Stan Store vs Payhip: Which Platform Is Best for Selling Digital Products?

Stan Store and Payhip are two standout options when it comes to selling digital products, especially for creators, coaches, and entrepreneurs.

Whether you’re building an audience on social media or growing a website-first business, both platforms aim to simplify the ecommerce process.

I’ve spent over 100 hours researching, testing, and comparing Stan Store and Payhip from a creator and ecommerce design perspective. After this deep dive, the recommendation is clear:

Stan Store is best for creators selling through Instagram and TikTok, especially those who want automation, link-in-bio functionality, and a streamlined mobile experience.

Payhip is better for sellers who want flexibility, are just starting out, or need tools like VAT handling and embeddable checkout for their own websites.

In this review, I’ll walk you through the core differences, including pricing, ecommerce features, templates, workflows, and more.

Stan Store vs Payhip: Quick Comparison

Use the table below to quickly see how Stan Store and Payhip stack up.

Best for Pricing: Payhip

Payhip takes the lead here due to its flexible pricing and free plan.

Stan Store only offers two plans and does not provide a free version. If you want to use the platform, you’ll need to commit after the 14-day trial.

Stan Store Pricing

The Creator plan at $29/month includes the core tools you need to run a link-in-bio storefront. You can list and sell digital products, services, or coaching offers, accept payments through Stripe or PayPal, and customize your storefront with your branding.

It also includes access to basic analytics, the ability to set up product bundles, and simple automations for email opt-ins or product delivery.

The Creator Pro plan at $99/month unlocks the full suite of conversion and marketing features. This includes advanced tools like AutoDM (Instagram automation), email broadcasts and flows, upsells, order bumps, discount codes, limited-quantity offers, and pixel tracking for ads.

It’s designed for sellers who want to automate lead generation and maximize conversions from social media traffic.

Stan Store does not charge any platform transaction fees. Stripe or PayPal processing fees still apply, but you won’t be charged any additional cut by Stan Store.

Payhip Pricing

The Free plan gives you full access to all Payhip features with no monthly cost, including product listings, embeddable checkout, email marketing, affiliate tools, and VAT handling.

The tradeoff is a 5% platform fee on every sale, which adds up as your revenue grows—but it’s a great starting point if you’re just testing the waters or launching your first product.

The Plus plan, at $29/month, reduces the platform fee to 2% per sale and is a good middle ground if you’re seeing consistent sales but not ready to commit to a higher monthly cost.

The Pro plan, at $99/month, removes all platform fees entirely. It’s best for high-volume sellers who want predictable costs and to keep 100% of their sales revenue (minus payment processing fees).

All three plans include the same features, so you’re only paying to lower transaction costs.

With Payhip, you can start selling with no upfront cost. That’s helpful for beginners who want to test ideas or don’t have predictable revenue yet.

Break-even Comparison

If you’re comparing the entry-level plans, the tipping point is around $580 in monthly sales.

At that point, Payhip’s 5% platform fee becomes equal to Stan Store’s $29/month Creator plan. If you earn less than that, Payhip Free is more cost-effective. If you earn more, Stan’s flat-rate pricing could save you money over time.

Best for Social Selling: Stan Store

Stan Store is purpose-built for creators on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Its features are optimized for mobile-first selling and make it easier to convert traffic from Reels, Stories, and link-in-bio clicks.

Key Features

• AutoDM: This tool automatically sends direct messages to users who comment or DM with a keyword. It’s a powerful way to automate lead magnets or product links inside Instagram.
• Mobile checkout: Stan Store’s storefront works well inside in-app browsers, minimizing friction for customers clicking from social.
• Sales funnels: Creator Pro includes upsells, limited offers, and discount codes designed for impulse-driven social traffic.

These tools give creators a streamlined way to sell without needing a full website or external automation tools.

Payhip, by comparison, doesn’t offer anything similar. You can manually message leads or use external tools like ManyChat, but it’s not integrated.

Best for Website Integration: Payhip

If you already have a website or blog and want to embed products or checkout directly onto your site, Payhip is the better choice.

What You Can Do With Payhip

• Embed buttons: Add “Buy Now” or “Add to Cart” buttons to any webpage.
• Embed full product pages: Place full product listings with images, pricing, and descriptions into your own site.
• Embed checkout: Allow customers to check out directly on your site without redirecting.

This gives you more flexibility over your storefront design and lets you keep traffic on your domain.

Stan Store doesn’t support this kind of embedding. Customers must go through your hosted storefront, which can be limiting for brand control and SEO.

Best for VAT and Tax Handling: Payhip

Digital VAT handling is a major concern if you sell to EU or UK customers. Payhip handles this automatically, while Stan Store requires you to manage tax settings through Stripe.

Payhip VAT Features

• Collects VAT based on customer location
• Acts as reseller, so you don’t need to register for VAT in multiple countries
• Reports and remits VAT on your behalf

This makes Payhip one of the most beginner-friendly platforms for global selling. You can comply with tax rules without learning the details of EU tax law.

Stan Store allows tax collection, but the setup is manual. You must configure Stripe Tax, and you are still legally responsible for VAT reporting.

Best for Email Marketing: Tie

Both platforms offer email marketing, but the experience and access vary based on your plan.

Stan Store

• Full email automation is only available on the Creator Pro plan
• Includes Flows (automated sequences), broadcasts, and CRM tagging
• Allows segmenting and advanced lead capture

Payhip

• Email marketing included on all plans, including Free
• Create basic autoresponders, newsletters, and product delivery emails
• Supports coupons and referral tools

If you’re on a budget, Payhip gives you more for free. If you need advanced email automation and integrated funnels, Stan Store has stronger tools, but only on the higher plan.

Best for Conversion Features: Stan Store

Stan Store is designed to maximize conversions from mobile and social traffic. The platform includes built-in sales tools typically found in advanced ecommerce setups.

Creator Pro Features

• Upsells and order bumps at checkout
• Limited quantity offers to increase urgency
• Payment plans for higher-priced offers
• Pixel tracking for Facebook and TikTok ads

These features are ideal if you’re selling coaching, digital products, or online services and want to boost average order value.

Payhip offers upsells and coupon codes, but doesn’t include native order bumps or conversion-focused checkout tools in the same way.

Best for Marketing and Affiliates: Payhip

Payhip includes more marketing tools across all plans. These tools are built in and don’t require third-party apps.

Built-in Features

• Affiliate program setup
• Referral links
• Coupons and discount codes
• Upsells and cross-selling
• Reviews for digital products

You can create and manage an affiliate program directly in your dashboard, even on the free plan. That’s a big advantage for digital creators or course sellers who want to scale.

Stan Store offers strong conversion features, but doesn’t support affiliates or referrals natively.

Best for Ease of Use: Tie

Both Stan Store and Payhip offer user-friendly dashboards, but their onboarding experience differs.

Stan Store

• Streamlined setup aimed at social media creators
• Onboarding asks about your niche and offers templates
• Simple product upload and storefront customization
• Less customization for storefront layout or branding

Payhip

• Focused on traditional ecommerce use cases
• Setup process includes product type, delivery method, and payment
• Storefront customization available, including themes and layout options
• Slightly more complex due to wider feature set

If you want simplicity, Stan Store wins. If you want control, Payhip offers more flexibility without requiring advanced technical knowledge.

Best for Templates and Design: Payhip

Payhip offers more design control over your storefront and product pages. While not as customizable as a platform like Shopify, it gives sellers more flexibility than Stan Store.

Payhip Design Features

• Choose from customizable storefront themes
• Add your own branding, colors, and layout
• Control the look of embedded products and buttons

Stan Store has a clean, minimal design that works well for mobile, but there are few options for customization. You can upload a logo and change some button colors, but the overall layout is locked.

If design matters to your brand, Payhip gives you more to work with.

Final Verdict: Which One Should You Choose?

Both platforms are solid, but the best choice depends on how you plan to sell and what tools you need.

Choose Stan Store if:

• You’re selling from Instagram or TikTok
• You want built-in DM automation to drive leads
• You need optimized checkout and upsell tools
• You’re focused on selling one offer at a time, not managing a catalog

Choose Payhip if:

• You want to start for free
• You have your own website and want to embed checkout
• You need to sell into the EU or UK with VAT handled for you
• You want built-in affiliate marketing and more design control

Both platforms are solid choices, it just depends on how you sell.

If most of your traffic comes from social, Stan Store makes selling fast and simple. If you want flexibility, control over your site, or easier tax handling, Payhip is a better fit.