How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Fee structure matters more than the monthly price: a free platform taking 10 percent per sale costs more than a $29 plan taking zero once monthly sales pass a few hundred dollars.
- Merchant of record platforms like Gumroad and Lemon Squeezy handle global sales tax for you, which is a major advantage for software and SaaS sellers.
- Payhip gives the best free tier for ebooks and courses, with 5 percent per sale on the free plan and zero on paid plans.
- Course sellers should compare Teachable, Podia, and Kajabi on student features, not just fees, since course delivery quality drives refunds and completion.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Gumroad | Simplest start, tax handled | Free | Yes |
 Payhip | Free tier for ebooks and courses | Free | Yes |
 Lemon Squeezy | Software and SaaS sales | Free | Yes |
 Shopify | Full branded store | $39 per month | No |
 Podia | Courses plus community | See website | No |
 Teachable | Structured online courses | $39 per month | No |
 Sellfy | Flat-fee selling plus print on demand | $29 per month | No |
 Kajabi | Premium all-in-one course business | $179 per month | No |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
#1Gumroad
Best for: Simplest start, tax handled4.2/5 on
G2 (16 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit gumroad.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Gumroad is the easiest platform to start selling on, with no monthly fee and a storefront live in minutes. It charges 10 percent plus 50 cents per direct sale, and 30 percent for sales made through its Discover marketplace, and since 2025 it has acted as merchant of record, handling global sales tax automatically. Memberships, license keys, and digital downloads all work out of the box.
The fee is the catch. At $1,000 in monthly sales, Gumroad takes over $100, while a flat-fee platform costs a fraction of that, so high-volume sellers should migrate once sales grow. Storefront design is also limited compared with Shopify or Podia. For a first product or a side project, Gumroad remains the lowest-friction choice.
What we like- No monthly fee
- Merchant of record handles global tax
- Memberships and license keys built in
Watch out for- 10 percent plus 50 cents per sale is steep at volume
- 30 percent via Discover
- Limited storefront design
#2Payhip
Best for: Free tier for ebooks and courses4.7/5 on
G2 (5 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit payhip.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Payhip is the best free tier in this list for sellers of ebooks, courses, and downloads. The free plan charges 5 percent per sale with no monthly fee, and paid plans drop the platform fee to zero, while EU and UK VAT is handled for you. A free website builder, discount codes, and affiliate tools come included, which covers most creator needs without add-ons.
Marketplace reach is smaller than Etsy or Creative Market, so sellers must bring their own audience, and design flexibility trails Shopify. For creators selling to an existing audience, Payhip offers the best balance of free entry and low long-term cost, and the upgrade path to zero fees is straightforward.
What we like- Genuine free plan
- 5 percent fee on free tier, zero on paid
- EU and UK VAT handled
- Marketing tools included
Watch out for- Smaller marketplace reach
- Design options narrower than Shopify
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
Lemon Squeezy is built for software, SaaS, and license key sellers, and its merchant of record status handles global sales tax automatically, which is the feature that matters most for software sold worldwide. Pricing is free to start with 5 percent plus 50 cents per sale, and subscriptions, license keys, and checkout are all included.
There is no monthly plan that reduces the per-sale fee, so very high-volume software sellers may negotiate or move to a custom setup later. Course and community features are also thinner than Podia or Kajabi. For indie software sellers who want tax handled without hiring an accountant, Lemon Squeezy is the cleanest option.
What we like- Merchant of record worldwide
- 5 percent plus 50 cents all-in
- License keys and subscriptions built in
Watch out for- No monthly plan to reduce the per-sale fee
- Less suited to courses or communities
#4Shopify
Best for: Full branded store4.4/5 on
G2 (5,144 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit shopify.com
Starting price$39 per month
Free planNo
Shopify is the full-store option for sellers who want a branded website, multi-channel selling, and room to grow into physical products later. Basic plans start at $39 per month, with payment processing at 2.9 percent plus 30 cents, and no platform fee when using Shopify Payments. The app ecosystem covers digital delivery, licensing, subscriptions, and marketing at every level.
Shopify is not a merchant of record, so global sales tax remains your responsibility, and digital delivery typically needs an app rather than working out of the box. The monthly fee also makes it a poor fit for a single low-volume product. For sellers building a brand and a catalog, Shopify offers the most control and the longest runway.
What we like- Full storefront control
- Huge app ecosystem
- Multi-channel selling
- 0 percent platform fee with Shopify Payments
Watch out for- Monthly fee plus processing
- Not merchant of record
- Digital delivery needs apps
#5Podia
Best for: Courses plus community4.4/5 on
G2 (23 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit podia.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Podia bundles courses, digital downloads, webinars, and community into one creator platform, which suits sellers whose product is teaching rather than files alone. The Mover plan charges 5 percent per sale, with higher plans dropping the fee to zero, and a 14-day trial lets creators test before paying. Course delivery, email, and community tools all sit in one dashboard.
One flag: guides disagree on the Mover starting price, with figures from $33 to $49 per month depending on billing and source, so we list it as See website and recommend checking the pricing page. There is no free plan, and the app ecosystem is smaller than Shopify. For course creators who want one tool instead of several, Podia is a strong all-in-one pick.
What we like- Courses, downloads, webinars, and community in one
- 5 percent on Mover, zero above
- Clean creator tools
Watch out for- Guides disagree on starting price
- No free plan
- Smaller app ecosystem than Shopify
#6Teachable
Best for: Structured online courses3.8/5 on
G2 (52 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit teachable.com
Starting price$39 per month
Free planNo
Teachable is built for structured online courses, with a course builder that covers video lessons, quizzes, certificates, and student progress tracking. Starter plans list at $39 per month with a 7.5 percent transaction fee, while higher plans drop the fee to zero, and teachable:pay acts as merchant of record for tax handling. Coaching and membership features extend it beyond pure courses.
Downloads-only sellers will find Teachable heavier than Gumroad or Payhip, since its strengths are course structure and student management. The Starter fee also eats margin until you upgrade. For educators building a school rather than selling a single file, Teachable remains the most course-focused platform here.
What we like- Strong course builder with quizzes and certificates
- Merchant of record via teachable:pay
- Student management
Watch out for- 7.5 percent fee on Starter
- Less suited to downloads-only sellers
- Limited ecommerce depth
#7Sellfy
Best for: Flat-fee selling plus print on demand4.0/5 on
G2 (58 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit sellfy.com
Starting price$29 per month
Free planNo
Sellfy charges a flat monthly fee from $29 per month with zero percent platform transaction fees, which makes it the cheapest option once monthly sales pass a few hundred dollars. It combines digital products, subscriptions, and print on demand in one store, so creators selling both files and merch avoid running two platforms. A 14-day trial covers testing.
There is no free plan, so new sellers pay from day one, and storefront templates are more basic than Shopify or Podia. Sellfy also brings no marketplace audience, so sellers need their own traffic. For creators with steady sales who want predictable costs, Sellfy offers the best flat-fee math in this list.
What we like- Zero percent platform fee
- Print on demand plus digital in one
- Subscriptions included
Watch out for- No free plan
- Smaller audience reach than marketplaces
- Storefront templates are basic
#8Kajabi
Best for: Premium all-in-one course business4.1/5 on
G2 (93 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit kajabi.com
Starting price$179 per month
Free planNo
Kajabi is the most complete all-in-one platform for premium course and coaching businesses, combining a website builder, email marketing, course hosting, and community in one subscription. Plans start at $179 per month, or $143 billed yearly, with zero percent platform fees on Kajabi Payments, and its marketing automation is the deepest in this list.
The price rules it out for beginners and single-product sellers, and Kajabi is not a merchant of record, so tax handling stays with the seller. Teams running a high-ticket course business with funnels, email sequences, and a community will use enough of Kajabi to justify the cost, while smaller sellers should start cheaper and migrate later.
What we like- Website, email, courses, and community in one
- Zero percent fee on Kajabi Payments
- Advanced marketing tools
Watch out for- Highest price here
- Overkill for a single product
- Not merchant of record
How we chose
We compared 2026 fee comparison guides and vendor pricing pages for each platform, checking monthly fees, transaction fees, free tiers, and merchant of record status. We favored platforms with clearly published fees and a distinct buyer fit, and we flagged pricing conflicts rather than hiding them, since guides disagree on several plans. Where a vendor does not publish a clear starting price, we listed See website. We did not claim hands-on testing.
Doing the fee math before you choose
Work out your all-in cost at your real monthly sales, not at zero. A platform taking 10 percent per sale costs $100 on $1,000 of sales, while a $29 flat-fee plan costs $29 plus payment processing, so the crossover point comes fast. Add payment processing separately where the platform fee excludes it, since Stripe and PayPal fees apply on most platforms outside their own payment systems.
Tax handling is the hidden cost
Merchant of record status matters more than most sellers expect. If you sell software or courses worldwide, collecting and remitting VAT, GST, and US sales tax yourself can cost more in accountant time than any platform fee. Gumroad, Lemon Squeezy, and Teachable handle this for you, while Shopify, Podia, Sellfy, and Kajabi leave it to you or to a tax app. Factor that work into the price comparison before choosing.
Audience versus control
Marketplaces like Etsy and Creative Market bring built-in buyers but take large commissions and limit branding, while hosted platforms like Shopify and Podia give full control but require you to bring traffic. Most successful creators start on a low-fee hosted platform, build an email list, and add a marketplace channel later for discovery rather than depending on it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest platform for selling digital products?
Payhip is cheapest to start, with a free plan at 5 percent per sale, while Sellfy is cheapest at steady volume, with a $29 flat fee and zero platform fees. Gumroad is free to start but costs more once sales grow, since it takes 10 percent plus 50 cents per sale.
What does merchant of record mean for digital sellers?
A merchant of record sells your product as the legal seller, handling payment processing, refunds, and global sales tax compliance. That removes VAT, GST, and US sales tax filing from your workload, which is especially valuable for software sold to customers worldwide.
Should I sell on Etsy or on my own platform?
Etsy brings built-in search traffic for templates, art, and printables, but charges 6.5 percent plus listing fees and limits branding. Your own platform keeps more revenue and full control but needs your own marketing, so many sellers use both: Etsy for discovery and a hosted store for repeat buyers.
Can I sell courses and digital downloads on one platform?
Yes. Podia, Teachable, and Kajabi all handle courses plus downloads, while Payhip and Gumroad handle downloads plus simple courses. Choose based on whether course structure or file delivery matters more to your product.
Do I need a website to sell digital products?
No, not at first. Gumroad, Payhip, and Lemon Squeezy give you a hosted storefront without a website, and link-in-bio tools can drive traffic to it. A full website becomes worthwhile once you want branding, SEO, and an email list under your control.
Sources we checked (10)
- https://gumroad.com
- https://payhip.com
- https://lemonsqueezy.com
- https://www.shopify.com
- https://www.podia.com
- https://teachable.com
- https://sellfy.com
- https://www.kajabi.com
- https://colorlib.com/wp/platforms-for-selling-digital-products/
- https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/best-platforms-to-sell-digital-products
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.