Gumroad Review – Dot Com Hustle

The Best Setup for Selling Templates?

Selling templates is a quiet kind of side hustle. You build once, you sell many times, and your product doesn’t ask for sick days. The hard part is picking a storefront that won’t turn every payout into a math problem.

This Gumroad review covers what matters in January 2026 if you’re selling Notion dashboards, Canva packs, Figma UI kits, spreadsheets, or slide decks. We’ll get clear on fees, payout timing, payout methods, and a practical setup that makes templates feel polished and trustworthy.

What You’re Paying for (and What it Costs)

Gumroad is built for creators who want to start fast. You upload a digital product, write a sales page, and send people to a checkout link. For template sellers, that simplicity matters, because your “store” is often a single page shared from TikTok, X, Pinterest, or a small email list.

The cost side is also simple, at least on paper. According to Gumroad’s fees documentation, fees depend on where the sale comes from:

Direct sales (your link, your profile): 10% + $0.50 per transaction, plus payment processing fees (for example, card processing is listed as 2.9% + $0.30, PayPal has its own fees).
Discover/marketplace sales (sales driven through Gumroad’s marketplace): 30% flat, and Gumroad says this includes processing fees.

Gumroad also frames taxes differently than most DIY setups. As stated on Gumroad’s pricing page, Gumroad acts as merchant of record for taxes, which means Gumroad handles collection and remittance of applicable sales tax, VAT, and GST. Practically, buyers may see tax added at checkout, and you don’t have to stitch together tax plugins.

Here’s a quick reality check for pricing your templates:

Sale type	Gumroad fee (platform)	Processing	What this means for a $19 template
Direct sale	10% + $0.50	Added on top	You keep more, you bring the traffic
Discover sale	30%	Included	You keep less, Gumroad may bring buyers

If you’re starting with no audience, Discover can be a spark. If you’re building a brand, direct sales usually feel better over time.

Gumroad Payouts Structure

Payouts are where side hustles either feel calm or feel cursed. Gumroad’s payout flow depends on your payout method and where you live.

Gumroad explains the current payout options and schedule in Getting paid by Gumroad. The key points that matter for template sellers:

Payout modes vary by country. Gumroad supports direct bank deposits in local currency for most countries. If bank deposits aren’t available where you live, Gumroad notes PayPal transfers may be the only option.
Payout schedule is weekly. Gumroad also notes, in its payout delays article, that creators are typically paid every Friday for sales not made through PayPal, and funds can take time to arrive after the payout is sent (often a few business days, depending on banking rails).
Verification and reviews can affect timing. If you’re brand new, expect a bit of friction. Gumroad handles payment risk on your behalf, and that can mean account review steps before payouts flow smoothly.

Two practical tips help you avoid the most common payout headaches:

First, set up payout details early and completely, don’t wait for your first sale. Gumroad walks through the fields and requirements in Filling out payout settings.

Second, build your launch plan around the payout calendar. If you need cash for rent next week, don’t assume tomorrow’s sales hit your bank tomorrow. Treat it like a mailbox, not a slot machine.

The Best Gumroad Setup for Selling

A good template is like a neat toolbox. A great template is the same toolbox, but labeled, organized, and impossible to misuse.

Here’s a setup that works across Notion, Canva, Figma, Excel, Google Sheets, and PowerPoint, without creating a support nightmare.

The Step-by-step: Repeatable Template

Create a “delivery folder” for every product. One folder per template, same structure every time.
Add the template in its best format.
Notion: a duplicate link, plus a short setup PDF.
Canva: a “use template” link in a PDF.
Figma: a share link or export, plus font notes.
Excel and Google Sheets: include XLSX, and a “make a copy” link for Sheets.
PowerPoint: include PPTX, plus a PDF preview deck.
Write a one-page Start Here guide. Include install steps, common fixes, and contact info.
Add a simple license file. Put it in the download and also summarize it on the product page.
Zip it into one file. Buyers love one click, not five.
Upload to Gumroad, then build previews before you publish. Your page should sell the outcome, not the file type.

Product Page Checklist

Title that names the result (example: “Freelance Invoice Tracker for Google Sheets”)
First 2 lines: who it’s for and what it fixes
What’s included (pages, views, tabs, slide count)
How it’s delivered (download, duplicate link, setup time)
Preview images (real screenshots, not abstract mockups)
One short demo video (optional, even 30 seconds helps)
License summary (personal vs commercial, sharing rules)
Update promise (what happens when you improve the template)

Keep your license human. Here’s a short baseline you can adapt:

License: 1 purchase, 1 user.
You may edit and duplicate for your own projects.
You may not resell, redistribute, or share the original files or links.

If you want more template selling ideas and positioning examples, this guide is a solid companion: selling Notion templates on Gumroad.

For updates, don’t treat your template like a one-and-done PDF. Version it (v1.1, v1.2), keep a tiny changelog in the zip, and message past buyers when you improve something they’ll notice.

The Pros & Cons

Pros: Gumroad is quick to launch, easy to understand, and friendly for small creators. Fees are clearly documented, and the marketplace option gives some sellers early traction. The tax handling on the pricing page also removes a big admin burden for side hustlers who don’t want to learn tax rules before they make their first $100.

Cons: Direct-sale fees add up as you scale, and Discover’s cut is steep if you already have traffic. Payout timing is not “instant money,” and payout options depend on your country, so you must confirm your method before you commit to a big launch.

Gumroad is best for template sellers who want a simple checkout and delivery flow, sell low-to-mid priced downloads, and plan to market through content or communities. If you’re building a library of templates, Gumroad can also support recurring offers (memberships) when you’re ready to ship new drops on a schedule.

If you want a side hustle that feels sturdy, pick one template idea, package it like a real product, and get your first 10 customers. Consistency beats a perfect launch every time.