Digital Product Platform Fee Comparison (Free Calculator)
Enter your price and monthly sales to see what you keep from one sale on Stripe, Lemon Squeezy, Payhip (Free, Plus and Pro), Etsy and Gumroad (direct and Discover), ranked from cheapest to most expensive, with what the difference adds up to each month.
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What you keep per sale at common prices
US card payment, no tax, 30 sales a month (Payhip Plus and Pro spread their monthly price over those 30 sales):
| Price | Own site with Stripe | Lemon Squeezy | Payhip Free | Payhip Plus ($29/mo) | Payhip Pro ($99/mo) | Etsy | Gumroad direct | Gumroad Discover |
| $5 | $4.55 | $4.25 | $4.30 | $3.49 | $1.26 | $4.08 | $3.55 | $3.50 |
| $9 | $8.44 | $8.05 | $7.99 | $7.29 | $5.14 | $7.70 | $7.04 | $6.30 |
| $17 | $16.21 | $15.65 | $15.36 | $14.90 | $12.91 | $14.94 | $14.01 | $11.90 |
| $27 | $25.92 | $25.15 | $24.57 | $24.41 | $22.62 | $23.98 | $22.72 | $18.90 |
| $47 | $45.34 | $44.15 | $42.99 | $43.43 | $42.04 | $42.09 | $40.14 | $32.90 |
| $97 | $93.89 | $91.65 | $89.04 | $90.98 | $90.59 | $87.33 | $83.69 | $67.90 |
How to read it
- Lowest fee isn't the whole story. Etsy and Gumroad Discover cost more because they can show your product to people already searching. Your own site, Lemon Squeezy and Payhip sell only to visitors you bring.
- Tax. Gumroad and Lemon Squeezy act as merchant of record and handle sales tax and VAT. Payhip says it collects and remits EU/UK VAT and US/Canadian sales tax. With a plain Stripe checkout, tax is generally your responsibility. This isn't tax advice.
- Cheap products lose more to fixed fees. The 25¢ to 80¢ fixed part of each fee is a big share of a $5 sale, which is why the gap between platforms narrows in percentage terms as the price goes up.
Each platform's full calculator
- Stripe fee calculator: refunds, disputes and the price to charge to keep a target amount.
- Lemon Squeezy fee calculator: international, PayPal, subscription and affiliate extras.
- Payhip fee calculator: which plan is cheapest and where each breaks even.
- Etsy fee calculator: Offsite Ads and currency conversion.
- Gumroad fee calculator: direct vs Discover mix and the $20k-a-month rate.
Want the reasoning behind the numbers? Read Gumroad vs Lemon Squeezy vs Payhip, Etsy vs Gumroad for digital downloads, Payhip vs Lemon Squeezy, Lemon Squeezy vs Stripe and Gumroad alternatives.
Sources: Stripe, Lemon Squeezy, Payhip, Etsy and Gumroad pricing pages, checked October 27, 2026. Rates change; check before you choose.
FAQ
Which platform takes the smallest fee on a digital product?
Per sale, a checkout on your own site with Stripe costs least (2.9% + 30¢ in the US, so a $27 sale keeps about $25.92). Among platforms that host the file and handle sales tax, Lemon Squeezy's 5% + 50¢ is lowest on a US card sale ($25.15 kept on $27), then Payhip's free plan ($24.57 with Stripe processing). Gumroad direct keeps about $22.72 and Gumroad Discover $18.90. Rates checked October 27, 2026.
Is the cheapest platform the best choice?
Not always. Etsy and Gumroad Discover cost more because they can send you buyers who are already searching; your own site, Lemon Squeezy and Payhip only sell to visitors you bring. Gumroad and Lemon Squeezy act as merchant of record and deal with sales tax for you, and Payhip says it collects and remits EU/UK VAT and US/Canadian sales tax. With a plain Stripe checkout, tax is generally your job. This isn't tax advice.
Why do Payhip Plus and Pro change with monthly sales?
They charge a monthly price ($29 or $99) in exchange for a lower percentage, so the calculator spreads the monthly price over your monthly sales. At low volume that makes them the most expensive; Plus beats Free above about $967 a month in sales and Pro beats Plus above $3,500.
Does this include PayPal, international cards or tax?
No. Every row uses a US card payment with no tax, so it compares like with like. Each platform's own calculator handles its extras: international and PayPal fees on Lemon Squeezy, PayPal on Payhip, Offsite Ads on Etsy, and the $20k-a-month rate on Gumroad.
Not sure anyone will pay for your idea? Test it before you build it.
Most first products stall because they get built before anyone checks that buyers exist. The free starter guide gives you the checks to run first:
- The 6-question "is it payable?" test to score your idea in 10 minutes
- Five example products with a specific buyer and a reason they'd pay
- A one-page launch checklist you can print
You're in. Your guide is ready.
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