Here’s a situation that plays out constantly in the creator world: you start selling digital downloads \u2014 an ebook, a template pack, a Notion dashboard. It works. Your audience buys. Then you want to add a course. You look at your current platform and realize it doesn’t do courses well. Or at all. So you migrate. You rebuild your product pages, re-import your customer list, set up new checkout flows, and email everyone your new links.<\/p>\n
It’s a mess, and it’s entirely avoidable if you pick the right software from the start.<\/p>\n
This guide covers the best software to sell digital products and<\/em> courses \u2014 platforms that handle both product types well, so you can grow your offerings without switching tools. Whether you’re just getting started or already selling downloads and want to add a course, there’s an option here for you.<\/p>\n If you’re still deciding what type of product to sell first, check out our guide on how to sell digital products<\/a> for a practical starting point.<\/p>\n You might be tempted to use separate tools \u2014 Gumroad for your downloads and Teachable for your course. It’s doable, but it creates real friction:<\/p>\n A single platform that handles both gives you unified checkout, one customer database, a single storefront, and one payout. That’s not just convenient \u2014 it directly affects your revenue and your ability to upsell.<\/p>\n For a broader look at your options, see our best platform to sell digital products<\/a> roundup, or compare platforms for digital downloads<\/a> side by side.<\/p>\n Podia is purpose-built for creators who sell multiple product types. It supports digital downloads, online courses, webinars, coaching, communities, and email \u2014 all under one roof and one monthly fee.<\/p>\n Digital downloads:<\/strong> Excellent. You can sell PDFs, audio files, video files, templates, and any other file type. Instant delivery, customizable checkout, and no file size restrictions on higher plans.<\/p>\n Courses:<\/strong> Strong. Podia’s course builder supports video, text, quizzes, and drip scheduling. It’s not as feature-heavy as dedicated course platforms, but it covers 90% of what most creators need.<\/p>\n Best for:<\/strong> Creators who want to run their entire digital business \u2014 downloads, courses, newsletter, community \u2014 from one place without duct-taping tools together.<\/p>\n Pricing:<\/strong> Free plan (8% transaction fee), Mover at $33\/month (no transaction fees), Shaker at $75\/month (adds affiliate program).<\/p>\n Weak spots:<\/strong> The course builder lacks advanced features like certificates or SCORM support. If you’re building a serious course business with complex curriculum needs, you’ll hit limits.<\/p>\n Kajabi is the premium option in this space. It’s built around courses and memberships, with digital download support layered in. The platform also includes a full email marketing suite, landing page builder, and pipeline (funnel) builder.<\/p>\n Digital downloads:<\/strong> Good, but secondary. You can sell files as standalone products, bundle them with courses, or include them as course materials. The experience isn’t as streamlined as Gumroad or Payhip, but it works.<\/p>\n Courses:<\/strong> Excellent. Kajabi has the most polished course delivery experience on this list \u2014 video hosting, progress tracking, assessments, drip content, certificates, and a mobile app for students.<\/p>\n Best for:<\/strong> Creators who are serious about courses as their primary revenue stream but want to bundle in digital downloads or use them as lead magnets and upsells.<\/p>\n Pricing:<\/strong> Starts at $69\/month (Kickstarter plan, limited products), $149\/month for the Basic plan with full features. No transaction fees on any plan.<\/p>\n Weak spots:<\/strong> Price. Kajabi is significantly more expensive than alternatives. If courses aren’t your main product, you’re paying for features you won’t use. It’s also where you’d want to look at Stan Store alternatives<\/a> if you want something lighter.<\/p>\n Teachable built its reputation on online courses and has been expanding its digital product support. It now lets you sell coaching packages, digital downloads, and bundles alongside courses.<\/p>\n Digital downloads:<\/strong> Decent. You can sell files directly, but the experience is course-centric \u2014 your download products live inside the same course-style interface, which can feel clunky for simple file sales.<\/p>\n Courses:<\/strong> Very strong. Teachable has a mature course builder with video hosting, quizzes, certificates, drip scheduling, and compliance features. Its student experience is polished.<\/p>\n Best for:<\/strong> Creators who primarily want to sell courses and occasionally bundle in or upsell digital downloads. Not ideal if downloads are your main product.<\/p>\n Pricing:<\/strong> Free plan (with transaction fees), Basic at $39\/month, Pro at $119\/month. Transaction fees disappear at paid tiers.<\/p>\n Weak spots:<\/strong> The download-selling experience is an afterthought. Teachable’s checkout and storefront are designed around courses, so if your catalog is mostly files, it shows.<\/p>\n Payhip is an underrated platform that genuinely handles both digital downloads and courses without favoring one over the other. It’s simple, affordable, and surprisingly capable.<\/p>\n Digital downloads:<\/strong> Excellent. Payhip was originally built for file sales \u2014 PDFs, ebooks, software, music, templates. The checkout experience is clean, and it handles EU VAT automatically.<\/p>\n Courses:<\/strong> Solid. Payhip added a course builder that supports video lessons, drip content, quizzes, and certificates. It’s not as polished as Teachable or Kajabi, but it’s functional and improving.<\/p>\n Best for:<\/strong> Budget-conscious creators who want to sell both product types without paying $50\u2013150\/month. Great for testing a course before committing to a premium platform.<\/p>\n Pricing:<\/strong> Free plan (5% transaction fee), Plus at $29\/month (2% fee), Pro at $99\/month (no fees).<\/p>\n Weak spots:<\/strong> The course builder still lacks some advanced features. The platform’s design is simpler than competitors, which some creators find limiting for branding.<\/p>\n Gumroad is the go-to for creators who want to start selling digital products with zero friction. It’s fast to set up, requires no monthly fee, and handles file delivery well. But its course capabilities are limited.<\/p>\n Digital downloads:<\/strong> Excellent. Gumroad handles any file type, supports pay-what-you-want pricing, memberships, and discount codes. The discovery aspect (Gumroad Discover) can also bring in buyers you didn’t directly send.<\/p>\n Courses:<\/strong> Basic. Gumroad lets you sell video content and organize it into a course-like structure, but it’s not a real course platform. No quizzes, no certificates, no drip content, no progress tracking.<\/p>\n Best for:<\/strong> Creators focused primarily on digital downloads who want a simple, no-monthly-fee setup. Not a good long-term home if courses are part of your roadmap.<\/p>\n Pricing:<\/strong> No monthly fee. Flat 10% transaction fee (decreasing as you earn more).<\/p>\n Weak spots:<\/strong> Transaction fees add up quickly as your revenue grows. Course capabilities are too limited for any serious course offering. If you’re looking at alternatives, see our Gumroad alternatives<\/a> guide.<\/p>\n Lemon Squeezy acts as a merchant of record, which means it handles all the international tax complexity (VAT, sales tax, GST) for you automatically. It’s strong for digital downloads and SaaS products, with growing course support.<\/p>\n Digital downloads:<\/strong> Excellent. Lemon Squeezy handles any digital file, supports subscriptions, license keys, and software products. Its global tax handling is its biggest differentiator.<\/p>\n Courses:<\/strong> Limited but improving. Lemon Squeezy has added basic course functionality, but it’s not a full course platform. If structured video lessons and student progress are important, you’ll find it lacking.<\/p>\n Best for:<\/strong> Creators with international audiences who want automatic tax compliance, or those selling software\/SaaS alongside digital products.<\/p>\n Pricing:<\/strong> No monthly fee. Flat transaction fee starting at around 5% + payment processing.<\/p>\n Weak spots:<\/strong> Course features are still developing. Not ideal if courses are a significant part of your offering.<\/p>\nWhy Selling Digital Products and Courses on One Platform Matters<\/h2>\n
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The 6 Best Software Options for Selling Digital Products and Courses<\/h2>\n
1. Podia \u2014 Best All-in-One for Creators Doing Both<\/h3>\n
2. Kajabi \u2014 Best for Serious Course Creators Who Also Sell Downloads<\/h3>\n
3. Teachable \u2014 Best Course-First Platform With Download Support<\/h3>\n
4. Payhip \u2014 Best Budget Option That Handles Both Well<\/h3>\n
5. Gumroad \u2014 Best for Simple Downloads, Limited for Courses<\/h3>\n
6. Lemon Squeezy \u2014 Best for Digital Products With Global Tax Compliance<\/h3>\n
Platform Comparison Table<\/h2>\n