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Contra: A modern Lemon Squeezy alternative for digital product creators

Contra Tips

January 27, 2026

· 3 min read

Key takeaways

Contra charges 0% commission on digital product sales, so creators keep more revenue compared to Lemon Squeezy’s platform fees.

Every sale on Contra strengthens your reputation and visibility, turning product sales into long-term credibility rather than isolated transactions.

Payments, payouts, and tax handling are built in, reducing the operational overhead of selling digital products independently.

Table of Contents:

    Are you considering Lemon Squeezy to sell digital products like templates, tools, SaaS add-ons, or creator assets, but unsure if it’s the right long-term platform? You’re not alone. Many creators are actively looking for alternatives that help them keep more of their earnings, offer more flexibility, and support reputation growth alongside product sales.

    Whether you’re selling Framer templates, online courses, micro-SaaS products, or downloadable resources, choosing the right platform matters. Let’s break down why more creators are moving from Lemon Squeezy to Contra to sell digital products, commission-free.

    What is Lemon Squeezy, and why creators look for alternatives

    Lemon Squeezy is a platform built for selling digital products and software, with built-in payments, subscriptions, and tax handling. It’s especially popular with SaaS founders and developers who want a quick way to start monetizing without building a custom checkout system.

    While Lemon Squeezy covers the basics well, many creators eventually run into limitations as they scale. Platform fees, rigid workflows, and a focus on transactions over visibility can push creators to explore alternatives that better support growth and brand building.

    Why creators look for Lemon Squeezy alternatives

    Here are some common reasons creators start searching for options beyond Lemon Squeezy:

    Platform fees that scale with your success
    Lemon Squeezy charges a percentage fee on each transaction. As sales volume grows, those fees add up quickly, cutting into margins on high-performing products.

    Limited brand and audience building
    Lemon Squeezy is optimized for checkout and delivery, not for helping creators build a public reputation or ongoing visibility from each sale.

    Rigid product and sales flows
    Creators often want more flexibility in how products are shared, bundled, or positioned alongside services. Lemon Squeezy’s structure can feel restrictive for creators who don’t fit a pure SaaS model.

    Transaction-focused, not relationship-focused
    For creators who want product sales to lead to long-term opportunities like consulting, freelance work, or partnerships, Lemon Squeezy’s transactional focus can feel limiting.

    These gaps are why many creators look for Lemon Squeezy alternatives that help them earn more and grow beyond individual checkouts.


    Introducing Contra’s digital products: a modern Lemon Squeezy alternative

    If you’re rethinking where to sell digital products, Contra offers a different approach. Instead of acting as a standalone checkout tool, Contra combines digital product sales with reputation, visibility, and creator profiles in one ecosystem.

    Here’s what makes Contra a compelling alternative to Lemon Squeezy:

    Sell digital products without a traditional storefront
    Contra lets you sell directly from your profile or through shareable payment links. No separate storefront or checkout setup required. You can embed or share product links anywhere your audience already exists.

    Keep more of your revenue with 0% commission
    Unlike Lemon Squeezy, Contra doesn’t take a commission on digital product sales. Creators only pay standard payment processing fees, which means more money stays in your pocket as sales grow.

    Every sale builds your reputation
    On Contra, product sales aren’t just transactions. Each sale contributes to your credibility and visibility across the platform, helping you stand out to potential clients, collaborators, and buyers over time.

    Share products anywhere
    Contra product links work anywhere: personal websites, blogs, social media, Framer template pages, newsletters, or Notion docs. You’re not locked into a closed ecosystem.

    Secure payments and tax handling included
    Contra handles secure payments and tax compliance behind the scenes, so creators can focus on building and selling without worrying about operational complexity.


    Contra

    Gumroad

    Lemon Squeezy

    Polar

    Platform fee

    Max $29 per payment
    By payment size:
    • $1 – 199: $2 fee
    • $200 – 499: $5 fee
    • $500 – 999: $10 fee
    • $1,000+: $29

    Zero fees with Max

    30% marketplace sales

    Processing fee

    2.9% + $0.30

    2.9% + $0.30

    5% + $0.50

    4% + $0.40

    Variable fees

    1.5% international cards
    1% if conversion is required
    0.5% manually entered card

    10% direct link sales

    5% abandoned cart
    3% affiliate referrals
    2% affiliate payouts

    1.5% international cards
    0.5% subscription payments

    Flexible payment links

    Merchant of record

    Built for creatives

    Sales boost reputation


    Who Contra is best for

    Contra’s digital products are especially well suited for:

    • Freelancers and independent creators selling products alongside services

    • Designers and developers offering templates, tools, or digital assets

    • Creators who want sales to increase long-term visibility and credibility

    • Entrepreneurs who want to minimize fees as their revenue scales



    Sell smarter, earn more, and grow beyond transactions

    If your priorities include keeping more of your revenue, building reputation with every sale, and selling flexibly across the internet, Contra stands out as a strong Lemon Squeezy alternative.

    Instead of treating digital products as isolated transactions, Contra helps creators turn sales into momentum, visibility, and long-term growth that compounds over time.


    Ready to sell digital products on your terms?

    Sell digital products on Contra →

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