Tool comparisons for creators, indie businesses, and anyone building online.
Tool comparisons for creators, indie businesses, and anyone building online.
11 clean, sortable tables covering monetization, email, link-in-bio, fulfillment, community tools, and more — all curated to save you hours of research and second-guessing.
FunnelCake launched in early May and already has over 50 buyers, with creators saying it’s saving them serious time and decision fatigue. The May edition is just $9, and new versions will be released monthly.
Benefits coaches, course creators, indie artists, newsletter writers, digital product sellers, and anyone tired of asking “Where do I sell this?”
| Platform | Fees (Platform + Processing) | Payout Speed | Allowed Content (High-Level) | Notes | Integrations | Ease of Use | Official URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gumroad | 10% + $0.50/sale (direct sales); 30% for marketplace discovery sales + processing (2.9% + $0.30 Stripe) | Weekly (Fridays); instant with 3% fee | Digital goods, memberships, physical items | Flat fee, no monthly plan; high discovery fee for new customers | PayPal, Stripe, Zapier | Easy | https://gumroad.com |
| Patreon | 5% (Lite), 8% (Pro), 12% (Premium) + 2.9% + $0.30 (Stripe) | On demand, 1-5 business days | Membership tiers, digital downloads | iOS sign-ups add 30% Apple fee; strong community tools | Zapier, Discord, Mailchimp | Beginner-friendly | https://www.patreon.com |
| Stan Store | $29/mo (Creator) or $300/yr; $99/mo (Pro) or $948/yr + Stripe fees | 2-3 business days (Stripe) | Digital downloads, courses, coaching, custom products | Mobile-first link-in-bio storefront; no % cut | Instagram, TikTok, Stripe | Very easy | https://stan.store |
| Ko-fi | 0% (donations), 5% (memberships/shop) or $6-$8/mo (Gold, 0% fee) + processing | Instant (PayPal/Stripe) | Tips, shop items, commissions, memberships | Gold plan removes 5% fee; ideal for micro-donations | PayPal, Stripe, social media | Very easy | https://ko-fi.com |
| Lemon Squeezy | 5% + $0.50/sale (eCommerce); email plans: $0/mo (500 subs), $100/mo (1,000 subs) + processing | Bi-monthly (1st & 15th) | Digital products, licenses, subscriptions | Handles VAT/EU taxes; strong for international sales | Stripe, Zapier, email platforms | Moderate | https://lemonsqueezy.com |
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Benefits creators growing newsletters, sending product drops, running sales funnels, or automating follow-ups without tech overwhelm.
| Platform | Free-tier size | Price @ 10k subs (USD / mo) | Visual automations? | Native checkout? | Deliverability grade | Notes | Integrations | Ease of Use | Target Audience | Official URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | 500 contacts, 1k emails/mo | $115 (Standard) | Yes | No | Average (79%) | Overage fees for >2k emails/mo | Shopify, WordPress, Zapier | Beginner-friendly | Small businesses | https://mailchimp.com |
| ConvertKit | 300 contacts, 2.5k emails/mo | $149 (Creator) | Yes | Yes | N/A | Focus on creators; no free 10k plan | Stripe, Zapier, Mailchimp | Easy | Creators, bloggers | https://convertkit.com |
| MailerLite | 1k subs, 12k emails/mo | $73 (Growing Business) | Yes | Yes | Good (94%) | Clean UI, landing pages | Shopify, WordPress, Zapier | Very easy | Startups, small businesses | https://www.mailerlite.com |
| Brevo | Unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day | $65 (Starter) | Yes | No | Acceptable (88%) | SMS, CRM built-in | Shopify, Zapier, Slack | Easy | Small-medium businesses | https://www.brevo.com |
| ActiveCampaign | None (14-day trial) | $174 (Lite) | Yes | No | Excellent (94%) | Top deliverability | Shopify, Salesforce, Zapier | Moderate (complex) | E-commerce, scaling businesses | https://www.activecampaign.com |
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Benefits musicians, influencers, educators, and small brands who need a clean, fast hub for everything they offer — all in one place.
| Platform | Monthly Cost | Custom Domain? | Analytics Depth | Payment Button? | Themes / Skins | Ease of Use | Integrations | Target Audience | Notes | Official URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linktree (Pro) | $7 | Yes | Advanced | Yes (Tip-Jar) | ~20 + CSS | Very easy | Instagram, TikTok, Stripe | Influencers | Free tier no domain | https://linktr.ee |
| Beacons (Entrepreneur) | $15 | Yes | Advanced | Yes (Storefront) | 10+ layouts | Easy | Instagram, YouTube, Stripe | Creators | Media kit generator | https://beacons.ai |
| Stan Store (Creator) | $29 | Sub-domain only | Basic | Full checkout | 4 | Very easy | TikTok, Stripe | Influencers | TikTok-centric | https://stan.store |
| Koji / Link In Bio | $0 (30¢ txn fee) | Yes ($5 add-on) | Basic | Yes (Marketplace apps) | 30+ app cards | Easy | Instagram, Stripe, Shopify | Creators | Many mini-apps | https://withkoji.com |
| Lnk.Bio (Mini) | $0.99 | No | None | No | 10 | Very easy | Influencers | Cheapest option | https://lnk.bio |
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Benefits content creators, social managers, and solopreneurs who post across platforms and want to save time or extend their reach.
| Platform | Supported Networks | Free posts / mo (free tier) | AI caption assist? | Best-time forecasting? | Reels auto-posting | Pricing (USD/mo) | Ease of Use | Target Audience | Official URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffer | Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok | 10 per profile | Yes | No | Notify-only | $15 (Essentials) | Very easy | Small businesses | https://buffer.com |
| Later | Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn | 10 uploads | Yes | Yes | Yes (auto) | $18 (Starter) | Easy | Visual brands | https://later.com |
| Metricool | Instagram, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube | Unlimited | No | Yes | Yes (auto) | $18 (Pro) | Easy | Marketers | https://metricool.com |
| Hootsuite | Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube | None (30-day trial) | Yes | Yes | Yes (auto) | $99 (Professional) | Moderate | Enterprises | https://hootsuite.com |
| SocialBee | Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google My Business | None (14-day trial) | Yes | Yes | Yes (auto) | $29 (Bootstrap) | Easy | Small businesses | https://socialbee.com |
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Benefits anyone selling digital products, services, or subscriptions who wants fast ways to accept money without platform lock-in.
| Platform | Fee % (+ flat) | Payout speed | Charge-back fee | EU VAT handled? | Embed widget? | Integrations | Ease of Use | Target Audience | Notes | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe Checkout | 2.9% + $0.30 (US cards) | 2-7 days after initial 7-day hold | $15 | No | Yes | Shopify, WooCommerce, Zapier | Moderate | Developers, businesses | Instant payouts option (extra fee) | https://stripe.com |
| PayPal Checkout | 3.49% + $0.49 (online) | 1-2 days | $20 | No | Yes | Shopify, Wix, PayPal | Easy | Small businesses, freelancers | Widely accepted | https://www.paypal.com |
| Paddle | 5% + $0.50 (digital); 10% + $0.50 (SaaS) | Net-30 (monthly) | $0 (Paddle covers) | Yes (MoR) | Yes | Shopify, Zapier | Moderate | SaaS, digital products | Handles global compliance | https://paddle.com |
| Lemon Squeezy | 5% + $0.50 | Twice-monthly; funds after 13 days | $0 (MoR) | Yes (MoR) | Yes | Stripe, Zapier | Easy | Creators, digital sellers | Low-volume friendly | https://lemonsqueezy.com |
| Payhip (Free plan) | 5% + Stripe/PayPal fees | Instant via PayPal/Stripe | Processor fees only | Yes | Yes | Stripe, PayPal, Zapier | Very easy | Creators | Low-volume friendly | https://payhip.com |
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Benefits artists, apparel brands, and product creators who want to sell merch or goods without inventory, shipping, or big startup costs.
| Platform | Base Tee Cost (e.g., Gildan 64000) | Avg. US Shipping Days | Integrations | White-Label Packaging? | Custom Return Address? | Product Range | Ease of Use | Target Audience | Notes | Official URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Printful | $12.95 | 2-5 production + 3-5 shipping | Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, Wix, Amazon, eBay | Yes | Yes | Apparel, accessories, home goods | Easy | Retailers, influencers | Free mockups, warehouse option | https://printful.com |
| Printify | $8.00 (economy) | 2-7 production + 3-7 shipping | Shopify, Etsy, eBay, Wix, WooCommerce | Yes (provider-dependent) | Yes | Apparel, accessories, home goods | Easy | Startups | Marketplace of print providers | https://printify.com |
| Gelato | $11.90 | 2-4 production + 2-4 shipping | Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, Wix | Yes | Yes | Apparel, wall art, phone cases | Easy | Global retailers | Local fulfillment in 30+ countries | https://gelato.com |
| SPOD (Spreadshirt) | $8.80 | 1-2 production + 2-4 shipping | Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento | Yes | Yes | Apparel, accessories | Moderate | Retailers | Fastest production in POD | https://spod.com |
| Gooten | $9.99 | 3-5 production + 4-7 shipping | Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce | Yes (some vendors) | Yes | Apparel, home goods, prints | Moderate | Retailers | Large catalog; marketplace model | https://gooten.com |
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Benefits creators who want built-in traffic and discovery — whether selling templates, music, presets, stock content, or tutorials.
| Platform | Fee % | Built-in Audience | Pay-What-You-Want? | Bundles Allowed? | Discoverability Tools | Ease of Use | Target Audience | Integrations | Notes | Official URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gumroad | 10% (free plan) | Small | Yes | Yes | Tags, search, trending | Easy | Creators | Stripe, Zapier | Discover adds 10% fee | gumroad.com |
| Itch.io | User-defined (default 10%) | Medium | Yes | Yes | Tags, collections, search | Easy | Indie game devs | PayPal, Stripe | Game-focused marketplace | itch.io |
| Ko-fi | 0% (free plan) | Small | Yes | No | Shop listings, social sharing | Very easy | Creators | PayPal, Stripe | Micro-donations focus | ko-fi.com |
| Payhip | 5% (free plan) | Small | Yes | Yes | Searchable store, categories | Very easy | Creators | Stripe, PayPal, Zapier | Low-volume friendly | payhip.com |
| Sellfy | 0% ($19-$129/mo) | Small | No | Yes | Custom storefront, SEO tools | Easy | Retailers | Stripe, PayPal | Paid plans only | sellfy.com |
This is just a preview. Want the full slice? 🍰
Benefits creators and brands who want to earn through affiliate links, cross-promotions, or paid collaborations with $0 upfront.
| Platform | Fee % | Built-in Audience | Pay-What-You-Want? | Bundles Allowed? | Discoverability Tools | Ease of Use | Target Audience | Payment Terms | Official URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Influencer | 1%–20% | Large | No | No | Personalized storefronts, product recommendations | Easy | Influencers, bloggers | Net-30; $10 min | https://amazon.com/influencer |
| LTK (LikeToKnow.it) | Varies (5%–20%) | Large | No | No | Curated collections, in-app search, brand partnerships | Moderate | Lifestyle influencers | Bi-weekly; $100 min | https://shopltk.com |
| Collective Voice | Varies (5%–15%) | Medium | No | No | Product catalog, trend reports, analytics dashboard | Easy | Fashion, beauty influencers | Monthly (19th); $100 min | https://collectivevoice.com |
| MagicLinks | Varies (5%–20%) | Medium | No | No | Link monetization, performance tracking | Easy | Video influencers | Monthly; $100 min | https://magiclinks.com |
| CJ Affiliate | Varies (5%–10%) | Large | No | No | Extensive advertiser network, real-time reporting | Moderate | Marketers, bloggers | Monthly; $50 min | https://cj.com |
This is just a preview. Want the full slice? 🍰
Benefits indie marketers and lean businesses ready to test paid traffic — without blowing the budget or learning Google Ads from scratch.
| Platform | Min Daily Spend | Typical CPM (Creator Economy) | Creative Format Notes | Pixel Setup Difficulty (1–5) | Learning Resources | Target Audience | Ad Targeting Options | Ease of Use | Official URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meta Ads (Facebook/Instagram) | $1 | $8.00 | Image, video, carousel, Reels | 3 | Meta Blueprint | E-commerce, creators | Demographics, interests, lookalikes | Easy | https://www.facebook.com/business/ads |
| TikTok Ads | $20 (ad group) | $4.00 | Vertical video (9:16), sound-on-first | 3 | TikTok Business Learning Center | Gen Z, creators | Interests, behaviors, hashtags | Moderate | https://ads.tiktok.com |
| Snapchat Ads | $5 | $2.50–$4.50 | Vertical video, AR lenses, story ads | 2 | Snapchat Business Help Center | Young creators | Demographics, interests | Easy | https://forbusiness.snapchat.com |
| Reddit Ads | $5 | $1.00–$2.50 | Text, image, video, carousel | 2 | Reddit Ads Help Center | Niche communities | Subreddits, interests | Easy | https://ads.reddit.com |
| Pinterest Ads | $2 | $2.00–$3.50 | Static image, video, shopping pins | 2 | Pinterest Business Help Center | DIY, lifestyle creators | Interests, keywords, demographics | Easy | https://business.pinterest.com |
This is just a preview. Want the full slice? 🍰
Benefits educators, coaches, and niche creators building paid memberships, workshops, or group programs with direct audience access.
| Platform | Fee % / Pricing | Built-in Audience | Pay-What-You-Want? | Bundles Allowed? | Discoverability Tools | Integrations | Ease of Use | Target Audience | Official URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teachable | 5% (Basic, $59/mo) | Medium | No | Yes | Course marketplace, SEO tools | Stripe, Zapier, Mailchimp | Moderate | Educators, creators | https://teachable.com |
| Thinkific | 0% (Basic, $49/mo) | Medium | No | Yes | Course marketplace, SEO tools | Stripe, Zapier, ConvertKit | Easy | Educators, businesses | https://thinkific.com |
| Kajabi | 0% (Basic, $149/mo) | Medium | No | Yes | Marketing funnels, SEO tools | Stripe, Zapier, ActiveCampaign | Moderate | Marketers, creators | https://kajabi.com |
| Podia | 0% (Mover, $39/mo) | Small | Yes | Yes | Custom storefront, SEO tools | Stripe, Zapier, MailerLite | Very easy | Creators, small businesses | https://podia.com |
| Mighty Networks | 0% (Community, $49/mo) | Medium | No | Yes | Community discovery, SEO tools | Stripe, Zapier, ConvertKit | Easy | Community leaders | https://mightynetworks.com |
This is just a preview. Want the full slice? 🍰
Benefits anyone launching, teaching, or performing live — from product demos and trainings to concerts, Q&As, and virtual hangouts.
| Platform | Free Attendee Limit | Multistream to Socials? | Cloud Recording Hours | Interactive Polls/Q&A | Replay Hosting Days | Pricing (USD/mo) | Ease of Use | Target Audience | Official URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoom Webinars | None (Paid Only) | Yes (via RTMP) | Unlimited (Paid Plans) | Yes | 365+ | $79 (500 attendees) | Easy | Businesses, educators | https://zoom.us/webinar |
| Webex Webinars | None (Paid Only) | Yes (via RTMP) | Unlimited (Paid Plans) | Yes | 365+ | $75 (100 attendees) | Moderate | Enterprises | https://webex.com/webinar |
| GoTo Webinar | None (Paid Only) | No | Unlimited (Paid Plans) | Yes | 365+ | $49 (100 attendees) | Easy | Marketers | https://goto.com/webinar |
| Demio | 20 (Free Trial) | No | Unlimited (Paid Plans) | Yes | 365+ | $49 (50 attendees) | Very easy | Small businesses | https://demio.com |
| Livestorm | 30 (Free Plan) | Yes (via RTMP) | Unlimited (Paid Plans) | Yes | 365+ | $0 (Free),$99 (Premium) | Very easy | Startups, marketers | https://livestorm.co |
This is just a preview. Want the full slice? 🍰