Best Platforms for Selling Digital Products
Which platform is right for your online empire?
It’s 2025 (or whenever you’re reading this), and there’s no shortage of platforms promising to make your digital product sales “effortless.” In reality, each has pros, cons, and ideal use cases. Below is a breakdown of the top contenders, so you can pick the one that matches your vibe, budget, and tech skills.
1. Gumroad
What It’s Best For
Simple, no-nonsense setup for ebooks, audio files, templates, etc.
One-off purchases or memberships/subscriptions.
Why People Love It
User-friendly: You can literally go from zero to selling in under 10 minutes.
Built-In Discoverability: Gumroad has a small marketplace, so you might snag a few extra sales from organic searches.
Pay-What-You-Want Options: Great for letting customers decide their price (especially if you’re testing).
Potential Downsides
Limited customization of checkout pages. You’re somewhat locked into the Gumroad aesthetic.
Transaction fees can add up if you’re selling high volumes or high-priced products.
Who It’s For
Creators wanting a fast, easy, and relatively customizable place to drop digital products without a steep learning curve.
2. Teachable
What It’s Best For
Online courses (video lessons, quizzes, completion certificates, etc.).
Membership-style teaching platforms.
Why People Love It
All-in-One Course Builder: You can host videos, create modules, track student progress.
Built-In Payment Processing: Simple checkout flow for students.
Robust Learning Features: Quizzes, completion certificates, student feedback are all integrated.
Potential Downsides
Transaction fees if you’re on a lower plan.
Not as ideal if you only have small, one-off digital downloads without a “course” element.
Who It’s For
Anyone focusing heavily on education-based content—like multi-module courses, workshops, or ongoing training programs.
3. Podia
What It’s Best For
A versatile platform that can handle courses, digital downloads, and memberships.
Email marketing and affiliate management built-in.
Why People Love It
All-in-One Solution: You can host your digital products and manage your mailing list from one dashboard.
Zero Transaction Fees on most plans.
Memberships: If you want recurring monthly revenue from a community, Podia’s got you covered.
Potential Downsides
Less robust customization compared to a full-blown website builder.
Some advanced marketing features may feel basic if you’re used to dedicated email/CRM tools.
Who It’s For
Creators who want an integrated system—courses, downloads, memberships, email, affiliate marketing—without juggling multiple platforms.
4. Shopify (With Digital Product Apps)
What It’s Best For
Folks who want their own branded website plus eCommerce functionality.
Selling physical and digital products together.
Why People Love It
Highly Customizable: Tons of themes, apps, and integrations to make your store look unique.
Scalable: If you ever add physical merchandise or want to expand product lines, Shopify is ready.
Add-On Apps: Use apps like “Digital Downloads” or “SendOwl” to handle file delivery.
Potential Downsides
Monthly fees + any app costs can get pricey.
Learning curve for customizing your store if you’re not tech-savvy.
Who It’s For
Brands wanting a full-blown web store with digital products on the side, or folks who plan to eventually expand into physical goods or more advanced eCommerce options.
5. SendOwl
What It’s Best For
A lightweight platform specifically for delivering digital goods (ebooks, software licenses, PDFs, etc.).
Why People Love It
Easy File Delivery: Automatically sends customers a secure download link upon purchase.
Supports Subscriptions and Memberships: Not as robust as Podia, but decent for recurring payments.
Integrates with Your Existing Site: Slap a “Buy Now” button on your WordPress or static site.
Potential Downsides
Not a complete “teaching” platform, lacks course-like features.
You’ll need another tool for email marketing or website hosting.
Who It’s For
People who already have a website or blog and just need a simple, clean solution for selling and delivering files.
6. Kajabi
What It’s Best For
Premium, all-in-one platform that includes course hosting, website builder, email marketing, funnels, and more.
Why People Love It
Super Robust: It’s your entire digital business in one place—membership, landing pages, email sequences, the works.
Great Customer Experience: Clean UI, easy navigation for your students or buyers.
Funnel Building: Built-in tools for pipelines, upsells, and advanced marketing campaigns.
Potential Downsides
Pricey for beginners. Plans start higher than most competitors.
Might feel overkill if you only have one small ebook or course.
Who It’s For
Serious entrepreneurs who live in their platform—think business coaches, advanced course creators, or membership site owners who want everything under one roof.
7. WooCommerce (on WordPress)
What It’s Best For
WordPress users wanting a free(ish) eCommerce extension for digital and physical products.
Why People Love It
Highly Customizable: It’s open-source, so you can tailor it to your heart’s content.
Plugins Galore: Integrate email marketing, subscription management, affiliate programs—almost everything.
Control Over Data: You own your website; no one’s pulling the rug from under you.
Potential Downsides
Requires some tech savvy (hosting, domain, WordPress maintenance).
Adding too many plugins can slow your site or create compatibility issues.
Who It’s For
WordPress fans or those wanting complete ownership and flexibility, and who aren’t afraid of a little setup and occasional troubleshooting.
8. Etsy (Yep, for Digital Too)
What It’s Best For
Templates, printables, design elements, craft guides, etc. Even some courses in PDF format.
Why People Love It
Built-In Audience: Etsy shoppers are used to paying for creative or unique items.
SEO-Friendly: Good for discovery if you optimize your listings.
Low Barrier: Super easy listing process.
Potential Downsides
Competition can be fierce—lots of undercutting on prices.
Fees: Listing + transaction + payment fees can eat into margins.
Not ideal for large or complex digital products like multi-module courses.
Who It’s For
Creatives selling artwork, templates, or smaller digital assets who can tap into Etsy’s marketplace to find their tribe.
9. Patreon
What It’s Best For
Recurring subscription-based content—members-only blog posts, behind-the-scenes videos, early access to your creative work.
Why People Love It
Community Feel: Patrons love supporting creators they believe in.
Tiered Rewards: Offer different benefits at various price points.
Easy Setup: No advanced web skills required.
Potential Downsides
Patreon takes a percentage cut.
It’s less ideal for standalone digital product sales—Patreon is more about ongoing content and perks.
Who It’s For
Creators who pump out regular content (podcasters, artists, writers) and want consistent monthly income from a loyal fanbase.
Which One’s Right for You?
Consider:
Your Product Type: Is it a single ebook, a big multi-module course, or an ongoing membership?
Your Tech Comfort: Don’t jump into WordPress+WooCommerce if you hate tinkering with plugins.
Budget & Scalability: Will free or cheap tools suffice, or do you need a robust system like Kajabi?
Pick One and Start Selling
Don’t overthink it. If you’re itching to sell a quick PDF guide, Gumroad or Podia might be perfect. If you’re building a signature course, Teachable or Kajabi might suit you better. The key is to choose a platform that aligns with your needs now, and then iterate as your business grows.
Need a Complete Roadmap to Monetize Your Expertise?
Choosing the right platform is one piece of the puzzle; knowing what to sell and how to market it effectively is another. My Online Business Blueprint covers the entire journey:
Identify a profitable topic or niche.
Package your knowledge (as a course, ebook, membership—whatever works).
Drive traffic and convert that traffic into paying customers.
Scale so you’re not stuck hustling every single sale.
Click Here to enroll in the Online Business Blueprint and start selling digital products without the guesswork.
Great list, Levi. If you're not familiar, I personally use--and recommend--Fourthwall, which a lot of YouTubers and Twitch streamers use to do both merch and digital downloads. Memberships too. Free to join and the fees are reasonable imo. Cheers!
If you're interested: Here's a link to their site: https://fourthwall.com/