Gumroad vs Whop
Entry paid: Gumroad $0 · Whop $0. Free forever: Gumroad yes · Whop yes.
At a glance
| Feature | Gumroad | Whop |
|---|---|---|
| Entry monthly | $0 | $0 |
| Entry annual /mo | $0 | $0 |
| Entry plan | Direct sales | Standard |
| Seats model | n/a | n/a |
| Forever free | Yes | Yes |
| Trial | Not listed | Not listed |
| Platform fees | 10% + $0.50 per direct sale (plus sales tax); card processing 2.9% + $0.30 and PayPal fees are extra. Discover marketplace sales: flat 30% including processing. Direct sales drop to 5% + $0.50 after $20,000 in paid sales in a calendar month. | Domestic cards 2.7% + $0.30; international +1.5%; FX +1%. ACH 1.5% (max $5). Optional add-ons can raise effective rate (confirm docs). Marketplace/affiliate commissions may apply when using Discover-like distribution — seller-set, Not listed as a single fixed Whop take beyond payments. |
| Processor | Gumroad (Merchant of Record since 2025-01-01) | Whop payments |
| Category | course-platform | course-platform |
Gumroad vs Whop fees: what you keep per sale
Our arithmetic on each platform's published per-sale rates for one card sale. Gumroad direct = sale − (10% + $0.50) − card processing (2.9% + $0.30). Whop = sale − 2.7% + $0.30 for a domestic card; international cards add 1.5% (and 1% more if currency conversion applies). Whop's optional billing (0.5%) and tax (2%) features and its payout fees are excluded; Gumroad also handles sales tax as Merchant of Record.
| Sale price | Gumroad direct | Gumroad Discover (30%) | Whop, domestic card | Whop, international card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5.00 | $3.56 | $3.50 | $4.57 | $4.49 |
| $10.00 | $7.91 | $7.00 | $9.43 | $9.28 |
| $25.00 | $20.98 | $17.50 | $24.03 | $23.65 |
| $50.00 | $42.75 | $35.00 | $48.35 | $47.60 |
| $100.00 | $86.30 | $70.00 | $97.00 | $95.50 |
All plans
Gumroad
| Plan | Mo | Yr/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Direct sales | $0 | $0 |
| Discover marketplace | $0 | $0 |
Whop
| Plan | Mo | Yr/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $0 | $0 |
| Custom | — | — |
Gotchas
Gumroad
- Discover's 30% is steep vs owning your traffic.
- The 10% + $0.50 excludes card processing (2.9% + $0.30), so a $10 direct sale nets about $7.91.
- MoR tax handling is a feature, not free money; it's baked into the model.
Whop
- Payment fee is the product — compare to Stripe alone plus a course host.
- Marketplace affiliate defaults can dwarf processing if you rely on Whop traffic.
FAQ
Is Whop cheaper than Gumroad?
On per-sale fees, yes for direct sales: Whop lists 2.7% + $0.30 for domestic cards, while Gumroad charges 10% + $0.50 plus 2.9% + $0.30 processing. On a $25 card sale that is about $24.03 kept on Whop vs $20.98 on Gumroad by our arithmetic. Whop charges separately for payouts and optional add-ons such as billing and tax.
Do Gumroad or Whop charge a monthly fee?
Neither lists a monthly fee on standard pricing. Gumroad says there are no monthly charges; Whop's standard pricing has no setup or monthly costs and charges per successful transaction.
Which handles sales tax, Gumroad or Whop?
Gumroad acts as Merchant of Record and collects and remits sales tax worldwide. Whop offers tax calculation, collection and compliance as an optional feature at 2% per transaction when enabled and tax is collected.
How much is Gumroad vs Whop?
Gumroad entry plan starts around $0/mo (best available monthly or annual-equivalent); Whop around $0/mo. Platform transaction fees often dominate — use the calculator on the courses hub.
Does Gumroad or Whop have a free plan?
Gumroad: yes — forever-free / $0 SaaS available. Whop: yes — forever-free / $0 SaaS available. Trials: Gumroad Not listed days · Whop Not listed days.
Do platform transaction fees matter more than the subscription?
Often yes. A $39/mo Starter with 7.5% platform fees on $100k/year of course sales costs far more in fees than software. We show published fee text when vendors list it; otherwise Not listed.