Let’s get this out of the way upfront: when it comes to choosing the best software for creating digital products, there’s really no one-size-fits-all solution.  

Personally, I have a bunch of different tools in my arsenal and they each come with their own pros and cons. It just depends on your skill level (since you’re reading this, I’m going to assume you’re a beginner!), what you’re designing (an ebook, fillable PDF, template), and what the end product is going to be (PDF, JPG, PNG, SVG).  

The most popular design programs at the moment happen to be Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Canva.  

They’re all incredibly useful, but they’re not created equal. 

So, what’s the best software for creating your digital products? Let’s break ‘em down… 

This is just a small selection of the best digital products to sell this year, based on what I’ve seen going on in the market. If you’d like more ideas, make sure to snag this free list of 55 Digital Product Ideas that you can make in a weekend.

I’ll be the first to admit, I love a good digital product. Not only have I been making and selling my own for over 7 years (they make up about 75% of my income these days) but I’m also obsessed with buying them. Some people love shoes, others cars, for me it’s all about e-books and Lightroom presets.

Because I spend so much time immersed in the digital product space, I’ve been able to spot a few changes over the past year. The landscape has changed considerably and a lot of things that were working really well pre-pandemic most likely aren’t working now.

Here are 7 of the best digital products to sell in 2021.

Pssst. This post was originally published on my old blog, back when I was designing resumes on the side. Since I’ve quit my corporate job and am now designing and selling digital downloads full time here at Pipkin Paper Company, I thought this post was a better fit here.

This little paper business all started with a question:

How can I make money when I don’t have a job or any money to invest upfront?

When I first quit my job, I thought I was just going to be taking a couple months off from the corporate world to figure out my next move before finding a new desk job. After spending 7 years in D.C., waking up at 4 am, commuting an hour each way (on a good day), and barely having enough time to eat dinner before it was bedtime all over again, I was ready for a more flexible line of work. One that preferably came with less time at a desk, more telework opportunities, amazing pay, and lots of artsy fartsy projects to dive into.

Aka the white elephant of jobs.

Even in the wedding industry (or maybe I should say, especially in the wedding industry), selling digital products and ready-made designs is looked down upon. Dime a dozen designers on sites like Etsy, Zazzle and Creative Market have made having a passive income stream seem somewhat dirty.

And truthfully, I get it.

Most wedding invitation designers have positioned themselves as “artists” making “timeless keepsakes” in order to stay alive in a competitive market. So for someone like me to swoop in and sell digital products, well, it’s kind of discouraged.