Fees and take-home
Platform Take-Home Calculator
Compare baseline platform fees across creator platforms. The Gumroad row uses standard Direct pricing, excludes processing and high-volume discounts, and is not a qualified seller's mixed-rate monthly payout. Use the dedicated Gumroad calculator for that scenario.
Formula
- Gross revenue = Product price * Monthly sales
- Estimated platform fees = Percentage fees + Fixed payment fees on positive-price sales + Monthly platform fees + Applicable Etsy listing costs
- Etsy listing total = (Etsy active listings + Monthly sales) * $0.20 (this models Etsy's $0.20 listing fee plus the automatic renewal on sale)
- Net take-home = Gross revenue - Estimated platform fees - Product costs - Other fixed monthly costs
- Effective fee rate = Estimated platform fees / Gross revenue * 100
Examples
- At low sales volume, a free plan can beat a monthly paid plan even if its percentage fee is higher.
- At higher sales volume, Payhip Plus or Pro can become more attractive because the monthly fee replaces part of the percentage fee.
- Fixed per-sale fees matter most on low-ticket products.
When to use this calculator
- Compare platforms before launching a digital product.
- Check whether a paid plan is worth it at your sales volume.
- Estimate how much revenue is lost to platform fees.
Common mistakes
- Comparing only percentage fees and ignoring fixed fees.
- Forgetting that payment processing may be separate on some platforms.
- Choosing the highest take-home option without considering audience discovery, tax handling, or workflow.
Platform comparison
| Platform | Estimated fees | Net take-home | Effective fee | Assumption |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gumroad direct | $340.00 | $2,560.00 | 11.7% | 10% + $0.50 |
| Payhip Free | $145.00 | $2,755.00 | 5% | 5%, processor not included |
| Payhip Plus | $87.00 | $2,813.00 | 3% | 2% + $29/mo, processor not included |
| Payhip Pro | $99.00 | $2,801.00 | 3.4% | $99/mo, processor not included |
| Lemon Squeezy | $195.00 | $2,705.00 | 6.7% | 5% + $0.50 |
| Ko-fi Shop | $145.00 | $2,755.00 | 5% | 5%, processor not included |
| Etsy US digital | $320.70 | $2,579.30 | 11.1% | $0.20 listing + auto-renew, 6.5% + 3% + $0.25 |
Frequently asked questions
Which platform pays creators the most per sale?
It depends on price and sales volume. Payhip and Ko-fi can have lower direct platform fees, Gumroad is simpler but often higher at 10%, Etsy adds marketplace and payment fees, and Lemon Squeezy charges more than direct Stripe but includes merchant-of-record tax handling. The best option depends on margin, discovery, and compliance needs.
What's the difference between a platform fee and merchant of record?
A regular platform charges a fee and forwards the rest, while you remain responsible for sales tax, VAT, reporting, and compliance. A merchant of record sells the product to the buyer on your behalf and handles many tax obligations. The fee is usually higher, but the compliance burden is lower.
Is Gumroad still 10%?
The standard Direct platform fee is 10% + $0.50, with payment processing separate. Eligible later Direct sales after the monthly paid-sales threshold can use 5% + $0.50. This comparison keeps the standard rate; it does not calculate monthly qualification or mixed-rate payouts. Use the dedicated Gumroad calculator for a qualified batch.
Should I use Etsy for digital downloads?
Use Etsy if you want built-in discovery, search traffic, and a buyer base for templates, planners, printables, or similar downloads. Skip it if your main goal is maximum margin. Etsy's listing, transaction, payment processing, and possible advertising fees can stack quickly.
Does Ko-fi really charge 0%?
Ko-fi has promoted options with no platform fee for some basic support flows, while shop and membership features can have different plan or service-fee rules. Payment processors such as Stripe or PayPal may still charge fees. Check Ko-fi's current pricing and help pages before comparing it to all-in platforms.
Which platform is best for high-priced digital products?
At $100 or more, the difference between a 10% platform and a 5% platform becomes meaningful. For a $500 product, a five-point fee difference is $25 per sale. Merchant-of-record platforms may still be worth it if tax handling, VAT receipts, subscriptions, or EU and UK compliance matter.
Can I sell on multiple platforms at once?
Yes, and many creators do. A common setup is one main store, one marketplace for discovery, and a separate merchant-of-record checkout for customers who need tax handling. Track sales by platform so you know whether the extra operational complexity is actually paying off.
Do these fees include payment processing?
It varies by platform. Some rows are closer to all-in estimates, while others list platform fees and exclude separate PayPal or Stripe processing. Always compare platform fees, payment processing, fixed per-sale fees, monthly plan fees, refunds, chargebacks, and tax-handling costs together.
Related calculators
Sources and assumptions
Gumroad pricingPayhip pricingLemon Squeezy pricingLemon Squeezy fee detailsKo-fi fee helpEtsy feesEtsy listing fees help
- Gumroad row uses standard Direct platform fees only (10% + $0.50), not separate payment processing or high-volume discounts. Eligible later direct sales after the monthly paid-sales threshold can use a lower rate; use the Gumroad Fees Calculator and separate batches for that case. Discover is not included.
- At zero price, no sale-payment fees are estimated. Payhip paid-plan monthly fees, product costs and other monthly costs remain. Etsy active-listing and per-sale renewal inputs still incur listing costs; only its payment-processing fixed fee is skipped. Zero price is a cost-only scenario, not a claim that every platform accepts free orders. Fee percentages are N/A when gross revenue is zero.
- Payhip Free: 5% Payhip transaction fee. PayPal and Stripe processing fees are not included.
- Payhip Plus: 2% Payhip transaction fee + $29/month. PayPal and Stripe processing fees are not included.
- Payhip Pro: $99/month and no Payhip transaction fee. PayPal and Stripe processing fees are not included.
- Lemon Squeezy ecommerce: 5% + $0.50 per transaction, assuming no sales tax or VAT in the product price. This row is not a tax-inclusive payout estimate. Use the dedicated Lemon Squeezy calculator to enter order total and the tax it includes. International, PayPal, subscription, payout, and marketing fees may add costs.
- Ko-fi Shop: 5% Ko-fi service fee. PayPal and Stripe processing fees normally apply separately.
- Etsy US digital default: $0.20 listing fee per Etsy active listing AND per sale (auto-renew on sale), 6.5% transaction fee, 3% + $0.25 payment processing. Offsite Ads and currency conversion are not included. Adjust the Etsy active listings field to match your shop. For Offsite Ads scenarios, use the Etsy Fee Calculator.
Rates checked:
Free creator pricing cheat sheet
Get a simple take-home pricing checklist.
Digital product pricing, platform fees, and take-home revenue in one quick reference.
Request the checklist by email
This opens a prefilled email draft to [email protected]. No email is saved on this page.
Last updated:
This is an estimate. Platform fees may vary by country, payment method, tax handling, currency conversion, refunds, chargebacks, subscriptions, marketplace discovery, and optional platform features. Payhip and Ko-fi rows show listed platform fees and do not fully model separate PayPal or Stripe processing fees. Lemon Squeezy may add extra fees for international, PayPal, or subscription payments. The Etsy row models the $0.20 listing fee for both active listings and Etsy's automatic renewal on sale, but does not model Offsite Ads; for Offsite Ads scenarios use the Etsy Fee Calculator.