Payhip Review: How to Make Money as an Affiliate

Disclosure: some links in this post are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What Is Payhip?

Payhip is an all-in-one platform for selling digital products online. Ebooks, courses, templates, memberships, coaching, even some physical products.

It's based in the UK and has been around for over a decade. That matters. A lot of creator platforms pop up, get hyped, and disappear. Payhip just quietly kept working.

Here's the simple version of what you get:

• A store or full website to sell from
• Checkout and instant delivery of your files
• Courses, memberships, and coaching
• Coupons, upsells, and email marketing
• EU and UK VAT handled for you
• A built-in affiliate program for your own products

That last one is the part we care about most.

How Does Payhip Work?

Payhip sits between you and your buyer. You upload a product, set a price, and share a link. Payhip handles the checkout, delivers the file, and sends the money to your connected PayPal or Stripe account.

For Creators

1. Create a free account.
2. Upload your product (a PDF, a course, a membership, a template).
3. Set your price, or let buyers pay what they want.
4. Turn on the affiliate program and set your commission.
5. Share your store link and start selling.

For Affiliates

1. Find a creator selling on Payhip who runs an affiliate program.
2. Sign up and grab your unique link.
3. Send traffic to it from your blog, YouTube channel, or email list.
4. Earn a commission on every sale you refer.

No complicated setup. No developer. That's the whole appeal.

Payhip Pricing

Payhip's pricing is different from most platforms. You don't have to pay anything to start. Instead, you trade a monthly fee for a transaction fee.

All plans include the same core features. Payment processor fees from PayPal or Stripe still apply on top.

So the question is simple. How much are you selling?

If you're just starting, the free plan makes sense. You only pay when you make money. Once you're selling steadily, the paid plans start saving you more than they cost.

Always check Payhip's pricing page for current numbers. Plans change.

Who Should Use Payhip?

Creators

Payhip is a great fit if you:

• Sell ebooks, templates, printables, or courses
• Want to start without a monthly bill
• Sell to buyers in Europe and don't want to deal with VAT
• Want your own affiliates promoting your products

Affiliates

It's a great fit if you:

• Write about creator tools, side hustles, or selling online
• Have an audience of beginners who want a simple way to start
• Like promoting tools people can try for free (free signups convert easier)

Pros and Cons of Payhip

Pros

• Free plan with no monthly fee
• Every feature on every plan, so you never hit a paywall
• VAT handled automatically
• Built-in affiliate program for your products
• Courses, memberships, and coaching in one place
• Very beginner-friendly

Cons

• The 5% fee on the free plan adds up as you grow
• Store designs are simple, not fancy
• No big marketplace sending you buyers. You bring your own traffic.
• Fewer advanced checkout features than tools like ThriveCart

Payhip vs Other Platforms

Want the deeper breakdowns? Read my Lemon Squeezy review, my ThriveCart review, and my PayKickstart review.

Here's the short answer. If you want the easiest, cheapest way to start selling a digital product, Payhip is hard to beat.

How to Make Money with Payhip as an Affiliate

There are two simple paths.

1. Promote Payhip Itself

Every new creator needs somewhere to sell. That's a big, steady audience. People search for things like "how to sell an ebook" and "Gumroad alternatives" every single day.

Write helpful content that answers those questions. Recommend Payhip where it fits. Use your link.

2. Promote Products Sold on Payhip

Thousands of creators sell on Payhip, and many of them run affiliate programs. Courses. Templates. Guides.

Find products that match your niche. Join their programs. Review them honestly.

The best part? You're promoting small creators. That usually means less competition than the big-name offers everyone else is chasing.

Content Ideas That Rank

• Payhip review (this kind of post)
• Payhip vs Gumroad
• Best platforms to sell ebooks
• How to sell digital products with no monthly fee
• Best Gumroad alternatives

Comparison and "best of" posts tend to convert well, because the reader is already deciding.

And if you want to add another tool to your creator stack, look at Rewardful for SaaS affiliate tracking, or ClickBank if you want a big marketplace of offers to choose from.

Common Questions About Payhip

Is Payhip legit?
Yes. It's been running for over a decade and is used by a large number of creators to sell digital products.

Is Payhip really free?
Yes. The Free Forever plan has no monthly cost. Payhip takes a 5% fee per sale instead, plus normal PayPal or Stripe fees.

How do Payhip sellers get paid?
Money goes to your connected PayPal or Stripe account.

Can I run an affiliate program on Payhip?
Yes. You can turn on affiliates for your products and set your own commission rate.

Is Payhip better than Gumroad?
For many beginners, yes. Lower costs as you grow, VAT handled, and more built-in tools. But it depends on what you sell.

Final Thoughts

Payhip isn't flashy. It doesn't need to be.

It does one thing really well. It helps everyday people sell digital products without a big bill or a tech headache.

That's exactly why it's easy to recommend. And easy to recommend usually means easy to earn from.

Try Payhip free here.

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