1️⃣Stripe Payments
Plug-and-play checkout that just converts. Fast payouts, killer subscription tooling, and global cards and wallets baked in.
Address: Dublin, Ireland
- Ridiculously high checkout conversion
- Global cards
- Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Fast payouts in many countries
- Native subscriptions
- invoices
- and tax
- Clean APIs and no-code links
- Battle-tested fraud protection
- Per-transaction fees add up
- Some features gated by country
2️⃣Shopify
Launch a store in a weekend and start selling. Themes, upsells, and payment integrations do the heavy lifting so you can focus on traffic.
Address: Ottawa, Canada
- Blazing-fast storefronts
- App ecosystem for upsells and bundles
- One-click checkout with Shop Pay
- Solid analytics and abandoned cart flows
- Scales from first sale to 7-figures
- Monthly fees plus app costs
- Design freedom can tempt you to over-tweak
3️⃣Gumroad
Simplest way to sell digital products with no website. Great for creators, but limited customization and payout schedules you must accept.
Address: San Francisco, USA
- Zero-code product pages
- Built-in VAT handling
- Email buyers automatically
- Low setup friction
- Higher fees at lower volumes
- Limited branding control
- Payout timing not instant
4️⃣Google AdSense
Turn content into passive ad revenue. Works best with significant traffic and clean layouts, otherwise earnings can be underwhelming.
Address: Mountain View, USA
- Easy integration
- Reliable payouts
- Automatic ad optimization
- Needs substantial traffic to matter
- Policy compliance can be strict
- Ad clutter can hurt UX
5️⃣Upwork
A steady stream of clients if you niche down and build reviews. Fees and race-to-the-bottom bids can bite until you level up.
Address: San Francisco, USA
- Large client marketplace
- Escrow protects payments
- Milestones keep scope clear
- Service fees reduce margin
- High competition on common gigs
- Time spent bidding instead of working