11 Best Gumroad Alternatives in 2023

You’ve probably heard of Gumroad if you are an artist or content creator. Gumroad is a platform that allows producers to sell digital and physical goods to their target audience directly. It provides services like product hosting, payment processing, and customer management, allowing producers to sell their products without worrying about the technical parts of e-commerce. Though, currently in the market, there are some really good gumroad alternatives that we will discuss in today’s article.

Benefits of using Gumroad

Before we talk about the Gumroad alternatives, let’s take a quick overview of the services that Gumroad offers to its users:

1. Quick Setup: Gumroad’s new user-friendly design and step-by-step approach for setting up an account and producing products make it simple to get started selling products.

2. Diversification of Products: Gumroad supports a wide range of product kinds, including ebooks, films, music, software, and more, making it a versatile platform for artists.

3. Built-in Payment services: Gumroad handles payment processing, including payment processing and refunds, so creators don’t have to worry about these technical parts of selling things.

4. Marketing tools: Gumroad provides a variety of marketing tools, such as discount codes, email marketing integrations, and the option to sell products via social media, to help creators promote and sell their products.

5. Analytics: Gumroad delivers insights into sales, traffic, and customer behaviour, allowing creators to make smart business decisions.

6. Direct sales: By selling products directly to their target audience via Gumroad, producers may maintain control over the sales process while also strengthening relationships with their clients.

Also Read: 12 Best Print On Demand Sites For Artists (2023)

Why alternatives to gumroad required?

Since 2011, Gumroad has been quite popular among artists and content creators as it was offering many features and services at very effective pricing. But with time, things have changed. Now there are many good gumroad alternatives in the market that we will discuss soon. But before that, let’s understand why gumroad alternatives are required in the first place. Here are some of the main reasons to go for gumroad alternatives:

1. Pricing: Gumroad deducts a considerable portion of your earnings in transaction costs. Every time someone buys your goods, a whopping 10% is removed from your earnings. So although Gumroad does not require a monthly subscription fee, using it will cost you money if you wish to sell something. So if you are a creator and wish to book profits without giving a significant percentage, you need to re-consider and look for cost affective gumroad alternatives.

2. Features: While Gumroad provides a variety of capabilities, it may not satisfy the precise demands of every artist. Some makers, for example, may require further customization, connectivity with other tools, or more powerful shipping and fulfilment options. Furthermore, they lack bump offers and product upselling options, both of which are critical for establishing an online business.

3. Weekly payroll system: Gumroad only pays out money to sellers once a week, so you won’t have immediate access to your revenue. It is also a significant disadvantage.

4. Marketing tools: While Gumroad does provide some marketing tools, such as discount codes and email marketing interfaces, it may lack the capability of more specialised platforms.

4. Buggy mobile application: Recently, gumroad launched its mobile app version which is full of bugs and lags. Though the UI is easy to interact with, users have reported that the app crashes and lags some of the time.

5. Technical Support team: Several internet reviews claim that Gumroad’s technical support is unhelpful.   your online shop is most likely one of the most important tools for your eCommerce business and if something goes wrong, you should have someone to turn to.

Also Read: How To Start an Online Clothing Store With No Money in India – 4 Simple Steps

11 Best Gumroad alternatives to consider in 2023

Now that we know both the merits and demerits of gumroad, let’s consider some gumroad alternatives which are easy to use and offer tons of features in comparison to gumroad. You can choose the suitable one for you from the following:

Sellfy

Sellfy is an e-commerce platform that allows producers to sell digital products to their target audience directly. It is one of the best gumroad alternatives as creators can easily set up a store and begin selling things such as ebooks, music, software, and more with Sellfy. The platform includes customisable product pages, payment processing, and marketing tools, making it simple to advertise and sell products.

Features

• Building an Online store from scratch within minutes.
• Payment integration with popular payment gateways, such as PayPal and Stripe.
• Marketing tools, Print-on-demand, Discount codes and Email integrations.
• Real-time analytics and sales reports.

Pricing

The cost of using Sellfy depends on the pricing plan you choose. Sellfy offers three pricing plans:

1. Basic: Starts at $19 per month, includes all core features and up to 500 products.
2. Pro: Starts at $49 per month, includes additional features such as custom domains and advanced analytics, and supports up to 5,000 products.
3. Premium: $99 per month, includes all Pro features and dedicated support and supports an unlimited number of products.

Note that the above prices are based on a two-year plan. If you choose a monthly or yearly plan, the pricing will differ. You can also avail of the free trial plan before committing to them.

Whop

Whop is also one of the best gumroad alternatives to choose from. Whop is a website builder and e-commerce platform that allows individuals and small businesses to develop a professional-looking online presence and begin selling things straight to their audience. With Whop, you can design a website, set up an online store, and manage all parts of your online business from a single platform.

Features

• Simple and intuitive website builder to create a professional-looking website without any coding skills.
• Integrated e-commerce platform to sell products directly from your website.
• SEO optimization tools to improve your website’s search engine rankings and reach a wider audience.
• Customizable templates and design elements to create a website that matches your brand and style.

Pricing

Here are the details of the different pricing plans offered by WHOP:

1. Free plan: The free plan provides limited features and capabilities, including a website builder, an online store, and basic customization options.
2. Starter plan: The Starter plan, which starts at $9.90 per month, provides more advanced features and capabilities, including unlimited products, custom domains, and email support.
3. Pro plan: The Pro plan, which starts at $19.90 per month, provides additional features and capabilities, including advanced customization options, integrations with popular payment gateways, and priority support.
4. Business plan: The Business plan, which starts at $49.90 per month, provides even more advanced features and capabilities, including advanced analytics and marketing tools, custom product fields, and dedicated support.

SendOwl

For consumers looking for a straightforward way to sell digital products, SendOwl has proven to be one of the top Gumroad alternatives. Its primary goal has always been to provide a simple and straightforward checkout option for creators and small companies. All you have to do is register and upload your product and you are done. However, you cannot create an online store with sendowl.

Features

• The fastest process to sell any product online within minutes.
• Super easy interface with no complications.
• Full control of product catalogue, including pricing, descriptions, images, and inventory levels.
• Integrated shipping partners such as USPS, FedEx, and UPS, to manage shipping and fulfilment.

Pricing

Sendowl offers 4 different plans which are listed below:

1. Free plan with 10 GB of storage and 5% (min 0.50 cents) commission per order management fee.
2. Starter plan with 100 GB of storage and a $0.40 commission per order management fee for $15 per month.
3. Pro plan with 200 GB of storage and a $0.30 commission per order management fee for $39 per month.
4. Premium plan with 1000 GB of storage and a $0.20 commission per order management fee for $99 per month.

You can also try the starter, pro and premium plans on a 14-day free trial before purchasing the pack.

Payhip

Payhip is an all-in-one eCommerce platform that provides a variety of tools for starting an online business. You may easily integrate the service into your website or blog, or you can create your own Payhip storefront to sell things directly to your target audience. Payhip, like Gumroad, is a simple checkout option for artists and creatives who want to sell digital or physical products, as well as memberships. If you have no prior experience in e-commerce platforms, Payhip is one of the best gumroad alternatives to choose from.

Features

• Simple and convenient to use
• Digital products and membership
• Integrated online store
• Discount and coupon code integration

Pricing

PayHip offers a range of pricing plans to meet the needs of individuals and businesses of all sizes. Here is a brief overview of their pricing options:

1. Basic: This is the free plan, which includes a 5% transaction fee on all sales, up to a maximum of $1 per transaction. This plan provides the core features of PayHip, including an online store builder, product management, payment processing, and marketing tools.
2. Plus: This plan starts at $29/month including a 2% transaction fee, and provides all the features of the Basic plan, as well as additional features such as a custom domain, additional sales and marketing tools, and more.
3. Pro: This plan starts at $99/month, and provides all the features of the Pro plan, as well as additional features such as advanced analytics, custom checkout pages, and more with 0% transaction fee.

Also Read: Ultimate Guide On How To Sell Art Online And Make Money in India

Samcart

Samcart is another alternative to sites like gumroad. SamCart is a shopping cart software that assists creators in beginning to sell online by creating an efficient product page. SamCart is referred to as a shopping cart rather than eCommerce software. The only downside of Samcart is probably its pricing. In comparison to others, their package comes at a high cost.

Features

• Drag-and-drop editor for ease of design.
• One-click upsells, A/B split testing, coupons, and trial offers.
• Great set of built-in eCommerce features
• No transaction fees

Pricing

Samcart offers both monthly and annual plans for it’s users. Their popular annual plan includes:

• Launch package at $39 per month.
• Grow package at $79 per month.
• Scale package at $159 per month.

Note that their monthly plan starts at $59 per month and can range up to $299 per month depending upon the type of plan that you choose.

Kofi

Ko-fi is another gumroad alternative which acts as a virtual tip jar which can be used by people to donate money (in form of a virtual cup of coffee) to their favourite creators and artists. Besides this, they also offer a range of tools and features to help businesses sell their products online, including an online store builder, payment processing, product management, and more. However, there are not much of customization options and the e-commerce features are also limited.

Features

• Easy to set up
• Free to use
• Zero commissions on donations
• Instant payouts

Pricing

A flat 5% transaction fee is charged for each good sold. There is also a $6/month Ko-fi Gold package that gives you access to more advanced capabilities.

Teachable

Teachable is one of the gumroad alternatives for selling digital content. It is an all-encompassing e-learning platform that enables individuals and organisations to design, manage, and sell online courses. It includes course development tools, payment processing, student administration, and other features and tools to let you build, launch, and sell your courses.

Features

• Fully integrated e-commerce website with easy setup
• Help with online courses and digital products
• Integrated marketing features
• Ability to host your own affiliate programme

Pricing

Apart from the free plan, Teachable provides three other plans for it’s users:

1. A basic plan with a cost of $39 per month.
2. A Pro plan with a cost of $119 per month.
3. Custom plan for businesses.

Podia

Podia is also one of the best gumroad alternatives when it comes to creating and selling online courses, webinars or digital products. It allows you to sell anything digital and provides a reasonably simple interface for creating landing pages for digital products.

Features

• No coding required, simple drag and drop experience.
• Premium features like Email marketing, upselling, and cross-selling.
• Coupon codes, affiliate marketing and drip campaigns for best marketing experience.
• No product or bandwidth limitations

Pricing

Apart from the free plan, podia provides three other plans for it’s users:

1. Mover plan with a cost of $33 per month.
2. Shaker plan with a cost of $75 per month.
3. Earthquaker plan with a cost of $166 per month.

Note that these are yearly plans. Monthly plan starts with $39 and can range up to $199 depending upon the plan you choose.

Shopify

Shopify, which is a very popular e-commerce platform can definitely be considered in the list of the best gumroad alternatives. Shopify is an all-in-one eCommerce platform that allows you to create an online store without any prior expertise or knowledge of web design. The biggest advantage of Shopify is that it is completely configurable, and with the correct set of app integrations, you can sell almost anything in your store—from physical objects to subscriptions and digital products.

Features

• A valuable ecosystem of app connectors and shop themes
• Online store with fully configurable store embed functionality
• Integrated blog Accepts multiple currencies
• There are no product or bandwidth constraints.

Pricing

Shopify offers a 3-day free trial and three premium plans:

1. The basic plans start with a monthly cost of $18.31.
2. The Shopify plan costs about $68.38 on monthly basis.
3. The advanced plan costs up to $276.97 monthly.

Note that these are yearly plans. Shopify also offers a monthly plan that starts from $24.35 per month and can range up to $368.37 depending upon the plan you choose.

Thinkific

If you want to create and sell professional courses, then this might be one of the best gumroad alternatives out there. It boasts an easy-to-use interface that allows teachers to design visually appealing courses, as well as features like custom landing pages, money processing, student administration, and marketing integrations.

Features

• Customizable Course landing pages
• Student administration software
• Integrations in marketing and payment systems.
• Capability to build aesthetically beautiful and interactive courses
• User-friendly interface.
• Marketing and analytics tools for tracking and growing business success.

Pricing

Thinkific offers a free 30-day trial after which you need to pick any of the following plans:

1. Basic plan with $99 USD per month.
2. Growth plan with premium features at a cost of $199 USD per month.

Kajabi

Kajabi is an all-in-one platform that allows online businesses to create, market, and sell their courses, digital products, and coaching services. Kajabi provides an all-in-one solution that includes tools for course design, website building, email marketing, and membership site management. Furthermore, Kajabi combines with other tools to give a unified experience. You can use Kajabi to design and sell online courses without any technical skills, as well as to profit from a variety of marketing and sales tools and to manage all parts of your business in one location. With so many features loaded, Kajabi can be considered as one of the best gumroad alternatives.

Features

• Website creator with editable templates
• Tools for email marketing and automation
• Membership site development and administration
• Tools for creating courses, such as interactive elements and quizzes
• Payment processing and analytics are included in.
• Third-party tool and service integration

Pricing

Kajabi offers a 15-day free trial after which you can choose any of the following plans to continue:

1. Basic plan costing approx $119 per month.
2. Growth plan with an cost of $159 per month.
3. Pro plan with an cost of $319 per month.

Also Read: How to start a phone case business in India

Quick Comparisons

Here are some quick comparisons between the popular sites:

Payhip vs Gumroad

• Payhip charges a 5% transaction fee per sale, Gumroad charges flat 10% per sale.
• Payhip offers more features including physical product sales and recurring subscriptions, Gumroad is more focused on digital content.
• Payhip allows for full store customization, and Gumroad has limited customization options.
• Payhip offers marketing tools like coupon codes and email marketing, Gumroad has fewer marketing tools but integrations with social media and email marketing tools.

Gumroad vs Kajabi

• Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for creating, marketing, and selling online courses, while Gumroad is more focused on selling digital and physical products.
• Kajabi offers a comprehensive set of tools for course creation, including interactive elements, quizzes, and website building, while Gumroad has limited course creation tools.
• Kajabi offers email marketing and automation tools, while Gumroad has basic email marketing features.
• Kajabi has a more advanced membership site creation and management, while Gumroad offers limited options for membership sites.
• Kajabi has a more extensive set of features for creating and managing an online business, but also comes with a higher cost compared to Gumroad.

Gumroad vs Kofi

• Kofi is a new platform that focuses on selling digital products, while Gumroad is a well-established platform for selling digital and physical products.
• Kofi offers a simple, clean interface with a minimalist design, while Gumroad has a more cluttered design.
• Kofi provides basic marketing and analytics tools, while Gumroad has more advanced analytics and email marketing features.
• Kofi has a lower transaction fee compared to Gumroad, making it a cost-effective option for selling digital products.
• Kofi also offers an option for recurring payments, while Gumroad does not have a built-in recurring payment option.

Thinkific vs Gumroad

• Thinkific is a comprehensive e-learning platform, while Gumroad is primarily focused on selling digital products.
• Thinkific offers features for creating and hosting online courses, while Gumroad is limited to selling digital products such as ebooks, music, videos, and software.
• Thinkific provides advanced course creation tools, while Gumroad has basic design options for product pages.
• Thinkific has a built-in affiliate program and robust marketing tools, while Gumroad has limited marketing options.
• Thinkific offers a wider range of payment options, while Gumroad primarily supports PayPal and credit card payments.

FAQs

Conclusion

There are other excellent Gumroad alternatives for selling digital products and online courses. Each platform has its own set of features, pricing options, and simplicity of use, so choose the one that best meets your demands and budget. the best platform for you will be determined by the things you sell, your marketing and sales goals, and your budget, so make sure to weigh all of your possibilities before making a decision. Don’t forget to try the free trials to get a better understanding before committing anything. Hopefully, after reading this article you now know the best gumroad alternatives for your business. Good luck!