Is Selling Photography Presets On Gumroad Profitable
Last updated: April 2026 ·affiliate disclosure
Most photography preset sellers on Gumroad keep 82-90% of revenue after platform fees, which puts net margins between 40-65% for preset products. Photography presets are among Gumroad's better-performing digital products because they solve a specific problem, have zero production costs after creation, and appeal to a large audience of photographers at all skill levels. You're selling pure margin—the work is front-loaded in preset creation, then every sale is nearly 100% profit.
Gumroad Fees for photography presets Sellers
Gumroad charges a base fee of 10% on all sales, plus payment processing fees of 2.2% + $0.30 per transaction. This means on a $19 preset sale, you lose $1.90 (10%) + $0.72 (2.2% + 30 cents) = $2.62 total, keeping $16.38. On a $49 preset, you lose $4.90 + $1.38 = $6.28, keeping $42.72. If you want Gumroad to cover the fees, you can pass costs to the buyer—Gumroad's "cover fees" option shifts the payment processing burden to customers instead.
Profit Margin Benchmarks
Good margins: You price presets at $29-$49, sell 30-50 per month, and clear $800-$2,000 monthly profit. Average margins: $19 presets, 15-25 sales monthly, $200-$400 profit. Poor margins: $9 presets with fewer than 10 sales monthly, netting under $100. The benchmark assumes zero advertising spend. Most sellers who reach $1,000+ monthly profit either sell multiple preset packs, build an email list to drive repeat customers, or spend $200-$400 monthly on ads to boost volume.
Calculate your actual numbers
The margins above are averages. Your real profit depends on your specific price, costs, and volume.
Run Your Gumroad Profit Calculation →Verdict: Is It Worth It?
Yes, selling photography presets on Gumroad is profitable if you have decent design skills and can drive traffic. The 82-90% take-home rate beats most platforms. The real challenge isn't the fees—it's discoverability. Without an existing audience or marketing budget, expect 5-15 sales monthly. With one (even modest traffic from Instagram or YouTube), you can hit 30-50 sales and make real money. It's worth trying if you already make presets; it's not worth your time if you're starting from zero audience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the exact Gumroad photography preset fees?
Gumroad charges 10% of the sale price plus 2.2% + $0.30 for payment processing. On a $29 preset, you pay $2.90 + $0.94 = $3.84 in fees, keeping $25.16. You can enable "cover fees" to shift processing costs to buyers instead.
What profit margins should I expect selling photography presets on Gumroad?
After Gumroad's 10% + 2.2% + $0.30 fees, you keep 82-90% of each sale. Realistic net margins (after your own time/tools) are 40-65% depending on volume. Selling 25 presets at $39 monthly nets roughly $800-$1,000 profit.
How many photography presets do I need to sell on Gumroad to make money?
You break even on time investment around 20-30 sales monthly (earning $400-$800). Most successful preset sellers on Gumroad move 30-100 units monthly through email lists or social media audiences. Without existing traffic, expect 5-15 sales your first month.
Is Gumroad better than other platforms for selling photography presets?
Gumroad's 10% fee is lower than Etsy (6.5% + payment fees) for digital products and significantly better than Shopify (2.9% + $0.30 + hosting costs). Gumroad wins on simplicity and discovery, but Etsy may drive more organic traffic if you optimize listings correctly.
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