How to Sell Lightroom Presets on Etsy and Gumroad

The preset market

Lightroom presets are one-click filters that photographers apply to their images. They save hours of editing time and help maintain a consistent visual style across a photo collection.

The market is split into two groups: - Professional photographers buying presets for client work (wedding, portrait, real estate). Willing to pay $20-50 for quality presets. - Instagram/social media users wanting their photos to look more polished. Usually buying mobile Lightroom presets for $5-15.

Both segments are active on Etsy and Gumroad.

What you need to create presets

Adobe Lightroom Classic or Lightroom CC. You create presets by editing a photo to your desired look, then saving those adjustments as a preset file (.xmp or .lrtemplate). Anyone who imports your preset file into their Lightroom gets the same adjustments applied to their photos.Sample photos. You need before/after examples showing your presets in action. Use your own photos or license stock photos. Before/after comparisons are the most effective selling tool for presets.Lightroom Mobile compatibility. Many buyers use the free Lightroom mobile app. Your presets should work on mobile. Export as .dng files for mobile compatibility in addition to .xmp for desktop.

Creating presets that sell

Pick a specific aesthetic. "Warm and moody wedding presets" or "bright and airy lifestyle presets" or "dark and dramatic landscape presets." Each aesthetic attracts a different photographer. Don't try to cover every style in one pack.Include variations. A pack of 10 presets in the same aesthetic family but with slight differences (warmer, cooler, more contrast, softer) gives buyers flexibility. Single presets sell poorly. Packs of 5-15 sell well.Test on different images. A preset that looks amazing on one photo might look terrible on another. Test each preset across 10+ different images (indoor, outdoor, different lighting, different skin tones). Only sell presets that look good across a range of conditions.Include adjustment instructions. Not every photo responds identically to a preset. Include a PDF explaining which sliders buyers might need to tweak (exposure, white balance) after applying the preset.

Pricing

• Small pack (3-5 presets): $8-15
• Standard pack (8-12 presets): $18-30
• Premium collection (15-25 presets): $30-50
• Complete bundle (all your presets): $50-80

Photography presets command higher prices than most digital products because the buyer is a professional (or aspiring professional) who uses them for income-generating work.

Selling on Etsy vs Gumroad

Etsy works because photographers search "lightroom presets wedding" or "moody presets portrait" directly on Etsy. Marketplace traffic finds you. Tags matter: "lightroom preset," "photo filter," "photography preset," "mobile preset," platform-specific terms.Gumroad works if you have a photography blog, YouTube channel, or Instagram following. Share your edited photos, explain the look, link to the preset pack. Photographers who see your work and like the aesthetic will buy directly.

Use both. Etsy catches search traffic from photographers browsing. Gumroad catches fans who follow your work.

For fee math at preset price points, use our [Etsy fee calculator](/tools/etsy-fee-calculator) or [Gumroad fee calculator](/tools/gumroad-fee-calculator). For the broader platform comparison, see [best platform for digital products](/blog/best-platform-for-digital-products-2026).