17 Side Hustles That Actually Work for Graphic Designers
Working as a graphic designer opens up tons of ways to make extra money beyond your regular job at an agency, print shop, or freelance gigs. The skills you've already developed can be turned into profitable side businesses that help you hit your financial goals much faster.
The tricky part? Balancing your full-time work while building something on the side without burning out. It takes effort, but these opportunities can become real businesses if you stick with them.
Here are 17 side hustles that actually work for graphic designers:
1. Build a Niche Photography Business
Got a camera and love taking photos? Skip the crowded stock photo market - it's way too competitive now and the money isn't what it used to be.
Instead, pick something specific you're passionate about. Maybe it's bird photography, beach scenes, or urban landscapes. Build up a collection around that niche and sell directly to people who need exactly that type of image.
Think about what makes your photos different. Do you need special lenses for unique angles? Maybe you've got a particular editing style that makes your work stand out. The Netflix series "Tales by Light" shows just how profitable specialized photography can be.
2. Design T-Shirts for Amazon Merch
Everyone thinks the t-shirt business is too crowded, but people are still making serious money - some designers earn $10,000+ per month on Amazon's platform alone.
Amazon's Merch by Amazon program is invite-only but worth getting into. You upload designs, they handle printing and shipping, and you get paid when someone buys your shirt. The startup costs are basically zero since Amazon does all the heavy lifting.
The key is putting in consistent work to build your brand. It's competitive, but the platform gives you access to millions of shoppers without having to build your own audience first.
3. Create and Sell Poster Designs
If you're good at making eye-catching artwork or have photos from places you've traveled, why keep them to yourself? Set up an online shop and start selling prints.
People love decorating their spaces with unique artwork, and custom posters are always in demand. You can sell everything from motivational quotes to travel photography to abstract designs.
4. Sell Design Templates
This is one of the smartest ways to make money as a designer because you create something once and can sell it over and over. Make templates for business cards, social media posts, presentations, or anything else people need regularly.
Creative Market is probably the biggest platform for this, but you can also sell on your own website. The more variety you offer, the wider your potential customer base becomes.
5. Design Custom Maps
Love traveling or know your local area really well? Create custom maps showing the best spots to visit, eat, or explore.
You don't have to be a world traveler - local maps work great too. Design maps of your hometown's best restaurants, hiking trails, or tourist attractions. Maps make popular wall art and people are always looking for unique ways to remember special places.
6. Create Travel Journals
With more people traveling than ever, first-time visitors want guidance from someone who's actually been there. If you've explored different places, turn that experience into a beautiful travel journal.
Focus on specific destinations or types of travel. Make it visually appealing and include insider tips that travel agents might not share. Even with all the travel apps out there, people still want personal recommendations from real travelers.
7. Design Phone and Laptop Decals
Smartphones and laptops are super personal, and people want them to reflect their personality. Decal design is cheap to start and quick to produce.
You won't make huge money right away, but it's satisfying to earn passive income while you sleep. Platforms like Society6 and Etsy make it easy to reach customers without building your own website.
8. Teach Online Courses
People want to learn design skills, and who better to teach them than someone already working in the field? Creating an online course takes effort upfront, but it can become a steady income stream.
Skillshare and Udemy are the biggest platforms for this. You'll need to plan your content, record videos, and create supporting materials, but once it's live, you earn money every time someone enrolls.
9. Become an Info Product Creator
This is similar to online courses but requires less work. Create PDF guides, e-books, or resource collections that people can buy and download immediately.
It's faster than making videos and easier to update. You can cover anything from design principles to software tutorials to business advice for other designers.
10. Sell Your Design Assets
Every designer has favorite tools, fonts, icons, or plugins they've customized over time. If other designers would find them useful, why not sell them?
Think about what you've created that makes your work unique - custom brushes, icon sets, color palettes, or workflow templates. Other designers are always looking for assets that can speed up their process.
11. Self-Publish Books on Kindle
Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing makes it incredibly easy to publish books without going through traditional publishers. Write about design topics, share your experience, or create visual guides.
You can also use CreateSpace (now part of Kindle Direct Publishing) to offer print versions. Amazon's massive reach means your book can find readers worldwide, and you keep a good percentage of each sale.
12. Sell Home Design Plans
If you enjoy designing houses or room layouts, there's a market for ready-made home designs. Some people prefer browsing existing plans rather than hiring an architect from scratch.
This field is still relatively new, which means less competition. You're also pushing the industry to be more creative and innovative, which benefits everyone.
13. Create Illustrations for Publishers
With all the content being published online, there's huge demand for custom illustrations. Articles, blog posts, and digital publications need visual elements to keep readers engaged.
Images and drawings are crucial for explaining complex ideas and making content more appealing. You can use Shopify to create an online portfolio and sell directly to publishers who need regular illustration work.
14. Sell Your Artwork
If you create art with a unique style, don't just hang it on your walls - sell it. Platforms like Design by Humans specialize in connecting artists with buyers who appreciate original work.
The key is developing a consistent style that people recognize and want to own. Once you build a following, you can command higher prices for original pieces.
15. Design App Templates
Every business needs a mobile app these days, but hiring developers is expensive for small startups. They often can't afford custom development when they're just getting started.
Create ready-made app design templates they can customize and launch quickly. Sell Android and iOS templates on platforms like MyAppTemplates and AppDesignVault. You're saving them thousands in development costs while earning money from your design skills.
16. Build a Freelance Business
Freelancing might seem obvious, but it's worth mentioning because it's one of the most profitable moves you can make. You'll earn more per hour than most staff positions, plus you'll build relationships with growing startups in your specialty area.
Freelancing also helps you build your personal brand and figure out what direction you want to take your career. The connections you make often lead to bigger opportunities down the road.
17. Start a Design Community
Designer Hangout built a community of over 6,000 UX designers on Slack. While they don't charge membership fees, they make money through partnerships with companies like Adobe, hosting events, and running job boards.
You could charge membership fees for access to your community on Slack, Facebook, or other platforms. The key is providing real value that makes designers want to stick around and participate.
Other Opportunities Worth Exploring
Teaching at General Assembly: This design education company hires skilled designers to teach classes in major cities and online. Pay depends on how many classes you can handle, but instructors can earn good money sharing their expertise.
Online Coaching: Platforms like Coach.me and Savvy make it easy to offer career coaching to other designers. Most coaches charge either hourly or per session, with packages focused on helping clients reach specific goals.
Starting a Podcast: The design community loves podcasts. If you can create valuable content that attracts listeners, brands will want to sponsor your show. Focus on becoming a top-rated podcast in your niche for the best monetization opportunities.
Physical Product Design: Designers have a natural advantage creating physical products that catch people's attention. Greeting cards are a great starting point - submit designs to sites like Ohhdear to get started, then eventually print your own cards and sell directly on Etsy for higher profits.
Making It Work
The biggest challenge with any side hustle is maintaining quality in your main job while building something new. Start small with one or two options that excite you most, then expand once you've got a system that works.
Remember, these aren't just side gigs - many can become full businesses that replace your day job income. The skills you already have as a designer give you a huge head start in any of these areas.
Pick something that matches your interests and current skill level. If you love photography, start there. If you're more business-minded, consider teaching or coaching. The key is consistency - small efforts over time add up to significant results.
Your design skills are valuable in more ways than you might realize. These side hustles let you leverage what you already know while building new income streams that can change your financial future.
