Beyond Gumroad: Alternative Platforms for Selling Digital Products

Creatives and entrepreneurs have relied on Gumroad to sell their digital products online for years. But as the world of e-commerce continues to evolve, so do the options available for online marketplaces. But it took one move by Gumroad to make its customers think twice about using the platform. When Gumroad increased its prices by a significant amount in 2023, it sent internet creators into a tizzy.

Creators and solopreneurs are the platform's lifeblood, and the pricing changes meant profits were going to be taken away from a group of people who had built these companies from the ground up. So they revolted. The result was a potential shift towards alternative platforms from one of the most popular platforms for selling digital products.

Gumroad's prices have been steadily increasing over the years, but the recent increase caught creators off guard and caused a considerable backlash in the community.

If you're on the hunt for a fresh set of digital vending wheels to replace Gumroad, you're in luck. I've tirelessly scoured the land of digital shopfronts, put them through their paces, tested them for technical chops, and selected the most worthy contenders for your consideration.

This list should help you decide which Gumroad alternative is best for your business based on price, features, convenience, etc.

We'll explore popular alternatives to Gumroad and competitors, compare their features, and help you make an informed decision about the right choice of platform for your product sales. I bring you a shiny list of Gumroad alternatives to make your digital product-selling journey as smooth as a baby's bottom.

One thing to keep in mind is that you don't need to get complicated with these options. A simple, free tool might fit your requirements perfectly. Some people need detailed analytics, multiple payment methods, affiliate programs, advanced customization and marketing features. If that's you, don't worry, there are plenty of platforms to choose from. But I recommend you figure out what you actually require and then go with a platform that satisfies that need. It's a mistake to select a powerful platform or all-in-one platform that is overkill for what you want to do.

WordPress

You might not have been expecting to read about WordPress in this list, and perhaps you're not even a fan of the world's most popular content management system (it's not for everyone). But lend me your ear as I explain how by dismissing WP, you'd be missing out on a seriously good opportunity.

To start selling with WordPress, all you need is the basic, free downloadable version of WordPress (most good web hosts will have this available to install automatically).

Next, you need a plugin or service that lets you set up a shop and a shopping cart that takes payments.

• One option is the free WooCommerce plugin, used by millions of businesses around the world. I've been using it for small and large ecommerce stores for years. But I've also used it to set up simple one-page websites to sell digital files and exclusive content.
• A second option is the excellent Easy Digital Downloads, a very popular free plugin with 4.7 stars (out of 5) on the WordPress repository.

Easy Digital Downloads offers a professional shopping cart, payment methods, customer management, detailed reports, secure file protection, discount codes, and compatibility with any WordPress theme. Payment gateway options only extend to PayPal and Stripe, the usual suspects, but for most people, this is sufficient.

It's a free product, but if you want to start offering recurring subscriptions, you'll need to pay for an inexpensive add-on. The plugin is updated regularly and has plenty of community add-ons thanks to the open API. There's a limit to what you can do in terms of customization, but that's also a good thing for those that prefer simplicity. At the same time, the backend administration is packed with features and definitely worth a look if you're interested in customer analytics, or setting up an affiliate program via Affiliate WP.

And these days, WordPress is making serious inroads in the so-called “page builder” space. You might have heard of Elementor or Beaver Builder. These are outstanding tools in their own right and can really make your website shine, but many people don't need the extra features and certainly don't need the extra bloat.

WordPress's blocks system is coming along at a fast pace and may one day outcompete the current page builder ecosystem. If you're looking for a lightweight set of blocks with many of the same user interface features as the top page builder tools, try the free Spectra blocks from Brainstorm Force (makers of the Astra Theme).

Now, I believe it's true to say that many influencers and bloggers will not recommend WordPress because, quite frankly, there's no money to be made by recommending it. WordPress does have an affiliate program, but as most of the tools are free, there's little to be gained financially from a recommendation.

And while WordPress can be clunky and sometimes has some security issues, not to mention the regular updates, there are ways to mitigate WordPress's shortcomings: using a proper security service or plugin and using a free tool like MainWP to update your website, for example.

One potential WordPress issue is the maximum file size upload limitation. As you'll be hosting the website yourself, you'll need to check with your hosting company. General WordPress hosting does not play well with very large files such as video or PDF documents.

If you are committed to using WordPress but still want to use large files, it's best to offload the files to Publitio, Vimeo, Wistia, or even Google Drive.

PayHip

This UK-based platform offers a simple, easy-to-use service. And if you use their top-tier plan there are zero transaction fees. You keep 100% of your sales. Payhip's interface is modern and user-friendly, making it easy for both beginners and professionals to use. The platform also provides prompts and descriptions to help you get acquainted with its various features, making it easier to use for those who are new to ecommerce.

I like Payhip's pricing structure better than Gumroad's. It's especially good for newbies. There are three pricing tiers: The Free plan, Plus plan, and Pro plan , and all plans allow sellers to list unlimited products and earn unlimited revenue. The only difference between the plans is the transaction fee that accompanies each sale.

• With the Free Forever plan, you won't have to pay any monthly fees, but you'll be charged a 5% transaction fee on each sale. Even this plan gets you unlimited everything and all features included.
• The Plus plan costs $29 per month and includes all features, unlimited products, and unlimited revenue. However, the transaction fee is reduced to 2% per sale.
• The Pro plan costs $99 per month and doesn't include any transaction fees. Like the other plans, it also includes all features, unlimited products, and unlimited revenue.

This certainly beats Gumroad's flat 10% + credit card fees.

SendOwl

SendOwl combines the features that ecommerce customers love (like secure delivery, upsells, analytics, integrations, and cart abandonment emails) with simplicity.

This all-in-one solution has everything you need to sell anything digital anywhere online. Audiobooks, photography, event tickets, memberships – you name it, SendOwl can handle it.

It's also free to get started, but watch out for the 5% management fee, a percentage cut of your sales. Still, it's nowhere near as bad as Gumroad's 10% charge. You also have to pay Stripe fees or PayPal fees, but this is par for the course with most platforms. It's almost impossible to avoid these charges.

If you don't have a website or don't want to create another website to sell a product, then look to SendOwl as your sales and delivery platform. The website has numerous demos to show you exactly how your product might look online. And once you see how simple it can be to sell online with SendOwl, you might be convinced to sign up right away. I was.

Some of SendOwl's noteworthy features include video streaming delivery, safe delivery of codes and licences, and PDF stamping (so your hard work can't be easily copied).

Note that SendOwl's maximum file size is 1 GB. You can, however, get around this limitation by using FTP for uploading files. But if you plan to offer larger than 500 MB downloads to your customers, you'll need to switch to a paid plan.

Woorise

Woorise might not seem like an obvious choice of great alternative to Gumroad. After all, it's known as a viral giveaway & contest tool. But it's so much more. And if competitions and viral giveaways will be part of your marketing strategy (certainly worth considering) then Woorise is a superb choice.

What else can this platform do?

As we're comparing with Gumroad, let's consider the most important relevant features: landing pages and checkout pages. Woorise does both well; the Stripe checkout page templates, for example, help you get selling quickly and without technical complications.

In addition, you get multipage forms, animated forms, a drag-and-drop landing page builder, and integrations with automation tools like Zapier, CRM solutions like HubSpot, email marketing tools like ConvertKit, and Google Analytics.

But there's more. You also get access to a few other neat and super useful features like multi-language support and detailed analytics.

Woorise works with Stripe, PayPal, 2checkout, Authorize.net. Square, and Mollie payment providers. That should cover most situations.

The platform makes it straightforward to apply discount codes to your products, so you can encourage customers to purchase based on their behavior on the site or purchasing history.

Display your landing pages or marketing campaigns anywhere you like. Add links on your own website as a pop-up or a full-screen takeover. Add to social media bios or any other website environment where you can place HTML code.

Shopify

It's one of the most popular ecommerce platforms, but Shopify's pricing can be a bit steep, especially for beginners ($29 per month plus credit card processing fees for the most basic plan).

At the same time, Shopify is an intuitive e-commerce platform with built-in marketing features that gives you the power to create a personalized store for selling products, services, or digital downloads.

For a long time now (in internet years), Shopify has led the way in ecommerce security and trustworthiness. Massive ecommerce brands are long time customers. There are tons of apps developed by the community to choose from. Like WordPress, there's a plugin for everything. It's just that most of the good plugins on Shopify are paid. For budget-conscious creators, WordPress is still better, but Shopify has a better ease of use rating.

I would recommend not using Shopify if you intend to create blogs and content marketing for your products. The WordPress blogging platform is much more powerful and easier to use than Shopify's blogging platform, which seems to be an afterthought.

Moreover, it doesn't have a true email marketing platform built in, which means that you will also need to add the cost of that to your budget.

Sellfy

Sellfy has been dubbed “the Ikea of digital sales platforms” by, well, me. With a slick design and easy-to-use interface, Sellfy is perfect for creators who want to assemble their online store without breaking a sweat. With built-in marketing tools and unlimited products, this Swedish sensation will have you selling digital downloads faster than you can say “Abba”!

Sellfy covers all the bases, including digital products, file hosting, and delivery, so there's no need to fuss around with technical headaches.

I like the upselling and cross-selling tools, both of which can help you get larger and more frequent sales. The discount options make it easy to offer your customers a deal on their purchase.

Sellfy will also track how much money is made from each product, and where customers spend the most.

The platform is designed to be easy to use, so individuals with no e-commerce experience can still find their way around. And it's certainly a good user interface. I had no trouble navigating the platform. The customer-facing website is also very clean and easy to use. The checkout process is simple, and the site has plenty of customization options.

If you use Stripe or PayPal, then Sellfy has you covered, but sellers that prefer other payment options are out of luck. Keep this in mind before you sign up with this platform, or indeed any other platform on the list. Payment options are critical.

Your customers can pay with major credit cards and PayPal. And you can accept payments in 20 different currencies.

Sellfy's maximum file size is 10 GB, double that of Shopify and Podia.

If you're looking for simplicity and comprehensiveness, Sellfy definitely delivers. If you want a highly customizable platform with plenty of options and integrations, then there are better options.

Pricing starts at $19 a month for unlimited products.

Later

If you want to keep things simple, there are plenty of solutions. One I recommend is Later, a “link in bio” tool and social media landing page. It's not just limited to social media, however. You can really use this tool as a landing page to sell anything, anywhere.

Use this free tool to create a beautiful landing page and link in your bio. It's easy to use, and it has everything you need to sell your product or service online. In addition to being a free tool, Later has plenty of great features. For example, you can add your branding, create a custom URL for your page and choose from hundreds of beautiful templates. You can also add video and images to your landing page without having any design skills at all.

Create a mini website, complete with analytics. You'll know exactly which posts are driving traffic, and where your followers are converting.

Let's say you've got a new product, or an article that you want to share with your followers. You can tag your new post with the link in bio tool, and then people will be able to click it and see what you're talking about.

If you're selling a product, you can send people to a simple Stripe checkout page or a PayPal payment landing page. Use the linkinbio tool to market the product. The final step (taking payments) doesn't always need to be fancy.

Thrivecart

While it's not the most configurable or customizable software in the list, Thrivecart is still extremely popular with marketers.

Why? Because it works.

And from using it myself and from working with clients that depend on it for their businesses, I can assure you that Thrivecart delivers on its promise of getting you more sales.

Whether you're selling physical products, digital products, courses, memberships, this shopping cart platform will help you generate more sales from strategic use of coupons, bump orders, cart abandonment reminders, and plenty more advanced features of proven online marketing tools.

Thrivecart is a solid platform to use if you're just starting out with your ecommerce business and want something simple, but effective. It's also a great alternative for entrepreneurs that are trying to scale their businesses and need an easy way to manage inventory, sales & orders, customer data and more.

Although Thrivecart's pricing has been at a lifetime price for some time and there doesn't seem to be any momentum behind changing this. At the same time, some people might be put off by the price tag of $495. However, a lifetime licence is a good deal for those who are serious about building an online business. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, there are plenty of other shopping carts available on the market.

Podia

Podia is better known as one of the top platforms for selling online courses. But that's not the only thing it can do. Podia also a great solution for selling digital downloads, the same kind of content most people deliver via Gumroad.

Podia is best-known as one of the top platforms for selling online courses. But that's not the only thing it can do. Podia also a great solution for selling digital downloads, the same kind of content most people deliver via Gumroad. Podia is a great option for anyone who wants to sell products online but doesn't want to get their fingers dirty installing software or use some kind of duct-tape solution to tie all the moving parts of their ecommerce store together.

Podia does all the technical legwork for you: it installs a shopping cart and payment processor.

Your products are hosted on Podia's servers and sold via its platform. You can sell courses, products, memberships, or pretty much any kind of digital asset within a few minutes of signing up.

What is Gumroad, and what are its benefits for solopreneurs?

A digital marketplace for creators and solopreneurs who want to sell their products online without the hassle of coding or web development. It's like an armoured tank that takes care of everything and allows you to sell anything. With Gumroad, you can swiftly set up shop, upload digital goods, take payments from purchasers, and handle orders with an intuitive interface that doesn't require any fancy-pants technical knowledge or web expertise.