Digital product margin calculator
See what you actually keep per sale across every major digital product platform — and when a higher monthly plan pays for itself at volume.
Fees approximate as of mid-2025. Verify at each platform's website before committing.
Digital product margin calculator
Net per sale at $29 · ranked cheapest first
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Monthly net revenue at different volumes
| Platform | 10/mo | 25/mo | 50/mo | 100/mo | 250/mo | 500/mo | 1,000/mo |
|---|
Red = net negative (monthly fee exceeds earnings at that volume). Highlighted column = your current monthly sales input.
Choosing a platform at different price points
For products under $10, Lemon Squeezy's $0.50 fixed fee bites harder — Gumroad or Payhip Free may net more per sale. For products over $20–30, Lemon Squeezy's 5% + $0.50 almost always beats Gumroad's flat 10%, which amounts to $2 on a $20 product vs Lemon Squeezy's $1.50.
Monthly fee plans (Payhip Plus/Pro, Shopify) only win at volume. The milestone table shows the crossover point — the first column where that plan's monthly net exceeds the free-plan option. Below that volume, you're better off on a no-monthly-fee plan regardless of the per-sale savings.
If you sell globally, the VAT handling from Lemon Squeezy and Gumroad removes significant administrative overhead — a value not captured in the fee comparison but worth factoring in if more than 10–20% of your customers are outside the US.
About this tool
Enter your digital product price and monthly sales volume to see net revenue per sale across all major platforms — Gumroad, Lemon Squeezy, Payhip (Free/Plus/Pro), and Shopify — ranked cheapest first. The tool breaks down platform fees, payment processing, and monthly subscription costs, and shows a milestone table so you can see where higher-monthly-fee plans become worth it at volume.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Lemon Squeezy show a fixed $0.50 fee when others show percentage only?
Lemon Squeezy charges 5% + $0.50 per transaction as a Merchant of Record — the $0.50 covers payment processing (Stripe, PayPal, etc.) globally including currency conversion, fraud protection, and VAT handling. You don't pay Stripe separately. On higher-priced products ($20+), this is often cheaper than Gumroad's 10%.
What does "Merchant of Record" mean for Lemon Squeezy?
As the Merchant of Record, Lemon Squeezy is legally the seller of your product. They collect VAT/GST from international customers, remit it to the relevant tax authority, and handle all payment compliance. This means you don't need to register for VAT in the EU, UK, or Australia — Lemon Squeezy does it for you. Gumroad also handles international VAT collection on your behalf.
When does Payhip Pro make sense over Payhip Free?
Payhip Pro ($99/month, zero platform fee) saves you the 5% platform fee but costs $99/month. For a $20 product, you save $1 per sale on the platform fee — so you need 99 sales/month just to break even. At a $50 product you save $2.50 per sale, breaking even at 40 sales. The milestone table shows the exact crossover for your price point.
Does the Shopify option include a digital delivery app?
Shopify itself doesn't deliver digital products — you need the free Digital Downloads app (by Shopify) or a third-party app like SendOwl or Sky Pilot for PDF stamping, download limits, or drip content. The $39/month Basic plan cost covers the Shopify platform; the Digital Downloads app is free. This makes Shopify viable for digital products if you're already selling physical products on the same store.
Are these fees on top of each other or alternatives?
The platform fee and payment processing fees stack on top of each other (except for Lemon Squeezy, where the 5% + $0.50 covers both). Each row in the breakdown shows the cumulative deductions. The "net revenue" figure is what arrives in your account before any income tax.