Look around your Instagram feed. See all those pretty carousel posts? Someone made those in Canva. And got paid well for it.

You don’t need fancy design software. You don’t need years of experience. You just need Canva and an eye for what looks good.

What is Canva? (Let’s Break it Down)

Ever tried to make something look good and got frustrated with complicated design software? That’s exactly why Canva exists.

Think of Canva like digital Legos for design. You don’t build from scratch – you use pieces that already work together.

What Can You Actually Make?

Social media posts
Presentations
Documents
Videos
Websites
Pretty much anything visual

Why Businesses Love It

No design skills needed
Works right in your browser
Templates for everything
Drag and drop simple
Way cheaper than Photoshop

Pro vs Free: What’s the Difference?

Free version gives you basics. But Pro ($12.99/month) gives you:

Brand kit storage
Background remover
100+ million photos
Magic resize tool
Schedule social posts
More storage

Why It’s Perfect for Side Hustles

No software to download
Works on any computer
Quick to learn
Professional results
Clients can easily edit files

Here’s the best part: While graphic designers fight over Adobe jobs, smart people like you are quietly making bank with Canva.

It’s like having a secret advantage.

Plus, clients actually prefer Canva files. Why? Because they can edit them themselves without calling you for every tiny change.

Your Questions Answered

“Wait, can I really do this?”
Yes. If you can spot a bad design, you can create a good one.

“What if I’m not creative?”
You don’t need to be. You need to know what looks clean and professional. That’s it.

“Is this market still open?”
Let me show you why it’s booming:

Every day, 4 million new blog posts need graphics
Each month, 500,000 new businesses need designs
This year, 200,000 new course creators need help

“How much do I need to start?”

Canva Pro: $12.99 monthly (less than your Netflix)
A laptop you already have
Internet you’re already paying for
That’s all.

“Show me the real money”
Here’s what your month could look like:

3 social media clients = $3,600
1 course design project = $2,500
Your template shop sales = $1,900
Total = $8,000

And yes, people are paying these rates right now.

What Can You Create and Sell?

1. Social Media Templates

($2,000-4,000 monthly)

Think about small business owners. They need to post every day. But they’re too busy running their business to design posts.

You create template packs they can easily edit:

10 Instagram carousel templates = $497
20 Pinterest pins = $397
Monthly content pack = $697

Example: A local bakery needs daily posts. You create 30 templates they can rotate. They change the text and photos. You get paid monthly. They save hours. Win-win.

2. Course Design Partner

($3,000-5,000 monthly)

Every online course needs designs. Think about it. When you last took a course, what made it feel premium? The design.

You’ll create:

Welcome pages that excite students
Workbooks they’ll actually want to fill out
Module covers that don’t look boring
Worksheets that make sense

Pricing you can charge:

Full course design = $1,500-2,500
Single module = $300-500
Workbook design = $500-1,000
Rush jobs = 75% extra (because they always need it “tomorrow”)

Example: A business coach sells a $997 course. But their PDFs look like Word documents from 1995. You make them look professional. Their students complete the course. Everyone’s happy.

3. Digital Planner Designer

($2,000-6,000 monthly)

Remember paper planners? They’re going digital. And people love them.

Your digital planners will have:

Click-able sections
Habit trackers that actually work
Goal-setting pages
Monthly, weekly, daily views
Notes sections that feel natural

Pricing that sells:

Basic planner = $17-27
Premium version = $37-47
Planner bundle = $67-97
Custom design = $197+

The best part? Make it once, sell it forever. A good planner can make money while you sleep.

4. Lead Magnet Designer

($2,000-4,000 monthly)

Every business needs lead magnets. These are the free PDFs you get when you sign up for email lists.

What you’ll create:

Quick-start guides
Checklists that people actually use
Resource lists that look valuable
Mini-workbooks that help solve problems

Your prices:

Simple guide (5-10 pages) = $297
Premium guide (15-20 pages) = $497
Rush jobs = +$200
Two rounds of changes included

Example: A fitness trainer gives away a meal plan PDF. It needs to look so good people think it’s worth paying for. That’s where you come in.

5. Brand Kit Creator

($2,500-4,500 monthly)

Think of a brand kit like a business’s outfit. Everything needs to match and look good together.

You’ll create:

Logo variations they can use everywhere
Color schemes that make sense
Font combinations that work
Social media templates they can reuse
Guidelines anyone can follow

Your pricing:

Basic kit = $797
Full kit = $1,297
VIP package = $1,997
Rush delivery = +$500

Example: A new coffee shop needs branding. They can’t afford a $10,000 branding agency. You give them everything they need in Canva for a fraction of the cost.

6. Pinterest Designer

($2,000-4,000 monthly)

Pinterest isn’t social media. It’s a search engine where people shop with their eyes.

What you’ll make:

Product pins that make people click
Blog post pins that stand out
Idea pins that keep people watching
Pin templates they can reuse

Your rates:

20 pin pack = $297
50 pin pack = $597
Monthly service = $997
Single pins = $47 each

Example: A food blogger needs Pinterest pins. Their recipes are amazing. Their pins look awful. You help them get seen and shared.

7. Presentation Designer

($3,000-5,000 monthly)

Nobody wants to sit through ugly slideshows. You make presentations people actually want to watch.

You create:

Pitch decks that win clients
Training slides people remember
Webinar presentations that keep attention
Sales decks that close deals

Price it like this:

Basic deck (20 slides) = $497
Full deck (40 slides) = $997
Monthly designs = $1,497
Rush fee = +50%

Example: A startup needs to pitch investors. Their product is great. Their slides look amateur. You make them look professional in Canva.

8. Workbook Designer

($2,500-4,500 monthly)

Workbooks need to do two things: look good and be usable. Most fail at both.

Your designs include:

Space for writing
Clear instructions
Professional layouts
Engaging exercises

Your pricing:

Basic workbook = $397
Premium version = $797
Workshop package = $997
Rush jobs = +$300

Example: A life coach has great exercises. But their workbook looks like it was made in Microsoft Word. You make it look like something people want to use.

9. Digital Product Creator

($2,000-6,000 monthly)

This is your passive income goldmine. Create once, sell forever.

What sells well:

Budget trackers people actually use
Meal planners that make sense
Wedding planners that don’t look boring
Student planners that help organize life
Habit trackers that keep people motivated

Your pricing:

Single products = $7-17
Bundle packs = $27-47
Custom designs = $197
Sell rights to businesses = $297

Example: You make a budget tracker. Price it at $17. Sell 100 copies monthly. That’s $1,700 for work you did once.

10. Newsletter Designer

($2,000-4,000 monthly)

Every business sends emails. Most look terrible on phones. You fix that.

You’ll create:

Templates that look good on all devices
Sections that make sense
Layouts that get clicked
Designs they can use again and again

Your rates:

Basic template pack = $397
Full template system = $797
Monthly fresh designs = $997
Single template = $297

Example: A real estate agent sends weekly newsletters. They need to look professional but easy to edit. You create templates they can update in minutes.

11. Sales Page Designer

($3,000-5,000 monthly)

A good sales page makes money. A bad one loses money. Businesses know this.

What you’ll design:

Headers that grab attention
Testimonial sections that build trust
Pricing tables that look valuable
Buy buttons people want to click

Price it this way:

Basic page = $797
Premium page = $1,497
Launch package = $2,497
Rush work = +$500

Example: A course creator launches a $2,000 program. Your sales page design helps them sell. They make money. You make money.

12. Digital Magazine Designer

($3,000-6,000 monthly)

Digital magazines are growing. They need to look good and be easy to read.

You create:

Layouts that flow
Contents that make sense
Features that pop
Designs that keep readers reading

Your pricing:

One issue = $997
Three months = $2,997
Template kit = $1,497
Rush fee = +75%

Example: A fitness influencer starts a monthly magazine. You create a template system they can update each month. Readers love it.

13. Resource Library Designer

($2,500-4,500 monthly)

Businesses need lots of documents. They should all match and look professional.

What’s included:

Document templates
Checklist designs
Form layouts
Process documents
Client questionnaires

Price structure:

Basic library = $497
Full library = $997
Custom pack = $1,497
Monthly updates = $297

14. Membership Site Content

($2,000-4,000 monthly)

Membership sites need fresh content. Monthly. You make it look good.

You’ll create:

Worksheet templates
Challenge graphics
Resource designs
Workbook layouts
Monthly content packs

Your rates:

Monthly pack = $797
Three months = $1,997
Single items = $297
Rush jobs = +$200

How to Get Started

Pick Your Focus
Don’t try everything. Start with one service. Master it. Then add more.
Set Up Right

Get Canva Pro
Make a simple portfolio
Pick your prices
Start finding clients

Want my advice? Start with social media templates. The demand is huge.

Remember: Every designer started somewhere. Even the ones making $10k monthly started with one template, one client, one design.

Your turn.