Published on
November 16, 2022
The demand for creators for a fair and reliable online marketplace when selling digital products has resulted in the search for new Gumroad alternatives after this platform announced some modifications to its services.
Over the years, creators and entrepreneurs have relied on Gumroad to grow their businesses; however, a series of modifications to the platform and pricing system in the last year has led customers to search for other alternatives.
But what are these available alternatives to Gumroad, and which one suits the needs of creatives better?
Before deep diving into 10 Gumroad alternatives for creators in 2023, there are some basics everyone should understand about this popular platform and why vendors and creators worldwide are moving away from Gumroad.
Gumroad, founded by Sahil Lavingia, is an online marketplace used by thousands of artists, writers, designers, musicians, and anyone who wants to sell their creations online. Gumroad's ease of use undoubtedly contributed to its rapid popularity.
Since 2011 this online marketplace has helped thousands of people sell their creative goods quickly, securely, and without the need to create an external platform.
The sales process through Gumroad is intuitive and easy, even for those who find technology a foreign language.
Creating a free account is the first step for creatives to use this digital e-commerce. Next, they must submit the text, video, photo, or any product they wish to sell. Once the product is ready, they have to add their storefront, and sellers can decide whether to customize it on the platform or a personal site connected to this marketplace.
As long as it is creative merchandise, whether digital or physical, entrepreneurs can sell virtually anything to anyone globally; in other words, "Creativity is the limit."
3D designs, GIFs, books, movies, software, videos, lessons on almost any topic, and digital products are examples of what creators can sell in this online marketplace.
Unfortunately, for new creatives and loyal Gumroad customers, on December 17, 2022, the all-in-one digital marketplace announced a change in its pricing model to a flat rate of 10% on all transactions. Plus, to this 10% increase, another extra charge related to credit card processing fees was added, which significantly decreased vendors' revenues.
Unlike other competitors, Gumroad used to have an attractive and revolutionary pricing system based on the number of profits. The math was easy; every creator starting on the platform paid a 9% commission for each transaction, but the more they sold, the commission dropped to less than 3% based on the number of sales.
Another reason creators are looking and switching to other choices is its templates feature. While pre-designed profiles with templates save some time, many wanted to customize their profiles, a feature not available on Gumroad since 2021.
For these platform changes and gaps in the customer experience, Gumroad vendors and new entrepreneurs about to start selling goods are opting for different online marketplaces.
But what are the best alternatives to Gumroad for creators in 2023, and how to choose the right one?
Lemon Squeezy is a relatively new platform designed for running SaaS businesses.
This online eCommerce allows vendors to sell their digital goods worldwide and does not require coding or developing expertise, thanks to its straightforward approach.
It also manages the payment process from A to B, covers payments, global tax compliance to fraud prevention, multi-currency support, failed payment recovery, etc. The website also offers clients powerful, easy-to-use marketing tools.
Pricing:
This platform is a budget-friendly platform for creators, thanks to its two pricing plans.
How do creators get paid?
The payouts are generated monthly on the 1st and the 15th. They specify that payouts can take 1–5 days to appear in bank accounts.
Best option for:
Lemon Squeezy features and pricing plans offer benefits suitable to new entrepreneurs and big shark sellers, especially those who sell software and prefer investing all their time in their business and less on payment regulation and marketing.
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Buy Me a Coffee is an option for creatives interested in receiving donations or tips. Fans can "Buy a coffee" to support their favorite writers, artists, musicians, etc., so they can keep producing content.
Creators can launch a membership to share exclusive content and sell products like 1-to-1 Zoom calls, live event tickets, and art commissions. They also have absolute control of their supporter network and email.
In other words, their founders designed the platform to create human connections and not just monetary exchanges.
Pricing:
Creating an account is free but Buy Me a Coffee will take 5% of each sale.
How do creators get paid?
Stripe and PayPal make the payment, so donations can only be made for countries that accept those transaction platforms.
Best option for:
Undoubtedly, Buy Me a Coffee is a perfect alternative for those creatives who want an easy-to-use platform to create exclusive content and connect with their fans.
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Sellfy is an excellent choice for creators looking for a hosted eCommerce solution.
Although creatives can sell a wide range of goods, the online marketplace specializes in digital products, especially print-on-demand.
Artists or designers interested in selling custom print-on-demand articles do not need to make an upfront investment. Also, Sellfy will oversee the whole process, from printing to product delivery.
Vendors can create a storefront from scratch or link their store to the website.
Unlike Gumroad, Sellfy clients can add built-in features like discount codes and email marketing while easily customizing their storefront with a drag-and-drop.
Pricing:
Sellfy is one of the favorite alternatives to many creators who prefer to pay a monthly fee without any other extra or hidden charge. The online shop offers four options, each of which could be paid monthly or yearly.
How do creators get paid?
Creators get paid through PayPal or Stripe.
Best option for:
A perfect option for new creators and established sellers thanks to its free feature and monthly paid packages. It is also ideal for artists or creators interested in selling custom built-in print-on-demand.
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Best known for selling digital goods such as online courses and webinars, Podia is a website that provides a range of solutions, from designing landing pages to marketing services.
Podia has unlimited bandwidth and hosting, making it an excellent option for creators that use a large amount of video for courses, coaching consultations, and workshops.
Another feature that distinguishes Podia from the other Gumroad choices is that it allows sellers to interact with their subscribers, creating connections and deeper relations.
Pricing:
Podia's "free" option has minimal function access and charges 8% for every sale. If creators consider making this platform their online market, the three monthly paid options are a better alternative eventually.
How do creators get paid?
On paid plans, Podia does not charge any extra cost; nevertheless, the payment processor (Stripe or PayPal) will charge a regular transaction fee.
Best option for:
Undoubtedly, an excellent choice for any creator, mainly for those who impart webinars, lessons, and coaching sessions.
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Commonly known as a marketing hub, ConvertKit also works as an eCommerce online website to help entrepreneurs sell their digital assets.
The platform was designed to help clients grow their businesses online by integrating their marketing services with the benefits of an online marketplace.
With ConvertKit Commerce, vendors can sell digital products like e-books, online courses, e-newsletters, subscriptions, and more. Another exciting feature of this digital marketplace is its "tip jar," available to every supporter that wants to donate to their creatives.
Currently, this platform is only available in certain countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, and other European countries.
Pricing:
This email marketing creator combines its marketing services with eCommerce benefits. ConvertKit Commerce charges a fee of 3.5% + $0.30 for every successful sale.
How do creators get paid?
Stripe is their only payment platform at this time.
Best option for:
ConvertKit Commerce is best for current customers of ConvertKit marketing and coaching professionals, musicians, podcasters, and authors looking for a place to vend their online lessons.
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Like Buy Me a Coffee, Patreon offers fans the possibility to sponsor its creators by donating or buying some of their products. Patreon enables creators to run affiliate businesses by providing them with the tools they need to engage, manage and excite their followers.
On this website, customers can create a community and relationships with their fans while choosing what they want to offer and how much they wish to earn. Fans pay their favorite creators a monthly sum of their choice for exclusive access through a subscription-style payment model.
Moreover, one of Patreon's coolest features is its zero tolerance for trolls and haters, which makes it an enjoyable platform for hundreds of artists.
Pricing:
Creators can enroll in one of Patreon's plans and pay the one that suits them better. The packages are:
How do creators get paid?
Fans can support creators via PayPal or credit cards.
Best option for:
As it states on its website, Patreon is best for artists, gamers, authors, and musicians interested in creative and financial freedom.
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Ko-fi has an extensive network of creatives that offers thousands of products, memberships, and services to their fan community.
Ko-fi works particularly like a tip jar with the ability to get premium features where creators can set a crowdfunding goal and build a monthly income by offering memberships and accepting commissions or applications.
The platform can also serve as a simple showcase for donations and is preferred by some creators who enjoy its "no-pressure approach," as Ko-fi does not require its customers to upload content constantly.
Pricing:
Ko-fi is undoubtedly one of the most budget-friendly platforms for artists and creatives who want to connect with their fans for an incredible 0% fee.
For creatives who wish to explore the Gold services, Ko-fi charges a tiny cost comparable to $6/mo for features such as Memberships, shop, and commissions.
How do creators get paid?
Payments are made directly from PayPal or Stripe accounts.
Best option for:
Ko-fi is perfect for any creator looking to expand their creative platforms while creating a community.
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PayHip's most crucial characteristic is the ease with which users can create their online store; undoubtedly, the platform is one of the most intuitive eCommerce sites.
Unlike Gumroad, PayHip has more tools to help creatives promote their goods and options to choose from when customizing profiles and stock shops, basically everything creatives may need to increase sales.
PayHip claims to have optimized its payment process to increase conversions, making it one of the alternatives to Gumroad with the smoothest selling process.
Pricing:
The payment system within this platform is designed so that when getting one of its plans, the user pays less commission on each transaction. PayHip has three pricing options:
How do creators get paid?
The deposit is immediately transferred to the PayPal and Stripe account and shared under the standards of these companies.
Best option for:
Unlike competitors, PayHip is best for small and medium vendors that want to sell digital products, physical goods, memberships, or online courses.
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By far one of the most affordable ways to sell products online. Flurly offers creatives to keep 99% of what they make after payment processing fees.
With Flurly, sellers can give free product samples and adjust prices depending on the country level, meaning that creators can provide a better discount to customers from developed countries should they choose to do so. Another feature that differentiates Flurly from other Gumroad alternatives is that it allows splitting revenue with product collaborators.
Like Patreon, this website launched a membership program to give fans exclusive access to creator content.
Pricing:
Flurly only takes 1% of each sale plus the Stripe payment processing fee.
How do creators get paid?
Every transaction is made via Stripe.
Best option for:
An excellent choice for creators that generate projects through collaborations or want to take advantage of their Purchase Power Parity dynamic pricing.
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Finally, SendOwl helps vendors sell using a single feature or bundling them together.
On SendOwl, individuals can sell almost any type of digital goods and be sure that each transaction is made easy through a reliable source.
This eCommerce solution automates marketing workflow and customizes the checkout page and email, so sellers can brand the payment process and look more professional to their customers.
Pricing:
Creatives have three payment options in case they want to sell their merchandise via SendOwl:
How do creatives get paid?
SendOwl works with Stripe to process payments.
Best option for:
Bloggers and YouTubers who wish to start selling their products.
Pros:
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Several alternatives to Gumroad offer reliable and reasonably priced services focused on helping creators grow their businesses, no matter where they are in the world.
But before switching or subscribing to a new platform, creators should analyze Gumroad vs. other options and keep specific points in mind.
Questions to ask when choosing among Gumroad alternatives:
Having answered these questions, the creator can decide whether to stay with Gumroad or try other alternatives.
Regardless of the digital marketplace creators decide to work with, there are other alternatives and elements to improve the visibility and reach of any business, such as web design and copy.
With platforms like Reel Unlimited, entrepreneurs do not have to worry about the design and content of their websites.
Reel Unlimited offers unlimited services such as UI/UX design, social media, website graphics, copy, blog content, and more; everything any creator needs to take their business to the next level.