← Ways to earn · 2026-11-13
$5, $9 or $19? How to price your first digital product
New sellers often pick the lowest price to be safe. Because of the fixed part of the fee, that is usually the most expensive choice. Here is the math, using the fee rates we checked in a real seller account.
In short
- Fee per direct sale on Gumroad: 10% + $0.50 platform fee plus 2.9% + $0.30 card processing, about 12.9% + $0.80 in total.
- At $5 you keep about 71% of the price. At $19 you keep about 83%.
- To reach $100 you need about 29 sales at $5, 15 at $9 and 7 at $19.
- Price for the value of the problem you solve, then check the fee eats a fair share, not a third.
What you keep per sale
| Price | Fees | You keep | Sales to reach $100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5 | $1.45 | $3.55 | 29 |
| $7 | $1.70 | $5.30 | 19 |
| $9 | $1.96 | $7.04 | 15 |
| $12 | $2.35 | $9.65 | 11 |
| $19 | $3.25 | $15.75 | 7 |
| $29 | $4.54 | $24.46 | 5 |
Fee = 0.129 × price + $0.80, rounded to cents. Sales through Gumroad Discover use a different flat 30% fee. Check Settings → Payments in your own account, since rates can change.
When a low price makes sense
- A tiny single-use file, where buyers compare against free options.
- As an add-on next to a bigger product.
- When you mainly want feedback and reviews from the first buyers.
When to charge more
- The file saves real time or money, for example a calculator for a business task.
- You bundle several related files into one complete kit.
- The page clearly shows what is inside, with an example, so buyers know what they get.
A simple way to decide
- Write down the problem the product solves and what a buyer would otherwise do.
- Look at 3–5 similar products and note their prices and what is inside.
- Pick a price in that range, then improve the page before you think about discounts.
Our $7 Excel fee calculator does this table for any price, plus a 20-point launch checklist, so you can test prices before you publish.
Based on the fee rates shown in a Korean seller's Gumroad payout settings on 2026-11-07. Rates can change. Not financial or tax advice. Novzoo guides are drafted with AI assistance and checked against linked sources.