How Free Resources on TPT Can Actually Make You Money

For as long as I can remember, one of the first requirements for opening your TPT store was uploading a free resource. It wasn't optional. Your first product had to be free, and honestly, that made sense. Freebies (aka free resources) helped teachers find your store and quickly get a feel for the quality of your resources before committing to a purchase. 

In 2025, that changed. TPT introduced the Basic Seller account with a one-time fee, and the requirement to upload a free resource went away. Sellers were no longer required to have a freebie in their store at all. A lot of sellers were happy about that shift, and I get it. It removed the pressure to give something away right away. But I also think it led to a big misconception: that free resources don't really matter anymore. If you've ever wondered how many free resources you actually need in your store, I wrote a full breakdown on that here. 

Free resources are more than just "free"

The purpose of a free resource isn't just to give something away. It's to help a teacher discover your store, try your work with their students, and quickly understand the quality of what your classroom resources. That freebie can be anything! It might be a standalone activity, a small sample of a larger product, or something simple and focused. What matters is that it clearly shows what a buyer can expect from your paid resources. 

When a teacher downloads a free resource and has a good experience with it, they're much more likely to come back and purchase from you later. That's the real role of a freebie. It's not the end of the interaction. It's just the beginning! 

Why freebies get so much traffic

There's no way around it. Free resources get more pageviews and clicks. It's just human nature. If something is free, people are more likely to click on it, download it, and try it out. TPT buyers are no different - their favorite "f-word" is FREE! 

Because of that, your free resources often end up with far more pageviews than your page products. And that's where a lot of sellers get stuck. They see those high numbers and think about what they could have earned if that product wasn't free... 

But that's not the full picture. 

What my data actually shows

I have multiple resources on the same topic that were created in the same year, just in different formats. One of those resources is free, and it has over 54,000 pageviews. At first glance, that can feel like 54,000 missed purchases. 

But when you look at what happens after someone downloads that free resource, the story changes! 

Two related paid resources connected to that freebie have generated a combined 5,665 pageviews and $3,157 in earnings. A good portion of that traffic is coming directly from that one free resource. That's internal marketing happening inside my own TPT store, without ads or additional promotion on social media. 

The freebie isn't replacing sales. It's driving them! 

How to turn a freebie into a sales tool 

A free resource on its own won't automatically lead to sales. You have to give the buyer a clear next step. That's the piece most sellers are missing. 

In my store, I make sure every free resource points buyers somewhere else. At the bottom of the product description, I add a short "You may also like" section with links to one or two related paid resources and one higher ticket product, like a bundle. Keeping this list small is important! Too many choices can overwhelm a buyer and lead them to leave without taking action. 

Here is an example of what this section looks like at the bottom of my product descriptions.

I also include a related resource page inside the product file itself. This is just a single page with a few relevant products and clickable cover images. When a teacher opens the free resource, they immediately see what to do next if they liked it... check out more! 

It's simple, but it works because it removes friction and makes the next step obvious. 

A quick way to start using this strategy

If you want to try this out, start small. Find one free resource in your store that already has a decent number of pageviews and downloads (you can find this in your product statistics page). Add a short list of related products to the description or include a simple related resources page in the file itself. 

Once you see how it works, you can go back and apply the same process to your other freebies! 

Free resources aren't just something you "have" in your store. They're one of the easiest ways to get more eyes on your work. The traffic is already there. The key is using it intentionally. When your freebies clearly show your quality and guide buyers toward the next step, they stop being just free and start becoming part of your sales strategy.