Best Platform to Sell Digital Products (2026): 10 Options Compared by What You Keep
Payhip, Lemon Squeezy, Gumroad, Etsy, Sellfy, Stan Store, Shopify, Podia, Teachable and Kajabi, side by side: the fee on every sale, the monthly plan, and the sales level where each one becomes the cheapest.
For most creators starting out, Payhip Free is the best place to sell digital products: $0 a month, every feature, 5% per sale, and you keep about $18.12 of a $20 sale. Lemon Squeezy keeps a little more ($18.50) and handles tax worldwide. Once you sell about $1,000 a month, a flat plan with 0% fees (Stan Store, Shopify Basic, Payhip Plus or Pro) costs less than any percentage fee.
The short answer, by situation
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| If you are… | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Selling your first ebook, template, preset or course, under about $580 a month | Payhip Free | $0 a month, all features on every plan, 5% only when you sell |
| Selling to many countries and you never want to file VAT or sales tax | Lemon Squeezy | Merchant of record; 5% + $0.50 includes US card processing |
| Starting with no audience and you need buyers to find you | Etsy, or Gumroad Discover | A marketplace brings buyers, but you pay more per sale (Discover takes 30%) |
| Selling from Instagram or TikTok through a link in bio | Stan Store | Built for a mobile link-in-bio checkout; $29 a month, 0% per sale |
| Selling physical and digital products in one shop | Shopify Basic | $39 a month ($29 yearly), 0% with Shopify Payments |
| Running a course business at $2,000+ a month | Payhip Plus/Pro, or Teachable Builder | Flat price, 0–2% fee; Kajabi only if it replaces other paid tools |
Every platform’s fees in one table
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Platform | Monthly price | Fee per sale | Payment processing | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payhip | Free $0 · Plus $29 · Pro $99 | 5% · 2% · 0% | Stripe/PayPal, about 2.9% + $0.30 | Says it collects and remits EU/UK VAT and US/Canadian sales tax |
| Lemon Squeezy | $0 | 5% + $0.50; +1.5% outside the US, +1.5% PayPal, +0.5% subscriptions | Included | Merchant of record |
| Gumroad | $0 | 10% + $0.50 direct; 30% on Discover sales | About 2.9% + $0.30 on direct sales | Merchant of record |
| Etsy | $0 | $0.20 listing + 6.5% transaction; Offsite Ads 15% (12% for larger shops) | 3% + $0.25 (US) | See Etsy’s tax policy for your country |
| Sellfy | Starter $29 ($22 yearly) · Business $79 ($59) · Premium $159 ($119) | 0%; sales caps of $10k / $50k / $200k a year | Stripe/PayPal, typically 2.9% + $0.30 | Your job |
| Stan Store | Creator $29 · Creator Pro $99 | 0% | Stripe 2.9% + $0.30; payout fee 0.25% + $0.25 (min $1) | Your job |
| Shopify | Basic $39 ($29 yearly) | 0% with Shopify Payments (2% with another provider) | 2.9% + $0.30 (US) | Your job |
| Podia | Mover $49 ($42 yearly) · Shaker $99 ($84) · Earthquaker $179 ($150) | 5% · 0% · 0% | Stripe/PayPal 2.9% + $0.30 | Your job |
| Teachable | Starter $39 ($29 yearly) · Builder $89 ($69) · Growth $189 ($139) | 7.5% · 0% · 0% | Teachable Payments processing fees apply | See Teachable’s tax terms |
| Kajabi | Basic $179 ($143 yearly) · Growth $249 ($199) · Pro $499 ($399) | 0% | Kajabi Payments 2.9% + $0.30 on Basic (US) | Your job |
“Your job” means the platform calculates or shows tax at checkout at most; registering, filing and paying it stays with you. Read who pays sales tax on digital products before you pick a non-merchant-of-record platform.
What you keep from one sale, by price
US card buyer, per-sale fees only. Monthly plan prices are not included here; they are in the next table.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Platform | $10 sale | $20 sale | $50 sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any 0% plan (Payhip Pro, Sellfy, Stan, Shopify Basic, Podia Shaker, Kajabi Basic) | $9.41 | $19.12 | $48.25 |
| Payhip Plus (2%) | $9.21 | $18.72 | $47.25 |
| Lemon Squeezy (US card) | $9.00 | $18.50 | $47.00 |
| Payhip Free / Podia Mover (5%) | $8.91 | $18.12 | $45.75 |
| Etsy (no Offsite Ads) | $8.60 | $17.65 | $44.80 |
| Gumroad direct | $7.91 | $16.62 | $42.75 |
| Gumroad Discover | $7.00 | $14.00 | $35.00 |
Example, Payhip Free on $20: $20 − $1.00 (5%) − $0.88 (2.9% + $0.30) = $18.12. Gumroad on $20: $20 − $2.00 − $0.50 − $0.88 = $16.62. Etsy on $20: $20 − $0.20 − $1.30 − $0.85 = $17.65.
Total monthly cost, by monthly sales
All fees plus the monthly plan (billed monthly), at an average price of $20 and US card buyers. Lower is better.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Platform | $200/mo | $500/mo | $1,000/mo | $2,000/mo | $5,000/mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lemon Squeezy | $15.00 | $37.50 | $75.00 | $150.00 | $375.00 |
| Payhip Free | $18.80 | $47.00 | $94.00 | $188.00 | $470.00 |
| Payhip Plus | $41.80 | $61.00 | $93.00 | $157.00 | $349.00 |
| Payhip Pro | $107.80 | $121.00 | $143.00 | $187.00 | $319.00 |
| Stan Store Creator | $37.80 | $51.00 | $73.00 | $117.00 | $249.00 |
| Shopify Basic | $47.80 | $61.00 | $83.00 | $127.00 | $259.00 |
| Sellfy (plan that fits the yearly cap) | $37.80 | $51.00 | $123.00 | $167.00 | $379.00 |
| Etsy | $23.50 | $58.75 | $117.50 | $235.00 | $587.50 |
| Gumroad direct | $33.80 | $84.50 | $169.00 | $338.00 | $845.00 |
| Kajabi Basic | $187.80 | $201.00 | $223.00 | $267.00 | $399.00 |
How the rows are built: a $20 sale costs $0.88 in card processing on every platform that charges it separately. Lemon Squeezy costs $1.50 per $20 sale, Gumroad $3.38, Etsy $2.35. Sellfy moves from Starter ($29) to Business ($79) at $1,000 a month because $12,000 a year is over Starter’s $10,000 cap, and to Premium ($159) at $5,000. Stan Store’s payout fee (0.25% + $0.25 per cash-out, $1 minimum) is not included because it depends on how often you cash out.
Break-even lines
- Stan Store Creator or Shopify Basic (yearly) vs a 5% fee: $29 ÷ 5% = $580 a month. Shopify Basic billed monthly: $39 ÷ 5% = $780.
- Payhip Plus vs Payhip Free: $29 ÷ 3% = about $967 a month.
- Payhip Pro vs Payhip Plus: $70 ÷ 2% = $3,500 a month.
- Stan Store Creator vs Lemon Squeezy at $20 a sale: Lemon Squeezy costs $0.62 more per sale than card processing alone ($1.50 − $0.88), so $29 ÷ $0.62 = 47 sales, about $935 a month.
- Kajabi Basic vs Payhip Pro: both charge 0% per sale, so Kajabi Basic costs $80 a month more at any sales level ($179 − $99).
Each platform in brief
Payhip: best default for most creators
Payhip’s pricing page lists “All features” on all three plans, so the Free plan already sells downloads, courses, memberships and coaching. You pay 5% on Free, 2% on Plus ($29) and 0% on Pro ($99), plus Stripe or PayPal processing. Payhip says it collects, reports and remits EU/UK VAT and US/Canadian sales tax for you, and pays out right after each sale. No buyer marketplace to speak of: you bring the traffic. See Payhip plans (affiliate link). More: Payhip review · Payhip plan calculator.
Lemon Squeezy: lowest fee for US sales, tax handled worldwide
5% + $0.50 with card processing included, and it is the merchant of record, so tax across jurisdictions is its liability. Extras stack: +1.5% outside the US, +1.5% PayPal, +0.5% subscriptions, and payouts to non-US banks cost 1%. In January 2026 Lemon Squeezy announced it is moving users onto Stripe Managed Payments, with no fee figures or migration date published yet. More: Lemon Squeezy fees · Lemon Squeezy vs Payhip.
Gumroad: marketplace reach, highest per-sale cost
No monthly fee and merchant of record, but 10% + $0.50 on direct sales plus card processing, and 30% on sales through Discover. Its $0.50 fixed fee hurts cheap products most. More: Gumroad fees explained · Payhip vs Gumroad.
Etsy: buyers already searching
$0.20 per listing, 6.5% per sale and 3% + $0.25 processing in the US. If a sale comes from Etsy’s Offsite Ads, another 15% (12% for larger shops) applies. Worth it when you have no audience yet. More: Etsy fees for digital downloads · Etsy vs Payhip.
Sellfy: flat plan with sales caps
0% per sale on every plan, but each plan has a yearly sales cap ($10k, $50k, $200k). Sellfy’s FAQ says it may charge a 2% overage fee if you pass the cap and do not upgrade. 14-day free trial, no free plan. More: Sellfy vs Payhip.
Stan Store: for selling from social media
$29 (Creator) or $99 (Creator Pro), 0% per sale, Stripe processing on top, plus a payout fee each time you cash out. The cheapest option in our table from about $1,000 a month, if a link-in-bio store is all you need. More: Stan Store fees.
Shopify: one store for physical and digital
Basic is $39 a month or $29 billed yearly, with 2.9% + $0.30 on US cards through Shopify Payments and no extra platform fee. Digital files are delivered through an app, and tax filing is your job. The Starter plan is closed to new stores. See Shopify plans (affiliate link). More: Is Shopify Basic worth it? · Shopify vs Payhip calculator.
Podia, Teachable and Kajabi: course platforms
Podia Mover ($49) still charges 5% per sale; Shaker ($99) is 0%. Teachable Starter ($39) charges 7.5%; Builder ($89) and Growth ($189) are 0% with Teachable Payments. Kajabi starts at $179 a month ($143 yearly) with 0% per sale and a 5-product limit on Basic. All three cost more than Payhip at small volumes, because Payhip includes courses on its free plan. More: Podia vs Payhip · Teachable vs Payhip · Kajabi vs Payhip.
Costs that are easy to miss
- Fixed fees on cheap products: Gumroad’s and Lemon Squeezy’s $0.50 is 10% of a $5 sale before any percentage. See fees on $1–$5 products.
- Refunds and chargebacks: processing fees are usually not returned on a refund, and disputes can add a fee. Try the refund and chargeback calculator.
- Tax work: on Sellfy, Stan Store, Shopify, Podia and Kajabi, VAT and sales tax registration and filing are yours. A flat plan that looks cheaper can cost more once you pay for tax software or an accountant.
- International buyers: Lemon Squeezy adds 1.5% for non-US payments and 1% on payouts to non-US banks; card processors also charge more for foreign cards.
- Sales caps and gated features: Sellfy’s yearly caps, Kajabi’s product limits (5 on Basic) and Teachable’s product limits (5 on Starter, 10 on Builder) can force an upgrade before your sales justify it.
- Marketplace fees: Gumroad Discover’s 30% and Etsy’s 15% Offsite Ads fee apply only to sales those channels bring, but they can be most of your sales early on.
Who should pick what
Payhip Free fits a creator with a small audience selling ebooks, templates, presets, audio or a first course, who wants one tool and no monthly bill. It does not fit someone who needs a marketplace to find buyers, or who already sells $1,000+ a month (move to Plus, Pro or a flat plan).
Lemon Squeezy fits software and global sellers who never want to handle VAT. It does not fit sellers who mostly get paid through PayPal by non-US buyers, where extras add 3%.
A flat plan (Stan Store, Shopify, Sellfy) fits steady sellers past about $1,000 a month. It does not fit anyone still making their first sales: at $200 a month, $29 is almost 15% of revenue.
Run your own numbers in the digital product fee calculator, or see every fee in one table on creator platform fees. Prefer not to build a site at all? Read selling digital products without a website.
Sources: Payhip pricing, Gumroad pricing, Lemon Squeezy fees, Lemon Squeezy 2026 update, Sellfy pricing, Podia pricing, Teachable pricing, Kajabi pricing, Etsy fees, Stan Store, Shopify pricing.
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.
Compare my numbers →Start a free Payhip storeFAQ
What is the best platform to sell digital products?
For most new creators, Payhip Free: $0 a month, all features, and 5% per sale, so you keep about $18.12 of a $20 sale. Lemon Squeezy keeps slightly more ($18.50) and handles tax worldwide. Above about $1,000 a month, a flat plan with 0% fees usually costs less.
Which platform takes the lowest fee per sale?
Among platforms with no monthly fee, Lemon Squeezy is lowest for US card buyers: 5% + $0.50 with processing included. Platforms with a paid plan and 0% fees (Payhip Pro, Stan Store, Shopify, Sellfy) keep more per sale, but you pay $29 or more each month.
Is it cheaper to sell on Gumroad or Payhip?
Payhip. On a $20 sale you keep about $18.12 on Payhip Free and $16.62 on Gumroad direct, because Gumroad charges 10% + $0.50 plus card processing. Gumroad’s Discover marketplace takes 30% but can bring buyers you would not reach yourself.
When is a monthly plan worth it?
When your sales cover the plan price with the fees you save. Against a 5% fee, a $29 plan pays off at $580 a month in sales. Payhip Plus beats Payhip Free above about $967 a month, and Payhip Pro beats Plus above $3,500.
Which platforms handle sales tax and VAT for me?
Lemon Squeezy and Gumroad say they are the merchant of record. Payhip says it collects and remits EU/UK VAT and US/Canadian sales tax. On Sellfy, Stan Store, Shopify, Podia and Kajabi, registering and filing tax is your job.
What is the best platform to sell digital products with no audience?
A marketplace: Etsy or Gumroad Discover. Buyers already search there, but you pay more. Etsy takes $0.20 per listing, 6.5% and 3% + $0.25 processing in the US, plus 15% on Offsite Ads sales; Discover takes 30%.
