Gumroad vs PengDrop: Save £2,400/Year in Platform Fees
If you're selling digital products on Gumroad, you're losing 10% of every sale to platform fees. Here's how much that's actually costing you—and how PengDrop's 0% fee model can save you thousands.
The Real Cost of Gumroad's 10% Platform Fee
Gumroad charges a 10% platform fee on every sale. While this might seem reasonable at first, let's break down what this actually costs you as a creator:
Annual Cost of Gumroad Fees
- £1,000/month revenue:£100/month = £1,200/year lost
- £2,000/month revenue:£200/month = £2,400/year lost
- £5,000/month revenue:£500/month = £6,000/year lost
- £10,000/month revenue:£1,000/month = £12,000/year lost
That's money that could go toward marketing, product development, or simply into your pocket. And it adds up fast.
Side-by-Side Platform Comparison
| Feature | PengDrop | Gumroad |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Fee | 0% | 10% |
| Monthly Subscription | $20/month | Free (but 10% per sale) |
| Break-even Point | $200/month in sales | N/A |
| Payment Processing | ~3% (Stripe) | ~3% (Stripe/PayPal) |
| Custom Domain | ||
| Unlimited Products | ||
| Analytics Dashboard | ||
| Email Marketing | ||
| Membership/Subscriptions |
When Does PengDrop Make Sense?
The math is simple: if you're making more than $200/month in revenue, PengDrop saves you money compared to Gumroad.
Monthly Savings Calculator
- At £500/month revenue:Save £30/month (£360/year)
- At £1,000/month revenue:Save £80/month (£960/year)
- At £2,000/month revenue:Save £180/month (£2,160/year)
- At £5,000/month revenue:Save £480/month (£5,760/year)
What You Lose by Switching
To be fair, Gumroad does offer some features that PengDrop doesn't currently have:
- Email marketing tools: Gumroad has built-in email marketing. With PengDrop, you'll need to use a separate tool like Mailchimp or ConvertKit.
- Memberships & subscriptions: Gumroad supports recurring payments and memberships. PengDrop currently focuses on one-time digital product sales.
- Discover page: Gumroad has a marketplace where customers can find new products. PengDrop focuses on direct traffic to your store.
What You Gain by Switching
- Save thousands per year: Keep 100% of your revenue (minus standard payment processing)
- Predictable costs: $20/month flat fee means no surprise charges as you scale
- Direct Stripe integration: Money goes straight to your account—we never hold your funds
- Easy migration: Import your Gumroad products via CSV in minutes
How to Migrate from Gumroad to PengDrop
Switching platforms is easier than you think. Here's the process:
- Export from Gumroad: Download your products as a CSV file from Gumroad's dashboard
- Start your PengDrop trial: Sign up for a 14-day free trial—no credit card required
- Import your products: Upload the CSV file to PengDrop (takes less than 1 minute)
- Connect Stripe: Link your Stripe account for payments
- Customize your store: Add your branding, colors, and logo
- Test and launch: Make a test purchase, then share your new store URL
Most creators complete the entire migration in under 30 minutes.
The Bottom Line: Should You Switch?
Switch to PengDrop if:
- You're making more than $200/month in sales
- You sell one-time digital products (ebooks, courses, templates, etc.)
- You want predictable, transparent pricing
- You're tired of watching 10% of every sale disappear
Stay with Gumroad if:
- You're making less than $200/month (the 10% fee might be cheaper)
- You need built-in email marketing and can't use a separate tool
- You rely heavily on Gumroad's discover page for sales
- You offer memberships or recurring subscriptions