Gumroad Fees 2026: The Real Cost Per Sale (With Examples)
How much does Gumroad take per sale? Gumroad charges 10% + $0.50 per order as a platform fee, plus 2.9% + $0.30 for payment processing. Sales made through Gumroad's Discover marketplace cost a flat 30% instead. This means your effective fee rate ranges from ~14% on high-priced items to 29%+ on products under $5.
Updated for 2026. Fee data verified against Gumroad's official pricing.
{{tool-cta:gumroad}}
TL;DR — How Much Does Gumroad Take?
- Platform fee: 10% + $0.50 per order
- Payment processing: 2.9% + $0.30
- Discovery sales (via Gumroad.com): Flat 30% (all-inclusive)
- Typical direct sale total: ~14-29% depending on price
- Low-priced items (<$5): Can lose 29%+ to fees
👉 Calculate your exact Gumroad fees →
Gumroad Fee Examples at Different Price Points
Here's exactly what Gumroad takes from your sales at common price points. The $0.50 per-order fee is what makes Gumroad particularly expensive for low-priced digital products:
| Order Value | Platform Fee (10%) | Order Fee | Processing (2.9%+$0.30) | Total Fees | You Keep | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.45 | $1.45 | $3.55 | ~29% |
| $10 | $1.00 | $0.50 | $0.59 | $2.09 | $7.91 | ~21% |
| $20 | $2.00 | $0.50 | $0.88 | $3.38 | $16.62 | ~17% |
| $50 | $5.00 | $0.50 | $1.75 | $7.25 | $42.75 | ~14.5% |
| $100 | $10.00 | $0.50 | $3.20 | $13.70 | $86.30 | ~13.7% |
Key insight: The fixed $0.50 + $0.30 fees ($0.80 total) represent 16% of a $5 sale but only 0.8% of a $100 sale. This is why Gumroad becomes dramatically more expensive as your prices drop.
Complete Gumroad Fee Breakdown
1. Gumroad Platform Fee
- 10% of the sale price
- + $0.50 per order (this is what hurts low-priced products)
The $0.50 per-order fee is often overlooked but it's critical for pricing strategy. If you sell a $3 template, you're losing $0.80 (10% + $0.50) before payment processing even starts.
2. Payment Processing
- 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
This is passed through from Stripe/PayPal. Gumroad uses Stripe as its payment processor for card payments.
3. Discovery Sales (Gumroad.com Marketplace)
- Flat 30% — all fees included
- Applies when customers find you via gumroad.com/discover
- Higher rate, but can drive organic sales you wouldn't otherwise get
If a customer finds your product through Gumroad's discovery marketplace rather than your direct link, you'll pay 30% instead of the standard fee stack. The 30% is all-inclusive (no additional processing fees).
Worked Example: $29 Digital Product
Let's calculate exactly what you'd keep from a typical digital product sale:
- Sale price: $29.00
- Platform fee (10%): -$2.90
- Order fee: -$0.50
- Processing (2.9% + $0.30): -$1.14
- Total fees: $4.54
- You keep: $24.46 (84.3%)
Compare this to the same $29 sale via Discovery:
- Sale price: $29.00
- Discovery fee (30%): -$8.70
- You keep: $20.30 (70%)
Warning: The Low-Price Problem
Gumroad's fee structure actively punishes low-priced products. Here's what happens when you sell a $3 item:
- Sale price: $3.00
- Platform fee (10%): -$0.30
- Order fee: -$0.50
- Processing: -$0.39
- Total fees: $1.19
- You keep: $1.81 (60.3%)
You're losing 40% of a $3 sale. If you primarily sell low-priced items ($1-5), consider platforms like Payhip or Ko-fi that don't have per-order fees.
Gumroad vs Alternatives
How does Gumroad compare to other digital product platforms?
| Platform | Platform Fee | Processing | $20 Sale Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gumroad | 10% + $0.50 | 2.9% + $0.30 | $16.62 |
| Payhip (Free) | 5% | 2.9% + $0.30 | $17.12 |
| Ko-fi Gold | 0% | 2.9% + $0.30 | $19.12 |
| Sellfy (Starter) | 0% | 2.9% + $0.30 | $19.12* |
*Sellfy has a monthly subscription instead of per-sale fees.
See our full comparison: Gumroad vs Payhip 2026
When Gumroad Still Makes Sense
Despite the fees, Gumroad can be the right choice if:
- You sell higher-priced products ($50+) — the fixed fees become less impactful
- You value discovery traffic — Gumroad's marketplace can bring organic sales
- You need simplicity — Gumroad's UI is clean and beginner-friendly
- You're already established there — switching costs may outweigh fee savings
FAQ
Related Reading
- Etsy vs Gumroad Fees 2026 — side-by-side fee comparison
- Marketplace Fee Database 2026 — fees across 20+ platforms at a glance
- Patreon Fee Calculator — calculate your Patreon take-home
- Compare All Platform Fees — 20+ platforms side by side
{{faq}}
[
{
"question": "How much does Gumroad take from a $20 sale?",
"answer": "On a $20 direct sale, Gumroad takes $3.38 in total fees (10% platform fee + $0.50 order fee + 2.9% + $0.30 processing). You keep $16.62."
},
{
"question": "What is Gumroad's platform fee in 2026?",
"answer": "Gumroad charges 10% plus a $0.50 per-order fixed fee. Payment processing (2.9% + $0.30) is charged on top. Discovery sales through gumroad.com cost a flat 30% instead."
},
{
"question": "Is Gumroad cheaper than Payhip?",
"answer": "No. Payhip's free plan charges only 5% with no per-order fee, making it cheaper for most price points. On a $20 sale, Payhip takes $1.88 less than Gumroad."
},
{
"question": "What is Gumroad's Discover fee?",
"answer": "Sales made through Gumroad's Discover marketplace (gumroad.com/discover) are charged a flat 30% fee that includes all processing. This is higher than direct sales but the traffic is organic."
},
{
"question": "Why does Gumroad take so much from low-priced items?",
"answer": "The fixed fees ($0.50 order fee + $0.30 processing) represent a larger percentage of low-priced sales. On a $5 item, these fixed fees alone are 16% of your sale price."
},
{
"question": "Does Gumroad charge VAT on fees?",
"answer": "Gumroad handles VAT collection and remittance on sales to EU customers. The VAT is collected from the buyer, not deducted from your payout."
}
]
Calculate Your Gumroad Earnings
Use our free calculator to see exactly what you'll keep after Gumroad fees at any price point:
Or compare multiple platforms side-by-side: