Struggling to sell your digital products online?
Digital products are booming as internet access expands, now reaching six billion users worldwide. Selling digital products allows you to generate scalable, high-margin income without the need for inventory, shipping, or ongoing production costs. Once created, they can be sold to a global audience at any time.
And the size of that market? In 2025, retail ecommerce sales were estimated to exceed 3.6 trillion U.S. dollars worldwide. That’s a big opportunity for the creator economy.
Whether it’s an online business selling courses, downloads, or exclusive content, the right platform will help you grow your business without the headaches.
Key takeaways:
- Advanced tools boost revenue. Features like upsells, order bumps, and cart recovery can significantly increase your sales without extra digital marketing spend.
- Scalability is crucial. Your platform should grow with your digital product business without imposing revenue caps or charging more just because you’re successful.
- Prioritize platforms built for serious growth: ThriveCart stands out for creators who want a robust, all-in-one solution to sell digital products and courses efficiently. Its comprehensive features and flexibility make it ideal for scaling a business, unlike simpler platforms that may limit control or options.
Boost your sales and simplify your checkout. Get started with ThriveCart now.
What are the best platforms to sell digital products on?
Digital products are a powerhouse of potentially untapped economic value, with the market set to reach $18.3 billion by 2033. To tap into this market, you need high-quality digital products as well as the right online platform to showcase and sell your offerings to eager customers.
Here’s a rundown of the best platforms to sell your digital products.
| Feature | ThriveCart | Gumroad | Lemon Squeezy | Payhip | Sellfy | Shopify | WordPress |
| Pricing | $495 one-time | Free (transaction fees apply per sale) | Free (transaction fees apply per sale) | Free/$29—$99/mo | $29-$159/mo | $25+/mo | Hosting cost + plugins |
| Recurring fees | None, lifetime license | Optional | Transaction-based | Monthly | Monthly | Monthly | Hosting/plugins |
| Checkout customization | ✅ Full | Limited | Limited | Limited | Basic | ✅ Full | ✅ Full |
| Upsells/Order bumps | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | Limited | Limited | Limited | ✅ Via apps/plugins | ✅ Via apps/plugins |
| Funnel builder | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Via apps/plugins | ✅ Via apps/plugins |
| Affiliate management | ✅ Yes | Limited | Limited | ✅ Yes | Limited | ✅ Via apps/plugins | ✅ Via apps/plugins |
| Cart recovery | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | Limited | ✅ Via apps/plugins | ✅ Via apps/plugins |
| Payment options | Multiple, including credit/debit cards, Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and BNPL | – Stripe | – Multiple | – Stripe | – Stripe | – Multiple | – Multiple |
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1) ThriveCart
ThriveCart is built for sellers who don’t want to be penalized for success. Unlike subscription-based platforms, ThriveCart charges a one-time fee of $495 for lifetime access. You get zero transaction fees, conversion-optimized templates, upsells and order bumps, unlimited products, and access to a variety of advanced features.
Key features:
- Fully customizable, high-converting checkout pages
- 1-click upsells, order bumps, and A/B testing
- Built-in sales funnels with logic-based flows
- Subscription and recurring billing management
- Affiliate management for growing your sales network
- Cart abandonment recovery
- ThriveCart Learn for basic courses, with Learn+ upgrades for bundles, student important, certificates, and drip content.
- Seamlessly connect ThriveCart with platforms like WordPress, Shopify, Facebook, email marketing tools, and CRMs for streamlined promotion, sales, and automations.
Who it’s for:
Entrepreneurs, coaches, and creators who want to scale digital product sales, sell courses and downloads, and avoid ongoing fees.
Why it stands out:
- No recurring fees: Pay once and keep all revenue
- Robust selling tools built in: No need for additional apps to scale
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2) Gumroad
Gumroad is fairly simple to get started with, but limited for scaling. There are no monthly fees, and it charges a flat 10% + $0.50 per transaction on sales made through your profile or direct links, as well as a 30% per-transaction fee on sales that come through the Discover Marketplace. Gumroad also handles sales tax, VAT, and merchant-of-record requirements, which reduces compliance overhead. Checkout is straightforward, though less customizable than ThriveCart.
Key features:
- Ability to sell digital downloads, subscriptions, memberships, and exclusive video streams
- Built-in marketing tools
- Checkout customization (limited)
- Revenue share on free tier: Gumroad takes a percentage of each sale instead of charging a monthly fee
Who it’s for:
Independent creators selling downloads, memberships, and subscriptions.
It’s simple and quick to get started, but it lacks advanced features such as funnels, upsells, and lifetime access options.
👀➡️ READ OUR ARTICLE ON GUMROAD ALTERNATIVES | ‘5 Gumroad Alternatives in 2026’
3) Lemon Squeezy
Much like Gumroad, Lemon Squeezy simplifies sales tax, VAT, and merchant-of-record issues, but it takes 5% + $0.50 per-transaction fee. It offers fewer tools for optimizing digital product sales compared to ThriveCart.
Key features:
- Tax compliance and legal handling
- Basic checkout pages
- Limited upsell and affiliate tools
Who it’s for:
Creators who want digital product marketplaces handled for tax and compliance automatically.
It handles a lot of the admin for you, but at the cost of higher fees and less control, making it less flexible for your own digital products or multiple platforms.
4) Payhip
Payhip offers a free plan, but with 5% transaction fees, as well as higher-tier plans with monthly subscription costs that eliminate these fees. It supports downloads and basic subscriptions but doesn’t offer advanced upsells, A/B testing, or cart recovery.
Key features:
- Ability to sell digital downloads, memberships, and courses
- Simple checkout
- Transaction fees on lower tiers
Who it’s for:
Beginners selling digital products, such as online courses and ebooks.
It’s easy to use and affordable for small-scale sellers, but limited for growth-focused digital product businesses. Supports physical products too.
5) Sellfy
Sellfy is a platform for selling downloads, subscriptions, and merchandise, but it comes with monthly fees ranging from $29 to $159 per month and caps annual revenue depending on your plan.
Key features:
- Ability to sell digital downloads, subscriptions, and digital projects
- Built-in marketing tools
- Limited upsells and no funnel builder
- Sales limits based on the plan
Who it’s for:
Digital product sellers and print-on-demand creators who are looking for simplicity.It works for small sellers with low-volume sales, but, compared to ThriveCart, users have reported that it restricts growth.
Ready to turn your digital creations into profit? Start with ThriveCart and skyrocket your sales!
6) Shopify
Shopify is versatile, but it requires apps or third-party integrations for advanced digital product features, such as subscriptions or cart optimization. The basic plan starts at $25/month, with extra costs for plugins.
Key features:
- Customizable online store
- Payment processing and integrations
- Apps for educational content, subscriptions, and digital downloads
Who it’s for:
Businesses selling both physical and digital goods at scale. It’s effective for multi-product stores, but higher costs and complexity can limit small-scale digital product selling.
👀➡️ MORE FROM THE BLOG | ‘25 Digital Products to Sell (and How to Make Money Selling Them)’
7) WordPress
Using WordPress with WooCommerce offers greater customization, although that does come with added technical responsibility. Plugins can add subscriptions, courses, and advanced checkout options. There are no platform fees, but hosting, themes, and plugins can add up.
Key features:
- Unlimited digital products, digital projects, and courses
- Full customization of checkout and site design
- Add-ons for subscriptions, affiliates, and digital product delivery
Who it’s for:
Creators who want full control over their own website and store. It’s a flexible platform but requires technical management and maintenance. Great for creators selling on multiple platforms and creating digital products.
👀➡️ KEEP READING | ‘How to Create an Online Course with WordPress’
Why ThriveCart is your go-to platform for selling digital products
ThriveCart stands out in 2026 for creators, coaches, and entrepreneurs for several key reasons. If you’re serious about digital product sales or running a complex digital product business, this platform is built to help you grow without unnecessary limitations.
👀➡️ HANDPICKED FOR YOU | ‘How to Sell Digital Products in 2026: A Step-by-Step Guide’
Pay once, own it forever
Unlike subscription-based platforms like Payhip or Sellfy, ThriveCart charges a one-time fee for lifetime access. That means no recurring fees, no surprise charges, and you get to keep 100% of your revenue from your own digital products.
Advanced selling tools built in
ThriveCart includes features that other platforms either don’t offer or lock behind expensive plans:
- Fully customizable checkout pages optimized for conversions
- 1-click upsells, order bumps, and cart recovery
- Built-in funnel builder and A/B testing
- BNPL, pay as you like, and split pay options
These tools help you boost revenue without being forced to spend extra on external apps or digital marketing.
Scalability without limits
Whether you’re selling your first ebook, digital templates, or running educational content subscriptions, ThriveCart grows with you. There are no revenue caps, product limits, or restrictions when you expand to multiple platforms or your own website.
Integrations with the tools you already use
ThriveCart works seamlessly with payment processors like Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and BNPL options. It has over 50 third-party integrations.
Bottom line:
If your goal is to start selling your own digital products or scale a digital product business seriously, ThriveCart combines affordability, advanced features, and flexibility in a way that competitors simply can’t match. It’s not just about selling; it’s about growing your online store efficiently and keeping more of your hard-earned revenue.
FAQs
Q: Is selling digital products online, like courses, possible on ThriveCart?
Yes! ThriveCart supports educational content and digital downloads via the native LMSs, ThriveCart Learn and Learn+.
Q: Which platform is best for beginners?
Gumroad or Payhip are easy for starting out. So is ThriveCart, which is also the better choice if you plan to scale complex digital product businesses.
Q: Can I use ThriveCart with other tools?
Absolutely. ThriveCart integrates with email marketing tools, digital marketing tools, and your own website.
Q: Are there revenue caps on ThriveCart?
No. ThriveCart allows unlimited products and revenue with a one-time payment.
👀➡️ READ A SUCCESS STORY | “I broke $1m in course sales with ThriveCart Learn”
Start selling more digital products online with ThriveCart
If you’re tired of watching fees, subscriptions, and transaction cuts quietly eat into every digital sale you make, you’re not alone. Most creators don’t struggle to create products. They struggle to keep the money they earn.
You might be selling courses, templates, ebooks, memberships, or downloads. However, the platform you choose determines how much control you have, how much profit you retain, and how difficult it is to scale without incurring additional costs later.
Your digital products deserve the best platform. Switch to ThriveCart and scale your business effortlessly.