Leanpub vs Sellfy (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Leanpub grades higher than Sellfy: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Leanpub grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Sellfy grades higher on features. They get the same grade on 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
Sellfy
Store builder for selling downloads, subscriptions and print-on-demand
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 Sellfy if
- Fits if you sell files, subscriptions and merch and want them in one store
- Works for YouTubers and social sellers without a website who'd rather pay a flat fee than a cut
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if sales are climbing, as plans cap yearly sales at $10k, $50k or $200k, and overage may cost 2%
- Skip it if you want sales tax filed for you, since Sellfy isn't the merchant of record
- Pricey if you want upsells, cart recovery, affiliates or no Sellfy branding, which start on Business at $59 a month
- Watch out: the 14-day trial only lets you build; selling needs a paid plan from $22 a month
- Watch out: Stripe or PayPal fees, typically 2.9% + 30 cents, come on top
How we grade them
| 2.6GPALeanpubGood | 2.4GPASellfyFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CStarter's $10k yearly cap is less than a year of $1,000 a month, so you'd be on Business at $59 a month billed yearly, with no cut of sales: $59. That's above this category's dearer quarter but short of its dearest tenth. Stripe or PayPal fees come on top and aren't 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. | CNo free plan. The 14-day trial needs no card, but it only lets you build the store, since selling needs a paid plan from $22 a month. |
| 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. | BDownloads, subscriptions, physical goods and print-on-demand merch in one store, email campaigns built in, PDF stamping and download limits. Nothing's missing from the core job; upsells, cart recovery and affiliates just wait for Business. |
| 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. You don't need a website, but you're still picking a template, building the store and connecting Stripe or PayPal before anything sells. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb app with GitHub, Dropbox, Google Analytics and InDesign links, plus an API on Pro. | BWeb only, with Stripe, PayPal, Zapier, Google Analytics, Google Merchant Center, Facebook Ads and Wix, plus buy buttons for any site. No phone or desktop app is listed. |
| Best for | authors who want to write and sell ebooks or courses | a flat-fee store for downloads and merch |
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 Sellfy. 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. Sellfy starts at $0.83 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7.
Sellfy scores higher and starts $8.16 a month lower. Of the other tools for selling digital products on the chart, 7 score higher than Leanpub for less, and 2 score higher than Sellfy 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, long-form writing and online courses.
- Sellfy also covers email campaigns, affiliate tracking and print on demand.
At a glance
| Leanpub | Sellfy | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $8.99 per month, billed every 3 months ($26.97) | $22 per month for up to $10k in yearly sales, billed annually ($29 monthly) |
| Free plan | Free Author: 3 books and 1 course, up to 5 previews or publishes a month, and 80% royalties on sales. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day free trial, no card required; you can build a store but must pay to sell |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Ruboss Technology Corp. | UAB Sellfy |
| Price read from | leanpub.com | sellfy.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 9, 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.
Sellfy
- No free plan: the 14-day trial lets you build a store, but selling needs a paid plan from $22 a month.
- Plans cap yearly sales at $10k, $50k and $200k; above the cap Sellfy asks you to upgrade and may charge 2% on the overage.
- Stripe or PayPal processing fees (typically 2.9% + 30 cents) come on top, and Sellfy is not the merchant of record.
- Upsells, cart abandonment, affiliates and removing Sellfy branding all start on Business at $59 a month billed annually.
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.
Sellfy
- One store for every product type
- Sell downloads, recurring subscriptions, physical goods and print-on-demand merch side by side, with no cap on the number of products.
- Store builder and buy buttons
- Drag-and-drop templates, your own domain and custom code, or embed buy-now buttons, product widgets or the whole store on an existing site.
- Print-on-demand merch
- Caps, hoodies, T-shirts, mugs and other items printed when ordered and shipped from Sellfy's 11 fulfillment centers, with no stock to buy.
- Email marketing built in
- Send campaigns to customers from the dashboard using monthly email credits, 2,000 to 50,000 by plan, with more sold as needed.
- Upsells, cart recovery and affiliates
- Coupon codes and reviews on every plan; product upsells, abandoned cart emails and an affiliate program from Business up.
- Download protection
- Download limits, PDF stamping, access control and detailed download logs help against unauthorized sharing and refund disputes.
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.
Sellfy
Starter$22
per month for up to $10k sales a year, billed annually ($29 monthly)
Unlimited digital, physical, subscription and print-on-demand products, 10GB files, 2,000 email credits, own domain. No transaction fee.
Business$59
per month for up to $50k sales a year, billed annually ($79 monthly)
Adds upsells, cart abandonment emails, an affiliate program, custom fields, no Sellfy branding, 15GB files and 10,000 email credits.
Premium$119
per month for up to $200k sales a year, billed annually ($159 monthly)
Adds product migration, priority support, 20GB files and 50,000 email credits. Sellers above $200k a year contact Sellfy for an offer.
Ways to pay less
Leanpub
No public discounts listed.
Sellfy
- Annual discount
Save 25% with yearly billing
Sellfy's pricing page says yearly billing saves 25%: Starter $22 a month instead of $29, Business $59 instead of $79, Premium $119 instead of $159.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Leanpub or Sellfy?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Sellfy is cheaper to start with: $0.83 a month when paid by the year, against $8.99 a month for Leanpub. Leanpub starts at $8.99 per month, billed every 3 months ($26.97), and Sellfy starts at $22 per month for up to $10k in yearly sales, billed annually ($29 monthly).
Which has a free plan, Leanpub or Sellfy?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Leanpub has a free plan. Sellfy does not, though it has a free trial.
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.