SureCart alternative: the revenue trap no one mentions (2026)

by Welly Mulia - February 16, 2026

SureCart is a popular ecommerce plugin for WordPress that handles digital and physical product sales. If you need a SureCart alternative, the top options are CartMango, Easy Digital Downloads, Gumroad, SendOwl, Sellfy, Payhip, SamCart, and ThriveCart.

The Recurring Revenue Lockout

SureCart manages recurring subscriptions on its own platform. Not on your Stripe. Not on your PayPal. On theirs.

That means if you ever leave SureCart, your recurring payments stay behind. Every customer you earned, every subscription you built, every promotion you ran to grow that monthly income: gone. SureCart and WP are tightly coupled, and the revenue lock-in is baked into how the plugin works.

This is the part nobody talks about when installing a new WordPress plugin. You’re not just picking a shopping cart. You’re handing over control of your recurring revenue to a platform that stores it on their infrastructure.

On top of that, SureCart requires a self-hosted WordPress site. So you need hosting, SSL, security patches, and regular updates.

Plugins conflict with each other. Extensions need you to configure them. If you’re not comfortable with coding or WP admin work, you’re either hiring someone or learning it yourself.

The result: your recurring income is locked inside a platform that also demands you maintain a full WordPress stack to keep it running. You came here to sell, not to babysit a website.

The Checklist Before You Switch

Does the platform let you keep your recurring payments if you leave? Most don’t.
Are core features included, or do you need to pay for each one through higher tiers or add-ons?
Is there a real person behind customer support who responds quickly?
Can you start selling without setting up a WordPress site or hiring a developer?
What do you actually pay at your revenue level, including all the hidden costs?

A good checkout process shouldn’t require a subscription to a separate hosting company and a stack of plugins just to function. You want ease of use and a clear payment gateway setup, not a weekend project.

I compared eight platforms against SureCart on all of these points. The free plan restrictions, the feature gaps, the fine print: it’s all in the table below.

SureCart Alternative Showdown: Every Platform Compared

Feature	SureCart	CartMango	Easy Digital Downloads	Gumroad	SendOwl	Sellfy	Payhip	SamCart	ThriveCart
Do you keep recurring payments if you leave?	❌ Recurring payments vanish if you leave. SureCart stores subscriptions on its own platform, not directly on your Stripe / PayPal.	✅ You keep your recurring payments	✅ You retain your recurring payments if you leave	❌ Recurring payments vanish if you leave	❌ Recurring payments vanish if you leave, even when connected to your own Stripe / PayPal	❌ Recurring payments vanish if you leave, even when connected to your own Stripe / PayPal	❌ Recurring payments vanish if you leave, even when connected to your own Stripe / PayPal	❌ Recurring payments vanish if you leave: Stripe fixed-term subs, all PayPal & non-Stripe subs. Still gone even with your own Stripe / PayPal	✅ You keep your recurring payments
Fully free? (Stripe / PayPal fees apply on every platform)	❌ Free Launch plan with 1.9% transaction fee on every sale. Pro (1 store): $179/yr. Pro (5 stores): $249/yr. Pro (unlimited stores): $399/yr	✅ Yes, $0 monthly, 0% commission. Every feature included (free until 2027).	❌ Personal: $99.50/yr. Extended: $199.50/yr. Professional: $299.50/yr. All Access: $499.50/yr	⚠️ 10% + $0.50 per transaction	⚠️ $39/mo for up to $833/mo revenue. $87/mo for up to $3,000/mo. $159/mo for up to $8,333/mo.	⚠️ $29/mo for up to $833/mo revenue. $79/mo for up to $4,166/mo. $159/mo for up to $16,666/mo.	⚠️ 5% per transaction (base plan). $29/mo + 2% (Plus plan). $99/mo (Pro plan).	❌ $79/mo for up to $3,000/mo revenue. $219/mo for up to $10,000/mo. $849/mo for up to $100,000/mo.	❌ $495 for the base plan. $295/yr extra for more features. $195 extra for the LMS system.
Built-in course platform (LMS)	❌ No	❌ Not available yet	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes for an extra $195
Post-purchase funnels (upsells & downsells) after checkout	✅ SureCart offers upsells but lacks true conditional downsells (can only show a different offer if the customer says no to the first upsell)	✅ Yes	✅ Professional plan & above ($299.50 – $499.50/yr)	⚠️ Has upsells but no conditional downsells (can’t show a backup offer when the customer rejects the first)	⚠️ Only 1 upsell allowed, and you can’t run order bumps at the same time. It’s one or the other. No downsells.	❌ No upsell or downsell support	❌ No upsell or downsell support	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Customer support	Email/ticket only, no live chat. Free plan: 24-48hr weekday response. Pro: priority support. Extensive knowledge base & video tutorials. Reviews praise support quality.	Founder-run personal support, no chatbots, no live chat. Average response time is 2hr+.	No live chat, but solid support. Standard help on Personal & Extended ($99.50 – $199.50/yr). Priority help on Professional & All Access ($299.50 – $499.50/yr).	❌ Weak support with AI chatbots. Deleted feedback posts, ignored emails (source).	⚠️ Decent service overall, no live chat. In 2025, hundreds of customers rebelled against the massive 3x – 10x price hike. (source 1, source 2)	Quick and friendly for routine issues, but no live chat. Mixed results when problems turn technical or urgent.	Responsive email support with generally positive user reviews, but live chat is not available.	$19/mo additional for live support: Mon-Fri, 9-5 CT	Many user reports of poor customer support & removed feedback posts on their official Facebook group
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) to grow your sales	✅	✅	✅	❌ Not real BNPL: Gumroad’s installment plans pay you over time, not upfront. You absorb the risk if customers bail before finishing what they owe.	✅	⚠️ Only through PayPal Pay Later. No Klarna, Affirm, or Afterpay.	❌ Not real BNPL: Payhip’s installment plans pay you over time, not upfront. You absorb the risk if customers bail before finishing what they owe.	✅	✅
Order bumps to grow revenue	✅	✅	✅	✅	⚠️ Turning on order bumps turns off upsells	⚠️ Restricted to Business & Premium tiers.	✅	✅	✅
Subscription-based billing (trials & setup fees)	✅	✅	✅	✅	⚠️ No trial or setup fee support, just standard subscriptions.	⚠️ Subscriptions only work with Stripe, not PayPal. You can’t bill subscription-based customers through PayPal.	✅	✅	✅
Flexible coupons & discount codes	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Fast, user-friendly checkout	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
No login needed before buying (guest checkout)	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Instant payout to your Stripe / PayPal gateway (no funds held)	✅	✅	✅	❌ 7-day hold, but many sellers face much longer payout delays with no clear explanation (source)	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Protected file download links (stops sharing)	✅ Links are protected	✅ Links are protected	✅ Links are protected	✅ Links are protected	✅ Links are protected	✅ Links are protected	✅ Links are protected	✅ Links are protected	❌ Your digital downloads can be pirated because links have no protection
App connections	⚠️ Limited native: LearnDash, LifterLMS, TutorLMS, SureMembers, BuddyBoss, and WP Fusion. Payment method options: Stripe, PayPal, Mollie, Paystack, Razorpay. Connects to thousands of products and apps via OttoKit or Zapier.	⚠️ Few native connections, but Make.com gives access to 3,000+ apps. Current native options: Stripe, PayPal, Kit, ActiveCampaign, Beehiiv, and BirdSend, with more on the way.	✅ Large catalog: Stripe, PayPal, Mailchimp, Kit, ActiveCampaign, Dropbox, Amazon S3, Zapier (Extended plan $199.95/yr), Slack (Professional plan $299.50/yr)	⚠️ Only Discord & Circle for built-in community or membership access. Everything else needs Zapier.	✅ Works with Shopify and Square, plus direct email connections to Mailchimp, Kit, and ActiveCampaign. Also ties into Zapier, Make, Pabbly, and webhooks.	⚠️ Mostly analytics & ad pixels (Google Analytics, Facebook/X ads, Google Merchant Center). Zapier fills in the gaps for everything else.	✅ Connects with WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Weebly, Shopify, Calendly, Zoom, Bookvault, AdSense, chat tools, email lists, and Zapier.	✅ Plugs into HighLevel, iContact, Shopify, Slack, Digital Access Pass, and more. Thousands more apps through Zapier.	✅ Large library: top email, membership, fulfillment, analytics, webinar, and payment tools, plus Zapier for thousands of products and services.
Built-in affiliate program	✅	❌ Not available yet	❌ No	❌ No	✅	✅	✅	⚠️ Available for an additional $295/yr	⚠️ Available for an additional $295/yr
Ideal for	WordPress users wanting an ecommerce store without the bloat of WooCommerce. Works for selling physical and digital products, courses, and subscriptions. Good for agencies managing multiple stores. Requires a self-hosted WordPress site, so it’s not for non-technical users wanting a hosted ecommerce platform.	Solo digital creators who don’t want recurring revenue held captive. Fast setup, founder-led support, $0 platform fees (free until 2027).	WordPress users who sell digital goods like ebooks, software products, and templates. Open-source at its core. Gives you access control over every digital product and physical item from one WordPress site.	Creators who want a fast, no-monthly-fee way to start selling and are willing to give up 10% of revenue to sell digital products with limited funnel tools or deep customization.	Creators focused on secure digital product delivery who don’t need advanced features like funnels. Revenue caps, 1 upsell only, and upsells can’t run alongside order bumps.	Creators wanting a simple online store for digital product sales, physical products, subscriptions, and print-on-demand merch, who don’t need post-purchase upsell and downsell features like funnels.	Creators who want simple global VAT handling and quick setup, but need to watch the per-transaction fee that climbs as sales grow.	Affluent creators who don’t mind paying a lot to get a full feature set with advanced features like LMS, affiliates, and funnels, even if they only use half of them.	Creators who’d rather pay a one-time $495 than monthly fees to access most features (not all), and who can tolerate mediocre support.
Free migration help	❌ No free migration	✅ Free migration included	❌ No free migration	❌ No free migration	❌ No free migration	⚠️ Full migration only on the priciest Premium tier. Other plans get partial help.	❌ No free migration	❌ No free migration	❌ No free migration

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

CartMango: Keep Your Recurring Revenue When You Leave

Full disclosure: you’re reading this on CartMango’s blog, and I’m the founder. I’ll be upfront about where we fall short.

I built CartMango because SureCart takes creators’ recurring revenue and stores it on their platform, not on your Stripe or PayPal. If you leave, that income disappears. CartMango does the opposite: your recurring payments live on your payment processor, and they stay yours no matter what.

On top of that, CartMango also offers a simple checkout page and a dashboard for tracking sales. Start selling in minutes. No WordPress. No hosting. No plugins to maintain.

It’s free until 2027 with 0% platform fees. You keep your recurring payments if you leave. Support is founder-led (my average response time is 2 hours 16 minutes, no chatbots).

Quick math: SureCart Pro starts at $179/yr, and the free plan takes 1.9% of every sale. CartMango charges $0. That’s $179 back in your pocket in Year 1, before factoring in the transaction fees you’d save.

Where CartMango falls short: native connections are still limited (Make.com fills the gap for now). There is no built-in LMS yet.

Affiliate management is not live yet. And if you want extensive customization over every visual detail, CartMango is not there yet either.

Not for everyone, and that’s fine.

Not for everyone, and that’s okay.

Claim your CartMango account free →

The Other Seven Alternatives at a Glance

Easy Digital Downloads

Easy Digital Downloads is a WordPress plugin priced from $99.50 to $499.50 per year. Like SureCart, it requires a self-hosted WordPress site, so you’re still managing hosting, SSL, and updates. Some users look at it as a WooCommerce alternative that’s lighter and more focused.

The upside: EDD is one of only three platforms on this list (alongside CartMango and ThriveCart) that lets you keep your recurring payments if you leave. It handles digital product sales well, with features like software products licensing, file protection, and discount codes.

The downside: the base plan is limited. Upsell funnels need the Professional tier ($299.50/yr).

SureCart allows broader product types right out of the gate, while EDD is built mostly for digital goods. Best for WordPress users who only sell digital downloads.

Gumroad

Gumroad charges 10% plus $0.50 on every sale. No monthly fee, which sounds good at first. But at $5,000/mo in revenue, that’s $550 going to Gumroad each month.

Customer support is AI chatbots. Payouts sit in a 7-day hold, and some sellers report much longer delays. Your recurring payments disappear if you leave.

There’s no real BNPL either: Gumroad’s installment plans pay you over time instead of upfront, so you absorb the risk.

Gumroad works for a quick product launch. Long-term, the 10% cut makes it one of the most expensive options here. Best for creators selling a few products and services who want fast setup over everything else.

SendOwl

SendOwl charges $39 to $159/mo with hard revenue caps at each tier. In 2025, they raised prices by 3x to 10x, and hundreds of customers pushed back publicly.

Recurring payments are lost if you leave, even with your own Stripe or PayPal connected. Funnels are limited: 1 upsell only, and turning it on disables order bumps. No downsells.

What SendOwl does well is secure file delivery and automation for digital product distribution. If that functionality matters most and the price fits your budget, it’s worth a look.

Best for creators focused on file protection who don’t need funnels. Just know the pricing can shift, as thousands of SendOwl users found out in 2025.

Sellfy

Sellfy runs $29 to $159/mo with revenue limits at each tier. It gets your store up and running fast, with print-on-demand merch built in. Most platforms on this list don’t offer that.

The trade-offs: no upsells, no downsells, no funnels at all. Recurring payments vanish if you leave.

Third-party connections are limited (Zapier picks up the slack). SureCart also has broader customization options than Sellfy out of the box.

Best for beginners who want to sell physical and digital products from one storefront, including merch. It won’t help you streamline a post-purchase flow, but it keeps things simple.

Payhip

Payhip starts free with a 5% cut per sale. The Plus plan is $29/mo with 2%, and Pro drops to $99/mo with 0%. It comes with a built-in LMS, which is something SureCart, CartMango, and EDD all lack.

Recurring payments vanish if you leave. There are no upsells or downsells. BNPL isn’t real here either: Payhip’s installment plans pay you over time, not upfront.

Support is email only, but user reviews are generally positive. Payhip also has native connections with WordPress, Shopify, Wix, and Zapier, making it easier to embed on an existing site.

Best for creators who want to host courses and sell digital items with minimal setup. The 5% cut on the free tier adds up fast though, so watch your margins as revenue grows.

SamCart

SamCart is the most feature-packed option on this list, and the most expensive. Plans start at $79/mo and scale to $849/mo with revenue caps.

Want live support? That’s $19/mo extra.

You get a built-in LMS, affiliate program, drag-and-drop page builder, funnels, BNPL, order bumps, and a CRM. SamCart covers thousands of products and use cases. But recurring payments are lost if you leave (including Stripe fixed-term subscriptions), and you need to pay more as your revenue grows.

Like WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Shopify, SamCart tries to do everything. That’s its strength and its weakness.

If you need advanced functionality across the board and have the budget, SamCart delivers. Best for high-revenue creators who want to customize every aspect of your store.

ThriveCart

ThriveCart costs $495 upfront with no monthly fees. It’s a one-time payment, which makes it one of only three platforms (with CartMango and EDD) that lets you keep your recurring payments after leaving.

The LMS add-on is $195 extra. Affiliate management costs another $295/yr. You get funnels, order bumps, BNPL, and a big library of connections to integrate with email, webinar, and payment tools.

The problems: customer support has many negative reports (deleted feedback on their Facebook group is common), and your file downloads are not protected. Shared links still work, which means piracy risk.

thrivecart customer support review trustpilot 2

thrivecart customer support review trustpilot 1

Best for creators who prefer one upfront cost and can tolerate the support situation. If you compare SureCart vs ThriveCart, the payment gateway option and revenue ownership tilt toward ThriveCart.

Which SureCart Alternative Fits You?

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

This overview of SureCart and its eight alternatives covers every angle. SureCart is an excellent choice for WordPress users who want a lighter e-commerce plugin with solid support, but if you need to keep your recurring payments or want control and flexibility without the WordPress overhead, the comparison table and mini-reviews above lay out every payment gateway option side by side.

SureCart also offers solid features if WordPress fits your workflow. If it doesn’t, you have eight other options right out of the gate. Pick the one that matches what you sell, how you charge, and how much control you want over your revenue.