8 best Easy Digital Downloads alternatives
Looking for alternatives to Easy Digital Downloads? This popular WordPress plugin makes it easy to sell digital products, but it might not be the perfect fit for every business.
Easy Digital Downloads is a freemium WordPress plugin for selling digital products like ebooks, music, and design templates. While its free version includes a customizable shopping cart, basic reporting, and discount codes, advanced features require purchasing separate plugins or upgrading to the $299.50/year Professional plan.
This pricing structure can be a drawback if you prefer a platform with more built-in features or one specifically designed for your type of digital product. In this guide, we’ll highlight eight of the best Easy Digital Downloads alternatives to help you find the right platform for your needs.
Best Easy Digital Downloads alternatives for selling digital products
Before we dive into the list, let’s quickly go through the factors that matter the most when choosing an Easy Digital Downloads alternative.
Different tools shine in different areas – some prioritize quick setup, while others focus on flexibility or better support for selling specific digital products, like online courses or memberships.
These factors can help you find the right Easy Digital Downloads replacement:
- Ease of setup and use. Choose a tool that fits your comfort level, especially if you’re not technical or want to get up and running quickly.
- Pricing structure. Make sure there are no hidden costs and that the solution fits your budget long-term.
- Support for your product type. Whether you’re selling ebooks, software, or subscriptions, ensure the platform can handle your specific type of digital product.
- Integrations. Check if the platform works well with your existing tools.
- Reporting and analytics. Built-in reports make it easier to track sales, measure performance, and make informed business decisions.
- File delivery. Look for a platform that automatically and securely delivers digital files to your customers after purchase.
- Customer support. Reliable, responsive support can save you a lot of time and frustration, especially during setup or troubleshooting.
1. WooCommerce
Best for: Those already using WordPress who want full control over their store’s design, plan to scale over time, or may expand beyond digital products.
Customer support: Community-based, with access to documentation, forums, and third-party developers. No dedicated support team for the core plugin.
Price: Free core plugin, with optional paid extensions and hosting costs
WooCommerce is an ecommerce plugin that turns your WordPress site into a fully functional online store.
It integrates directly into your WordPress dashboard, offering an intuitive interface that makes setup and management straightforward.
WooCommerce lets you upload unlimited files, set prices, and configure secure payment options. To find out how – and learn much more – check out our extensive WooCommerce tutorial.
After a customer completes a purchase, the plugin automatically delivers the product through a secure, time-limited download link, creating a smooth experience for both store owners and buyers.
What makes it a good Easy Digital Downloads alternative:
Because of its wide user base, WooCommerce offers a more extensive range of official and third-party extensions – many of them free – compared to Easy Digital Downloads.
For example, its Mailchimp integration is available at no charge, while Easy Digital Downloads requires a paid Personal Pass, which costs $99.50/year. WooCommerce’s Mailchimp plugin also supports features like SMS marketing, which Easy Digital Downloads doesn’t offer.
Key features:
- Support for product variations (e.g. license type, file format). You can offer different versions of a digital product in WooCommerce – like multiple file formats or license levels – under one listing.
- Scalable with premium extensions. If you need to sell subscriptions, offer license keys, or gate content behind memberships, WooCommerce supports it through official add-ons.
- Built-in payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, and direct bank transfer. Customers can pay securely using popular payment options without needing third-party integrations.
- Basic sales reports. WooCommerce includes simple reporting tools to help you track orders and revenue.
- Coupons and discount codes. Built-in tools let you create promotional discounts by percentage, fixed amount, or based on conditions like cart total or specific products.
- Extensive integrations: WooCommerce connects with popular tools like Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, WhatsApp, and leading CRMs such as HubSpot and Salesforce – allowing you to streamline customer data, automate marketing, and manage relationships more effectively.
Pro tip
Like Easy Digital Downloads, WooCommerce is self-hosted. To reduce the technical workload, consider managed hosting like Hostinger’s WooCommerce plan. It comes pre-installed with essential tools and handles updates, security, and maintenance for you.
2. Hostinger Website Builder
Best for: Beginners or solo creators who want a hosted platform to sell digital downloads without having to manage plugins or site infrastructure.
Customer support: 24/7 live chat and email, plus a knowledge base with step-by-step guides.
Price: Starts at $9.99/month.
Hostinger Website Builder is a fully hosted platform that lets you create and manage an online store without coding, design skills, or technical setup.
It comes with a drag-and-drop interface and pre-designed templates, making it simple to design and launch your store quickly – even if you’re a complete beginner.
Everything is managed from a single dashboard, with a smooth user experience across setup, content management, and order fulfillment.
Hostinger Website Builder allows you to upload digital files, set prices, and accept payments securely. After purchase, customers receive an automated download link, enabling effortless product delivery.
What makes it a good Easy Digital Downloads alternative:
If you want to start selling digital products fast – and skip all the backend maintenance – Hostinger Website Builder is one of the easiest, most affordable ways to launch your store.
It’s an ideal pick if you want to sell ebooks, music, templates, or other downloadable files without the technical overhead that comes with Easy Digital Downloads. Everything you need is built in, including search engine optimization (SEO) tools and email marketing features.
Hostinger Website Builder is perfect for creators who want to focus on marketing digital products rather than their tech stack.
Key features:
- Built-in product pages. Hostinger auto-generates high-converting product pages with customizable layouts and descriptions.
- Responsive, mobile-friendly templates. All themes are designed to work well across devices without extra configuration.
- Payment gateway support. Accept payments through PayPal, Stripe, and Razorpay with no additional plugins.
- Discount codes. Create coupon-based promotions directly from your dashboard.
- AI content tools. Generate product descriptions, meta tags, and even logos using built-in AI.
- Built-in analytics. Track visitors, traffic sources, and device types without connecting external tools.
- Marketing and tracking integrations. Connect Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, Hotjar, Google Tag Manager, WhatsApp, AdSense, and AdMob.
3. PrestaShop
Best for: Sellers who want flexibility, built-in global selling tools, and a platform that operates independently of WordPress.
Customer support: Community-driven support, plus free email and chatbot assistance available to all users.
Price: Free to download, with optional costs for hosting, premium themes, and modules.
PrestaShop is a self-hosted ecommerce content management system (CMS) that lets you build a fully customizable online store from scratch.
The platform is easy to manage because everything is organized into customizable sections, and you can control most features from one central dashboard.
You can create virtual products directly from the product editor by uploading files, setting download limits, and defining access expiration.
Once a purchase is complete, PrestaShop sends customers a secure download link, making it easy to sell ebooks, software, templates, or other virtual goods.
What makes it a good Easy Digital Downloads alternative:
PrestaShop is a standalone platform built for sellers who want full control over their store without relying on WordPress.
You can choose between a self-hosted setup or a fully managed Hosted version that includes built-in tools for payments, SEO, GDPR compliance, and marketing automation.
PrestaShop is also more suitable if you’re targeting international customers because it comes with native support for multi-language storefronts and multi-currency payments – features that, with Easy Digital Downloads, require separate extensions.
To learn how to install and set up a store, check out our PrestaShop tutorial.
Key features:
- Customizable classic theme. PrestaShop’s default theme is flexible and easy to modify, allowing you to adjust layouts, colors, and sections without advanced coding.
- PrestaShop checkout. A built-in payment solution that lets you accept credit cards, PayPal, and local payment methods without additional setup.
- Automated ads on Google networks. PrestaShop Marketing helps you set up and manage Google Ads to drive traffic to your store directly from the admin dashboard.
- Ad automation for Facebook and Instagram. PrestaShop Social enables you to create, manage, and optimize ads across Meta platforms without leaving your store.
- Email marketing automation with Klaviyo. PrestaShop Automation lets you build automated email flows for cart recovery, post-purchase follow-ups, and customer retention.
- PrestaShop Metrics analytics dashboard. A built-in analytics tool that tracks store performance in real time, including sales, traffic, and customer behavior.
- Support for subscriptions and software licensing. Add official modules or custom extensions to handle recurring payments and license-based digital products.
Pro tip
Want full control without the technical setup? Hostinger’s PrestaShop hosting gives you a ready-to-use store with built-in performance, security, and automatic updates – so you can focus on customizing your shop and selling digital products faster, without managing everything yourself.
4. MemberPress
Best for: Creators, educators, or service providers who want to sell digital products through memberships, gated content, or recurring subscriptions.
Customer support: Email-based support, plus access to a detailed knowledge base and tutorials.
Price: Basic plan costs $179.50/year (no free plan available).
MemberPress is a premium WordPress plugin designed for selling digital products through memberships, subscriptions, and gated content.
This WordPress membership plugin integrates directly into your WordPress dashboard, where you can manage pricing tiers, content restrictions, recurring billing, and user activity – all in one place. The setup is straightforward for WordPress users, with built-in tools for reporting, access rules, and automation.
You can upload digital files and restrict access based on membership levels. Once someone subscribes, MemberPress automatically grants them access to the files or content you’ve gated. It’s a simple way to deliver PDFs, videos, or training materials exclusively to paying members.
What makes it a good Easy Digital Downloads alternative:
MemberPress is purpose-built for access-based selling, making it a strong choice for creators focused on memberships and gated content rather than one-off file sales.
Unlike Easy Digital Downloads, which requires paid add-ons for features like content restriction and recurring payments, MemberPress includes these in its base plan.
You can lock posts, pages, downloadable files, or entire sections of your site, set up membership levels, and drip content over time – without needing additional plugins.
It’s especially useful for online educators, coaches, and service providers who want to control how and when content is delivered, offering a more complete access-management system compared to Easy Digital Downloads.
Key features:
- Recurring and one-time payment support. Accept payments through PayPal and Stripe with flexible billing options.
- Email marketing integrations. Connect with AWeber, Constant Contact, GetResponse, MailChimp, and MailPoet to automate outreach.
- Custom coupon codes. Offer limited-time or recurring discounts to attract and retain members.
- Drip content scheduling. Gradually release content over time to enhance engagement and reduce churn.
- ReadyLaunch™ Page Maker. Quickly create high-converting, mobile-responsive pages without coding.
- Built-in reporting tools. Monitor active members, revenue, and daily transactions directly from your WordPress dashboard.
- Supports software licensing (with add-on). You can sell license-based digital products using the free Software License Manager plugin. Developer assistance may be needed to configure it for your setup.
5. SureCart
Best for: Digital product creators, course instructors, and service providers looking for a modern WordPress ecommerce solution focused on subscriptions, services, and downloadable content.
Customer support: Email-based support is included with all plans, with faster response times on paid tiers. An active knowledge base, user community, and video tutorials are also available.
Price: Free plan available with a 1.9% transaction fee; paid plans start at $179/year (no transaction fees on paid tiers).
SureCart is a modern ecommerce plugin for WordPress built for selling all sorts of products, including digital ones, through a fast, cloud-based system.
It installs directly within your WordPress site but runs core functions – like checkout, payment processing, and order management – on its own servers, which reduces strain on your site.
SureCart supports both one-time purchases and recurring subscriptions, making it ideal for selling ebooks, templates, digital products, and services with flexible payment models.
It also supports secure file delivery right out of the box, allowing you to upload digital products, apply download limits, and automate delivery after payment – all without the need for extra extensions.
What makes it a great Easy Digital Downloads alternative:
SureCart;s free plan comes with more built-in features. While Easy Digital Downloads often requires multiple paid plugins for subscriptions, gated content, or custom checkouts, SureCart includes these from the start.
Its cloud-based system is also a huge plus, helping your site run faster and more reliably by avoiding plugin conflicts and lowering the load on your server.
If you want a modern, low-maintenance way to sell digital products or services, SureCart keeps things simple.
Key features:
- Mobile-friendly checkout pages. Ensure a smooth, responsive checkout experience on any device.
- Drag-and-drop checkout form builder. Customize your checkout flow visually—no coding required.
- Customizable invoices and order emails. Personalize the post-purchase experience with branded communications
- Coupons and discounts. Offer limited-time promotions or flexible pricing with custom discount codes.
- Customer and order tracking. Manage customer profiles, refunds, and order history from the SureCart dashboard
- Real-time analytics. Track revenue, subscriptions, and order volume directly in your dashboard.
- Email marketing integrations. Connect with tools like FluentCRM, SureTriggers, and Zapier to automate campaigns and sync customer data.
- Custom email addresses. Send transactional emails using your domain-branded sender address.
6. LearnDash
Best for: Course creators, educators, and coaches who want a powerful WordPress-based LMS to build and sell structured learning programs.
Customer support: Email-based support is available on all plans, with access to setup guides, documentation, and a helpful user community. Priority support is available on higher tiers.
Price: $199/year for the plugin, with optional costs for hosting.
LearnDash is a leading WordPress plugin built specifically for creating and selling online courses.
This WordPress LMS plugin offers a drag-and-drop course builder that lets you organize lessons, quizzes, and assignments visually. All course management happens inside your WordPress dashboard, including user enrollment, progress tracking, and payment settings.
LearnDash allows you to attach downloadable resources – like PDFs, worksheets, or slide decks – to specific lessons or course modules. You can control access based on enrollment status, course progress, or membership level, making it easy to deliver digital materials as part of a broader learning program.
What makes it a good Easy Digital Downloads alternative:
LearnDash is purpose-built for online education, making it a better fit than Easy Digital Downloads if you’re selling courses rather than standalone digital files.
It includes built-in tools for drip content, quizzes, certificates, and user progress tracking – all essential features for delivering a complete learning experience.
You can sell access using one-time payments, recurring subscriptions, or tiered memberships through LearnDash’s native payment support or integrations with WooCommerce.
Whereas Easy Digital Downloads would require multiple plugins to manage subscriptions, restrict lessons, or track progress, LearnDash offers all of this in a single platform.
Key features:
- AI course and quiz builder. Generate course outlines and assessments automatically using built-in AI tools.
- Easy assignment management. Let students upload assignments and track feedback in one place.
- Video progression controls. Require students to watch videos fully before moving forward.
- Group management. Assign group leaders and manage team-based learning for corporate or cohort-based training.
- Team collaboration tools. Add admins or instructors to help manage course content and student progress.
- Email engagement triggers. Send automated reminders, nudges, or status updates based on learner behavior.
- Advanced reporting filters. View performance data by course, group, or individual user.
- Add-on marketplace. Extend functionality with LearnDash’s official add-ons or connect with tools like Zapier, ConvertKit, and Slack.
7. Download Monitor
Best for: Creators and small businesses that want a simple way to deliver and track digital files without a full ecommerce setup.
Customer support: Access to a knowledge base, setup tutorials, and community forums. Paid users receive priority email support.
Price: Free core plugin available. Premium bundles start at $39/year, with additional costs depending on the add-ons you choose.
Download Monitor is a lightweight WordPress plugin made to manage, track, and deliver digital files.
You can upload files, organize them using categories or tags, and insert download links or buttons directly into posts and pages.
The interface is minimalist and easy to navigate, making it a good fit for those who want simple file control without dealing with complex storefront tools.
Download Monitor supports secure file delivery through forced download or redirect-to-file modes.
You can set download limits, require user logins, or password-protect files – giving you basic access control without needing additional plugins.
What makes it a good Easy Digital Downloads alternative:
Download Monitor focuses on file management rather than building a storefront. Unlike Easy Digital Downloads, which revolves around product listings and shopping carts, this plugin is better suited for sharing individual digital products like media kits, templates, or PDFs – whether behind a paywall, email form, or restricted link.
Key features:
- Custom display options. Add basic links, download buttons, or shortcode-generated listings to any page or post.
- PayPal integration. Sell digital files directly through PayPal without installing a shopping cart plugin.
- Basic download tracking. View the number of times each file has been downloaded.
- Category and tag organization. Assign categories and tags to downloads for easier sorting and display control.
- Clean admin interface. Manage downloads with a lightweight, clutter-free dashboard experience.
8. Download Manager
Best for: Website owners who need an easy-to-use solution to manage, control, and sell digital file downloads directly from their WordPress site.
Customer support: Responsive help via forums, live chat, and fast issue resolution – especially for paid users.
Price: Free core plugin. Paid plans start at $99/year.
Download Manager is a plugin built for secure file management and delivery.
You can upload files, set restrictions, and track downloads through a visual dashboard built into your site.
This WordPress download manager plugin supports password protection, role-based access, CAPTCHA locks, and download limits – all without needing additional plugins.
You can offer files as free or paid downloads using built-in payment gateways.
It also supports cloud storage integrations like Google Drive or Dropbox, helping you offload file hosting while maintaining reliable, secure delivery of ebooks, software, templates, or other digital products.
What makes it a good Easy Digital Downloads alternative:
Unlike Easy Digital Downloads, which centers around full storefronts, Download Manager is built for controlled file access and licensing.
It’s ideal if you want to gate individual downloads, offer tiered access, or sell licensed products without setting up a shopping cart.
With strong built-in security features and a lightweight setup, it’s a solid choice for creators focused on protecting their content and delivering it efficiently.
Key features:
- Pay-per-download setup. Easily set prices per file with support for free and paid options.
- License-based pricing. Offer simple, extended, or unlimited licenses with different price tiers.
- Download visibility control. Make files public, members-only, or hidden behind paywalls.
- Custom download buttons and templates. Style your file listings to match your site design.
- Basic reporting tools. Track download counts, file access, and usage.
- Mailchimp integration. Automatically add users who download files to your Mailchimp lists using the premium Mailchimp Subscription add-on.
- Built-in PayPal support. Accept payments for paid downloads without installing a separate shopping cart plugin.
Conclusion
There are plenty of tools for selling digital products, but not all fit your specific needs.
Easy Digital Downloads is a popular choice for WordPress users, but it often needs extra plugins, paid upgrades, and ongoing maintenance to work the way you want.
The best platform for you depends on your product, budget, and how hands-on you want it to be. Here’s a quick guide to help you decide:
- If you don’t have a website and want the fastest, simplest setup, choose Hostinger Website Builder.
- For international selling outside of WordPress, PrestaShop is a solid pick.
- If your focus is selling online courses or education programs, LearnDash is purpose-built for that.
- For simple file delivery and tracking, Download Monitor or Download Manager are both great options.
- If your business is built around memberships, gated content, or subscriptions, MemberPress is ideal.
- If you want a flexible, scalable store and prefer to keep everything on WordPress, WooCommerce and SureCart are strong choices.
Compare your options and choose a platform that makes things easier. The right choice now can save time, cut costs, and improve the experience for both you and your customers.
Easy Digital Downloads alternatives FAQ
How to make and sell a digital download?
There are many guides available online for creating digital products – we offer several, including one for creating and selling ebooks. Once your file is ready, upload it to your online store, set the price, enable secure delivery, and connect a payment gateway to start selling directly from your site.
How do I give away free downloads on a WordPress site?
Use a plugin like Download Monitor to upload your files and set them as free. You can allow instant access or require users to accept terms or submit a form. No checkout is needed – just publish the download link on your site or behind a gated form.
Can I sell digital and physical products on one site?
Yes. Platforms like WooCommerce, Hostinger Website Builder, and PrestaShop allow you to sell both digital and physical products from a single website. You can manage inventory, shipping, and file delivery all within the same dashboard.