The short answer
A $100 direct sale costs $10.50 before payment processing.
Gumroad charges 10% of the sale plus $0.50 when the customer arrives through your profile or direct link. Gumroad's fee documentation states that card processing or PayPal fees are additional. There is no monthly subscription.
Two acquisition routes
Direct sales and Discover sales use different fee models
| Sale source | Gumroad fee | Processing | What the calculator models |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profile or direct link | 10% + $0.50 | Additional | Yes |
| Gumroad Discover | 30% | Included | No |
CourseProfit Lab's calculator models direct-link sales and adds the editable processor rate separately. It does not model Discover sales.
Examples
Direct-sale cost at three price and volume combinations
The processing column uses 2.9% plus $0.30 per sale as an example, not a promise. Replace it with the rate that applies to your payment route in the calculator.
| Price × sales | Gross | Gumroad fee | Example processing | Total modeled cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $20 × 10 | $200 | $25 | $8.80 | $33.80 |
| $100 × 10 | $1,000 | $105 | $32 | $137 |
| $200 × 25 | $5,000 | $512.50 | $152.50 | $665 |
The tradeoff
No subscription reduces risk, not necessarily cost
Gumroad is compelling when
You are validating a first product, sales are uncertain, and avoiding a fixed monthly bill matters more than minimizing the fee on each sale.
Recheck a paid platform when
Direct sales become regular, you need a deeper course experience, or a monthly subscription plus lower transaction fees would cost less than Gumroad's percentage charge.
Gumroad also acts as merchant of record and handles sales-tax collection and remittance. That operational value is not represented by fee math alone.
Frequently asked
Gumroad fee questions
Is processing included in the 10% + $0.50?
No. Gumroad's fee help page says card processing and PayPal fees are additional for direct sales. Discover's 30% fee includes processing.
Why does the calculator show a processor charge?
Because direct-sale processing is separate. The calculator lets you replace the default percentage and flat charge with the rate that applies to your setup.
Does Gumroad handle sales tax?
Gumroad says it has acted as merchant of record since January 1, 2025 and manages sales-tax collection and remittance worldwide.
Official sources
Check current fees before selling
Direct, Discover, processing, and tax-handling details were checked against Gumroad's official pages on August 7, 2026.
Gumroad links are currently direct and non-affiliate.