Lemon Squeezy Alternatives (2026): Where to Sell If You Are Thinking of Moving
Lemon Squeezy is moving toward Stripe Managed Payments. Here is what is confirmed, what is not, and what you keep from a $20 sale on each option.
You do not have to move today. Lemon Squeezy still lists 5% + $0.50 per sale, and its 2026 update gives no date or fee for the move to Stripe Managed Payments. If you want a plan B now, Payhip Free keeps almost the same amount on a $20 sale ($18.12 vs $18.50) and has no monthly fee. Payhip also says it collects and pays EU/UK VAT and US sales tax for you.
What is confirmed about the Stripe move
- Lemon Squeezy published a “2026 Update” about Stripe Managed Payments and says it wants to give users an easy way to migrate.
- Managed Payments runs in 35+ countries; public sign-up is described as “very soon”, with no date.
- No fee for Managed Payments is published on the Lemon Squeezy pricing page, and the update does not say moving is required.
So the real risk is uncertainty, not a known price increase. Keep an exit ready rather than migrating in a hurry.
What you keep from a $20 sale
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Platform | Fees on $20 | You keep | Monthly plan | Sales tax handled by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lemon Squeezy | $1.50 (5% + $0.50, US card processing included) | $18.50 | $0 | Lemon Squeezy (merchant of record) |
| Payhip Free | $1.00 + about $0.88 card processing | $18.12 | $0 | Payhip (EU/UK VAT as reseller, US sales tax as marketplace facilitator) |
| Payhip Plus | $0.40 + about $0.88 | $18.72 | $29 | Same as Payhip Free |
| Gumroad (direct) | $2.50 + about $0.88 | $16.62 | $0 | Gumroad (merchant of record) |
| Sellfy Starter | About $0.88 card processing | $19.12 | $29 | You |
Card processing is assumed at 2.9% + $0.30. Lemon Squeezy says some payments from outside the US can cost slightly more. Refunds and currency conversion are left out.
Which one fits you
- You want the platform to carry the tax work: Lemon Squeezy, Gumroad, and Payhip all say they collect and pay sales tax/VAT for you. Gumroad costs about $1.88 more per $20 sale than Payhip Free.
- You want low fees with no subscription: Payhip Free. See Payhip plans (affiliate link).
- You sell more than about $1,000 a month: Payhip Plus ($29 + 2%) starts to beat Payhip Free.
A low-risk way to prepare
- Export your customer list and product files from Lemon Squeezy now.
- Set up a second store with your best product and test one checkout.
- Wait for Lemon Squeezy to publish the Managed Payments fee, then decide with real numbers.
Try your own price and volume in the digital product fee calculator.
Sources: Payhip tax page, Lemon Squeezy pricing, Lemon Squeezy 2026 update, Gumroad pricing, Payhip pricing (affiliate link).
Who handles the tax? Compare which platforms collect and pay sales tax and VAT for you.
Choosing between the two? See Gumroad vs Lemon Squeezy for the fee on every sale side by side.
Still choosing where to sell? See the best platform to sell digital products, with 10 options compared by what you keep per sale.
Related: Lemon Squeezy vs Payhip · Gumroad Alternatives · Payhip Review
Not sure which platform fits your numbers? Put in your price and monthly sales and see what you keep on every platform at once. If you are just starting, a Payhip store costs $0 until you sell, so you can set it up first and decide later.
