The Complete Guide to Making LINE Stickers with AI: Step-by-Step Process and the Truth About Earnings
ChatGPT can generate an adorable sticker character in seconds, and the process of publishing on LINE Creators Market isn't complicated either. "Make passive income with AI stickers" sounds great — but "being able to make them" and "being able to make money from them" are two very different things.
Over 7.5 million creators are competing on this platform, your cut is only 35% of the sale price, and AI-generated stickers get automatically flagged by the platform. These are the things most tutorials won't tell you — and exactly what you need to know before you start.
This guide doesn't just teach you how to make stickers. It helps you do the math on whether it's worth doing at all.
TL;DR
- ChatGPT / Midjourney can quickly generate sticker images, but there's still background removal, formatting, and sizing work between generation and publishing
- LINE allows AI stickers, but they'll be automatically labeled as AI-generated, and infringing on existing IP is strictly prohibited
- Creators take home roughly 35% of the sale price (on a NT$30 / ~$1 USD sticker set, you get about NT$10.5 / ~$0.35)
- Real earnings from a small creator:
4,000 sets sold over 14 months ≈ NT$28,300 ($900 USD) — far from "passive income" - Treat it as a "fun AI experiment" rather than an "income stream" and you'll have a much better experience
Let's Look at the Numbers First — Can AI Stickers Really Generate Passive Income?
Before spending time learning the tools, let's answer the most important question: how much can you actually earn selling LINE stickers?
Revenue Split Breakdown
The LINE sticker revenue split isn't as simple as "sell a set, keep the money." There are two layers of fees:
- Apple / Google takes 30% first (for in-app purchases)
- LINE takes 50% of what's left
So for a sticker set priced at NT$30 (~$1 USD):
NT$30 (sale price)
→ Apple/Google takes 30% = NT$21 remaining
→ LINE takes 50% = NT$10.5 remaining
→ You actually receive: NT$10.5 (~$0.35 USD, roughly 35% of the sale price)
Note: If a buyer purchases through the LINE STORE website (not in-app), the Apple/Google cut doesn't apply, so the split is better. But the vast majority of purchases happen in-app.
Earnings Projection Table
| Sets Sold | NT$30 × 35% | Your Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| 100 sets | NT$10.5 × 100 | NT$1,050 (~$33 USD) |
| 500 sets | NT$10.5 × 500 | NT$5,250 (~$165 USD) |
| 1,000 sets | NT$10.5 × 1,000 | NT$10,500 (~$330 USD) |
| 5,000 sets | NT$10.5 × 5,000 | NT$52,500 (~$1,650 USD) |
Real-world case: A Taiwanese creator shared that over 14 months, they sold about 4,000 sets and actually received NT$28,300 ($900 USD). What does that mean? An average monthly income of about NT$2,021 ($63 USD) — roughly the cost of a nice dinner.
Market Reality
- Over 7.5 million registered creators globally (LINE Creators Market 10th anniversary data, 2024)
- Over 1 million creators in Taiwan alone
- Only 198 creators worldwide have achieved cumulative sales exceeding 100 million JPY (LINE 8th anniversary data, 2022)
- Revenue is extremely concentrated at the top; the vast majority of creators earn close to zero
Practical advice: If your motivation is "passive income," LINE stickers will almost certainly fall short of your expectations. But if your motivation is "having fun, learning AI tools, and maybe earning a little pocket money," then it's absolutely worth trying. Your mindset determines your experience.
The 5-Step Workflow — From AI Image Generation to LINE Publication
Step 1: Character Design and Prompt Engineering
The biggest challenge with AI stickers isn't "generating one image" — it's "generating 8-40 images with a consistent style."
ChatGPT (GPT-4o) — Best for Beginners
GPT-4o supports generating transparent-background PNGs directly, and its conversational interface lets you iteratively refine your character. In practice, its biggest advantage is character consistency: when generating the same character with different expressions within a single conversation, GPT-4o is noticeably more stable than Midjourney, saving beginners significant time on revisions.
Prompt example:
請幫我設計一個 LINE 貼圖角色：一隻穿著西裝的柴犬上班族。
風格：簡約手繪線條、Q版、白色背景。
請生成以下 8 個表情動作，保持角色外觀一致：
1. 開心打招呼 2. 加油打氣 3. 累到趴在桌上
4. 驚訝 5. 比讚 6. 生氣（可愛版）
7. 哭哭 8. 說謝謝
每張圖透明背景，正方形比例。
Midjourney — For Unique Visual Styles
Superior image quality and style variety compared to ChatGPT, but character consistency is a real weakness. You'll need the --cref (character reference) parameter to maintain consistency, and the learning curve is steeper.
Free Alternatives
If you just want to test the waters: Microsoft Designer (free) and Adobe Firefly (with free credits) can both generate decent sticker-style images, but they're weaker on character consistency and background control.
Step 2: Background Removal and Image Processing
LINE stickers require PNG format with transparent backgrounds. Even when you specify a transparent background in your prompt, AI-generated images sometimes still have faint background residue.
Recommended Free Background Removal Tools
- Canva (free tier): Built-in background removal, intuitive interface, great for batch processing
- remove.bg: One-click removal with excellent results, but the free version only allows low-resolution downloads (625x400px) — high quality requires a paid plan
- PhotoRoom: Mobile app, great for quick background removal on the go
Tip: If you're using ChatGPT GPT-4o, you can request "transparent background, sticker style" directly in your prompt. In most cases, you'll get a transparent-background PNG right away, skipping the removal step entirely.
Step 3: Layout and Sizing
LINE stickers have strict size requirements:
| Asset | Dimensions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Main Image | 240 × 240 px | The representative image in the sticker shop |
| Sticker | Max 370 × 320 px | Width and height must be even numbers; leave 10px transparent margin on all sides |
| Tab Image | 96 × 74 px | The small icon shown in the chat sticker selector |
How Many Stickers to Include
You can choose 8, 16, 24, 32, or 40 stickers (must be a multiple of 8). Beginners should start with 8 — it's the lowest barrier and lets you validate the process quickly. You can always add more or release a sequel based on feedback.
Use Canva or Figma to create templates at the required dimensions, place your background-removed images, verify margins, and export as PNG.
Step 4: Publishing on LINE Creators Market
- Register: Go to LINE Creators Market and log in with your LINE account — registration is free
- Create new sticker set: Click "New Submission" → "Stickers," then upload your main image, tab image, and all sticker images
- Fill in the details:
- Sticker set title (include English, plus local languages for your target markets)
- Description text
- Tags — this is critical for SEO and directly affects search visibility
- AI usage declaration: If you used AI tools, you must check the "Uses AI" option. LINE will automatically display an AI label on the purchase page
- Select sales regions and pricing: Minimum NT$30 (~$1 USD)
- Submit for review
Step 5: Review and Handling Rejections
Review typically takes a few hours to 2 days. Common rejection reasons:
- Poor image quality: Blurry images, rough edges, background not cleanly removed
- Repetitive content: The 8 stickers have overly similar compositions or expressions
- Sensitive content: Violence, discrimination, or politically charged elements
- Copyright concerns: Characters too similar to well-known IP
Don't panic if you get rejected — just fix the issues and resubmit. LINE will tell you the specific reason for rejection.
AI Sticker Tool Comparison
| Tool | Strengths | Weaknesses | Best For | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT (GPT-4o) | Conversational workflow, strong character consistency, transparent backgrounds | Fewer style options | Beginners, fast production | $20 |
| Midjourney | Diverse styles, high image quality | Poor character consistency, steeper learning curve | Unique visual aesthetics | From $10 |
| Microsoft Designer | Free, easy to use | Inconsistent quality, weak consistency | Testing the waters at zero cost | Free |
| Adobe Firefly | Commercially safe (trained on licensed data) | Limited free credits | Creators concerned about copyright risk | Free/Paid |
Practical choice: If you already have a ChatGPT Plus subscription, just use GPT-4o — no need to spend extra. It's the most beginner-friendly option for character consistency and ease of use.
Strategies to Improve Your Odds
Standing out among 7.5 million creators isn't easy, but there are ways to boost your visibility:
1. Pick the Right Niche
Avoid saturated categories like "cute cats" and "cute dogs." Try instead:
- Workplace humor ("Inner thoughts during meetings," "Countdown to quitting time")
- Cultural and regional humor (local slang, holiday-specific stickers)
- Community-specific language (developer humor, healthcare worker memes, teacher life)
- Couple / relationship daily life (an evergreen market)
2. Title and Tag SEO
Your sticker title and tags directly affect search results. Research trending search terms in the LINE sticker shop and naturally incorporate keywords into your title and tags.
3. Volume Strategy
A single set of 8 stickers is unlikely to go viral. A more realistic approach: release multiple sets featuring the same character ("Shiba Office Worker Vol.1," "Vol.2"...) to build character recognition. AI tools make the marginal cost of each new set extremely low.
4. Social Media Promotion
Don't just publish and wait. Share your stickers and the creation process on Instagram, Threads, Twitter/X, Reddit, and other platforms. "Stickers made with AI" is inherently shareable content with built-in novelty.
Risk Disclosure and Important Considerations
The AI Label Effect
LINE automatically displays an AI label on the purchase page of AI-generated stickers, and LINE reserves the right to determine whether content is AI-generated on its own. While there's no public data on exactly how the AI label affects sales, consumers may be less inclined to buy — especially when there's an abundance of "hand-drawn feel" stickers to choose from.
Copyright and Intellectual Property Risks
LINE's review guidelines explicitly prohibit infringing on third-party intellectual property, including the use of cartoon characters, celebrity likenesses, brand trademarks, and other protected elements. When using AI to generate images, avoid prompts like "Ghibli style" or "Disney character" that may produce infringing content.
Additionally, images generated purely from AI prompts are currently not protected by copyright in the United States. This means your stickers could theoretically be copied by others with no legal recourse. If you make substantial creative modifications to the images (such as recoloring or adding hand-drawn elements), you may be able to claim protection. Legal positions vary by country and are still evolving.
Sunk Cost Risk
- ChatGPT Plus costs $20/month
- Time invested in creation and promotion each month
- Expected income may be zero
If you spend 3 months, invest $60 in tool costs and dozens of hours, yet only earn $15 in revenue, that's a losing investment. Be honest with yourself before you start: are you doing this for fun, or for money?
Extreme Market Saturation
7.5 million creators competing for limited attention. New sticker sets get a very brief window of exposure after launch, and without external promotion, they're virtually impossible to discover organically. LINE's search and recommendation algorithms heavily favor popular stickers that already have sales momentum.
Platform Policy Changes
LINE can adjust its AI sticker policies, revenue splits, or review standards at any time. Starting February 2015, LINE stopped absorbing the Apple/Google 30% platform fee on behalf of creators, dropping the creator's effective share from 50% to roughly 35% of the sale price. Platform rules can change without warning — putting all your eggs in one basket is inherently risky.
FAQ
Does it cost money to publish AI stickers on LINE?
No. Registration and publishing on LINE Creators Market are completely free — all you need is a LINE account. The only cost is the AI tool you use (e.g., ChatGPT Plus at $20/month), but there are free alternatives you can use to try it at zero cost.
How long does it take to make and publish a sticker set?
Once you're familiar with the workflow, about 2-4 hours for a set of 8 stickers (including image generation, background removal, formatting, and submission). Your first attempt may take an entire afternoon since you'll be learning the process and iterating on prompts. Review typically takes a few hours to 2 days.
Can I use AI stickers on platforms other than LINE?
The images you generate can be freely reused, but the sticker format uploaded to LINE Creators Market is LINE-specific. If you want to also publish on WhatsApp Stickers or Telegram Stickers, you'll need to handle the formatting and submission process separately for each platform.
Do I need to know Chinese or Japanese to sell stickers?
Not at all. LINE Creators Market supports English, and you can fill in sticker names and descriptions in English. That said, adding Japanese or Chinese titles is recommended since LINE's biggest sticker markets are Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand — multilingual listings can significantly expand your reach.
Do I need to pay taxes on LINE sticker income?
Yes. In most countries, sticker income is considered taxable income and should be reported accordingly. However, given that most small creators earn very little, the actual tax impact is usually minimal. Keep your LINE payment records for documentation. Note that you need to accumulate at least JPY 1,000 (~$7 USD) before you can request a payout.
Conclusion
AI has reduced the barrier to "making stickers" to nearly zero — ChatGPT can generate a character in seconds, and a full set of 8 stickers can be done in two to three hours. But the barrier to "making money from stickers" remains high: 7.5 million creators, a 35% revenue share, and the potential impact of the AI label — these realities don't disappear just because the tools got easier.
If your goal is "have fun + learn AI image generation + maybe earn a little pocket money," this is a great weekend project. Along the way, you'll pick up skills in prompt engineering, image processing, and platform publishing — and that experience has value in itself.
If your goal is "stable passive income," you need much more realistic expectations — or you'd be better off investing your time in a side project with a higher return on effort.
Go ahead and make your first set of 8 stickers. Validate at the lowest possible cost whether you actually enjoy the process — because with earnings this modest, "enjoying the process" is the only reason you'll stick with it.
