Stripe fees for digital downloads
Stripe is the cheapest way to sell a file if you run your own checkout, but the headline rate isn't the whole bill.
Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 on a standard domestic card. Add about 1.5% for international cards and 1% for currency conversion, so a global digital catalogue typically pays 3.5-4.5% blended.
Run your own numbers
Stripe fee per sale
$1.32
Blended across your card mix
You keep per sale
$27.69
Net per month
$1,355.25
Effective rate 6.5%
Gross $1,450.00 · Stripe fees $65.75 · refunded $29.00.
Refunds return the sale but not the original per-transaction fee, so the effective rate rises with your refund rate.
Keep these numbers
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The lines that catch people out
The $0.30 flat fee dominates on cheap products: on a $5 file it alone is 6%. Bundling low-priced files into a $19-29 pack materially improves the effective rate.
Refunds return the customer's money but not the original processing fee, so a high refund rate quietly raises your effective cost.
Tax is your responsibility
Stripe isn't a merchant of record. Stripe Tax adds about 0.5% to calculate rates, but registration and filing stay with you — unlike Lemon Squeezy or Gumroad, which handle it.
Questions
- Is Stripe cheaper than Gumroad?
- Per sale, clearly — roughly 3-4% versus a flat 10%. The trade is that you supply the storefront, delivery and tax handling.
- Does Stripe charge monthly fees?
- No. Standard pricing is per transaction with no monthly minimum, which is why it suits low-volume launches.
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