SendOwl vs Gumroad: The Recurring Revenue Black Hole (2026)

by Welly Mulia - December 11, 2025

SendOwl charges you monthly while Gumroad takes 10% + $0.50 per sale. Both are good options for selling digital products, though they trap your recurring subscriptions. If you leave, you lose future recurring payments.

The Recurring Revenue Black Hole

You spend months building an audience and email list. Finally, you launch your first digital product or online course. Customers trust you enough to sell subscriptions at $47 or $97 per month.

Month after month, those subscriptions hit your account. This is working.

Then something changes. Maybe SendOwl raises their prices (like they did in 2025, by 3x to 10x). Maybe Gumroad’s 10% fee feels too steep when you’re trying to sell your digital products online. Or you find a better platform.

You contact SendOwl support. “Can I take my recurring customers with me?” No. You ask Gumroad the same question. Same answer.

Your subscriptions are tied to their systems. If you leave either platform, those recurring payments stop. Every single one. You either stay and pay whatever they demand, or lose the recurring revenue you built.

This is the black hole. Once your revenue goes in, it never comes back out.

Why We Built CartMango

My team and I built CartMango after watching solopreneurs and small teams lose thousands in recurring revenue the moment they tried to leave “subscription hostage” platforms like SendOwl or Gumroad.

The same story kept repeating. Someone starts selling because it’s easy. They grow to $5k or $20k per month in recurring revenue. Real business territory.

Then they realize choosing the right platform matters more than they thought, and the limitations are holding them back. They want to migrate somewhere better. But they’ll lose recurring revenue if they leave.

So they stay trapped. Frustrated. Paying fees to a platform they’ve outgrown.

The solution seemed simple. Don’t build your business on rented land in the first place.

CartMango is just a checkout cart “layer”.

When you leave (and some people will, that’s fine), you take everything with you. We don’t hold your recurring payments hostage because they’re yours.

SendOwl vs Gumroad vs CartMango

Feature	SendOwl	Gumroad	CartMango
What happens to your recurring subscribers if you migrate away?	❌ All recurring revenue stops the moment you leave, even if you’re using your own Stripe or PayPal account	❌ You lose every recurring subscriber when you migrate	✅ Your recurring payments stay with you
Is it actually free? (remember: Stripe and PayPal processing fees apply to all platforms)	❌ Starts at $39/month (capped at $833 revenue), then $87/month (capped at $3k revenue), then $159/month (capped at $8,333 revenue)	❌ Takes 10% of every sale + an additional $0.50 per transaction	✅ Zero monthly fees, zero commission on sales. Every feature included at no cost (through 2027).
Can you run upsells and downsells after the initial purchase?	⚠️ Only allows 1 upsell, and you must choose between that or order bumps. You can’t use both. Zero downsell capability.	⚠️ Has upsells, but conditional downsells don’t exist (can’t show alternate offers when customers decline the first upsell)	❌ Not available yet
Quality of customer support	⚠️ Decent support quality overall, but no live chat option. Faced major backlash in 2025 when prices jumped 3x to 10x overnight. (source 1, source2)	❌ Relies heavily on AI bots for support. Known for removing critical feedback and leaving customer emails unanswered. (source)	Real humans from the founding team handle support. No bots, no live chat. Typical reply time under 1 hour.
Do you offer buy now, pay later options to customers?	✅	✅	✅
Can customers add order bump purchases at checkout?	⚠️ Yes, but enabling order bumps turns off your upsell feature	✅	✅
Subscription billing (trials and setup fees included)?	✅	✅	✅
Discount codes and dynamic pricing?	✅	✅	✅
Fast, conversion-focused checkout pages?	✅	✅	✅
Can customers buy without creating an account first?	✅	✅	✅
How quickly do payouts reach your bank account?	✅	❌ Minimum 7-day hold, though many sellers report far longer delays with zero explanation (source)	✅
What if a customer shares their download link publicly?	✅ Links have built-in protection	✅ Links have built-in protection	✅ Links have built-in protection
What tools can you connect to?	✅ Direct connections to Shopify, Square, Mailchimp, Kit, and ActiveCampaign. Plus Zapier, Make, Pabbly, and webhook support.	⚠️ Only Discord and Circle work natively for instant membership access. Everything else requires Zapier.	⚠️ Make.com integration opens up 3,000+ app connections. Native integrations currently include Kit, ActiveCampaign, Beehiiv, and BirdSend. More on the way.
Built-in affiliate program management?	✅	✅	❌ Not yet available
Who is this platform actually designed for?	Creators focused on file security who don’t need complex funnel setups. Expensive for what you get (strict revenue caps, only 1 upsell, can’t combine upsells with order bumps).	Creators wanting zero upfront cost who don’t mind surrendering 10% of every sale and can live without advanced marketing tools or customization.	Independent digital creators who want a straightforward, fast checkout experience and don’t need every bell and whistle right now.
Will they help you migrate your existing business?	❌ You’re on your own	❌ No migration assistance	✅ Free migration service included

These are the links for each platform: SendOwl, Gumroad, CartMango.

CartMango: Not Better. Just Built for Independence.

CartMango is built for the creator who wants to own their ecommerce business instead of rent it.

On SendOwl and Gumroad, recurring subscriptions belong to them. You lose predictable recurring payments when you leave. You’re locked in by economics.

On CartMango, recurring subscriptions belong to you. You can leave anytime and still have your future recurring payments intact. No vendor lock-in by design.

Why this matters

You can negotiate better payment terms in the future. You’re not scared to experiment or try new digital tools. You actually own the asset you’re building.

You can make long-term business decisions without fear.

For solo digital sellers, coaches, consultants, and course creators… ownership isn’t negotiable. You need to own your customers. That’s how you build real assets.

Here’s what CartMango does

0 monthly fees. 0 transaction commission. That’s not marketing talk, that’s how the pricing works through 2027.

Free migration from any platform. We’ll handle the technical work so you can start selling in minutes. You don’t lose recurring payments in the process.

Founder-led personal support. When you email us, you get a real person who actually understands your business. Not a bot. Not a script.

All the professional features you need to sell your digital products. Order bumps to increase purchase value. Subscription billing with trials. Payment flexibility your customers expect.

SendOwl and Gumroad are built to extract value from your growth. They make money when you make money, sure. CartMango is built so you keep the value you create. We’re just the payment layer. You’re the business.

Claim your CartMango account totally FREE →

SendOwl

SendOwl offers advanced security features like PDF stamping, license key generation, expiring download links. If you’re selling ebooks or digital downloads and worried about piracy, these tools matter.

Upsells and order bumps with buy buttons are built into the platform. But here’s the catch: activating order bumps disables upsells. It’s strictly either / or. You can’t run both at the same time.

Affiliate program management is included. If you want partners promoting your products, SendOwl handles the technical the technical work for tracking and payouts.

Multiple payment gateway options give you flexibility. You integrate with more than just Stripe or PayPal.

It supports both subscriptions and one-time sales. Most creators need both, so this flexibility helps whether you’re launching your first product or scaling up.

3x-10x price hike

The 2025 price shock hit hard. SendOwl implemented a massive 3x to 10x price hike that left hundreds of creators furious. Many wanted to leave immediately. Then they realized they were trapped.

Here’s the exit penalty

If you try to leave because of the price hike, you lose all your recurring payments. Your subscriptions stop the moment you migrate. Even if you connected your own Stripe or PayPal account. The subscriptions are tied to SendOwl’s system, not yours.

The monthly fees add up fast

You pay $39 per month for just $833 in revenue. Hit $3,000 in revenue? That’s $87 per month. Reach $8,333 in revenue? Now you’re paying $159 per month. And if you exceed that? You’re pushed into custom pricing or overage fees.

Limited funnel capabilities

This hurts your revenue potential. SendOwl provides just 1 upsell. No downsells at all. If you want

to present additional offers immediately after purchase, you’re stuck with basic tools.

No free migration service

If you want to move your business in, you’re doing all the technical work yourself. And moving out? You lose your recurring revenue.

Customer support is generally good.

SendOwl delivers solid features for intermediate creators who want professional tools without building custom infrastructure. The security tools are legitimate. The affiliate system works.

But the recent aggressive price hikes show the danger of building on rented land. When they triple the price overnight, you have two choices. Pay up or lose your recurring revenue by leaving. That’s hostage negotiation.

This is SendOwl’s link.

Gumroad

Why people choose Gumroad

Radical simplicity is what Gumroad provides as its main selling point. You can set up your store in 5 minutes. Upload a product, set a price, start selling.

No monthly fees upfront. You only pay when you make a sale. For creators just testing an idea, this feels like zero risk.

Gumroad offers a Discover marketplace gives you exposure to their existing audience. But they take a massive 30% cut of any sales that come through Discover.

Great for artists, musicians, and creators testing ideas. The barrier to entry is basically zero. Like Gumroad says, you can add products and start selling in minutes.

Free tier actually works for low-volume sellers. If you’re making a few hundred dollars a month, Gumroad won’t bankrupt you.

Expensive fees

Transaction fees are brutal at scale. Gumroad takes 10% of every sale plus $0.50 per transaction.

Do the math on a $97 product. You lose $10.20 to Gumroad alone. Sell 100 of those per month and you’re handing them $1,020. Every single month. Forever.

Slow payouts

Payouts are held for 7 days minimum. But many sellers report far longer delays without any clear explanation. You made the sale, but you can’t access your money.

Poor customer service

Poor customer support with AI chatbots doing most of the work. When you have technical issues, sellers report deleted feedback posts and ignored emails. When something breaks, you’re often on your own.

You can’t customize your storefront. Every Gumroad store looks like every other Gumroad store. Zero brand differentiation.

Native integrations are limited. Only Discord and Circle work natively for instant community access. Everything else requires Zapier, which means another subscription and more complexity.

No true conditional downsells in funnels. You can run upsells, but platforms like Gumroad can’t present additional offers immediately after a customer rejects one.

Your customers are “Gumroad customers” first, your customers second. The relationship goes through their platform, not directly to you.

If you leave, you lose every recurring payment.

Good for training wheels

Gumroad is training wheels. It works great when you’re learning to ride the bike. But at some point, training wheels slow you down.

The “no monthly fee” appeal fades fast when you realize you’re losing 10% of every sale plus 50 cents. With no real support when things break. And no way to leave without destroying your recurring revenue.

This is Gumroad’s link.

Real Money Breakdown

Let’s break down the true costs at typical revenue milestones: $1k, $5k, and $10k per month. I’m assuming an average product price of $20 for these calculations.

Important context: standard processor fees (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction) get charged by Stripe or PayPal no matter which platform you use. Gumroad charges their 10% fee on top of those processing fees. SendOwl charges monthly subscription fees on top of processing fees.

Look at what happens at $1,000 per month in revenue. Gumroad takes $169 total. SendOwl takes $131 total. CartMango takes just the $44 in processing fees that go to Stripe or PayPal, not to us.

At $5,000 per month, the gap widens significantly. Gumroad takes $845. SendOwl takes $379. CartMango still just takes the standard $220 in processing fees.

At $10,000 per month, Gumroad becomes painful. They take $1,690 per month. That’s over $20,000 per year just in platform fees. SendOwl pushes you past their highest standard plan, forcing custom pricing or overage fees.

The table below shows the exact breakdown. Pay attention to the “SAVINGS” columns. That’s real money staying in your business instead of going to the platform.

Monthly revenue	Platform	Platform fees	Processor fees (2.9% + $0.30)	Total monthly fees	SAVINGS vs Gumroad	SAVINGS vs SendOwl
$1,000 (50 orders)	Gumroad	10% of $1,000 = $100 $0.50 × 50 = $25	2.9% of $1,000 = $29 $0.30 × 50 = $15	$169	—	—
	SendOwl	Plan: $87 (Growth plan for <$3k rev)	Same $29 + $15 = $44	$131	$38/mo vs Gumroad	—
	CartMango	$0	Same $44	$44	$125/mo vs Gumroad	$87/mo vs SendOwl

$5,000 (250 orders)	Gumroad	10% of $5,000 = $500 $0.50 × 250 = $125	2.9% of $5,000 = $145 $0.30 × 250 = $75	$845	—	—
	SendOwl	Plan: $159 (Pro plan for <$8.3k rev)	Same $145 + $75 = $220	$379	$466/mo vs Gumroad	—
	CartMango	$0	Same $220	$220	$625/mo vs Gumroad	$159/mo vs SendOwl

$10,000 (500 orders)	Gumroad	10% of $10,000 = $1,000 $0.50 × 500 = $250	2.9% of $10,000 = $290 $0.30 × 500 = $150	$1,690	—	—
	SendOwl	Plan: Custom/Higher (Exceeds $8.3k limit on $159 plan)*	Same $290 + $150 = $440	$599+	~$1,091/mo vs Gumroad	—
	CartMango	$0	Same $440	$440	$1,250/mo vs Gumroad	$159+/mo vs SendOwl

*Note: At $10k monthly revenue, you exceed SendOwl’s standard plan limits. This forces you into custom pricing or overage fees.

That’s money you could reinvest into ads, content, or your team. Instead, it’s going to rent on someone else’s platform.

These are the links for each platform: SendOwl, Gumroad, CartMango.

Which Platform is Right for YOU?

This isn’t about which platform is “best.” Choosing the right platform depends on your specific situation, where you are right now and where you’re trying to go.

Choose Gumroad if:

You’re literally just testing your first digital product. You have no idea if anyone will buy it. The risk of monthly fees feels too high when you haven’t made a single sale yet.

You expect less than $200 per month in revenue. At that level, Gumroad’s 10% fee is annoying but manageable. You’re not losing enough to justify switching.

You don’t care about customization. Every Gumroad store looks identical and that doesn’t bother you.

You’re willing to pay high percentage fees for ease of use. Setup takes 5 minutes and you value that speed over long-term economics.

You plan to stay small. This is a side project, not a real business.

This is Gumroad’s link.

Choose SendOwl if:

You’re already making consistent revenue from selling different types of digital products. You’ve proven the business model works and now you need more professional tools.

You need features like PDF stamping and license keys for exclusive content. Security matters for your digital files and you’re willing to pay for protection.

You can tolerate the revenue limits on their pricing plans. Hitting those caps doesn’t feel restrictive yet.

You don’t mind that you can’t use upsells and order bumps together. One or the other is fine for your sales process.

You’re willing to pay monthly fees. The $87 to $159 per month on their paid plan feels reasonable given what you get.

This is SendOwl’s link.

Choose CartMango if:

You’re serious about building a real business. Whether you’re launching your first product or scaling up, this isn’t a hobby or side hustle anymore.

You want to own your recurring revenue, even if you leave the platform. The idea of being locked into someone else’s platform makes you uncomfortable.

You want to keep 100% of your revenue. Zero platform fees means every dollar stays in your business.

You want free migration from other platforms. You’re tired of doing technical work yourself or paying developers.

You want support from founders, not bots. When something breaks, you need real humans who understand your business.

You’re building courses, memberships, digital products, or selling services. CartMango is built specifically for solo digital creators like these folks.

The right platform to sell on comes down to control. Do you want to own your business or rent it?

This is CartMango’s link.

Questions to Consider

Q: Can I sell physical products on CartMango?

No. CartMango is solely focused on serving solo digital creators. We’re not trying to be everything to everyone. We do one thing well: helping independent creators sell digital products while actually owning their business.

If you need physical product fulfillment, look elsewhere.

Q: What if I’m just starting and have zero sales?

Gumroad costs you nothing upfront but takes 10% when you sell. SendOwl has a cost even for low revenue. Their $39 per month plan starts at just $833 revenue cap. CartMango costs you nothing and takes 0% fees.

If you’re at zero, CartMango makes the most sense. You’re not paying rent while you figure things out.

Q: Is CartMango better than SendOwl or Gumroad?

Not better. Different.

SendOwl and Gumroad are more established and has been around longer. CartMango gives you freedom and ownership.

For serious creators, freedom wins. You don’t want to wake up one day and realize you can’t leave without losing your recurring revenue.

TL;DR

You can stay on SendOwl if the features justify the monthly costs and revenue caps. Some creators find the security tools worth paying for.

You can stay on Gumroad if simplicity matters more than fees. The 10% cut hurts less when you’re just starting out.

Or you can switch to CartMango if ownership and zero fees matter more than having every feature right now.

Each platform has tradeoffs. SendOwl has more established features but locks you in with recurring subscriptions. Gumroad is simple but expensive at scale. CartMango gives you ownership but lacks some features as of today.

The right choice depends on what you value most. Features? Simplicity? Ownership? There’s no universal answer.

Just make sure you understand what you’re giving up with each option. Especially the recurring revenue question. That’s the one that’s hardest to undo later.