Fee Calculator
Gumroad vs Payhip vs Lemon Squeezy vs Paddle — what do you actually keep?
Every digital-product platform quotes a headline rate. Few show what stacks on top of it. Enter your numbers below and compare total fees, effective rate, and monthly take-home across platforms.
Keep more of every sale
You connect your own Stripe — so your money, your customers, and their data stay yours. Merchant-of-record platforms take a bigger cut and own the relationship. See the difference:
With Go!BrightCart you keep about
$2,610 more / year
vs. the priciest merchant-of-record option, on 125 orders/mo.
| Platform | Fees / mo | Effective rate | You keep / mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go!BrightCart (Grow)* | $282.50 | 5.7% | $4,717.50 |
| Gumroad | $500.00 | 10% | $4,500.00 |
| Payhip (Free plan)* | $432.50 | 8.6% | $4,567.50 |
| Lemon Squeezy | $312.50 | 6.3% | $4,687.50 |
| Paddle | $312.50 | 6.3% | $4,687.50 |
Go!BrightCart figures include Stripe standard processing (2.9% + $0.30) plus the plan's platform fee. Competitor figures are each provider's published rates as of June 2026 and may change. Estimate only — taxes and refunds vary. *Not a merchant of record, like Go!BrightCart: this fee stacks on top of Stripe/PayPal processing, and the seller (not the platform) is responsible for their own sales tax/VAT. Other rows are merchant-of-record and handle that for you as part of their fee. Beyond fees: on Go!BrightCart your customer list and data are yours to keep and export.
How this calculator works
Some platforms are a merchant of record: their single headline fee bundles payment processing and includes them handling sales tax/VAT remittance on your behalf. Gumroad, Lemon Squeezy, and Paddle work this way. Others, including Go!BrightCart and Payhip's free plan, are not a merchant of record — you connect your own Stripe (or PayPal) account, pay standard processing (about 2.9% + $0.30) directly, and remain your own merchant of record for tax purposes. Comparing headline rates alone hides that difference. This calculator adds Stripe's processing cost on top of the platform fee for any non-merchant-of-record platform, so every row reflects what actually leaves your revenue.
What this calculator does not capture: currency conversion fees, chargebacks, refund handling differences, payout timing (some platforms hold funds for 7–13 days before payout), and the practical value of not having to register for sales tax or VAT yourself if you sell internationally at volume. Weigh those against the raw fee math for your situation.
Common questions
Why is Go!BrightCart cheaper than merchant-of-record platforms like Gumroad?
Go!BrightCart is not a merchant of record. You connect your own Stripe account, so you pay Stripe's standard processing rate directly plus one platform fee on top. Merchant-of-record platforms bundle payment processing, global tax/VAT handling, and their own margin into one higher headline rate.
What do I give up by not using a merchant-of-record platform?
Merchant-of-record platforms remit sales tax and VAT on your behalf, which is real value if you sell internationally at volume. On Go!BrightCart, and on non-merchant-of-record competitors like Payhip, you are your own merchant of record and are responsible for your own tax registration, calculation, and remittance.
Is Payhip really comparable to Go!BrightCart?
Structurally, yes. Payhip is also not a merchant of record: its published percentage is a platform fee only, and Stripe/PayPal processing fees stack on top, paid directly by the seller. This calculator includes that stacked total so the comparison is apples-to-apples with Go!BrightCart's own stacked fee.
How often are these numbers updated?
Competitor rates are each provider's published headline pricing, reviewed periodically. Always confirm current pricing on the provider's own pricing page before switching platforms, since rates change.
See the full pricing breakdown
Compare plan limits, digital delivery caps, and every feature side by side.