Introduction

People are already earning thousands every month from selling digital products online. It’s one of the easiest forms of passive income you can start on the internet, but with so many platforms out there, it’s hard to know which one is right for you. In this article, I’m going to break down the best platforms to sell your digital products online so you can pick the right one for your situation.

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5 Platforms to Consider

There are a lot of platforms out there, and it can get overwhelming trying to figure out which one fits you best. So in this article, we’re focusing on five of the most common and widely used platforms for selling digital products online: Etsy, Gumroad, PayHip, Ko-fi, and Raket PH.

For each platform, I’ll break down what it is, what products sell best there, any fees or cuts you should expect, who the main buyers are, and my personal experience if I’ve used the platform myself, or experiences shared by other sellers online.

Etsy: Sell AI-Generated Art and More

Etsy is a global marketplace where you can sell creative goods and digital products.

You can also sell AI-generated art here, but there are guidelines you need to follow so your listing doesn’t get taken down. On the digital products side, popular categories include templates, planners, printables, and digital art.

Fees

Etsy charges a listing fee of 20 cents per product, which lasts for four months, plus payment processing fees. If you’re withdrawing your earnings via PayPal, for example, PayPal’s transaction fee would also apply.

Buyer Base

Most of Etsy’s buyer base comes from the United States and Europe. Buyers here are typically shopping for gifts for loved ones, so gifting and creative items tend to do well.

Personal Experience

I’ve tried selling on Etsy before and I’m pretty satisfied with it. I found it easy to navigate, open a shop, and list a product, and I was able to get a sale within a short amount of time. Other sellers online have shared similar wins. One seller said they sold over 2,000 digital products on Etsy since starting two years ago.

That said, others have pointed out that competition on Etsy is high, since selling digital products is already a saturated space. It’s worth finding a product that isn’t too saturated yet but still has solid demand. Competition exists everywhere, so it really comes down to the product you choose to sell.

How You Get Paid

Etsy uses its own payment system called Etsy Payments. You can get paid via bank transfer, PayPal, or Etsy gift cards.

Gumroad: No Upfront Fees

Gumroad is another platform for selling digital products, but it leans more toward PDFs, ebooks, courses, and presets. What you can sell here includes digital guides, ebooks, courses, and memberships.

Fees

Unlike Etsy, Gumroad lets you list products for free, but they take 10 to 30% of your earnings per sale, plus 50 cents. Personally, I think that cut is on the higher side.

Ease of Use

One seller mentioned that Gumroad is very easy to use, with not much setup needed to get started. Another pointed out that you have to drive your own traffic when using Gumroad, so you’ll need to market your products yourself, often through social media, so buyers can find you.

How to Get Paid

Gumroad offers two payout options: PayPal, which is common among international sellers, and direct bank transfer via Stripe Connect, which is only available in supported countries, so it’s worth checking if yours qualifies. Payouts happen weekly, every Friday. If you’re a new seller, though, it might take a while to receive your first payout because of Gumroad’s reserve period.

PayHip: All-in-One Platform

PayHip works like an all-in-one platform for downloads, coaching, and memberships. You can sell ebooks, templates, subscriptions, and coaching sessions.

Fees

Unlike Etsy and Gumroad, PayHip has three plans, and your cut depends on which one you choose: a free plan, a $29 plan, and a $99 plan. On the free plan, meaning no monthly subscription fee, they take a 5% cut on every sale.

Buyer Base

Buyers on PayHip are mostly interested in coaching sessions, business downloads, and memberships, so it’s a solid fit if you’re a coach. One seller described it as very beginner-friendly, with a 5% cut per item and no minimum payout. Compared to Gumroad’s 10 to 30% cut and Etsy’s fees, that 5% on the free plan isn’t bad at all, which is why a lot of new sellers looking to save on listing fees and per-sale cuts end up here. You can also request a payout instantly, with no minimum balance required.

Ko-fi: Creator-First Platform

Ko-fi is a creator-first platform. It wasn’t originally built as a place to sell digital products, it started as a donations platform. Here’s what you can sell on Ko-fi: small digital files, memberships, and exclusive content.

Fees

Ko-fi collects fees the same way PayHip does, through subscription plans. There’s a free plan, where Ko-fi takes 5% of each sale, and Ko-fi Gold, which costs $6 per month and takes no cut from your sales at all.

Buyer Base

Buyers on Ko-fi are usually fans and community members. If you’re a content creator with subscribers or followers, that’s the kind of buyer base you’ll see here.

How to Get Paid

You can collect your earnings on Ko-fi via PayPal or Stripe, depending on your country. Like PayHip, Ko-fi also offers instant payouts and doesn’t hold your earnings.

Raket PH: Local Philippine Marketplace

Raket PH is a Filipino marketplace for selling services and digital products. You can sell templates, ebooks, designs, and even services like virtual assistant work.

Fees

Raket PH charges a listing fee of 50 pesos for every five products you list. On top of that, they take a 10% cut when a product sells.

Reported Experiences

I haven’t explored the platform much myself, but others have reported some issues, mainly delays in payments and long withdrawal and clearing times, with some sales taking over a month to pay out. On the positive side, one seller said they made four sales without doing any marketing for their products at all.

How to Get Paid

You can get paid through local channels like bank transfer (BPI, BDO, Metrobank, and others) or through e-wallets like GCash and Maya.

Which Platform Should You Choose?

If you’re an absolute beginner, Gumroad is a solid starting point since it’s free and easy to set up, so you can start selling right away even without a budget for listing fees. If your products lean toward creative printables or templates, Etsy is probably your best bet, just keep in mind you’ll need a small budget upfront for listing fees. And If you’re a Filipino seller, Raket PH is worth trying, and Gumroad works well too. And if your audience is mostly in the US, UK, or Europe, Gumroad is again a strong choice since it’s free, easy to set up, and built for a global buyer base.