If you teach in the UK, Tes is the obvious first place to sell resources: it is UK-based, has no joining fee stated and pays new authors 60% of the VAT-exclusive price. Beyond Tes, Lesson Planned pays 80%, Etsy suits printables parents buy, your own shop keeps most of each sale, and TeachLessons pays 70% of net in US dollars.
TeachLessons runs this comparison and is one of the options listed. Fees checked on October 28, 2026; platforms change their terms, so check the linked pages before you decide. For a longer side-by-side, see our page on where to sell teaching resources in the UK and the Tes alternatives.
Teacher-author? Keep 70% of net revenue, with no fees and no exclusivity. Apply in about five minutes, then send your final files by email.
How does selling on Tes work for UK teachers?
According to the Tes selling resources FAQ, anyone aged 18 or over with a Tes account can sell, including authors outside the UK (a few countries are excluded). New resources can take up to 3 working days to appear.
Your royalty depends on your sales over a rolling 12 months and is worked out on the VAT-exclusive price:
| Tes tier | Rolling 12-month sales | Your royalty | A £5 sale pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | £0 to £999.99 | 60% | £3.00 |
| Silver | £1,000 to £5,999.99 | 70% | £3.50 |
| Gold | £6,000 and above | 80% | £4.00 |
Tiers are reviewed monthly. A 20p fee applies when a resource is priced, or discounted, under £3. You can withdraw by bank transfer once your balance passes £10, at most once a week. Tes states no exclusivity.
For a UK author, Tes has two clear strengths: it is a UK-based marketplace with international buyers, and established authors move up to 80%.
Where else can I sell resources from the UK?
Lesson Planned
A UK marketplace. Its FAQ says it is free to join, pays sellers 80% with no other fees deducted and pays by PayPal monthly, no later than the 28th of the following month.
Etsy
A general marketplace, not an education one. Useful for printables that parents and tutors buy. Fees for UK sellers are below.
Your own shop
Hosted shops such as Payhip have a free plan at 5% per sale plus PayPal or Stripe fees. You bring all the visitors yourself.
Teachers Pay Teachers
The largest US marketplace for teacher-authors. Basic sellers pay $29 once and keep 55% minus $0.30 per resource (fees page). Payout options through Hyperwallet depend on your country.
TeachLessons
The option we run. No fees, no exclusivity, 70% of net revenue, paid monthly in US dollars by PayPal.
Several at once
None of these requires exclusivity under the terms we checked, so you can combine a marketplace with a second channel.
Read the guide to selling teaching resources from the UK for curriculum and formatting advice that applies whichever platform you pick.
What do Etsy fees cost a UK seller on a £5 printable?
Etsy publishes separate fee rules for UK sellers. On a £5.00 digital download, based on the Etsy fees policy and the payment processing table:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Listing fee ($0.20, converted) | about £0.15 |
| Transaction fee (6.5%) | £0.325 |
| Payment processing (4% + £0.20) | £0.40 |
| Regulatory operating fee (0.48%) | about £0.02 |
| You keep (before VAT on Etsy fees) | about £4.10 |
| You keep (if 20% VAT is charged on those fees) | about £3.92 |
The regulatory operating fee announcement dates the 0.48% from 22 June 2026. Listings renew every four months at $0.20.
How does TeachLessons compare for a UK author?
Prices on TeachLessons are set in US dollars. Your payout is the price x 0.97 x 0.70, which is 67.9% of the price:
| Tes (new author) | Lesson Planned | Etsy UK | TeachLessons | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joining cost | None stated | Free | Listing fees; set-up fee possible | None |
| Share of a 5-unit sale | £3.00 | 4.00 (currency not stated) | about £4.10 before VAT on fees | $3.40 |
| Payout method | Bank transfer | PayPal, monthly | Bank, schedule you choose | PayPal in USD, by the 15th |
| Exclusivity | None stated | Not stated | None | None |
Lesson Planned and Etsy leave you more per sale, and Tes pays more once you reach Silver or Gold. Tes is also a long-established UK marketplace, while TeachLessons launched in October 2026 and has a smaller audience. What TeachLessons adds is the work around the listing: we write the product pages and build an author page and landing pages for your resources.
Payouts arrive in US dollars via PayPal, so the pounds you receive depend on conversion. For tax questions, ask a tax advisor in the UK.
If TeachLessons looks like a fit, the short application form takes about five minutes. You can keep Tes as your main shop; the article on selling on several platforms covers keeping track of each one.
What do UK buyers look for in a resource listing?
Whatever the platform, the same details decide whether a UK teacher buys:
- Year group and key stage in the title. "Year 8 ratio and proportion worksheets (KS3)" is searched; "Grade 7" is not.
- Exam board where it matters. Say which GCSE specification a revision pack follows, and don't copy past papers.
- A4 page size and British spelling. If you also sell in the US, keep a separate US Letter version with US spelling.
- Honest previews. Show a real inside page, not only the cover, so teachers can judge the level.
Key takeaway: For most UK authors, Tes is the place to start, with Lesson Planned, Etsy, your own shop or TeachLessons as a second channel. Compare what you keep per sale with the work each platform does for you.
Ready to sell your teaching resources?
Apply with the short form. We email you the seller documents, you send your final files with previews and thumbnails, and we set up your product pages, your author page and landing pages. You keep 70% of net revenue, with no fees and no exclusivity.
Questions sellers ask
Does Tes charge a fee to sell resources?
The official Tes selling FAQ states no joining fee. A 20p fee applies only when a resource is priced or discounted under £3, and royalties run from 60% to 80% of the VAT-exclusive price.
Can I sell the same resource on Tes and TeachLessons?
Tes states no exclusivity, and TeachLessons has none, so yes, unless you have signed an exclusive deal elsewhere for that resource. Check the current terms on both sites before you list.
How much does a new Tes author earn on a £5 resource?
At the Bronze tier, 60% of the VAT-exclusive price, so £3.00. Silver pays £3.50 and Gold £4.00 on the same price.
Can I price TeachLessons resources in pounds?
No. Sellers set prices in US dollars, and payouts are made in US dollars through PayPal once a month, by the 15th.
Do I need to register for VAT or tax to sell resources?
You are responsible for taxes on your income, so check with a tax advisor in the UK.
How do I join TeachLessons from the UK?
Fill in the short application form (about five minutes). We email you the seller documents, and you send everything back in one email to support@stifo.de.
More for teacher-sellers
General information about the TeachLessons Seller Program, not legal, tax or financial advice. The signed Seller Agreement sets out the binding terms. Questions: support@stifo.de.
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