LicenseManagerSide by side
Lemon Squeezy vs Gumroad
Lemon Squeezy and Gumroad compared on features, SDKs and price, from their public pages.
This page is written by the team behind LicenseManager, an alternative to both. Prices and features come from each vendor's public pricing page and documentation, checked on 2026-10-25. Report an error.
Lemon Squeezy
Merchant of record with license keys
A merchant of record for digital products, with license keys included.
- Free tier
- No monthly fee, 5% + $0.50 per sale
- Paid plans from
- -
- Fee per sale
- 5% + $0.50
- Billed on
- Sales only
Best for: Sellers who want tax handled for them and only need basic license keys.
Gumroad
Merchant of record with license keys
A store for creators selling digital products, with optional license keys.
- Free tier
- No monthly fee, 10% + $0.50 per sale
- Paid plans from
- -
- Fee per sale
- 10% + $0.50
- Billed on
- Sales only
Best for: Creators selling small apps, plugins or assets, who want the simplest setup.
Price comparison
Monthly cost of Lemon Squeezy and Gumroad for your sales, with LicenseManager for reference.
Monthly revenue: €2,450.
- You'd save €188 per month with Lemon Squeezy. Gumroad is 2.2x more expensive.
- Lemon Squeezy is 63% more expensive than LicenseManager: you'd save €62.69 per month with LicenseManager.
- You'd save €251 per month with LicenseManager. Gumroad is 3.5x more expensive.
Per month, excluding VAT. Assumes one-time purchases and customers using your app for 4 months, with Stripe's fees for the tools that aren't a merchant of record.
Where Lemon Squeezy fits better
Lower price
Lemon Squeezy costs less than Gumroad in all 12 scenarios we computed. With 10 sales a month at €99: you'd save €73.37 per month with Lemon Squeezy. Gumroad is 2.2x more expensive.
Machine activation limits
Lemon Squeezy enforces a number of devices per license. Gumroad doesn't enforce a number of devices itself. Activation limit per product variant.
Subscription licenses
Lemon Squeezy keeps licenses valid while a subscription is paid, and stops them when it ends. Gumroad leaves renewing licenses with subscription payments to your own code. Keys stay active while the subscription is, and expire with it.
Usage metering
Lemon Squeezy supports usage metering, while Gumroad has no usage metering.
SDK coverage
Official Lemon Squeezy SDKs exist for JavaScript, with no Gumroad equivalent.
Gumroad's advantages
Open source
Gumroad is open source, while Lemon Squeezy is closed source.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Lemon Squeezy | Gumroad |
|---|---|---|
| Offline validationThe app can check a license without reaching the vendor's servers, usually with a signed file or token. | NoThe License API validates online | NoKeys are verified with an API call |
| Machine activation limitsA license can be limited to a number of devices, enforced by the service. | YesActivation limit per product variant | NoThe verify API returns a uses count, your app enforces the limit |
| TrialsTime-limited licenses to let users try the app. | YesFree trials on subscriptions | YesFree trials on memberships |
| Perpetual licensesLicenses that never expire. | Yes | Yes |
| Customer portalA page where customers find their keys and manage their devices on their own. | Yes | YesCustomers find their purchases in their library |
| Subscription licensesLicenses that renew with each recurring payment and stop when the subscription ends, without code on your side. | YesKeys stay active while the subscription is, and expire with it | NoThe verify API returns the membership's status: your app enforces it |
| Stripe integrationLicenses are created from Stripe payments with no code on your side. | NoPayments are processed by Lemon Squeezy | No |
| Merchant of recordThe vendor sells on your behalf and handles sales tax and VAT for you. | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in checkoutA hosted checkout page sold with the tool. | Yes | Yes |
| AnalyticsDashboards of licenses, usage or revenue. | Yes | Yes |
| Test modeA separate environment or sandbox to build the integration. | Yes | Not documented |
| File hosting and downloadsThe vendor hosts your installers or packages. | Yes | Yes |
| Outgoing webhooksYour server is notified of license events. | Yes | YesPing notifications |
| Floating licensesA pool of seats shared by several machines, checked out and released. | No | No |
| Usage meteringLicenses that count consumption, like API credits. | Yes | No |
| Self-hostingRun the licensing server on your own infrastructure. | No | No |
| Open sourceThe service's source code is public. | No | Yes |
SDKs compared
| Technology | Lemon Squeezy | Gumroad |
|---|---|---|
| JavaScript | @lemonsqueezy/lemonsqueezy.jsAPI client | REST API |
| REST APIUsable from any language | Yes | Yes |
Plans and limits
Lemon Squeezy
| Plan | Per month | Fee per sale |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $0 | 5% + $0.50 |
- +1.5% for transactions outside the US, +1.5% for PayPal.
- +0.5% for subscription payments.
- 1% per payout to bank accounts outside the US.
Gumroad
| Plan | Per month | Fee per sale |
|---|---|---|
| Direct sales | $0 | 10% + $0.50 |
- 10% + $0.50 on direct sales, 30% on sales from the Discover marketplace.
- Card processing (2.9% + $0.30) is charged on top of direct-sale fees.
Which one to choose
Lemon Squeezy suits sellers who want tax handled for them and only need basic license keys. Gumroad is a good fit for creators selling small apps, plugins or assets, who want the simplest setup. On price, Lemon Squeezy is the cheaper one in 12 of the 12 scenarios we computed.
What sets Lemon Squeezy apart here: lower price, machine activation limits, and subscription licenses.
LicenseManager, an alternative to both
At 50 sales a month at €49, LicenseManager costs €99.69 per month, below Lemon Squeezy and Gumroad.
LicenseManager
Our productLicensing service
License keys for desktop apps, created from Stripe payments and validated with one request.
- Free tier
- Up to 100 active licenses
- Paid plans from
- €29 / month
- Fee per sale
- None
- Billed on
- Licenses active in the last 90 days
Best for: Indie developers and small teams selling desktop apps with Stripe, who want licensing without building a backend.
Offline validation
Unlike Lemon Squeezy, LicenseManager lets your app check a license offline. Ed25519-signed tokens, checked offline.
Stripe integration
Unlike Lemon Squeezy, LicenseManager creates licenses from Stripe payments without code. Each Stripe payment or subscription creates a license and emails the key.
Other comparisons
See if LicenseManager fits your app
Up to 100 active licenses for free, every feature included, no credit card.