Beacons vs Gumroad: Which Is Better For You?

Compare Beacons, Gumroad, and more to find the best platform for selling digital products, courses, memberships, and more.

All-in-one platform

Everything you need to start, scale and manage your business.

Digital downloads

Sell any type of digital download such as ebooks, software, design assets, templates, video, music and more. If you can save it, you can sell it.

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Online courses

Create online courses with rich features such as videos, digital files, quizzes and assignments. Publish drip courses and provide completion certificates.

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Coaching

Sell your expertise through 1:1 coaching sessions. Easily set up online meetings with clients using integrations with Zoom, Calendly and more.

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Memberships

Allow your customers to pay you on a recurring basis to access your digital downloads or membership group. Manage your members easily.

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Physical products

Sell and manage inventory for any physical products. Manage your store, fulfill orders, run promotions and more.

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Crystal Bonnet Chef & author, Crystal Dawn Culinary
Creates raw food cookbooks & courses Crystal Bonnet
We automatically handle sales taxes and VAT on your behalf — Learn more

Beacons vs Gumroad vs Payhip

Compare features on Beacons, Gumroad, and Payhip

Payhip Beacons Gumroad
Pricing
Lowest Pricing Plan Forever-free with 5% fees Free with 9% seller fees 10% + $0.50 transaction fee
Unlimited Revenue Yes Yes Yes
Unlimited Products Yes Yes Yes
Products You Can Sell
Digital Downloads Yes Yes Yes
Online Courses Yes Yes Yes
Coaching Services Yes Yes No
Memberships & Subscriptions Yes Yes Yes
Physical Products Yes Yes No
Storefront
Free Fully-hosted Storefront Yes Yes Yes
Fully Customizable Store Builder Yes Yes No
Website Themes Yes Yes No
Blog CMS Yes No No
Custom Domain Yes Yes Yes
Easy Embed To Any Ecommerce Sites Yes Yes Yes
Link-in-bio Yes Yes Yes
Payments
Instant Payouts Yes Yes
Multiple Currencies Yes Yes Yes
Automated Tax Handling Yes No Yes
Marketing Tools
Affiliate Marketing Yes Yes Yes
Email Marketing Yes Yes Yes
Coupon Code Yes Yes Yes
Cross-sell and Upsell Yes Yes Yes
Referral System Yes No No
Marketplace Yes No Yes

Simple pricing

Get started now. No credit card required.

Free Forever

$ 0 /mo
+5% transaction fee
  • All features
  • Unlimited products
  • Unlimited revenue

Pro

$ 99 /mo
No transaction fee
  • All features
  • Unlimited products
  • Unlimited revenue

Why creators choose Payhip over Beacons and Gumroad

Payhip lets you pocket higher profits with its low transaction fees for sellers.

Keep more of your sales

Payhip has lower fees than Gumroad and Beacons. Payhip charges just 5% on the forever-free plan, compared to 9% on Beacons’ free plan and 10% + $0.50 per direct sale on Gumroad. Additionally, every Payhip plan includes all features from day one, with no features locked behind higher-priced plans.

Build a more powerful storefront

With Payhip, you can build a fully branded, professional online store with no technical skills. You can choose from customizable website themes, create unlimited landing pages, and even launch your own blog. Gumroad offers limited storefront customization, while Beacons doesn’t offer a built-in blog.

Get automated tax handling

Payhip provides automated tax handling at no extra cost, including calculating, collecting, and remitting applicable sales taxes in the US, Canada, the UK, and the EU. In comparison, Beacons doesn’t offer automated tax handling, so the burden of tax compliance falls on you.

Sell more product types

Payhip lets you sell digital downloads, courses, coaching, memberships, and physical products, while Gumroad doesn’t support physical products. Payhip also offers more robust course and coaching features than Gumroad and Beacons, including multiple lesson types, completion certificates, and drip content.

Get instant payouts with no minimum thresholds

Get faster access to your hard-earned money with Payhip. Payhip sends your earnings directly to your connected payment account, with no extra fees, no minimum payout thresholds, and no holding periods. Gumroad requires a $100 minimum balance for payouts, and instant payouts are available at an additional 3% fee.

Reach more customers through marketplace

Payhip Marketplace helps your products get discovered by new customers beyond your existing audience, with no additional marketplace fees. Gumroad charges a 30% fee on sales through Gumroad Discover, while Beacons doesn’t offer an equivalent product-discovery marketplace.

Trusted by over 130,000 creators

We help creators grow their business and turn their passion into profit.

Payhip is fantastic. The interface is simple, the integration easy and the customer service has been top notch. I'm really glad I chose Payhip and will continue to do so in the future.

Stephen Follows
Film industry data researcher

I absolutely love Payhip, it's such a user-friendly platform that literally anyone can use. Having launched my first ever eBook with Payhip, everything has gone by a breeze, I couldn't be happier with how easy it is.

Cherie Tu
Vegan lifestyle advocate

We needed a company that handled VAT of the eBooks we sell. After a little research, we found Payhip to be the best fit. We're now using Payhip. We love the way they handle VAT and are easy to work with!

Alberto & Iosune
Vegan recipes bloggers

Frequently asked questions

Learn more about Gumroad, Beacons, and Payhip to find the best eCommerce platform for your business.

What is Beacons?

Beacons is a platform that acts as a link-in-bio using AI. Learn more: What is Beacons?

What is Gumroad?

Gumroad is a platform for selling digital products on a marketplace. Learn more: What is Gumroad?

Is there a platform that’s cheaper than Beacons and Gumroad?

Yes, Payhip is cheaper than both Beacons and Gumroad. Payhip charges just a 5% transaction fee on its forever-free plan, compared to 9% on Beacons’ free plan and 10% + $0.50 per direct sale on Gumroad. Payhip also offers paid plans that reduce transaction fees to 2% or 0%. That means more money in your pocket! In addition, every Payhip plan includes all features from day one, with nothing locked behind higher-priced plans.

What is the difference between Beacons and Gumroad?

Beacons is a creator platform with link-in-bio, audience management, and email marketing tools, while Gumroad is primarily focused on selling digital products. Gumroad doesn't support physical products or blogging. Beacons doesn't provide automated tax handling that Gumroad offers. Pricing-wise, Beacons charges a 9% fee on its free plan, while Gumroad charges 10% + $0.50 per sale. If you need to sell both digital and physical products, use powerful marketing features like blogging, and enjoy automated tax handling, Payhip offers all of these features with just a 5% fee per sale on its free plan.

Can I launch an online store for free?

Yes. You can launch an online store for free with Payhip. The forever-free plan includes all Payhip features, unlimited products, and unlimited revenue, with no credit card required. Payhip charges a 5% transaction fee only when you make a sale.

What are the top alternatives to Beacons?

The best Beacons alternatives include: Payhip, Stan Store, and Linktree.

What are the top alternatives to Gumroad?

The best Gumroad alternatives include: Payhip, Podia, and Lemon Squeezy.

Does Gumroad charge a fee for instant payouts?

Yes. Gumroad charges an additional 3% fee for Instant Payouts, and the feature is only available to eligible US creators. In comparison, Payhip provides instant payouts with no additional payout fees, minimum payout thresholds, or holding periods.

Does Gumroad have minimum payout threshold?

Yes. Gumroad currently has a standard minimum payout threshold of $100 USD. Some countries have higher minimum thresholds in their local currency. Gumroad also holds sales for at least 7 days before they become eligible for payout. If you’re looking for a platform to sell digital products with no minimum payout threshold or holding period, Payhip is an alternative worth considering.

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