The 6 top platforms and features for selling digital downloads on the internet

Find the most important features to sell digital downloads online. This guide explains the features you should look for and top platforms for selling digital downloads.

The top platforms for selling digital downloads for different types of creators

In determining where you will sell your digital downloads make sure to look for tools that offer ease of entry, functionality, support, marketing features with minimal costs, as well as reasonably priced cost.

• Shopify and Etsy are designed for selling physical items, but they allow sellers to offer digital downloads, too. They offer selling digital goods, but the options are more limited.
• Gumroad offers robust features, it allows the sale of a wide range of types of data without recurring fees. However, Gumroad charges high transaction costs for each sale.
• Easy Digital Downloads is a WordPress plugin that lets you sell your products directly from your site. Although it's completely free to use however, you'll probably require extensions or integrations.
• It is simple to setup it is easy to set up and lets you sell any type of file without limitations. The platform has sophisticated marketing tools integrated into the platform and we provide excellent support as our clients say about us.

Before launching the first of my digital products, I thought that the toughest task would be to turn the thoughts of my mind into a quality product that people actually wanted to buy.

We don't want that to happen to you.

There are a variety of places digital downloads can be sold in the present, but choosing the right software to use for your products could be as simple as a timer.

Why would you want to market digital downloads?

Digital downloads are files that can be purchased online. As a creator digital downloads are an attractive component of your portfolio.

Below are the reasons selling digital downloads might make sense for you:

There is no need to worry with shipping or inventory. If your daily trip to the post office sounds like your own personal nightmare, digital products are the way to go.

Six aspects to consider when you are deciding where to market digital downloads online

But some platforms kick things to the next level with sophisticated options, which is why it's essential to determine which platform is most aligned with what you're hoping to achieve as of today, and also in the future.

Let's face it: migrating your products from one tool to another can be as fun as a trip to the dentist. You can avoid the toothache by picking an instrument that is easy to use but also gives you space to expand.

To make deciding a little simpler, here are a few qualities to look out for:

Ease of Entry:First and foremost, the platform where you sell digital downloads needs to be easy to access for you as a creator.

Functions:You're a multifaceted creator and you could be tempted to provide different kinds of digital goods later on. Look out for platforms that don't limit the types of files you're able to upload.

Customer SupportIf you're like two-thirds of customers , you expect answers to your support questions within 10 minutes of contacting them. Picking a company with excellent support for customers can save you from frustrating delays in the future.

Fees for transactions:Transaction fees are a fraction of the sale that the platform keeps. They typically amount to 1-10% of the overall cost of the transaction. Certain platforms may also add listing charges and credit card processing fees and can quickly increase with every sale.

Price:Finally, we have to crunch the numbers. However, cheaper doesn't mean more effective since platforms with lower costs typically include higher costs and hidden costs.

We now know the qualities to search for, let's look at some well-known options and see how they stack up.

As an example, author Emily Connors makes use of her website to share free digital downloads , and to sell live cohort programs or on-demand classes, along with one-on-one coaching programs.

The best part is that it comes with a free plan. You can build your website, run your online community, and make a sale of one digital download and one coaching product absolutely at no cost.

Want to see for yourself? Create your free account today.

Here are the pros for using

The free plan allows you to easily sell your first digital download without a huge upfront investment.

You are able to offer any type of digital download that has unlimited file sizes.

While we may think it's amazing, not every software can be right for everybody. There are a few reasons that may not be the right option for you.

We're digital all the way, so if you want to offer physical goods such as a website like Shopify or Etsy may be a better choice.

features

Accessibility: 5 out five. The creator-facing dashboard on the right is simple and clean 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 minutes.

Function: 5/5. With , you can sell documents in almost any formats, with no limit on file size. You are free to bundle your products or offer them an upsell, and charge them however you please.

Support Rating: 5/5. Have you met our support team? If not, then you must! Pop into the chat box on the bottom of our page and introduce yourself. We provide the best fast, courteous, and quick chat support in town.

Marketing: 4.5 five stars. We designed our site to serve as an all-in-one solution for requirements of your business Marketing features are an important element of the puzzle. You can prelaunch and presell items, offer coupons or create an affiliate program right out of the box.

I've taken half a percentage off because we do not offer a marketplace feature, but this isn't necessary for every business as we allow you to easily build your own audience through our lead-capture tools.

Fees for transactions: 4.5 out of 5. With , there no transaction costs on paid plans. Users who are on a free plan pay an 8percent transaction fee on sales.

The cost is kept low while you're starting out, and you'll have the ability to upgrade and remove charges for transactions as your company grows.

In common with all platforms, there are also payment processing fees that are not associated with . Stripe or PayPal charges a basic transaction fee of 2.9% + 30Cor. Also, we offer immediate payouts for creators, so you are able to get your cash fast.

Cost: 's free plan includes a website, online community, one download and one coaching program. The paid plans start at $39.90 to $199.99/month.

Are you interested in learning more about managing your online business using WordPress ? Join us for a live demo to check it out:

Shopify

Shopify is an online retailer and a household name in the creator world. Over 1.7 million organizations use Shopify to run their online shops and the creators who use Shopify have made more than $200 billion in revenue.

Shopify is most popular to sell physical items, but it's also possible to sell digital products. Recently, Shopify has also added several international features for e-commerce.

If you're a creator who wants to sell digital as well as physical goods to clients all over the world, Shopify might be a ideal place to begin.

These are Shopify pros:

Shopify comes with powerful marketing tools as well as integrations with social media platforms.

Shopify offers its own payment processor that's called Shopify Payments. It's easy to use and it's included with the entire plan so that it's not necessary to connect with other processors, if you don't wish to.

You can create beautiful, customizable storefronts and websites.

And here are the Shopify negatives:

Shopify is oriented toward selling physical products. There are premium features you won't need if you're only providing digital items.

If you don't utilize Shopify Payments, there are additional fees that are in addition to your monthly subscription price.

The fee system can be described as complicated.

Shopify has features

Easy to use 3/5. Because Shopify was originally designed to be a platform for selling physical products You'll have to follow extra steps to sell digital downloads. They have videos that walk users through how to upload your products using the Digital Downloads app, but it's not the most intuitive system.

Functionality 3.0 out of 5. Another time, Shopify loses points because a lot of the functionality is designed for selling physical products.

For selling digital downloads, the maximum file size is 5GB for each file. You can only sell just one file for each product variation however, it is possible to incorporate multiple variations, like diverse resolutions of images, or ebook formats. It is necessary to utilize the ZIP file to add many files to the same product.

Support: 3 stars out of 5. Shopify has 24/7 chat support, email help, and a support community in which you can seek help from other users. But, many online reviews mention slow response times by the support department.

Marketing Five out of five. Shopify excels in their marketing capabilities. They offer a robust site builder, which lets you create your own storefront as well as manage your blog.

There's built-in email marketing with eCommerce templates. Additionally, you can design coupons, gift cards and vouchers and show real-life customer reviews. It also works with social media sites.

Fees for transactions: 2.5 out of 5. The Shopify fee structure is a bit complicated. It's difficult to determine exactly how much your transaction as well as the processing fee for credit cards are on purchases.

There's no transaction fee when you make a payment using the Shopify Payments system. However, if you do not use Shopify Payments, there's a fee to use another third-party processor.

If you also accept the major credit card, you'll be charged the credit card company a fee for each purchase. The percentages vary based on the type of plan you pick.

The basics of Shopify:

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

Fee for transactions if you do not use Shopify Payments 2 percent

Shopify:

Processing fee for credit cards: 2.6% + $0.30

Transaction fee if not using Shopify Payments: 1%

Advanced Shopify:

Credit card processing fee: 2.4% + $0.30

Charge for transaction if you don't use Shopify Payments: 0.5%

Price: $29 -- $299/month. Shopify has three different plans. The monthly cost is in addition to the charges mentioned above.

Etsy

A huge number of people use Etsy to purchase unique and handmade merchandise. Etsy is known as the place to buy custom, vintage, and quirky merchandise created by creators and small companies.

Etsy gets almost 400 million daily visitors  this is an impressive amount of people looking at your products. Etsy also has a solid marketplace where you can sell your goods and be noticed by potential buyers.

On the plus side:

Etsy is an established brand that helps to build trust with buyers.

Your shop's page is where it is possible to subdivide your merchandise in categories to facilitate organization and discoverability.

Etsy offers a user-friendly seller dashboard, where you can read reviews, send messages to customers, make coupons and also offer discount coupons.

It's a great platform to sell items like designs, templates, presets, vectors, fonts, as well as creative items.

The other side is:

Etsy is designed for selling physical products and digital products. It is important to specify in your listings that the merchandise is digital, to avoid confusion.

Although listing your product on the Etsy marketplace is a nice perk, there's lots of competition, and products with a lot of popularity could be hidden.

Etsy features

Ease of entry The rating is 4/5. Etsy has adapted to the online marketplace very well. The process of setting up an shop within a couple of hours and adding items can be as easy as filling in the description form, uploading your product images, adding the files, clicking the button to publish.

Functionality: 3 out of 5. The good thing about Etsy the possibility of selling a wide variety of file types, but it is only possible to upload five files per product. There is a limit of 20MB for each file, this might restrict some creators.

Support: 3 out five. One thing is that Etsy has a great creator community that allows you to get help with questions. Sellers are also able to access comprehensive help materials as well as a guide for sellers.

However, Etsy support is only accessible via email. 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 that are available to sellers. While some platforms could have an online marketplace, none has the reach of Etsy.

The competition can be fierce, but it's possible to bring in serious customers to your products. Actually, there exist third-party keyword research tools that specifically cater to Etsy searches. Etsy offers advertising options available to sellers.

Transaction fees: 2 out of 5. There are a couple of fees you should be aware of when selling your products on Etsy. First, you'll pay a $0.20 listing fee per product you sell in your shop. Each listing is active for four months , or until it is sold.

If you're selling a product that you sell, you'll be charged a five per cent transaction fee along with a percentage plus $0.25 transaction processing fee.

Price 10 dollars per month for free. Making your own Etsy shop is free, but it costs $0.20 to sell the product and extra transaction costs.

Easy Digital Downloads

It's designed specifically for the sale of digital items, however, it needs some additional lifting to achieve the same functions as some of the other options on this list.

On the upside:

EDD can be a great option if you already have a WordPress website , and you want to maintain your product inside the WordPress environment.

This is also a good fit for people who want sophisticated customization, but bear your eyes on the fact that you'll have to have a good understanding of programming and creating.

On the downside:

For all the functions you need to sell digital downloads you'll have add extensions or connections to other software.

The additional enhancements and integrations may be charged separately and technical issues.

Digital Downloads are simple Digital Downloads features

Ease of entry 3/5. If you're familiar using WordPress and have already uploaded plugins in the past the process of setting up EDD is as usual. If you've not used WordPress it's not the best tool since you'd be required to learn two brand new interfaces.

Functionality Quality: 3 out of 5. In EDD, you can sell any image you upload onto WordPress. This allows you to sell a large range, but be mindful of your bandwidth on your host if you intend to offer large-scale products.

Like we've said, EDD can be connected with other tools from third parties to provide more capabilities. It's highly customizable, but managing several systems could be complex.

In essence, this is the best option for anyone who wishes to build and maintain their own setup for selling. The building blocks are good but the real question is: do you want to do the work?

Support: 2 stars out five. EDD gives customer support via an online ticketing system. However, the live chat isn't available. Priority customer support is available for plans with higher tiers.

One thing to keep in mind is that in the event that you experience problems with the integration, it could be necessary contact support for the integration also. This could result in unpleasant exchanges of messages.

Marketing: 2.5 out of 5. Out of the box, EDD offers coupons and discounts. It also has a the ability to shop online.

By utilizing extensions, you'll be able to extend your marketing options to include affiliates, email review, star reviews as well as cross-selling and upselling Some of these integrations are only available on higher-tiered plans.

First, you'll need to set up a WordPress site, which is provided with domain and hosting costs. There are also fees associated with any integrations with premium pricing you want to make use of.

Price is: $999/year for free. The basic EDD plugin is available for free. If you want more tools then you'll have to pay for these separately. You can also upgrade to a higher package to get all the features.

Gumroad

Gumroad is a marketplace where creators offer digital downloads in all sizes and shapes. Over the past decade Gumroad's creators collectively achieved over $500 million in revenue from online-based items.

It's easy to use and has become a preferred choice among creators, but is it your best option? Let's look into the advantages and disadvantages.

Here's where Gumroad is shining:

Gumroad makes it easy to begin with selling almost any type of item you can think of, even physical goods if you select.

It's free for anyone to use. You'll only be charged transaction fees in the event that you've made a sale. This is nice if you're still on the fence about selling digital items and wish to experiment before committing to using a premium instrument.

Creators can access Gumroad Discover, a marketplace where prospective buyers can search for your items.

Here are some Gumroad negatives:

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

While it might be free to sign up, you'll be charged a high amount per sale. This can be fine when beginning out, but as you scale your business, it can reduce your income.

Gumroad features

Ease of entry: 4 out of 5. Setting up products for sale on Gumroad is straightforward and simple. It's possible to publish your first product in a matter of seconds, and then you'll be ready to sell your products.

Functionality: 4.5 out of 5. With Gumroad it is possible to sell physical and digital products, as well as including memberships, products, variants, and rentals. You can also choose the release date of your products, offer the keys to license if selling software, or sell subscriptions.

In the case of paid items There's a size limit of 16 GB. In the case of free items the limit for file size is 250MB. Every product is able to include as many files as you'd like.

Customer Support 2.5 out of 5. Gumroad's library is filled featuring helpful content and videos. There's the absence of live chat and telephone support. The ideal option to reach them for specific inquiries is through their contact form.

Marketing: 4 out of 5. For marketing, Gumroad's affiliate system shines. If you plan to use affiliate marketing with your product, Gumroad lets you set this up free of charge with their easy-to-use method.

Gumroad is also able to provide a number of integrations, allowing you to join your marketing and email tools and also an integration with Zapier.

Transaction fees: 2.5 out of 5. The transaction fee ranges from 9.9% to 2.9 percent and up, this is the part in which Gumroad has the greatest loss of points. It is true that the transaction fee rate is lower when you make more sales, however 9% is still a steep price for newer creators. Also, you have to have to pay an additional $0.30 charge for every transaction.

Gumroad has weekly payouts as when you've reached a $10,000 USD minimum.

Price: Free and fees. There's no recurring monthly cost, however, there are transaction charges based on your number of lifetime transactions.

What to look for in determining where to market digital downloads

Each creator is different. This is why it's important to be able to choose which software to power your company.

With a reliable digital download platform by your partner, you'll be on your way to an improved product lineup as well as endless earnings potential.