Alternatives · Digital Products
Leanpub alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the best Leanpub alternative for most people is Payhip (2.6 GPA), second in our ranking of tools for selling digital products. The best free one is itch.io (3.2 GPA).
Leanpub compared with 5 alternatives: Gumroad, Payhip, Sellfy, itch.io and E-junkie.
Leanpub has a free plan. Paid plans start at $8.99 per month, billed every 3 months ($26.97). 3 of the 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 2 more offer a free trial.
Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
Black Friday: is there a Leanpub sale?
At a glance
Price against what you get
Leanpub starts at $8.99 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. 3 of the 5 alternatives on this chart score higher and start lower: Gumroad, Sellfy and itch.io.
E-junkie starts lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Leanpub
Gumroad
Sell downloads, memberships and courses for a cut of each sale
- Gumroad is free.
- Gumroad also lists iOS and Android apps.
- Gumroad also covers email campaigns, affiliate tracking and merchant of record.
- Gumroad does not cover Markdown, long-form writing, online courses and online store, which Leanpub does.
Suits: Creators testing a first product who want no monthly bill
Payhip
Store for downloads, courses and memberships, with a free plan
- Payhip starts at $29 per month.
- Payhip also covers affiliate tracking.
- Payhip does not cover Markdown and long-form writing, which Leanpub does.
Suits: New sellers who want a free store and pay only when they sell
Sellfy
Store builder for selling downloads, subscriptions and print-on-demand
- Sellfy starts at $22 per month for up to $10k in yearly sales, billed annually ($29 monthly).
- Sellfy has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike Leanpub.
- Sellfy also covers email campaigns, affiliate tracking and print on demand.
- Sellfy does not cover Markdown, long-form writing and online courses, which Leanpub does.
Suits: Creators who sell files, subscriptions and merch from one store
itch.io
Open marketplace for indie games, assets and tools, pay what you want
- itch.io is free.
- itch.io also lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- itch.io also covers community.
- itch.io does not cover Markdown, long-form writing and online courses, which Leanpub does.
Suits: Indie game developers and asset makers who want a free storefront
E-junkie
Sell downloads and goods with buttons, carts or a shop
- E-junkie starts at $8 per month for up to 10 products.
- E-junkie has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike Leanpub.
- E-junkie also covers affiliate tracking and shipping labels.
- E-junkie does not cover Markdown, long-form writing and online courses, which Leanpub does.
Suits: Small sellers who want a buy button on a site they already have
Limits worth knowing in Leanpub
- Free accounts are capped at 3 books, 1 course and 5 previews or publishes a month.
- Custom themes and print-ready PDF export start at Light Author; GitHub and Dropbox sync at Pro Author.
- Prices shown on the page are per month billed every 3 months; monthly, annual and lifetime options sit behind the page's billing tabs.
- Sales run through Leanpub's own store, so buyers meet Leanpub's checkout rather than your own site.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Leanpub?
The alternatives to Leanpub in this directory are Gumroad, Payhip, Sellfy, itch.io and E-junkie. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Leanpub.
Is there a free alternative to Leanpub?
Yes. Gumroad and itch.io are free to use. Payhip has a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Leanpub alternatives work on Windows?
The Leanpub listing does not include a Windows app. itch.io lists one.
Which Leanpub alternatives work on macOS?
The Leanpub listing does not include a macOS app. itch.io lists one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 18, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.