How to start selling teaching resources: 7 steps
Most teachers already have resources worth selling. Getting them ready takes a few evenings, not a new career. Here is the order that works, from choosing what to sell to sending your first email.
Short answer: To start selling teaching resources, pick 5-10 of your strongest resources, check you own every part of them, polish the files, make PNG or JPEG previews and thumbnails, set prices in US dollars, apply with the TeachLessons form, then send your signed documents and files in one email. Resources go live once we've set them up.
Step 1: Which teaching resources should I sell first?
Start with 5-10 resources, not your whole hard drive. Look for the ones colleagues have asked to borrow, the ones you reuse every year and the ones you made because nothing on the market did the job. Those have already passed the hardest test: a real class used them.
A good first resource solves one clear problem. "Comma splice practice for Grades 6-7 with answer key" is easier to sell than "Grammar pack". If a resource only works with your own slides or a textbook your school owns, it isn't ready yet.
Mix types if you can: a couple of printables, one longer unit and one or two quick activities. A small spread tells you faster what buyers respond to, and it gives your author page more than one kind of resource to show.
Look at what you have by subject and type. Our pages on selling worksheets and printables and selling lesson plans and unit plans explain what buyers look for in each.
Step 2: How do I check I'm allowed to sell a resource?
Go through each resource with three questions:
- Did I make all of it? Text, questions, images, fonts, borders and clip art all count. Each third-party element needs a license that allows commercial use in resources that are sold.
- Did anyone else have a claim? Material copied from textbooks, exam papers or websites, and work made for an employer, may not be yours to sell. For employer work, it depends on your contract and local law; check your contract or ask your school or union.
- Is it safe for schools? No personal data of real students (names, photos, work samples) and nothing unsuitable for a classroom.
TeachLessons does not check resources for third-party rights. That's your responsibility, and you are responsible if a claim arises. Our page on whether teachers can sell their lesson plans and the clip art and fonts guide cover the common questions.
Step 3: How do I get my files ready to sell?
There is no extra approval round before resources go live, so what you send is what buyers download. A last proofread pays for itself. Checklist:
- Printables saved as PDF; editable files (PPTX, DOCX or a Google link) only if buyers are meant to edit them.
- Answer keys included, in the same file or the same ZIP.
- Paper size stated: US Letter, A4 or both.
- A cover page with title, grade range and what's included.
- Clear file names, such as Fractions-Practice-Grades-5-6.pdf.
- Multi-file resources in one ZIP, up to 100 MB per resource.
Step 4: What previews and thumbnails do I need?
Previews and thumbnails as PNG or JPEG files are required for every resource. A buyer decides in seconds, mostly from the thumbnail, so show real pages rather than a decorative title card.
Square thumbnails work best. For previews, two to four images usually do it: the cover, one or two typical inside pages and the answer key or a finished example. Our guide to making previews and thumbnails has layouts that work.
Step 5: How should I price my first teaching resources?
You set prices in US dollars. Our suggestion, which is optional, is at least $4.99 for a single resource. Price by the time a resource saves a teacher, not by page count alone.
| Price | Your payout per sale |
|---|---|
| $3.00 | $2.04 |
| $4.99 | $3.39 |
| $10.00 | $6.79 |
| $20.00 | $13.58 |
You keep 70% of net revenue, which is 67.9% of the price after a 3% payment processing cost. Try other prices in the payout calculator, and read pricing your first teaching resource for more detail. You can change prices later by email; changes take effect within 5 business days.
Step 6: How do I apply to sell on TeachLessons?
Fill in the short application form. It takes about five minutes, and you don't upload any files there. The form is only the application.
We then email you the seller documents: the Seller Agreement, the Seller Details & Payout Form, the Resource Rights Checklist, the Resource Submission List (an Excel sheet), the Seller Privacy Notice and a one-page guide. Anything we already know from your application is pre-filled.
Step 7: How do I send my resources?
Sign the agreement by hand or with a drawn electronic signature in a PDF app such as Adobe Acrobat Reader "Fill & Sign". Fill in the forms, and add one row per resource to the Resource Submission List: file name, preview and thumbnail file names, title, subject, grades, type, price and short description.
Then send everything in one email from your own address to support@stifo.de. Several or large files can go as one Google Drive, Dropbox or WeTransfer link that opens without a login. We confirm receipt within 2 business days, countersign your agreement and write your product pages, author page and landing pages. Resources go live as soon as they're set up, and payouts arrive monthly by the 15th via PayPal.
Sending a large catalog? Read how to submit many resources at once before you fill in the Excel list.
Frequently asked questions
How many resources do I need to start selling?
There's no minimum. Starting with 5-10 strong resources is a practical way to learn what sells without spending weeks on preparation.
Do I upload my resources in the application form?
No. The form is only the application. You send your files, previews and thumbnails later in one email to support@stifo.de.
Does it cost anything to start selling?
No. There is no membership, sign-up, annual, listing or per-resource fee. TeachLessons keeps 30% of net revenue when a resource sells.
Do I have to write my own product descriptions?
No. You give a short description in the Resource Submission List, and we write the product pages, including titles, descriptions, FAQ and SEO.
Can I sell resources I already sell elsewhere?
Yes. There's no exclusivity, unless you signed an exclusive deal elsewhere for a particular resource.
When do my resources go live?
As soon as we've set them up. There's no extra approval round, so send final versions only.
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.
Keep reading
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.