Gumroad vs itch.io (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, itch.io grades higher than Gumroad: 3.2 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
itch.io grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick Gumroad if
- Fits if you're testing a first digital product and don't want a monthly bill
- Works for sellers who want sales tax and VAT handled, at 10% + 50¢ a sale
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you sell steadily: 10% + 50¢ of each sale is $100 on $1,000, before card fees of 2.9% + $0.30
- Skip it if you sell physical goods, which Gumroad doesn't allow
- Not for you if you count on marketplace sales, since Discover takes a flat 30%
- Watch out: the iPhone and Android apps only track sales and open purchases; products are set up on the web
Pick itch.io if
- Fits if you make indie games or assets and want to set your own cut for the platform
- Works for developers who run jams or bundles and give out download keys
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: in Direct to you mode you are the merchant of record and liable for chargebacks and VAT
- Pricey if you sell very cheap items, because about $0.30 + 2.9% of processing comes out of each sale
- Watch out: collected payouts need a tax interview and $5 balance, and are reviewed by staff in 10 to 14 days
- Tight if you have a large catalogue, as new accounts start with 20 project pages and 10 files per page
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAGumroadGood | 3.2GPAitch.ioVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | DNo monthly fee, but Gumroad keeps 10% + 50¢ of each direct sale: $100 on $1,000, plus 50¢ an order. Card processing of 2.9% + $0.30 comes on top and isn't counted. That's in this category's dearest tenth, though it does handle sales tax for you. | ANo monthly fee, and the share itch.io keeps is whatever you set, down to 0%. That is under 60% of the category's cheapest quarter, though payment processing of about $0.30 + 2.9% still applies. |
| Free plan and trial | ANothing to pay until you sell, with every feature, unlimited products and no cap a normal person would reach. The fee comes out of each sale instead, and the value grade counts that. | AFree to use with no paid plan. New accounts have a soft limit of 20 project pages and 10 files per page, which a normal seller will not reach and which can be raised on request. |
| Features | BDownloads, memberships, courses, license keys, pay-what-you-want, email broadcasts and workflows, affiliates and a Discover marketplace. Physical goods aren't allowed, but that's outside this job, so nothing's missing from the core. | BProject pages, pay-what-you-want pricing, two payout modes, sales, bundles and jams, download keys and access control, a desktop app and an API. |
| Ease of use | CNo App Store rating on record. You build a profile store with a page editor and set up products on the web; the iPhone and Android apps only track sales and open purchases. | CNo store rating on record. Setting up pages, files and payouts is on you, and collected payouts need a tax interview and staff review of each payout. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with Stripe, PayPal, Zapier, Discord and Circle, plus a checkout you can embed on your own site. No desktop app, which an A needs. | BWeb, plus an itch app for Windows, Mac and Linux, and an API. There is no phone app, and payments connect to PayPal, Stripe and Payoneer. |
| Best for | a first digital product with no monthly bill | indie games, assets and tools you sell yourself |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Gumroad and itch.io. How we grade
Price against what you get
Gumroad has no paid plan and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. itch.io has no paid plan and scores 2.7.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other tools for selling digital products on the chart, none scores higher than Gumroad for less, and none scores higher than itch.io for less.
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
Where they differ
- Gumroad also covers email campaigns, affiliate tracking and merchant of record.
- itch.io also covers community and online store.
At a glance
| Gumroad | itch.io | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | No monthly fee. Gumroad keeps 10% + $0.50 of each direct sale plus card processing (2.9% + $0.30), or a flat 30% on sales made through its Discover marketplace. | No monthly fee. Sellers set the itch.io share of each sale from 0% to 100% (10% by default); PayPal or Stripe fees of about $0.30 + 2.9% apply too. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Gumroad, Inc. | itch corp |
| Price read from | gumroad.com | itch.io |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Gumroad
- Gumroad keeps 10% + $0.50 of every direct sale plus 2.9% + $0.30 card processing; Discover marketplace sales cost a flat 30%.
- Physical goods are not allowed: Gumroad is for digital products, memberships and services only.
- Payouts go out by direct deposit or PayPal depending on the seller's country.
- The mobile apps track sales and open purchases, but accounts and products are set up on the web.
itch.io
- Payment processing fees of about $0.30 + 2.9% apply per transaction in either payout mode, so very low prices lose a large share.
- In Direct to you mode you are merchant of record and liable for chargebacks and VAT; itch.io only handles these in its collected mode.
- Collected payouts need a completed tax interview and at least $5 available, and each payout is reviewed by staff, typically in 10 to 14 days.
- New accounts have a soft limit of 20 project pages and 10 files per page, which can be raised on request.
Key features
Gumroad
- Profile store or embedded checkout
- Build a storefront with Gumroad's page editor on a custom domain, or embed its checkout and follow button on a site you already have.
- Memberships and subscriptions
- Charge monthly, quarterly, twice a year or yearly, or a fixed number of payments, with members keeping access to a content library while subscribed.
- Merchant of record
- Gumroad collects and remits sales tax, VAT and GST on sales where it has an obligation, so sellers have no tax settings to manage.
- Software and file options
- License keys for software, several versions of one product (PDF, ePub or lossless audio), pay-what-you-want pricing and light DRM.
- Audience tools
- Import an email list, post updates, send email broadcasts and automated workflows, run an affiliate program and read sales analytics.
- Mobile apps
- iOS and Android apps show daily, monthly and all-time sales with push notifications, and let buyers open or download their purchases.
itch.io
- Project pages
- Each project gets a page with files, images and a description, plus custom CSS and a widget you can embed on another site.
- Flexible pricing
- Charge a minimum, ask for a donation with free download allowed, or disable payments. Individual files can carry their own minimum price.
- Two payout modes
- Take payments directly into your own PayPal or Stripe account, or let itch.io collect them as merchant of record, handle VAT and pay you out later.
- Sales, bundles and jams
- Run timed sales, set a goal on a sale, join co-op bundles that split revenue, and host game jams.
- Download keys and access control
- Buyers receive a unique download key. Limited releases, access control and early access with updates for owners are supported.
- Desktop app and API
- The itch app for Windows, macOS and Linux installs and updates games, and creators can push builds. A server-side and JavaScript API are documented.
Plans
Gumroad
Direct sales$0
No subscription. The seller pays 10% + $0.50 of each sale through a profile or direct link, plus card processing of 2.9% + $0.30 or PayPal fees.
Discover marketplace$0
Sales to new customers who find you through Gumroad's Discover marketplace carry a flat 30% fee, which includes processing.
itch.io
Open revenue share$0
Free to use. You pick what percentage of each sale goes to itch.io (default 10%); the payment processor takes about $0.30 + 2.9% as well.
Ways to pay less
Gumroad
- Other savings
Lower fee above $20,000 in monthly sales
Once paid sales in a calendar month reach $20,000, new direct sales that month cost 5% + $0.50 instead of 10% + $0.50; it resets each month.
itch.io
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Gumroad or itch.io?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Gumroad and itch.io are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Gumroad or itch.io?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Gumroad and itch.io have a free plan.
Which platforms do Gumroad and itch.io run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Gumroad lists iOS and Android apps and only itch.io lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.