instxnt vs Gumroad
Gumroad nailed the "frictionless digital product checkout" niche years ago. instxnt is closer to a generalist storefront builder — physical products, dropshipping, digital, all on lower transaction fees.
Side-by-side
| instxnt | Gumroad | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Testing one product fast | Selling digital products (ebooks, courses, software, downloads) with minimal setup. |
| Setup time | ~60 seconds | 15 minutes |
| Monthly cost | $0 free / $19 Pro | $0 |
| Transaction fee | 3% on Free, 0% on Pro (+ Stripe 2.9% + 30¢) | 10% flat (drops with discounts) + payment processing |
| Free tier | Forever free, unlimited storefronts | Forever free, but the 10% cut applies to every sale |
The deeper comparison
Gumroad takes 10% off the top. That is the deal: zero setup, zero monthly fee, but every sale loses 10% before payment processing. On a $50 ebook that is $5 per sale to Gumroad. Across 1,000 sales, $5,000.
instxnt takes 3% on Free, or 0% on Pro. On the free plan you pay 3% platform fee plus Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢ — about $3.20 on a $50 ebook vs. Gumroad's ~$6.75. The $19/mo Pro plan drops the platform fee to zero, so you pay only Stripe — about $1.75 per sale. Either way, the math gets uncomfortable for Gumroad fast.
Gumroad pages have a recognizable Gumroad look — clean but distinctly Gumroad. instxnt storefronts are themed, customizable, and live on your own subdomain or custom domain so they read as your brand.
For a single ebook or course, Gumroad still has the edge in raw setup speed. For anything else (physical products, multi-product tests, paid-ad campaigns where margin matters), instxnt wins on flexibility and cost.
Choose Gumroad if
You are selling exactly one digital product, you do not run paid ads, and you value Gumroad's built-in audience and discovery features more than the 10% fee.
Choose instxnt if
You sell at any volume where 10% becomes real money, you want full design control, you want to test physical products, or you want your own domain.
Frequently asked
Does instxnt support digital downloads like Gumroad?
Yes. instxnt delivers download links automatically after Stripe checkout, supports file size limits comparable to Gumroad, and lets you gate access by purchase.
Is the math really that bad for Gumroad?
Yes if your ASP (average sale price) is $20+. At $50 ASP and 100 sales/mo, Gumroad costs you ~$500/mo in fees. instxnt Free at the same volume is ~$320/mo (3% platform + Stripe). instxnt Pro is ~$175/mo + $19 = ~$194/mo. The Gumroad delta covers Pro many times over.
Can I migrate my Gumroad customers?
You own your customer list — export it from Gumroad, import to your email tool of choice, and point future emails at the instxnt storefront. Stripe customer data on instxnt is yours.
Does instxnt have Gumroad Discover-style traffic?
No — instxnt does not have a built-in marketplace. If discovery from Gumroad's feed is your main traffic source, keep that. If you run paid ads or have your own audience, that "discovery" matters less and the fee delta matters more.
Spin one up in 60 seconds
No credit card to start. Free for unlimited test storefronts.
See pricing