Turning your creativity into cash doesn’t have to break the bank. With Etsy, you can start a side hustle with as little as $100 or less, making it one of the most accessible ways to launch a small business from home. Whether you love crafting, designing, or curating unique items, there’s an Etsy shop idea out there for you. The best part? You don’t need a huge inventory or expensive tools to get started—you just need a spark of creativity and a willingness to try.
In this post, we’ve rounded up a few Etsy side hustle ideas you can start for $100 or less, perfect for beginners or anyone looking to launch a low-risk creative business. From handmade goods to digital designs, you can turn a small budget into a profitable Etsy shop. Get ready to explore inspiration, tips, and simple ways to start your Etsy journey without spending a fortune.
1. Printable Wall Art
Creating printable wall art is one of the easiest and most budget-friendly Etsy shop ideas you can start. With just a subscription to Canva, you can design beautiful, professional-looking art that customers can download instantly. If you want to step up your game, software like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator opens up more advanced design possibilities. For those who want to go all-in, investing in an iPad with the Procreate app and an Apple Pencil allows for hand-drawn designs and even more creative freedom. Whether you stick with simple designs or dive into more advanced tools, printable wall art is a versatile way to launch a low-cost, high-potential Etsy side hustle.
Startup Cost: $12.99/month to get started, with options up to $500+.
2. Printable Planners
Selling printable planners on Etsy is a low-cost, high-demand way to start a creative side hustle. With a subscription to Canva or Adobe Express, you can design stylish and functional planners that customers can download instantly. For those ready to take their designs to the next level, more advanced software like Adobe InDesign offers greater customization and professional design tools. Whether you’re keeping it simple or diving into advanced layouts, printable planners are a versatile way to combine creativity with profit.
Startup Cost: 12.99/month to 22.99/month.
3. Crochet / Knitting Patterns
If you love crafting, selling crochet or knitting patterns on Etsy is a low-cost way to turn your hobby into a side hustle. With minimal startup costs, you can create digital patterns that customers can download and use to make their own projects. All you need is your creativity, basic tools, and the ability to write clear, easy-to-follow instructions. Whether you’re designing cozy scarves, cute toys, or stylish home décor, digital patterns are a simple and profitable way to share your passion with the world.
Startup Cost: ~$30
4. Digital Recipe Cards
Selling digital recipe cards on Etsy is a fun and affordable way to turn your love of cooking or design into a side hustle. With a Canva subscription, you can create beautiful, easy-to-download recipe cards that customers can print at home. Whether you focus on family favorites, seasonal meals, or themed collections, digital recipe cards are a low-cost, high-potential way to share your creativity and inspire others in the kitchen.
Startup Cost: 12.99/month
5. Custom Beaded Keychains
Creating custom beaded keychains is a fun, affordable, and beginner-friendly Etsy side hustle. With a small investment in supplies—easily sourced from Amazon—you can design colorful, personalized keychains that customers love. From initials and favorite colors to themed designs, beaded keychains offer endless creative possibilities. This low-cost, high-potential craft is perfect for anyone looking to turn a hobby into a profitable Etsy shop.
Startup Cost: ~$60
6. Digital Invitations
Selling digital invitations on Etsy is a low-cost, high-demand way to start a creative side hustle. With just a Canva subscription, you can design beautiful, customizable invitations for birthdays, weddings, baby showers, and more. Customers can download and print them instantly, making your creations both convenient and appealing. Whether you stick to simple templates or get creative with unique designs, digital invitations are an easy way to combine your design skills with a profitable Etsy shop.
Startup Cost: $12.99/month
7. Friendship Bracelets
Selling friendship bracelets on Etsy is a fun, creative, and low-cost way to start a side hustle. With colorful threads and beads—easily purchased from Amazon—you can craft bracelets that customers will love. From trendy patterns to custom initials and color combinations, friendship bracelets offer endless creative possibilities. This beginner-friendly craft is perfect for anyone looking to turn a hobby into a profitable Etsy shop without breaking the bank.
Startup Cost: ~$30
8. Social Media Templates
Creating social media templates for Etsy is a low-cost way to turn your design skills into a profitable side hustle. With just a subscription to Canva or Adobe Express, you can design stylish, ready-to-use templates for Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and more. For those looking to take their designs further, advanced software like Adobe Illustrator allows for fully customizable, professional-grade templates. Whether you keep it simple or go all-in, social media templates are an in-demand, budget-friendly Etsy shop idea that can attract a wide audience.
Startup Cost: $12.99/month to $22.99/month
9. Printable Worksheets
Selling printable worksheets on Etsy is an easy, low-cost way to start a creative side hustle. With just a Canva subscription, you can design educational, organizational, or activity-based worksheets that customers can download and use instantly. From planners and goal trackers to learning activities for kids, printable worksheets offer endless opportunities to combine creativity with practicality. This beginner-friendly Etsy idea is perfect for turning simple designs into a profitable digital product.
Startup Cost: $12.99/month
10. Lightroom/Photoshop Presets
Selling Lightroom and Photoshop presets on Etsy is a low-cost, high-demand way to start a digital side hustle. With just a subscription to Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, you can create custom presets that help photographers and content creators achieve professional, consistent looks for their photos. From bright and airy edits to moody and cinematic tones, presets are easy to design and highly appealing to buyers. This beginner-friendly Etsy idea lets you turn your editing skills into a profitable digital product with minimal upfront costs.
Startup Cost: $29.99/month
11. Homemade Bath Bombs
Creating and selling homemade bath bombs on Etsy is a fun, creative, and low-cost way to start a side hustle. With starter kits available on Amazon for as little as $16, you can experiment with different scents, colors, and designs to craft bath bombs that customers will love. From relaxing lavender blends to festive holiday shapes, bath bombs offer endless creative possibilities. This beginner-friendly Etsy idea lets you turn a simple hobby into a profitable business with minimal upfront investment.
Startup Cost: ~$60
12. Small Handmade Soaps
Selling small handmade soaps on Etsy is a creative and affordable way to launch a side hustle. With starter kits available on Amazon for as little as $60, you can experiment with different scents, colors, and molds to craft unique soaps that customers will love. From luxurious floral blends to fun, themed shapes, handmade soaps offer endless opportunities for creativity. This low-cost Etsy idea is perfect for turning a hands-on hobby into a profitable small business.
Startup Cost: ~$100
13. Scrunchies
Creating and selling scrunchies on Etsy is a fun, low-cost way to start a handmade side hustle. With beginner sewing machines available on Amazon for as little as $45, you can make colorful, stylish scrunchies that customers will love. From trendy fabrics to personalized patterns, scrunchies offer endless creative possibilities and are perfect for gift sets or seasonal collections. This affordable Etsy idea is ideal for turning a simple sewing hobby into a profitable small business.
Startup Cost: ~$50
14. Fitness Trackers And Workout Planners
Fitness trackers and workout planners are always in demand, making them a great low-cost product to sell on Etsy. With just a Canva subscription, you can design printable or digital planners that help people stay on top of their fitness goals, track workouts, and build healthier routines. Since they’re digital products, there’s no inventory to manage, making this an easy and scalable business idea for anyone who loves wellness and organization.
Startup Cost: $12.99/month
15. Fabric Bookmarks
Fabric bookmarks are a charming and creative item to sell on Etsy, perfect for book lovers who appreciate handmade touches. With a beginner sewing machine (available on Amazon for as low as $45) and some fabric scraps, you can start making unique, customizable bookmarks at a very low startup cost. They’re simple to create, easy to ship, and can be tailored to different styles, making them a fun and affordable product idea for new Etsy sellers.
Startup Cost: ~$50
16. Calendars
Calendars are a timeless and practical item to sell on Etsy, and they’re surprisingly simple to create at a low startup cost. There are plenty of DIY methods to design and assemble calendars, but if you want a more polished and professional look, you can invest in a thermal binding machine and cardstock—both available on Amazon for under $70. With endless possibilities for customization, from minimalist designs to bold seasonal themes, calendars are a versatile product that customers love year-round.
Startup Cost: ~$70
17. eBooks
Selling eBooks on Etsy is one of the most affordable and creative ways to start your shop—because it costs virtually nothing to get started. With plenty of free software options, like Kindle Create, you can design and format professional-looking eBooks without spending a dime. Whether you want to share recipes, how-to guides, planners, or niche expertise, eBooks are a versatile product that can be customized to fit any audience. Best of all, once you’ve created your eBook, it’s a digital product—meaning unlimited sales with no extra costs.
Startup Cost: Free
Conclusion
Starting an Etsy shop doesn’t have to drain your savings—in fact, as you’ve seen, there are plenty of creative side hustle ideas you can launch for $100 or less. From digital products like printable planners and eBooks to handmade goods like scrunchies and soaps, the opportunities are endless. With low startup costs and the potential for steady income, Etsy makes it possible to turn your creativity into a business that fits your lifestyle.
The best part? You don’t need to wait for the “perfect” time. Choose one idea that excites you, gather a few simple supplies or tools, and take the first step toward building your Etsy side hustle today. Who knows—what starts as a small passion project could grow into your favorite source of extra income (or even your full-time job).