Startup cost
$200–$1.5k
TRUiC Business Ideas
How to Start a Cartoon Service
Decision Snapshot
Cartoon Service
Idea Score
65
Profit margin
21%
Break-even
4 mo–12 mo
Time to launch
12 wk–36 wk
Demand trend
Stable
5-yr failure rate
—
Capital intensity
Low
Time commitment
Flexible
Part 1 - How to start a Cartoon Service business - Background
As the owner of a cartoon service, you can take your talent for drawing and perhaps writing cartoons in a number of directions. You could create art for greeting cards, books and magazines, digital clients, animation studios, ads, comic books, merchandise, cartoon syndicates and almost endless other sales channels both online and off.
Our guide is in 3 parts:
- Part 1 - How to start a Cartoon Service business - Background
- Part 2 - Our planner tool to see if this idea is the right fit for you
- Part 3 - Action plan to get started
What are the costs involved in opening a cartoon service?
The best news about this business is that your start-up costs are usually quite reasonable. And while a fancy studio would be nice, you can start out working from a spare bedroom or even your kitchen table. Here’s an idea of what you might spend upfront.
Digital Hardware and software — Zero to $1,500 or more. You might already have all of the digital equipment you need. Most cartoonists use Mac computers and a suite of software that can include Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Director Suite and StoryboardPro are among programs used by animators. This cartoonist has an interesting blog post on his digital equipment.
Non-digital tools — $250 or more. This includes vellum paper, pens, markers, erasers, table and good lighting.
Professional services — $500 or more. Learn all you can about copyright and licensing laws, but be prepared to hire an attorney to review contracts or answer legal questions as they come up. An accountant or tax preparer can help you meet your tax obligations.
What are the ongoing expenses for a cartoon service?
Your largest ongoing cost will be for art supplies. You’ll go through those at a rate determined by how busy you are.
Who is the target market?
About the only way of defining your clientele is that it consists of anyone or any company that has an interest in your art. This could include publishers, newspaper syndicates, non-profit or political organizations, website owners, bloggers, merchandisers, Hollywood studios and consumers.
How does a cartoon service make money?
You’ll charge a fee for your work. In the case of cartoonists who sell online, they might provide art to enliven blogs, newsletters or websites. You might sell your products on a per-cartoon basis or by a monthly or annual fee or even in bulk quantity discounts. Here’s one example of a price list provided by a cartoon service that sells via a subscription model.
How much can you charge customers?
That will vary greatly according to the types of clients you attract. For instance, syndicated cartoonists working for newspapers and websites can make anywhere from $5 to $50 or more per media vehicle–but that must be split with the syndicate, which acts as your agent. Major publications such as the New York Times can pay $700 or more for a single-panel cartoon. On the other end of the scale, web brokers such as Fiverr seek cartoonists who’ll work for $5 per assignment.
Before you set a rate, ask plenty of questions about the needs of the client and how the work will be used. Then consider how long it will take you to complete the project and how much you want to make on an hourly basis. For comparison, Upwork provides an online directory of cartoonists with their hourly rates listed.
Also, consider joining the National Cartoonists Association. In networking with your peers, you’ll be able to find out what others are charging for similar services.
How much profit can a cartoon service make?
There are a lot of ways of answering that question because there are seemingly endless directions you can take your business. But let’s look at several numbers from a variety of sources. Here, you’ll find a general salary range for print cartoonists estimated to be between $30,000 – $60,000 a year. The website Glassdoor indicates an average salary nationally for illustrators of under $54,000 and almost $105,000 for animation storyboard artists. Another salary survey website posts cartoonist/animator salaries of around $50,000. Just remember that the relatively small number of respondents to the wage surveys means that the averages could be skewed. Also, there’s no differentiation here between employees and freelancers.
And of course there are a handful of famous cartoonists who generate annual revenue well into the millions.
How can you make your business more profitable?
Don’t be afraid to step into unfamiliar territory. There are so many different ways of selling your services as a cartoonist that you can find an array of customer bases to broaden your appeal and boost your profit potential.
Day-to-Day and Growth
What happens during a typical day at a cartoon service?
Your typical day will look very different depending on the direction you take your talent. But regardless of direction, your activities will fall into three basic areas.
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Marketing your services and constantly soliciting business and originating new markets and ways of doing business
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Working on your commissioned or speculative projects
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Invoicing clients and keeping your business afloat
What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful cartoon service?
You must have an artistic talent and, more importantly, be able to creatively find a way into the business through sales channels that fit your work.
What is the growth potential for a cartoon service?
That would depend on the direction you take your business. Since newspapers are an endangered business model today, the market for newspaper-based syndicated cartoonists is quite tight. However, online markets continue to open up (though the pay can be low). If your talent can find an audience, you can thrive, but most cartoonists have day jobs to pay the bills while their cartooning is completed on a part-time basis.
What are some insider tips for jump starting a cartoon service?
Identify one or more markets that you think you can serve and initially focus your energies there. That might mean submitting your captioned concepts to greeting card companies and magazines, drawing caricatures at an amusement park or submitting your spec work to animation studios, among other endeavors. You can add markets as you find acceptance and gain confidence. Since your career will probably start slowly while you build your portfolio, you might want to keep your day job for salary and benefits and moonlight as a cartoonist.
How and when to build a team
Chances are, you won’t have a team. Cartooning tends to be a solo enterprise for most, although those at the very top of the field might have assistants or even other cartoonists creating art in their style. You might also consider collaborating with a writer whose talent in that area is stronger than yours if you’re submitting greeting cards, comic books, animation or captioned cartoons to magazines, publishers, studios, ad agencies or websites.
Part 2 - Is a Cartoon Service business the right fit for you?
Business Evaluation & Strategy Tool
We'll walk you through the four pillars every business needs: Points of Leverage, Marketing Strategy, Financial Model, and Personal Compatibility. At the end you'll see a personalized report and your action plan below will be tailored to your answers.
Step 1 of 4 — Points of Leverage
Every viable business has natural advantages. Below are common leverage points across four categories. Pick the ones that apply to your Cartoon Service business. We've pre-suggested a few based on your idea — review and adjust.
Step 2 of 4 — Marketing Strategy
Without a way to connect with customers, even great businesses fail. Pick the channels you plan to use to reach your customers.
Step 3 of 4 — Financial Model
Enter your monthly baseline costs — the minimum overhead to keep the business running. Then we'll calculate how many sales per month you need to break even.
Step 4 of 4 — Personal Compatibility
A business that doesn't fit your life will fail no matter how good the numbers look. Tell us how this business fits you.
Your Cartoon Service Evaluation Report
Complete the four pillars and your personalized summary will appear here.
Points of Leverage
Marketing Strategy
Financial Model
Personal Compatibility
Part 3 - Action plan to launch your Cartoon Service business in 90 days
Nine concrete steps to take you from idea to open business, grouped into 30-day phases. Complete the planner above and we'll highlight what's most important for your situation.
First 30 days — Foundation
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Form your legal entity
An LLC keeps your personal assets separate from business debts and lawsuits — the most common reason small business owners choose this structure. Sole proprietorships and partnerships do not provide this protection.
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Get an EIN and register for taxes
Apply for your free Employer Identification Number through the IRS, then register for any state or local taxes that apply to your business (sales tax, franchise tax).
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Open a business bank account and credit card
A dedicated business account is required to maintain personal asset protection. Mixing personal and business finances ('piercing the corporate veil') can void your LLC's liability shield.
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Set up business accounting
Recording expenses and income from day one makes tax filing easier and lets you see when the business is actually profitable. Use software (QuickBooks, Wave) or a part-time bookkeeper.
Days 30–60 — Compliance & Risk
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Get permits and licenses
State and local requirements vary widely. Brick-and-mortar businesses typically need a Certificate of Occupancy; service businesses may need specific professional licensing; food businesses need health permits.
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Get business insurance
General Liability Insurance is the most common starting point. If you'll have employees, most states require Workers' Compensation. Specific industries need additional coverage (product liability, professional liability, etc.).
Days 60–90 — Launch
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Define your brand
Your brand is how customers perceive and remember you. A clear name, logo, and visual identity make every later marketing decision easier and protect you legally as you grow.
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Create your business website
Every legitimate business needs a website. Social media pages are not a substitute — you don't own the platform. Modern website builders mean you can launch a clean site in a weekend without a developer.
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Set up your business phone system
A dedicated business number keeps your personal life private, makes the business look legitimate, and lets you route calls professionally. Cloud phone services start under $20/month.