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
- ThriveCart is the closest like for like checkout replacement for course and digital sellers.
- Payhip, Gumroad, and Lemon Squeezy suit sellers who want no monthly fee until they sell.
- Paddle and Lemon Squeezy handle sales tax and VAT as merchant of record, which matters for global software sales.
- Podia and Checkout Page suit creators who want courses, email, or a simple checkout in one place.
- Per sale fees beat monthly plans at low volume, while flat monthly plans win once sales grow.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 ThriveCart | Like for like SamCart replacement | See website | No |
 Gumroad | Fast simple digital sales | 10% plus $0.50 per sale | No |
 Lemon Squeezy | Global software sales | 5% plus $0.50 per sale | Yes |
 Paddle | Software tax handling | 5% plus $0.50 per sale | No |
 Payhip | No monthly fee selling | Free plus 5% per sale | Yes |
 SendOwl | Digital delivery | $32.50 per month (billed annually) | No |
 Podia | Courses and memberships | $42 per month (billed annually) | No |
 Checkout Page | Stripe checkout pages | Free up to $3,000 per month | Yes |
Is your product missing or out of date?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.
The best SamCart alternatives
#1ThriveCart
Best for: Like for like SamCart replacement4.6/5 on
G2 (31 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit thrivecart.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
ThriveCart is the first tool most SamCart users should test, because it covers the same core job: a high converting checkout page with bumps, one click upsells, subscriptions, and affiliate tracking. Course creators, coaches, and digital sellers can build carts, funnels, and affiliate programs without adding a separate funnel builder. It also connects to common email tools and membership platforms, so it fits into an existing stack rather than forcing a rebuild.
The main caution is pricing history. ThriveCart has offered lifetime deals and subscription plans at different times, and current offers vary. Confirm what you get for the price quoted, including updates and support, before comparing it with a monthly tool. If you want SamCart style checkout power with a familiar workflow, ThriveCart is the closest match.
What we like- Order bumps, upsells, and funnels
- Affiliate management
- Works with Stripe and PayPal
Watch out for- Pricing model has changed over time, so confirm current terms
- Interface feels dated in places
#2Gumroad
Best for: Fast simple digital sales4.2/5 on
G2 (16 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit gumroad.com
Starting price10% plus $0.50 per sale
Free planNo
Gumroad is the fastest route from product to sale. You upload a file, course, or membership, set a price, and share a link. There is no monthly fee, which makes it ideal for a first product, a side project, or a creator testing demand. Gumroad also runs a marketplace, so buyers can discover products beyond your own audience, and it handles payment processing and file delivery in one place.
That simplicity costs more as you grow. At 10 percent plus 50 cents per sale, plus processing, a successful product quickly pays more than a flat monthly checkout tool would charge. Checkout customization, upsell depth, and affiliate control are also thinner than ThriveCart or SamCart. Use Gumroad to validate and launch, then move to a flat fee tool when monthly fees become the cheaper math.
What we like- Very fast setup
- Marketplace discovery
- Handles payments and delivery
Watch out for- High per sale fee at volume
- Limited checkout and funnel customization
Starting price5% plus $0.50 per sale
Free planYes
Lemon Squeezy suits software and digital sellers who sell across borders and do not want to manage sales tax, VAT, and invoicing themselves. As merchant of record, it collects and remits tax on your behalf in supported regions, which removes a major headache for small software teams. It also handles subscriptions, licence key delivery, and checkout pages, so a solo developer can sell worldwide from a single dashboard.
The trade off is the 5 percent plus 50 cents per sale fee, which grows with revenue. Large sellers may save money by handling tax themselves and using a flat fee checkout. Lemon Squeezy also fits digital goods better than physical products or membership communities. For indie software, ebooks, and digital tools with global buyers, it is one of the cleanest SamCart alternatives.
What we like- Merchant of record for tax and VAT
- Checkout, subscriptions, and licence keys
- No monthly fee to start
Watch out for- Per sale fee adds up at high volume
- Less suited to physical products or complex funnels
#4Paddle
Best for: Software tax handling4.5/5 on
G2 (240 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit paddle.com
Starting price5% plus $0.50 per sale
Free planNo
Paddle is built for software businesses that want tax compliance off their plate. Like Lemon Squeezy, it acts as merchant of record, handling sales tax, VAT, and invoicing across many countries. It also covers subscription billing, dunning for failed payments, and checkout localization, which matter once a SaaS product has customers in dozens of countries. Larger software teams value the reporting and billing depth.
Paddle is less inviting for a casual creator selling a single ebook. Setup and approval are geared to companies, and the per sale fee means high volume sellers should model costs carefully. If your product is software, your buyers are global, and tax compliance is eating engineering time, Paddle is a strong SamCart alternative. If you sell courses or coaching, a creator focused checkout will usually fit better.
What we like- Merchant of record for global tax compliance
- Subscription billing
- Fraud and checkout tools
Watch out for- Per sale fee is high at scale
- Approval and setup suit software companies, not casual creators
#5Payhip
Best for: No monthly fee selling4.7/5 on
G2 (5 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit payhip.com
Starting priceFree plus 5% per sale
Free planYes
Payhip gives new sellers a genuine free starting point. You can list digital downloads, courses, coaching, and memberships, connect Stripe or PayPal, and start selling without a monthly bill. The free plan takes 5 percent per sale, while paid plans lower or remove that fee. Affiliate management, discount codes, and basic storefront tools are included, which covers most early seller needs in one place.
Design flexibility is the limit. Checkout pages and storefronts look clean but offer less funnel control than ThriveCart, and advanced upsell sequences are thinner. Payhip is best for creators who want to keep costs at zero until sales prove the product, then upgrade to a paid plan when volume justifies it. For low volume sellers, it often beats a 79 dollar monthly checkout tool.
What we like- Free plan with no monthly cost
- Sells digital products, courses, and memberships
- Affiliate tools
Watch out for- 5 percent fee on the free plan
- Design and funnel options are simpler than SamCart
#6SendOwl
Best for: Digital delivery4.2/5 on
G2 (16 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit sendowl.com
Starting price$32.50 per month (billed annually)
Free planNo
SendOwl takes a different approach from the all in one tools here. Instead of asking you to move your site, it adds secure checkout buttons and delivery to a site you already run. That suits sellers with a WordPress site, blog, or landing page who want protected downloads, licence keys, and drip fed content without rebuilding. It supports subscriptions, bundles, and affiliate tools, and it connects to Stripe and PayPal.
It is not a course platform or a funnel builder, so creators who need hosted courses, membership areas, and email marketing will need other tools alongside it. The monthly fee also means it costs money before you sell, unlike Gumroad or Payhip. Choose SendOwl when you already have traffic and a site, and your main need is reliable, protected delivery rather than a new storefront.
What we like- Protected file delivery and licence keys
- Drip content
- Embeds on existing websites
Watch out for- No storefront or course platform depth
- Monthly fee applies even at low volume
#7Podia
Best for: Courses and memberships4.4/5 on
G2 (23 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit podia.com
Starting price$42 per month (billed annually)
Free planNo
Podia suits creators who want to sell and deliver in one place. You can host courses, run a membership, sell downloads, and send email to your list without stitching four tools together. Checkout is clean and simple, and paid plans charge no platform transaction fee, so your margin improves as sales grow. That all in one scope is the main reason creators pick Podia over a checkout only tool.
The checkout itself is simpler than SamCart. Order bumps and upsells exist in basic forms, but deep funnel testing and affiliate complexity are not Podia's strength. If your business is mainly courses and community, Podia's simplicity is a benefit. If your business is mainly funnel optimization for a single flagship product, ThriveCart will give you more control.
What we like- Courses, memberships, downloads, and email in one plan
- Clean checkout
- No transaction fees on paid plans
Watch out for- Funnel and upsell depth is thinner than SamCart
- Customization is limited compared with WordPress
Starting priceFree up to $3,000 per month
Free planYes
Checkout Page is built for sellers who want control of their money. Payments run through your own Stripe account, so payouts, refunds, and customer data stay with you rather than with a marketplace. The free tier covers up to 3,000 dollars per month in sales, which makes it a low risk way to launch, and paid plans add subscriptions, upsells, and more pages without taking a platform percentage.
You will need Stripe, and you will need another tool if you want hosted courses or membership areas. Checkout Page is a checkout tool, not a course platform, and it shows in the feature set. For sellers who already use Stripe, value data ownership, and want a clean checkout without marketplace fees, it is a practical SamCart alternative.
What we like- Payments stay in your own Stripe account
- No platform fee on higher plans
- Fast page building
Watch out for- Needs a Stripe account
- Fewer built in course and membership features than all in one platforms
How we chose
We compared checkout only tools, creator platforms, and merchant of record services, because SamCart users leave for different reasons: cost, tax handling, course delivery, or funnel depth. We checked plan pages and recent comparison coverage for starting prices and per sale fees, and we favored tools that are live today with clear pricing. Where pricing varies by plan or region, we used the vendor figure most useful for a first comparison and flagged the rest as See website.
Choosing by fee model
The fee model matters more than the feature list at the start. A per sale tool costs nothing when you sell nothing, but it can cost hundreds per month once a product takes off. A flat monthly tool costs money from day one, but it protects margin at volume. Work out your break even point before you pick.
Low volume sellers
If you sell a few products per month, start with Payhip, Gumroad, Lemon Squeezy, or Checkout Page free. You pay only when you sell, and you can test price, offer, and audience without a monthly commitment. Move when the per sale fees in a month exceed a flat plan price.
Growing sellers
Once sales are steady, ThriveCart, SendOwl, or Podia usually cost less than per sale platforms. Compare the monthly fee, transaction fees, and the cost of any extra tools you still need for courses or email. A tool that looks cheap but forces three add ons is not cheap.
Global software sellers
If buyers span many countries, Paddle and Lemon Squeezy save tax and invoicing work that can cost more than their per sale fee. Factor in compliance risk and support time, not just the percentage. For US only sales, a Stripe based checkout may be cheaper.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best SamCart alternative overall?
ThriveCart is the best overall replacement for most SamCart users, because it matches the core checkout, bump, upsell, and affiliate features. Creators who also need courses may prefer Podia, while global software sellers may prefer Lemon Squeezy or Paddle.
Is there a free SamCart alternative?
Payhip and Checkout Page both offer free starting tiers, and Lemon Squeezy lets you start without a monthly fee. Free tiers carry per sale fees or sales limits, so they suit launching and testing rather than high volume selling. Check the current limits on each vendor page before relying on a free tier.
Do SamCart alternatives charge transaction fees?
Some do and some do not. Gumroad, Lemon Squeezy, Paddle, and Payhip free take a percentage per sale, while ThriveCart, Podia paid plans, and Checkout Page paid plans generally do not take a platform percentage. Card processing fees from Stripe or PayPal still apply on top in most cases.
Can I sell courses with a SamCart alternative?
Yes. Podia hosts courses, memberships, and downloads in one plan, while ThriveCart and Checkout Page pair well with a separate course platform. SendOwl handles protected delivery and drip content for courses hosted elsewhere. Pick the combination that matches how much course hosting you need.
Should I switch from SamCart to save money?
Switch only if the math supports it. Compare your SamCart monthly cost with the alternative monthly fee plus per sale fees at your current volume. Low volume sellers often save with a free or per sale tool, while high volume sellers save with a flat fee checkout. Also count migration time, affiliate setup, and any lost funnel data.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://www.thrivecart.com
- https://www.gumroad.com
- https://www.lemonsqueezy.com
- https://www.paddle.com
- https://www.payhip.com
- https://www.sendowl.com
- https://www.podia.com
- https://www.checkoutpage.com
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.