Selling Digital Products? Here’s the Tea on Gumroad vs. Payhip
Last Updated on July 6, 2025 by Nell Marie
Let’s gooo—welcome to the world of passive income and digital goodies! Whether you’re dreaming up your first printable, designing a gorgeous set of templates, or writing that eBook that’s been sitting in your brain for months, digital products are where it’s at. Low overhead, zero shipping stress, and unlimited earning potential? Yes please.
Now, if you’ve done even a little Googling, you’ve probably seen two platforms pop up again and again: Gumroad and Payhip. They’re both super beginner-friendly, totally doable even if tech makes your head spin, and packed with features that can grow with you.
But which one’s actually right for you? That’s what we’re here to figure out. By the time you hit the bottom of this post, you’ll know exactly where to set up shop—and feel good about it. Let’s dig in!
What Are Gumroad and Payhip Anyway?
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, let’s break down what these two platforms actually are. Think of Gumroad and Payhip as your digital storefronts—where your audience can click, buy, and download your products without you lifting a finger (after setup, of course).
Gumroad has been around for a while and is loved for its clean, minimalist vibe. It’s all about keeping things simple and streamlined, which makes it a fave for creators who just want to upload and go.
Payhip, on the other hand, gives you a little more wiggle room when it comes to customization and features. It’s perfect if you want to build a more branded shopping experience without needing a whole tech team behind you.
Both let you sell things like eBooks, printables, digital courses, design files, and more—but how they do it (and what they charge for it) is where things get interesting. Let’s keep going!
Pricing Breakdown: Fees, Plans & What You’ll Actually Pay
Alright, let’s talk money—because when you’re just getting started, pricing matters a lot. Both Gumroad and Payhip offer free plans (yay!), but the way they handle fees is totally different—and it can impact your bottom line.
Gumroad keeps things super simple: no monthly fees, just a flat 10% fee per sale on the free plan. You can upgrade to Gumroad Pro to lower that fee, but you’ll be paying a monthly subscription.
Payhip, on the other hand, gives you three options:
- Free plan: 5% fee per sale
- Plus plan: $29/month with 2% fee
- Pro plan: $99/month with zero fees
So basically, with Payhip you’re paying either a small cut of each sale or a monthly fee to keep more of your profits. It’s more flexible, especially if you’re scaling.
💡 Example time:
Sell a $20 eBook on Gumroad? You’ll pay $2 in fees.
Sell the same thing on Payhip’s free plan? You’re paying $1.
It might not seem like a big deal at first—but once you’re selling consistently, those little numbers start to add up. Let’s keep going and see what you’re actually getting for those fees!
Design & Customization: Which One Looks More Like You?
Let’s be real—first impressions matter. When someone clicks your product link, you want the whole vibe to say “I’m legit” without having to hire a web designer. So how do Gumroad and Payhip stack up in the looks department?
Gumroad is all about that clean, no-fuss aesthetic. It’s super minimalist, which means less time fiddling and more time selling. But if you’re big on branding and want every button and banner to scream you, you might find it a little limiting. Think: sleek and simple, but not super customizable.
Payhip gives you a bit more wiggle room. You can tweak colors, add your logo, and build out a branded storefront that actually feels like your brand. It even lets you create a mini website with product pages, blog posts, and a contact form—hello, all-in-one!
So if you want quick and easy, Gumroad’s your bestie. But if you’re going for a more curated, brand-forward look, Payhip might be the better match. Either way, you’ll look like a pro—but one gives you a little more sparkle. ✨
Features & Flexibility: What Can You Actually Do With Each?
Okay, let’s talk about the good stuff—the features. Because selling digital products isn’t just about uploading a file and crossing your fingers. You need tools that help you actually sell, connect, and grow. So what do Gumroad and Payhip bring to the table?
Gumroad keeps it simple but solid. You can:
- Sell digital files, physical products, subscriptions, or even offer pre-orders
- Let buyers name their own price (great for donation-based products)
- Offer discount codes and limited-time sales
- Add license keys for digital products like fonts or software
- Collect emails from customers (hello, future marketing!)
Payhip steps things up a notch with:
- Everything Gumroad has plus more advanced features
- Upsells and cross-sells (like “add this bundle for $5 more!”)
- Pay-what-you-want pricing with minimums
- Built-in affiliate marketing program to help others sell your stuff
- Full-blown course builder and membership site options
- EU/UK VAT handling (bless)
If you’re looking for a platform that grows with you, Payhip offers a little more room to play. But if you just want to get in, get selling, and keep things streamlined? Gumroad still totally gets the job done. It’s all about what fits your style (and your brain space).
Marketing & Growth Tools: How Do They Help You Sell More?
Alright, so your product is live… now what? It’s one thing to have a digital product, but it’s another to actually sell it—and that’s where marketing tools come in. Let’s see how Gumroad and Payhip help you boost visibility and bring in those sales.
Gumroad keeps things minimal but useful. You can:
- Collect email addresses from customers (and send basic email updates)
- Embed products directly on your website or blog
- Set up discount codes and launch sales
- Get access to simple but helpful analytics
Payhip gives you more room to grow with features like:
- Built-in email marketing (yep—newsletters, sequences, and more!)
- An affiliate program you can run straight from your dashboard
- SEO tools to help your product pages show up in search
- Smart upsell and cross-sell options to increase your average order value
- Social sharing tools and embeddable buttons
If you’re all about keeping things lean and easy, Gumroad gives you the basics without overwhelm. But if you want to build more of a mini-marketing machine right inside your shop, Payhip gives you way more to work with—especially if you don’t want to juggle a bunch of separate tools.
Let’s be honest: both can help you get started. But if you want to grow big (without the tech headache), Payhip might just be your secret weapon.
International Sellers & Payment Options
Selling digital products online means your customers could be from literally anywhere—which is amazing… unless the platform doesn’t play nice with global payments or taxes. So how do Gumroad and Payhip handle things for international sellers?
Gumroad supports major payment options like credit cards and PayPal, and payouts go through direct deposit or PayPal depending on your country. Super straightforward. But when it comes to handling things like VAT (Value-Added Tax) for EU buyers? You’ll need to take care of that yourself—Gumroad doesn’t do it for you.
Payhip, on the other hand, really shines here. Not only does it support PayPal and Stripe (which covers most of the globe), but it also automatically calculates and collects VAT on your behalf if you’re selling to EU or UK customers. Huge win if you’re not looking to become a tax expert on top of everything else.
So if you’re selling internationally (or plan to), Payhip gives you that extra peace of mind. No spreadsheets, no headaches—just set it and go. Gumroad works fine too, but if you want less backend stress, Payhip’s got your back.
Ease of Use: Which One’s Simpler to Set Up and Manage?
Let’s be honest—nobody wants to spend hours wrestling with tech when you’re just trying to sell an eBook or a cute printable. So how do Gumroad and Payhip compare when it comes to ease of use?
Gumroad is known for being crazy simple. You can sign up, upload your product, set a price, and start selling—all in, like, 10 minutes. The dashboard is clean, minimal, and not overwhelming at all. If you’re a “just let me launch this thing” kind of person, Gumroad totally gets you.
Payhip is still beginner-friendly, but it’s got a few more features, which means a tiny bit more to learn. That said, it’s super intuitive once you get the hang of it. The setup is still fast, and the extra options (like memberships, blog pages, and storefront customization) are all drag-and-drop or toggle-on type features—no coding required.
Bottom line? Gumroad is perfect if you want fast, no-fuss selling with zero overwhelm. Payhip gives you more room to grow and customize, but you might spend a few extra minutes clicking around at first. Either way, you don’t need to be techy to make it happen—and that’s a win
Best For… (Who Should Use Which?)
Okay, let’s break it down real simple—because choosing a platform doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s a quick cheat sheet for who each one works best for:
✨ Go with Gumroad if you…
- Want to keep things super simple and clean
- Are launching your first digital product and don’t need tons of features
- Like a minimalist, set-it-and-forget-it kind of vibe
- Want a quick way to start making sales without overthinking
🌟 Choose Payhip if you…
- Want more control over branding and storefront design
- Plan to grow your biz with memberships, courses, or upsells
- Love built-in tools like email marketing and affiliate programs
- Need automatic VAT handling or support for international customers
They’re both amazing—it’s really about what fits you best right now in your biz journey. There’s no wrong answer here.
Wrap-Up: No Wrong Choice—Just the Right One for You
At the end of the day, both Gumroad and Payhip are solid platforms that can help you start selling your digital products with confidence. Whether you want to keep it super simple or dive into all the bells and whistles, there’s something here for everyone.
Starting small doesn’t mean you’re thinking small—it just means you’re getting smart about how you grow. So pick the platform that fits your style, trust your gut, and go build something amazing.
You’ve got this.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is believed to be accurate at the time of its publishing; however, you’ll want to confirm any important facts before signing up for either service.