Looking for a Gumroad alternative?
Gumroad is a great platform if you want a permanent storefront, a product catalogue, and someone else handling global sales tax. But if you just want to send one file to one buyer and get paid for it, setting up a store is a lot of overhead - and 10% + $0.50 per sale adds up fast.
Zendlock does one thing: you upload a file, set a price, and share a link. Your buyer pays, the file unlocks, and the money lands in your own Stripe account. No account, no store, no monthly fee.
Side-by-side comparison
| Zendlock | Gumroad | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | 6.5% per sale | 10% + $0.50 per direct sale (30% via Discover) |
| Payment processing | Stripe's standard rate, charged separately | Stripe/PayPal rate, charged separately |
| Account required | No | Yes |
| Storefront to set up | No | Yes |
| Time to first link | ~60 seconds | Account signup + product setup |
| Payouts | Direct to your own Stripe account | Gumroad payout, $100 minimum threshold |
| Max file size | 10GB | 16GB |
| Link lifetime | 7 days | Permanent product page |
| Sales tax handling | You are the seller of record | Gumroad acts as Merchant of Record |
| Monthly cost | $0 | $0 |
Figures verified August 2026. Check both providers' pricing pages for the latest rates.
What you actually keep
On a $25 sale:
| Zendlock | Gumroad | |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer pays | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| Platform fee | -$1.63 | -$3.00 |
| Card processing (approx.) | -$1.03 | -$1.03 |
| You receive | ≈ $22.34 | ≈ $20.97 |
Processing costs vary by card type and country. With Zendlock, your exact payout is shown before you publish your link.
When Gumroad is the better choice
We'd rather you pick the right tool than the cheaper one. Gumroad is a better fit if:
- You sell the same product over and over. Gumroad gives you a permanent product page; a Zendlock link expires after 7 days.
- You want help with global sales tax. Gumroad acts as Merchant of Record and handles VAT and sales tax for you. With Zendlock you are the seller of record and responsible for your own tax obligations.
- You want a catalogue, email tools, or affiliates. Gumroad is a full creator platform. Zendlock is a single-purpose tool.
- You want to be found. Gumroad Discover can send buyers your way (at a 30% fee on those sales). Zendlock has no marketplace - you bring your own buyers.
When Zendlock is the better choice
- One-off and ad-hoc sales. Delivering a client gallery, a project file, a recording, or a document that one person needs to pay for. Setting up a store for that is overkill.
- You want the money in your own account. Payments go through your own Stripe account, so there's no platform payout threshold to reach first.
- You don't want another login. No signup, no dashboard, no password.
- You want to know your payout up front. The exact payout is shown before you publish the link.
- Large files. Up to 10GB per file, any format.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zendlock cheaper than Gumroad?
For most sales, yes. Zendlock charges 6.5% per sale with no fixed fee, while Gumroad charges 10% + $0.50 per direct sale. Both charge payment processing separately. On a $25 sale that's roughly $1.63 versus $3.00 in platform fees.
Do I need an account to use Zendlock?
No. You upload your file, set a price, and get a link. There's no signup and no dashboard.
How do I get paid?
Through your own Stripe account. There's no minimum payout threshold on Zendlock's side - Stripe's normal payout schedule applies.
How long does my link stay active?
7 days. After that the file is deleted and the link stops working. Buyers who already paid can re-download until the expiry date.
Can I sell the same file repeatedly?
You can create a new link whenever you want, but Zendlock has no permanent product page. If you sell the same product continuously, a storefront platform is the better fit.
What file types and sizes are supported?
Any file type - PDF, MP4, ZIP, JPG, DOC and more - up to 10GB per file.
Try it with one file.
Upload something, set a price, and see your exact payout before you publish. Takes about a minute.
Upload a file