Gumroad vs Paddle (2026): which should you pick?

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 Paddle if

• Fits if you run a SaaS or software product and want tax and billing handled by someone else
• Works for companies selling subscriptions across borders

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you sell cheap items, as 5% + 50¢ bites and products under $10 are quoted custom
• Skip it if you sell courses or downloads as a creator, since it is aimed at software
• Watch out: buyers may see Paddle's name on their statements instead of yours
• Watch out: there is no storefront or page builder, so you build the checkout flow yourself

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.

Paddle

• The fee is 5% + 50¢ per transaction; products under $10 in value are quoted custom pricing on request.
• It is positioned for SaaS, apps and software, not as a storefront for creators.
• As merchant of record Paddle appears on buyers' statements, so buyers may see its name rather than yours.

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.

Paddle

Merchant of record

Paddle collects the correct tax rate, tracks filing deadlines and submits sales tax and VAT returns on the seller's behalf.

Subscription billing

Handles recurring payments and subscription management for software and digital products.

Localized checkout

A checkout that adapts to the buyer's location, plus invoices that can be sent internationally without local tax handling by the seller.

Retain

Recovers failed payments and reduces cancellations by acting on subscriptions over their lifecycle.

ProfitWell Metrics

Real-time subscription analytics, described on the pricing page as free.

Developer sandbox

A billing sandbox and developer documentation are available for testing an integration before launch.

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.

Paddle

• Paddle Billing$0

  No monthly fee. Paddle keeps 5% + 50¢ of each transaction, covering payments, tax, subscriptions and payment-related buyer support.

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.

Paddle

No public discounts listed.