Digital products

Selling teaching resources (worksheets, lesson plans)

Create CAPS-aligned worksheets, assessments and lesson plans and sell them on Teacha! or your own store.

Strong evidenceLast checked 24 Oct 2026

See how this fits you, freeAbout 6 minutes, no sign-up.

Is this for you?

Best for

Teachers and tutors who already make good resources for their own classes.

In South Africa: Distinctly South African (CAPS).

What you need

  • A laptop or computer
  • Works on everyday data
  • No camera needed
  • No cold selling
  • At least 2 hours a week · age 18+
  • Teaching or tutoring (proven or better)

The money

What it can earn

  1. Pocket money
  2. A top-up
  3. A second income
  4. Can become a full income

Part time, most people earn a modest top-up from this. Treat bigger numbers you see online with care.

What people charge

No reliable SA figure yet

Sellers set prices; Teacha! minimum is R10. No reliable current SA data on typical sales volumes.

Costs to plan for

Start-up
R0 to R500
Every month
Data and airtime.
Payment fees
Teacha! keeps 35%; own store: PayFast 2–3.2% + R2.
Margin
65% on Teacha!; higher on your own store minus payment fees.

How it is paid: Per-download sales. Our viability score for it: 65 out of 100 (how we score).

How to start

  1. Test it cheaply Before you spend

    • Upload 10 resources for one grade and subject
    • Share free samples in 3 teacher groups
    • Success signal: sales from strangers within 60 days
  2. First week Days 1 to 7

    • Pick one grade/subject gap
    • Polish 5 existing resources
    • Open a Teacha! seller account
  3. First month Days 8 to 30

    • 20 resources listed
    • Note which ones sell
  4. By three months Days 31 to 90

    • Bundle best sellers
    • Decide whether to add your own store

Needs a catalogue; Teacha! pays every second month above R500. First income usually takes 14 to 180 days. A day-by-day version for your situation is in the full plan.

Step-by-step guide

Selling teaching resources: from your first worksheet to your first sale

23 short lessons with scripts, templates and rand prices to copy. R149 once-off, and the first lesson is free.

See what is inside

Customers and demand

Who pays

SA teachers and homeschooling parents.

Teachers lack time to create quality, curriculum-aligned material.

Is there demand?

Teacha! is an established SA marketplace for teaching resources (owned by Snapplify) where sellers earn 65% of each sale.

Teacha!Your own Gumroad/PayFast store

Getting customers

Marketplace search, teacher WhatsApp/Facebook groups, your own content.

Listing on online marketplaces (Takealot, Bob Shop, Etsy, Teacha!)Automated online checkoutBeing found through search or contentWord of mouth and referrals

Risks and rules

Watch out for

  • Slow start; most resources sell few copies
  • Copyright: use only your own or licensed material

Competition: Moderate; quality and CAPS alignment matter.

Room to grow: Asset-based: resources keep selling without extra hours.

Legal and tax in South Africa

Check your employment contract and school policy on selling material created for your job.

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to start selling teaching resources in South Africa?

Our research puts start-up costs at about R0 to R500. Recurring costs: Data and airtime.

How long until the first income?

Typically about 60 days, and between 14 and 180 days. Needs a catalogue; Teacha! pays every second month above R500.

Can I do it with only a phone?

Not really. You will need a laptop or computer for most of the work.

What about tax and legal rules?

Check your employment contract and school policy on selling material created for your job.

Sources (3)

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Researched by the Earn Path team · editorial policy