If you’ve been thinking about starting a side hustle but feel stuck because you don’t have a website, a big following, or even a clear niche, don’t worry. You don’t need any of that to get started. With just Canva and a simple email tool, you can launch a profitable online income stream today.
Here are five side hustles you can start right now with Canva.
1. Sell a Digital Wellness or Lifestyle Guide
This is one of the easiest ways to build your first product. If you know something about fitness, gut health, productivity, or lifestyle hacks, you can package that knowledge into a short, helpful PDF guide.
Canva has templates for ebooks, planners, and checklists. All you need to do is pick one, plug in your content, and make it look professional. You can sell it on Gumroad, Etsy, or directly through your email list.
The best part is that once you create it, it becomes a digital asset that sells over and over again without any extra work.
2. Host a Paid Challenge or Workshop Series
If you want to give people support but aren’t ready to create a full coaching program, a short challenge or workshop series is the way to go.
Pick a transformation you can help someone achieve in 3 to 7 days. For example, a “7-Day Productivity Reset” or a “5-Day Clean Eating Challenge.” Then, create daily worksheets or guides in Canva and deliver them through email.
This works because people love structure and accountability. You’re giving them a small win they can achieve fast, which makes your offer easy to say yes to.
3. Sell Template Packs
Template packs are one of the most scalable digital products you can sell. You can design templates for social media posts, recipe cards, planners, or even habit trackers.
For example, a pack of 10 Instagram carousel templates can save a small business owner hours of design time. Or a set of printable recipe cards could be valuable for food bloggers and busy moms.
Bundle 5 to 10 templates together, make them customizable in Canva, and sell them as a downloadable product. Once you build a few packs, you can resell them to an unlimited number of people.
4. Offer a Paid Email Series
A paid email series is an underrated side hustle that works really well. Instead of building an entire course, you write a series of emails that deliver lessons one day at a time.
For example, a “10-Day Beginner’s Guide to Investing” or a “7-Day Social Media Detox.” Each day, your customer receives one email with guidance or an action step. You can create PDFs in Canva to go along with the emails if you want extra value. This model is personal, lightweight, and scalable. Once you write the series, it can run on autopilot for every new customer.
5. Combine Content and Email to Make Affiliate Sales
If you’re not ready to create your own product, you can still make money by selling affiliate products. Canva helps you create helpful resources like mini-guides, checklists, or ebooks. Inside those resources, include affiliate links to tools, books, or supplements you already use and recommend. Then, promote those downloads through email. As people sign up, you not only grow your email list but also drive traffic to your affiliate links. This lets you start generating income without having to build your own offer.
Tips to Get Started Without Overwhelm
It’s easy to overthink when starting a side hustle. Here are three quick tips to stay focused:
- You don’t need to be an expert, just share what you know and package it simply.
- Pick one business model that matches your energy and skills.
- Start with one product and one email list before trying to scale.
The key is to get something out there. Once you launch your first digital product or email series, you’ll have proof that you can make money online, and scaling will feel much easier.
Final Thoughts
Canva isn’t just for making pretty graphics; it’s a tool you can use to build real income streams. Whether it’s selling digital guides, hosting paid challenges, creating template packs, writing email series, or making affiliate sales, the opportunities are endless.
Start with one of these side hustles today, keep it simple, and grow from there. Your first dollar online will motivate you to keep going and open the door to bigger opportunities.