Best platform to sell digital products: what you keep on a $10, $50 and $100 sale
On a $50 sale paid by a US card, sellers keep between $42.75 (Gumroad, 10% + $0.50 plus card processing) and $48.35 (Whop, 2.7% + $0.30) across the 13 platform plans below. The gap is widest on cheap products: a $10 sale costs $0.57 on Whop and $2.09 on Gumroad. Monthly plans flip the ranking by volume — Kajabi Basic costs 39.3% of revenue at $500 a month but 5.3% at $10,000. Platforms that are a merchant of record (Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, Gumroad) cost more because they also take on sales-tax and VAT liability.
Fee per sale at $10, $50 and $100
One-time payment, US card, no optional add-ons. Sorted by the fee on a $50 sale. Monthly plan prices are shown separately because they do not depend on the sale.
| Platform & plan | How the fee is built | Fee on $10 | Fee on $50 | Fee on $100 | Monthly plan | Sales tax / VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whop No plan | 2.7% + $0.30 card processing; no platform fee | $0.57 | $1.65 | $3.00 | — | Optional: +2% managed tax |
| Stan Store Creator $29/mo | 0% platform fee + Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.59 | $1.75 | $3.20 | $29 | No |
| Payhip Pro $99/mo | 0% + Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.59 | $1.75 | $3.20 | $99 | EU/UK VAT |
| Skool Pro $99/mo | 2.9% + $0.30, processing included (sales up to $899) | $0.59 | $1.75 | $3.20 | $99 | No |
| Kajabi Basic $179/mo | Kajabi Payments 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.59 | $1.75 | $3.20 | $179 | No |
| Whop + managed tax No plan | 2.7% + $0.30 plus 2% tax service | $0.77 | $2.65 | $5.00 | — | Collects; remits in US/EU/UK |
| Payhip Plus $29/mo | 2% + Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.79 | $2.75 | $5.20 | $29 | EU/UK VAT |
| Lemon Squeezy No plan | 5% + $0.50, processing included | $1.00 | $3.00 | $5.50 | — | Yes — merchant of record |
| Paddle No plan | 5% + $0.50, processing included | $1.00 | $3.00 | $5.50 | — | Yes — merchant of record |
| Payhip Free | 5% + Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 | $1.09 | $4.25 | $8.20 | — | EU/UK VAT |
| Skool Hobby $9/mo | 10% + $0.30, processing included | $1.30 | $5.30 | $10.30 | $9 | No |
| Patreon No plan | 10% platform + 2.9% + $0.30 processing (USD standard rate) | $1.59 | $6.75 | $13.20 | — | Partial (VAT on some sales) |
| Gumroad No plan | 10% + $0.50 plus card processing (2.9% + $0.30 assumed) | $2.09 | $7.25 | $13.70 | — | Yes — merchant of record |
Where a platform charges card processing on top of its own cut (Stan Store, Payhip, Gumroad, Patreon), we use Stripe's standard US rate of 2.9% + $0.30. Skool's and Kajabi's rates already include processing. PayPal checkout costs more on every platform that offers it.
What a month costs at $500, $2,000 and $10,000 in sales
Same rates, $50 average order, monthly plan fee included. Sorted by the $2,000 column. Percentages are the share of revenue lost to platform and payment fees.
| Platform & plan | $500/mo 10 sales | $2,000/mo 40 sales | $10,000/mo 200 sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whop | $16 3.3% · keep $484 | $66 3.3% · keep $1,934 | $330 3.3% · keep $9,670 |
| Stan Store Creator | $46 9.3% · keep $454 | $99 5% · keep $1,901 | $379 3.8% · keep $9,621 |
| Whop + managed tax | $26 5.3% · keep $474 | $106 5.3% · keep $1,894 | $530 5.3% · keep $9,470 |
| Lemon Squeezy | $30 6% · keep $470 | $120 6% · keep $1,880 | $600 6% · keep $9,400 |
| Paddle | $30 6% · keep $470 | $120 6% · keep $1,880 | $600 6% · keep $9,400 |
| Payhip Plus | $56 11.3% · keep $444 | $139 7% · keep $1,861 | $579 5.8% · keep $9,421 |
| Payhip Pro | $116 23.3% · keep $384 | $169 8.5% · keep $1,831 | $449 4.5% · keep $9,551 |
| Skool Pro | $116 23.3% · keep $384 | $169 8.5% · keep $1,831 | $449 4.5% · keep $9,551 |
| Payhip Free | $42 8.5% · keep $458 | $170 8.5% · keep $1,830 | $850 8.5% · keep $9,150 |
| Skool Hobby | $62 12.4% · keep $438 | $221 11.1% · keep $1,779 | $1,069 10.7% · keep $8,931 |
| Kajabi Basic | $196 39.3% · keep $304 | $249 12.4% · keep $1,751 | $529 5.3% · keep $9,471 |
| Patreon | $68 13.5% · keep $432 | $270 13.5% · keep $1,730 | $1,350 13.5% · keep $8,650 |
| Gumroad | $72 14.5% · keep $428 | $290 14.5% · keep $1,710 | $1,450 14.5% · keep $8,550 |
Three things the tables show
1. The fixed fee decides cheap products
On a $10 template or e-book, the $0.30–$0.80 fixed part of the fee is 3–8% of the price before any percentage is applied. That is why Whop, Stan Store, Payhip Pro and Skool Pro (all $0.30 fixed) sit at roughly $0.57–$0.60 on a $10 sale, while Paddle and Lemon Squeezy ($0.50 fixed) are at $1.00 and Gumroad ($0.80 fixed in total) is at $2.09. If you sell low-priced items, compare the fixed fee first.
2. Monthly plans only pay off at volume
Stan Store ($29), Payhip Pro ($99), Skool Pro ($99) and Kajabi ($179) charge a subscription in exchange for a low per-sale rate. At $500 a month the subscription is most of what you pay; at $10,000 a month Stan Store costs 3.8% and Kajabi 5.3%, against 3.3% on Whop. Kajabi and Skool also bundle a website, email or community software that the pay-per-sale platforms do not, so the subscription is not pure overhead.
3. A merchant of record costs two to three points — and buys real work
Paddle, Lemon Squeezy and Gumroad act as the legal seller: they calculate, collect and file sales tax and VAT worldwide and carry that liability. Whop is not a merchant of record; its optional managed tax service adds 2% and collects tax (and remits it in the US, EU and UK) but leaves you as the seller. At $50 that is $2.65 on Whop with tax switched on against $3.00 on Paddle or Lemon Squeezy. If most of your buyers are outside the US, EU and UK, the merchant-of-record premium may be worth paying — our sister site migratepayments.com explains what a merchant of record does and what changes if you leave one.
Which platform fits which kind of seller
- Paid community or membership: Whop, Skool or Patreon. Whop has no monthly fee and connects to Discord; Skool bundles its own community software; Patreon is the most expensive per sale here but brings an audience used to pledging.
- Downloads — templates, presets, e-books: Whop, Payhip or Stan Store for the lowest per-sale cost; Gumroad if you want a merchant of record and accept the higher fee.
- Online courses with a website and email: Kajabi once revenue justifies $179 a month; before that, a pay-per-sale platform keeps more.
- Software, SaaS and global sales: Paddle or Lemon Squeezy, where the merchant-of-record role is the main reason to pay 5% + $0.50.
Our platform-by-platform comparisons go deeper on Gumroad, Skool, Kajabi, Patreon and Stan Store, and the Whop fee calculator covers prices from $5 to $997.
What buyers pay for a paid community: a pricing benchmark
Fees are half of the margin question; the other half is what you can charge. Our sister review sites track paid communities sold on Whop. Across 304 listings in seven categories, normalised to a 30-day price, the median was $95, with the middle half between $46 and $129. Higher prices were not linked to better buyer ratings (rank correlation +0.06), so price is a positioning choice rather than a quality signal buyers reward. Two community types sit well below that median:
| Community type (sister site) | Listings | Median price / 30 days | Middle 50% | Median rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reselling groups (collectible cards, sneakers, retail, tickets) resellerdiscords.com | 51 | $34.64 | $21–$72 | 4.91 |
| E-commerce tools and store-building communities ecomdiscords.com | 22 | $75.11 | $30–$111 | 4.95 |
Method: public Whop listings captured in September and October 2026; weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly prices converted to a 30-day equivalent in the listed currency; one-time and free products excluded. The reselling figures, method and buyer checklist are on resellerdiscords.com.
Moving from another platform
If the tables show you are overpaying, the switching cost matters more than the rate. migratepayments.com has step-by-step guides for leaving Gumroad, Kajabi, Skool and Patreon without losing subscribers, and a migration checklist.
Assumptions
- US card, one-time payment, no refunds or disputes. International cards add 1–1.5% on most platforms; currency conversion adds 1–2.5%.
- Optional add-ons are off: Whop billing (0.5%), orchestration (0.8%) and affiliate processing (1.25%); Stripe Billing and Tax; fraud tooling of a few cents per order.
- Patreon: the 10% platform fee for new creators plus the standard USD processing rate; smaller payments use a different micropayment rate.
- Gumroad: direct sales only. Sales through Gumroad's Discover marketplace cost 30%.
- Skool Pro: the 2.9% + $0.30 rate applies to sales up to $899; above that a 1% platform fee is added.
- Payout fees are excluded; standard payouts are free on Whop and on most platforms here.
- Prices change. The pricing page at the moment you sign up is the one that applies.
Check the numbers on your own product
Whop shows the fee on a test order before you go live. No monthly fee; you pay 2.7% + $0.30 only when you sell.
Start selling on WhopFree · no monthly fee · 2.7% + $0.30 per salePartner link · free to start · no monthly fee
Frequently asked questions
What is the best platform to sell digital products?
It depends on price and volume. On published rates for a US card sale, Whop has the lowest fee per sale of the 13 plans we compared ($1.65 on $50) with no monthly fee. Stan Store and Payhip Pro match it per sale but charge $29 and $99 a month. If you need a merchant of record to handle global tax, Paddle and Lemon Squeezy charge 5% + $0.50.
Which platform takes the smallest cut on a $10 product?
Whop at $0.57 (2.7% + $0.30). Platforms with a $0.50 fixed fee charge about $1.00 and Gumroad about $2.09 once card processing is added.
Does Gumroad's 10% + $0.50 include card processing?
No. Gumroad's help centre says the 10% + $0.50 fee does not include credit card processing or PayPal fees. Gumroad does act as merchant of record and handles sales tax.
Is Whop cheaper than Stan Store?
Per sale they are close (2.7% + $0.30 against Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30), but Stan Store also charges $29 a month. At $2,000 a month in $50 sales that is about $99 in costs on Stan Store against $66 on Whop.
Which platforms handle sales tax and VAT for me?
Paddle, Lemon Squeezy and Gumroad are merchants of record and handle tax worldwide. Payhip collects and remits EU and UK VAT. Whop offers an optional 2% managed tax service that collects tax and remits it in the US, EU and UK, but you remain the seller.
How much should I charge for a paid community?
Across 304 paid communities on Whop the median price was $95 per 30 days, with the middle half between $46 and $129. Reselling groups were cheaper (median about $35) and e-commerce communities about $75. Price was not linked to buyer ratings.
Written by Karel Moreau, editor of Digital Seller Guide. Fees and policies re-checked against the providers' published pricing pages on 05 October 2026. Spotted a change? karel.moreau@digitalsellerguide.com.