Best free platforms to sell digital products (2026)
Short version: none of these charges a monthly fee on the free plan; you pay per sale. Lemon Squeezy and Payhip take 5% (Lemon Squeezy adds 50 cents), Ko-fi takes 5% on shop sales and 0% on tips, Gumroad takes 10% plus fees, and Systeme.io adds funnels, a course and email up to $10,000 in total sales.
| Tool | What you get | Limits | Card required | The catch | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lemon Squeezy | No monthly charge for ecommerce features; merchant of record. | 5% + 50¢ per transaction | No (stated by vendor) | 5% + 50 cents per sale. | lemonsqueezy.com/pricing checked 2026-10-22 |
| Payhip | All features, unlimited products and unlimited revenue for digital downloads, courses, coaching and memberships. | 5% transaction fee | No (stated by vendor) | Each sale carries a 5% Payhip fee on Free (2% on Plus at $29/month), on top of payment processor fees. | payhip.com/pricing checked 2026-10-25 |
| Systeme.io | Run sales funnels, unlimited email sends, one online course, one blog and a custom domain for up to 2,000 contacts, with no end date. | 2,000 contacts; 3 sales funnels; 1 blog; 1 course (up to 500 students); 1 custom domain; 1 automation rule; 1 email campaign | No (stated by vendor) | The free plan stops at 2,000 contacts and 3 sales funnels, and allows only 1 automation rule and 1 email campaign (newsletters are unlimited). | systeme.io/pricing checked 2026-10-24 |
| Gumroad | No monthly fee; Gumroad acts as merchant of record and handles sales tax. | 10% + fees per sale | Vendor doesn't say | 10% + $0.50 per sale, 30% for sales via Discover. | gumroad.com/pricing checked 2026-10-21 |
| Ko-fi | Accept simple tips with no Ko-fi service fee; memberships, shop sales and commissions use the $0 Contributor option with a 5% fee. | 0% on tips; 5% service fee on memberships, shop and commissions | Vendor doesn't say | Card processing fees still apply; Ko-fi Gold ($12/month) removes the 5% fee. | ko-fi.com/gold checked 2026-10-25 |
Every row is taken from the vendor's official pricing page, checked 2026-10-21 to 2026-10-25. "Vendor doesn't say" means the official page does not mention it. Plans change, so confirm on the vendor's site.
Order: tools whose pricing page says no credit card is needed come first, then those whose page does not say, then card required; tools with unpublished limits go last, and ties are alphabetical. Affiliate status plays no part.
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FAQ
Which platform has the lowest fees for selling digital products for free?
Of these, Payhip and Lemon Squeezy charge 5% per sale (Lemon Squeezy plus 50 cents), Ko-fi 5% on shop sales and 0% on tips, and Gumroad 10% plus 50 cents. Payment processing fees can apply on top.
Does Gumroad charge a monthly fee?
No. Gumroad has no monthly fee; it charges 10% + $0.50 per sale, and 30% for sales through Discover.
Which of these handle sales tax for me?
Gumroad and Lemon Squeezy say they act as merchant of record.
Do these platforms need a credit card to start?
Lemon Squeezy, Payhip and Systeme.io say no card is needed. The Gumroad and Ko-fi pricing pages do not say either way.