Whop is cheaper. Gumroad is simpler.
If your product is access — a paid Discord, a Telegram group, a members area, a recurring subscription — Whop is both cheaper and better suited, and the decision is not close. If your product is a one-off file for a general audience and you want tax compliance handled for you without thinking about it, Gumroad's premium buys you something real.
Everything below is taken from each platform's published pricing and fee documentation as of July 2026. Both change their rates, so verify before you commit.
The full comparison
| Whop | Gumroad | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $0 | $0 |
| Platform fee | 3% on sales using access automations | 10% + $0.50 on every direct sale |
| Card processing | 2.7% + $0.30 domestic | Billed separately, about 2.9% + $0.30 |
| Effective on a $50 sale | 6.3% | 14.5% |
| Marketplace sales | Same rate as direct — 30% commission removed May 2025 | 30% flat via Discover |
| International cards | About +1.5%, plus about +1% on conversion | Absorbed into the flat rate |
| Fee on refunds | Platform fee treatment varies — check current docs | Keeps 10% + $0.50 |
| Merchant of record | No — tax charged to buyer where required, separate tax workflow available | Yes, since January 2025 |
| Paid Discord / Telegram access | Native | Not supported |
| Recurring memberships | Native, with access revoked on cancellation | Subscriptions, no access control |
| Licence keys | Native | Native |
| Courses | Basic lessons and content gating | Basic lessons |
| Quizzes, certificates, grading | No | No |
| Built-in marketplace traffic | Yes, and free to appear in | Yes, at 30% |
| Affiliate program | Built in | Built in |
| Payout fees | About $2.50 next-day ACH; instant and crypto cost more | Included; weekly schedule |
| Best fit | Communities, traders, resellers, recurring access | One-off files for a general audience |
What the gap is worth at your volume
Assumes a $50 product sold to domestic card buyers, direct traffic on both platforms, and a gated community on Whop so the 3% platform fee applies.
| Monthly revenue | Gumroad fees | Whop fees | You keep extra | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $145 | $63 | $82 | $984 |
| $5,000 | $725 | $315 | $410 | $4,920 |
| $10,000 | $1,450 | $630 | $820 | $9,840 |
| $25,000 | $3,625 | $1,575 | $2,050 | $24,600 |
Payout fees, international surcharges and currency conversion are excluded on both sides because they depend on where your buyers are and how you withdraw. Add roughly half a point to a point on each platform for a realistic all-in figure.
Which one is yours
Move to Whop if
- You sell or want to sell access to a Discord, Telegram or members area
- Your revenue is recurring rather than one-off
- You are above roughly $1,000/month and the 10% has started to sting
- Your niche is trading, crypto, reselling, sports betting, ecommerce or agency work
- You want marketplace exposure without paying 30% for it
Stay on Gumroad if
- You sell single files — templates, presets, ebooks, fonts — to a broad audience
- You are pre-revenue and want the fastest possible setup
- Automatic global tax compliance is worth more to you than the fee difference
- Your buyers are outside Whop's demographic and brand familiarity drives conversion
- You would rather not maintain a community at all
You do not have to choose. Neither platform is exclusive. The lowest-risk move is to open a Whop, put your access-based or recurring product there, and leave your file-based catalogue on Gumroad until the numbers tell you otherwise.
Try it on one product
Open a Whop, move your highest-margin product across, and compare a month of payouts against a month of Gumroad. The switch costs nothing to test.
Start selling on Whop →