10 Best Etsy alternative for selling digital products (No upfront fees)

Best Etsy alternative for selling digital products

Gumroad

Gumroad is known for its user-friendly interface. Setting up your store and listing digital products is straightforward, making it a great Etsy alternative for both beginners and experienced sellers.

The good thing I like about Gumroad is that it doesn't charge any upfront fees. They earn a percentage fee per transaction (5% + $0.25 per sale), but you can set the price of your digital products to include this fee.

pros of using Gumroad

• Ease of Use: Gumroad is known for its user-friendly interface. Setting up your store and listing digital products is straightforward, making it a great option for both beginners and experienced sellers.
• No Upfront Costs: Gumroad does not charge any upfront fees for listing your digital products. This can be advantageous for those looking to sell products without initial financial commitments.
• Transaction Fees: Gumroad charges a transaction fee of 5% + $0.25 per sale. While this fee is relatively low, it's essential to consider it when pricing your digital products.
• Customization: Gumroad offers some basic customization options for your product pages, allowing you to add your branding, images, and descriptions. However, the level of customization is not as extensive as having your standalone website.
• Digital Product Hosting: Gumroad hosts your digital products, which means you don't have to worry about the technical aspects of delivery. It provides secure download links to your customers.
• Payment Options: Gumroad accepts major credit cards and PayPal for payments. This broadens your potential customer base.
• Marketing Tools: Gumroad provides features for email marketing, including the ability to create and send newsletters to your customers. This can be useful for building a customer base and keeping them informed about your products.
• Analytics: You can access basic sales analytics on Gumroad, such as the number of sales and earnings. While these are helpful, they may not be as detailed as some other analytics tools.
• Customer Support: Gumroad offers customer support through email. Some users have reported mixed experiences with support, with some finding it responsive and others wanting more assistance.
• Security: Gumroad takes security seriously and ensures that your digital products are delivered securely to customers.
• Integration: Gumroad can be integrated into your existing website or blog, making it a versatile option for selling digital products alongside your content.
• Mobile Accessibility: Gumroad provides a mobile app, making it easy to manage your shop and engage with customers on the go.

Sellfy

While Sellfy does offer paid plans, they have a free plan that allows you to sell digital products with no listing fees. which makes it a great alternative to Etsy However, the free plan has limitations on the number of products you can list.

On the free plan, Sellfy takes a transaction fee of 2% on each sale. The paid plans, which come with additional features and customization options, have lower or no transaction fees.

Payhip

Payhip is known for its user-friendly and straightforward platform. Setting up your digital product store and listing your items is easy, making it an excellent choice for both beginners and experienced sellers.

Payhip offers a free plan with no upfront costs, allowing you to start selling digital products without any financial commitments. The free plan, however, comes with certain limitations, such as a cap on the number of products you can list.

E-junkie

Another Etsy alternative is e-junkie From offering digital downloads like comics, ebooks, art, music, videos, and software to providing codes for games, tickets, and gift cards, as well as handling tangible items that require shipping cost calculations—you can sell it all with E-junkie! Set a fixed price, use a "pay what you want" pricing model, or even accept donations. E-junkie caters to all your selling needs.

Pulley App

Another excellent alternative to Etsy is Pulley. What distinguishes this platform is its approach to fees; unlike other services, Pulley refrains from taking a percentage of each sale. The standard PayPal fees are still applicable.

However, you'll only receive a prompt to upgrade your storage if you surpass the storage limit, and this would incur additional charges.

convertkit

ConvertKit is an email marketing and automation platform designed primarily for content creators, bloggers, and small businesses. It was founded by Nathan Barry in 2013 and has gained popularity for its user-friendly features and tools tailored to the needs of creators and online entrepreneurs.

convert kit also has the option to sell your digital product the best thing about Convertkit when it comes to selling your digital product you can get started for free. but the problem with Convertkit it doesn't promote your product through recommendations compared to another platform so you need an audience specifically email subscribers.

Ko-fi

Ko-fi.com is a platform that provides a way for content creators, artists, and individuals to receive support and financial contributions from their fans, followers, or supporters. The name "Ko-fi" is a play on the word "coffee," suggesting that supporters can buy a creator a virtual coffee to show their appreciation.

with Ko-fi shop you can sell your digital products, with no platform fees Ko-fi does not charge platform fees on the money received by creators, meaning creators can keep more of the support they receive.

Theleap

Another excellent option worth exploring is "theleap." This platform not only provides fantastic support but also offers a unique AI-powered feature. If you're unsure about what digital product to sell, theleap has an AI-driven system that guides you through a series of questions, ultimately suggesting the best digital product tailored to your specific audience.

Patreon

Patreon is a membership platform that allows artists, content creators, and other creative individuals to earn income by offering exclusive content and experiences to their fans and supporters. 

since Patreon involves Community Building they also offer e-commerce section where you can sell your digital products to subscribers only.

sendowl

SendOwl is a digital product delivery service that can seamlessly integrate with your website or e-commerce platform, making it an excellent alternative to Etsy. It's particularly well-suited for individuals who have already built an audience, whether through SEO, direct traffic, or email marketing. With SendOwl, you can effortlessly embed your products on your site and offer them for sale to your established audience.

conclusion

It's important to note that while Etsy has its disadvantages, it also has many benefits, such as a large built-in audience and a user-friendly platform. Many sellers have found success on Etsy despite these drawbacks, but it's essential to be aware of the challenges and consider other platforms or strategies that may better suit your business goals and needs.