15 Best Things to Sell on Etsy to Actually Make Money
Profitable products ranked by margin, startup cost, and competition. No BS, just what works in 2025.
Last updated: January 2025 • 20 min read
Reality check: This is not a "get rich quick" list. Every product here requires work, consistency, and smart SEO. But these are proven, profitable categories where sellers are currently making good money.
How we ranked these: Profit margin, startup investment, time to first sale, competition level, and scalability. Products ranked #1-5 offer the best combination of all factors.
The 15 Most Profitable Products (Ranked)
#1: Digital Printables & Downloads
Wall art, planners, checklists, party decorations
Profit Margin
90-95%
Startup Cost
$0-$50
Competition
High
Time Investment
Low
Why it wins: Create once, sell infinitely. Zero inventory, instant delivery, no shipping headaches. The ultimate passive income product.
Top-selling digital products:
- • Printable wall art ($5-$15) - Motivational quotes, nursery prints, aesthetic designs
- • Digital planners ($8-$25) - Budget trackers, meal planners, wedding planners
- • SVG cut files for Cricut ($3-$8) - Holiday designs, monograms, sayings
- • Party printables ($6-$15) - Birthday banners, baby shower games, photo props
Reality check: High competition means you need great SEO. Use Marmalead to find low-competition keyword niches within the broader digital products category.
Tools you need: Corjl (from $7.99/mo for editable templates), or Adobe Creative Suite. That is it.
#2: Print-on-Demand T-Shirts & Apparel
T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, tank tops
Profit Margin
40-60%
Startup Cost
$0
Competition
High
Time Investment
Low
Why it works: Zero upfront inventory. Partner like Printify handles printing, packing, and shipping. You just create designs.
Winning POD niches:
- • Occupation-specific - "Nurse Life," "Teacher Squad," "Dog Groomer"
- • Hobby niches - Camping, knitting, fishing, pickleball
- • Funny mom/dad tees - Parenting humor always sells
- • Vintage/retro aesthetic - 70s style, retro fonts, nostalgic themes
Pro tip: Micro-niches win. "Golden Doodle Mom Shirt" beats "Dog Mom Shirt" every time.
#3: Personalized Gifts (Name, Date, Photo)
Custom jewelry, engraved items, photo gifts
Profit Margin
60-75%
Startup Cost
$200-$1K
Competition
Medium
Time Investment
Medium
Why people pay premium: Personalization makes gifts feel special and thoughtful. Buyers willingly pay 2-3X more for customization.
Hot personalized products:
- • Custom name necklaces ($25-$80) - Names, initials, coordinates
- • Engraved cutting boards ($40-$90) - Family names, wedding dates
- • Personalized kids books ($20-$35) - Child becomes the main character
- • Custom pet portraits (digital) ($25-$60) - Huge market, easy to scale
Barrier to entry: Requires equipment (laser engraver $300+, Cricut, or art skills). But higher barrier = less competition = better margins.
#4: Stickers & Vinyl Decals
Die-cut stickers, laptop stickers, car decals, planner stickers
Profit Margin
70-85%
Startup Cost
$150-$400
Competition
High
Time Investment
Low
Why stickers work: Low price point = impulse buys. Customers order multiples. Cheap to produce, easy to ship. Repeat customer potential is high.
Profitable sticker niches:
- • Aesthetic/trendy designs - Y2K, cottagecore, dark academia themes
- • Fandom stickers (Be careful with IP) - Book quotes, TV show references
- • Planner stickers - Functional stickers for bullet journals
- • Small business stickers - Thank you stickers, logo stickers, packaging
Equipment needed: Cricut or Silhouette machine ($200-$400), vinyl or sticker paper, weeding tools.
#5: Wedding Decorations & Favors
Signs, invitations, table numbers, guest books, favors
Profit Margin
65-80%
Startup Cost
$100-$500
Competition
Medium
Time Investment
Medium
Why weddings = money: Large order values (brides buy 10+ items per shop), emotional purchases (less price sensitivity), evergreen demand (2.3M weddings/year in US).
Best wedding products: Digital invitation templates ($15-$30), acrylic wedding signs ($30-$120), guest book alternatives ($40-$90), groomsmen gifts ($25-$60 × 5-10 pieces).
Products #6-10: Solid Profit Potential
These products rank slightly lower due to higher startup costs, more competition, or longer time to first sale. But they are still profitable for sellers who commit.
#6: Handmade Jewelry
Beaded bracelets, wire-wrapped rings, resin pieces
Margin: 60-75%
Startup: $200-$800
Competition: Very High
Challenge: Extremely saturated. Need unique style or niche (e.g., birthstone jewelry, zodiac jewelry) to stand out.
#7: Candles
Soy candles, wood wick candles, scented candles
Margin: 55-70%
Startup: $300-$800
Competition: High
Advantage: Consumable product = repeat customers. Seasonal opportunities (fall/winter spike).
#8: Resin Art & Coasters
Resin coasters, keychains, trays, phone grips
Margin: 65-80%
Startup: $150-$400
Competition: High
Learning curve: Resin is finicky (bubbles, curing time). But once mastered, very profitable.
#9: Tote Bags & Pouches
Canvas totes, makeup pouches, zipper bags
Margin: 50-65%
Startup: $200-$600
Competition: High
Best approach: POD for totes (via Printify) or handmade pouches with unique fabrics.
#10: Bath & Body Products
Soap, bath bombs, body scrubs, lip balms
Margin: 60-75%
Startup: $300-$1,000
Competition: Medium-High
Regulatory note: May require business liability insurance and compliance with cosmetics regulations depending on claims.
Products #11-15: Niche Opportunities
These products have smaller markets but dedicated buyers. Lower competition makes them worth considering.
#11: Crochet & Knit Items
Best sellers: Baby blankets, beanies, amigurumi stuffed animals. Challenge: Time-intensive = hard to scale. But loyal customers who appreciate handmade quality.
#12: Pet Accessories
Best sellers: Custom dog collars, pet bandanas, cat toys, pet memorial items. Why it works: Pet owners spend freely. Emotional purchases.
#13: Home Organization Solutions
Best sellers: Wooden drawer dividers, closet organizers, desk organizers. Market: Niche but growing with minimalism and home organization trends.
#14: Embroidery & Patches
Best sellers: Custom patches, embroidered hats, monogrammed towels. Equipment: Embroidery machine ($400-$2K). Lower competition than other crafts.
#15: Craft Supplies
Best sellers: SVG bundles for crafters, printable patterns, resin molds, sticker sheets for resale. Advantage: Selling TO crafters (B2B) = bulk orders.
How to Choose YOUR Product
Do not just chase #1. The "best" product for YOU depends on your situation. Use this decision framework:
The 5 Questions Decision Framework
- Budget: How much can you invest upfront?
Under $100 = Digital products or POD. $100-$500 = Stickers, candles, resin. $500+ = Jewelry, bath products, equipment-based crafts. - Time: How many hours per week can you dedicate?
5-10 hours = Digital or POD. 10-20 hours = Most handmade. 20+ hours = Scale any category. - Skills: What can you already do or learn quickly?
Designer = Digital products. Crafty = Handmade. Neither = POD is perfect. - Space: Do you have room for inventory and equipment?
No space = Digital or POD only. Small space = Stickers, jewelry. Garage/studio = Any category. - Passion: Can you create in this niche for 12+ months?
If you hate designing, do not do digital products. If you hate repetitive tasks, avoid handmade. Passion sustains you through the hard months.
The Research Phase: Do This BEFORE You Create Anything
Picking a product is only step one. Validating demand is step two. Here is how:
Step 1: Use Marmalead to Validate Demand
Before you create a single product, use Marmalead to answer:
- Are people actually searching for this product? (Search volume)
- How much competition exists? (Listing count)
- What keywords are buyers using? (Related searches)
- Is this trending up or down? (Trend data)
Step 2: Study Your Competitors
Find the top 10 bestselling shops in your chosen category. Analyze:
- What are their price points? (Can you compete?)
- What is their photo quality? (Can you match or beat it?)
- How many reviews do they have? (Indicates sales volume)
- What keywords are in their titles? (Use Marmalead to see hidden tags)
Step 3: Calculate True Profit Margins
Do not forget these costs most beginners miss:
- Materials: Actual cost per unit
- Your time: What is your hourly rate worth?
- Etsy fees: 6.5% transaction fee + 3% payment processing + $0.20 listing
- Shipping: Actual shipping cost OR cost if offering free shipping
- Packaging: Boxes, tissue paper, thank you cards, tape
- Tools/equipment: Amortized cost if you bought expensive equipment
Common Mistakes That Kill Profitability
❌ Avoid These Pitfalls
- Underpricing to compete - Racing to bottom kills your business. Compete on quality and niche, not price.
- Not factoring in your time - If you make $5 profit but spent 3 hours, you are making $1.67/hour. Not sustainable.
- Choosing products you do not enjoy - You will burn out fast. Pick something you can tolerate making hundreds of times.
- Ignoring SEO - The best product in the world does not matter if no one finds it. Master Etsy SEO or fail.
- Creating one product and waiting - You need 20-30 listings minimum for consistent sales. Volume matters.
Your Action Plan
- Pick 2-3 products from this list that match your budget, time, and skills
- Use Marmalead to research search volume and competition for your chosen products
- Study top competitors in each category - analyze pricing, photos, keywords, reviews
- Calculate real profit margins including ALL costs (materials, time, fees, shipping, packaging)
- Create 5-10 test products in your chosen category
- Optimize with proper SEO - use our Etsy SEO for Beginners guide
- Launch and track data - Etsy Stats will show you what is working
- Double down on winners, cut losers after 30-60 days
🚀 Ready to Find YOUR Profitable Product?
The difference between guessing and knowing is Marmalead. See real search volumes, competition levels, and trending products BEFORE you invest time and money creating inventory.
Try Marmalead Free for 30 Days →