26 Graphic Design Business Ideas To Start In [2024]
Are you interested in starting a graphic design business?
Graphic design is a broad industry with lots of avenues to pursue. Thus, to start a graphic design business, you need to understand your skill level and choose a suitable niche.
You also need to consider the current market size and trends so you choose a career that will enhance your profitability.
We put together a list of the best graphic design business ideas you can start in 2024
In this list of ideas, you can find:
- Home-based graphic design businesses to start.
- Low investment online graphic design business ideas.
- Unique graphics design business opportunities.
Here they are:
1. Start a graphic design app
A graphic design application is a SaaS application that allows users create online graphics. Examples of graphic design applications include Snappa, adobe Photoshop, and GIMP.
Modern businesses need digital branding, holograms, and poster designs, to maximize the customer reach abilities. Therefore, graphic designers are becoming the most in-demand professionals.
The high demand is a good basis for choosing graphic design applications as one of the best app business ideas in 2022. Before you kick start the graphics design app business idea, here are technical skills you may consider:
- Design principles
- Idea generation
- Branding skills
- Typography
- Print designing
- UX and UI Design
While coding skills and cross-platform development skills are important to start developing applications, you can hire developers online.
How much you can make: $100 — $83,500/month
How much does it cost to start: $500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
Learn how two friends bootstrapped a SaaS business to $55k monthly recurring revenue (MRR) by creating a simple graphic design tool for non-designers and focusing on content marketing for customer acquisition.
2. Become a graphic designer
Graphic designing involves creating sketch designs and materials for corporate clients, advertising agencies, public relations firms, and publishers. Besides, graphic designers provide visual solutions to specific company images, log design, and branding problems.
Graphic design is an excellent career for creative thinkers who enjoy using their talent and artistic skills combined with technology and communication abilities to come up with unique solutions for their clients.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $81,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $700 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
This case study features Md. Yousuf Ali, the founder of Rank Trends, who shares how he started a successful digital marketing agency, which generated a revenue of over $6k per month through SEO and video production services.
3. Start a white label graphic design
A white label graphic design company is an ideal product for marketing agencies that are not large enough to support an in-house graphic designer. Therefore, the agency contracts graphic design work to the white label supplier.
According to statistics, the graphic design services market will surpass $10 billion in the next few years. If you have a passion for graphic design but are not yet ready to build your in-house graphic design tools and resources, white label graphic design can be the best deal.
To start, choose a white label design provider and focus on developing the designs. The top graphic design services to resell include white label logo design, business card design, Ad design, etc.
How long does it take to build: 365 days (?)
4. Start a graphic design business
Graphic designers create logos, brochures, ads, and other marketing materials for companies and organizations. They also design websites and other digital content, including social media graphics.
Graphic designers may specialize in one type of design (such as print or web design), or they can be generalists who do everything from logo design to social media graphics.
Starting a graphic design business can be one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do. It’s not easy, but if you’re passionate about design and want to make a living, starting your own graphic design business is a great way to go.
Consider a suitable pricing structure when starting a graphic design business. You may charge the customers per hour or fixed pricing based on the project’s nature.
How much you can make: $2,500 — $1,750,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 87 days (?)
Learn how two friends bootstrapped a SaaS business to $55k monthly recurring revenue (MRR) by creating a simple graphic design tool for non-designers and focusing on content marketing for customer acquisition.
5. Start a digital art & design business
Digital art and design is often used to create visual content for websites, apps, and other digital platforms.
Digital art and design businesses can be either freelance or full-time.
They can work in-house for larger companies or as independent contractors for other businesses or individuals.
How much you can make: $876 — $169,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,750 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
UX Studio, a user experience design agency based in Budapest, Hungary, founded by Dávid Pásztor, has grown to generate almost $2 million USD in revenue per year with a profit rate of 20.5%, while supporting dozens of clients across various industries and running two successful independent product teams.
6. Become a digital product designer
A digital product designer is a multidisciplinary professional who is involved in the creation of digital products. A digital product designer is responsible for the whole process from an initial concept to the launch of a product.
Many designers are looking for how to make a living with their designs. They want to build websites, sell products online, and be as productive as possible. It's hard these days because there are more designers than ever working on the same projects. But with some basic actionable techniques, you will easily succeed in creating a sustainable digital product design business.
Starting a digital product designer business is a great side hustle for graphic designers looking for an alternative to freelancing. The idea is simple: grow a portfolio of user interface design PSD templates and sell them to new businesses.
How much you can make: $3,500 — $300,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
A software agency started by a non-technical founder helps diverse clients with their minimum lovable product, boasting a revenue of over $700,000 this year with a 20% profit margin and a team of 8.
7. Become a NFT artist
NFT art is a new way of categorizing digital artworks that enable designers to monetize their work. To become an NFT artist, begin creating art pieces and upload your digital art to blockchain on a platform like Binance NFT marketplace.
Selling NFT art can help you earn money easily. NFT artists sell physical art pieces like paintings, drawings, and photographs.
How much you can make: $12,500 — $1,000,000/month
How long does it take to build: 19 days (?)
Chibi Dinos NFT, a play-to-earn NFT community co-founded by 25-year-old Sean Kelly, earned $2.4M in revenue during its initial sale, reinvesting 60% of its earnings into staffing and marketing while earning $2,005.0453th in secondary sales on OpenSea, thanks to tapping into Twitter users as part of its marketing strategy.
8. Start a Greeting Cards Business
People use greeting cards to mark births, deaths, graduations, anniversaries, and other parties or events.
If you love helping people celebrate special occasions, starting a greeting card business can be a great business opportunity.
When starting a greeting card business, choose a potential niche and write a business plan.
Then, find an ideal spot to sell the greeting cards.
For instance, you can offer greeting card design and posting services, so customers can choose the best designs and post greeting cards online.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $100,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $8,750 (?)
How long does it take to build: 77 days (?)
Joker Greeting sells unique prank gifts, including a non-stop musical birthday card, an idea raised by the founders visiting their mom's house, having no website or marketing and yet raising $92,073 on Kickstarter in 30 days due to being picked up by media, enabling them to sell 15,000 units in the first year, owned SEO for their niche, selling almost 40,000 units in 2017 and expected to reach 50,000 to 60,000 in 2018 with a small team, using Shopify and various social media channels with lots of organic traffic.
9. Start a book cover and case business
Statistics show that the US book publishing industry generates approximately $26 billion in annual revenue. No matter how informative the content, it takes having a high-quality book cover to draw the reader's attention.
Therefore, starting a book cover engraving business could be an attractive strategy for drawing customers to your business.
10. Start a catalogues business
A catalog is a list or record of items used for introducing new ideas. Businesses use catalogs to create awareness and inspire consumers to purchase.
As more businesses come up nowadays, entrepreneurs are taking advantage of digital printing in helping to grow digital or brick & mortar enterprises. If you are a graphics designer, you can earn money by applying those skills in designing catalogs to help businesses maximize exposure.
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
11. Become a vr ui/ux designer
With the recent push for metaverse, designers and developers are now intrigued by the world of virtual reality. The UI/UX process of designing for VR is similar to designing for mobile, desktop, or other platforms.
The goal of a UI/UX designer for VR is to simplify complex tasks, improve the usability of a product, and make the VR user’s experience more delightful. UI and UX design are important in AR, where users must interact with virtual objects in the real world.
There is a huge opportunity for UX and UI designers to apply their skills to designing user interfaces for VR. Therefore, starting a UI/UX design for VR can be a profitable venture.
How much you can make: $15,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $999 (?)
How long does it take to build: 362 days (?)
Learn how bootstrapping a web design consultancy from scratch can net $180K annually, boost your credibility through strategic design choices, and maintain a lean operation with 15 contractors across 5 continents to maximize a 40-50% gross margin.
12. Start a digital printing press business
Digital printing transfers digital images directly onto various media types such as paper, canvas, fabric, and card stock. If you are a graphic designer, you might want to start your own digital printing business. Digital printing business requires minimal investment, and it is easy to start. Digital printing businesses can offer many products, such as restaurant menus, invitation cards, message cards, product labels, custom envelopes, brochures, and flyers.
There will always be a demand for digital printing services. You can attract many customers by offering quality results at affordable prices.
13. Start a sign holders business
Signage is important for home and business owners. Proper signage allows businesses to market and advertise their products or services and make the brands recognizable to customers. For homeowners, signage indicates the home's address, so visitors can find them easily.
Homeowners and business owners invest in high-quality signage holders to make the signs visible. Thus, starting a signage holder business can be profitable and a fun investment. To start a stand design and production business, find out the type of signage businesses and how homeowners use and design outstanding holders.
14. Start a bumper stickers business
Custom bumper stickers can be a great idea when it comes to making money from your graphic design skills. Bumper stickers are becoming widely popular and easy to make, providing business owners with phenomenal profit margins.
Remember, bumper sticker sales spike relative to trending or popular subjects. After a trend has passed, the income flow from the bumper stickers business might reduce. Thus, you ought to be keen and make the stickers as soon as there is a new trend. In addition, it could be a great idea if you introduce a deal discount or any other incentive to drive traffic towards your store.
How much you can make: $5,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 195 days (?)
Discover how Viva Magenta Project, a bold venture in bespoke packaging solutions, skyrocketed its client base and revenue by leveraging targeted Google Ads, strategic social media engagement, and outstanding customer service, all while remaining debt-free on an initial $1,250 investment.
15. Start a wall stickers business
Nowadays, wall stickers have become a trendy choice for decorating walls. Most people want their offices, bedrooms, and living rooms decorated perfectly because the wall stickers provide a soothing feeling and help to relax minds.
Besides the elegant look, custom wallpapers are also easy to remove, hence a popular choice for many households.
Starting a custom wall stickers business does not have to be a difficult task. If you are artistic, you can create and sell custom wall stickers to homeowners and businesses near you before expanding your reach to global customers.
16. Start a wallpaper business
Wallpapers are a popular trend, and the installation appetite will not stop soon. Homeowners go for various designs, from traditional florals to contemporary geometric, tropical patterns, etc.
Therefore, printing different substrates could make wallpaper trends even more exciting. Start by thinking about the various attractive designs and colors that will attract your target customers. Factor the scale of the flowers in the patterns and choose designs that make rooms large and create an appealing space.
17. Start a phone stickers business
Phone sticker design and printing is a lucrative business and will keep becoming more good years to come. As more people buy smartphones and smart mobile devices, sticker companies will get more profitable.
Starting a phone sticker is not as capital-intensive as other printing businesses. Thus, setting up your own phone sticker business can be great. You can sell stickers from a brick & mortar shop, but making them available online via Etsy and Amazon can be a great business idea.
How much does it cost to start: $100 (?)
18. Start a custom stickers business
Custom stickers are versatile and can be used in various marketing campaigns. Including direct mail and social media marketing.
Marketers prefer custom-made campaign stickers as they are unique and make marketing quite affordable. Besides, custom stickers improve brand visibility and the general look of your packaging. Therefore, creating a custom stickers business can be a great business opportunity.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $200,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $7,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Jordyn Alison Designs owner Jordyn, has grown her hand-lettered stationary business to average $3,000 a month by expanding her product line to include greeting cards, vinyl stickers, notepads, apparel and more, while also using social media to promote her launches and gauging customer interest.
19. Start a product label design business
A well-designed product label can have a huge impact on the success of a business. Consumers make split-second decisions based on the product label looks, often even before looking at the price tag. Thus, if you are a graphic designer, you can start creating professional-quality product labels for businesses in your locality or even nationally. To succeed in the product label design business, target upcoming startups.
How much you can make: $6,000 — $1,000,000/month
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Ladels.com's founder created a digital platform offering online sellers to manage and ship their orders from different carriers all on one dashboard, bringing in $10,000/month in revenue since launching in December 2020, with a focus on developing full label customization and integrations with more eCommerce marketplaces and carriers.
20. Start a silkscreen printing business
Silkscreen printing is an ancient art form that has progressed from stenciling to an entirely automated printing technique.
Today, graphic T-shirts are the best examples of a silk screen printing business. Most graphic designers use silkscreen printing to create custom T-shirts that attract potential customers. Silkscreen printing customers can include corporations, sports teams, families, private schools, etc.
21. Become a newsletter templates designer
Digital marketers rely on newsletters to keep in touch with their subscribers regularly. To attract the attention of their subscribers with every newsletter they send, these digital marketers hire newsletter template designers to plan and create visuals with accompanying messages.
If you love graphic design and can design newsletter templates, you create several templates and start a website where marketers can download relevant newsletter templates at a fee.
How much you can make: $400,000/month
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Case study about Dmytro Kudrenko and his flagship product, Stripo, an email template builder for marketers that went from zero to one million users worldwide and has a monthly recurring revenue of about $400,000 in an effort to simplify the email creation process and provide flexibility in email design without coding skills.
22. Start a motion graphics and animated billboards business
Motion graphics and billboard animation have become marketers’ favorite tools nowadays. The trend is large because consumers are attracted to visuals and moving images, making animated billboards a powerful marketing aid. With various graphic design tools available today, you can create animated billboards with endless customization possibilities.
23. Start a graphics design and video editing
Graphic design and video editing are perfect complementary skills you can leverage to start a side hustle or main business. Video and social media marketing are fields where professionals with these complementary skills are in high demand. If you are a graphics designer, you can learn video editing skills and start a successful business along this line.
How much you can make: $30,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,000 (?)
FilterGrade is an eCommerce platform offering digital assets such as photo filters and video templates; attracting over 450,000 monthly users and generating approximately 30k a month, the founders worked hard to build a valuable marketplace for creators while focusing on digital marketing, partnerships, and content creation.
Web graphic designers are responsible for curating websites aesthetics, from logos to fonts and images. As a web graphic designer, you will work with other designers and web developers to decide the direction for the website’s images. To reach the website users, Wen graphics enhance the representation of ideas or feelings.
To be a successful web graphic designer, you must have a good understanding of front-end and back-end coding, so you create functional designs that work and are appealing.
25. Become a font designer
Font designers create fonts to meet clients’ needs. A font designer can work for a marketing company or independently, where they create fonts and sell them. To become a top-notch font designer, you need strong graphic designing and typography skills.
26. Start a graphics design courses
The employment of graphic designers is growing steadily, and many people are keen to take up opportunities in the sector. Starting a graphics design school can be a great business idea if you are a professional graphics designer. To start, identify potential niches and come up with the course contents. You can market your courses online or even target local customers locally.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
