1️⃣Shopify
Shopify turned a single product idea into a cashflowing store in one weekend. The checkout converts, the app marketplace unlocks upsells, and sales channels push you onto every platform. If you sell anything, this is the money switch.
Address: 150 Elgin Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- 5 minute store setup
- high converting checkout with Shop Pay
- one click upsells and bundles via apps
- seamless social and marketplace channels
- robust analytics and abandoned cart recovery
- scalable themes and sections
- rock solid uptime during launches
- endless plugins for subscriptions and preorders
- monthly app costs can stack
- some theme changes need a developer
- additional transaction fees if you skip Shopify Payments
2️⃣Stripe
Stripe made every sale feel instant and global. From one link I took cards, wallets, and subscriptions with almost zero friction. Payouts were fast and refunds were simple, which kept customers and cashflow happy.
Address: 510 Townsend St, San Francisco, California, USA
- fast global payments and high acceptance
- Stripe Checkout and Payment Links
- subscriptions
- invoices
- and metered billing
- hundreds of no code integrations
- strong fraud and dispute tools
- multi currency with automatic conversion
- detailed revenue analytics
- advanced tax setup can be confusing
- periodic account reviews may delay payouts
- support can be slow at peak times
3️⃣ConvertKit
ConvertKit printed revenue from the audience I already had. Visual automations nurtured leads and timed offers without me babysitting. Broadcasts, tags, and the Creator Network turned emails into daily sales.
Address: Boise, Idaho, USA
- top tier deliverability
- visual automations and conditional logic
- Creator Network for newsletter swaps
- simple landing pages and forms
- Shopify and Stripe integrations
- granular tagging for segmentation
- pricing jumps quickly as list grows
- email editor design flexibility is limited
- cold outreach use is not advisable
- reports can lag on very large sends
4️⃣Gumroad
Gumroad was my quick launch button for digital products and small licenses. No dev work, tax handled, and a storefront that just works. Perfect for testing price, bundles, and pay what you want.
Address: San Francisco, California, USA
- dead simple product uploads
- pay what you want and licensing options
- EU VAT handled for you
- built in audience discovery
- affiliates support
- hosted files with updates
- platform fees are high versus self hosted
- storefront customization is limited
- payouts are not instant in some countries
- analytics are basic
5️⃣Canva Pro
Canva Pro made ads, thumbnails, and sales pages ship fast. Templates and brand kits kept everything consistent so campaigns landed on time. Not as deep as full design software, but it gets revenue assets out the door.
Address: 110 Kippax St, Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia
- thousands of ad ready templates
- brand kit and magic resize save hours
- background remover and quick mockups
- team collaboration and approvals
- exports for every ad platform
- designs can look generic if overused
- large files can lag in browser
- licensing rules require attention for commercial use
- limited control for advanced typography and grid systems
- not a replacement for pro designers on complex projects