Selling digital products online is more popular than ever in 2024. From ebooks and online courses to software and design assets, digital products offer low overhead and high profits.
But to successfully sell digital goods online, you need the right ecommerce platform. The best platforms make it easy to upload your digital files, take payments, and deliver products to customers. Some even help you market your digital goods.
In this post, we explore the top 12 ecommerce platforms to sell digital products in 2024.
Main Types of Digital Products You Can Sell
Before diving into platforms, let‘s review the major digital product categories:
- Ebooks – PDFs, audiobooks, etc. Can be sold standalone or in bundles
- Online courses – Video lessons teaching professional or lifestyle skills
- Software – Apps, themes, plugins, code, templates
- Graphics – Stock photos, icon packs, design templates, Lightroom presets
- Music – MP3 tracks, album bundles, sound effect packs
- Memberships/Communities – Paid access to exclusive content and groups
Nearly all platforms allow selling these main digital product types. Some specialize in specific products like online courses or software.
Benefits of Selling Digital Products
Why sell digital products vs physical products? Here are the main advantages:
- Low overhead – No manufacturing, warehousing, or shipping costs
- High margins – 80-90% profit margins are common
- Easy distribution – Products delivered instantly worldwide
- Recurring revenue – Sell subscriptions for ongoing income
- Easy to scale – Reach millions of customers with no added costs
- Automated selling – Less daily involvement once your store is running
Now let‘s explore the top ecommerce platforms for capitalizing on these benefits.
1. SendOwl – Best Overall Platform
SendOwl is our choice as the best overall platform for selling digital products in 2024.
Focused 100% on digital goods, SendOwl handles global payments, automated delivery, and security. And they‘ve rolled out several enhancements for 2024.
Key Features
- Sell all digital product types
- Embedded storefronts and buy buttons
- Multi-currency support and global tax tools
- Drip content delivery over time
- Discount codes and abandoned cart recovery
- NEW – Bulk digital fulfillment
Pros
- Everything you need, specialized for digital goods
- Very customizable from branding to flows
- Great conversion and security features
- Affordable pricing even at high volumes
Cons
- Less structured than some platforms
- Must build marketing elements yourself
Pricing
- Free plan available
- Paid plans start at $10/month
With its digital-first focus plus global sales capabilities, SendOwl is our top choice for 2024.
2. Teachable – Best for Online Courses
To sell online courses, the best platform is Teachable. Their specialization shows – Teachable sets the standard for course creation, marketing, and monetization.
Key Features
- Custom course builder
- Coupons and bundles
- Drip content delivery
- Integrated affiliate marketing
- FREE custom domains
Pros
- Gorgeous course pages out of the box
- Excellent analytics dashboards
- Clear student management
- Very customizable – white label available
Cons
- Higher fees than some platforms
- Mostly useful just for courses
Pricing
- Plans from $29/month
- Fees: 0-10% per transaction
For online course sellers, Teachable stands unmatched on both sales features and analytics. Their 2024 updates make them even more flexible and profitable.
3. Gumroad – Most Flexible Pricing
Gumroad is one of the most popular digital selling platforms thanks to its unlimited free plan and creator-first model.
In 2024 they have continued expanding features while keeping their signature pricing flexibility.
Key Features
- Pay what you want pricing
- Pre-order functionality
- Embeddable elements
- Built-in email and messaging
Pros
- Completely free to start selling
- Keep 92-97% of earnings
- Simple and intuitive interface
- Nice ancillary features
Cons
- Less structure for larger operations
- Must drive all your own traffic
Pricing
- FREE plan available
- 3-8% transaction fees
For the lowest barriers to entry and most pricing flexibility, choose Gumroad.
4. Podia – Best for Subscriptions
Podia elegantly combines digital product sales with membership subscriptions, making it our top pick for subscription selling in 2024.
Key Features
- All-in-one digital storefront
- Membership site builder
- Order bumps
- Drip feeds
- Affiliate marketing
Pros
- Streamlined shopping experience
- Integrates subscriptions beautifully
- Great email + landing page builder
- Generous free plan option
Cons
- Primarily useful for subscriptions + some static products
- Less flexible than some platforms
Pricing
- FREE Starter Plan
- Paid plans from $39/month
For selling digital subscriptions, communities, and online courses, Podia leads the pack.
5. Shopify – Most Feature-Rich
Shopify isn‘t just for physical products – it‘s also a top-tier platform for digital goods. Their 2024 updates make them more competitive specifically for digital sellers.
Key Features
- Huge app ecosystem
- Deep customization potential
- Built-in marketing suite
- Global tax + fraud protection
- NEW – Bulk digital delivery
Pros
- Mature, powerful platform
- Optimized for conversions
- Scales to enterprise level
- Very customizable
Cons
- Overkill features for digital-only
- Transaction fees on most plans
Pricing
- $29+ / month
- 1-2% transaction fees
Shopify sets the standard for enterprise ecommerce – including digital goods alongside physical.
6. SamCart – Best Checkout Experience
SamCart optimizes the shopping cart and checkout process like no other platform, increasing conversion rates.
Key Features
- One page checkout
- Order bumps
- Subscription saver sequences
- Built-in affiliate center
- Abandoned cart recovery
Pros
- Checkout boosting features
- Great analytics
- Tons of payment gateways
- Useful sales funnels
Cons
- Very sales-focused platform
- Mostly useful for checkout
Pricing
- From $49/month
- No transaction fees
If you want to maximize conversions from traffic you already have, SamCart is for you.
7. PayHip – Best Free Option
PayHip stands out by offering a forever-free plan with unlimited products, bandwidth, and earnings. A fantastic option for digital entrepreneurs on a budget.
Key Features
- Unlimited free plan
- Good selection of product types
- Solid built-in reporting
- Coupons + bundles
Pros
- Most fully-featured free platform
- Easy to use
- Nice free features like bundles
- Generous free limits
Cons
- 2% transaction fees, even on paid plans
- Less flexibility for coding customization
Pricing
- FREE Forever plan
- Pro plans from $49/month
For the best free plan, check out PayHip.
8. Sellfy – Best Turnkey Store Builder
Sellfy makes it incredibly easy to get a full-featured online store up and running in under 5 minutes for selling all types of digital goods.
Key Features
- Plug + play store builder
- File delivery automation
- Multi-product discounts
- Appointment scheduling
Pros
- Insanely easy setup
- Nice customizable templates
- Good features like scheduling
- 14-day free trial
Cons
- Less control vs building yourself
- Must drive your own traffic
Pricing
- Plans from $1/month
- Volume discounts available
For anyone who wants a pre-built digital store without headaches, Sellfy is for you.
9. Chec Platform – Best for Developers
Chec is built specifically for developers selling digital products directly from apps, themes, and other code.
Key Features
- Headless commerce
- Customizable carts
- Coupons + promotions
- Tax automatically handled
- Affiliate ready
Pros
- Very fast, clean code
- Easy digital fulfillment
- Developer optimized
- Generous free trial
Cons
- Not for non-developers
Pricing
- FREE 14-day Trial
- Plans from $19/month
For devs and coders, Chec brings unmatched speed, customization, and automations.
10. Selz – Best for Creatives Selling Multiples
Bringing a lightweight, visual approach uniquely catering to digital creatives, Selz simplifies selling multiples of creative products from photography to fonts.
Key Features
- Image-rich galleries
- Bulk discounts
- Creative focus
- Coupons
- Tax automatically handled
Pros
- Streaming + downloads
- Designer friendly
- Global currency support
- Affordable plans
Cons
- Light on analytics currently
Pricing
- 14-day FREE trial
- Plans from $14/month
For visual artists, photographers, font designers, and more creative sellers, check out Selz.
Choosing the Right Platform For You
All platforms above can power successful digital product sales – but some are better fits depending on your product type and business size.
Best for Beginners
We recommend Gumroad, PayHip, or SendOwl for most first-time digital sellers. All feature generous free plans so you can start selling at zero cost.
Most Affordable Paid Plans
SendOwl and Selz offer the most affordable yet full-featured paid plans.
Best Feature-Rich
Shopify comes packed with the deepest feature set – but prepare for added complexity.
SendOwl offers the best balance of features tailored for digital sellers across plans.
Best Global Sales Capabilities
SendOwl, Selz, and Gumroad handle VAT taxes, currency conversions, and fraud protection wherever you sell – critical for going global.
Tips for Successful Digital Product Sales
Beyond choosing the right platform, leveraging some best practices will grow your digital sales.
Formats
Offer files in multiple formats – for example, an ebook in PDF, ePub, Mobi. This expands your potential buyer pool.
Videos should be in MP4 format at minimum, with option for HD downloads.
Prices
Consider pay-what-you-want or levels-based pricing (basic + premium download options). Segmented pricing boosts overall buyers.
Don‘t underprice downloadable files since they have 100% profit margins.
Marketing
Promote new product releases on social media and to your email subscriber list.
Write SEO-optimized product description copy to rank in search engines.
Use referral discounts to incentivize buyers to share your products.
Security
Watermark PDFs and videos to prevent sharing. Automate file delivery versus self-service downloads whenever possible.
For software, issue license keys to protect unauthorized installations.
Now that you know the 12 best platforms for selling all types of digital downloads in 2024, it‘s time to choose one and open your own online store! Contact me if you have any other questions.
