Last Updated on 23 hours ago by Grisha E.
Creators are making serious money selling their content online — not through brand deals, but by packaging what they already know into videos, guides, templates, and courses that sell on autopilot. The question isn’t whether you can sell content online. It’s which platform to use, which format fits what you create, and how to price it right.
This guide cuts through the noise and shows you exactly how to do it in 2026.
What Kind of Content Can You Sell Online?
Before picking a platform, know what you’re selling. The most profitable content types for creators in 2026:
- Videos — tutorials, workout routines, masterclasses, behind-the-scenes series. Sell as one-off downloads or subscription access.
- Photos & presets — stock photos, Lightroom presets, photo packs. High-margin, zero delivery cost.
- Digital guides & ebooks — how-to PDFs, playbooks, swipe files. Fast to create, easy to price at $9–$49.
- Templates — Canva social media templates, spreadsheets, email scripts. Perennial bestsellers on Etsy and Gumroad.
- Online courses — structured learning in 5–12 modules. Higher price point ($97–$497), more setup required.
- Audio — meditations, podcast bonus content, music loops, voice packs.
Not sure what your audience would pay for? Check your DMs and comments — the questions people ask repeatedly are your product roadmap. For a deeper look at what sells, see our guide on 77 digital product ideas that made $10k.
Best Platforms to Sell Content Online in 2026
Platform choice depends on your content type, audience, and how hands-on you want to be. Here’s how the top options compare:
| Platform | Best For | Transaction Fee | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payhip | Videos, ebooks, courses, memberships | 5% (free plan) → 0% (Pro) | Free / $29/mo |
| Stan Store | Creators selling from bio link (courses, coaching, downloads) | 0% | $29/mo |
| Gumroad | Digital downloads, templates, presets, ebooks | 10% → lower as you scale | Free |
| Vimeo On Demand | Video creators selling films, series, tutorials | 10% | Free to list |
| Podia | Courses, webinars, digital downloads | 8% (free) → 0% (paid) | Free / $33/mo |
| Etsy | Templates, presets, printables, digital art | 6.5% + listing fees | Free to start |
| Sellfy | Video creators, print-on-demand + digital in one store | 0% | $22/mo |
Quick decision guide:
- Selling videos? → Payhip or Vimeo On Demand
- Selling from your Instagram/TikTok bio? → Stan Store
- Selling templates or presets? → Gumroad or Etsy
- Building a course business? → Podia or Kajabi
- Want zero fees with full control? → Payhip Pro or Sellfy
For a full breakdown of fees and features, see the best platforms for selling digital products.
How to Sell Content Online: Step-by-Step
Step 1 — Validate before you create
Don’t spend a week creating something nobody wants. Test your idea first:
- Post a poll on Instagram Stories: “Would you buy a [your idea] for $XX?”
- Announce a waitlist — if 20+ people DM you, build it
- Offer a presale at a discounted “founder’s rate” — real sales = real validation
Step 2 — Create a focused, high-value product
Start small. A 10-page PDF that solves one specific problem beats a 50-page guide that covers everything loosely. Quality signals trust — and trust is what converts followers into buyers.
For videos: shoot once, sell forever. A 20-minute tutorial on your exact editing workflow, meal prep routine, or brand pitch process can sell at $19–$49 indefinitely with zero extra work from you.
Step 3 — Price based on transformation, not time
Stop thinking about how long it took to create. Your buyer cares about one thing: what result they get. A guide that saves someone 5 hours a week is worth $37, even if it took you 3 hours to write.
Pricing benchmarks that work in 2026:
- PDF guide / template pack: $9–$49
- Video tutorial / mini course: $19–$97
- Full online course: $97–$497
- Membership / subscription: $9–$29/month
For courses specifically, see how to price your mini course.
Step 4 — Launch to your existing audience first
You don’t need paid ads to make your first sales. Your existing followers are the warmest audience you’ll ever have. A 3-phase launch:
- Pre-launch (7 days before): Tease the problem, share behind-the-scenes, collect a waitlist
- Launch day: Email your list first with a discount, then post a Reel or carousel showing the transformation
- Last 24 hours: Countdown, urgency, testimonials — the “still thinking about it?” crowd buys here
How Much Can You Make Selling Content Online?
Real numbers from the creator economy:
- A fitness creator with 8,000 Instagram followers selling a $27 workout PDF earned $4,800 in her first launch — 177 sales with no ads
- A video editor selling a $39 tutorial pack on Gumroad makes ~$2,000/month from existing traffic and occasional Instagram posts
- A social media coach with 15,000 followers launched a $97 mini course and hit $12,000 in 10 days
The math works even at small scale. If 1% of your 5,000 followers buys a $37 product, that’s $1,850 from a single launch. And unlike brand deals, that product keeps selling.
Want to know what your current engagement rate means for potential product sales? Use the Instagram engagement calculator to benchmark your audience.
How to Keep Selling After the Launch
The launch is just the beginning. Here’s how to build passive income from your content:
- Email funnel: Set up a 5-email sequence that introduces your product to every new subscriber automatically. Day 1: welcome + free value. Day 3: the problem. Day 5: your solution.
- Evergreen social content: Repurpose your best launch content into regular posts. Testimonials, before/after stories, and results screenshots work year-round.
- Affiliate program: Let other creators earn commission selling your product. You reach new audiences with zero upfront cost.
- Bundle products: Once you have 2–3 products, bundle them at a discount. Bundles often outsell individual products.
Ready to turn your audience into paying customers? Read the full guide on how to turn followers into paying customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I sell content online?
Choose a platform (Payhip, Gumroad, Stan Store), create a focused digital product (PDF, video, template, or course), set a price based on the value you deliver, and launch to your existing audience first. You can be live and taking payments within a day.
What content sells best online?
In 2026, the highest-converting content types are: short video tutorials ($19–$97), Canva template packs ($9–$29), how-to PDF guides ($9–$49), and niche online courses ($97–$497). The common thread: they solve a specific, recurring problem for a defined audience.
What can I sell to make $10,000 a month?
At $97 you need ~103 sales/month. At $297 you need ~34 sales. The fastest path to $10k/month is a combination of a mid-ticket course ($97–$197) driving consistent sales through content marketing, plus an email list that converts new subscribers automatically.
Do I need a big following to sell content online?
No. Engagement matters more than follower count. A creator with 3,000 highly engaged followers in a niche consistently outperforms one with 50,000 passive followers. The key is having an audience with a specific shared problem you can solve.
What is the best site to sell content online for free?
Gumroad lets you start free (10% fee per sale). Payhip’s free plan charges 5%. Both have zero monthly fees and handle payments, delivery, and VAT automatically. For video specifically, Vimeo On Demand also has no upfront cost (10% per sale).
Not sure what your audience would actually pay for? Rupa scans your social media to find your most profitable product idea, then generates the outline, sales page, and email copy to help you launch fast. Find your best product idea today.