Five Best Gumroad alternatives that are cheaper and better (2023) (source: Gumroad)
Last updated: December 20 and 2022
Version 1.0 UpdateAs in December 2022 Gumroad has announced a price increase and will be charging extra 10% on each sale made via Gumroad (plus any additional fees for payments made via Paypal and Stripe). If you're upset by this shocking news and considering switching to another platform Check out this list of Gumroad alternatives to look through!
Gumroad is among the most popular platforms that offers digital products. Gumroad has an online storefront that lets you sell digital products online in a matter of minutes. Gumroad is also equipped with additional options like the ability to allow the sale of subscriptions, partnerships to Paypal and Stripe, and other features.
However, it has negatives which discourage users from remaining in the Gumroad platform. Reviews have shown that among other factors, Gumroad's expensive pricing and insufficient support for customers as well as its inability to handle huge volumes of sales have led users to switch to other platforms.
In this post we'll examine Gumroad's top options for selling digital goods so that you can choose the best option for your company. We've included a variety of options which are ideal for companies that are just starting out However, we've also taken the possibility of scaling so that it's not necessary to switch to other platforms as your business grows.
Below is a short guide to the top Gumroad alternatives that are more economical and effective
What exactly is Gumroad and what do they offer?
Gumroad could be described as an eCommerce platform that is geared toward digital goods. Gumroad offers a variety of features, such as the ability to sell various product types including digital downloads and subscriptions. In addition, it offers analytics and marketing tools along with the option to embed the page to your website.
Gumroad is an excellent alternative. Gumroad provides a completely hosted online store that you can sell your products through. Gumroad also offers a smaller online marketplace named "Gumroad Discover" where you can show your products' listings alongside other artists.
What is the cost of Gumroad Cost?
Gumroad charges you 10% of the total amount of sales you generate on Gumroad's platform.
In addition, you will also need to be charged fees for transactions by Paypal and Stripe which usually cost around 2.9 percentage plus $0.30 for every transaction.
It's crucial to know that Gumroad had unorthodox pricing structure up to the year 2023. they've recently settled on the price structure for the future.
HTML0 Why would you want to go at Gumroad Alternatives?
1. Costly Pricing and insufficient Scalability
Gumroad's basic cost of 10% per transaction is extremely expensive when you're just beginning their journey, however it's even more costly when your expansion of the business occurs because prices will just increase in proportion to a percent of your profits.
Imagine earning $100,000 a month, and then having to pay $10,000 fees - it's not a lot of entertainment in the least. Furthermore to that the 10% cost is notinclude any additional Paypal or Stripe costs (which generally cost approximately 2.9 percentage plus $0.30 for each transaction) which you'll also have to pay.
2. The lack of customizability
While Gumroad has a hosted website that lets you display your items online, you'll not be able to customize the design of your web shop to show your brand. Gumroad has a distinctive design for its storefronts that is utilized on all storefronts of sellers. The only thing you need to do is customize on your shopfront is to choose a single highlight color, and some small customizations like the name, bio and name and your company's logo.
However, alternative platforms to the platforms discussed in this post offer more advanced features for store builders that are suitable to beginners (no programming or design expertise required) However, they are able to give you the freedom to design your own online store that's extremely profitable and is in line with your brand.
3. Discover Better Options to Sell Online Training
If you're selling products like downloading digital files, Gumroad typically is efficient in providing your documents to customers. If you're offering online courses, the platform doesn't offer the robust features that other online course platforms usually offer.
Gumroad's online courses feature lets you upload a video or other files that your students can download or click to view the video. However, this isn't exactly an interactive learning experience you'd expect to get through an online learning platform. There are no advanced course features such as assessments including drip schedules or certificates of achievement.
Here's an example of student's experiences of learning
Here's an example of the most enjoyable learning experience you can have that uses a variety of lesson formats could be (the illustration below comes from ):
Specific Features to Search For within the Gumroad alternative
If you are looking for a replacement to Gumroad, there's a few crucial aspects to take into consideration.
1. Specific Selling Features to Sell Various Types of Products
Does the platform provide strong tools for the sale of diverse digital products? It will help you increase your source of income from various verticals. Consider features such as
- Features that allow for the sale of digital downloads instant file delivery with PDF stamping, download limits and many more
- The features to promote online courses comprise: an engaging online course player that includes different kinds of lessons (e.g. assignments, videos and more) and drip content schedule, various course pricing options like certificates and diplomas.
- Tools to market coaching services Integration with online meetings platforms like Zoom and Calendly and many others.
- Features to promote membership or subscriptions include the ability to bill recurring payments
In addition, look for flexibility to be able to integrate product pages onto your site. You can embed an order cart, and an integrated checkout function to any page.
2. Cost-effective Pricing (Little to no cost up-front)
How much is it per transaction? Are there monthly costs which aren't publicized, charges hidden or restrictions?
Choose platforms with reliable records of steady pricing strategies. While a lot of companies can provide you with a reasonable pricing structure in the beginning it is important to make sure you're not facing unanticipated price hikes later on.
3. The Robust Marketing Tools
Apart from basic tools for marketing, such as discounts, you need to choose an online platform that offers greater sophistication and efficient marketing toolslike affiliate marketing. This lets you run various strategies to grow your company.
The platform is the only one in this list to offer an affiliate marketing option for free Other platforms require the payment of monthly fees for access to the functions.
4. Simple-to-use and custom-designed Store Builder is designed for novices.
The digital world is awash with opportunities, and owning an online shop or website is essential for each business or organization to increase their brand's reputation and showcase their professionalism. If done correctly, creating your own site is not just a way to set your self up as a specialist in your field however, it can also build connections with your customers since they can learn more about the brand's reputation.
Look for platforms that allow the creation of a custom online store that represents your company in the most professional possible manner. There are many options which do not require technical or design expertise.
5. Tax Department Tax Department will take care of VAT So You Don't Should
The dread of having to navigate the confusing tax code could prevent the expansion of your business and slowing the expansion. Consider selecting a platform which can be tax-compliant and not only take VAT payments from customers when they pay and remit the VAT for you and you don't have to do anything.
5 of the Top Gumroad Solutions for Selling Digital Products
Let's review some of the most popular alternatives for Gumroad in regards to selling digital products. Each has its own unique features and pricing strategies so it is crucial to carefully review them prior to making your decision.
1.
The best Gumroad choice overall in terms of cost and quality.
It is probably the most popular platform. It's often compared with Gumroad since they're the closest Gumroad competitor that offers all that Gumroad offers and a price that is much more reasonable which works for companies large or small.
The company is known for its Forever-free plan that gives sellers access to every one of the tools they need to offer. Instead of the massive 10% fee that Gumroad charges, only charges the purchaser 5% of each sale. If your business's revenue increases and you're ready for an upgrade, switch to the monthly service to save money. It is not necessary to be concerned about expanding your firm's size .
If you're in search of an organization that's dedicated to the expansion of your company, then this platform is your ideal selection.
PRICING:
The company has disrupted the marketplace by providing an original pricing plan designed to help small companies succeed. It is additionally, it ensures that firms maintain their pricing within a reasonable range while they develop into million-dollar enterprises.
Offers a selection of 3 pricing plans:
- For life, you can enjoy the free service for only 5percent fee (perfect for beginners)
- $29.30/month which is 2% that is charged to fees.
- A monthly payment of $99 with no charges
Why is the reason this "unconventional"? That's because all of pricing plans offer equal access privilege to the entire array of capabilities. The founders of the business because of their belief in establishing a platform which helps entrepreneurs of all sizes grow without limiting their access to the essential features they require. This belief is well-received by the large majority of sellers who have's online reviews.
If you're just starting out your venture from scratch, you can begin with's most well-known plan, Free for Lifewith zero monthly fees or the 5% cost per sale (excluding the shipping cost). If your company grows and you'll need to increase your sales then you could upgrade into one of the Plus plan, which costs $29 for month fee and 2 percent sales fees, or to the Professional plan at $99 for month fee (no additional fees for sales).
This price has been in place for many years and it's possible to have peace of mind that the price won't go anywhere.
PROS :
- It is the most affordable alternative to Gumroad
- Key features built-in to help sell different products like:
- Unlimited product catalogs, and unlimited revenues
- Check out experience optimized for the highest conversion
- An easy and powerful store building tool - no coding or design expertise required.
- Ability to fully customize your online store to match the brand you want to represent
- Storefront is hosted without cost (you are also able to create a custom domain)
- If you've got your own site, it is easy to integrate your website onto any eCommerce website.
- Instant and secure payouts via Paypal and Stripe
- Options for pricing for Pay-what-you-want-to-buy your goods (a.k.a. Tip Jar)
- Pays for and collects UK & EU VAT on your behalf
- Store analytics & ability to be linked to Google Analytics
- Bonus: Also praised for its excellent customer service quality. Every user is treated with respect regardless of the program you're on.
CONS CONS
- No automated shipping label integration or application (e.g. Shippo and ShipStation). Its platform is more focused on digital products, but it is still possible to offer physical items if you wish to.
2. Shopify
One of the most popular eCommerce platforms in the world, Shopify is often a popular option as a Gumroad alternative. Shopify is an eCommerce platform that allows the development of an online store and control the products that you sell. Shopify offers a wide selection of tools and functions like the ability to process payments, analyze data, and marketing tools. Additionally, Shopify has a variety of pricing plans designed to meet various budgets.
Due to the sheer dimension of this platform, there are a myriad of third-party applications for every sector that you can incorporate into the Shopify store. It allows you to equip your shop online with unique software that can alter the design of your website to tools for marketing, and much more. One caveat is that these apps are often not free, so you'll have to manage your expenses cautiously.
Even though Shopify is a strong eCommerce platform however, it has some disadvantages. Shopify is not able to provide integrated functions for marketing digital goods as Shopify's platform is designed for tangible goods. There is the need to install other third-party applications that will likely increase the costs of selling your digital products.
PRICING:
For small businesses that want to experiment with different platforms before choosing one that best suits their requirements, Shopify offers a 14-day trial at no cost. It is not a forever-free service.
For a price of just $29 per month, Shopify's Basic Plan is its most popular plan. There are other Shopify plans are priced at $79 per month, 299 in the case of Advanced Shopify, and $2000/month for Shopify Plus/Enterprise. You will be charged the transaction fee, which will be charged for each transaction.
The Shopify platform does not come with features built-in to allow you to sell digital goods. You will require third-party apps through the Shopify application store, which usually will cost you extra.
PROS :
- The capability to download millions of applications from third parties that are available through Shopify The Shopify app store
- It can support multi-channel sales. This can be particularly useful in brick and mortar shop.
- Shopify is utilized by many small and mid-sized enterprises as well as creators of content who specialize in Shopify content. The communities you join will likely offer you plenty of useful tips for business online
- The Shopify capabilities may not be adequate for businesses selling digital goods, physical product sellers could benefit from Shopify's vast online features
CONS CONS:
- No built-in features to sell digital items. You must install an application from an external source and it will be accompanied with a cost. Shopify isn't an ideal alternative for creatives.
- There aren't any built-in marketing instruments such as affiliate marketing, referral upsell, cross-sell, and numerous others.
3. Kajabi
Kajabi is another well-known alternative to Gumroad because it offers a complete solution to selling digital goods. One of the main benefits to Kajabi over Gumroad is the fact that it allows creators to set communities. However, Kajabi is noted for having monthly fees which could be quite costly to small-sized businesses who were just starting out.
PRICING:
Kajabi provides fourteen days to test the product. It is necessary to enter the details of your credit card before being able to get started with your free trial.
After your trial period is over then you can select between three paid plans:
- Basic: $149/month
- Growth: $199/month
- Pro: $399/month
There's a tiny discounts for those who decide to buy the year-long subscription.
PROS :
- Kajabi is a supplier of education materials for their clients via Kajabi University (although it's important to note that you'll likely be able access these resources from free Youtube videos available on the internet)
- The ability to access functions that aren't offered by Gumroad like community services sales funnels, community, and more
CONS
- This isn't affordable for business owners with small budgets.
- Advanced marketing options like affiliate program are available only with plans similar to those in the Growth and Pro plans.
- Many restrictions on different things like the amount of products, the number of contacts, number of members, number of administrators, and so on. Not recommended for those of you who would like to "set-it-and-forget-it" because you'll need to keep track of your usage
4. Podia
Podia is also one of the top choices to creators. One of the main benefits that comes with making use of Podia is the fact that they provide an unlimited-free subscription. Be aware that you'll not be capable of uploading multiple products to the service for free.
PRICING:
- Free, and you pay 8% of your costs
- Mover: $39/month
- Shaker: $89/month
- Earthquaker: $199/month
PROS :
- Opportunities to sell other types of products that aren't listed on Gumroad such as community and webinars
- Chat widget on the page to let users communicate with their website users
CONS CONS
- The plan for free comes with the cost of transactions at 8% and will only allow you to offer one digital download (you'll most likely need upgrade to one of Podia's paid plans to be fully operational eCommerce store)
- More complex marketing tools, such as affiliate marketing is only available with Shaker ($75/month) or Earthquaker ($166/month) plans
- It is necessary to be able to pay an additional 20 dollars per month for more team seats
- It is impossible to turn off the Podia brand unless you purchase an annual fee for Shaker ($75/month) or the Earthquaker ($166/month) plans.
5. Mighty Networks
If you're searching for an Gumroad alternative for establishing communities, to sell online classes, or even coaches services Mighty Networks is a well-known option. Although this might not be the most appropriate alternative to offer digital downloads for sale but you could consider it to be a superior Gumroad alternative to sell classes.
PRICING:
There are two plans you can choose from: two plans that are paid for:
- The community plan is $39/month.
- The business planis $119/month.
- Mighty Pro: You'll need to reach out to the team in order for pricing
PROS :
- Mighty Networks' community feature is much more sophisticated than of the other platforms discussed in this article. The design is similar to Facebook's social media platform.
- Members are able to view each other's posts via a feed of content that may encourage authentic interaction
CONS :
- The absence of solid characteristics for product categories in marketing including digital downloads
- The course options on online courses don't have the same quality as other platforms for online courses since they don't provide lesson formats such as quizzes, assessments in addition to certification of accomplishment
- It is not integrated with PayPal
The Last Thoughts about Choosing the best option for your firm
There you have it! There are many alternatives to Gumroad to test out, so don't forget to take advantage of every one of Gumroad's no-cost trials to find out which ones offer the perfect blend of benefits and pricing plans to meet your company's demands.
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