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Selling digital products online is how thousands of creators, educators, and entrepreneurs are building real businesses and earning passive income. Whether you’re dreaming of turning your expertise into an online course or want to monetize your design templates or ebooks, this guide is your step-by-step walkthrough.
Want more proof?
In this blog post, I’ll cover everything from the types of digital goods you can sell to where and how to sell them, along with strategies to get more eyes (and buyers) on your products.
What you’ll learn: how to choose, create, and sell digital products that generate income and scale without the hassle of inventory or shipping.
What are digital products?
Think of digital products as anything you can create once and sell repeatedly online without ever running to the post office. They’re delivered electronically and don’t require inventory, which is a big reason why they’ve become so popular with creators and business owners looking for scalable income streams.
In short, if you can download it or access it online, it counts as a digital product: ebooks, design templates, video lessons, stock music, digital courses, you name it. Here are some examples of digital products:
Most digital products take a little work upfront and then generate income passively. This practically means that you earn while focusing on your next big idea or just enjoying more free time.
Why sell digital products?
Because digital products are the perfect mix of flexibility, profit, and creative freedom. Still wondering if it’s worth diving in? Here’s why most of our LearnWorlds customers choose to sell digital instead of physical products:
Low cost, high profit
No need for a factory, a warehouse, or a shipping partner. Create it once, sell it forever.
Fast delivery, global reach
Regardless of the audience, local or international, digital downloads can be delivered instantly and securely.
Unlimited scalability
The same ebook can be sold to 10 people or 10,000 without needing to lift a finger.
Passive income potential
Course creators set up their sales page, connect their payment system, and let the automation work for them. Adding some smart content marketing and email sequences, and they start generating the passive income they always wanted.
Best digital products to sell in 2025
Looking for inspiration? Here are the digital products dominating 2025—and why they’re worth your time:
1. Online courses and elearning products
If you’ve ever shared your screen and explained something to a friend, you’re already halfway there. Courses are still one of the most popular digital products among our LearnWorlds customers, especially educators, coaches, and consultants. Whether you build a certification program or a five-part video mini course, the demand is there.
What makes online education so powerful is its flexibility—you can package it as a one-time purchase, a digital download, or a monthly subscription.
2. Digital templates and tools
Templates are a smart way to save people time and offer real value. I’ve seen creators build thriving businesses selling things like Canva templates, resume kits, email marketing workflows, and business planners. Design templates are especially attractive because they blend creativity with usability.
If you know how to organize information in a way that’s clean, useful, and beautiful, this is a category that practically sells itself.
3. Printables and planners
There’s a thriving market for printable content, especially on platforms like Etsy. Think budget trackers, daily planners, meal prep sheets, kids’ activities, or goal-setting journals.
These types of digital downloads don’t require much to produce but have an almost unlimited number of use cases, making them a great entry point for first-time creators or side hustlers.
4. Ebooks and audiobooks
Writing an ebook may sound intimidating, but it’s one of the most effective ways to package your knowledge. It could be a short guide, a how-to, a collection of tips, or a more personal story. And if you want to reach even more people, record an audiobook version.
I’ve seen many creators at LearnWorlds starting with an ebook and eventually building an entire funnel around it, turning readers into paying customers.
5. Stock media (photos, music, sound effects)
Are you sitting on a hard drive full of photos, original beats, or ambient sound effects? These digital assets are highly valuable for content creators, marketers, and businesses who need royalty-free media.
You can sell them individually or as bundles, and platforms like Creative Market or marketplaces for stock photos make distribution simple.
6. Apps and SAAS tools
For those with coding skills or access to a developer, creating a small app, browser plugin, or lightweight SaaS tool can be a great long-term investment. Tools that solve niche problems, like invoice automation, content planning, or mini CRMs, are especially popular.
Selling them with license keys or through app stores gives you full control over pricing and distribution.
7. Memberships and digital communities
This is where digital meets relational. If you already have an audience, think about what exclusive content or support you could offer monthly.
Some of our creators run mastermind groups, coaching hubs, or resource libraries behind a paywall. Subscriptions bring in steady revenue and deepen your connection with your audience.
8. AI-powered tools
The AI space is growing fast and if you’ve played around with ChatGPT or other tools, you probably have ideas brewing already.
I’m seeing creators bundle prompts, build automation kits, and even offer micro SaaS tools powered by AI. It’s not just trendy; it’s where a lot of digital innovation is heading.
Where to sell digital products
Once you’ve created something worth sharing, an online course, a set of design templates, or even a collection of sound effects, the next big question is: where should you sell it?
I always recommend thinking about where your audience already spends time and what kind of experience you want to offer.
Some of our creators want full control with their own branded website. Others prefer the visibility that comes from marketplaces. And many mix both.
Here are the top three routes you can explore:
Your own website
If you’re serious about building a brand and long-term business, your own website is the best place to start selling digital products online. It gives you full control over your pricing, branding, and customer relationships, and there are no marketplace fees eating into your profits.
Our LearnWorlds customers use our platform to sell everything from online courses and coaching bundles to digital downloads like ebooks and design templates. And with our Mobile App Builder, you can even create your own app to reach people on the go.
If you’re running your online business using a modern platform like LearnWorlds, then you can easily integrate your site with ecommerce platforms like Shopify or connect tools like WordPress, depending on how custom you want your setup to be.
The key is having a smooth experience for your customers, from landing page to checkout to content delivery.
Online marketplaces
Marketplaces are a great way to tap into existing traffic, especially when you’re just starting out. Etsy, Gumroad, Creative Market, and Amazon KDP are all solid options depending on what you’re selling.
Keep in mind that while marketplaces bring visibility, they also come with competition and platform fees. That’s why some creators use them to build an initial audience, then direct customers to their own site for future purchases.
Social media and other channels
You don’t always need a storefront to start selling digital goods. I’ve seen creators start with nothing more than a TikTok account or Instagram page, using social media platforms to promote their products and collect payments through link-in-bio tools or even DMs.
Facebook groups, LinkedIn communities, and industry forums are also underrated gems for reaching a specific audience. And if you’ve built a solid email list (which I always recommend), that can be one of your highest-converting channels, especially when paired with lead magnets or limited-time offers.
Not sure which platform fits your style and product best? Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right one based on your goals, audience, and experience.
Tools to create and sell digital products
There are so many tools out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But you don’t need a massive tech stack to get started. Whether you’re building an online course, selling digital templates, or launching a membership, the goal is to use tools that actually support your workflow (not slow you down).
Here’s what I often recommend to creators based on what’s worked for me and what our LearnWorlds customers swear by.
Tools to create your digital product
Canva
This is the go-to for design templates, social media kits, lead magnets, and even course slides. You don’t need to be a designer, just pick a template and tweak it.
Notion & Google Sheets
If you’re creating digital planners, business dashboards, or productivity tools, these two are gold. You can even share Notion dashboards as templates or lock down Google Sheets behind a paid link.
Adobe Creative Cloud
For those who want complete creative control, Adobe still leads the way. Photoshop for visuals, Illustrator for templates, Premiere Pro for video editing. It’s powerful, but it has a learning curve.
Loom & ScreenPal
Great for course creators and educators. These screen recording tools let you walk people through anything—from a design tutorial to a coding crash course.
Descript & Audacity
Recording an audiobook or podcast? These tools help you clean up audio, remove background noise, and add intro/outro music without needing to be an audio engineer.
Tools to sell your digital product
LearnWorlds
I might be biased, but for online courses and educational products, nothing beats LearnWorlds. You can host videos, offer downloadable resources, build landing pages, run email campaigns, and even launch your own branded mobile app. Plus, you have control over pricing, payments, and student access.
Shopify
Want to sell both physical and digital products in one store? Shopify is your best bet. Just install a digital downloads app and you’re good to go.
Payhip & Gumroad
If you’re just starting out or selling ebooks, PDFs, or audio files, these platforms are simple and clean. They take care of hosting, checkout, and delivery.
Thinkific
Another solid option for course creators. It’s easy to use and designed for educators, though it’s a bit more rigid compared to LearnWorlds in terms of branding and customization.
Etsy & Creative Market
These are powerful if you’re targeting a DIY or design-savvy audience. Etsy works beautifully for planners, printables, and design templates. Creative Market is ideal for stock photos, fonts, and UI kits.
My advice? Start with the tool that feels easiest for you and fits the type of product you’re selling. you can always level up your stack later as your sales grow and your needs evolve.
Tips for successfully selling digital products
Creating digital products is just the first step. The magic happens when you learn how to position, price, and promote your digital products the right way. Our customer success team has helped thousands of creators get their digital products off the ground, so I picked their brains and squeezed out their best tips.
Start with niche research
Before you jump into creating, take a beat. Ask yourself: who is this for, and are they already buying something similar?
The best digital products solve a specific problem for a specific group of people. Use tools like Google Trends, Reddit, or even Etsy search bars to see what people are asking for. I also love doing basic keyword research, just enough to validate demand and make sure you’re not building something no one’s looking for.
Check marketplaces like Gumroad or Creative Market to see what’s selling well. it’s not about copying, just spotting the gaps you can fill better.
Make your product stand out
There are tons of planners, templates, and courses out there. What makes yours different? Maybe it’s the format, maybe it’s your tone of voice, or maybe it’s that you serve a niche no one else is really speaking to.
Whatever it is, lean into it. That’s your unique selling point, and it’s what gets people to stop scrolling and start clicking.
Price for value, not fear
This one’s tough, especially when you’re just starting out. I’ve seen so many amazing creators undercharge because they’re afraid no one will buy.
Here’s what we tell them: don’t price for the product, price for the transformation. If your ebook helps someone save $1,000 or your template saves them 10 hours of work, it’s worth more than a couple of bucks. Free and cheap can attract attention, but premium pricing builds trust and signals quality.
Build a sales funnel (yes, even a simple one)
You don’t need a fancy system, but you do need a way to turn curious browsers into paying customers.
A simple funnel could look like this:
This works whether you’re selling online courses, digital downloads, or even license keys for a software tool.
Listen to your customers
Seriously, customer feedback is your best copywriter and product developer.
Ask your audience what they’re struggling with. Pay attention to the words they use in DMs, comments, or reviews. Some of our best-performing product descriptions came directly from things people have said to us in casual conversation.
Digital product security and delivery
Let’s talk about something creators often overlook until it’s too late: how you deliver and protect your digital products. You’ve spent hours (maybe weeks) building something amazing. The last thing you want is for it to get pirated, misused, or lost in someone’s inbox.
Here’s how to make sure your product gets delivered safely and only to the people who paid for it.
Protect your product from piracy
Unfortunately, digital theft is real. Here’s what you can do:
If you’re using LearnWorlds, digital security is built into the platform, whether you’re delivering video, documents, or interactive content. Your files are hosted securely, and you can decide who sees what and when.
Make delivery smooth and reliable
People expect their downloads immediately, so make sure your delivery process is clean and fast. No one wants to chase a missing download email or wonder why their course access isn’t working.
Here’s how to do it right:
Of course, the best way to test the full experience from the buyer’s side is to purchase your own product, open the emails, download the file, access the content. Make sure everything works exactly as promised.
Real success stories from LearnWorlds creators
You don’t need a massive team or a viral product to succeed with digital products. Some of our most inspiring creators started small, with a clear purpose, a smart offer, and the right tools to deliver it.
Here are two real stories from LearnWorlds customers building scalable businesses with digital content:
Insurance Education Association (IEA)
Insurance Education Association (IEA) is a 100-year-old business that offers compliance training for the insurance industry. Before LearnWorlds, their model was based on instructor-led, in-person sessions, a model that limited scale and created friction for learners.
When Brian Allain took over IEA, he focused on digitizing the entire learning experience. Using LearnWorlds, they:
This move drastically reduced operational overhead, allowed the team to serve more students without scaling admin, and created passive income streams through evergreen courses. Their focus on clear learning outcomes and certification kept engagement and completion rates high.
Paradigm Shift Financial Training
Martin Johnson runs Paradigm Shift, a business that helps learners in the UK and globally prepare for chartered accountancy exams. Before switching to LearnWorlds, the business relied heavily on in-person and live coaching models.
With LearnWorlds, Martin took a blended approach to selling digital products:
This allowed Paradigm Shift to scale internationally without diluting the quality of student support. Students can access content anytime and progress at their own pace, while the business earns recurring income through memberships.
These two creators didn’t reinvent the wheel. They identified what worked offline, digitized it with intention, and used LearnWorlds to deliver a seamless, scalable experience. Their results show what’s possible with the right tools, the right audience, and a product built to help.
Ready to create and sell your digital products?
You don’t need to be a tech whiz, a social media star, or a full-time content creator to build a digital product that sells. You just need a solid idea, a clear audience, and the right tools to bring it to life.
Whether you’re dreaming of launching your first ebook, building a mini course, or turning your favorite Notion setup into a digital download, there’s a place for you in this space. And it’s growing faster than ever.
At LearnWorlds, we’ve helped thousands of creators like you build digital products that generate income, grow their brand, and create more freedom in their lives. If you’re ready to make your first sale (or your hundredth), we’ve got the platform, templates, and support to help you do it right.
Start your 30-day free trial today and turn your knowledge into digital products that sell.
Rosemary is LearnWorlds’ Content Marketing Manager. She has over 2 decades of experience in omnichannel marketing and content writing for the IT and SaaS industry. Her expertise lies in crafting effective content marketing strategies that attract, engage, and nurture customers, enabling LearnWorlds to reach its target audiences with precision.
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FAQ
Everything you have ever wondered, but where too afraid to ask...
It depends on what you're selling. Here’s what I recommend if you’re just starting out:
The key is choosing one and getting your first product live—then improving from there.
In 2025, we’re seeing a surge in:
What works best isn’t just what’s trendy—it’s what delivers quick wins to your audience.
You don’t need to do everything at once. Start by: