Sellup vs Payhip: Zero Fees vs Percentage Cuts

Sellup.io vs Payhip — Zero Fees vs Percentage Cuts in 2026

Payhip has built a solid reputation as an affordable platform for selling digital products, particularly among course creators and ebook sellers. The platform stands out for its built-in EU VAT handling and included course builder. But Payhip's fee structure creates a hidden cost that grows with your success.

The Fee Ladder

Payhip's pricing works like a ladder. The free plan charges 5% on every sale. The Plus plan at $29/month reduces this to 2%. The Pro plan at $99/month eliminates transaction fees entirely. This means that to get 0% fees on Payhip, you need to pay $99 per month — $1,188 per year.

Sellup.io charges 0% transaction fees on the free plan. No ladder. No escalating costs as you grow. Even the Premium plan at $24.99/month (which adds advanced features) is 4x cheaper than Payhip Pro.

Payment Gateways

Payhip supports two payment gateways: Stripe and PayPal. That covers the basics, but it means no cryptocurrency support, no regional payment methods, and no alternative processors.

Sellup.io supports 11 gateways including Coinbase Commerce, NOWPayments, Binance Pay, BTCPay Server, Skrill, Square, Perfect Money, Amazon Pay, and Paysafecard — all on the free plan.

Store and Product Features

Payhip includes a course builder with drip content and quizzes, which is a genuine differentiator for course creators. The platform also handles EU VAT automatically. However, the storefront design options are limited, and there is no marketplace for discovery.

Sellup.io focuses on digital product delivery — serial keys, files, and services — with 8 store templates, full color customization, and features like flash sales, gift cards, affiliate programs, and abandoned cart recovery. While it does not have a built-in course builder, it excels at the type of digital product delivery that most sellers need.

Cost Comparison at Different Revenue Levels

At $1,000/month in sales on Payhip Free, you lose $50 to fees. On Sellup.io, you keep all $1,000. At $5,000/month, Payhip Free takes $250. Even Payhip Plus at $29/month still takes 2% — that is $100 plus the subscription. On Sellup.io, you still keep everything. At $10,000/month, Payhip Pro at $99/month finally gives you 0% — but you are paying $99 for the privilege. Sellup.io gives you 0% for free.

Who Should Use Which

If you are a course creator who needs EU VAT handling and a built-in LMS, Payhip has genuine advantages worth considering. For everyone else — serial key sellers, software distributors, ebook sellers, template creators — Sellup.io offers more payment options, better store customization, and significantly lower costs at every revenue level.

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EU VAT Handling

Payhip's standout feature is automatic EU VAT calculation and remittance. For sellers with significant European customer bases, this eliminates the complexity of tracking and filing VAT in each EU member state. This is a genuine advantage that few platforms offer.

Sellup.io does not currently handle EU VAT automatically. However, for many digital sellers — particularly those selling serial keys, game items, and software licenses — EU VAT obligations are handled through the payment processor. Stripe, for example, offers Stripe Tax which can calculate and collect VAT on digital goods. The VAT question is important but should not override the fee difference between the platforms.

Course Building

Payhip includes a course builder with drip content scheduling, quizzes, and completion tracking. If you are primarily a course creator, this integrated tool means one less subscription to manage. The course builder is functional though not as full-featured as dedicated platforms like Teachable or Kajabi.

Sellup.io does not include a course builder. The platform is focused on product delivery — serial keys, files, and services. If courses are your primary product, Payhip or a dedicated course platform may be more suitable. For everything else in the digital product space, Sellup.io offers significantly more at a lower price.

Affiliate Programs

Both Payhip and Sellup.io offer affiliate programs, but with different accessibility. Payhip includes affiliates on all plans including free. Sellup.io includes affiliates on the Premium plan at $24.99/month. However, Sellup.io's affiliate system includes more granular controls: custom commission rates per product, referral tracking with analytics, an affiliate dashboard for partners, and one-click payouts.

Store Design

Payhip's store design options are functional but limited. The storefront templates are clean but offer minimal customization beyond colors and logos. Product pages follow a standard format with limited layout control.

Sellup.io offers 8 distinct store templates with 18 adjustable color settings, announcement bars, hero sections with YouTube video embeds, social proof popups showing recent purchases, and animated particle effect backgrounds. The level of brand customization is significantly higher, allowing stores to stand out rather than look like every other Payhip storefront.

Analytics

Payhip provides basic sales analytics — revenue over time, product performance, and customer data. Sellup.io's analytics go deeper with conversion funnel tracking (visit to cart to checkout to purchase), traffic source breakdown, UTM parameter tracking for campaigns, and revenue trend indicators. For data-driven sellers who optimize based on metrics, Sellup.io provides more actionable insights.