Six of the best sites and features to sell digital downloads online

Find the most important features to sell digital downloads online. This article explains what features you should look for as well as the most popular sites to market digital downloads.

One of the most successful marketplaces for selling digital downloads to a variety of creators

In determining where to sell digital downloads, be sure to choose an application that offer ease of entry, functionality, support, marketing functions with the lowest cost in addition to reasonable costs.

• Shopify and Etsy are designed to let you to sell physical goods and allow sellers to sell digital downloads too. They also allow selling digital products however the choices are less extensive.
• Gumroad has a wide range of features and you can sell a wide range of information without a fee for per month. But, they do cost high transaction fees per transaction.
• Easy Digital Downloads is a WordPress plugin that lets you sell your products directly from your website. It's free to use however you'll likely require more extension and integrations.
• It's simple to set it up. is easy to set up and lets you offer any type of file with no limits. The software has innovative marketing capabilities which are integrated in the platform. We give excellent support and quick and efficient service - or at least the feedback our clients have had to tell us.

When I launched my first digital download, I considered that the toughest aspect would be turning my thoughts of my mind into a product of high quality that could be actually desired by those who bought it.

We don't want that for you.

There are many places where it is possible to sell digital downloads in the present, but choosing the best program to promote your product is a time sink.

What are the reasons you would want to market digital downloads?

Digital downloads are files which are available on the internet. If you are a creator, digital downloads can be a desirable element of your portfolio.

Here are some reasons why selling digital downloads could be beneficial for you:

You don't have to deal with shipping or inventory. If making daily visits at the post office sounds like your own private nightmare, then electronic solutions can be the most efficient solution.

There are six aspects you should consider when deciding on where to market digital downloads on the web

However, some software platforms are able to take things to the next level by offering advanced features, which is the reason it's important to be aware of which one can best meet your needs. trying to accomplish the present, but also in the near future.

It's true that moving your products from one tool to another can be similar to visiting the dentist. Avoid your future self from suffering by picking the device you find manageable yet also offers space to expand.

In order to make the decision a bit simpler, here are a few qualities to look out for:

Easy of EntryFirst and foremost your website that you are using to offer digital downloads must be simple to use to you as creator.

functions:You're a multifaceted creator and could be able to sell different types of digital items in the future. Be on the lookout for websites that do not limit what kind of file you're allowed to upload.

Customer SupportIf you're one of over two-thirds of the users searching for solutions to support questions within ten minutes of you having these queries. Selecting a business with great customer support can spare you from a frustrating delay later on.

Fees for transactions:Transaction fees are a small percentage of each sale that the platform keeps. They typically vary from 1-10% of the total amount of the transaction. Some platforms also charge credit and listing processing fees , which can increase as each transaction is completed.

Price:Finally, we have to figure out the costs. But, being cheaper does not mean that it is the best option, as lower-cost platforms usually have more expensive fees, as well as other cost-saving features.

Once we have a better understanding of the qualities to look for, let's compare some well-known options and see the way they compare.

As an example, the creator Emily Conners makes use of her website to provide free digital downloads and offer live groups or classes on demand and one-on one coaching programs.

The best part is that it comes with a free plan. It allows you to create your own website, run your online community as well as offer the possibility of downloading one digital file and an item to coach for no cost.

Are you interested in trying the system yourself? Sign up for a free account today.

There are many advantages of using

The free plan lets the user to provide their first digital download without having to pay a huge upfront expenditure.

You can offer any type of digital download, which has the potential to be sold in unlimitted files.

Although we believe it is amazing, not every software can be used by everyone. There are a few factors that might not make it your ideal choice.

Digitalization is the new norm, therefore it's a good idea to offer physical goods for sale, a website such as Shopify or Etsy could be an ideal choice.

highlights

Easy to enter: 5 out five. The creator-facing dashboard that is on the right side of the screen is easy and clean to use. Through our customizable onboarding procedure as well as step-by step instructional videos, you'll be able to record your belongings in a matter of moments.

The performance is 5 out five. You can offer files in practically any format, as there is no limitation in the file size. You can bundle your items, sell these as an upsell, and set the prices you like.

Support Rating: 5/5. Have you had a chance to meet our support team yet? If not, it's time to do so! Go to the chatbox on the left side of the page and introduce yourself. Our chat support is the fastest and most effective as well as helpful and pleasant chat support available.

Marketing: 4.5 five-star rating. We set out to design an all-in-one solution for your business needs and features to help you market are an important part of the overall puzzle. It's possible to launch and sell products, issue coupons, or create an affiliate program straight from the package.

I've knocked a half point off since we don't offer an option to market your products, even though this isn't necessary for every company We allow users to build their own audience through our lead-capture tools.

Fees for transactions: 4.5 out of 5. With , there is no charge for transactions on paid plans. People who have the free plan are charged an 8% transaction fee for sales of products.

Costs are kept at a minimum while you're just starting out. It is always possible to reduce and improve fees on transactions as your business develops.

As with most platforms, there are fee for payment processors that are unassociated with . Stripe or PayPal charges a typical transaction fee of 2.9 per cent + 30C+30C. Additionally, we provide immediate payouts to creators so you'll be able to get your money in a short time.

Cost: 's free plan provides a web-based site and an online community. a digital download along with a coaching product. Plans that are paid range from $39.90 to $199.99 monthly.

Do you want to know more about managing your business online using a platform like ? Attend the live demo and try it out:

Shopify

Shopify operates as an online store and a household name within the realm of creators. It has more than 1.7 million businesses that use Shopify for managing their online stores . Its developers have been able to generate more than 200 billion dollars in revenue.

Its Shopify platform is well-known in the world of selling physical products however, it is also possible to offer digital products. In recent times, Shopify has also added numerous international options for online shopping.

If you're a creative who wants to sell digital and physical goods to clients around the world, Shopify might be a excellent place to begin.

Below are some of the Shopify benefits:

Shopify is a powerful platform to promote marketing, as well as the ability to integrate with other social media platforms.

Shopify provides an on-premise payment processing solution, Shopify Payments. It's user-friendly and is included in the entire plan so that you don't have to integrate with third-party processors if you aren't interested in.

It's possible to design amazing web pages, storefronts and stores that are customizable and beautiful.

Here are the Shopify Negatives of Shopify:

Shopify's primary focus is physical merchandise sales. You can get high-end features without if you're just selling digital goods.

If you don't utilize Shopify Payments, there are additional charges that are added to your monthly subscription cost.

The fee system, all in all, can be complicated.

Shopify offers the features

It is easy to use and Easy to use. Because Shopify was originally designed to be a platform to sell physical goods, it is necessary to take more steps in order to sell digital downloads. There are videos on their website that guide users through how to upload your products using the Digital Downloads app, but it's not an easy process.

Functionality 3/5. This time, Shopify loses points because many of its functions were designed to sell physical products.

When selling digital downloads the maximum size for files for sale is 5GB for each file. It is only possible to sell one file per variant However, you can incorporate multiple variations, including different sizes of images, as well as ebook formats. It will need an ZIP file to include multiple files into the same product.

Support: Three stars out of five. Shopify offers 24/7 chat support help via email, as well as an online forum in which you are able to seek help from fellow users. Many reviews online that talk about delays in response from the support department.

Marketing Five out of five. Shopify excels when it comes to marketing. Their plans include a solid web-based builder that lets you build your own storefront along with managing your blog.

It's integrated email marketing in E-commerce templates. You can design coupon codes and gift cards, and also display genuine customers' reviews. The system also integrates with social media platforms.

Charges for transactions: 2.5 out of 5. The Shopify fees structure is complicated. It's not easy to pinpoint the cost of transactions and what the processing fee charged by credit cards for a purchase.

There's no fee for transactions for making a purchase through this Shopify Payments system. If you don't utilize Shopify Payments, there's a fee for transactions processed through the use of an external processor for payments.

Additionally, if you use major credit cards, you'll be required to pay an additional cost for credit card transactions on every purchase. The amount of money you pay will vary depending on the plan you choose.

The basics of Shopify:

The cost of processing credit card transactions is 2.9 percent plus $0.30

Cost for transactions in case you don't use Shopify Payments 2.2%

Shopify:

The processing cost for credit card transactions: 2.6% + $0.30

Cost for transactions even if you don't use Shopify Payments: 1%

Advanced Shopify:

The processing cost for credit card transactions: 2.4% + $0.30

Transaction fee if not using Shopify Payments: 0.5%

Price: $29 -- $299/month. Shopify offers three plans. The monthly cost is in addition to the charges that are mentioned in the preceding paragraphs.

Etsy

Many thousands of customers use Etsy to buy hand-crafted, unique items. Etsy is known for being the spot to purchase customized vintage, unique and retro merchandise designed by creatives and small-scale companies.

Etsy gets almost 400 million people visiting their site each month that's an enormous number of eyes on your products. Etsy also has a solid marketplace, which allows you to sell your items and to be recognized by customers who are looking for you.

There is a positive aspect:

Etsy is a well-known brand name, which can build trust with consumers.

On your shop's page, you are able to divide your items into categories to make it easier for customers to find your items.

Etsy provides a simple seller dashboard, where you can receive reviews, message customers, make coupons and also offer discount coupons.

It's an excellent platform to sell items like designs, templates, presets, vectors, designs, fonts and other creative items.

To the other hand:

Etsy has been designed to allow you to sell physical products and digital products. It is important to specify on your listing that the items you sell are digital, to avoid confusion.

Although being listed on Etsy's marketplace Etsy marketplace is a nice perk, there's lots of competing products, and those that are in the best categories may be in the wrong place.

Etsy offers many functions

Ease of entry Easy to use: 4 out of 5. Etsy has adjusted to the online marketplace very well. It is possible to set up your store in a couple of hours and the process of adding items is as easy as filling out the form for description, uploading your product images by dragging the images onto the website, clicking the"publish" click.

Functionality 3.0 Out of 5. On Etsy You can offer various file types however you're only allowed to upload five files each product. The maximum file size is 20MB for each file This could be a problem for some artists.

Support: 3/5. One thing is that Etsy is a wonderful maker community that allows you to inquire about issues. Sellers can also access detailed help documents and the seller's handbook.

On the other hand, Etsy support is only contactable via email. Right now, there's the response time of between 1 and two days. That's not great when it comes to urgent questions.

Marketing 5 stars out five. Etsy has some intriguing marketing tools that sellers can use. Although some platforms may offer the possibility of an online marketplace, none has the reach of Etsy.

There is a lot of competition However, you could attract buyers who are serious about your product. There are third-party keyword research tools made specifically for Etsy search results. Etsy additionally offers the option of advertising available to sellers.

Cost of transaction: 2 out of 5. There are a range of fees that you need to know about when selling on Etsy. The first is the $0.20 listing fee per item within your store. It can remain used for a period of 4 months or until closed.

If you're selling a product and you pay for a 5 percent transaction fee, in addition to 3 percent plus $0.25 processing fee for transactions.

Price Free -- 10 bucks per month. The creation of the Etsy shop is completely free but you'll need $0.20 for selling the item plus transaction cost.

Simple Digital Downloads

This system is specifically created to sell digital goods, however it needs some additional lifting to get exactly the same capabilities as the different systems listed here.

The benefit is:

EDD can be a great alternative for you if you already own your own WordPress website , and would like to continue to operate your site within the WordPress web-based environment.

This can also be a perfect choice for users who need more advanced adjustments. But, you must keep an eye at the fact that to be successful, you'll have to be comfortable programming and creating.

Negative:

To access the features you need to sell digital downloads you'll have to use extensions as well as connections to various software.

The additional extensions and integrations could be charged separately and also technical issues.

Digital Downloads are easy Digital Downloads that feature

It's easy to get in Easy to enter. If you're familiar with WordPress and have published plugins previously, the procedure for setting up EDD is similar to the normal process. If you've never used WordPress it's not the ideal solution since you'd have to learn two interfaces.

The quality of the functionality is Three out of five. In EDD it is possible to sell every file that you upload onto WordPress. This gives you an extensive selection, however be aware of your hosting bandwidth if you intend to market massive objects.

Like we've said, EDD can be linked to the other software developed by third party companies for greater features. It's extremely customizable, however managing several systems is complicated.

This is usually the best choice for someone who would like to create and manage their own selling setting. Building blocks can be useful however the issue is do you have the time to finish the construction?

Support: 2 stars out of five. EDD gives customer support via an online ticketing system. It doesn't offer live chat. Priority support is only available in higher-level plans.

One thing you should think about is in the event you encounter an issue with an integration, you might need to get in touch with their support department additionally. This could result in frustration-inducing back and forth conversations.

Marketing: 2.5 out of 5. From the very beginning, EDD offers coupons and discounts. EDD also offers great shopping cart feature.

By extending your plan, you'll be able to expand your marketing tools to include affiliates, emails stars, reviews of star ratings along with cross-selling and upselling. Some of these options are available only on plans with higher tiers.

At the start you'll need to set up at first a WordPress site. This comes with hosting and domain costs. Additionally, you'll be charged for any premium integrations you're planning to make use of.

Price of Free -- $999 per year. The basic EDD plugin is totally free. If you'd prefer additional tools however, you'll need to purchase them separately, or upgrade to a premium subscription to get full features.

Gumroad

Gumroad offers a platform in which creators can sell digital downloads of various dimensions and designs. In the last decade, Gumroad's creators collectively made more than $500 million from the sale of digital goods.

It's user-friendly and an option that is favored by designers But is it really the best choice for you? We'll look at the benefits and disadvantages.

Here's an area where Gumroad's shining:

Gumroad is an easy method to begin selling nearly any kind of item you can think of, even physical goods if you decide to.

It's accessible to anyone who wants to use it. There is no charge for transactions fees in the event that you've made a purchase. This is a great option if you're not certain about selling digital products and wish try it out prior to making the move using a premium instrument.

Creators are able to access Gumroad Discover an online marketplace where potential buyers are able to find your goods.

Here are a few Gumroad disadvantages:

There are limited customization options on the pages for products and checkout pages. It's hard to make an average sales page since there's no builder for websites.

Even though it's not expensive to join, there are high transaction fees per transaction. It's fine when you're just beginning out, but as you grow the business, it could make your profit disappear.

Gumroad has

User-friendly: 4 out of 5. Making your product available using Gumroad is quick and simple. First time, you can create a listing it will take only two minutes, then you'll be ready to begin selling.

Function: 4.5 out of 5. Gumroad is a great marketplace for selling goods. Gumroad the ability to market digital files, physical products like memberships, products, variants as well as rentals. You can also choose the release date of your software, or give key codes to customers for licensing when you're selling software, and you can also offer subscriptions.

When it comes to purchased items, there is a size limit of 16 GB. For free items the limit for file size is 250MB. Each product can contain the amount of files you want.

Help: 2.5 5 out of five. Gumroad offers a library of resources with helpful articles and videos. Gumroad has suffered points due to the absence of live chat or phone support, so the most effective way to contact them for specific inquiries is to contact them via email.

Marketing Four stars out of five. In the marketing department, Gumroad's affiliate marketing system is a savior. If you plan to use affiliate marketing with your product, Gumroad lets you set this up free of charge using their simple process.

Gumroad is also a host of integrations. This allows users to link their tools for marketing via email and an integration with Zapier.

Transaction costs: 2.5 out of 5. Transaction fees range from 9percent to 2.9 percent in this category which is where Gumroad is the worst off. There is a fact that cost of transactions are reduced when you make more sales However, 9percent is still a steep price for people who are just beginning their careers. You also have to make a $0.30 cost for every transaction.

Gumroad gives you weekly payment after you've hit a minimum of minimum of $10 USD.

Pricing: It's Free + Charges. There's no recurring monthly price, but the cost of transactions is based upon the volume of transactions per year.

What are you looking for when you decide which digital downloads to promote

Every creator is unique. That's why it's beneficial to be able to choose the right software for your business.

With a reliable and secure digital download platform to support you You'll soon be on your way to more appealing product lines and endless earning potential.

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