Leanpub vs Payhip (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Payhip: it is second in our ranking of tools for selling digital products, and they share a 2.6 GPA.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Leanpub grades higher on value for money. Payhip grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Leanpub
Write, publish and sell ebooks and courses, with author memberships
Payhip
Store for downloads, courses and memberships, with a free plan
Which one is for you
Pick Leanpub if
- Fits if you write a book in Markdown and want to publish it as you go
- Works for authors who'd rather use Leanpub's store than build their own
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you're staying free, as 3 books, 1 course and 5 publishes a month is the cap
- Watch out: buyers use Leanpub's checkout, not your own site
- Pricey if you want custom themes or print-ready PDF, which start at Light Author
- Watch out: GitHub and Dropbox sync, Google Analytics and the API need Pro Author
- Skip it if you want one monthly bill, because prices shown are billed every 3 months
Pick Payhip if
- Fits if you want a free store and only pay when something sells
- Works for sellers of courses, coaching and downloads who want EU, UK and US sales tax handled
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to email your buyers from the same place, as there are no campaigns
- Pricey if you sell a lot, since only Pro at $99 a month removes Payhip's fee
- Watch out: PayPal or Stripe fees come on top of the 5% or 2%, and no yearly price is on record
- Watch out: its help center says sellers with a physical presence in a US state may still have to file a zero-dollar return there
- Not for you if you want a phone or desktop app, as only the web is listed
How we grade them
| 2.6GPALeanpubGood | 2.6GPAPayhipGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BPaid plans start at $8.99 a month billed every 3 months, which is the edge of the cheapest quarter for digital products. The tools most authors want sit on Light at $13.99 and Pro at $18.99. | CPlus at $29 a month plus its 2% fee ($20 on $1,000) comes to $49, a dollar under the free plan's 5% ($50). Pro at $99 drops the fee but costs more at this size. No yearly price is on record, and PayPal or Stripe fees come on top (not counted). |
| Free plan and trial | BA free author plan with 3 books, 1 course, 5 previews or publishes a month and 80% royalties. One writer can get started on it. | AFree Forever has every feature, unlimited products and unlimited revenue, with no cap you'd reach. Payhip takes 5% of each sale instead, and the value grade counts that. |
| Features | CThree ways to write, one-click publish, bundles, coupons, reporting and an API. But custom themes and print-ready PDF start at Light, and GitHub and Dropbox sync at Pro. | CDownloads, courses, coaching, memberships, physical products and bundles, plus coupons, affiliates and PDF stamping. The gap the listing names is email: there are no built-in campaigns, so buyers sync to ConvertKit or another service. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You still have to write and format the book and set up a store page. | CNo App Store rating on record. Every plan has every feature, so there's nothing to unlock, but you still set up the store, your products and a PayPal or Stripe account. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb app with GitHub, Dropbox, Google Analytics and InDesign links, plus an API on Pro. | BWeb, with Stripe, PayPal, Zapier, Zoom, Calendly and ConvertKit, plus buy buttons for WordPress, Squarespace, Wix and Shopify sites. No phone or desktop app is listed. |
| Best for | authors who want to write and sell ebooks or courses | a free store for downloads, courses and coaching |
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: Leanpub and Payhip. How we grade
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. Payhip starts at $29 a month and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and Leanpub starts $20.01 a month lower. Of the other tools for selling digital products on the chart, 7 score higher than Leanpub for less, and 9 score higher than Payhip 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
- Leanpub also covers Markdown and long-form writing.
- Payhip also covers affiliate tracking.
At a glance
| Leanpub | Payhip | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $8.99 per month, billed every 3 months ($26.97) | $29 per month |
| Free plan | Free Author: 3 books and 1 course, up to 5 previews or publishes a month, and 80% royalties on sales. | Free Forever plan with all features, unlimited products and unlimited revenue; Payhip takes 5% of each sale on top of PayPal or Stripe fees. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Ruboss Technology Corp. | Payhip |
| Price read from | leanpub.com | payhip.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Payhip
- The free plan takes 5% of each sale and Plus takes 2%, on top of PayPal or Stripe fees; only Pro at $99 a month removes Payhip's fee.
- Payhip has no built-in email campaigns: a newsletter block collects followers for export, and buyers sync to a separate email service.
- Payments go through the seller's own PayPal, Stripe or regional gateway account, such as Square, Razorpay or Paystack.
- Sellers with a physical presence in a US state may still have to file a zero-dollar sales tax return there, Payhip's help center says.
Key features
Leanpub
- Three ways to write
- Write in a browser with the Minimal, Visual or Source editor, or upload finished PDF and EPUB files in Upload Mode.
- One-click preview and publish
- Preview or publish an ebook with one click. The Free plan allows 5 a month and Mini 20; Light and above are unlimited.
- GitHub and Dropbox writing
- Write on your own computer and sync with GitHub or Dropbox. This starts at the Pro Author membership.
- Selling and royalties
- Each book gets a landing page. Authors earn 80% on purchases of $7.99 and up, and 80% minus 50 cents below that.
- Courses, bundles and coupons
- Sell courses, bundles and tracks, and run coupons, using the marketing features included on every plan.
- Reporting and API
- Google Analytics and the Leanpub API are included with Pro and Max memberships.
Payhip
- Many product types
- Digital downloads with variants, online courses, coaching with Calendly or Zoom scheduling, memberships, physical products and bundles.
- Sales tax handled
- Payhip collects and remits EU and UK VAT on digital sales and, from July 1, 2026, US sales tax as a marketplace facilitator, at no extra charge.
- Marketing tools
- Coupons, running sales, cross-selling, upgrade discounts, a referral system, customer reviews and an affiliate program.
- Store or embedded buttons
- A hosted store on a custom domain, or buy buttons added to WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Weebly or Shopify sites.
- File protection
- Download limits, set to 5 by default, and PDF stamping that prints the buyer's email and purchase date on every page.
- Mailing list sync
- Buyers are added to lists in ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, AWeber, Drip, Flodesk, Klaviyo and other email services after a purchase.
Plans
Leanpub
Free Author$0
Write 3 books and 1 course, preview or publish 5 times a month, and use the Minimal, Visual or Source editor.
Mini Author$8.99
per month, billed every 3 months ($26.97)
Up to 100 books and 100 courses and 20 previews or publishes a month. Page also lists a $12 yearly saving over monthly billing.
Light Author$13.99
per month, billed every 3 months ($41.97)
Unlimited previews and publishes, custom themes and print-ready PDF export.
Pro Author$18.99
per month, billed every 3 months ($56.97)
Adds GitHub and Dropbox sync, Google Analytics, InDesign export, the Leanpub API and AI Support.
Max Author$32.99
per month, billed every 3 months ($98.97)
Adds a homepage Shelf spot every six months, VIP email support and a monthly AI usage allowance.
Ultra Author$89
per month, billed every 3 months ($267)
Everything in Max with ten times the monthly AI usage.
Payhip
Free Forever$0
All features, unlimited products and revenue. Payhip takes a 5% transaction fee on each sale; PayPal and Stripe charge their own fees too.
Plus$29
per month
The same features as Free Forever, with Payhip's transaction fee cut from 5% to 2% of each sale.
Pro$99
per month
The same features with no transaction fee from Payhip; only PayPal or Stripe processing fees apply.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Leanpub or Payhip?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Leanpub is cheaper to start with: $8.99 a month, against $29 a month for Payhip. Leanpub starts at $8.99 per month, billed every 3 months ($26.97), and Payhip starts at $29 per month.
Which has a free plan, Leanpub or Payhip?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Leanpub and Payhip have a free plan.
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.