Where to sell teaching materials: 4 platforms compared
On Teachers Pay Teachers, other teachers buy. On Gumroad, the people you bring buy. On Etsy, anyone out shopping can find you. Each one takes its cut in a different way.
Fees checked on 30th of October 2026 on each platform's own pages. They change, so check the source before you upload anything.
| Platform | What it costs you | Who buys there | How you get paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT) | Basic: $29 once, and you earn 55% of each sale minus $0.30 per resource. Exclusive: $59.95 a year, and you earn 77.5%, minus $0.15 per resource only on orders under $3 | Teachers looking for classroom resources | Monthly: each month's earnings arrive by the 21st of the next month, by direct deposit, PayPal, Venmo or wire transfer, depending on your country |
| Tiching | No seller fees published | No catalogue: the site showed only its logo | No seller sign-up found |
| Gumroad | 10% + $0.50 per sale through your profile or direct links; 30% when a buyer finds you on its Discover marketplace | The buyers you bring, plus shoppers who find you on Discover | Direct deposit or PayPal, depending on your country |
| Etsy | $0.20 per listing (it lasts 4 months), 6.5% of the order total and a payment fee: 4% + €0.30 per order with a bank account in Spain, 3% + $0.25 in the US | Anyone shopping on Etsy, not only teachers | To your bank account, with the fees taken off before each deposit |
What about Tiching? On 30th of October 2026, tiching.com showed only its logo, with no resources, no search and no seller sign-up. If it comes back, read its seller terms before you upload anything.
Which platform should you pick?
Pick by who will buy: other teachers, your own students and followers, or people out shopping.
- You make classroom resources other teachers can use: Teachers Pay Teachers. Start on Basic, and go Exclusive only if TPT will be the one place you sell.
- You already have students, a newsletter or followers: Gumroad. Sales from your own links cost 10% + $0.50 and there's no monthly fee.
- You make printables that look good in a photo, like flashcards or planners: Etsy, where you pay per listing and per sale.
- Not sure? Sell to your own students first. You learn what people actually buy before you pay for any membership.
How to start selling: 5 steps
Start small: one resource you already use, finished properly, on sale where your buyers are.
- 1
Pick something you already use
The worksheet, game or lesson plan you reach for every week is your best first product. You know it works because you've taught with it.
- 2
Finish it properly
A clean PDF, clear instructions, an answer key and the level on the cover. Buyers can't ask you what you meant.
- 3
Check you own every part
No scanned textbook pages or copied exam papers. Use your own drawings, or images and fonts whose licence allows commercial use.
- 4
Price it next to similar resources
Look at what similar materials cost on the platform you chose and start there. You can bundle several resources later.
- 5
Tell your own people first
Send the link to your students, their parents and your followers. First sales and reviews help strangers trust you.
Should you sell materials or lessons?
Both fit together. A resource can sell many times for the same work; a lesson pays you every time you teach it.
Building a library? These ChatGPT prompts for language teachers help you draft materials faster (check every one before you sell it). If you'd rather teach groups, here's how to create an online language course. And if you need more students for your lessons, start with how to find students.
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