Last Updated on 1 week ago by Andrew White
You’ve made something worth selling — a PDF guide, a Notion template, a preset pack, an ebook. Now you need a place to actually sell it. The problem? There are dozens of platforms claiming to be the best, and they all have different fee structures, feature sets, and ideal use cases. The wrong choice can cost you 10–15% of every sale, or lock you into a clunky tool that kills your momentum before you make your first $100.
This guide cuts through the noise. We compared the most popular platforms for selling digital downloads head-to-head — real fees, real features, real trade-offs — so you can pick the one that fits your situation and start selling today. For a broader look at your options, see our guide on where to sell digital products and our roundup of the best platform to sell digital products by product type.
How We Compared These Platforms
Every platform below was evaluated on five criteria that actually matter to independent creators:
- Transaction fees — what percentage of each sale goes to the platform
- Monthly cost — what you pay regardless of whether you sell anything
- Ease of setup — how fast you can go from sign-up to live product page
- Audience reach — does the platform bring its own traffic, or do you bring yours?
- Creator-specific features — things like social media integrations, affiliate programs, email list building, pay-what-you-want pricing
One quick note: there’s no single “best” platform. The right answer depends on your product type, your current audience size, and how much you want to pay upfront versus per sale. Let’s get into it.
Platform-by-Platform Breakdown
Gumroad
Best for: Creators who want to start for free and test demand before committing to a paid plan.
Gumroad is the go-to starting point for most digital product creators, and for good reason. There’s no monthly fee — you pay 10% of each sale on the free plan. That’s it. Upload a file, set a price, share your product link on Instagram or TikTok, and you’re live in under 10 minutes.
Gumroad handles payment processing (via Stripe and PayPal), file delivery, and even has a built-in discover feed where buyers browse products. Over 100,000 creators use Gumroad, and the platform paid out $23.8 million to creators in 2024 alone.
Fees: 10% per sale on the free plan. No monthly fee. Payment processing fees (Stripe/PayPal) are separate and typically 2.9% + $0.30.
Pros:
- Zero monthly cost — genuinely free to start
- Built-in discovery feed sends organic buyers your way
- Affiliate program included on all plans
- Supports pay-what-you-want pricing
- Handles EU VAT automatically
Cons:
- 10% cut gets expensive as sales volume grows
- Limited customization — your storefront looks like every other Gumroad store
- No native Apple Pay support
- Analytics are basic unless you integrate third-party tools
Bottom line: Gumroad is the right call if you have zero budget, want to validate a product idea fast, or are just starting out. Once you’re reliably making $500+/month, the 10% fee starts to sting — that’s when you reassess. Check out our list of Gumroad alternatives for digital downloads if you’ve outgrown it.
Payhip
Best for: Solopreneurs who want a free-forever plan with lower fees than Gumroad.
Payhip is Gumroad’s closest competitor — and in several ways, a better deal. The free plan charges only 5% per sale (half of Gumroad’s rate), and Payhip serves 130,000+ sellers worldwide. It handles EU and UK VAT automatically, which matters a lot if you sell internationally.
The platform supports digital downloads, online courses, memberships, and coaching. Setup is fast: create an account, upload your file, connect Stripe or PayPal, and you’re done. Payhip also includes built-in email marketing tools, a coupon system, and an affiliate program — features that usually cost extra on other platforms.
Fees: Free plan = 5% transaction fee. Plus plan ($29/month) = 2% fee. Pro plan ($99/month) = 0% fee.
Pros:
- 5% free-plan fee is the lowest among major platforms
- Automatic EU/UK VAT handling
- Built-in email marketing (grow your list while you sell)
- Affiliate program included on all plans
- Clean, customizable storefront
Cons:
- Smaller built-in audience than Etsy or Amazon — you bring your own traffic
- Analytics on the free plan are fairly basic
- Less name recognition among buyers than Gumroad
Bottom line: Payhip is underrated. If you’re choosing between Gumroad and Payhip for a free plan, Payhip wins on fees. The jump to the $29/month Plus plan makes sense once you’re clearing $1,500+/month in sales (at which point the reduced fee pays for the subscription).
Lemon Squeezy
Best for: Creators selling software, SaaS tools, or high-volume digital products who need advanced licensing and tax compliance.
Lemon Squeezy acts as the “merchant of record” — meaning it handles all sales tax, VAT, and compliance globally on your behalf. This is a massive advantage if you sell internationally and don’t want to deal with tax paperwork across 50+ jurisdictions.
Lemon Squeezy charges 5% + $0.50 per transaction (plus standard payment processing fees). There’s no monthly fee. The platform supports digital downloads, subscriptions, and software licensing — making it especially popular with indie developers and digital tool creators.
Fees: 5% + $0.50 per transaction. No monthly fee. All taxes handled by the platform.
Pros:
- Full global tax/VAT compliance handled for you
- Strong subscription and licensing features
- No monthly fee
- Clean checkout experience with high conversion rates
- Good API and developer-friendly tools
Cons:
- $0.50 flat fee per transaction hurts on low-price products (selling a $3 PDF means paying $0.65 just in platform fees)
- Less suited for course creators or coaching products
- Smaller creator community than Gumroad
Bottom line: Lemon Squeezy is the best pick if global tax compliance keeps you up at night or if you’re selling software with licensing needs. For straightforward PDF/template sellers, Payhip or Gumroad is simpler.
Stan Store
Best for: Instagram and TikTok creators who want a link-in-bio store that sells digital products, bookings, and memberships.
Stan Store has become the dominant platform for social media creators in the past two years. It replaces your Linktree or link-in-bio with a shoppable storefront where followers can buy digital downloads, book calls, join memberships, or enroll in courses — all without leaving a mobile-friendly experience.
Stan charges $29/month (Creator plan) or $99/month (Creator Pro) with zero transaction fees on either plan. That flat monthly cost with no percentage cut is what makes Stan attractive once you’re generating consistent sales.
Fees: $29/month (Creator) or $99/month (Creator Pro). 0% transaction fees. Standard payment processing applies.
Pros:
- Zero transaction fees on all plans
- Built specifically for social media creators — mobile-first design
- Replaces your link-in-bio and storefront in one tool
- Supports digital downloads, courses, coaching, and memberships
- Email list building and automation included
Cons:
- $29/month minimum — not ideal if you’re pre-revenue
- Less flexibility for complex storefronts or large product catalogs
- No built-in marketplace traffic — you supply all visitors
Bottom line: Stan Store makes sense if your audience lives on Instagram or TikTok and you want one tool that handles your link-in-bio, product sales, and email list. If you’re on the fence, we’ve covered the best Stan Store alternatives if the pricing doesn’t fit yet.
Etsy
Best for: Creators with visual/printable products (planners, templates, art, fonts) who want built-in marketplace traffic.
Etsy is the only platform on this list with a massive built-in audience actively searching for products to buy. That’s its biggest advantage — and its biggest trade-off. You don’t need to drive traffic; Etsy does it for you. But you pay for that privilege through listing fees and transaction costs that add up quickly.
Fees: $0.20 per listing (renewed every 4 months or when sold). 6.5% transaction fee on the sale price. Payment processing: 3% + $0.25. Total take on a $15 sale: roughly $1.50–$2.00 before payment processing.
Pros:
- Massive built-in buyer audience — 90+ million active buyers as of 2024
- Great for discoverability without a social media following
- Trusted checkout experience buyers already know
- Strong for printables, templates, planners, fonts, and graphic assets
Cons:
- 6.5% transaction fee + listing fees + payment processing = high total cost
- You don’t own the customer relationship — Etsy controls the email list
- Algorithm changes can tank your visibility overnight
- Not suited for courses, coaching, or community products
Bottom line: Etsy is worth it if your product is visually searchable (think: Canva templates, budget planners, social media kits) and you have no existing audience. If you already have followers, you’ll make more money selling direct via Payhip or Gumroad and keeping more of each sale.
Sellfy
Best for: Creators who want a fully branded storefront with built-in marketing tools and no transaction fees.
Sellfy positions itself as an all-in-one e-commerce platform for creators. It supports digital downloads, physical products, subscriptions, and print-on-demand — all under one roof. Unlike Gumroad or Payhip, Sellfy gives you a proper branded store you can embed on your own website or run as a standalone shop.
Sellfy charges no transaction fees on any paid plan. Plans start at $22/month (Starter) for up to $10k/year in sales, scaling to $59/month (Business) for unlimited sales. There’s no free tier — you get a 14-day free trial.
Fees: From $22/month. No transaction fees. Standard payment processing (Stripe/PayPal) applies.
Pros:
- Zero transaction fees on all paid plans
- Built-in email marketing and upsell tools
- Supports digital, physical, and print-on-demand products
- Embeddable cart — sell directly from your website or social media bio
- Mobile-optimized storefront
Cons:
- No free plan — $22/month minimum
- Starter plan caps at $10k/year in revenue (upgrade required beyond that)
- Smaller ecosystem than Gumroad or Etsy
Bottom line: Sellfy is a solid middle ground between the simplicity of Gumroad and the complexity of Shopify. It’s especially good if you want to sell both digital and physical products, or if you need embedded cart functionality on your existing website.
Quick Comparison: Fees at a Glance
Here’s how the platforms stack up on cost structure at a glance:
- Gumroad — Free plan, 10% per sale
- Payhip — Free plan, 5% per sale (or from $29/month for lower fees)
- Lemon Squeezy — No monthly fee, 5% + $0.50 per sale
- Stan Store — From $29/month, 0% transaction fees
- Etsy — $0.20/listing + 6.5% transaction + 3% + $0.25 processing
- Sellfy — From $22/month, 0% transaction fees
How to Choose the Right Platform
Run through these four questions to find your best fit:
1. Do you have an existing audience?
Yes: Skip Etsy and go direct. Use Payhip (free, lowest fees), Gumroad (free, more built-in discovery), or Stan Store (if your audience is on social media). You’ll keep more of each sale and own the customer relationship.
No: Etsy is worth considering if your product is visual and searchable. Otherwise, build your audience first — a small engaged following converts better than Etsy’s cold traffic for most creator products.
2. What’s your product type?
PDFs, templates, presets, ebooks: Gumroad, Payhip, or Lemon Squeezy all work great. Keep it simple.
Planners, printables, fonts, digital art: Etsy first (for discovery), then set up a direct store on Payhip or Sellfy for returning customers.
Courses + downloads bundle: Payhip, Stan Store, or Sellfy — all three support both product types.
Software or tools with licensing: Lemon Squeezy is purpose-built for this.
3. How much can you spend monthly?
$0/month budget: Gumroad or Payhip free plans. Expect to give up 5–10% per sale.
$22–$29/month budget: Sellfy Starter or Payhip Plus. You drop the per-sale percentage and gain more features.
$29+/month and selling regularly: Stan Store makes sense if your primary channel is social media — the no-fee structure pays for itself quickly at moderate sales volume.
4. Do you need tax/VAT compliance handled automatically?
If you sell to international buyers and don’t want to think about VAT, your best options are Lemon Squeezy (handles everything as merchant of record), Payhip (handles EU/UK VAT on digital goods), or Etsy (handles sales tax and VAT collection for most regions).
What Most Creators Get Wrong
The most common mistake is optimizing for the platform instead of the audience. Creators spend weeks building a beautiful Shopify store with a custom domain before they’ve sold a single product. Meanwhile, someone else puts a Payhip link in their Instagram bio, sells their first 20 copies in a week, and uses that validation to invest in better tools.
Start with the cheapest option that gets you live. Gumroad and Payhip free plans exist precisely for this. Once you’re making consistent sales — even $200–$300/month — you have real data to decide whether to upgrade, switch platforms, or keep things exactly as they are.
Platform-switching is less painful than it sounds. Most platforms let you export your customer list and product files. The hardest part isn’t moving — it’s building an audience that trusts you enough to buy. Focus there first.
For more on this topic, our guide to the best platform to sell digital products breaks down recommendations by product category, and our where to sell digital products guide covers 12 platforms including marketplaces and social-native options.
The Bottom Line
Here’s the short version of everything above:
- Just starting out, $0 budget: Use Payhip (5% fee, lower than Gumroad’s 10%)
- Social media creator, Instagram/TikTok audience: Stan Store ($29/month, 0% fees, link-in-bio built in) — or explore Stan Store alternatives if you want a different approach
- Selling printables/planners, no audience yet: Start on Etsy, build direct sales on Payhip
- Selling software or tools: Lemon Squeezy (best tax handling, licensing features)
- Want branded storefront, some budget: Sellfy ($22/month, no transaction fees)
- Outgrown Gumroad: Check out Gumroad alternatives for digital downloads — Payhip and Lemon Squeezy are the top picks
Pick one, get your product live this week, and iterate from there. The best platform is the one you actually use.