Key Takeaways
- You need just 4 things to start: a magnet machine, supplies, a printer, and photo paper.
- Startup costs range from about $1,700 to $2,500 depending on your setup.
- Raw materials cost roughly $0.265 per magnet — and you can sell each one for $3–$10+.
- Most active sellers break even within 3–6 months.
- Our community of 17,000+ magnet makers is here to help you every step of the way.
Why Photo Magnets?
Every single day, someone posts in our Facebook group asking the same question: "I want to start making photo magnets — where do I begin?"
We get it. It sounds almost too good to be true. A business you can start from your kitchen table, with margins that would make most small businesses jealous, and a product that practically sells itself at any event where families gather.
But it's real. And it's happening right now for thousands of makers in our community.
One of our members, Alyssa (community member), shared that she broke even on her entire investment in just five weeks. Tom (community member) started selling at $5 per magnet — spending less than a quarter to make each one — and hit $600 in revenue within his first two months. Angela (community member) landed her first bulk order of 150 magnets and couldn't contain her excitement.
These aren't outliers. They're regular people who decided to try something new. This guide walks you through exactly how to join them.
What You Need to Get Started
Here's the good news: the barrier to entry is refreshingly low. You need four things.
1. A magnet machine. This is the heart of your operation. The two brands our community trusts are the Titan Press → and the MPRO →. Both produce professional-quality photo magnets that customers love. We'll talk about the differences in a moment.
2. Supplies. These are the consumable parts — magnetic sheets, mylar covers, and adhesive backing that go into each magnet. Both Titan and MPRO sell supply bundles designed for their machines. You'll spend about $225 per 1,000 magnets on supplies, which works out to roughly $0.225 per magnet.
3. A printer. You need a photo-quality inkjet printer to print the images that go into your magnets. The Epson EcoTank series is the overwhelming community favorite because the refillable ink tanks keep your cost per print incredibly low. Models range from about $180 for the entry-level ET-2800 up to $600+ for the premium ET-8550.
4. Photo paper. Glossy photo paper is what most makers use. The weight depends on your printer — lighter glossy paper (120–150gsm) works well with entry-level printers like the ET-2800, while the ET-8550 can handle heavier stock (200+ gsm) through its rear feed tray. A pack of 100 sheets runs $20–$40 and will make hundreds of magnets. Your paper and ink combined cost roughly $0.04 per magnet.
That's it. No special workspace, no expensive software, no complicated training. You'll also want a graphic punch or cutting tool for trimming your photos (these often come bundled with machine kits), and some packaging materials once you start selling — but those are minor costs.
Vanessa (community member) asked in our group, "What is the best beginner's machine?" and Terri (community member) posted, "What do I need to get started? Is there somewhere I need to go to get a machine?" The answer is simpler than they expected.
One thing most guides skip: 45 US states require a sales tax permit before your first sale, including at craft fairs. Apply through your state's Department of Revenue — it's usually free and takes 10 minutes online. Don't skip this step.
For the full breakdown of every supply you might want, check out our free starter toolkit.
How Much Does It Cost to Start?
Let's lay out real numbers. No sugarcoating.
Titan Press Setup (~$1,950)
A Titan Press 2x2 bundle starts at $1,703.50 and comes with supplies for 1,000 magnets. Add an Epson EcoTank ET-2800 (~$180–$240) and a pack of glossy photo paper ($20–$30). Total investment: roughly $1,900–$1,970.
MPRO Setup (~$2,450)
The MPRO 2x2 Manual Kit is currently listed at $2,225, which includes the machine, graphic punch, and supplies for 1,000 magnets. Add an Epson EcoTank ET-2800 (~$180–$240) and photo paper ($20–$30). Total: roughly $2,425–$2,495.
Premium Setup (~$2,500–$2,900)
Either machine bundle, plus an Epson ET-8550 for top-tier photo quality (~$490–$600 refurbished, ~$600–$750 new), bulk photo paper, and extra laminate for flexible magnet products. Total: roughly $2,500–$2,900 depending on your choices.
Both Titan and MPRO make excellent machines — compare them side by side on our machine comparison to see which fits your goals.
Debbie (community member) posted from Disney's Fort Wilderness Campground, where she was looking for a portable side business while her husband flew home to work. She asked the group: "How long did it take you to re-coop the price of the machines? Need to come up with a proposal to my husband to convince him to let me start another craft." Fair enough, Debbie. Let's do the math.
If you sell magnets at $3 each and move 30 per week at a local market, that's $90/week in revenue and about $8 in material costs. After booth fees (typically $25–$75 per market), you're netting roughly $40–$55 per week. At that pace, you'd make back a $1,700 investment in about 8–10 months. Sell more aggressively — online, at multiple events, or through B2B orders — and it happens much faster.
Plug in your own numbers with our ROI calculator to see your personal break-even timeline.
Step by Step: Your First Magnet
Making your first magnet takes about five minutes once you have your supplies. Here's the process.
Choose your photo. Start with a high-resolution image. Photos that are bright and well-lit produce the best results. If a photo looks dark on your screen, it will print even darker — this is the number one quality issue new makers run into.
Print it. Open the image in your design software (most makers use Canva — it's free and works great) and size it to fit your magnet. When exporting from Canva, choose PDF Print for 300 DPI output — PNG and JPG exports from Canva's free plan are only 96 DPI and will look pixelated. Print on glossy photo paper using your printer's highest quality photo setting.
Cut it. Trim the printed photo to size. Take your time here — a clean cut makes a noticeable difference in the finished product.
Assemble. Layer the components in your machine — the magnet backing, your printed photo, and the mylar top cover. Press it. Done.
Hold it in your hand. That's a product you can sell for $3–$10, made from about $0.27 worth of raw materials. Your first one might not be perfect, and that's fine. Arleen in our group shared how her first test prints didn't come out the quality she wanted, but a few adjustments to her settings made all the difference.
Do a few test prints before you fill any orders. Every experienced maker will tell you this is time well spent.
Where to Sell Your Magnets
This is where it gets fun. Photo magnets sell in places you might not expect.
Craft fairs and farmers markets are where most makers get their start. The beauty of magnets is that you can make them on the spot — a customer hands you a photo from their phone, and five minutes later they're holding a finished magnet. Angie (community member) shared her experience at her first pop-up event: despite a small hiccup with her laptop not recognizing her printer (always do a test run before an event!), she was happy with how it went. Leah (community member) posted a photo from her first magnet event and got 150 reactions of encouragement from the community. Cindy (community member) had a day where she took 172 magnet orders, making 100 on-site and shipping the other 72.
Etsy and Shopify let you sell online without a huge investment. Custom magnets — where customers upload their own photos — are especially popular for save-the-dates, graduation announcements, and gifts. Keep in mind that Etsy takes a meaningful bite: a $0.20 listing fee, 6.5% transaction fee, plus 3% + $0.25 payment processing. All told, Etsy's cut is typically 10–15% of your order value, so factor that into your online pricing. Susie (community member) launched her Etsy shop and immediately started asking our community for advice on getting those first sales. Krista (community member) opened her Shopify store and within a few months had her 13th order plus her first bulk order of 100 custom magnets for a conference.
Social media is a free marketing channel. Post your work on Instagram and Facebook. Show the process. People love watching magnets being made — it's oddly satisfying.
B2B sales — the underexplored goldmine. This is where smart makers scale fast. Local businesses — real estate agents, restaurants, photographers, event planners — need custom magnets in bulk. Alyssa shared that she's had tremendous success with B2B sales and created a guide with outreach templates for approaching businesses. Angela landed a bulk order of 150 magnets. Oniesy (community member) celebrated her first bulk order of 100 business magnets. These orders of 100–500+ magnets at a time can transform your business from a side hustle to a real income stream.
Harshitha (community member) asked the group, "How do you manage to get bulk orders? Online or in-person approach?" The answer from experienced makers: both. Results vary — expect a 1–10% response rate on cold email pitches, higher if you drop off samples in person.
A quick note on customer photos: the photographer owns the copyright, not the person in the photo. If a customer brings you a professional portrait or a photo with visible watermarks, ask if they have permission to reproduce it. Adding a simple line to your order form — "By placing this order, you confirm you own or have permission to reproduce this image" — protects you from copyright claims.
Common Beginner Mistakes
We've watched thousands of makers go through the learning curve. Here are the mistakes we see over and over — so you can skip them.
Underpricing your work. This is the big one. New makers often price magnets at $1–$2 because they feel guilty charging more. Don't. Your raw materials might cost $0.27, but your fully-loaded cost — including packaging, platform fees, and booth fees — is closer to $0.40–$0.60. Factor in your time, skill, and equipment investment, and that $2 magnet is barely breaking even. Most successful makers in our community charge $3–$5 at events and $5–$10+ online. Sarah (community member) asked the group how to determine pricing without over- or undercharging — the consensus was clear: charge what you're worth.
Not doing test prints. Your printer settings, paper choice, and photo quality all interact in ways you can't predict until you print. Always do test prints before fulfilling orders. Walter (community member) posted about prints coming out too dark even with high-quality photos — a common issue that test prints would have caught before any customer saw the result.
Over-investing before your first sale. You don't need the premium setup on day one. Rachel (community member) shared how she bought a basic machine off Amazon to make family gifts, and it unexpectedly turned into a small business with eight orders before she even considered upgrading. Start selling as soon as you can make a quality product, then upgrade with revenue.
Skipping lamination for flexible magnets. If you're making flexible photo magnets (not button-press), lamination protects against scratches and UV fading. Paula (community member) shared her first project and asked whether people laminate after applying the magnet sheet — the answer from experienced makers was a resounding yes.
Not having a backup plan at events. Angie's laptop didn't recognize her printer at her first event. Tech problems happen. Bring backup cables, know your printer's quirks, and always have some pre-made inventory as a safety net.
How Long Until You're Profitable?
Most active sellers in our community break even within three to six months. Some do it faster.
Alyssa broke even in five weeks. She later asked the group, "How long did it take you to break even on your magnet business?" — and the responses poured in, with many makers reporting similar timelines once they started actively selling.
Tom sold $600 worth of magnets in his first two months, pricing each at $5 with a production cost under $0.25. The math worked immediately.
Brittany (community member) took the leap in October and quickly booked six days of vending for $500. Victoria (community member) set up at her first market, adding magnets to her existing products.
The makers who break even fastest share a common trait: they don't wait until everything is perfect. They start selling as soon as their magnets look good, then improve as they go.
Kaitlin (community member) asked, "Anyone have positive experience starting this? Trying to convince myself to get into it. When did you see profit?" The answers were overwhelmingly positive — but with one caveat. You have to actually put yourself out there. The machine doesn't make money sitting on a shelf.
Your Next Steps
You now know more about starting a photo magnet business than most people who've been thinking about it for months. Here's what to do next.
Explore your options. Compare the Titan Press and MPRO side by side on our machine comparison to find the right machine for your budget and goals.
Run the numbers. Use our ROI calculator to plug in your specific costs and pricing to see your projected profit and break-even timeline.
Get your supplies. Check out the free starter toolkit for the complete starter supply list with links and current pricing.
Join the community. Our Facebook group of 17,000+ magnet makers is the most supportive group you'll find. Ask questions, share your first magnets, learn from people who've been where you are.
The hardest part is starting. Everything after that is just getting better at something you already know how to do.