At OptinMonster, we’ve helped thousands of creators, entrepreneurs, and small businesses turn their ideas into profitable digital products.
Whether you’re selling an ebook, a course, a Canva template, or an AI prompt bundle, we’ve seen firsthand how the right product paired with the right strategy can create a steady stream of passive income.
In this guide, we’re sharing 21 of the best digital product ideas you can sell online today. These ideas are based on real-world trends, customer successes, and what’s working now in 2025.
Ready to build your first (or next) digital product? Let’s dive into the smartest opportunities available today.
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Top 5 Quick Start Digital Product Ideas
If you’re new to digital products, here are 5 ideas that are quick to create, low-cost, and proven to sell.
| Digital Product Idea | Best For | Why It’s Easy to Start |
|---|---|---|
| Ebook | Coaches, consultants, bloggers | Simple to write using your existing knowledge |
| Notion Templates | Entrepreneurs, students, productivity fans | High demand + easy to customize |
| Canva Templates | Designers, marketers, content creators | No coding needed — just design and sell |
| Mini Online Courses | Educators, trainers, experts | Short video lessons, no big tech setup |
| AI Prompt Packs | Writers, marketers, entrepreneurs | New trending niche with low competition |
Top 3 Digital Products With the Highest Earning Potential
If you want to maximize your income from the start, these three types of digital products consistently outperform others:
| Digital Product | Why It Earns Big | Quick Launch Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Online Courses | People are willing to pay a premium to learn new skills or achieve goals. | Start with a mini-course on a specific topic and scale up later. |
| Membership Communities | Recurring revenue from loyal members builds long-term income. | Launch a low-ticket membership first to validate interest. |
| Software Tools or Plugins | Solve a real pain point once, sell it over and over again. | Start with a lightweight MVP (minimum viable product) version. |
What Are Digital Products?
Digital products are intangible items consumed or accessed digitally. Examples include ebooks, music, software, online courses, video games, apps, and movies. Unlike physical goods, they don’t require physical inventory and can be accessed anywhere via email, stream, or download.
Why Sell Digital Products?
There are several reasons why selling digital products can be a good idea:
- Wide reach: Digital products can be sold and delivered to customers anywhere in the world with an internet connection.
- Low overhead costs: Unlike physical products, you don’t have to worry about manufacturing costs, shipping expenses, or storage space for digital products. This keeps your profit margins high.
- Easy to scale: With digital products, you can easily reach a large audience without having to increase production costs. In most cases, the same digital file can be sold over and over.
- Versatility: Digital products can take many forms, such as e-books, courses, software, music, and more. This allows you to offer a variety of products to your customers.
- Continuous income: Digital products can generate continuous income through recurring billing, such as yearly software licenses or monthly membership fees.
- Passive income: Once you create a digital product marketing funnel, that funnel can earn money on autopilot without any further effort from you.
Because of these advantages, digital products are a great way to start your own online business. You can sell digital products as a side hustle alongside a job or other responsibilities, or grow it to a profitable full-time career.
Digital products are a useful lead generation strategy for service-based businesses. For instance, a wedding planner could sell a digital wedding planning template. Customers who buy the template are most likely planning a wedding, and thus the target audience for the wedding planner’s services.
21 Best Digital Product Ideas
Before you dive into the full list, here’s something important to know:
Not every digital product needs to be complicated or time-consuming to create. Some of the best products are simple, useful, and launched fast.
We’ve organized this guide to show you:
- What each digital product is
- How you can create it (even if you’re starting from scratch)
- Who it’s best suited for
👉 Use this list to find an idea that matches your skills, interests, and audience.
Start small if you need to. The key is to launch, learn, and improve — not wait for “perfect.”
Let’s get into it!
1. Ebooks
Ebooks are digital books you can sell online, usually as PDFs or ePub files. They can teach a skill, tell a story, or share your expertise in a structured way.
Nathan Barry, founder of ConvertKit, made over $250,000 selling his ebook “Authority,” teaching creators how to monetize their expertise online.
Takeaway:
You don’t need a massive audience — you need a clear, valuable message and a system to market it.
How to Create It:
Outline your topic, write the content using Google Docs or Word, and design it with tools like Canva. Export it as a PDF and you’re ready to sell.
Best For:
Coaches, bloggers, consultants, and anyone who wants to package what they know into a sellable asset.
2. Notion Templates
Notion templates are pre-built dashboards, planners, or productivity systems created inside the Notion app. Buyers can duplicate them to organize their work, school, or personal lives.
Thomas Frank, a productivity YouTuber, built a full business around selling Notion templates that help students and creators stay organized.
Takeaway:
Solving micro-problems with polished templates is a proven digital product model — especially if you already use the tool yourself.
How to Create It:
Design a helpful system inside Notion, publish it as a template link, and promote it through marketplaces like Gumroad or your own site.
Best For:
Entrepreneurs, productivity nerds, students, and freelancers who love optimizing workflows.
3. Canva Templates
Canva templates are ready-made designs for social media, presentations, resumes, and more. Customers buy them to customize quickly without starting from scratch.
Boss Project sells Canva template bundles for social media managers and small business owners, turning design shortcuts into consistent monthly revenue.
Takeaway:
Templates save busy entrepreneurs time — and time-savers always sell well.
How to Create It:
Design eye-catching templates in Canva, group them into bundles if you can, and sell the template links through Etsy or your website.
Best For:
Designers, marketers, virtual assistants, and content creators looking for passive income streams.
Real-World Example:
Unsplash contributors upload niche-specific, high-quality stock photos that are downloaded and licensed by businesses worldwide, building portfolios and getting visibility.
Takeaway:
High-demand niches (like business, food, wellness) can create ongoing opportunities for stock photographers.
4. Mini Online Courses
Mini-courses are short, focused online classes that teach a single topic or skill. Unlike big, expensive courses, they’re easier to create and sell fast.
Ali Abdaal, a YouTuber and entrepreneur, launched mini-courses like “How to Study for Exams” before scaling into bigger flagship programs.
Takeaway:
You don’t need a full 40-hour course to launch — focused, actionable mini-courses often perform better for beginners.
How to Create It:
Plan a 3–5 lesson course, record videos with Zoom or Loom, and upload them to platforms like Teachable, Podia, or Kajabi.
Best For:
Educators, coaches, consultants, and experts who want a low-barrier entry into online education.
5. AI Prompt Packs
AI prompt packs are curated collections of ready-to-use prompts for AI tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, or Jasper. They help users get better results faster.
PromptBase allows creators to package and sell highly specific AI prompts for ChatGPT, Midjourney, and DALL-E users — creating a marketplace for AI-generated assets.
Takeaway:
The AI content revolution isn’t just about creating — it’s about packaging value into usable formats that save buyers time.
How to Create It:
Test different prompts in your favorite AI tools, organize them into categories, and package them as downloadable files.
Best For:
Marketers, content creators, solopreneurs, and AI early adopters who want to cash in on the AI boom.
6. Printables (Planners, Checklists, Worksheets)
Printables are digital downloads like planners, checklists, and worksheets that buyers can print at home. They’re quick, affordable products that help people stay organized.
The Budget Mom sells printable budget planners and checklists through her website, helping thousands manage their finances without physical inventory.
Takeaway:
Simple, practical printables can become powerful passive income streams — especially when tied to a real problem.
How to Create It:
Design useful layouts in Canva or Illustrator, export as PDFs, and sell them on Etsy, Gumroad, or your website.
Best For:
Teachers, life coaches, parents, and anyone offering organization or productivity tools.
7. Stock Photos
Stock photos are high-quality, royalty-free images that businesses, bloggers, and designers use for their content and marketing.
Unsplash contributors upload niche-specific, high-quality stock photos that are downloaded and licensed by businesses worldwide, building portfolios and getting visibility.
Takeaway:
High-demand niches (like business, food, wellness) can create ongoing opportunities for stock photographers.
How to Create It:
Take niche-specific photos, edit them professionally, and upload them to platforms like Shutterstock or sell them directly.
Best For:
Photographers, hobbyists, and visual storytellers.
8. Music or Sound Effects
Music tracks and sound effects are downloadable audio files creators use in videos, games, podcasts, and ads.
Epidemic Sound started by offering royalty-free music for YouTubers and expanded into a full-blown licensing powerhouse.
Takeaway:
Good original audio sells — especially with creators needing background music for videos, podcasts, and ads.
How to Create It:
Record original sounds or songs, edit them for clarity, and distribute them through marketplaces or your own store.
Best For:
Musicians, sound designers, and audio engineers.
9. Mobile App Templates
Mobile app templates are pre-designed app frameworks that developers can customize and launch faster.
Creative Tim sells mobile UI kits and app templates that help developers build projects faster without starting from scratch.
Takeaway:
Templates that save time and reduce complexity are in huge demand among developers.
How to Create It:
Build starter templates using frameworks like Flutter or React Native, and sell them on CodeCanyon or your site.
Best For:
Developers and freelance app builders looking for passive income streams.
10. Lightroom Presets
Lightroom presets are custom photo editing filters that users can apply to photos with one click inside Adobe Lightroom.
Jaci Marie Smith, a lifestyle photographer, sells branded Lightroom presets to her Instagram audience, turning her photography style into a product.
Takeaway:
If you have a unique aesthetic, you can monetize it by offering “ready-to-use” editing shortcuts.
How to Create It:
Create and fine-tune presets, export them, and bundle them for sale on marketplaces or your website.
Best For:
Photographers, influencers, and content creators focused on visuals.
11. Website Themes
Website themes are pre-designed templates for WordPress, Shopify, and Squarespace sites that make building a website faster and easier.
StudioPress (makers of the Genesis Framework) built a multimillion-dollar business selling WordPress themes for bloggers and entrepreneurs.
Takeaway:
Good design paired with clean code creates endless opportunities in the theme market — especially for niche industries.
How to Create It:
Design responsive, visually appealing themes, package them properly, and list them for sale.
Best For:
Web designers, developers, and creative entrepreneurs.
12. Fonts
Fonts are custom-designed typefaces that designers and businesses buy to enhance their branding and marketing materials.
Jessica Hische, a famous lettering artist, built a large part of her brand by creating and licensing her own custom fonts.
Takeaway:
Unique fonts aren’t just for designers — they’re branding assets that businesses will pay a premium for.
How to Create It:
Use software like Glyphs or Fontself to create a full alphabet set, export the font files, and license them.
Best For:
Graphic designers, hand letterers, and branding experts.
13. Subscription Newsletters
Subscription newsletters deliver curated or original content directly to subscribers’ inboxes, often with a free tier and a paid premium tier.
Lenny Rachitsky’s newsletter (“Lenny’s Newsletter”) on Substack earns over $500K/year from paid subscriptions in the product management niche.
Takeaway:
If you deliver high-quality insights consistently, subscription newsletters can become standalone businesses.
How to Create It:
Choose a niche, set a regular publishing schedule, and start building your list on platforms like Substack or ConvertKit.
Best For:
Writers, journalists, thought leaders, and niche curators.
14. Membership Communities
Membership communities are exclusive online groups where members pay to access content, events, or a private network.
Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income built SPI Pro, a premium membership for entrepreneurs — creating a stable, recurring revenue stream.
Takeaway:
When you build community around transformation, not just content, people are willing to pay for access.
How to Create It:
Set up a private space on platforms like Circle or Slack, offer value like events, resources, and coaching, and charge a recurring fee.
Best For:
Coaches, entrepreneurs, hobbyists, and influencers with an engaged following.
15. Software Tools or Plugins
Software tools and plugins are downloadable programs or add-ons that extend the functionality of apps like WordPress, Shopify, or browsers.
MonsterInsights (sister brand to OptinMonster!) built a hugely successful business around a simple WordPress plugin for Google Analytics.
Takeaway:
Solving one real-world pain point can lead to massive, scalable digital product success.
How to Create It:
Identify a specific problem, build a simple tool to solve it, and sell licenses or subscriptions.
Best For:
Developers, SaaS founders, and engineers.
16. Webinars (Paid or Free + Upsell)
Webinars are live or pre-recorded online seminars that teach a topic and often lead to an upsell like a course, service, or product.
Amy Porterfield built her multimillion-dollar business by hosting free webinars that seamlessly led into her course sales.
Takeaway:
A free webinar that solves a real problem can be the best sales funnel you’ll ever build.
How to Create It:
Create a slide deck, schedule a session, deliver valuable training live or via replay, and offer a natural next step.
Best For:
Coaches, consultants, service providers, and B2B experts.
17. Digital Art
Digital art is original artwork created using digital tools, sold either as downloads or printed products.
Loish, a digital artist, monetizes her illustrations through Patreon, art books, and downloadable art packs.
Takeaway:
Artists no longer need galleries — building a digital audience gives you direct control over your income.
How to Create It:
Design using Procreate, Illustrator, or Photoshop, then sell as digital prints or via print-on-demand platforms.
Best For:
Artists, illustrators, and creatives ready to monetize their work.
18. Online Coaching Sessions
Online coaching sessions are personalized, real-time meetings where you help clients achieve goals, solve problems, or learn skills.
Marie Forleo started with online life coaching sessions before scaling into courses and a media empire.
Takeaway:
If you can help someone get a result faster, coaching is one of the fastest digital products to launch.
How to Create It:
Set clear coaching packages, schedule sessions via Zoom or Calendly, and deliver transformative results.
Best For:
Business coaches, life coaches, health coaches, and consultants.
19. Worksheets for Teachers
Educational worksheets are printable resources that teachers and parents use to supplement student learning.
Deanna Jump, an early seller on Teachers Pay Teachers, became a millionaire selling printable worksheets and lesson plans.
Takeaway:`
Helping teachers save time with ready-to-use resources is an evergreen niche with constant demand.
How to Create It:
Align your worksheets to educational standards, design them in Canva or Docs, and sell them on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Best For:
Educators, curriculum developers, and homeschooling parents.
20. Audiobooks
Audiobooks are spoken-word recordings of books that listeners can enjoy hands-free while commuting, exercising, or relaxing.
James Clear, author of “Atomic Habits,” sells his audiobook alongside his print and Kindle versions — adding a major revenue stream.
Takeaway:
Offering multiple formats (print, ebook, audiobook) increases reach and maximizes product value.
How to Create It:
Record your book or hire a narrator, edit for clarity, and distribute through platforms like Audible and iTunes.
Best For:
Authors, bloggers, and storytellers.
21. Research Reports
Research reports are detailed analyses or studies sold to businesses, entrepreneurs, or professionals needing niche insights.
CB Insights sells deep-dive industry research reports to tech investors, startups, and corporate strategy teams.
Takeaway:
If you can gather and organize valuable insights faster than others, people are willing to pay top dollar.
How to Create It:
Compile original research or data analysis into a professional PDF and sell as a one-time download or subscription.
Best For:
Analysts, marketers, SaaS experts, and industry researchers.
How to Sell Digital Products?
Here are the steps to get started:
- Choose a product: Pick a product that you know about and can create easily. It could be an e-book, online course, printables, audio program, or any of the other ideas from this list.
- Build your audience: Build your audience by creating content and promoting it on your blog, social media, or other online channels. You can also join online communities related to your product to reach more people.
- Create your product: Use tools like Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud, or other software to create your product. Make sure it is high-quality and provides value to your customers.
- Choose a platform: Choose an eCommerce platform to sell your product on, such as Gumroad, Sellfy, or Shopify. These platforms allow you to easily manage your sales and payments.
- Set a price: Determine the value of your product and set a price that reflects its worth. You can also offer discounts or promotions to encourage people to buy.
- Start marketing: Start marketing your product by promoting it on your blog, social media, email list, or other online channels. You can also offer a free trial or sample to help people understand the value of your product.
- Start selling: Once you start marketing your product, people will start buying it. Make sure your eCommerce store has a secure payment process in place and that you deliver your product promptly.
- Provide great customer service: Make sure your customers are happy by providing great customer service. Respond to their questions, provide support, and offer refunds if necessary.
By following these steps, you can successfully sell digital products and make money online. Remember, success takes time, so be patient and keep promoting your product. The more you promote your product, the more sales you will make.
Also, make sure to continuously improve your product and offer new and updated versions to keep your existing and potential customers interested.
How to Sell Digital Products (The Smart Way)
That’s where having the right marketing system makes all the difference.
At OptinMonster, we’ve helped thousands of creators, entrepreneurs, and small businesses launch and scale their digital products — without needing a complicated tech stack or a huge ad budget.
Here’s how OptinMonster helps you sell smarter:
- Capture leads with popups, floating bars, and slide-ins before visitors bounce
- Grow your email list automatically so you can promote your products long-term
- Create landing pages that turn clicks into customers without hiring a designer
- Target the right people at the right time with behavior-based triggers
Instead of chasing customers, let OptinMonster help you attract, nurture, and convert them.
If you’re ready to start selling your digital downloads, check out our list of the best digital download plugins for WordPress.
To sell more digital products on any platform, get started with OptinMonster!
FAQs About Selling Digital Products
1. What is the easiest digital product to sell?
The easiest digital product to sell is often a printable or a Canva template. These products are fast to create, require minimal upfront investment, and appeal to a wide audience. If you’re starting out, focus on a simple, evergreen design that solves a common problem.
2. How much money can you make selling digital products?
There’s no hard limit — some creators make a few hundred dollars a month, while others build six- or seven-figure businesses. Your earnings depend on the product type, pricing, audience size, and marketing strategy. The biggest advantage of digital products is scalability — you can sell the same item an unlimited number of times.
3. Do I need a website to sell digital products?
No, but it helps.
You can start by selling on marketplaces like Etsy, Gumroad, or Amazon, but owning your own website gives you more control over branding, customer relationships, and profit margins. Platforms like WordPress combined with OptinMonster make it easy to set up a professional site.
4. What are the most profitable digital products to sell in 2025?
In 2025, online courses, membership communities, software tools, and AI prompt packs are among the most profitable digital products. They offer high perceived value and allow for recurring revenue or upsells, which boosts your earnings over time.
5. How do I promote my digital products effectively?
You can promote your digital products through:
- Email marketing (build a list early!)
- Landing pages optimized for conversions
- Social media (especially Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn)
- Paid ads if your margins allow
- Affiliate partnerships Using tools like OptinMonster can help you capture leads and convert more visitors without needing a big ad budget.
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