Gumroad Alternatives for Small Creators (2026): Fees on a $20 Sale, Compared
What each platform takes from a small sale, and when a monthly plan finally pays off.
The short answer
- Lowest cost while sales are small: Payhip Free or Ko-fi (5% platform fee, no monthly fee).
- You want someone else to handle sales tax and VAT worldwide: Lemon Squeezy or Gumroad, both of which say they act as merchant of record.
- You already sell steadily every month: a flat monthly plan (Payhip Plus/Pro, Sellfy) starts to beat a percentage fee. Do the break-even math below before switching.
Platform fee on one $20 sale
Platform fee only. Card or PayPal processing is added separately on Payhip, Ko-fi, Sellfy, and Gumroad; check each platform’s fee page for how processing is handled.
On a narrow screen, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Platform | Monthly fee | Platform fee per sale | Fee on a $20 sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gumroad (direct link) | $0 | 10% + $0.50 | $2.50 |
| Lemon Squeezy | $0 | 5% + $0.50 | $1.50 |
| Payhip Free | $0 | 5% | $1.00 |
| Ko-fi (shop items) | $0 | 5% | $1.00 |
| Payhip Plus | $29 | 2% | $0.40 |
| Payhip Pro | $99 | 0% | $0 |
| Sellfy Starter | $29 ($22 billed yearly) | 0% (sales cap $10k/year) | $0 |
Sources: Gumroad pricing, Lemon Squeezy pricing, Payhip pricing (affiliate link), Ko-fi: Does Ko-fi take a fee?, Sellfy pricing.
When a monthly plan beats a 5% fee
A flat plan wins once 5% of your monthly sales is more than the plan’s monthly price (ignoring any remaining percentage fee):
- Sellfy Starter ($29 monthly): above $580/month — but only if you need Sellfy’s store features; it has a $10k/year sales cap.
- Payhip Plus ($29 + 2%): above about $967/month compared with Payhip Free.
Upgrade after one month above the line, not on expected sales.
What the fee table does not show
- Sales tax and VAT. Lemon Squeezy says it is your merchant of record and files sales tax and VAT for you. Gumroad says it has handled all tax obligations since January 1, 2025. Payhip says it collects and pays digital EU/UK VAT and US/Canadian sales tax on your behalf. Check where you remain responsible before you choose on fees alone.
- What you sell. Ko-fi is built around tips and memberships with a shop added; Sellfy and Payhip are storefronts first. Pick the one that matches how buyers find you.
- Ko-fi has no paid tier for shops. Ko-fi says shop items carry a flat 5% fee on both its free and Standard modes, with no monthly cost. Sales caps. Sellfy plans have yearly sales limits, with a 2% overage fee above the cap if you do not upgrade.
What you keep from a $10 sale on each platform
US buyer paying by card. Includes the platform fee and card processing (about 2.9% + $0.30 where it is charged separately).
| Platform | Monthly fee | You keep on $10 | Tax handled for you? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sellfy Starter | $29 ($22 yearly) | $9.41 | No |
| Lemon Squeezy | $0 | $9.00 (processing included; +1.5% international or PayPal) | Yes, worldwide |
| Payhip Free | $0 | $8.91 | EU/UK VAT |
| Ko-fi | $0 | $8.91 | Check Ko-fi |
| Etsy | $0 | $8.60 (Offsite Ads can take 15% more) | Check Etsy |
| Gumroad (direct) | $0 | $7.91 | Yes, worldwide |
| Gumroad (Discover) | $0 | $7.00 | Yes, worldwide |
Sellfy keeps the most per sale but only pays off once your sales cover its monthly fee. Full numbers: Lemon Squeezy vs Payhip, Etsy vs Payhip.
Switching from Gumroad: a 30-minute checklist
- Open the new store first. Upload your files and copy your product descriptions and prices before you change any links.
- Recreate discount codes and bundles. They do not move with you.
- Export your customer list from Gumroad if you plan to email past buyers about the new store.
- Update every link: link-in-bio, YouTube descriptions, pinned posts, email footers and old blog posts.
- Keep your Gumroad account open until past buyers have downloaded what they paid for. Unpublish products instead of deleting the account.
- Check tax settings. Gumroad acts as merchant of record worldwide. On the new platform, confirm who collects VAT and sales tax before your first sale. See who pays sales tax on digital products.
The lowest-risk first step is a free Payhip store: no monthly fee, so you can run it next to Gumroad and compare real sales.
FAQ
What is the cheapest Gumroad alternative?
For small sellers with no monthly fee, Payhip Free and Ko-fi (5% platform fee) keep the most. On a $10 US card sale you keep about $8.91, versus $7.91 on Gumroad.
Which Gumroad alternative handles sales tax for me?
Lemon Squeezy acts as merchant of record and handles sales tax and VAT worldwide. Payhip collects EU and UK VAT for you.
Is Lemon Squeezy cheaper than Gumroad?
Yes. Lemon Squeezy charges 5% + $0.50 with card processing included, so you keep about $9.00 of a $10 US card sale. International cards and PayPal add 1.5% each.
When does a monthly plan beat a percentage fee?
Once your monthly sales pass the break-even point. Against a 5% fee, a $29/month plan wins above about $580 a month in sales.
Should I leave Gumroad?
If most buyers come from your own audience, yes, the 10% + $0.50 fee is the highest of the common options. Keep Gumroad if its Discover marketplace brings you real sales.
Which one to choose
- Selling your first products to an audience you already have → Payhip Free or Ko-fi. Compare Payhip plans (affiliate link).
- Selling to many countries and you do not want to handle tax → Lemon Squeezy (or stay on Gumroad).
- Steady sales above a break-even line → move to the flat plan that matches your platform.
Thinking of leaving Lemon Squeezy? See Lemon Squeezy alternatives for 2026, including what is confirmed about the move to Stripe Managed Payments.
Before you switch, run the Gumroad switch calculator to see what a move to Payhip would change over a year.
Deciding between two of these? Our Sellfy vs Payhip comparison shows when a flat plan beats a per-sale fee.
For a line-by-line look at what Lemon Squeezy takes, see Lemon Squeezy fees: every fee, and what you keep from each sale.
Prefer a flat monthly price over a cut of each sale? Stan Store fees breaks down the $29 Creator plan, its 0% platform cut, and the sales level where it beats Gumroad or Payhip.
Run your own numbers: try the free digital product fee calculator.
Related: Payhip vs Gumroad Fees · The Lean Creator Business Stack · Gumroad Fees Explained
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 store