LicenseManagerSide by side
Polar vs Gumroad
Choosing between Polar and Gumroad? Here's what each one offers and what it costs.
We build LicenseManager, mentioned at the end of this page. Prices and features come from each vendor's public pricing page and documentation, checked on 2026-10-25. Report an error.
Polar
Merchant of record with license keys
An open source merchant of record for developers, with license keys as a benefit.
- Free tier
- No monthly fee, 5% + $0.50 per sale
- Paid plans from
- $20 / month
- Fee per sale
- 3.4% + $0.30 to 5% + $0.50
- Billed on
- Sales only
Best for: Developers selling subscriptions or digital products who want tax handled and an open source platform.
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
Enter your price and monthly sales to compare Polar, Gumroad and LicenseManager.
That's €2,450 of sales per month.
- Gumroad is 2.4x more expensive than Polar, a difference of €205 per month.
- Polar is 46% more expensive than LicenseManager: you'd save €46.19 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.
Polar's advantages
Lower cost
In every one of the 12 scenarios we computed, Polar costs less than Gumroad. For example, with 300 sales a month at €99: Gumroad is 2.8x more expensive than Polar: you'd save €2,569 per month with Polar.
Machine activation limits
Polar enforces a number of devices per license, while Gumroad doesn't enforce a number of devices itself. Optional activation limits.
SDK coverage
For JavaScript, Python, and PHP, Polar has an official SDK and Gumroad doesn't.
Subscription licenses
Polar keeps licenses valid while a subscription is paid, and stops them when it ends, while Gumroad leaves renewing licenses with subscription payments to your own code. License keys revoked when the subscription ends.
Usage metering
Polar supports usage metering. Gumroad has no usage metering. Usage quotas on license keys.
Where Gumroad fits better
- No monthly fee and a quick setup
- Merchant of record: sales tax is handled for you
- Audience and marketplace features
Feature comparison
| Feature | Polar | Gumroad |
|---|---|---|
| Offline validationThe app can check a license without reaching the vendor's servers, usually with a signed file or token. | NoKeys are validated with an API call | NoKeys are verified with an API call |
| Machine activation limitsA license can be limited to a number of devices, enforced by the service. | YesOptional activation limits | NoThe verify API returns a uses count, your app enforces the limit |
| TrialsTime-limited licenses to let users try the app. | Yes | 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. | YesLicense keys revoked when the subscription ends | 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 Polar | 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. | YesSandbox environment | 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. | YesUsage quotas on license keys | No |
| Self-hostingRun the licensing server on your own infrastructure. | Not documented | No |
| Open sourceThe service's source code is public. | Yes | Yes |
SDKs and languages
| Technology | Polar | Gumroad |
|---|---|---|
| JavaScript | @polar-sh/sdkAPI client | REST API |
| Python | polar-sdkAPI client | REST API |
| PHP | polar-sh/sdkAPI client | REST API |
| REST APIUsable from any language | YesWith an OpenAPI document | Yes |
Every plan
Polar
| Plan | Per month | Fee per sale |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $0 | 5% + $0.50 |
| Pro | $20 | 3.8% + $0.40 |
| Growth | $100 | 3.6% + $0.35 |
| Scale | $400 | 3.4% + $0.30 |
- +1.5% for cards issued outside the US.
- Payouts: $2 per month of active payouts, plus 0.25% + $0.25 per payout.
- $15 per dispute.
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
Polar is a good fit for developers selling subscriptions or digital products who want tax handled and an open source platform. Choose Gumroad for creators selling small apps, plugins or assets, who want the simplest setup. In 12 of 12 price scenarios, Polar costs less than Gumroad.
In short, Polar stands out for lower cost, machine activation limits, and SDK coverage.
Also consider LicenseManager
At 50 sales a month at €49, LicenseManager costs €99.69 per month, below Polar 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
LicenseManager lets your app check a license offline. Polar needs a connection to check a license. Ed25519-signed tokens, checked offline.
Stripe integration
LicenseManager creates licenses from Stripe payments without code, while Polar has no native Stripe integration. Each Stripe payment or subscription creates a license and emails the key.
No fee per sale
LicenseManager charges a monthly price and takes nothing on your sales. Polar takes at least 3.4% + $0.30 on each sale.
A free plan
LicenseManager has a free plan with no fee on sales, up to 100 active licenses. Polar has no free tier without fees.
Other comparisons
Try LicenseManager for free
Every feature on every plan, and 100 active licenses on the Free plan.