Best Gumroad alternative in 2026: 7 options compared

by Welly Mulia - February 10, 2026

Looking for a Gumroad alternative? The best alternatives to Gumroad include CartMango, Payhip, SendOwl, Easy Digital Downloads, ThriveCart, SamCart, and Sellfy. Here’s how they compare.

Your Recurring Revenue, Held Hostage

You spent months building a subscription-based product. You created the content, earned the trust, and convinced real people to pay you on a recurring basis. Those are your customers.

But on Gumroad, they’re not really yours.

If you ever decide to leave, your recurring billing relationships stay behind. Every single one. Gumroad doesn’t let you take them with you.

The customers keep paying, but the money goes to a platform you no longer use, or the payments just stop entirely.

Think about that for a second. You did the work. You built the brand, the audience, the trust.

You earned every subscription. And the moment you want to move to a different platform, all of that recurring revenue vanishes.

This is not a hypothetical. Creators have posted about this. They wanted to switch, realized their customers would need to re-enter payment details on a new platform, and decided it was too risky.

So they stayed. Not because Gumroad was the best fit, but because leaving felt like starting over.

That is the subscription hostage problem. You don’t have complete control over your own revenue stream. The platform does.

And it is one of the biggest reasons people start looking for a free Gumroad replacement, or any alternative that gives them real ownership.

What to Look For Before You Switch

Before you switch from Gumroad, you need to know what actually matters. Not every alternative to Gumroad checks every box. Here is what I would look at:

Do you keep your recurring payments if you leave? This is the big one. Some platforms hold them hostage. Others let you walk away with full control of your payment processing fees and customer relationships intact.
Are the fees transparent? Flat monthly fees, percentage cuts, revenue caps. Know exactly what you are paying and when.
Is the support real? If something breaks mid-launch, you need a human, not a chatbot. Check if the platform offers actual person-to-person support.
Can you run post-purchase funnels? Upsells, downsells, and order bumps can boost conversions by 10-30%. Not every platform supports them.
Do you get paid right away? Some platforms hold your money for days. Others pay out directly to your Stripe or PayPal, with support for Apple Pay and other checkout methods.
Are your download links protected? If a customer shares your link, can anyone access it for free? File protection matters when you are selling online.

The best option is a platform that checks most of these boxes without costing a fortune. CartMango, for example, covers all six. But so do a few others, depending on what you prioritize.

Every Gumroad Alternative, Compared Side by Side

I put together a full comparison table so you can compare each platform across every feature that matters when selling digital products. Every cell below is based on what each platform actually offers right now.

Feature	Gumroad	CartMango	Payhip	SendOwl	Easy Digital Downloads	ThriveCart	SamCart	Sellfy
Do you lose recurring payments if you leave?	❌ Your recurring payment relationships are gone once you leave	✅ You retain all recurring payments	❌ Recurring payments are lost when you leave, even if you use your own Stripe / PayPal	❌ Recurring payments are lost when you leave, even if you use your own Stripe / PayPal	✅ You retain all recurring payments	✅ You retain all recurring payments	❌ Recurring payments are lost when you leave: Stripe fixed-term subs, all PayPal and non-Stripe subs, still lost even when linked to your own Stripe / PayPal	❌ Recurring payments are lost when you leave, even if you use your own Stripe / PayPal
Completely free to use? (note: Stripe / PayPal transaction fees apply across every cart platform)	❌ 10% + $0.50 per sale	✅ Yes, zero monthly fees, zero commission. Every feature included (free until 2027).	⚠️ 5% per sale (base plan). $29/mo + 2% (Plus plan). $99/mo (Pro plan).	❌ $39/mo for up to $833/mo in sales. $87/mo for up to $3,000/mo in sales. $159/mo for up to $8,333/mo in sales.	❌ Personal: $99.50/yr. Extended: $199.50/yr. Professional: $299.50/yr. All Access: $499.50/yr.	❌ $495 for the base plan. $295/yr extra for added features. $195 extra for the LMS.	❌ $79/mo for up to $3,000/mo in sales. $219/mo for up to $10,000/mo in sales. $849/mo for up to $100,000/mo in sales.	❌ $29/mo for up to $833/mo in sales. $79/mo for up to $4,166/mo in sales. $159/mo for up to $16,666/mo in sales.
Built-in learning management system (LMS)	❌ No	⚠️ Future	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes for an extra $195	✅ Yes	❌ No
Post-purchase funnel support (upsell and downsell after the buyer pays)	⚠️ Has upsell support but no true conditional downsells (i.e. showing a separate offer only when the customer declines the first upsell)	✅ Yes	❌ No upsell / downsell support	⚠️ Only 1 upsell allowed, and you cannot use order bumps at the same time. Strictly one or the other. No downsells.	❌ Professional plan and above ($299.50 – $499.50 / yr)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No upsell / downsell support
Customer support quality	❌ Weak customer support with AI chatbots. Deleted user feedback posts, ignored emails (source).	Founder-led personal support with no chatbots, no live chat. Average response time is 2 hours 16 minutes.	Responsive email support with mostly positive reviews from users, but no live chat option.	⚠️ Mostly good customer service, no live chat. In 2025, hundreds of customers pushed back against the large 3x – 10x price increase. (source 1, source 2)	No live chat but solid customer support. Standard help for Personal and Extended plan ($99.50 – $199.50/yr). Priority help for Professional and AI Access plan ($299.50 – $499.50/yr).	Many user reports of weak customer support and deleted feedback posts inside their official Facebook group	$19/mo extra for live support access: Mon-Fri, 9-5 CT	Mostly fast and friendly for day-to-day issues, but no live chat. Mixed feedback when things get more technical or urgent.
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) for your customers (boost your sales)	❌ No real BNPL: Gumroad’s installment plans pay the seller over time, not upfront. You risk missed payments if customers stop paying before they finish.	✅	❌ No real BNPL: Payhip’s installment plans pay the seller over time, not upfront. You risk missed payments if customers stop paying before they finish.	✅	✅	✅	✅	⚠️ Only through PayPal Pay Later. No well-known BNPL providers like Klarna, Affirm, or Afterpay.
Order bumps to increase sales	✅	✅	✅	⚠️ Turning on order bumps disables upsells	✅	✅	✅	⚠️ Only available on Business and Premium plans.
Subscription support (with trials and setup fees)	✅	✅	⚠️ Subscriptions only function through Stripe, not PayPal. So customers paying via PayPal cannot subscribe.	✅	✅	✅	✅	⚠️ No trial or setup fee support, only standard subscriptions.
Flexible coupons and discount codes	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Fast, optimized checkout pages	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Buyers do NOT need to log in before purchasing (quick checkout)	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Instant, direct payout to your Stripe / PayPal (no payment holds)	❌ 7-day hold, but many sellers report much longer payout delays with no clear explanation (source)	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Are shared download links protected from piracy?	✅ Download links are secured	✅ Download links are secured	✅ Download links are secured	✅ Download links are secured	✅	❌ Downloads can be pirated because links are not secured	✅ Download links are secured	✅ Download links are secured
Third-party integration support	⚠️ Native integrations: only Discord and Circle for direct community / membership access. Everything else requires Zapier.	⚠️ Few native integrations, but the Make.com integration opens up 3,000+ apps. Current native connections: Stripe, PayPal, Kit, ActiveCampaign, Beehiiv, and BirdSend, with more on the way.	✅ Connects with WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Weebly, Shopify, Calendly, Zoom, Bookfunnel, AdSense, chat, email marketing lists, and Zapier.	⚠️ Connects to Shopify and Square, plus direct email links to Mailchimp, Kit, and ActiveCampaign. Also works with Zapier, Make, Pabbly, and webhooks.	✅ Large integration lineup: Stripe, PayPal, Mailchimp, Kit, ActiveCampaign, Dropbox, Amazon S3, Zapier (Extended plan $199.50/yr). Slack (Professional plan $299.50/yr).	⚠️ Large integration lineup: connects to top email, membership, fulfillment, analytics, webinar, and payment tools, plus Zapier for thousands more apps.	⚠️ Plugs into HighLevel, iContact, Shopify, Slack, Digital Access Pass, and more. Links to thousands more apps through Zapier.	⚠️ Few native integrations: mostly analytics and ad pixels (Google Analytics, Facebook/X ads, Google Merchant Center). But the Zapier integration connects you to thousands of outside apps.
Affiliate management	✅	⚠️ Coming soon	✅	✅	❌ No	✅ Yes for an extra $295/yr	✅ Yes	✅
Best for	Creators who want a fast, no-monthly-fee way to start selling digital products and are fine giving up a large 10% cut of revenue and going without advanced funnel tools or deep customization.	Solo digital creators who do not want their recurring revenue held hostage, plus instant setup, human support, and zero platform fees (free until 2027).	Creators who want simple global sales tax handling and easy setup, but should watch for per-transaction fees that grow as sales increase.	Creators who care about protecting digital files and do not need advanced funnels. Pricey for what you get (revenue caps, just 1 upsell, and upsells cannot coexist with order bumps).	WordPress users who sell digital downloads like ebooks and software, and also offer physical products.	Creators who prefer paying once upfront over monthly fees to access most features (not all), and can put up with mediocre support.	Affluent creators who do not mind spending a lot to get a full feature set, even if they only use half of it.	Creators who want a single storefront for digital products, subscriptions, and print-on-demand products, and are fine without true funnel tools like post-purchase upsells and order bumps.
Free migration	❌ No free migration	✅ Free migration included	✅ Free migration included	❌ No free migration	❌ No free migration	❌ No free migration	❌ No free migration	⚠️ Full migration only on the priciest Premium plan. Other plans get limited migration.

These are the links for each platform: Gumroad, CartMango, Payhip, SendOwl, Easy Digital Downloads, ThriveCart, SamCart, Sellfy.

CartMango Is Not the Best Alternative. But It Is for…

Full disclosure: you’re reading this on CartMango’s blog, so I want to be upfront about what we do well and where we fall short.

CartMango does not have a built-in LMS yet. You can integrate with 3,000+ apps through the Make.com connection, but native integrations are still limited. There is no public API yet.

Affiliate management is coming soon but is not live yet.

So who is it actually built for creators who fit this profile: solo digital creators, coaches, and consultants who want to keep their recurring revenue, pay zero platform fees, and get real human support when something goes wrong.

If you are a digital creator looking for everything you need to launch and sell a digital product without giving up a percentage of every sale, CartMango is super easy to use and ready to sell from day one. You upload your product, set your price, connect Stripe or PayPal, and you are live. Support response averages 2 hours 16 minutes, from an actual person, not a chatbot.

It is free until 2027. No monthly fees, no commission, no revenue caps.

CartMango is not for everyone. If you need a massive integration library or a built-in course platform, other options in this list will serve you better. But if your goal is to grow your business selling digital products with full ownership of your customer relationships, it is worth a look.

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The Other Six Alternatives at a Glance

Payhip

Payhip is an intuitive ecommerce store for selling digital products, memberships, and coaching. Pricing starts free with a 5% cut per sale, then $29/mo + 2% on the Plus plan, and $99/mo with 0% on Pro. Its biggest strength is built-in global sales tax compliance and VAT handling, which most platforms punt on.

It also includes an LMS, which Gumroad does not offer. The downside: Payhip has no upsell or downsell functionality, and your recurring payments are gone if you leave, even when connected to your own Stripe.

Best for creators who want simple setup with automatic tax handling. This is the link for Payhip.

SendOwl

SendOwl is a way to deliver and sell digital products with strong file protection. Plans run $39/mo to $159/mo, each tied to revenue limits. Its core strength is how it secures your downloads, making it a solid option for ebooks and templates.

The weakness: SendOwl hit users with a 3x to 10x price hike in 2025, and you can only run 1 upsell (no order bumps at the same time). Recurring payments do not transfer if you leave.

Best for creators who prioritize digital file security over advanced conversion tools. This is the link for SendOwl.

Easy Digital Downloads

Easy Digital Downloads is a WordPress plugin for selling digital products and physical merchandise. Pricing goes from $99.50/yr (Personal) to $499.50/yr (All Access). The strength here is the huge integration lineup and the flexibility of WordPress, including plugins for just about anything.

But it requires a self-hosted WordPress site, meaning you handle hosting, SSL, security patches, and updates yourself. Your recurring payments stay with you if you leave.

Best for WordPress users who want to monetize digital and physical products from one storefront. This is the link for Easy Digital Downloads.

ThriveCart

ThriveCart charges a one-time fee of $495, with optional add-ons ($295/yr for extra features, $195 for LMS). The big draw is the one-time payment model: pay once and you are done with monthly bills. It supports full funnels, BNPL, order bumps, and affiliate management.

Where it falls short: customer support has many negative reports, and your download links are not protected, meaning piracy is a real risk. Recurring payments stay yours if you leave.

thrivecart customer support review trustpilot 2

Best for creators who want to pay upfront and keep costs predictable, as long as they can handle the support gaps. This is the link for ThriveCart.

SamCart

SamCart is a full-featured cart platform with pricing from $79/mo to $849/mo based on revenue. It offers a complete set of marketing tools: funnels, LMS, BNPL, order bumps, affiliate management, and a builder for checkout pages. If you compare it feature-for-feature, it is one of the most loaded options on this list.

The catch: it is expensive, and recurring payments are still lost on certain plan types (Stripe fixed-term subs, all PayPal and non-Stripe subs). Best for online business owners with bigger budgets who want a wide range of features under one roof. This is the link for SamCart.

Sellfy

Sellfy is an all-in-one ecommerce store for digital products, subscriptions, and print-on-demand products. Plans run $29/mo to $159/mo with revenue caps. You can also explore Lemon Squeezy if you want a similar SaaS-style storefront experience.

Sellfy’s biggest strength is combining digital and print-on-demand merch in one place, so you do not need a separate service. The weakness: no upsells or downsells, no trial support for subscriptions, and BNPL is limited to PayPal Pay Later only (no Klarna or Affirm). Recurring payments are lost if you leave.

Best for creators who want to subscribe customers to digital products and sell print-on-demand from a single store. This is the link for Sellfy.

Which Gumroad Alternative Fits You?

Here are the links again: Gumroad, CartMango, Payhip, SendOwl, Easy Digital Downloads, ThriveCart, SamCart, Sellfy.

The best Gumroad alternative depends on what you need. If you want to migrate from Gumroad, the table and mini-reviews above cover pricing, features, and trade-offs for every option. Each cart and platform has strengths and gaps, so pick the one that lines up with your way to sell digital products.

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