Payhip is a simple, cost-effective platform for selling digital products, memberships, and physical goods. With zero upfront costs, built-in marketing tools, and instant payouts, it’s a popular choice for creators and entrepreneurs.
But is it the right choice for your business? This review covers Payhip’s features, pricing, ease of use, and pros and cons to help you decide. Let’s dive in.
What is Payhip?
Payhip is an all-in-one eCommerce platform designed for selling digital products, memberships, courses, and physical goods. Launched in 2011, it has gained popularity for its simplicity, affordability, and built-in marketing tools that help creators monetize their content without technical expertise.
Unlike traditional eCommerce platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce, Payhip focuses on digital creators, offering instant payouts, easy store setup, and integrated sales tools. It supports PayPal and Stripe for secure transactions and allows sellers to offer discounts, coupons, and affiliate programs to boost sales.
Who is Payhip For?
Payhip is ideal for:
- Digital creators (authors, designers, musicians, software developers)
- Course instructors looking to sell online courses
- Membership site owners who want to charge for exclusive content
- Entrepreneurs selling physical or digital products without high upfront costs
Payhip at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 |
| Product Types | Digital products, memberships, courses, physical goods |
| Payment Processors | PayPal, Stripe |
| Transaction Fees | 0% – 5% (depends on plan) |
| Payouts | Instant |
| Marketing Tools | Coupons, affiliates, email marketing |
| Free Plan Available | Yes |
Payhip provides an accessible and budget-friendly way to start selling online, making it a strong choice for small business owners and independent creators.
Key Features & Tools
Payhip offers a range of eCommerce tools tailored for digital creators, course instructors, and membership businesses. From selling products to marketing and payment processing, its features are designed to simplify online selling without requiring technical expertise.
Product Selling Capabilities
Payhip supports various product types, making it a versatile platform for different kinds of sellers.
- Digital Products – Sell eBooks, music, software, PDFs, and more with secure file hosting and automatic delivery.
- Physical Products – Manage and sell physical goods with inventory tracking.
- Courses – Built-in course creation tools allow structured lessons, video uploads, and student management.
- Memberships – Offer subscription-based access to exclusive content with recurring billing options.
Rating: 4.5/5
Payment & Checkout System
- Supports PayPal and Stripe for fast, secure transactions.
- Instant payouts mean sellers don’t have to wait for withdrawals.
- Customizable checkout pages to improve conversion rates.
Rating: 4/5
Marketing & Sales Tools
- Affiliate Program – Recruit affiliates to promote products and increase sales.
- Discounts & Coupons – Create time-limited or bulk discounts.
- Email Marketing – Collect customer emails and send promotions directly from the Payhip dashboard.
- Upselling & Cross-Selling – Encourage buyers to add more products at checkout.
Rating: 4.5/5
Customer Management & Analytics
- Customer Database – Track buyers and segment email lists.
- Analytics Dashboard – Provides insights into sales, customer behavior, and traffic sources.
Rating: 4/5
Payhip Features Overview
| Feature | Availability |
|---|---|
| Digital Product Selling | ✅ Yes |
| Physical Product Support | ✅ Yes |
| Courses & Memberships | ✅ Yes |
| Affiliate Program | ✅ Yes |
| Email Marketing | ✅ Yes |
| Advanced SEO Tools | ❌ No |
Final Thoughts
Payhip offers a strong set of features for online sellers, with no upfront costs and built-in marketing tools. However, store customization is limited, and it lacks advanced SEO tools. Despite this, it remains an excellent choice for digital entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Pricing Plans & Transaction Fees
Payhip offers three pricing plans, each with access to all features, making it a cost-effective choice for digital and physical product sellers. The primary difference between the plans is the transaction fee, which decreases as you move to higher-tier plans.
Payhip Pricing Tiers
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Transaction Fee | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 5% | All features included |
| Plus | $29/month | 2% | All features included |
| Pro | $99/month | 0% | All features included |
Plan Breakdown
- Free Plan
- No monthly fees, but 5% per transaction.
- Great for beginners testing the platform.
- Plus Plan ($29/month)
- 2% transaction fee, reducing costs for higher sales volumes.
- Suitable for growing businesses.
- Pro Plan ($99/month)
- 0% transaction fees, maximizing earnings.
- Ideal for high-volume sellers or membership businesses.
Each plan includes:
- Unlimited product listings
- Affiliate program management
- Email marketing tools
- Instant payouts via PayPal or Stripe
Comparison with Competitors
| Platform | Free Plan | Transaction Fees | Monthly Cost (Lowest Paid Plan) | Payouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payhip | ✅ Yes | 0% – 5% | $29 | Instant |
| Gumroad | ✅ Yes | 10% | $10 | Instant |
| Shopify | ❌ No | 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction | $39 | 2-3 days |
| Teachable | ✅ Yes | 5% + payment fees | $39 | Monthly |
Final Thoughts
Payhip’s free plan makes it an excellent choice for new sellers, while the Pro Plan is cost-effective for high-volume businesses. Compared to competitors, it offers lower fees than Gumroad and simpler pricing than Shopify. However, Shopify provides more store customization, and Teachable is better for advanced course hosting.
Overall Rating: 4/5 – Affordable, flexible, and beginner-friendly, but the free plan’s 5% fee may be costly for high-volume sellers.
Ease of Use & Store Customization
User Experience & Dashboard
Payhip is designed for simplicity and ease of use, making it an excellent choice for beginners. The setup process is straightforward:
- Sign up for free and choose a product type (digital, physical, course, or membership).
- Upload your product with descriptions, pricing, and images.
- Set up payment processing via PayPal or Stripe.
- Customize your storefront or use buy buttons on your existing website.
The dashboard is clean and intuitive, allowing users to manage products, sales, and marketing tools without technical skills.
Rating: 5/5 – Beginner-friendly with an intuitive interface.
Store Customization Options
Unlike Shopify or WooCommerce, Payhip is not a full-fledged eCommerce builder, but it does offer some customization features:
- Pre-designed store templates with basic branding options.
- Custom domain support, so sellers can use their own domain instead of a Payhip subdomain.
- Embeddable buy buttons to sell directly from blogs, websites, or social media pages.
However, customization is limited compared to Shopify or BigCommerce. There are no advanced design options, and sellers cannot modify checkout pages beyond branding adjustments.
Rating: 3.5/5 – Simple but lacks deep customization.
Ease of Use & Customization Overview
| Feature | Rating |
|---|---|
| Setup Process | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 |
| Dashboard Simplicity | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 |
| Store Customization | ⭐⭐⭐ 3/5 |
| Embeddable Buy Buttons | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 |
Final Thoughts
Payhip excels in ease of use, making it perfect for beginners. However, store customization is limited, making it less ideal for sellers who need a fully branded eCommerce experience. Those needing more design flexibility may prefer Shopify or WooCommerce.
Overall Rating: 4/5 – Great for beginners, but lacks advanced customization features.
Customer Support & Reliability
Customer Support Options
Payhip provides multiple customer support options, but they are more limited compared to platforms like Shopify or Teachable. The available support channels include:
- Email Support – Users can reach out via email for assistance.
- Help Center & FAQs – A well-organized knowledge base with guides on setup, payments, and troubleshooting.
- Blog & Tutorials – Offers insights on how to maximize sales and use Payhip effectively.
Unlike some competitors, Payhip does not offer live chat or phone support, which may be a drawback for users needing immediate help.
Rating: 3.5/5 – Reliable but lacks real-time support options.
Platform Reliability & Performance
Payhip is a stable and well-maintained platform, with no major downtime issues reported.
Key observations:
- Fast-loading pages and secure transactions.
- Servers remain stable, even during high-traffic sales events.
- Instant payouts via PayPal and Stripe ensure smooth cash flow.
Rating: 4.5/5 – Reliable performance with seamless transactions.
Customer Support & Reliability Overview
| Feature | Availability |
|---|---|
| 24/7 Live Chat | ❌ No |
| Email Support | ✅ Yes |
| Phone Support | ❌ No |
| Help Center & FAQs | ✅ Yes |
| Platform Uptime | ✅ Excellent |
Final Thoughts
Payhip is a stable and reliable platform, but its customer support is limited to email and self-help resources. For users who prioritize immediate customer service, platforms like Shopify (24/7 live chat) or Teachable (live chat & phone support) may be better alternatives.
Overall Rating: 4/5 – Reliable platform but lacks real-time support.
Pros & Cons
Pros
✅ Free Plan with Full Features – Unlike many competitors, Payhip offers all features on its free plan, making it accessible for beginners.
✅ Supports Digital, Physical, and Membership Products – Sellers can offer eBooks, courses, memberships, and even physical goods on one platform.
✅ Instant Payouts – Payments through PayPal and Stripe are processed immediately, unlike some platforms that have payout delays.
✅ Built-in Marketing Tools – Includes affiliate program management, email marketing, coupons, and cross-selling, reducing the need for third-party tools.
✅ No Upfront Costs – Payhip charges only transaction fees on lower-tier plans, making it a low-risk choice for new sellers.
✅ Simple and User-Friendly – The dashboard and store setup are designed for ease of use, even for non-technical users.
Cons
❌ Transaction Fees on Free & Plus Plans – While the Pro Plan has 0% fees, the Free Plan (5%) and Plus Plan (2%) can be costly for high-volume sellers.
❌ Limited Store Customization – Design options are basic compared to Shopify, and checkout pages have minimal customization flexibility.
❌ No Live Chat or Phone Support – Customer service is limited to email, which may be slow for urgent issues.
❌ Lacks Advanced SEO Tools – Payhip’s SEO capabilities are basic, and sellers looking for deep SEO customization may prefer Shopify or WooCommerce.
Overall Rating: 4.2/5
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Ease of Use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 |
| Features | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5/5 |
| Pricing | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 |
| Customization | ⭐⭐⭐ 3/5 |
| Customer Support | ⭐⭐⭐ 3.5/5 |
| Reliability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5/5 |
Payhip is a great choice for digital and membership-based sellers looking for an easy-to-use, low-cost platform. However, store customization and real-time support options are limited, making it less ideal for users who need a highly branded storefront or fast customer service.
Conclusion: Is Payhip Worth It?
Payhip is a versatile and budget-friendly platform for selling digital products, courses, memberships, and even physical goods. With no upfront costs, instant payouts, and built-in marketing tools, it’s a great option for creators, educators, and entrepreneurs looking for an easy-to-use eCommerce solution.
Who Should Use Payhip?
✅ Digital product creators selling eBooks, music, or software
✅ Course instructors looking for a simple way to host and sell online courses
✅ Membership site owners needing subscription-based payments
✅ Beginners who want a zero-risk platform with a free plan
Who Might Want an Alternative?
❌ Sellers needing advanced store customization – Shopify or WooCommerce offer more design flexibility
❌ Businesses requiring live customer support – Shopify and Teachable provide live chat and phone support
❌ High-volume sellers looking to avoid transaction fees – The 5% fee on Payhip’s free plan may be costly, making Shopify or Gumroad’s flat-rate fees a better option
Final Verdict
Overall Rating: 4.2/5
Payhip is one of the best choices for independent creators who need an affordable, feature-rich platform without a monthly commitment. However, its store customization is limited, and its customer support is slower than some competitors.
For sellers who prioritize ease of use, affordability, and digital sales tools, Payhip is absolutely worth it.
FAQ Section
1. Is Payhip really free to use?
Yes, Payhip offers a free plan with access to all features. However, the free plan has a 5% transaction fee per sale. You can upgrade to a Plus Plan (2% fee) or Pro Plan (0% fee) to reduce costs.
2. How does Payhip process payments?
Payhip supports PayPal and Stripe as payment gateways. Payments are processed instantly, meaning sellers receive their earnings without delays.
3. Can I sell physical products on Payhip?
Yes, Payhip supports physical product sales, but its inventory management features are basic compared to Shopify or WooCommerce.
4. Does Payhip allow me to sell courses?
Yes, Payhip includes a built-in course platform, allowing you to create and sell online courses with structured lessons, video hosting, and student management.
5. Can I use Payhip for membership subscriptions?
Yes, Payhip allows recurring subscription payments, making it a good option for membership-based businesses.
6. Does Payhip provide live customer support?
No, Payhip only offers email support and a help center with self-service guides. There is no live chat or phone support.
7. Is Payhip secure for sellers and buyers?
Yes, Payhip uses SSL encryption for secure transactions and supports GDPR compliance for handling customer data safely.
8. Does Payhip support affiliate marketing?
Yes, Payhip has a built-in affiliate program, allowing sellers to recruit affiliates to promote their products.
9. Can I use my own domain with Payhip?
Yes, Payhip allows users to connect a custom domain to create a branded store instead of using a Payhip subdomain.
10. How does Payhip compare to Gumroad and Shopify?
- Gumroad: Payhip has lower fees on higher plans and includes memberships and courses, which Gumroad lacks.
- Shopify: Payhip is better for digital products, while Shopify is better for customizable storefronts and physical goods management.
Final Thoughts
Payhip is a strong choice for creators, course instructors, and membership sellers. While it lacks advanced customization and live support, its free plan, instant payouts, and marketing tools make it a great eCommerce platform for digital entrepreneurs.