Paddle vs Gumroad — which takes less?
| Paddle | Gumroad | |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | 5% + $0.50 per transaction, all-inclusive MoR | 10% + $0.50 platform fee + 2.9% + $0.30 processing |
| $100 → fees | $5.50 | $13.70 |
| $100 → net | $94.50 | $86.30 |
SaaS billing vs Merchant-of-Record break-even
| Provider | Monthly | Annual | Eff. rate | vs cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe (+ Billing & Tax)CHEAPEST | $515.00 | $6,180.00 | 5.15% | — |
| Polar.sh | $575.00 | $6,900.00 | 5.75% | +$60.00/mo |
| Paddle | $600.00 | $7,200.00 | 6.00% | +$85.00/mo |
| Lemon Squeezy | $710.00 | $8,520.00 | 7.10% | +$195.00/mo |
| Gumroad | $1,450.00 | $17,400.00 | 14.50% | +$935.00/mo |
Side-by-side quick reference
| Amount | Paddle fees | Paddle net | Gumroad fees | Gumroad net | Difference | Paddle charge→net | Gumroad charge→net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10.00 | $1.00 | $9.00 | $2.09 | $7.91 | paddle +$1.09 | $11.06 | $12.40 |
| $25.00 | $1.75 | $23.25 | $4.03 | $20.97 | paddle +$2.28 | $26.85 | $29.63 |
| $50.00 | $3.00 | $47.00 | $7.25 | $42.75 | paddle +$4.25 | $53.16 | $58.33 |
| $100.00 | $5.50 | $94.50 | $13.70 | $86.30 | paddle +$8.20 | $105.79 | $115.73 |
| $250.00 | $13.00 | $237.00 | $33.05 | $216.95 | paddle +$20.05 | $263.69 | $287.95 |
| $500.00 | $25.50 | $474.50 | $65.30 | $434.70 | paddle +$39.80 | $526.85 | $574.98 |
| $1,000.00 | $50.50 | $949.50 | $129.80 | $870.20 | paddle +$79.30 | $1,053.16 | $1,149.03 |
Paddle formula
payment processing 5.00% + $0.50
5% + $0.50 per transaction, all-inclusive MoR — verified 2026-11-10
Gumroad formula
10% + $0.50 platform fee + 2.9% + $0.30 processing; payment processing 2.90% + $0.30
10% + $0.50 platform fee + 2.9% + $0.30 processing — verified 2026-11-10
Paddle fee formula & hidden costs
payment processing 5.00% + $0.50
Worked example: $100.00 gross → $5.50 fees → $94.50 net. Reverse gross-up: charge = (target + fixed) / (1 − rate) → to net $100.00 charge $105.79.
Hidden fees to watch
- The 5% is all-inclusive — no intl, PayPal or subscription surcharges — but volume discounts require negotiating.
- Chargebacks and refunds still cost you the lost revenue.
- Payout schedules and holding periods can pinch cash flow early on.
Gumroad fee formula & hidden costs
10% + $0.50 platform fee + 2.9% + $0.30 processing; payment processing 2.90% + $0.30
Worked example: $100.00 gross → $13.70 fees → $86.30 net. Reverse gross-up: charge = (target + fixed) / (1 − rate) → to net $100.00 charge $115.73.
Hidden fees to watch
- The 10% + $0.50 platform fee sits ON TOP of 2.9% + $0.30 card processing — 12.9% + $0.80 all-in.
- Discover marketplace sales cost a flat 30% total.
- On small products the $0.80 fixed stack hurts: a $5 download loses $1.45 (29%).
- Gumroad keeps processing fees on refunds.
Frequently asked questions
Which takes less on a $100 sale: Paddle or Gumroad?
Paddle takes $5.50 (net $94.50); Gumroad takes $13.70 (net $86.30). Paddle wins by $8.20 at $100.
Which is better for international sellers, Paddle or Gumroad?
Paddle: 5% + $0.50 per transaction, all-inclusive MoR. Gumroad: 10% + $0.50 platform fee + 2.9% + $0.30 processing. Check the regional variants above — rates change materially by country.
What is the effective take rate difference between Paddle and Gumroad?
At $100, Paddle takes 5.5% vs Gumroad at 13.7% — a 8.2 point gap before modifiers.