Short answer: upload your PDF to a platform that takes payment and delivers it – a marketplace such as Etsy when you need buyers to find you, or a store such as Gumroad, Payhip or Lemon Squeezy when you bring your own audience – and decide whether buyers get a file or protected access. This page collects all our guides, the 2026 fees, free tools and comparisons in one place.
Last updated 14 November 2026. Fees as of November 2026 (US), with the source and read date of each figure. Full platform comparison: PDF selling websites 2026: 11 platforms and their fees. Disclosure: HelpRange is our product.
| Platform | Monthly fee | Fee per sale | You keep of a $10 sale* | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etsy | $0 | $0.20 per listing + 6.5% transaction fee + 3% + $0.25 payment processing | $8.60 | help.etsy.com, read 7 Nov 2026 |
| Gumroad | $0 | 10% + $0.50 per direct sale, plus 2.9% + $0.30 card processing; 30% on sales through Discover | about $7.91 | gumroad.com pricing and help center, read 9 and 14 Nov 2026 |
| Payhip | $0 / $29 / $99 | 5% (Free) / 2% (Plus) / 0% (Pro), plus PayPal or Stripe fees | $9.50 on Free, before processing | payhip.com/pricing, read 14 Nov 2026 |
| Lemon Squeezy | $0 | 5% + $0.50, payment processing included | $9.00 | lemonsqueezy.com/pricing, read 7 Nov 2026 |
| Sellfy | $29 ($22 billed yearly) | 0% + Stripe or PayPal fees; yearly sales cap ($10,000 on Starter) | $10 minus processing | sellfy.com/pricing, read 14 Nov 2026 |
| Amazon KDP | $0 | Kindle e-book, not a PDF: 35% or 70% royalty (70% only for $2.99–$12.99), minus $0.15 per MB at 70% | $6.79 at 70% (2 MB file) | kdp.amazon.com help, read 7 Nov 2026 |
| eBay | $0 | No PDF downloads unless eBay-approved; a printed copy pays 15.3% (Books & Magazines) + $0.30 per order up to $10 | about $8.17 of a $10 printed-copy order, before printing and postage | ebay.com policy read 9 Nov 2026; fees via taxomate.com, verified 14 Oct 2026 |
| HelpRange Store | Pro $39 / Max $87 / Unlimited $174 per team | 2% on Pro, 0% on Max and Unlimited, plus Stripe’s fee | $9.80 on Pro, before Stripe | helprange.com/pricing |
*US figures as of November 2026, before income tax, VAT and sales tax. "Minus processing" means the payment processor (Stripe or PayPal) charges its fee on top. Fees change – check the platform before you choose; compare your own price and volume with the free e-book fee calculator.
Every marketplace and download store hands the buyer a file, and a file can be forwarded. Three steps, from free to fully protected:
A stamped PDF can still be forwarded – the stamp shows whose copy it was. Only access in a viewer can be taken back.
Finish the PDF, choose a platform – a marketplace such as Etsy for reach, or a store such as Gumroad, Payhip, Lemon Squeezy or HelpRange for lower fees – upload the file, set a price, connect payouts and share the product link. Decide before launch whether buyers get a download or protected online access.
Etsy, Gumroad, Payhip (Free plan) and Lemon Squeezy have no monthly fee; you pay per sale instead. As of November 2026 (US): Etsy $0.20 per listing + 6.5% + 3% + $0.25 processing, Gumroad 10% + $0.50 plus card processing, Payhip Free 5% plus processing, Lemon Squeezy 5% + $0.50.
Among platforms without a monthly fee, Payhip Free ($9.50 before processing) and Lemon Squeezy ($9.00) keep the most; Etsy leaves about $8.60 and Gumroad about $7.91 of a direct sale. Plans with a 0% fee (Payhip Pro, Sellfy, HelpRange Max) pay off once your sales are large enough to cover the monthly price.
Not as a PDF download for most sellers. Amazon KDP turns your manuscript into a Kindle e-book or a printed book, and eBay lets only approved sellers list electronically delivered items. Sell the PDF itself on Etsy, Gumroad, Payhip, Lemon Squeezy or your own store.
With a download you cannot stop it, only trace it: the free per-buyer watermark tool puts each buyer’s name and e-mail on every page with an invisible fingerprint, and the leak tracer reads it back from a leaked copy. To prevent sharing, sell access in a protected viewer instead – the HelpRange Store keeps downloads off and lets you end access.