering different aspects of the brand

• If a company wants to use your content in ads, negotiate higher rates to reflect its extended reach

• You can also offer cross-promotion on platforms like TikTok and YouTube for an additional fee, increasing exposure while maximizing your earnings.

• Be transparent by disclosing paid partnerships with #ad or #sponsored as required by FTC guidelines.

Sponsored content pricing varies based on niche, engagement rate, and audience size. It’s also not just about follower count, content production quality matters too. Things like great photography, comprehensive research, engaging captions, and storytelling can make you more attractive to potential collaborators because you’re more likely to be able to convert your audience into loyal customers for those brands.

3. Become a brand ambassador

Unlike one-time sponsored posts, brand ambassadorships involve long-term collaborations where influencers continuously represent a brand over an extended period. These partnerships provide consistent income while enhancing credibility and trust with your audience.

Ambassadorships offer stability in an influencer’s income while fostering deeper connections with a brand. The consistent exposure helps solidify your authority in a niche, making your recommendations more impactful.

Many brand ambassadorships come with exclusivity agreements, meaning you may be restricted from promoting competing brands within the same niche. Being affiliated with multiple competitors can hurt your credibility, as followers expect genuine brand loyalty. Before committing, weigh the long-term benefits and ensure the partnership aligns with your brand.

4. Earn commission through affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is similar to brand deals, but instead of receiving a flat fee, you earn a commission for every sale made through your unique affiliate link.

One of the biggest advantages of affiliate marketing is that you don’t have to negotiate with companies individually. Many programs are self-serve, meaning you can sign up, start promoting products, and earn commissions without any direct interaction with the company. If you prefer a hassle-free way to monetize your content, this is an excellent option.

To find a variety of companies offering affiliate programs, explore networks like ClickBank, ShareASale, Awin, CJ Affiliate, Amazon Associates, Tribe, and JoinBrands.

Useful tip: Payhip offers an affiliate program with 50% lifetime commissions. If you’re interested, visit partner.payhip.com to sign up.

One of the best ways to maximize affiliate earnings is by creating honest, in-depth reviews of products or services you already use and trust. Transparency builds credibility, making your audience more likely to take action on your recommendations. Always disclose affiliate links with a simple disclaimer like, “This post contains affiliate links,” to maintain trust and engagement with your followers.

5. Sell digital products online

Selling digital products is one of the most cost-effective ways to start an online business as an influencer. Unlike physical products, digital goods require no inventory, shipping, or production costs after the initial creation. You make them once and can sell them endlessly, whether to 10 customers or 10,000, without additional effort. Since digital products can be purchased by anyone with an internet connection, your potential audience is virtually limitless.

Some of the most popular digital products include eBooks, templates, PDFs, presets, and so much more! The key to success is creating something that provides real value to your audience. For example, if you’re a fitness influencer, you could sell meal plans or workout guides. If you’re a content creator, video editing templates or Instagram presets could be great options.

Your choice of eCommerce platform plays a huge role in your success. Payhip is an excellent option because it handles automatic and instant product delivery for your customers, ensuring a seamless buying experience. It’s also incredibly beginner-friendly, with a free store builder that allows you to create a professional online shop without any technical skills. Even better, Payhip doesn’t charge monthly fees-just a small 5% fee per sale, meaning you only pay when you make money. Plus, Payhip’s online marketplace helps you get more visibility without any extra cost.

Once your store is live, make sure to share your product link in your social media bio.

6. Sell physical products via print on demand

If you want to sell physical products but aren’t ready to invest in inventory, print-on-demand is a hassle-free way to start. This business model allows you to sell custom-designed items like T-shirts, mugs, tote bags, notebooks, and phone cases-without the risks of upfront costs or managing stock.

Here’s how it works: You create your design and list the product in your online store. When a customer places an order, the print-on-demand service prints the design onto the item and ships it directly to them. This means you don’t have to worry about packaging, storage, or fulfillment-allowing you to focus on marketing and growing your brand.

For influencers, print-on-demand offers a fun and creative way to launch personalized merchandise. You can turn your catchphrases, viral quotes, or inside jokes from your content into T-shirts, hoodies, or stickers that resonate with your audience. Not only does this create a stronger connection with your followers, but it also gives them a chance to support you in a meaningful way.

7. Charge a subscription fee for exclusive content

Offering exclusive, subscription-based content is a powerful way to create a steady, predictable income as an influencer. By charging a monthly fee, you provide premium content and special perks, keeping your audience engaged while ensuring consistent earnings. This approach not only strengthens your community but also gives you greater control over your monetization.

This is especially valuable if producing your content requires a significant budget, allowing you to sustain your work while delivering high-quality content with the support of your audience. Tips to build a membership program that people would want to pay for:

• Provide exclusive value – Offer premium content they can’t access for free, such as behind-the-scenes footage, in-depth tutorials, live Q&As, or exclusive resources.
• Create multiple membership tiers – Give subscribers options based on budget and access level, from basic memberships with early content access to VIP tiers with one-on-one interactions.
• Deliver content consistently – Keep members engaged by uploading fresh content regularly, whether it’s weekly updates, monthly masterclasses, or exclusive behind-the-scenes insights.
• Encourage community participation – Let members vote on future content, participate in polls, or join private live streams to create a sense of exclusivity and involvement.
• Reward loyal members – Offer perks such as discounts, early access to new content, personalized shoutouts, or exclusive member-only giveaways to retain long-term subscribers.

Influencers can launch anything from simple to advanced multi-tiered memberships using free platforms like Payhip. To begin, we recommend learning how to build a membership website for free.

8. Offer online coaching or consulting services

If you have expertise in a specific field, offering online coaching or consulting can be a highly profitable way to monetize your influence. Many people are willing to pay for personalized guidance and expert advice from someone they trust, making this an ideal income stream for influencers who have built authority in their niche.

One of the biggest advantages of coaching is that you don’t need a massive following to succeed-you just need a dedicated audience that values your expertise.

To get started, platforms like Payhip, Calendly, and Zoom make it easy to set up booking systems and offer paid consultations. With Payhip, you can even sell coaching packages or bundle multiple sessions for ongoing support. This helps build long-term relationships with clients and provides a steady income stream.

Marketing your coaching services is crucial. Promote your offerings by sharing testimonials, case studies, or success stories from past clients. Highlight the benefits of working with you and showcase before-and-after transformations if applicable. Offering a free consultation or a discounted first session can also help attract new clients and build trust.

We recommend starting by learning how to start an online coaching business without spending a dime upfront.

9. Monetize your knowledge by selling online courses

If you have valuable skills or expertise, selling online courses is one of the best ways to monetize your knowledge while creating a scalable and passive income stream. Unlike one-on-one coaching, online courses allow you to teach an unlimited number of students anytime, anywhere, making it a great option for influencers looking to maximize their earnings without constantly trading time for money.

We recommend starting by learning how to sell online courses, so you can deliver high-quality courses that can be wildly successful when launched.

Choosing the right platform can make or break your online course business. Fortunately, Payhip offers a free, no-monthly-fee platform where you can create a beautiful, fully streamable course with ease. It comes packed with powerful features like surveys, polls, assignments, certificates of completion, and drip lessons, all designed to enhance your students’ learning experience and keep them engaged.

10. Collaborate with brands to launch products

Partnering with a brand to co-create and launch a product is one of the most lucrative ways to monetize your influence. Instead of simply promoting a brand’s existing product, you become actively involved in product development, allowing you to offer something uniquely tailored to your audience while benefiting from the brand’s resources and distribution. Influencers will typically receive compensation in the form of royalties or revenue share.

The key to a successful product collaboration is ensuring the brand and product align with your personal brand and audience’s interests. Followers can tell when a collaboration is forced, so it’s essential to work with companies that share your values. The most successful influencer-brand partnerships feel authentic, well-integrated, and mutually beneficial.

11. Create UGC (User-Generated Content)

If you enjoy creating high-quality content but don’t have a massive following, licensing and user-generated content (UGC) can be a great way to make money as an influencer. Unlike traditional influencer marketing, where brands pay you to post on your own platform, UGC involves creating content for brands to use in their ads, social media, and marketing campaigns-without you needing to post it yourself.

Many brands prefer UGC because it feels more authentic and relatable than traditional ads. This means you don’t need a huge audience to succeed, just strong content creation skills.

To get started, sign up for UGC platforms like JoinBrands, Cohley, and Billo, where brands actively seek creators to produce content. You can also pitch brands directly by showcasing a portfolio of past work. Having a website with your UGC portfolio can make it easier for brands to see your skills and hire you for content creation.

12. Organize Paid Events

Hosting paid events is a great way to monetize your influence while offering valuable experiences to your audience. Virtual events are especially convenient since they require little to no overhead costs. You can run masterclasses, coaching sessions, or interactive panel discussions through platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, or Instagram Live with ticketed access.

Selling digital tickets is simple with Payhip, which has no monthly fees and only charges a small 5% fee per sale. You can easily incorporate this cost into your ticket price, making it a hassle-free way to generate income from your events.

13. Accept Donations & Tips

If your audience enjoys your content and wants to support your work, accepting donations and tips can be a simple yet effective way to earn money as an influencer. Many fans appreciate the effort that goes into creating free content and are willing to contribute voluntarily as a way of saying thank you.

To encourage donations, you can create exclusive perks or recognition for supporters. For example, giving donors a personalized shoutout, offering bonus content, or giving access to behind-the-scenes updates can incentivize more contributions.

The key to earning through donations is building a strong connection with your audience. When followers see the value in your content and feel personally connected to your journey, they’re more likely to support you financially. This income stream works especially well for creators who offer free educational, entertainment, or artistic content and want to continue producing high-quality work without relying solely on sponsorships or ad revenue.

If you choose to accept donations, be sure to make it easy for your audience to contribute by linking your donation page in your bio, video descriptions, and social media posts. A small but dedicated group of supporters can significantly contribute to sustaining your content creation efforts.

How much do influencers make?

An influencer’s earning potential is limitless, but there’s no fixed formula that guarantees a specific income based on likes or views. Your revenue depends on various factors, including the type of content you create, how many views and interactions your posts receive, your engagement rate, advertiser appeal, and the affiliate programs or sponsorships you leverage.

In general, here are the numbers that you might expect: Nano-influencers (1K-10K followers) typically earn $10-$100 per post, while micro-influencers (10K-100K followers) can make $100-$1,000. Macro-influencers (100K-1M followers) earn $1,000-$10,000, and mega-influencers (1M+ followers) can command $10,000 or more per post.

How many followers do you need to be an influencer?

There’s no set number of followers required to be an influencer. Even with a small audience, you can earn money if your engagement is strong. Many brands now prefer to work with micro-influencers (10K-50K followers) because their engagement rates tend to be higher than those of larger creators.

How much do influencers make per post?

Influencer earnings vary based on niche, engagement rate, and platform. On average, here’s how much influencers can make per sponsored post:

• Nano-influencers (1K-10K followers): $10-$100
• Micro-influencers (10K-100K followers): $100-$1,000
• Macro-influencers (100K-1M followers): $1,000-$10,000
• Mega-influencers (1M+ followers): $10,000+

Income isn’t limited to brand deals. Many influencers diversify their earnings through other means such as affiliate marketing, selling digital products, online courses, and paid memberships.

Final thoughts

Monetizing your influence is more accessible than ever, and with the right strategies, you can turn your online presence into a thriving business. Whether you’re leveraging social media platform payouts, brand deals, digital products, or online courses, there’s no shortage of ways to generate income-without needing a big budget to start.

Related read:

• How to become a content creator
• How to make money on Instagram
• How to make money on Facebook
• How to make money on TikTok
• How to make money on YouTube

The post How to Make Money as an Influencer | 13 Ways No Budget Required appeared first on Payhip.

Fortunately, Payhip’s Collaborations tool streamlines this process, allowing co-authors to split royalties automatically-eliminating the need for manual calculations and payments. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about co-authoring an eBook and setting up seamless revenue sharing.

Disclaimer: This guide focuses exclusively on co-authoring eBooks and does not apply to printed books.

Why Co-Author an eBook?

Teaming up with a writing partner offers numerous benefits:

• Bigger Audience, More Sales – Two authors mean double the reach. Your co-author’s audience becomes your audience, skyrocketing book visibility and boosting sales.
• Expert Power Duo – Combine your strengths! Whether it’s storytelling, research, or marketing, a co-author fills in the gaps and makes your book stronger.
• Work Smarter, Not Harder – Writing a book solo is overwhelming. Splitting the workload speeds up the process, making it easier to finish (and publish!).
• Built-in Accountability Partner – Procrastination? Not when you have a co-author depending on you! Stay motivated and actually finish your manuscript.
• Cut Costs, Maximize Profits – Share the costs of editing, cover design, and marketing-while enjoying a bigger return on investment.
• Dynamic & Engaging Reads – A mix of writing styles and voices makes the book more compelling, keeping readers hooked from start to finish.

However, co-writing also comes with challenges-particularly when it comes to defining roles and handling royalties fairly.

Understanding eBook Royalties: What It Means for Co-Authors

Book royalties represent the portion of sales profits that authors earn, typically calculated as a percentage of revenue. Unlike traditional publishing, where publishers take a large share, self-publishing allows authors to determine their own revenue splits. Several factors influence how royalties are distributed, including:

• Industry reputation – A well-known co-author may have stronger sales leverage.
• Marketing contributions – Some authors bring an established audience, significantly boosting sales.
• Writing and editorial input – The creative and technical effort put into the book.

In the self-publishing space, each co-author’s contribution should be fairly reflected in the revenue distribution. Though royalties are often associated with traditional publishing, self-published eBooks still generate revenue that should be divided accordingly.

How Often Are Royalties Paid?

For self-published eBooks, payment frequency depends on the platform used. Many authors still manually distribute royalties on a monthly or quarterly basis. Manually distributing royalties is a major headache for authors for several reasons:

1. Time-Consuming – Tracking sales, calculating percentages, and making payments manually can eat up valuable writing and marketing time.
2. Prone to Errors – Mistakes in calculations or delays in payments can create disputes between co-authors, damaging trust.
3. Financial Hassles – Managing multiple payouts, handling different payment methods, and accounting for currency conversions can be complicated.
4. Inconsistent Cash Flow – Monthly or quarterly payouts mean co-authors might have to wait long periods to receive their earnings.
5. Tax and Accounting Challenges – Keeping records of payouts and ensuring accurate reporting for tax purposes can be overwhelming.

But good news! With Payhip, co-authors can receive their share instantly and automatically with no need for manual intervention.

How to Automate Royalty Splits for Ebooks with Payhip

Manually tracking and distributing earnings can be tedious. Payhip eliminates this hassle by automating revenue splits through the Collaborations tool. Here’s how to set it up:

Step 1: Create a Payhip account for free

Sign up for a free Payhip account and upload your eBook as a digital product. This is where all sales will be processed.

Step 2: Invite your coauthors or collaborators

1. Navigate to Marketing > Collaborations in your Payhip dashboard.
2. Click Add a Collaboration and enter your co-author’s PayPal email.
3. Assign revenue percentages (e.g., a 50/50 split or another agreed-upon ratio).
4. Send the invitation.

Once accepted, Payhip will automatically distribute royalties with every sale-no calculations or manual payouts required. You have the option to show or hide your coauthors’ names, depending on what you’ve agreed to with your coauthors. You can also invite up to 4 coauthors within a single eBook.

Step 3: Publish and promote your eBook

Maximize sales by sharing your Payhip store link on social media, newsletters, and author websites. Understanding how to sell ebooks effectively is key—leveraging strategies like SEO, email marketing, and social media promotion can significantly boost your book’s visibility. The greater the visibility, the higher the earnings—and thanks to Payhip’s automated system, revenue splits remain accurate at all times.

Additionally, consider launching an author website to establish your brand and create a central hub for your books, blog content, and mailing list. A website allows you to showcase your expertise, connect with readers, and drive long-term book sales. If you’re wondering how to build an author website for free, Payhip offer an easy-to-use website builder with no upfront costs, allowing you to create a professional online presence without breaking the bank. A well-designed website enhances your credibility and gives potential readers an easy way to discover and purchase your ebooks.

Tips for Successful Co-Authorship

Co-authoring a book can be an enriching experience when managed correctly. Here are essential tips to ensure a smooth and productive collaboration:

1. Establish clear expectations early on

Before writing, sit down with your co-author and define roles, responsibilities, and expectations. Clarify details such as who writes which sections, how revisions will be handled, and the book’s overall structure. Having an agreement in place can prevent confusion and conflicts down the road.

2. Maintain open and honest communication

A successful partnership relies on effective communication. Set up regular check-ins to discuss progress, challenges, and feedback. Utilize collaboration tools like Slack, Google Docs, or Notion to keep track of updates and ensure both authors stay aligned on the vision.

3. Develop a writing and editing workflow

Create a structured workflow for writing, revising, and editing. Some co-authors divide chapters, while others work on separate aspects such as research and storytelling. Decide on a system that works best for your team to ensure efficiency and a cohesive writing style.

4. Use technology to streamline collaboration

Leverage tools that make co-writing seamless:

• Google Docs – Real-time editing and commenting.
• Scrivener – Ideal for organizing large manuscripts.
• Trello/Notion – For tracking progress and assigning tasks.
• Grammarly/ProWritingAid – Helps refine and polish content collaboratively.

5. Plan for disagreements and decision-making

Creative differences are bound to happen. Establish a system for resolving disputes, whether it’s voting on major decisions, seeking an outside perspective, or dividing final say based on expertise. A pre-agreed conflict resolution strategy helps maintain a healthy working relationship.

6. Agree on royalties and rights in advance

Financial arrangements should be transparent and fair. Decide how earnings will be split, whether evenly or based on contributions. Using Payhip’s Collaborations tool eliminates the hassle of manual calculations and ensures both authors receive their rightful share automatically.

7. Promote together for maximum impact

Leverage both authors’ audiences by cross-promoting the book through social media, email lists, and guest appearances on podcasts or blogs. A strong joint marketing effort increases visibility and boosts sales. By following these strategies, co-authors can create a successful and rewarding writing partnership, ensuring their book reaches its full potential.

Collaborative Writing for Your Ebooks

Co-authoring an eBook is a fantastic opportunity to collaborate and grow your readership. However, the eCommerce platform that you choose can make or break your success. With Payhip’s Collaborations tool, you can automate revenue sharing, ensuring both authors get paid fairly without additional administrative effort. Ready to simplify your co-authoring experience? Sign up for Payhip and start publishing today!

The post How to Co-Author a Book and Split Royalties Automatically appeared first on Payhip.

With collaborations you can now automatically split payments with your friends who you’ve worked together with to create a product. It’s often the case that you’re not working alone. You have a co-creator whose help has been indispensable to crafting your product.

There’s two major parts to the new collaborations feature:

1) You can edit products together, both of you contributing to completing your product page – uploading files, adding the description etc

2) Select the percentage cut that your collaborator should receive and we’ll automatically split payments with them after each sale

You can add up to 4 collaborators per product, and collaborators can receive between a 10% and 90% cut.

You and all your collaborators will need a PayPal account to participate in the collaboration, it’s not yet supported for Stripe.

For now collaborations only work with digital products, we’ll be expanding to other product types in future.

For more details on all the ins and outs of the new collaboration feature, please check out this article.

Teaming up with your friends just got better!

The post New Feature: Collaborations appeared first on Payhip.

Each category dives into why these templates matter, who they’re for, and how they add value, giving you actionable insights into creating products that sell.

By the time you finish exploring this guide, you’ll have a wealth of inspiration and strategies to start building Notion templates that stand out in the marketplace. From planners and productivity tools to niche-specific solutions, these ideas can become your blueprint for success.

Notion Templates for Personal Productivity

These templates help individuals stay organized, track habits, and plan their day-to-day activities. Perfect for anyone looking to improve their time management and achieve personal goals. Here are some template examples for personal productivity:

1. Daily Planner
2. Weekly Agenda
3. Monthly Calendar
4. Yearly Goal Tracker
5. To-Do List Organizer
6. Habit Tracker
7. Daily Morning and Nighttime Routine Planner
8. Gratitude Journal
9. Mood Tracker
10. Wellness Journal
11. Vision Board Creator
12. Fitness Tracker
13. Meal Planner
14. Recipe Organizer
15. Family Dashboard: An all-in-one hub to streamline family management, from tracking events and to-do lists to assigning chores and organizing shared priorities
16. Second Brain: this is a popular type of Notion template typically inspired by Tiago Forte’s P.A.R.A. method, where information is categorized into Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives. Projects focus on short-term efforts with clear outcomes, Areas cover ongoing responsibilities like health or finances, Resources hold useful references for future use, and Archives store inactive items from the other 3 categories. A second brain captures and organizes information to harness its value, helping users translate overwhelming amounts of data into actionable, useful knowledge

Reasons why people would purchase your templates:

• Save money by reducing reliance on costly productivity apps
• Save time through streamlined daily planning and organization
• Save effort with ready-made solutions tailored for personal organization and wellness
• Help maintain balance and improve mental clarity
• Enable users to achieve their goals with trackable actions, making life more efficient and manageable

Examples of target niches and customer persona:

• Busy moms who need tools to manage household and personal tasks efficiently
• Professionals juggling multiple priorities and seeking better time management
• Self-improvement enthusiasts aiming to organize their goals, routines, and wellness

Notion Templates for Students

Designed for students, these templates simplify academic life by organizing schedules, tracking assignments, and planning study sessions. Ideal for helping students stay on top of their academic responsibilities.

1. Class Schedule Planner
2. Assignment Tracker
3. Exam Study Planner
4. Project Management for Group Work
5. Lecture Notes Organizer
6. Reading List Tracker
7. College Application Planner
8. Scholarship Tracker
9. Internship Application Manager
10. Time Management for Students
11. GPA Calculator
12. Research Paper Tracker
13. Thesis Planner
14. Study Timetable
15. Online Course Tracker

Reasons why people would purchase your templates:

• Simplifies academic life by organizing schedules, assignments, and exams
• Saves time with pre-built structures for study planning and tracking
• Reduces stress by providing clear and visually engaging layouts
• Enhances productivity with features like automated grade calculators and study timers
• Encourages better focus and time management for students juggling multiple responsibilities

Examples of target niches and customer persona:

High school and college students, as well as lifelong learners enrolled in online courses

Notion Templates for Work

Professionals can use these templates to manage their day-to-day work life, including tasks like tracking performance, managing projects, and enhancing team collaboration.

1. Project Management Dashboard
2. Team Collaboration Workspace
3. Meeting Agenda Planner
4. Client Relationship Management (CRM)
5. Freelance Work Tracker
6. Invoicing and Expense Tracker
7. Marketing Campaign Planner
8. Content Calendar for Social Media
9. Email Marketing Schedule
10. Sales Tracker
11. OKR (Objectives and Key Results) Tracker
12. Employee Onboarding Guide
13. Remote Work Setup Planner
14. Job Application Tracker
15. Personal Branding Portfolio

Reasons why people would purchase your templates:

• Stay on top of deadlines using structured frameworks and tools
• Improve team efficiency with collaboration-friendly templates
• Manage complex tasks easily through customizable and intuitive designs
• Enhance productivity by integrating Notion with other professional tools like Slack or Trello

Examples of target niches and customer persona:

• Freelancers who need tools to manage client work, deadlines, and project tracking
• Corporate employees looking for templates to streamline team collaboration and individual performance tracking. You can target corporate employees in various departments such as HR, Engineering, Marketing, etc, as each of those departments will have vastly different template needs.

Notion Templates for Business Owners

Notion templates for business owners are tailored to manage entire business operations, including strategy planning, expense tracking, and workflow optimization. Unlike template for work professionals, which focus on day-to-day tasks, these templates address the overarching needs of running and scaling a business efficiently.

1. Startup Business Plan
2. Business Expense Tracker
3. Inventory Management
4. Product Launch Planner
5. Competitive Analysis
6. Marketing Strategy Dashboard
7. Customer Feedback Tracker
8. Event Planning Template
9. Website Content Planner
10. SEO Tracker
11. E-Commerce Store Manager
12. Advertising Campaign Planner
13. Vendor Management System
14. Networking Contacts Organizer

Reasons why people would purchase your templates:

• Save time by offering pre-built frameworks and template for strategy, monitoring, and optimization
• Reduce costs by eliminating the need for expensive business management software
• Simplify complex workflows, allowing business owners to focus on growth
• Enhance productivity with a customizable template tailored for diverse business needs
• Provide scalable solutions to streamline business operations efficiently

Examples of target niches and customer persona:

Small business owners, entrepreneurs, and startup founders

Notion Templates for Content Creators and Designers

These templates cater to artists, writers, and content creators, providing tools to organize projects, brainstorm ideas, and manage creative workflows. Ideal for fostering creativity.

1. Content Creation Workflow
2. Blog Post Planner
3. YouTube Video Script Planner
4. Podcast Episode Organizer
5. Digital Art Portfolio
6. Graphic Design Tracker
7. Photography Shoot Planner
8. Film Production Schedule
9. Animation Project Tracker
10. Writing Prompts Journal
11. Manuscript Tracker for Writers
12. Songwriting Journal
13. Music Production Planner
14. Creative Brainstorming Board
15. Inspiration Moodboard

Reasons why people would purchase your templates:

• Provide creative professionals with systems to organize ideas and projects effortlessly
• Maintain inspiration through structured guides designed to fuel creativity
• Simplify workflows for managing artistic and content creation tasks
• Enable better collaboration with features designed for teamwork and project tracking

Examples of target niches and customer persona:

• Artists seeking visually appealing templates to match their unique styles
• Bloggers looking to streamline content planning and organization, as well as collaborations with brands or sponsors
• YouTubers and podcasters needing structured guides for scripting and production
• Digital creators managing diverse multimedia projects

Notion Templates for Budget and Financial Tracking

Help individuals and families manage their finances with these templates. They’re great for budgeting, saving, and tracking expenses.

1. Monthly Budget Tracker
2. Savings Goal Planner
3. Debt Payoff Calculator
4. Investment Portfolio Tracker
5. Side Hustle Income Tracker
6. Expense Categorization Tool
7. Family Budget Manager
8. Wedding Budget Planner
9. Travel Expense Tracker
10. Tax Preparation Organizer
11. Financial Goal Setting
12. Subscription Tracker
13. Credit Card Payment Tracker
14. Annual Financial Review
15. Emergency Fund Planner

Reasons why people would purchase your templates:

• Help users achieve financial goals by offering goal-setting features and progress tracking
• Provide peace of mind with tools to organize taxes, savings, and debt payoff strategies
• Simplify budgeting by providing clear frameworks to track income and expenses
• Save time with automated calculations and ready-to-use financial tracking tools
• Empower users to manage their finances efficiently with visually engaging and customizable templates

Examples of target niches and customer persona:

Budget and financial trackers can be used by anyone, but they are most popular amongst students and families.

Other Notion Templates

There are endless types of Notion templates that you can create and sell online. Other than the categories mentioned above, here are some additional template ideas:

1. Travel Itinerary Planner: Organize your travel plans with detailed schedules, packing lists, and activity ideas in one place.
2. Wedding Planning Checklist: Streamline your big day with templates for tracking tasks, vendor details, and guest lists.
3. Parenting Schedule Organizer: Simplify family life with a shared schedule for chores, activities, and appointments.
4. Pet Care Tracker: Keep your pet healthy with tools to log vet visits, feeding schedules, and grooming needs.
5. Home Renovation Planner: Manage renovation projects with templates for budgets, timelines, and material lists.
6. Gardening Log: Track planting schedules, growth progress, and seasonal maintenance for your garden.
7. Car Maintenance Tracker: Stay on top of car servicing, repair history, and warranty deadlines effortlessly.
8. Holiday Gift Planner: Organize your gift shopping with a budget tracker, recipient list, and gift ideas.
9. Party Planning Checklist: Plan events smoothly with task trackers, guest lists, and decoration ideas.
10. Daily Horoscope Tracker: Log daily horoscopes and reflections to align with astrological insights.
11. Language Learning Hub: Boost your language skills with tools to track vocabulary, grammar lessons, and progress milestones.

Finding The Perfect Notion Template Ideas To Sell

Selling Notion templates is a rewarding venture with endless creative possibilities. Whether you’re helping students stay organized or enabling businesses to streamline their workflows, understanding the strategies to sell Notion template effectively is key. Choosing the right platform can make or break your chance of success when selling Notion templates. Platforms like Payhip offer the most powerful tools to create, market, and sell your templates (or any other digital products) for free! Be sure to check out our detailed guide on how to sell Notion templates to maximize your success.

The post 101 Notion Template Ideas to Sell | Profitable Notion Templates in 2025 appeared first on Payhip.

Whether you dream of selling your photos online, booking shoots with clients, or teaching others how to take amazing pictures, there’s a way for you to get paid for doing what you love. And the best part? You don’t need fancy equipment or years of experience to start, just creativity, some effort, and a plan.

In this blog, I’m going to share 40 ways to make money as a photographer. From selling digital photos to shooting epic events, these ideas will show you exactly how to turn your passion into income. Ready to learn how to make money as a photographer? Let’s dive in!

Remote Money-Making Opportunities for Photographers:

1. Sell stock photos
2. Sell digital photos on your own website
3. Teach photography and sell online courses
4. Offer coaching services or tutoring for other photographers
5. Sell prints via print-on-demand
6. Launch a membership
7. Become a social media influencer or content creator
8. Write a photography blog
9. Sell Lightroom presets
10. Sell Photoshop brushes or actions
11. Sell LUTs
12. Offer retouching, editing, and restoration services
13. Photo licensing
14. Write an ebook
15. Create NFTs from your photos
16. Teach mobile phone photography
17. Sell backgrounds or templates
18. Become an affiliate marketer
19. Become a brand ambassador

In-Person Money-Making Opportunities for Photographers

1. Photograph catalogs for small fashion businesses
2. Teach a photography class
3. Rent out photography gear
4. Offer studio portrait sessions
5. Event photography
6. Real estate photography
7. Food photography
8. Product photography
9. Celebrity photography
10. Pet photography
11. Sports photographer
12. Street photography
13. Offer drone photography services
14. Become a freelance photojournalist for magazines
15. Become an assistant photographer
16. Sell photos at art fairs and farmer’s markets
17. Submit to photography contests with cash prizes
18. Work with influencers for content creation
19. Offer time-lapse or stop-motion photography
20. Host a photography retreat or tour
21. Work as a freelance photographer for nonprofits

40 Ways to Make Money as A Photographer

1. Sell Stock Photos

Selling stock photography is a great way to earn passive income by licensing your images for use in ads, websites, and publications. Websites like Shutterstock, iStock, and Adobe Stock let you upload your images, and every time someone downloads one, you get paid. Sure, each sale might only earn you a few bucks (or sometimes more!), but the more photos you upload, the more money you can make. Stock is especially good for photographers who sell nature photos or lifestyle shots, as these are always in demand for marketing and creative projects.

To stand out, focus on trendy or unique photos people actually need, like lifestyle shots, seasonal themes, or cool, authentic moments. Add keywords to make your images easy to find, and upload regularly to stay visible. If you stick with it, you can grow a gallery that pays you consistently over time.

2. Sell Digital Photos on Your Own Website

Why let stock photo websites take a big chunk of your money when you can keep most of it yourself? Selling digital photos on your own website puts you in charge of everything, your prices, your photos, and your profits.

You can use free platforms like Payhip to sell any kinds of digital products such as digital photos, photography courses, memberships, or even consulting services for other photographers. Payhip only takes a small 5% fee from every sale, and there are no annoying monthly fees. You’ll get to keep way more of your money in comparison to stock photo marketplaces.

Digital artists like David Edwards sell artist-reference materials that help other artists create stunning CG environments.

As a bonus, you can use Payhip to create a stunning professional website – no technical skills needed. The website builder is free to use, so you can showcase your portfolio to attract more customers.

3. Teach Photography and Sell Online Courses for Photographers

If you’ve been snapping photos for a while, chances are you’ve gained valuable skills and techniques that others would love to master. Instead of keeping that knowledge to yourself, why not share it by creating an online course or masterclass? You can teach anything from mastering manual settings and editing techniques to advanced skills like studio lighting, drone photography, or even storytelling through images to students worldwide. Plus, since you might already own a camera and lighting equipment, you have the added advantage of being able to create high-quality videos for your course.

Photographer Callum Snape launched his photography course with Payhip, offering tutorials for other photographers on how they can get paid to travel the world and photograph projects for tourism boards and more. There’s a detailed course description that outlines what students will learn, highlighting specific benefits and targeted skills, which builds trust and sets clear expectations. The pricing is transparent, the design is professional and easy to navigate, and the prominent call-to-action encourages quick purchases. Best of all, you’ll never have to worry about breaking the bank when you sell courses with Payhip because there are no monthly fees or upfront costs!

4. Offer Coaching Services or Tutoring for Other Photographers

If you’re an experienced photographer, your insights could be incredibly valuable to someone just starting out. Offering one-on-one coaching services is a fantastic way to share your expertise while earning money. Unlike online courses, coaching services are personalized and done as a 1:1 session with other photographers. The benefit? You can tailor your advice to meet their specific needs – whether it’s improving technical skills, reviewing their portfolio, or navigating the business side of photography.

You can use Payhip to easily set up and sell coaching packages. Whether you’re hosting Zoom calls or offering in-depth mentorship programs, Payhip allows you to accept payments and manage all of your clients in one platform without any monthly fees.

5. Sell Prints via Print-on-Demand

One great tip for how to earn money as a photographer is to turn your photos into wall art and sell them as prints. If you don’t want to deal with shipping logistics or inventory management, you can use print-on-demand services like Printful or Gelato. When you receive an order, they will print your photo and ship them directly to your customers. Typically, these services use blind packaging, so your customers won’t know the item was shipped by a third party. You can offer a variety of print options, such as posters, framed art, or canvas prints, allowing customers to choose what best fits their budget and home decor style.

6. Launch a Membership

Starting a photography membership is a fantastic way to earn consistent income while building a community of loyal fans and fellow photographers. With a membership, people pay a monthly or yearly fee to access exclusive content like advanced tutorials, editing tips, live Q&A sessions, behind-the-scenes snapshots at your creative process, or downloadable resources like presets and stock photos.

If you’re wondering how to launch a membership website, platforms like Payhip make it easy and free to get started. You can customize your membership tiers, offer unique perks, and manage everything in one place. It’s a great way to share your expertise while creating a steady, long-term income stream.

7. Become a Social Media Influencer or Content Creator

Social media isn’t just for sharing your favorite shots with friends, it can be a powerful tool to turn your photography skills into a thriving business. Your social media profiles allow you to showcase your work, connect with your audience, and attract opportunities to monetize your passion. Whether you’re teaching, entertaining, or inspiring, the key is to consistently provide value through your content.

Think of the video-based social media platforms likeTikTok, YouTube, and Instagram as your second portfolio. Post your best work, share the stories behind your photos, and use features like Reels and Stories to engage with your followers. As your audience grows, so will the opportunities. Brands might reach out for sponsored posts, gear reviews, or affiliate partnerships. You can also promote your own products, like presets, prints, or online courses. It takes time and effort to grow a following, but once you do, your audience can turn into a source of steady income and support. Always remember to link your website in every social media bio so followers can easily explore your full portfolio, shop your products, or book your services.

8. Write a Photography Blog

Just like becoming a social media influencer, writing a photography blog can help you share your passion and knowledge while creating income opportunities. A blog allows you to dive deeper into topics that your audience cares about, such as photography tips, gear reviews, editing tutorials, or behind-the-scenes insights into your shoots.

You can monetize your blog through display ads, affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, or by promoting your own products. For example, you could write a guide on choosing the best cameras for beginners and include affiliate links to earn a commission on sales. Combine this with your social media effort to drive more traffic to your blog. With consistent posting and quality content, your blog can become a powerful tool for building your brand and generating income. Learn how to launch your blog for free with this helpful guide.

9. Sell Lightroom Presets

If you have a unique editing style, selling Lightroom presets is a fantastic way to earn passive income. Presets are pre-saved editing adjustments that let others quickly apply your signature look to their photos with just one click. They’re highly popular among photographers and influencers who want professional-level results without spending hours on edits.

To get started, create a collection of presets tailored to different styles, like bright and airy, cinematic tones, or moody landscapes. Show before-and-after examples to demonstrate their impact, and use free platforms like Payhip to upload and sell them. If you’re wondering how to sell Lightroom presets effectively, focus on promoting them through your social media, blog, and website.

10. Sell Photoshop Brushes or Actions

If you want to learn more about how to make money with Photoshop, selling brushes or actions is a great place to start. Photoshop brushes let users create unique textures or effects, while actions automate repetitive editing tasks like color grading or skin retouching. These digital products are in high demand among photographers, designers, and content creators who want to streamline their workflow. If you’ve created unique Photoshop tools for your own work, upload them to Payhip to start selling them online.

11. Sell LUTs

LUTs (Lookup Tables) are a fantastic digital product to sell if you’re into color grading and filmmaking. They are preset color adjustments that help photographers and videographers achieve specific looks in their work quickly. Whether it’s creating cinematic tones, moody aesthetics, or vibrant color schemes, LUTs are a must-have for creatives looking to enhance their projects.

If you’re wondering how to sell LUTs, filmmaker Matthew Dangyou shared some valuable marketing insights on how he sold his LUTs and made a full-time income in his first year of filmmaking. You can check out his inspiring success story here.

12. Offer Retouching, Editing, and Restoration Services

Not every photographer enjoys post-production work, and many lack the skills to enhance their photos. This is where you come in. If you love tinkering around with editing software like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom, you can offer retouching services for portraits, product images, or event photos, and focus on high-demand edits like skin smoothing, color correction, or background removal. If you’re skilled in restoration, you can bring old, damaged photos back to life, a valuable service for families and historians.

To attract clients, showcase your editing skills with clear before-and-after examples in your portfolio. Use freelancing sites like Fiverr to advertise your services. Set yourself apart by offering quick turnaround times and consistent communication. This can set you apart in this competitive market.

13. Photo Licensing

Photo licensing allows you to earn money by letting brands, publishers, or agencies use your photos for ads, websites, or print materials while you retain the copyright. To get started, focus on creating versatile images that businesses need – think lifestyle shots, scenic landscapes, or conceptual visuals. Upload your photos to licensing platforms like Getty Images or Shutterstock, or you can use Payhip work directly with clients to negotiate exclusive rights.

14. Write an Ebook

In a world dominated by video content, you might think eBooks are outdated, but that’s far from the truth. Ebooks still hold significant value because they’re accessible, portable, and easy to update with new information as trends and techniques evolve. For many readers, written publications are a go-to resource they can revisit anytime, making eBooks a great way to share your expertise with lasting impact.

Write an eBook on topics like beginner photography tips, editing techniques, or niche-specific advice such as food photography or astrophotography. Focus on providing clear, actionable steps with examples and visuals that make the learning process engaging. Once your eBook is ready, sell it on platforms like Amazon or your own website via Payhip. Promote it through social media, email lists, or your blog.

15. Create NFTs from Your Photos

NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) are a growing trend in the digital art world, allowing you to sell your photos as one-of-a-kind digital assets. Unique, conceptual, or surreal images often perform well in this space. To start, choose a platform like OpenSea or Rarible to mint your photos as NFTs.

16. Teach Mobile Phone Photography

Smartphones today have powerful cameras capable of producing stunning, high-quality images, making photography more accessible than ever. Everyday people can now explore their photography hobbies without needing expensive gear. Plus, with the rise of social media, everyone’s eager to create eye-catching content for their Instagram or TikTok profiles.

You can teach skills like composition, lighting, and editing using apps like Lightroom Mobile or Snapseed. Focus on relatable topics, such as taking great selfies, capturing travel moments, or editing photos for social media. Offer online workshops, create short video tutorials, or write beginner-friendly guides.

17. Sell Backgrounds or Templates

If you’re creative with photo editing, consider making digital backgrounds or templates for other photographers and designers. These can include textured backdrops, overlay effects, or customizable templates for social media graphics. Market your products to portrait photographers, content creators, or businesses running virtual events. Offer them as downloadable files on platforms like Etsy, your own website via Payhip.

18. Become an Affiliate Marketer

Affiliate marketing is a great way to earn commissions by recommending photography gear and any other tools that you already use. Join affiliate programs from camera brands, editing software companies, or photography retailers. When someone makes a purchase through your unique link, you earn a percentage of the sale.

Share your recommendations through blog posts, YouTube videos, or social media captions. Be honest about your experiences with the products to build trust with your audience. Consistent content and authentic reviews will help you grow your affiliate income over time.

19. Become a Brand Ambassador

Becoming a brand ambassador allows you to form direct partnerships with photography or tech companies, promoting their products in exchange for payment, free gear, or exclusive opportunities. Unlike affiliate marketing, which earns you commissions on sales through referral links, brand ambassadorships typically involve a deeper relationship. You represent the brand itself, often collaborating on campaigns, attending events, or creating custom content.

To catch a brand’s attention, build a strong online presence that highlights your skills, unique style, and passion for photography. Once established, brands might approach you to showcase their products in ways that feel authentic to your audience. Focus on partnerships that align with your personal brand and values to keep your content genuine and relatable. Beyond financial perks, ambassadorships can help you expand your network, gain credibility, and open doors to new opportunities in the photography industry.

20. Photograph Catalogs for Small Fashion Businesses

Many small fashion brands struggle to afford the high costs of creating professional catalogs. The process can be overwhelming, like finding a studio, hiring a photographer, a model, and a makeup artist, and coordinating everything is especially challenging for brands just starting out.

You can make this process easier by offering a fashion catalogue photography package. Start by securing a studio space with proper equipment and building relationships with models or modeling agencies. Then, invite small businesses to come into your studio with their products, or send you their products from anywhere in the world.

Bundling these services allows you to take advantage of economies of scale, cutting costs while offering more affordable rates for your clients. It’s a win-win: small brands save money by avoiding the hassle of organizing everything themselves, and you can efficiently reuse your equipment, especially since catalog photos typically feature plain, simple backgrounds that work across multiple projects.

21. Teach a Photography Class In-Person

If you enjoy sharing your knowledge, hosting in-person photography classes can be both rewarding and lucrative. Focus on beginner-friendly topics like mastering manual settings or niche subjects such as studio lighting or outdoor portraits. You can hold these classes in local community centers, parks, or even your studio.

22. Rent Out Photography Gear

If you own high-quality photography equipment, consider renting it out to other photographers or hobbyists. This is a great way to earn passive income while your gear isn’t in use. Create clear rental agreements and charge competitive rates to attract customers. Advertise your rental services locally or on specialized platforms. Offering add-ons like tutorials on using the equipment can make your service stand out.

23. Offer Studio Portrait Sessions

Studio portrait photography is always in demand for occasions like pre-weddings, maternity shoots, newborn photos, graduations, or professional headshots. Invest in lighting equipment, backdrops, and props to offer a variety of creative options. To attract a wide range of clients, offer tiered packages that cater to different budgets. Highlight your ability to create timeless, high-quality images that clients will cherish for years.

24. Event Photography

Covering events like weddings, corporate gatherings, and birthday parties is a great way to build your portfolio and earn steady income. Event photography provides opportunities for repeat business and referrals, as satisfied clients often recommend skilled photographers to friends and family.

If you’re learning how to start a photography business, event photography is a great place to begin. Start by shadowing an experienced photographer as a second shooter to build your portfolio. Make sure your website is optimized for local search and includes testimonials from happy clients to attract leads. To stand out, capture a mix of candid moments and posed shots that truly reflect the event’s atmosphere. Deliver high-quality, edited images quickly to impress your clients and encourage referrals.

25. Real Estate Photography

Real estate agents and property managers need eye-catching photos to attract buyers. Specialize in capturing homes and commercial spaces with flattering angles, proper lighting, and clean compositions. Consider adding drone photography to your offerings for breathtaking aerial shots of properties. This can set you apart from competitors and attract higher-paying clients.

26. Food Photography

Work with restaurants, cafes, and food brands to create delicious visuals for menus, websites, and social media. Food photography requires a keen eye for composition and lighting to make dishes look mouthwatering. Mastering food styling is essential, as it’s an art form in itself – perfectly plated dishes can make all the difference. Getting started is simple: visit local eateries and offer your services. Build a strong portfolio with precision-focused shots that demonstrate your ability to make dishes stand out. Share your work on social media to attract more clients and let word-of-mouth referrals bring in additional opportunities.

27. Product Photography

Product photography is essential for businesses selling online. Help companies showcase their products with clean, professional images for eCommerce stores, advertisements, or catalogs. Focus on creating sharp, well-lit shots that highlight the features of each product. Offering lifestyle images that show the product in use can add extra value for your clients.

28. Celebrity Photography

If you live in an area with access to celebrities, specializing in celebrity photography can be a lucrative niche. This could include capturing candid paparazzi-style shots, event coverage, promotional images, or professional headshots for actors, musicians, and influencers. Success in this field requires a combination of technical skill, discretion, and the ability to work under pressure while delivering high-quality results quickly. To break into this niche, focus on building strong relationships within the entertainment industry. Networking with publicists, event organizers, and talent agencies can help you secure gigs and establish trust.

29. Pet Photography

Pet photography is a growing niche that allows you to create cherished memories for pet owners. Use creative props, playful settings, and patient techniques to capture the personality of each pet. Advertise your services to local pet owners, shelters, or businesses, and share your work on social media to attract a loyal following.

30. Sports Photographer

Sports photography offers exciting opportunities to capture action-packed moments for teams, publications, or fans. Start small with local leagues or school sports and grow your client base as you gain experience. This niche can evolve into a highly profitable business, especially as you build relationships with teams and leagues. Offering team photos, event coverage, and even competition photography can open doors to bigger opportunities.

31. Street Photography

Street photography focuses on candid, artistic captures of everyday life. Sell your work as prints or pitch it to magazines and online publications. Engage with your audience by sharing the stories behind your images, and consider compiling your best work into a photo book for sale.

32. Offer Drone Photography Services

Drone photography is in high demand for real estate, events, and construction projects. Invest in a drone and get licensed if required in your area. Aerial shots can provide unique perspectives that set your work apart from traditional photography. Market your services to industries that rely on visuals for storytelling or documentation. Always follow safety regulations and deliver high-resolution, stunning images.

33. Become a Freelance Photojournalist for Magazines

If you love storytelling, freelance photojournalism could be a perfect fit. Work with magazines or newspapers to cover events, document stories, or create feature pieces. This role combines photography with journalism, offering a chance to highlight important issues or unique perspectives. Pitch your work to publications and build a portfolio of compelling, authentic images that capture the essence of each story.

34. Become an Assistant Photographer

Working as an assistant photographer is an excellent way to gain experience and build industry connections. You’ll learn from established photographers while contributing to shoots by setting up equipment, assisting with lighting, or capturing secondary shots. Many photographers start their careers this way, gaining the skills and confidence needed to launch their own business.

35. Sell Photos at Art Fairs and Farmer’s Markets

Selling your photos at art fairs and farmer’s markets might be a traditional approach, but it offers a unique charm you don’t get online. These venues let you showcase your work in person, allowing people to see the quality and details of your prints, framed photos, or canvases up close. Farmer’s markets, in particular, can be great for reaching a broad audience looking for unique, handmade items to decorate their homes or give as gifts. Share the stories behind your images with visitors to create a personal connection that often inspires purchases. It’s a wonderful way to interact with potential buyers, gather feedback, and build a local fan base for your photography. While it’s a more hands-on approach, the connections and sales you make can be incredibly rewarding.

36. Submit to Photography Contests with Cash Prizes

Photography contests are a great way to earn money and gain recognition. Look for competitions that align with your style or niche, and submit your best work. Winning can boost your credibility, attract new clients, and even lead to sponsorships or partnerships. Start with a simple online search using keywords like “photography contests this year,” “free photography competitions,” or “best photography contests for beginners.” Websites like Photocrowd, World Photography Organisation, and ViewBug often list contests.

37. Work with Influencers for Content Creation

Collaborate with influencers to create high-quality visuals for their social media campaigns. Help them stand out with professional images that match their brand aesthetic. This partnership can also help you reach new audiences and gain valuable experience in lifestyle or portrait photography.

38. Offer Time-Lapse or Stop-Motion Photography

Time-lapse and stop-motion photography are captivating techniques that transform the ordinary into something extraordinary. Time-lapse condenses hours, days, or even months into short, visually stunning videos – perfect for marketing campaigns, construction documentation, or creative projects like capturing a city’s movement or a plant’s growth. Stop-motion, on the other hand, uses individual frames to create playful, animated sequences, making it ideal for commercials or artistic endeavors.

To get started with time-lapse, you’ll need a decent camera, a sturdy tripod, and an intervalometer to measure precise intervals between shots. Both techniques require patience, attention to detail, and advanced technical skills, but the effort pays off. Showcase your work on platforms like YouTube or Instagram to attract clients looking for unique visual content that stands out. These creative styles can set you apart in a competitive photography market.

39. Host a Photography Retreat or Tour

Combine travel and teaching by organizing photography retreats or guided tours in beautiful locations. Offer workshops, hands-on practice, and expert guidance to attendees. These experiences can be a great way to connect with photography enthusiasts while exploring new places and earning money.

40. Work as a Freelance Photographer for Nonprofits

Use your photography skills to support nonprofits by documenting their work and telling compelling visual stories. This role allows you to make a difference while gaining experience and exposure. Reach out to charities or organizations whose missions align with your values, and offer your services to help them communicate their impact.

How to Get Started on Making Money as a Photographer

Turning your photography skills into a source of income can feel overwhelming, but it’s more achievable than you think. Whether you’re just starting out or refining your craft, building a photography business takes practice, planning, and persistence. The key is to focus on how your work can provide value-whether that’s capturing memories, enhancing a brand, or creating impactful visuals. Here are 5 tips to get you started:

1. Start Shooting-Even for Free

Begin by practicing as much as possible. Take photos for friends, family, or local businesses at little to no cost. This helps you build your portfolio and refine your style. The goal isn’t just to create good photos but to showcase the kind of work you want to be hired for. Use this time to experiment and find your strengths.

2. Identify Your Perfect Niche

Exploring different photography niches – like portraits, weddings, real estate, or product photography – can help you find what you enjoy most and where your skills shine. Photographer Evan Ranft suggests focusing on how your work can contribute to happiness, social standing, money, or health, as these are key areas that drive value for clients. For instance, wedding photography brings happiness, while real estate photography helps clients sell properties (money). Your perfect niche will be a blend between what drives value for clients and what’s unique about you as a photographer.

3. Assess Your Niche’s Purchasing Power

Different niches have different earning potentials. Wedding photography often commands higher rates, while other niches, like event or college photography, might offer lower budgets. Research your chosen niche and align it with your financial goals. Knowing the demand and purchasing power within your niche can guide your pricing and marketing strategies.

4. Build Your Website and Portfolio

Your portfolio is your most important tool for attracting clients. Create a professional website to showcase your best work, with examples that reflect your niche and unique style. If you’re just starting out, include a variety of shots, but as you gain experience, focus your portfolio on your specialty. A strong online presence not only builds trust but also makes it easier for clients to find and book you.

Payhip is the best website builder for photographers as you can build a stunning photography portfolio or online store in minutes – no coding needed, 100% free, and customizable to showcase your unique style and work.

5. Grind for Traffic, Leads, and Connections

Getting noticed is crucial. Share your work consistently on social media, engage with photography communities, and collaborate with other creatives like stylists or event planners. Networking opens doors to opportunities and referrals, so don’t shy away from connecting with local businesses or photographers. Clients won’t find you unless you’re visible-so keep putting yourself and your work out there.

How Much Money Do Photographers Make?

Photographer incomes vary by niche, experience, and marketing efforts. Beginners earn $15-$50/hour ($20K-$40K/year), while intermediate photographers make $50-$150/hour ($40K-$75K/year). Specialists, like wedding photographers, earn $75K-$150K+ annually, charging $2K-$10K per project. High-end photographers command $10K+ per shoot, earning $200K+ yearly. Building a strong portfolio, marketing effectively, and focusing on high-demand niches are key to maximizing income.

Making Money with Photography Skills

If you’ve been exploring how to make money as a photographer, know that photography is more than just capturing beautiful moments, it’s about creating a business that reflects your passion and creativity. From selling digital products to teaching others or offering one-on-one sessions, there are endless ways to turn your skills into a sustainable income. Success takes persistence, learning, and the right tools to support your growth.

Choosing tools that simplify your workflow and help you showcase your work is key to building a strong foundation for your photography business. Platforms like Payhip make it easy to sell photos, courses, or prints while focusing on what you love most-creating. Start small, stay consistent, and let your talent shine through. With dedication and the right setup, your camera can open doors to incredible opportunities.

The post How to Make Money As A Photographer | 40 Ways To Earn Money With Photography appeared first on Payhip.

Matthew’s Story: How to Become a Freelance Filmmaker

In December 2022, Matthew Dangyou took a leap of faith, leaving his full-time video production job to pursue a career as a freelance filmmaker. By July 2023, he was fully immersed in creating commercial projects, testimonials, and brand videos, all while building a sustainable income through multiple revenue streams. From freelancing to selling custom LUTs and creating content, Matthew’s persistence and growing network have helped him secure exciting opportunities.

Here are Matthew’s top tips to help you become a successful freelance filmmaker and build a sustainable career:

1. Find mentors

Finding people who are ahead of you in your career, and are places where you want to be. They have already learned the mistakes for you and can capitulate you faster with more success when you are getting started.

2. Build a portfolio

Your portfolio is your calling card. It should showcase the breadth and quality of your work, from short films to promotional videos. A diverse yet focused portfolio allows potential clients to see your skills and understand how you can contribute to their projects. “Creating spec work for a commercial, short-form narrative work, or pieces of content that you are proud of is an easy way to get work on your portfolio,” Matthew says.

3. Be proactive in finding clients

Finding work as a freelancer requires initiative. Start by leveraging your personal network, and joining filmmaking communities and groups online to discover new opportunities. Matthew emphasizes the importance of maintaining strong connections with your network, fellow filmmakers, and current clients, highlighting the value these relationships bring.

“Staying connected with your network, fellow filmmakers, and your current clientele is extremely valuable”

He recommends personalized outreach, adding, “As a filmmaker, I send a custom introduction video that shows off my work, and who I am trusted by, and an intro message to the client on content we can create for them. It’s a great way to showcase what I do, and grab their attention.”

4. Online presence

A professional online presence is critical. Build a website or use social media platforms to display your portfolio, share your services, and provide your contact details. Optimizing your website for search engines can attract clients searching for specific filmmaking services. Social media can also serve as a valuable tool for marketing your work and connecting with new audiences.

5. Diversify your income

Matthew didn’t stop with freelance projects—he expanded his income by starting to sell LUTs as digital products. By growing his YouTube channel, talking about camera gear, color grading tutorials, and a podcast with fellow creators. He was able to sell his LUTS to his audience as another stream of income. This strategy opened a new revenue stream and reduced his dependence on unpredictable freelance work. But that’s not all – find out more about all his income streams in the next section!

5 Ways Matthew Monetized His Filmmaking Talents

Matthew Dangyou has mastered the art of leveraging his filmmaking skills to create diverse income streams, making the most of his creativity across various platforms. Here’s how he brings in revenue:

1. Freelance Projects

One of Matthew’s biggest sources of income comes from freelance filmmaking projects, including commercials, brand videos, and testimonial films. These projects allow him to work closely with businesses, showcasing their products and services through high-quality marketing videos. By consistently delivering exceptional results, Matthew has built a strong network of clients who trust him for their visual storytelling needs.

2. Selling LUTs as Digital Products

Recognizing the demand for professional-grade editing tools, Matthew ventured into selling his custom LUTs (Look-Up Tables) to other filmmakers and content creators. These LUTs help creators enhance the visual quality of their videos, making them an invaluable resource for professionals and hobbyists alike. Using Payhip, Matthew established an online store that simplifies selling digital downloads—without incurring monthly costs. You can check out Matthew’s online store here.

3. Content Creation (YouTube AdSense and Brand Sponsorships)

Matthew also creates video content for his growing YouTube channel, where he shares tutorials, behind-the-scenes footage, and filmmaking tips. His channel earns him income through YouTube AdSense and sponsorship deals with brands that align with his creative niche. This not only serves as a revenue stream but also helps him expand his personal brand and reach new audiences who may also be interested in his digital products.

4. Affiliate Marketing

Leveraging his knowledge and credibility as a filmmaker, Matthew partners with brands to promote their tools and equipment through affiliate marketing. By recommending products he genuinely uses, he earns commissions for every sale made through his affiliate links.

How Much Money Did Matthew Earn in His First Year?

In his first full fiscal year as a freelancer, Matthew earned $78,796.59 through a combination of freelance filmmaking projects, selling LUTs, and content income from sponsorships and YouTube AdSense. For a detailed breakdown of his earnings and insights, check out his YouTube video here.

Marketing Strategies for Success

To market his LUTs, Matthew has so far taken a soft-launch approach. He shares updates through YouTube community posts, email announcements, and brief mentions in his content. However, he’s gearing up to ramp up his efforts. “Towards the end of 2024, I’ve been focusing and game-planning on how to significantly increase sales for my digital products,” he shares.

Looking ahead to 2025, Matthew has outlined several strategies to boost sales. First, he plans to create a demo video showcasing his LUTs, leveraging the success of his previous YouTube videos on color grading.

“A ton of success came from a similar video I created about LUTs, so I know this can drive growth.”

He’s also considering expanding his affiliate program and partnering with friends who can promote his products in exchange for a commission. Additionally, Matthew aims to implement automated email campaigns to nurture potential customers. By offering free products upfront, he hopes to guide them through a sales funnel that upsells them on premium items.

As a bonus, Matthew plans to casually mention his LUTs in his content whenever he’s using them. “It’s less about the hard sell and more about showing how they seamlessly fit into my workflow,” he explains. With these strategies, Matthew is poised to grow his digital product sales significantly in the coming year.

Why Payhip?

Matthew chose Payhip for its unbeatable combination of flexibility, affordability, and professional features, making it the ideal platform for creators like him. One of the standout benefits is that Payhip charges no monthly fees, which is perfect for freelancers and creators just starting their digital product journey. This allows Matthew to focus on growing his business without worrying about upfront costs.

Another key advantage of Payhip is its flexible pricing model. With a simple 5% fee per sale, Matthew only incurs costs when he makes a sale, ensuring his expenses align directly with his earnings—a perfect option for creators just starting out. For those ready to scale, Payhip also offers the option to remove the 5% fee entirely by opting for a flat monthly subscription. This flexibility allows Matthew to confidently grow his business, knowing he has a cost-effective solution tailored to his needs at every stage.

Payhip also allows creators to connect custom domains and remove branding, which gives Matthew’s online store a professional appearance. This level of customization ensures his website reflects his personal brand, helping to build trust and credibility with his audience.

Finally, Payhip’s all-in-one platform enables Matthew to diversify his offerings seamlessly. In addition to selling digital downloads like LUTs, he has the option to expand into physical products, online courses, coaching, or even memberships—all managed from one user-friendly dashboard. This versatility supports his current needs while offering endless opportunities for future growth.

“Payhip is the one-stop-shop that offers everything I need as I continue to grow my business and social media presence!”

Advice for Aspiring Freelancers

For aspiring filmmakers venturing into freelancing, Matthew offers two invaluable pieces of advice. First, he emphasizes the importance of constant practice:

“Shoot as MUCH as possible and whenever you can, with each video improving. This helps you get the reps in to learn how to light, shoot, and edit.”

He credits YouTube as a powerful tool for growth, explaining, “The best part about YouTube is you learn how to accomplish jobs fast when you put more and more reps into your craft.”

His second tip focuses on learning from others.

“Get on sets or get mentored. Learning from others will exponentially grow your skill set, and you’ll make way fewer mistakes because someone already learned them for you,” he advises.

By combining hands-on experience with mentorship, aspiring filmmakers can accelerate their growth and avoid common pitfalls.

Conclusion

Matthew Dangyou’s journey from a full-time employee to a thriving freelance filmmaker and digital product creator is a testament to the power of passion, persistence, and strategic planning. By diversifying his income streams and leveraging tools like Payhip, he has successfully turned his creative talents into a scalable business.

Whether you’re a filmmaker, content creator, or digital entrepreneur, Matthew’s story highlights the importance of adaptability and resourcefulness. From crafting custom videos for clients to developing and marketing his LUTs, his journey proves that with the right strategies and platforms, creative professionals can achieve sustainable success.

If you’re ready to take the next step in building your business, consider Payhip—a platform designed to help creators like Matthew grow and thrive. Your success story could be next! Explore Payhip today.

The post How Matthew Dangyou Made $78,796.59 Selling LUTs and Freelancing as a Filmmaker appeared first on Payhip.

Get certain things wrong and you’re likely to set yourself back or miss out on the opportunity to build the lifestyle business of your dreams.

Want the best chance at making your journey to video membership site success as simple and predictable as possible? Read on.

This guide covers common mistakes creators make when launching their video membership sites. It also includes best practices you can follow to launch your best video membership site ever.

Video Membership Site Mistakes You Want to Avoid

1. Lack of Clear Target Audience

Many creators assume their content will appeal to everyone, which is a costly mistake. Trying to be everything for everyone usually results in being nothing to anyone. Broad appeal often leads to unfocused marketing efforts and content that doesn’t truly resonate with any group.

That’s why creators like Dude Perfect are able to pull 60.5 million subscribers on YouTube. They’ve niched down to focus on a unique blend of sports content delivered with comedy.

Best practice: Define a specific target audience before you launch. Understand their needs, preferences, and pain points. Niching down helps you deliver targeted content guaranteed to attract an audience.

Tailor your content, branding, and marketing efforts to this audience to create a stronger connection. This focused approach ensures your content resonates deeply with the right people, leading to higher engagement and retention.
Art for Kids Hub is a niche art membership site. It’s filled with tutorials on how to draw, paint, create origami, sculpt, and more.

2. Underestimating Content Demand

A common trap is believing that your new site has all the content subscribers could want. Depending on your business model, you could get away with a collection of on-demand videos that can be watched several times, but that’s only possible if they are education-based. Using OTT apps can help deliver this content efficiently across multiple devices, meeting the expectations of your audience.

Entertainment videos, once consumed, aren’t rewatched as much as a complete glute workout or a tutorial on how to build an open-back book shelf. Membership platforms thrive on new and regularly updated content. Without consistent releases, members may lose interest and cancel their subscriptions.

Best practice: Develop a content calendar with regular updates and fresh content. Consistently release new videos, live sessions, behind-the-scenes material, or interactive Q&As.

Membership sites thrive on a continuous stream of content, so plan ahead to avoid lulls that might cause members to lose interest.

The Bloom Method is a fitness membership site for new and soon-to-be moms. It has well over 100 fitness videos and founder Brooke Cates hosts regular live Q&A sessions to support her community.

3. Pricing Missteps

Setting the right price can be tricky. Some creators undervalue their content and charge too little, while others charge too much and drive away potential members. Either way, getting membership pricing wrong can stunt your business growth.

Best practice: Research competitor pricing and analyze your target audience’s willingness to pay. Introduce membership tiers to cater to different levels of engagement and commitment. Tiered plans are common and offering access at different levels or payment models helps appeal to a broader audience while maximizing revenue potential.

Your pricing strategy doesn’t have to be complex either. MeansTV, the world’s first worker-owned streaming service, figured out its pricing and learned that members are inclined to subscribe monthly or annually. Here’s what their sign-up page looks like:

4. Overlooking the Importance of Branding

Branding is not just about logos and colors. It’s about how your audience perceives your content and what makes you stand out. Many creators neglect this crucial step and as a result, struggle to build a loyal member base.

Best practice: Invest in cohesive branding from day one. Your visuals, messaging, and overall voice should be consistent across your site, emails, social media, and content. Strong branding fosters trust and helps you stand out in the crowded membership space, encouraging loyalty from your audience.

Collective Kula is a yoga membership site with a clear and distinct brand look and feel. From the font on its site to the color scheme, imagery and messaging, visitors quickly associate themselves with the idea of a stress-free experience.

5. Ignoring the User Experience (UX)

Creators often prioritize content but overlook user experience. A slow, confusing, or hard-to-navigate site can drive potential members away before they even engage with your content. To succeed, launch your membership using the best site membership platform that aligns with your business goals and ensures a seamless experience for your audience.

Best practice: Deliver an exceptional user experience by making your platform intuitive, ensuring high-quality videos, fast-loading pages, and a hassle-free sign-up process. Regular testing and professional optimization can elevate usability. Payhip simplifies launching memberships—it’s forever free, with just a 5% fee per transaction. You only pay when you get paid, ensuring zero upfront costs. As your membership grows, you can switch to an affordable monthly plan, eliminating percentage fees and keeping more of your hard-earned revenue.

6. Neglecting Marketing and Promotion

As well-intentioned as the saying “if you build it, they will come” is, it’s just not true. Launching a membership site isn’t enough—consistent marketing is needed to attract and retain members. Often, creators are so focused on building their sites that they forget about pre-launch and post-launch marketing.

Best practice: Start promoting well before launch. Build excitement through social media, email lists, and collaborations. After launch, keep up marketing momentum with referral programs, promotions, and regular engagement with your audience. Consistent marketing is key to both attracting new members and retaining existing ones. You can use Payhip to set up your lead magnet by setting your product price to $0 or pay-what-you-want to give your audience a chance to donate to support your membership.

Next Up Comedy was founded in 2016. Since then, it’s consistently published promotional content on social platforms to stay top of mind and attract new members.

7. Failure to Offer a Free Trial or Preview

Sales isn’t always an exciting talking point. Truth is, it can be tough convincing people to pay for something without giving them a taste of what they’re buying. Unfortunately, many creators skip offering free trials or previews, an oversight that can dramatically slow your video membership site’s growth.

Best practice: Offer a free trial or sample content to potential subscribers. Giving people a risk-free way to experience your content firsthand builds trust and significantly boosts conversions, as they can see the value before committing. And your trial doesn’t have to be more than 7 days long. It’s enough time for new customers to test the water.

Etchr Studio is an online art membership site. It offers a free 7-day trial giving art enthusiasts ample time to browse a complete catalog of content before committing to a monthly subscription.

8. Underutilizing Community Features

A membership site should be more than just a place to watch videos—it should foster a sense of community. Unfortunately, many creators miss this opportunity to interact with members, and people seek connections with others who share similar interests.

Best practice: Build a sense of community by incorporating discussion boards, live chats, and member-only events. Strong community features increase the value of the membership and provide a reason for members to stay engaged and loyal over time. Regular interaction between members and you as the creator also strengthens this bond.

Crochet with Tiffany is a Crochet membership site with a thriving community. Founder Tiffany understands the value of driving membership engagement. Members have access to weekly live events, games and challenges, can participate in charity projects, and more.

9. Not Collecting Feedback

Creators sometimes overlook the importance of understanding what their members want. Without feedback, you’re shooting in the dark when it comes to future content and improvements. You’re also missing out on the chance to create new products that your customers want.

Best practice: Regularly collect feedback through surveys, emails, or community discussions. Use this input to refine your content, user experience, and overall offerings. Continuous improvement based on real feedback keeps members satisfied and engaged, and it helps you adapt to their evolving needs.

Tiffany uses community posts to learn more about her members’ interests, even if it’s just to gauge how they feel using a poll.

10. Ignoring Production Quality

Content quality is a big deal. It’s directly linked to how audiences perceive your brand. You may be able to get away with one or two poor-quality videos, but anything more and people may start to complain. They are, after all, paying customers who expect value for money.

Best practice: Invest in quality production equipment, such as good lighting, clear audio, and a decent camera. While content is the primary driver, high production values enhance the viewing experience and demonstrate professionalism, which justifies your subscription fee.

11. Focusing Only on Acquisition and Not Retention

There’s always a rush to attract more members to grow your business. But creators who only focus on acquiring new members forget to nurture their community. And this is often worse than struggling to find new customers.

There’s an adage about the ease and affordability of retaining customers. It’s true. Customers don’t need you to spend more money to recapture their attention. But they do need to know that you still care about them.

Best practice: Pay equal attention to membership retention. Offer ongoing value through consistent updates, exclusive events, and personal engagement. Fostering a supportive and interactive community keeps current members subscribed longer, reducing churn and increasing long-term revenue.

Deliver your best

Launching a video membership site can be incredibly rewarding if done correctly. By avoiding common mistakes like neglecting your audience, underestimating content demand, and failing to market effectively, you can set your site up for long-term success.

Mastering how to build a membership website with regular updates, community building, and feedback ensures a thriving platform that keeps subscribers coming back for more.

The post 11 Video Membership Site Mistakes to Avoid with Best Practices appeared first on Payhip.

All of these features have been launched throughout the year. Here’s a quick list of our new features so you can jump ahead to what interests you most:

• Fixed Amount Discounts
• Blocking Countries
• Blocking Customers
• Custom Digital Orders
• Bulk Editing
• Wishlists
• Running Sales (with Countdown Timer)
• Cross-Selling on All Product Types
• Support Email After Purchase
• Add Chat to Your Store
• Gifting Digital Products

Scroll down for more details on each!

1. Fixed Amount Discount Code

In addition to percentage-based discounts, you are now able to offer discount codes with fixed dollar amounts. Whether you want to offer $10 off or $50 off, you have the flexibility to tailor your promotions to suit your strategy.

2. Blocking Countries

Need to limit access to your store in specific regions? This feature allows you to restrict your store’s visibility in certain countries. This is perfect for managing shipping zones, legal restrictions, or focusing on specific target markets. Learn more.

3. Blocking Customers ⛔

We know how important it is to protect your store from problematic buyers. With this new feature, you can now block specific customers from making purchases or interacting with your store. This gives you more control over who can access your products. Learn more.

4. Custom Digital Orders

Have a special product that doesn’t quite fit into your usual offerings? The custom digital orders feature lets you create personalized digital products on the fly. Learn more.

5. Bulk Editing 🛠️

You can now make price changes across many products at once—saving you tons of time and effort especially when you are experiencing major cost changes, seasonal price fluctuations, and more. Learn more.

6. Wishlists ❤️

Your customers can now create wishlists for your products! Whether they’re browsing for themselves or curating a gift list, this feature makes it easier for them to save and come back to their favorite items. Learn more.

7. Running Sales (with Countdown Timer)

Running a sale has never been easier! The running sales feature allows you to set up temporary price reductions for specific products or your entire store. In addition, it automatically adds a countdown timer to your product pages, creating a sense of urgency for customers to act fast. You’ll also be able to display the original and discounted prices, along with the percentage off—making the deal more irresistible. Perfect for holiday promotions or flash sales! Learn more.

8. Cross-Selling on All Product Types 🤝

Previously Payhip’s cross-selling feature only worked for digital downloads as well as physical products. We have now launched an improved cross-selling feature that allows you to create a cross-selling promotion across all of Payhip’s product types from digital downloads, online courses, coaching services, memberships, and physical products. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to boost your average order value! Learn more.

9. Support Email After Purchase

Sellers can now add a support email, which will be displayed on email receipts for customers to reach out for any queries. This email will also be used for contact form inquiries, making customer support more seamless. Find it in your Account Settings!

10. Add Chat to Your Store

Boost customer engagement by adding a live chat feature to your store! Whether customers have questions before making a purchase or need help afterward, live chat gives them personalized real-time assistance and create a more engaging buying experience. Learn more.

11. Gifting Digital Products

Just in time for the holiday season or special occasions, your customers can now purchase and send your digital products to their friends and family as gifts! Perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or just because, this feature adds a thoughtful touch to your store’s offerings. Learn more.

We hope you’re as excited about these updates as we are! Each of these features has been designed to make your store more powerful, efficient, and customer-friendly. Try them out today and see how they can transform your business!

Happy selling!

The post Exciting New Features Launched in 2024: Supercharge Your Payhip Store! appeared first on Payhip.

7 Best Website Builders for Musicians, Bands, Artists, and Other Music Makers

1. Payhip

Payhip is the best website builder for musicians because of how much control you’ll have over all aspects of your marketing. For instance, on Payhip, you can sell digital and physical products. So, if you want to sell sheet music, songs on mp3, or license out mp4 music videos, you can do that. But you can also sell physical products, such as your band’s CDs, vinyl, DVDs, t-shirts, and merch. You can also build and control your email list to grow the number of fans you have and connect with them. That way, when you announce a new tour, you can send emails directly to your ticket site to make money. During the holidays, you can do marketing campaigns to generate sales for your band via merch. If you want to, you can sell a monthly subscription to listen to new and exclusive tracks on your website instead of a third party like Spotify, so you can earn as much as possible while earning 95% royalty since Payhip only charges a 5% transaction fee. You’ll have unlimited storage and bandwidth, making this an e-commerce platform to choose for your music website.

Payhip’s website builder lets you securely send files and has an instant downloads feature. Sellers can set their prices or allow customers to pay what they want. Payhip has a beautiful design, such as video players for music videos. And you can also benefit from marketing features, such as coupon codes, affiliate programs, upselling, and cross-selling. This website builder is beginner-friendly with an easy-to-use interface, so you can spend less time during the build stage to get your band website up and running fast.

2. BandVista

BandVista is a musician’s website that has many classic designs. Your mobile-friendly website will allow you to upload music, sell merch and music, create a photo gallery of pictures to view, and add a blog and newsletter. You can share info with your fans to learn more about your band. People will be able to listen to your audio files on this platform. Unlike Payhip, there’s no free plan, so you’ll have to pay a monthly subscription to gain benefits like storage. Pricing ranges from $9.95/month to $15.85/month. But they do have a free 30-day trial.

All plans also come with a calendar to host all your events, a guestbook for people to leave messages, polls to survey fans, and more.

The challenge with BandVista’s website builder is that it tends to have outdated designs or designs mostly suited to older rock bands. The variety of themes available is limited, as there are only six design options, but it’s still a great choice for bands looking for a specific rock and roll look for their website.

3. Bandzoogle

A music website builder like the all-in-one platform for musicians, Bandzoogle is jam-packed with features, such as website templates for musicians with modern designs. Their site builder is responsive, meaning you’ll have a website that changes based on what device a person is on, so a mobile-friendly design for your phone and a standard design for a desktop computer. You won’t need to pay an additional fee to get this feature. You’ll have complete control over choosing the elements that make the most sense for your website design, such as fonts, colors, layouts, and more. This is one of the best website builders due to its vast collection of integrations for musicians, such as YouTube, SoundCloud, Stripe, Facebook, and more. On Bandzoogle’s website builder for musicians, you can monetize your site in five ways: merchandise, music, ticket sales, crowdfunding, and monthly subscriptions. You can create landing pages like lyrics, tour dates, album announcements, and more. You can also build an email list, optimize your site for search engines, and create shareable links for fans. As one of the best website builders, you’ll also be able to analyze your site’s performance and sales data, get a free domain, and it also includes website hosting. Building a website on Bandzoogle costs $6.95/month to $16.62/month. It comes with a free trial for 30 days.

4. Music Glue

Music Glue isn’t a traditional website builder for musicians. It can be great for a band’s ability to sell their tickets, merch, and music, though. You can create a page with features like ticketing bundles, fan clubs, print-on-demand merchandise creator, YouTube merch shelf, chart reporting, live streaming, and global fulfillment. Website builders for musicians like Music Glue cover everything you’ll need to sell items to your fans while owning your fan base’s mailing list and having access to all that data. You’ll improve your performance in selling to your audience by optimizing your marketing with the data you’ll get from understanding your user demographics. Music Glue is free; however, they take a 10% cut in sales.

5. Wix

Wix is a traditional website builder used by the masses. It’s not optimized for musicians per se, but you’ll find that you can create a good website as a musician. Artists who choose to use Wix will find this builder has many features. While most website builders come with templates, Wix comes with over 800 designs you can use. You can find one you like. You can also use the platform to build an app or even hire a developer to manage your website development so you can stick with what you’re good at making music. They’ll even help promote your website to help you grow your audience. While they have e-commerce features, which can be great for merch, ticket, or music sales, there are no specialized features for musicians, so you might need to hire a developer to add elements you need to get organically. This builder also comes with elements like a logo maker, secure website hosting, and a domain name that you can use and access to get an all-in-one website-building experience. Wix prices range from $15/month to $149/month. However, you’ll need a mid-tier or higher plan to sell products on your website.

6. GoDaddy

GoDaddy is a great website builder despite having started as a domain seller. They’ve built up their website builder to include many excellent offerings, such as mobile-friendly design, professionally designed templates, over 20 theme filters to customize the look and feel of your website, website hosting, website backups, calls to action, email marketing, SEO features, social media integrations, abandoned cart reminders, event calendar, and so much more. While you can choose templates based on other designs, they also have six music website templates with modern designs. GoDaddy’s website builder ranges from $11.99 to $26.99.

7. Squarespace

Squarespace is one of the most excellent website builders for musicians, as you can have on-demand videos, publish blog content, collect donations, build a community, sell memberships, promote events, sell products, and more. This website builder has 30 beautiful website templates to choose from to create a nice-looking website. You can modify them to give them the same vibe as your band or music artist aesthetic. You can choose from a simple one-page design or have a multi-page website packed with content. As Squarespace is a professional-level website builder, you can hire experts to help you design your site. You’ll also get tons of data analytics to help you understand your sales performance, such as ticket, music, or merch sales. The price range for Squarespace is between $21/month and $66/month, depending on your specific needs.

Do I need to build a musician or band website?

You don’t need a band website, but having one has more upside than downside. Using a website builder to build a fabulous online presence for your band lets you store all band information in one place, making it a good experience for your fans. Artists with their website can keep fans informed via an email list, adding tour dates and ticket sales on their website, selling merchandise, and having a music page with the available tracks for purchase or song lyrics for people to sing along to. Music makers will love having a website that helps them hit their marketing and sales goals. A website builder might cost money upfront, but you’ll make money as your site’s popularity grows by gaining your audience on a platform. If e-commerce sales matter to you, such as selling music merchandise or booking more significant events through high ticket sales, then having a website as a musician will be needed.

Is music integration possible using a website builder?

Music integration is possible using a website builder like Payhip. When you sell music on your website, customers can purchase music as a digital download. However, you can also create music videos, lyrics videos, and more and play them on a beautiful music player on your website that people can access for free or a membership fee. You can add an unlimited number of songs for sale on your website. Other features for musicians include having a beautiful website that you can customize to increase conversion rates for your music sales and listens.

What’s the best way to build a significant online presence for musicians besides websites?

Aside from building a website, you can make an outstanding online presence as a musician or artist. You can reply to comments on social media, create an SEO plan to drive organic traffic to your website, plan a strategy to reach out to publicists, journalists, and other media figures to generate hype for your music and band, and more.

So, what’s the best website builder for musicians?

Is it big names like Wix or Squarespace? It’s Payhip, as it’s the only option to build a website with no monthly subscriptions if you choose the Free Forever plan (a pretty good deal to score). Members who sign up for Payhip will have the same features as many website builders for musicians. If you’re a music artist, you can review and research every platform on this list in detail to figure out which is best, but Payhip will win out. Ultimately, Payhip has everything you need to sell digital and physical products. However, they also have sophisticated software that can be repurposed to function specifically for the music industry. An online course player can play music videos, documentaries, or exclusive content for your fans. Digital download sales can include tickets, music, or sheet music. It is the best platform because of how in-depth this website builder offers everything you need. Payhip earns the title of the best website builder. If you’re considering building a music website, sign up for Payhip today!

The post 7 Best Website Builders for Musicians, Bands, and Artists in 2025 appeared first on Payhip.