The 6 top options and features to sell digital downloads online

Find the most important features to sell digital downloads online. This guide covers what to be looking for as well as top platforms for selling digital downloads.

TL;DR: The best platforms for selling digital downloads for different types of creators

When deciding where you will sell your digital downloads make sure to look for an application that is easy access, function, support, marketing features as well as low fees and affordable prices.

• Shopify and Etsy are specifically designed to sell physical items, but they allow the sale of digital downloads, too. Their digital product selling options may be less limiting.
• Gumroad offers robust features, it allows the sale of a wide range of different types of files with no annual fees. The catch is that Gumroad charges high transaction costs per sale.
• Easy Digital Downloads is a WordPress plugin which lets you sell products directly on your site. Although it's completely available for free, you'll likely require additional extensions and integrations.
• It is simple to setup and allows you to make sales of any document without restrictions. The platform has sophisticated marketing tools built into the platform, and we provide excellent support and fast - at least that's what our customers have to say.

Prior to launching the first of my digital products, I thought the hardest part would be turning the contents of my brain into something that people actually wanted to buy.

We do not want this to happen to you.

There are many places where digital downloads can be sold these days, but deciding the right software to use for your products can be a timesink.

Why should you sell digital downloads?

Digital downloads are the files which are available through the web. As a creator digital downloads could be a lucrative component of your portfolio.

There are a few reasons selling digital downloads might work for you:

There is no need to worry the logistics of inventory and shipping. If your daily trip for the post office sound like your nightmare digital solutions are the best option to go.

There are 6 things to be aware of when you are deciding where to market digital downloads online

Some platforms, however, take it higher with more advanced features, so it's important to think about which one is most aligned with what you want to accomplish for the present and into the near future.

It's true that moving your items from one platform to another is about as fun as a trip to the dentist. Avoid your future self suffering from toothache by selecting the tool that you feel is manageable yet also offers space to expand.

In order to make the decision a bit more simple, here are some features you should look for:

Accessibility:First and most importantly, the site which you are selling digital downloads must be simple to work with for you , as the creator.

Functionality:You're a multifaceted creator and you could want to offer different types of digital products later on. Keep an eye out for platforms that do not limit what kind of file that you upload.

Customer SupportIf your situation is similar to the majority of customers  who are looking for answers to your support questions within ten minutes of asking them. Picking a company with excellent customer support could save you from frustrating delays later on.

Transaction fees:Transaction fees are a small percentage of each sale that the platform keeps. These fees are usually between 1-10% of the overall transaction price. There are some platforms that add listing charges as well as credit card processing charges and can quickly grow with each transaction.

Cost:Finally, we have to analyze the numbers. However, cheaper doesn't mean more effective since platforms with lower costs typically include higher costs and cost-cutting features.

Once we've identified the characteristics to be looking for, let's look at some top choices to determine what they have in common.

As an example, author Emily Connell makes use of her website to provide free digital downloads and sell live cohort programs, on-demand courses, and 1:1 coaching packages.

Best of all, has a free plan. You can build your website and manage your community online, and make a sale of one digital download and one coaching program for cost-free.

Want to see for yourself? Sign up for a free account now.

Here are the advantages for using

The free plan lets you sell your first digital download without having to make a massive upfront cost.

It is possible to sell any kind of digital download with the ability to sell unlimited files.

While we may think it's pretty awesome, no software can be right for everybody. Here are some reasons why could not be the ideal selection for you.

Digital is the norm, so if you want to market physical items, a platform like Shopify or Etsy may be a better fit.

Features

Ease of entry: 5 out five. The creator-facing dashboard is clear and simple to use. Thanks to our custom-designed onboarding process along with step-by-step instructional videos, you'll be able to list your items within a few seconds.

Function: 5 out of 5. With it, you are able to sell files of virtually every format, and there's no restriction on the size of files. You are free to bundle your items, offer them as an upsell, and charge them according to your preferences.

Support Five stars out of five. Have you met our support team? If not, you should! Go to the chatbox located at the bottom of the page to say hello. Our chat support is the most efficient fast, courteous, and quick chat support available.

Marketing 4.5 out of 5. We designed our site to serve as a one-stop shop for all your business needs, and marketing features make up a significant piece of that puzzle. You can prelaunch and presell items, offer coupons and even build your own affiliate program straight out of the box.

I've shaved half of a percent off as we don't have a marketplace function, but this isn't necessary for every company We make it easy to build your own audience through our lead-capture tools.

Transaction fees: 4.5 out of 5. With , there aren't any transaction charges for paid plans. Customers who have a free plan are charged an 8percent transaction fee for sales of products.

It keeps the costs down when you're just starting out. And you'll have the ability to improve and reduce charges for transactions as your company develops.

As with most platforms, there are also payment processing fees that are not associated with . Stripe or PayPal are both charged a typical transaction cost of 2.9 per cent plus 30 centsor. Also, we offer immediate payouts to authors so that you can access your money fast.

Price: 's free plan includes a website, online community, one download, and one coaching product. Plans that are paid range from $39 to $199 per month.

Want to learn more about running your online business using WordPress ? Come along to a live demo to check it out:

Shopify

Shopify is an e-commerce giant and a household name in the creator world. Over 1.7 million companies use Shopify for their own online store, and creators on Shopify have made more than $200 billion in sales.

Shopify is most well-known for selling physical goods However, it's also possible to offer digital items. Recently, Shopify has also added many international ecommerce features.

If you're a creative looking to sell digital as well as physical products to customers all over the world, Shopify might be a great place to begin.

Here are the Shopify pros:

Shopify has powerful features for marketing as well as integrations with social media platforms.

Shopify is an in-house payment processing system called Shopify Payments. It's easy to use and it's included with all plans, so you don't have to integrate with third-party processors when you do not want to.

Create beautiful web pages, storefronts that are customizable and beautiful.

These are the Shopify cons:

Shopify's primary focus is physical sales of products. It has premium features that you will not require if your business is only selling digital goods.

If you don't use Shopify Payments, there are additional fees on top of the cost of your monthly subscription.

The fee system can be described as intricate.

Shopify has features

Easy to use is 3/5. Since Shopify was originally designed to be a platform for selling physical products it is necessary to take extra steps to sell digital downloads. The site has videos that will guide you through how to add your items through the Digital Downloads app, but it's not the easiest system.

Functionality 3/5. Again, Shopify loses points because much of its functionality is designed for selling physical items.

For selling digital downloads, the maximum file size is 5GB for each file. The seller can only offer only one variant of a product However, you can add several variants like diverse resolutions of images, and ebook formats. The product will require a ZIP file in order to incorporate multiple files into the same product.

Support: 3 out of five. Shopify provides 24/7 chat support, email help, and a support community in which you can seek help from other users. There are many online reviews that have complained about slow responses for Support.

Marketing: 5 out of 5. Shopify is a standout in their marketing capabilities. Their plans include a solid site builder, which lets you set up your storefront and create a blog.

The email marketing feature is built-in to ecommerce templates, and you can design coupons, gift cards and vouchers, and display real feedback from customers. They also integrate with social media sites.

Fees for transactions: 2.5 out of 5. The Shopify fee structure is complex. It's difficult to determine exactly the transaction cost and the processing fee for credit cards are on purchases.

There are no transaction fees for transactions made using the Shopify Payments system. If you don't utilize Shopify Payments, there's a charge for transactions made through an external payment processor.

Also, if you accept large credit cards then you'll have to pay the credit card company a fee per purchase. These percentages change based the plan you choose.

Basic Shopify:

The processing cost for credit card transactions: 2.9% + $0.30

Fee for transactions if you do not use Shopify Payments 2.2%

Shopify:

Credit card processing fee: 2.6% + $0.30

Fee for transactions if you do not use Shopify Payments: 1%

Advanced Shopify:

Processing fee for credit cards: 2.4% + $0.30

Fee for transactions if you do not use Shopify Payments: 0.5%

Price: $29 -- $299/month. Shopify provides three different plans. The monthly cost is plus the costs that are listed below.

Etsy

Millions of shoppers turn to Etsy to purchase unique and handmade items. Etsy is well-known as the spot to buy unique, vintage, and quirky products made by individual creators and small businesses.

Etsy has more than 400 million monthly visitors , which is an enormous amount of attention on your goods. Additionally, they have a strong marketplace that allows you to sell your products and get discovered by potential customers.

The positive side is:

Etsy is a well-known brand, and helps to build trust with customers.

On your shop page, it is possible to subdivide your merchandise in categories to facilitate organization and easy access.

Etsy has an intuitive seller dashboard that lets you receive reviews, message customers, design coupons and also offer discount coupons.

It's an ideal platform to sell items like templates, presets, artwork as well as vectors, fonts as well as creative items.

The other side is:

Etsy is designed for selling physical products as well as digital items. It is important to specify in your ads that your merchandise is digital, to avoid confusion.

Although being listed on Etsy's marketplace Etsy marketplace is an attractive perk, there's lots of competitors, and items with a lot of popularity could be buried.

Etsy offers

Ease of entry: 4 out of 5. Etsy is adjusting to the world of digital products nicely. The process of setting up an store in a matter of hours, and adding products can be as easy as filling in the description form, uploading your product images and then adding them to the site and pushing the button to publish.

Functionality: 3 out of 5. On Etsy, you can sell many different file types, but you are only able to upload five files per product. With a maximum size of 20MB for each file, this might be limiting to some creators.

Support 3 stars out of 5. However, Etsy offers a fantastic creator community where you can ask questions. Sellers are also able to access comprehensive help materials as well as a guide for sellers.

In contrast, Etsy support is only accessible via emails. Right now, there's a 1-2 day turnaround time that isn't ideal when it comes to urgent inquiries.

Marketing 5 out of 5. Etsy has some attractive marketing features available to sellers. While some platforms could offer an online marketplace, none has the reach of Etsy.

There is a lot of competition However, you can bring in serious customers towards your product. In fact, there are even third-party keyword research tools which are specifically designed to cater to Etsy searches. Etsy offers advertising options that sellers can avail.

Transaction costs: 2 out of 5. There are a few fees to know about in selling items on Etsy. The first is the $0.20 cost for listing each product you sell in your shop. Every listing will be active for a period of four months or until it sells.

If you're selling a product that you sell, you'll be charged a five percent transaction fee, plus a 3 percent plus $0.25 transaction processing fee.

Price 10 dollars per month for free. The creation of an Etsy shop is completely free however it costs $0.20 to sell a product as well as additional transaction fees.

Easy Digital Downloads

It's specially designed to sell digital goods, however it needs some additional lifting to achieve the same functions like the different systems listed here.

The upside is:

EDD is an excellent option if you already have a WordPress site and want to continue to integrate your product within the WordPress environment.

This can also be a perfect option for those who are looking for sophisticated customization, but bear in mind that you'll need to feel comfortable with coding and developing.

To the negative:

To get all the features you need to sell digital downloads, it is necessary to make use of extensions as well as integrations with other applications.

These extra enhancements and integrations may be charged separately as well as technical problems.

Simple Digital Downloads features

Easy to enter 3/5. If you're comfortable using WordPress and have uploaded plugins before making the switch to EDD will be business as usual. If you've not used WordPress, this wouldn't be the ideal tool, as you'd have to learn two new interfaces.

Functionality: 3 out of five. In EDD, you can sell any file you can upload onto WordPress. This allows you to sell a large range, but be mindful of your bandwidth on your host when you plan to sell large products.

As we've mentioned, EDD is able to be integrated with third-party tools for more features. It's extremely customizable, however, managing several systems could be complicated.

In essence, this is the best option for someone who wants to construct and run their own selling setup. Building blocks are great but the real question is: do you want to do the building?

Support: 2 out five. EDD gives customer support via the ticket system. Unfortunately, the live chat isn't available. Priority support is only available for plans with higher tiers.

Another thing to consider is that if you have an issue with an integration, you may need contact support for the integration in addition. This can lead to frustrating and tense conversations.

Marketing: 2.5 out of 5. In the box, EDD offers coupons and discounts, as well as a useful shopping cart feature.

By utilizing extensions, you'll be able to flesh out your marketing suite with affiliates, email stars, reviews of star ratings as well as cross-selling and upselling, but some of these features are only offered on premium plans.

The first step is to set up first a WordPress site, which is provided with domain and hosting costs. Additionally, you'll be charged for any premium integrations you plan to make use of.

Cost of $999 per year. The basic EDD plugin is completely free. If you'd like more tools, you'll need to pay for them separately and upgrade to a premium package to get all the features.

Gumroad

Gumroad is a platform where creators offer digital downloads in all dimensions and shapes. Since its inception Gumroad's creators have made more than $500 million from selling online-based goods.

It's user-friendly and is a favorite choice for makers, but is it your best option? Let's look into the pros and cons.

Here's where Gumroad shines:

Gumroad is a simple way to get started, and you can sell pretty much any kind of item you can think of, even physical goods if you choose.

The service is free to anyone to use. You'll be only charged for transaction costs if you make a sale. It's a great option if you're in the process of selling digital products and want to test before you commit to using a premium tool.

Creators have access to Gumroad Discover an online marketplace in which prospective customers can find the products you offer.

Here are some Gumroad cons:

There are limited customization options on your product pages as well as checkout pages. It's tough to create a traditional sales page, and you don't have a website builder.

Even though it's not expensive to sign upfor the service, it is expensive to pay transaction charges on each sale. This can be fine when just starting out but when you get bigger the business, this could eat away at your earnings.

Gumroad has

Easy to use Ease of entry: 4/5. The process of setting up your products for sale on Gumroad is easy and intuitive. The first time you publish a listing in just a few seconds, and then you'll be ready to sell your products.

The functionality: 4.5 out of 5. Gumroad is a great platform for selling products. Gumroad, you can sell digital files, physical products, memberships, product variations, and rentals. It is also possible to select when you will release your products, offer license keys if you're selling software and also offer subscriptions.

For paid products the file size limit of 16GB. If you purchase free versions, the file size limit is 250 MB. Every product is able to include as many files as you like.

Help: 2.5 out of 5. Gumroad offers a library of resources featuring helpful content and videos. The company has lost points due to no live chat or telephone support. The best option to reach them with specific questions is to use their contact form.

Marketing Rating: 4/5. In the marketing department, Gumroad's affiliate marketing system is a savior. If you are planning to utilize affiliate marketing with your product, Gumroad lets you set the affiliate marketing system for you at no cost by using their straightforward system.

Gumroad also has a handful of integrations that allow you to connect your email marketing tools and also the Zapier integration.

Transaction charges: 2.5 out of 5. The transaction fee ranges from 9.9% to 2.9% in this area, it is where Gumroad is the worst off. The cost of transactions goes down as you increase the amount you sell but 9% is a steep price for newer creators. Additionally, you have to pay an additional $0.30 fee on each purchase.

Gumroad offers weekly cash payouts so when you've reached a $10,000 USD minimum.

Price: Free plus fees. There's no recurring monthly price, but the fees for transactions will be based on your number of annual sales.

What are the most important things to consider when deciding where to sell digital downloads

All creators are unique. That's why it's nice to be able to choose the software that will run your company.

With a reliable digital download service on your partner, you'll get to an expanded product range and a plethora of earning opportunities.