Payhip
Sell digital downloads, courses, coaching and more from one simple platform
AI-Powered Summary
Payhip is a creator-focused e-commerce platform that lets users sell digital downloads, online courses, coaching, memberships, and physical products through a hosted storefront or embeddable widgets. It offers all features on every plan including the free tier, differentiating plans solely by transaction fee percentage. With over 130,000 sellers, it targets independent creators such as authors, designers, musicians, and educators.
Key Features
What makes Payhip stand out
Digital Product Sales
Sell any file format as a digital download with secure, expiring download links.
Online Courses
Create and sell online courses directly from your storefront.
Coaching Sessions
Offer and sell coaching services to your audience.
Memberships & Subscriptions
Sell recurring memberships and subscription-based access to content.
Hosted Storefront
Get a ready-made online store or embed checkout on your existing website.
Customizable Checkout
Customize your checkout page to match your brand and increase conversions.
Physical Product Sales
Sell physical products alongside digital goods from one platform.
Secure File Delivery
Files are protected with expiring download links that prevent unauthorized sharing.
What's Great
- All features available on the free plan with no feature-gating
- Supports diverse product types: digital downloads, courses, coaching, memberships, physical products
- No credit card required to start; completely free tier available
- Supports all file formats for digital product delivery
- Secure file delivery with expiring download links
Pricing Plans
All Payhip pricing tiers and features
Transaction fees decrease on higher plans. PayPal/Stripe fees apply separately on all plans.
Free Forever
Plus
Pro
Real Cost Breakdown
Hidden Costs
- 5% Payhip transaction fee on the free plan (on top of PayPal/Stripe processing fees)
- PayPal/Stripe standard processing fees apply on all plans (typically 2.9% + $0.30)
- At $2,000/month in sales on the free plan, you'd pay ~$100 in Payhip fees alone
Cost Saving Tips
- If you sell more than ~$580/month, the Plus plan ($29/mo + 2% fee) becomes cheaper than the free plan's 5% fee
- If you sell more than ~$3,500/month, the Pro plan ($99/mo + 0% fee) becomes the most economical option
The free plan is genuinely useful for beginners, but the 5% transaction fee adds up quickly — upgrading to Plus or Pro is cost-effective once monthly sales exceed a few hundred dollars.
Price Comparison
Compare Payhip with similar tools
Best For
Independent creators selling digital products, courses, and memberships online
Who Should NOT Use This
- Large e-commerce businesses with complex inventory needs — Payhip is designed for individual creators, not for managing large product catalogs, warehousing, or complex shipping logistics.
- Sellers needing diverse payment gateway options beyond PayPal and Stripe — Payhip only supports PayPal and Stripe, which may not cover all regions or customer preferences.
- High-volume sellers who want zero platform fees without a monthly subscription — The free plan charges 5% per transaction, and eliminating the fee requires the $99/month Pro plan, which may not make sense at lower volumes.
- Teams needing advanced marketing automation or CRM features — Payhip is focused on selling and delivery rather than full marketing suites; you'd need separate tools for advanced email marketing or customer segmentation.
Competitive Position
All features are available on every plan including the free tier, with pricing differentiated solely by transaction fee percentage.
When to Choose Payhip
- You want to start selling digital products for free with no upfront costs
- You need to sell a mix of digital products, courses, coaching, and memberships from one platform
- You want all features available regardless of pricing tier
- You prefer a simple, straightforward platform without overwhelming options
When to Look Elsewhere
- You need advanced storefront customization and complex e-commerce features (choose Shopify)
- You need built-in email marketing and advanced analytics (choose ConvertKit or Kajabi)
- You want a marketplace with built-in discovery and audience (choose Etsy or Amazon)
- You need payment options beyond PayPal and Stripe
Strongest alternative: Gumroad
Learning Curve
Prerequisites
Common Challenges
- Setting up PayPal or Stripe account integration
- Deciding between hosted storefront vs. embedding on an existing site
- Understanding how transaction fees compare across plans to optimize costs
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Payhip
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See how Payhip stacks up against alternatives
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