Does the name “Stan” ring a bell? In the last few years, Stan has become one of the most popular platforms for creators to monetize, allowing them to create and sell digital products all from one place.
It’s safe to say Stan is a creator favorite, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. There are some aspects of the platform that just don’t suit the needs of all creators — namely, its price tag.
Luckily, there are a number of Stan Store alternatives out there that provide similar features for less — or even additional features. If you’re not sold on Stan, read on as we dive into the 9 best Stan Store alternatives on the market today.
What is a Stan Store?
So, what is Stan Store? Founded in 2020, Stan is an online platform that allows creators to monetize by selling digital products and services through a single link-in-bio landing page.
Stan has become incredibly popular with creators for its user-friendly interface and features. On its homepage, Stan states that it’s one of the quickest and easiest ways for creators to make money online, boasting that users can get their digital storefront up and running in just 10 minutes. In addition to its e-commerce functionality, Stan also enables creators to build their own online courses in-app.
Stan’s advanced analytics dashboard also allows you to track sales and engagement as they happen, so you can stay ahead of the curve when it comes to which products to sell next. What’s more is that the platform helps you build your email list (i.e. potential customer base) with tools like sign-up forms and lead magnet generators.
Since Stan’s inception, creators have made over $15 million through the platform. That’s a lot of dough! Want to learn more about the platform? Here’s the lowdown on its top features.
Key features
- Mobile-optimized link-in-bio storefront
- Course builder
- Calendar bookings tool
- Email list builder
- Audience analytics
- $0 transaction fees
Pricing
Creator plan for $29/month, or Creator Pro plan for $99/month for advanced features. Creators looking to try before they buy can sign up for a 14-day free trial.
What are the best Stan Store alternatives?
Stan has become one of the most popular platforms for creators looking to sell digital products. That being said, there are definitely other platforms out there that offer features Stan doesn’t, or that offer Stan’s functionality for a lower price — or for free!
Whether you’ve decided Stan isn’t for you or you’re just shopping around, read on as we take a deep dive into the best Stan Store alternatives currently on the market.
Stan Store alternatives comparison
| Free plan | Pricing | Transaction fees | Digital product builder | Audience analytics | |
| Stan | ❌ | Creator plan: $29/month Creator Pro plan: $99/month | None! | ✅ | ✅ |
| The Leap | ✅ | Free! | None! | ✅ AI-powered 🪄 | ✅ |
| Gumroad | ✅ with 10% transaction fee | Free! | 10% | ❌ | ✅ |
| Sellfy | ❌ | Starter: $19/month Business: $49/month Premium: $99/month | None! | ❌ | ❌ |
| Lemon Squeezy | ✅ for e-commerce solutions only | For marketing solutions: Starting at $10/month for 501 to 1,000 subscribers | 5% + $0.50 | ❌ | ✅ |
| SendOwl | ❌ | Starter plan: $9/month Growth plan: $15/month + $0.33 per transaction fee Pro plan: $39/month + $0.17 per transaction fee | Starter plan: 5% transaction fee Growth plan: $0.33 per transaction fee Pro plan: $0.17 per transaction fee | ❌ | ✅ |
| Ko-fi | ✅ (with 5% transaction fee) | Ko-fi Gold: from $6/month (with 0% transaction fees) | Free plan: 5% transaction fee Ko-fi Gold: 0% transaction fee | ❌ | ✅ (with paid plan) |
| Thrive Cart | ❌ | Standard plan: $495 one-time payment (lifetime access) Pro plan: $690 one-time payment (lifetime access) | None! | ❌ | ✅ |
| Payhip | ✅ (with 5% transaction fee) | Plus plan: $29/month (with 2% transaction fee) Pro plan: $99/month (with 0% transaction fee) | Free plan: 5% transaction fee Plus plan: 2% transaction fee Pro plan: 0% transaction fee | ✅ | ❌ |
| DPD | ❌ | $10/month for 20 products or 1GB of storage $16/month for 35 products or 2GB of storage $30/month for 120 products or 6GB of storage | None! | ❌ | ✅ |
1. The Leap
Looking for the ultimate creator monetization tool — for free? Then you’ll want to get in on The Leap.
The Leap is the latest tool from the leading creator educator platform Thinkific. An all-in-one platform, The Leap functions as a link-in-bio tool, an online storefront, and an easy, versatile digital product builder, allowing creators to create and sell digital products all from one location. Designed with lead generation and sales in mind, The Leap helps creators transform their knowledge into digital products and their followers into paying customers, quickly and easily.
The Leap’s AI-powered digital product builder enables creators to bring their product ideas to life, whether it’s a tutorial, a mini-course, or a guidebook. Because it’s so easy to use, The Leap’s zero-cost, user-friendly authoring tool empowers creators to turn their products into lead magnets, which helps them grow their email list — and their pile of cash.
The platform also offers creators an array of advanced analytics, including sales and leads reports, that give them the insights they need to create the digital products that will fly off the (digital) shelves.
The Leap is designed for creators looking to jumpstart their monetization journey. And if you leverage all of its features in tandem, you’ll have yourself an income engine that’ll power your business and earn you even more money over time.
The best part about The Leap? It’s all free!
Key features
- Mobile-optimized link-in-bio storefront
- In-app payment processing
- AI-powered digital product builder for mini-courses, tutorials, guides, and challenges
- Email list builder
- Audience analytics
- Free!
Pricing
Free!
Want to get in on The Leap? Sign up for the waitlist to be one of the first to try out the new money-making tool.
2. Gumroad
Gumroad is many creators’ go-to for selling digital products directly to their audience. This e-commerce platform lets creators build an online storefront and sell virtually any digital product their heart desires, from online courses and ebooks, to Notion templates and digital art and much more. It even allows creators to sell memberships and subscriptions for recurring income. Simply upload your product, set a price, and Gumroad will handle the rest.
Already have your own website? Gumroad allows creators to sell products directly through their own channels via embeddable checkout buttons and widgets. Want to sell your products worldwide? Gumroad’s got you covered, allowing you to sell to virtually anyone by setting your own currency and accepting a broad range of payment methods.
Gumroad doesn’t charge users a monthly fee, which means it’s technically free to set up a store and start selling. However, it’s important to note that the platform takes a 10% cut of each transaction.
Key features
- Online storefront
- Embeddable checkout buttons
- Sell memberships and subscriptions
- Multiple currencies and payment methods
- Audience analytics
Pricing
Free, with a 10% transaction fee per sale (plus credit card processing and PayPal fees).
3. Sellfy
When it comes to selling digital products, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more intuitive platform than Sellfy. This e-commerce platform promises to get creators’ online storefronts “up and running in 5 minutes.” It’s a bold claim, but one that holds up once you look into Sellfy’s seamless sign-up process and ultra-simple website builder.
Sellfy enables creators to build their own online storefront and start selling digital products, quickly and easily. Its user-friendly website builder gets your custom store up and running in just a few clicks, while its embeddable checkout buttons allow creators to sell through their social channels and personal website.
The platform allows creators to sell pretty much any digital product available, from digital prints to ebooks and much more. What’s more is its file-hosting services provide creators with unlimited bandwidth, so you can sell as many products as you want. Sellfy also offers built-in email marketing for even its lowest tier plans, so you can supercharge your sales for less.
Key features
- Mobile-optimized online storefront
- Embeddable checkout buttons
- Sell memberships, subscriptions, and streaming video
- Supports multiple third-party payment options
- Built-in marketing tools
Pricing
Start plan at $19/month, Business plan at $49/month, or Premium plan at $99/plan, all with zero transaction fees.
4. Lemon Squeezy
Lemon Squeezy allows creators to build their own e-commerce website and sell virtually any digital product they want in minutes.
Alongside a host of digital downloads like ebooks, templates, and more, Lemon Squeezy makes it easy for creators to sell memberships and subscriptions to their audience. Through this platform, creators can set up their own mobile-optimized e-commerce site (no design skills needed!), or sell through their social channels (or anywhere else) via secure embeddable checkout widgets.
Lemon Squeezy takes payment and security seriously. The platform supports over 20 of the most popular payment methods (from PayPal to Cash App), accepts payments from over 135 countries, and offers advanced AI-assisted fraud protection for peace of mind. It also issues license keys on your software products and apps after every sale. On top of it all, Lemon Squeezy offers users email marketing tools to help them grow their pile.
Key features
- Mobile-optimized online storefront
- Sell memberships and subscriptions
- Supports multiple currencies and third-party payment methods
- AI-assisted fraud prevention
- License key management
- Built-in marketing tools
- Audience analytics
Pricing
$0 monthly fees for e-commerce solutions, plus 5% + $0.50 cut of each transaction. Marketing features (like email marketing) are available on a sliding scale per number of subscribers, at $0 for up to 500 subscribers, and starting at $10/month for 501-1,000 subscribers.
5. SendOwl
SendOwl is an e-commerce platform geared specifically towards selling digital products. Which is exactly why you’re here, right? Whether you’re an Excel whiz, a fitness instructor, a graphic designer, or beyond, SendOwl has you covered, allowing you to sell virtually any digital product under the sun, including ebooks, online courses, digital art, music, and more.
In addition to being a stellar online storefront, SendOwl offers tons of extras, from marketing tools to audience analytics. If we’re talking marketing, SendOwl offers email and affiliate marketing programs alongside one-click upselling, discounts, and promo codes. On the analytics front, the platform provides users with all the reports they need (on income, zero sell, abandoned carts, and more) to boost sales and grow their business.
SendOwl corners the market on extras — but these features will cost you! The platform offers its plans in a tiered price system, starting at $9 a month. On top of your monthly fee, you’ll also be paying transaction fees on each order. It’s also important to note that each plan places a limit on just how many digital products you can host — and that your SendOwl storefront can only host up to 10 products. So it’s important to have a game plan before you subscribe.
Key features
- Online storefront and digital shopping cart
- Embeddable checkout buttons
- Supports multiple currencies and third-party payment methods
- Get paid via PayPal and Stripe
- Built-in marketing tools
- Audience analytics
Pricing
Starter plan at $9/month (plus 5% transaction fee) for 10GB storage; Growth plan at $15/month (plus $0.33 per transaction) for 100GB storage; or Pro plan at $39/month (plus $0.17 per transaction) for 200 GB storage.
Not sure whether you want to commit? Starter plans come with a three-month free trial, while Growth and Pro plans let you try for free for 14 days.
6. Ko-fi
Like Stan, Ko-fi lets creators sell all their digital products with just a link. Setting up a Ko-fi Shop allows creators to sell all their digital products from one landing page. Once you’ve opened your shop and uploaded your products, you can share links to individual products or your storefront on your social channels, website, or wherever your followers are.
In addition to digital downloads like ebooks and online courses, Ko-fi allows creators to sell subscriptions and tiered memberships, paywall premium content, and even take commissions directly through their storefront.
Ko-fi offers both a free plan and a paid plan, Ko-fi Gold (starting at $6/month). Both tiers allow you to sell products, memberships, and commissions through your Ko-fi shop. However, if you’re selling through a free account, be prepared for a 5% cut from your profits. With Ko-fi Gold, you get to kiss those transaction fees goodbye — and also say hello to audience analytics.
Key features
- Mobile-optimized online storefront and online shopping cart
- Sell subscriptions, memberships, and commissions
- Get paid via PayPal and Stripe
- Third-party integrations with Zapier, WordPress, and more
Pricing
Free plan with 5% transaction fee on all sales. Switch to Ko-fi Gold (starting at $6/month) for 0% transaction fees on all sales (Ko-fi Shop, Memberships, and Commissions), as well as advanced features like audience analytics.
7. Thrive Cart
Want feature-rich functionality with lightweight UX? Then you’ll love Thrive Cart. This online shopping cart and checkout platform allows creators to sell their digital products wherever they want with just a link.
Whatever your niche, Thrive Cart allows you to sell virtually any kind of digital product, including online courses and memberships. Once you’ve uploaded your digital products to your dashboard, you can sell them by embedding checkout links on your blog, website, social channels, or wherever your followers are.
Like its name suggests, Thrive Cart is designed to boost conversions, sales, and profits. It does this through its range of advanced marketing features, including one-click upselling, customer retargeting, coupon codes, and more. The platform also provides users with a plethora of analytics reports including funnel stats and link tracking.
Key features
- Online shopping cart and checkout
- Sell memberships and subscriptions
- Built-in marketing tools
- Audience analytics
- Robust third-party integrations for payment processing, marketing, and more
Pricing
Gain lifetime access to the Standard plan with a one-time payment of $495, or the Pro plan with a one-time payment of $690.
8. Payhip
With Payhip, creators can sell “anything online anywhere.” And, of course, that includes digital products. This all-in-one platform supports practically every digital product on the market, from ebooks to online courses, stock music to templates, fonts to printables, and much more. On top of supporting a wide variety of file types, Payhip also allows creators to host as many digital downloads as they please with unlimited storage.
Payhip allows creators to build their own online storefront (i.e. a one-stop shop for all of their digital products), as well as online shopping cart functionality, which enables creators to sell directly through their social channels, blog, or website with just one click.
Want to create and sell digital products from the same app? Payhip’s got you covered. In addition to its store builder, the platform also provides a powerful online course builder, which allows creators to create all kinds of lessons, and monetize their knowledge through paid subscriptions and drip content. Creator educators, take note!
Key features
- Online storefront and shopping cart
- Online course builder
- Sell memberships and subscriptions
- Get paid via PayPal and Stripe
- Built-in marketing tools
Pricing
Payhip offers three plans — each offers the same features but charges a different % in percentage fees. Its Free plan charges a 5% transaction fee. Its Plus plan is $29/month (plus a 2% transaction fee), and Pro plan is $99/month with 0% transaction fee.
9. DPD
Don’t need a storefront? DPD provides the ultimate in lightweight, feature-rich e-commerce. This online shopping cart does away with the web shop, allowing creators to sell their digital products through embeddable checkout buttons, while hosting and managing their business from a single dashboard. DPD allows sellers to sell virtually anywhere — their website, blog, social channels, and more — with just a single link. Copy, paste, and sell. It’s that easy!
DPD supports a wide range of file formats, so creators across all niches can sell virtually any digital product they dream up, from ebooks to online courses and more. Because it’s geared towards digital products, DPD provides users with a number of security features, including PDF stamping and encryption, and SSL checkouts.
DPD offers a series of plans on a tiered pricing system (with zero transaction fees, zero bandwidth fees, and zero commission on sales). It’s important to note that each plan places a cap on the number of digital products you can sell, so sort out your offering before you subscribe.
Key features
- Online shopping cart and checkout provider
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Built-in marketing tools
- Audience analytics
- Advanced security features
Pricing
$10/month for 20 products or 1GB of storage; $16/month for 35 products or 2GB of storage; or $30/month for 120 products or 6GB of storage.
Choosing the best Stan Store alternative
Choosing the Stan Store alternative that’s right for you depends on a number of factors. Namely, it depends on your business’ needs, your audience’s needs, and your budget. Want to sell and create digital products in no time? Then The Leap is the solution for you. Want to do away with clunky online storefronts? Then you might want to look into DPD or Thrive Cart.
Now that we’ve provided you with all the best Stan Store alternatives, the ball is in your court. That means, the choice is yours!
Want to create and sell your digital products with The Leap? Sign up for the waitlist to be one of the first to try out the new money-making tool.
FAQ
How much does a Stan Store cost?
Stan Store’s Creator plan costs $29/month. Its Creator Pro plan costs $99/month and offers advanced features.
Is there a free alternative to Stan Store?
Yes, there are a few free alternatives to Stan Store. For example, The Leap is free with zero hidden fees.
Other free alternatives, including Gumroad, Lemon Squeezy, Ko-fi, and Payhip, don’t charge a monthly subscription fee but do charge transaction fees (between 5% and 10%).
Is The Leap or Stan Store better?
The Leap and Stan Store offer similar functionality, including an online storefront builder and digital product authoring tool. While the platforms are similar, The Leap is different from Stan in two main ways.
First, The Leap is free to use, whereas Stan is only accessible through paid subscription. The second reason has to do with both platforms’ digital product builders. The Leap’s authoring tool is AI-powered (which allows users create digital products faster and with less effort), whereas Stan’s tool isn’t assisted by AI.
Ready to start earning? Download the Leap’s free (that’s right, free!) Digital Product Launch Checklist for more useful tips on how to unlock your passive income potential.
