FileFreightFileFreight vs Gumroad: fees, break-evens, and tradeoffs
Gumroad charges no monthly fee and takes 10% + 50¢ on every direct sale — with card processing of about 2.9% + 30¢ charged on top. Sales through Gumroad Discover cost a flat 30%, processing included. FileFreight Free charges 5% per sale with no monthly fee; Pro is $19/month with no per-sale fee at all.
What a $20 sale costs
| Platform fee | Card processing | You keep (of $20) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gumroad direct | $2.50 (10% + 50¢) | ≈ $0.88 (on top) | $16.62 |
| Gumroad Discover | $6.00 (30% flat) | Included | $14.00 |
| FileFreight Free | $1.00 (5%) | ≈ $0.88 (your Stripe) | $18.12 |
| FileFreight Pro | $0 | ≈ $0.88 (your Stripe) | $19.12 |
Break-even math
- FileFreight Free vs Gumroad direct: Free saves about $1.50 per $20 sale at any volume — no monthly fee on either side.
- Pro vs Free: Pro pays for itself at about $380/month in sales (19 sales of a $20 product), where the 5% fees would exceed $19.
- Pro vs Gumroad direct: Pro saves about $2.50 per $20 sale, so it breaks even at roughly 8 sales a month — everything after that is pure savings.
The tradeoffs, honestly
- Gumroad is a merchant of record. It handles sales tax for you. FileFreight is not — sales run through your own Stripe account and you handle your own taxes. Lemon Squeezy works the same merchant-of-record way, if you want that tradeoff compared against FileFreight.
- Gumroad Discover brings traffic. That 30% buys you placement in front of Gumroad's shoppers. FileFreight has no marketplace; you bring your own audience.
- Gumroad has built-in email workflows. FileFreight delivers files and license keys; your newsletter lives elsewhere.
Who should stay on Gumroad
- Discover traffic drives a meaningful share of your sales.
- You want merchant-of-record tax handling and zero setup.
- You sell sporadically and value the all-in-one storefront over per-sale savings.
If most of your sales come from your own audience, the fee math above is hard to ignore: Free beats Gumroad direct on every sale with no monthly fee.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gumroad really 10% per sale?
Almost: 10% plus 50 cents per direct sale, and card processing of about 2.9% plus 30 cents is charged on top. On a $20 direct sale that totals about $3.38. Discover sales are a flat 30%, processing included.
When does FileFreight Pro beat Gumroad?
At roughly 8 sales of a $20 product per month. Pro costs $19 a month with no per-sale fee; each Gumroad direct sale costs about $2.50 more in platform fees, so 8 sales covers the monthly cost.
Does FileFreight handle taxes like Gumroad?
No. Gumroad is a merchant of record and handles sales tax for you; FileFreight is not, so you handle your own taxes on your own Stripe account.
Will I lose my Gumroad audience if I switch?
Your audience is yours: email lists and followers come with you. What you would lose is Gumroad Discover placement, which only exists inside Gumroad.
Is there a free way to pay less than Gumroad today?
Yes — the FileFreight free plan is $0 a month with a 5% per-sale fee, about $1.50 less per $20 sale than Gumroad direct, with no monthly fee either.
Sources
- Payhip: Gumroad alternatives
- Honorbox: Lemon Squeezy vs Gumroad vs DIY (July 2026)
- Checkout Page: Gumroad fees
- ChargePanda: Gumroad alternative
- MyDesigns: Gumroad for selling digital products
Pricing last checked September 2026.
Ready to try FileFreight? The free plan is $0 a month with a 5% per-sale fee — no card required. Upgrade to Pro ($19/month, 0% fees) whenever the math says it pays for itself.