Polar vs Gumroad
Polar or Gumroad for your paid community?
Both work with Ubunya: members who pay are let in automatically, and lose access when their membership ends. Here's how they differ on fees, payment methods, tax and payouts.
The short answer
Choose Polar if
- Developers and creators who want tax handled and can use Stripe payouts in their country.
Choose Gumroad if
- Individual creators who want the simplest setup and accept a high fee.
Side by side
| Polar | Gumroad | |
|---|---|---|
| Handles sales tax and VAT (merchant of record) | Yes | Yes |
| Card fee | 5% + 50¢ (free plan). Plus 1.5% for non-US cards. Paid plans lower the rate (e.g. 3.8% + 40¢ for $20/month). Stripe payout fees apply: $2/month, 0.25% + 25¢ per payout, plus currency conversion. | 10% + 50¢ (direct sales). 30% for sales through Gumroad Discover. PayPal payouts cost 2%. Whether card processing is extra wasn't confirmed. |
| Members can pay with | cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Link, Amazon Pay, Cash App Pay, WeChat Pay | cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal |
| Recurring billing | Subscriptions by card or wallet. | Memberships renew automatically by card or PayPal. |
| Who can sign up as a seller | Countries supported by Stripe Connect Express, including Kenya and Nigeria | Most countries; bank payouts in 100+ (including Kenya), PayPal elsewhere |
| Payouts | Bank account via Stripe Connect Express | Local bank account or PayPal |
| Free test mode | Yes | Not stated |
| Connecting it to Ubunya | Paste an organisation access token, then add our webhook in Polar and paste its secret. | Paste an access token. We subscribe to Gumroad's pings for you. |
| Prices on your community | Your Polar products, subscription or one-time. | Your Gumroad products and memberships. |
| Renewals in Ubunya | Renews automatically. | Memberships renew automatically. |
| Members' billing page | Polar's customer portal. | Gumroad's library and subscription page. |
From Polar's and Gumroad's own websites, checked November 2026. Prices change; check theirs before you sign up. Compare all 11 providers.
Questions
Which handles tax, Polar or Gumroad?+
Both are merchants of record: they sell to your members and handle VAT and sales tax for you.
Can members pay with M-Pesa on Polar or Gumroad?+
Polar: not that we could find on its website. Gumroad: not that we could find on its website.
Can I use Polar or Gumroad with Ubunya?+
Yes, both. Connect your own account under Manage → Payments. Polar: Paste an organisation access token, then add our webhook in Polar and paste its secret. Gumroad: Paste an access token. We subscribe to Gumroad's pings for you.
What happens when a member stops paying?+
Their access stays until the end of what they paid for, plus the grace days you set (three by default). Then the community closes to them. Staff never lose access.
More comparisons
Charge for your community with the account you already have
Connect it under Manage → Payments. Paying members are let in automatically.