Selling digital goods, online courses, coaching, or a mix of digital and physical products? Gumroad has been a go-to for independent creators for years, but its fee structure and limited built-in marketing features push many sellers to explore alternatives.
Key takeaways:
- The significant structural changes to Gumroad’s pricing model, specifically the shift to a flat 10% transaction fee and the removal of low-cost tiered pricing, have forced a mass migration of established creators toward more sustainable infrastructure.
- In 2026, when brand equity is a primary asset for online businesses, Gumroad’s lack of customizable storefronts can be a liability.
- The best alternative to Gumroad depends on the complexity of your business model and your desire for control.
Migrating away from Gumroad means transforming from a digital marketplace user to a platform owner. By choosing ThriveCart, you enjoy complete control over your business revenue, brand, and future.
Why look for the best alternatives to Gumroad?
Gumroad’s simplicity (hosted storefront, secure file delivery, and fast setup) is great for creators who need to start selling digital downloads in minutes. However, in January 2023, it introduced changes such as higher transaction fees and a tiered structure that penalizes growth. Today, independent creators are realizing that sticking with a platform that takes a massive cut of their digital sales is no longer sustainable.
Moreover, Gumroad has limited built-in marketing tools compared with full ecommerce platforms or funnel builders. If you want a learning management system (LMS), coaching workflows, or advanced subscription management, you may prefer a platform with more course-specific features or an integrated funnel/affiliate center.
Lastly, Gumroad can help you sell physical goods, but you often need inventory management, shipping integrations, or print-on-demand partnerships that other platforms offer.
Best Gumroad alternatives to consider
Whether you’re selling digital art, software, or courses, the goal is to maximize profit while maintaining ownership of your customer management. In 2026, the best Gumroad alternatives offer lower platform fees, more effective marketing tools, and customizable storefronts that enable you to build your own brand.
Here are the top five platforms to evaluate:
| Platform | Best for | Pricing model | Transaction fees | Course support | Marketing tools | Physical products/POD |
| ThriveCart | Funnels, checkouts, courses, coaching, affiliates | One-time payment + optional upgrades | 0% platform fee (pay only the standard fees required by your chosen payment processors) | Built-in LMS (Learn/Learn+) | Robust: upsells, order bumps, affiliate center, abandoned cart, tracking | Can sell digital & physical; integrates with POD via apps/webhooks |
| Payhip | Low upfront cost for digital downloads & subscriptions | Free Forever plan + paid tiers | Free plan 5% per sale; paid plans reduce/remove fees | Supports courses & subscriptions | Coupons, affiliate payouts, basic analytics | Can handle physical products; basic storefront |
| Podia | Creators wanting a simple course & storefront | Monthly plans | 0% to 5% platform fees | Native courses, coaching, membership management | Built-in email marketing, coupons, product bundles | Supports digital & physical, not full ecommerce for large inventories |
| SendOwl | Secure, streamlined delivery and a simple checkout | Monthly subscription tiers | No platform % if on paid plan (pricing tiers) | Basic course/delivery support via digital delivery | Checkout with upsells and license keys; integrates with email apps | Good for digital downloads; can be used with Shopify for physical products. |
| Shopify | Full ecommerce stores, POD & large catalogs | Monthly subscription | Transaction fees, unless using Shopify Payments | Apps for courses or use integrations | Extensive marketing apps, abandoned cart recovery, email | Strong for physical goods & print-on-demand via apps. |
1) ThriveCart
ThriveCart is a checkout, sales funnel, and cart platform that lets you sell products, subscriptions, one-time offers, and bundle courses. It’s designed for creators who want to sell digital products and course content without having to juggle separate tools. It also includes an affiliate program and a built-in LMS called Learn (and upgraded Learn+), plus automation and analytics.
ThriveCart’s model offers a lifetime (one-time) license plus optional upgrades.
Pricing & fees
ThriveCart’s basic lifetime license is presented as a one-time payment ($495) with optional Pro/Ultimate upgrades that add advanced reporting, affiliate management tools, and advanced LMS features.
There is no platform percentage fee on sales. This means you only pay payment processor fees (Stripe/PayPal, etc.), which lowers long-term transaction costs compared with percentage-based platforms.
Want better conversions, more flexibility, and fewer fees? Try ThriveCart now.
2) Payhip
Payhip is a lightweight platform focused on selling digital downloads, memberships, and courses.
Pricing & fees
Payhip offers a Free Forever plan with a platform transaction fee (5% per sale), as well as paid plans ($29/month and $99/month) that reduce or eliminate platform commissions. Payhip is cost-effective for newcomers or those with limited monthly revenue.
3) Podia
Podia combines online courses, digital downloads, memberships, and coaching into a single hosted storefront.
Pricing & fees
Podia offers monthly subscription fees. The Mover plan costs $39/month, while the higher-tier Shaker plan costs $89/month, which removes transaction fees and unlocks advanced features.
Podia offers a 30-day free trial plan rather than a free-forever plan with platform fees. Features like email marketing and a hosted online store are included.
4) SendOwl
SendOwl is designed for the secure delivery of digital goods, license keys, and subscriptions.
Pricing & fees
SendOwl offers monthly subscription tiers (Starter at $39/month, Standard at $87/month, and Pro at $159/month), each with different order, storage, and feature caps. Each plan offers a seven-day free trial. Unlike percentage-based marketplaces, paid tiers avoid per-sale platform commissions.
5) Shopify
Shopify is a general ecommerce platform designed to run an online store with inventory, POS, shipping, and app integrations.
Pricing & fees
Shopify offers monthly subscription tiers with additional app costs. The Basic plan costs $25/month, while the Grow and Advanced plans cost $65/month and $399/month, respectively. The Plus plan for complex businesses costs $2,300/month on a three-year term. You can try Shopify for free for three days, then pay $1 per month for the next three months.
Shopify charges transaction fees if you’re using third-party payment processors (or lower fees with Shopify Payments). Overall, monthly fees and app add-ons can add up, especially for advanced marketing tools and course apps.
Why choose ThriveCart over Gumroad
Of all the Gumroad alternatives, ThriveCart stands out. Here’s why:
The funnel system advantage
ThriveCart’s core competency lies in maximizing your Average Order Value (AOV). Unlike Gumroad, which has limited upsell capabilities, ThriveCart offers a structured funnel system with checkouts, upsells, and downsells, essential for modern digital sales.
Order bumps
With Pro+, ThriveCart allows for multiple order bumps on a single checkout, a feature rarely found in other Gumroad alternatives.
One-click upsells and downsells
After the initial purchase, customers can be presented with a higher-ticket offer (e.g., “Join the coaching program for $197”). Because ThriveCart has already tokenized the credit card during the initial transaction, customers can purchase this upsell with a single click. They don’t need to re-enter your payment information. This reduction in friction capitalizes on the phenomenon of “buying dopamine” and significantly boosts revenue per customer.
If the customer declines the upsell, ThriveCart can present a downsell (a cheaper offer), maximizing your chances of extracting value from the transaction.
A/B testing
ThriveCart allows users to split test entire funnels , pricing structures, and checkout designs. You can test whether a $47 price point converts better than a $37 price point, or if a video sales letter on the cart page outperforms a text-based summary. This data-driven approach transforms selling digital downloads from a guessing game into a results-driven practice.
Integrated hosting architecture
ThriveCart Learn enables users to create and host comprehensive online courses directly within the platform. It supports modules, lessons, and drip-feeding content.
The integration is seamless: when a customer purchases a course via a ThriveCart checkout page, you’re instantly granted access to the Learn area. There’s no need for third-party integration tools like Zapier to bridge the gap between payment and delivery.
Video hosting strategy
It’s worth noting that ThriveCart Learn does not natively host video files. This is a deliberate design choice to keep costs low (no bandwidth fees). You can easily host videos on external services like Vimeo, Wistia, or YouTube (unlisted) and embed them into your courses.
There’s a huge benefit to this: you own the raw video assets on a dedicated host. If you ever decide to leave ThriveCart, your video library remains intact on Vimeo, for example, facilitating an easier migration than if the videos were locked inside a proprietary LMS ecosystem.
Student Management and Learn+
The Pro+ and Learn+ upgrades offer advanced features for student management.
Bundles: You can easily sell bundles of courses.
Team access: Allow assistants to manage the course area.
Behavioral automation rules for subscription workflows: This is a standout feature. ThriveCart can tag a student in your email marketing platform based on a behavior inside the course. For example, you can add students to sequences:
- When they get access to a course, module, or lesson
- When they complete a course, module, or lesson
- If they’re paused, disabled, resumed, or unenrolled
Start protecting your brand and boosting your revenue today.
FAQs
Do these platforms offer affiliate programs and discounts?
Yes. ThriveCart includes an affiliate center and coupon analytics; Podia and Payhip support coupons and affiliate features (Podia via higher tiers/sets), and SendOwl supports discounts and simple affiliate workflows. Shopify supports affiliates via apps.
Is ThriveCart a better alternative to Gumroad for hosting and selling courses?
If your priority is conversion optimization, built-in affiliate management, and lower long-term platform fees, ThriveCart is a compelling alternative. It also includes an LMS for course delivery.
Will switching platforms reduce my transaction fees?
Platforms with percentage-based models (Gumroad and Payhip’s free tier) can incur higher costs as sales volume increases. ThriveCart’s model (one-time payment with a 0% platform fee) can reduce long-term transaction costs, as you only pay payment processors.
Parting Thoughts
Gumroad’s flat 10% transaction fee (plus processing fees) effectively penalizes growth. For a creator generating $50,000 annually, Gumroad claims over $5,000 in platform fees alone. In contrast, platforms like ThriveCart, which offer one-time payments, cap these costs, drastically increasing net revenue retention.
At the end of the day, ThriveCart gives you something you can’t rent: ownership. It turns your checkout into a true revenue engine, giving you full control over how you sell, scale, and grow – making it the strongest replacement for Gumroad.