The verdict
If you are testing an idea or sell occasionally, I'd pick Gumroad. A product can be live in an afternoon, and one that sells nothing costs nothing. If the course is the business, you expect more than one, and you want your own branding, reports on what learners do and community spaces, pick LearnWorlds. The cost shapes differ. Gumroad's cost follows revenue and stays that way. LearnWorlds charges a fee on each paid enrolment on its entry plan, and its higher plans do not, but they have learner caps. API access and webhooks sit on the higher plans, so check that before you plan any automation.
Side by side
| 9 points compared | ||
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | $24/mo | |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server | No | |
| Built-in billing | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in community | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in email marketing | Yes | Yes |
| Gated content | Yes | Yes |
| No transaction fees | No | No |
| Links |
Plans and pricing
Gumroad
- Pay per saleFree
LearnWorlds
- Starter$29/mo
- Pro Trainer$99/mo
- Learning Center$299/mo
Who each is for
Choose Gumroad if…
Pick Gumroad if you are a solo creator, writer or small team selling templates, e-books, guides or a simple membership. You get checkout, delivery and sales tax handled without a recurring bill, and it is a fast way to learn whether anyone will pay. It also has a public API. Be careful as volume grows. The per-sale share stays in place, and sales that come through Discover carry a higher share than your own traffic. Skip it if you need deep course features or a checkout that carries only your brand.
Choose LearnWorlds if…
Pick LearnWorlds if you are a course creator or training provider who wants a branded academy. It suits you if you deliver programmes for several client organisations, because separate schools and reporting beat workarounds. Stripe adds payment methods such as iDEAL and Bancontact, which matter for European learners. Skip it if you are testing a first, small course, because a lighter tool will cost you less effort. Estimate your learners and sales for the year before you choose a plan, since the plan decides your real cost.
Other options worth a look
Create and sell online courses, coaching and digital downloads with built-in hosting and payment processing.