Best Alternatives to Gumroad in 2028

Gumroad was one of the first platforms I ever used to sell a digital product. It got me my first sale and for that I'll always have a soft spot for it.

But Gumroad has real limitations — and in 2028, there are better options for most creators. Let me walk through the best Gumroad alternatives, ranked honestly based on what I've actually used or tested.

What Gumroad Does Well (And Where It Falls Short)

Gumroad is simple, has a clean interface, and lets you list a product in under five minutes. The free tier has no monthly fee — but it takes a 10% cut of every sale. That 10% transaction fee is the big problem. On a $50 product, you're giving up $5 per sale indefinitely. On volume, that adds up fast.

It also lacks built-in email marketing, limited analytics, and no real affiliate system. Fine for a first product. Costly as you grow.

#1: MadeThis — Best Overall Gumroad Alternative

MadeThis is my top recommendation and what I personally use. Here's why it beats Gumroad for most people:

Lower transaction fees. Once you're on a paid plan, the fees are significantly lower than Gumroad's 10%. On paid tiers, they drop further. If you're selling at volume, this difference compounds into real money.

Better product presentation. MadeThis store pages look more polished out of the box. Product images, descriptions, and checkout flows are cleaner.

Built-in affiliate support. You can create affiliate links and let others promote your products. Gumroad has a basic version, but MadeThis's implementation is more flexible.

Email integration. MadeThis connects directly with email platforms, making post-purchase follow-up sequences easy to set up.

I've written a full MadeThis review at /reviews/madethis that goes deeper on features and pricing. If you're coming from Gumroad, the migration is straightforward — you can import your products and set up your new store in a day.

Also check out the MadeThis vs Gumroad comparison for a side-by-side breakdown.

#2: Payhip — Good for Beginners

Payhip is another solid free-to-start option. Like Gumroad, it charges a percentage per sale (5% on the free plan), which goes down on paid tiers. The interface is clean and it supports physical products, memberships, and digital downloads.

If you want something even simpler than MadeThis and you're just starting out, Payhip is worth considering. But the 5% still stings at volume, and the feature set is more limited than MadeThis.

#3: Lemon Squeezy — Good for Software Products

Lemon Squeezy is built more for software and SaaS licenses than for creators selling ebooks and templates. If you're selling a software tool or a subscription SaaS product, Lemon Squeezy handles licensing, VAT, and global tax compliance in ways that generic platforms don't.

For most content creators and digital product sellers, it's overkill. But if you're a developer, it's worth a look.

#4: Podia — Good for Courses

Podia is aimed more at course creators than digital download sellers. It has a nice course builder and community features. If your primary product is a multi-lesson video course, Podia competes directly with Teachable and Thinkific.

For simple digital downloads and templates, though, it's more platform than you need — and pricier to match.

#5: Stan Store — Good for Social Creators

Stan Store is popular with TikTok and Instagram creators who want a simple link-in-bio store. It's clean, mobile-optimized, and easy to set up. But it's more of a creator storefront than a full digital product platform — limited in terms of product customization, analytics, and email integration.

Fine for social-first creators. Not the right fit if SEO and blog-driven traffic is your primary channel.

My Recommendation

If you're on Gumroad and frustrated by the 10% fees or limited features, MadeThis is the clearest upgrade. You get lower fees at volume, better product pages, affiliate support, and email integration — without needing a degree in web development to get it all set up.

The MadeThis pricing page shows exactly what each tier costs and what you get. There's a free plan to start, so you can test everything before committing.

Switch to MadeThis and stop handing 10 cents of every dollar to Gumroad.