Passive Income Ideas For Graphic Designers [2024]
Interested in earning passive income as a Graphic designer in 2024?
We put together a few of the best passive income ideas you can start as a Graphic designer today. These will help you increase your quality of life by bringing in more income for yourself or your business.
For each income idea, we’ll show you real-world examples, revenue expectations for each idea, plus some things you might need to know before you start your passive income journey as a Graphic designer.
Here's the full list:
1. Make passive income with a stock photography business ($14.6K/month)
As a graphic designer, you could diversify your income by starting a stock photography business. Since you already have an eye for aesthetics and composition, transferring those skills to photography could give you an edge. By creating and uploading high-quality stock photos, you could build an impressive portfolio that attracts businesses seeking fresh visuals for marketing purposes.
Investing in some good photography gear and learning the basics of stock photography is a practical first step. With your design skills, your photos could stand out, potentially yielding higher sales. An excellent online presence could also help you sell your stock photos faster, turning your creative efforts into a steady stream of passive income.
How much you can make: $1,200 — $45,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Pro Photo Studio founder Tsour Lee Adato shares how she turned a $5k investment into a business that services over 500 clients annually and makes approximately $350k per year with plans to expand and become a 7-figure business while offering advice to fellow entrepreneurs to always be innovating, learning and growing, and not to undervalue themselves.
2. Make passive income with an online course sales business ($85K/month)
As a graphic designer, you could use your expertise to create online courses and share your skills with others. Whether it's teaching beginner-level design principles, advanced techniques in Adobe software, or how to create a successful design portfolio, there's a broad audience eager to learn. By developing these courses, you could generate a steady income stream without having to constantly trade your time for money.
You could start by identifying a target audience, such as aspiring graphic designers or small business owners who need design skills, and then create engaging, easy-to-follow lessons. There are many online learning platforms where you could host and sell your course, such as Udemy or Skillshare. With the e-learning market expected to grow significantly, the demand for quality design courses is likely to increase, offering you a promising opportunity for passive income.
How much you can make: $100 — $300,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
A multipreneur shares how she built a successful print on demand side hustle, generating $120,000 per year through multiple brands spread over various platforms.
3. Make passive income with a social media automation business ($139K/month)
As a graphic designer, you could start a social media automation business to tap into the growing need for consistent and strategic social media engagement. This involves creating tools and services, such as scheduling posts and automating interactions across various social media platforms, which a lot of clients, from small businesses to influencers, would find incredibly valuable.
You could leverage your design skills to create visually appealing posts and templates, adding even more value to your automation services. This business would allow you to combine your creativity with technology and marketing, making it a potentially lucrative side hustle or even a full-time endeavor over time.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $400,000/month
How long does it take to build: 50 days (?)
MeetEdgar, a bootstrapped social media automation tool founded in 2014 by Laura Roeder, has grown to $4 million in annual recurring revenue and more than 5,000 customers, with a team size of two dozen, achieved through content marketing, social media marketing, and organic search.
4. Make passive income with a niche blog ($31.5K/month)
Starting a niche blog as a graphic designer could allow you to share your expertise with others while creating a steady stream of passive income. You could tap into niches like fashion, film reviews, or video games—areas where your design skills and eye for aesthetics can set your content apart. Imagine creating how-to guides, top product lists, or even spotlighting conventions and events related to your niche.
To monetize your blog, you could use affiliate links, partner with relevant brands, and even expand into creating a YouTube channel for video content. As you gain visibility and followers, these collaborations can turn into speaking engagements or sponsorships, providing additional income streams. All it takes is a passion for your topic, engaging content, and regular interaction with your followers to see your niche blog grow into a profitable venture.
How much you can make: $100 — $650,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $650 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Starter Story grew to 1.4 million monthly visitors and millions in annual revenue by sharing the stories of entrepreneurs. Pat breaks down the early days and how he grew the business into something that changed his life.
5. Print on demand business ($411K/month)
As a graphic designer, starting a print-on-demand business could be a great way for you to make extra money and tap into a new income stream by using your existing skills. By creating unique designs for products like t-shirts, phone cases, and home goods, you could reach a global audience without worrying about upfront inventory costs and storage. This model allows you to design trendy and unique items, upload them to marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon, and eBay, and let the print-on-demand service handle production and shipping.
This means you could focus on what you do best—designing—while the dropshipping production and fulfillment services take care of the rest. With minimal startup costs and the ability to manage the business from home, it's a flexible way to monetize your creativity and build a scalable business at your own pace. It's not just about earning extra income; it's about tapping into a vast market of potential customers who appreciate unique, custom-designed products.
How much you can make: $200 — $3,000,000/month
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Founder Roy Kirchner shares how he started an eCommerce business specializing in 3D printing with an initial investment of $65,000, which now averages monthly gross sales of $330,000 and has partnered with international manufacturers and local businesses while offering technical support and education.
6. Make passive income with a subscription box business ($97.9K/month)
As a graphic designer, you could tap into your creative skills and unique vision to start a subscription box business. The design aspect of curating and presenting a beautifully crafted box each month aligns perfectly with your existing talents. You could focus on niche markets you are passionate about, providing themed designs, exclusive products, or even DIY art projects that cater to a specific audience.
By leveraging your understanding of aesthetics and design, you could make each subscription box visually appealing and marketable. Perfecting the box's look and feel, and establishing a good relationship with fulfillment companies to ensure smooth delivery, would be key steps in building a successful subscription business. This venture could provide you with passive income and a fun, creative way to expand your professional portfolio.
How much you can make: $400 — $400,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $210 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
Vowed Box Co. is a line of curated, quirky gift boxes with non-traditional brides in mind, offering four different products that have helped the business become profitable most months since its launch in 2018, with a monthly income of roughly $600.
7. Make passive income with a niche website ($107K/month)
As a graphic designer, starting a niche website could be an exciting way to supplement your income while capitalizing on your creative skills. A niche website focuses on a specialized topic, allowing you to combine your graphic design talents with a particular interest or passion. You could create engaging content like tutorials, design resources, or blog posts that attract a dedicated audience.
Once your niche website starts gaining traffic, you could explore various monetization options, such as affiliate marketing, ad placements, or even selling your own digital products like templates or e-books. This venture might require an initial investment of time in research and content creation, but once established, it could generate passive income with relatively minimal upkeep. If you’re willing to invest the effort, a niche website could become a rewarding side project that complements your career as a graphic designer.
How much you can make: $400 — $250,000/month
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
DPW (Digital Procurement World) is a fast-growing conference and community in procurement that has more than tripled in revenue since launching in 2019, capping out the year at €1.8 million, with 95% of their growth coming from inbound traffic leveraging LinkedIn and applying social selling techniques.
8. Make passive income with a YouTube channel ($72.1K/month)
If you have a knack for creating compelling video content, starting a YouTube channel might be your next big move. As a graphic designer, you could use your channel to share your design process, offer how-to guides, or even provide critiques on popular design trends. This platform allows you to showcase your expertise and passion while potentially earning revenue through ads, sponsorships, and merchandise.
Building a successful YouTube channel requires consistency and quality. You'd need to plan your content, shoot and edit videos, and engage with your audience regularly. Despite the effort involved, the creative freedom and potential financial rewards make it a fulfilling and worthwhile endeavor.
How much you can make: $2,000 — $333,333/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,250 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
This case study follows the journey of a young entrepreneur from Nigeria who started a profitable blog generating a monthly revenue of $1,500+ through sales of advertising space, sponsored posts, and information products, and shares his strategies for success including a Twitter growth challenge and guest post pitches.
9. Make passive income with a mobile app ($70.3K/month)
As a graphic designer, you could supplement your income and start earning passive income by developing a mobile app. This could be an app that leverages your design skills, such as a productivity tool or a creative platform for other designers. By planning an engaging user experience and designing appealing interfaces, you can create a visually attractive app that draws users in.
Even if you don't have coding expertise, you could still bring your idea to life by collaborating with a skilled developer. Once your app is ready, effective marketing will be essential to attract users and achieve downloads. With dedication and a solid strategy, your app could gain significant traction and generate substantial revenue, turning your creative idea into a successful passive income stream.
How much you can make: $1 — $500,000/month
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
BACH, an app that plans and books bachelorette parties, has grown from $0 to >$1M net revenue run rate in less than 6 months, gained over 100,000 users in their first 60 days, and has over 40,000 parties using the app this month.
10. Make passive income with an ai based business solution ($55.8K/month)
As a graphic designer, starting an AI-based business solution could be a strategic way to supplement your income and expand your career horizons. AI can automate repetitive design tasks, analyze consumer preferences, and even generate artwork based on specific criteria, freeing up more time for you to focus on creative projects. This technology could also help you offer advanced services to your clients, such as personalized marketing materials and data-driven design suggestions.
You could consider developing or partnering with an AI platform that provides design automation tools, thereby earning passive income from subscriptions or usage fees. Even without a tech background, many AI platforms are user-friendly and come with robust support, making it easier to integrate them into your workflow. By leveraging AI, you could not only increase your efficiency but also capture a share of the rapidly growing market for intelligent business solutions.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $120,000/month
How long does it take to build: 125 days (?)
Mikkelsen Twins grew an online education company from scratch with over 800 students, making over 6-figures in profit every month thanks to their successful program, Audiobook Income Academy 2.0.
11. Make passive income with a wordpress plugin business ($33.4K/month)
As a graphic designer familiar with using WordPress, you likely appreciate the value of plugins in enhancing website functionality. If you've ever identified a recurring problem or a specific need that isn't fully addressed by existing plugins, you could develop a plugin to solve that issue. Your design skills would also come in handy to make your plugin user-friendly and visually appealing.
In addition to solving a specific need, selling your WordPress plugin online through platforms like CodeCanyon or your blog could bring in a steady stream of income. By addressing issues other WordPress users face, you provide value and create a passive income opportunity contingent on your plugin’s ongoing sales. This entrepreneurial avenue allows you to leverage your existing knowledge and skills in a new, profitable way.
How much you can make: $120 — $120,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Wheely Sales CEO Josh created a lucky wheel popup that has grown revenue from $0 to $600/month in just 4 months since getting started and has attracted over 1.1 million users to his customers’ websites, all while proving that when it comes to creating a product, competition is validation.
12. Make passive income with an affiliate marketing business ($77.5K/month)
If you're a graphic designer looking for a side hustle, consider starting an affiliate marketing business. As an affiliate marketer, you could promote products and services related to your field, such as design software, hardware, or creative tools that you already use and trust. You'd earn a commission for every sale made through your unique affiliate links, providing a stream of passive income.
To get started, you could partner with eCommerce stores or manufacturers that offer the products your audience is likely interested in. For instance, if you frequently use a specific design tablet or software suite, becoming an affiliate for its manufacturer might make sense. By sharing your genuine experiences and recommendations on your website, blog, or social media, you could generate income while adding value to your followers.
How much you can make: $500 — $773,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $700 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
13. Make passive income with an AI writing tool ($255K/month)
As a graphic designer, you could supplement your income by developing an AI writing tool. Since you’re familiar with creative processes, you might find it exciting to venture into creating a digital tool that uses Artificial Intelligence to generate content. This tool could save time for businesses, bloggers, and students by producing accurate and engaging text quickly.
With your existing skills in design, you could create an intuitive and visually appealing user interface for the AI writing tool, making it user-friendly. This would not only help in attracting more users but also make it a unique product in a growing market. Starting this project could be a step towards diversifying your revenue streams while leveraging the increasing demand for quality content.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $1,000,000/month
How long does it take to build: 52 days (?)
Rytr, a new AI writing assistant developed by a startup platform and business incubator, has become a market leader, serving over 300,000 customers across the world and doing seven figures in ARR.
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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.
