The platform question comes up constantly. Everyone has a hot take. Here's a practical breakdown based on actual selling experience.
Gumroad
Best for: First-timers and creators who want zero friction.
Gumroad is still the easiest way to get a product live. Create an account, upload your file, write your description, publish. That's it.
Fees: 10% + payment processing (Gumroad takes a flat 10% on free accounts; paid plans reduce this to lower percentages).
The catch: Discovery is limited. Gumroad's marketplace is small. You need to drive your own traffic.
Lemon Squeezy
Best for: Creators who want a proper storefront and handle tax compliance automatically.
Lemon Squeezy acts as the "merchant of record" — meaning they handle VAT, sales tax, and compliance for you. If you're selling internationally, this is a huge deal. The UI is clean and modern.
Fees: 5% + $0.50 per transaction on the free plan.
Payhip
Best for: Highest margins for simple digital downloads.
Payhip has one of the most generous free tier setups: 5% transaction fee, no monthly cost, unlimited products. For a new creator who wants to test before committing, it's hard to beat.
Stan Store
Best for: Creators who drive traffic from TikTok or Instagram.
Stan is purpose-built for social creators — it's a link-in-bio tool that also handles digital product sales. If your audience lives on short-form video, this is worth considering.
My recommendation
If you're just starting: Gumroad for simplicity or Payhip for lower fees.
Once you're doing consistent volume: Lemon Squeezy for the tax automation and professional feel.
The platform matters less than getting your first product live. Don't overthink it.