We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It never changes a score or a ranking. How we make money
Hotmart is aimed at creators selling courses or ebooks, including sellers reaching international customers, and its free plan avoids a monthly platform fee. That does not mean selling is cost-free: the published information flags transaction fees and course-access terms as points to check. Whop is the closest listed option for digital products and memberships. The other platforms here are mainly marketplace or wholesale tools, so they fit only if you’re changing what you sell or how you sell it.
01Why people leave Hotmart
Course access can expire
One Reddit thread describes buying a course and later discovering access had a validity period. Check the access terms before paying.
Income claims invite skepticism
A Reddit thread questions claims about making fortunes through Hotmart and whether products sell well. Treat affiliate-income promises cautiously.
Video access can frustrate buyers
In another Reddit thread, users said they struggled to download course videos. That is an anecdotal complaint, not proof of a platform-wide issue.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Digital products
WhopWhopWhop is the closest match in this list if you want to sell digital products or memberships rather than run a wholesale operation. Its listing includes payments and commerce tools, and it has a free plan from $0. That makes it worth comparing with Hotmart if your business centers on digital sales, but the published information does not establish course-hosting or access-term details.
Trade-off: Budget for transaction and add-on fees; course-hosting details are not published here.
6.5/10from
Freefree plan - Marketplace founders
SharetribeSharetribeSharetribe is for founders validating a marketplace, not a direct replacement for a creator course platform. Consider it if you’re moving from selling your own products to connecting buyers and sellers through a marketplace. Pricing starts at $39, according to the pricing page, but budget carefully for the Live plan and extra usage.
Trade-off: A marketplace pivot, not a like-for-like course or ebook storefront.
7.0/10from
$39/mo - Existing storefronts
MarketplacerMarketplacerMarketplacer may fit if you already run a storefront and want to extend it with marketplace capabilities or test product categories. That is a different model from selling your own courses or ebooks through Hotmart. Its pricing is not published on the vendor's site, making it difficult to estimate the cost of a switch.
Trade-off: Pricing is unpublished, and it is aimed at storefront extensions.
6.0/10from
Custom - Multi-marketplace brands
RithumRithumRithum is a possible fit if your next step is selling across many marketplaces or coordinating retailer fulfillment. It is not a creator-focused substitute for Hotmart; it makes more sense when your business is moving toward retail commerce. Pricing is not published on the vendor's site, and integration costs are worth checking.
Trade-off: Opaque pricing and integration costs; not built around creator courses.
6.5/10from
Custom - Wholesale brands
BrandboomBrandboomBrandboom is for brands building wholesale catalogs and sharing line sheets, not for hosting creator courses. It could suit a business shifting from digital products to wholesale selling. The pricing page gives it a free plan and a starting price of $50, but notes meaningful caps and a steep Business commitment.
Trade-off: Wholesale-focused, with meaningful caps and a steep Business commitment.
6.8/10from
$50/mofree plan - Large marketplaces
MiraklMiraklMirakl is aimed at retailers managing large seller catalogs and marketplace operations, so it is only a fit if you’re scaling into that model rather than looking for another course platform. The pricing page gives a starting price of $699. Its expensive entry pricing and capped plans make it a poor fit for many smaller sellers.
Trade-off: High entry price and capped plans; far beyond a simple creator storefront.
6.8/10from
$699/mo
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hotmart Hotmart (current) | 6.4 | Free | Yes | Creators selling courses or ebooks |
| Whop Whop | 6.5 | Free | Yes | Businesses selling memberships or digital products |
| Sharetribe Sharetribe | 7.0 | $39/mo | No | Founders validating marketplace ideas |
| Marketplacer Marketplacer | 6.0 | Custom | No | Businesses extending existing storefronts |
| Rithum Rithum | 6.5 | Custom | No | Brands selling across many marketplaces |
| Brandboom Brandboom | 6.8 | $50/mo | Yes | Brands building wholesale catalogs |
| Mirakl Mirakl | 6.8 | $699/mo | No | Retailers managing large seller catalogs |
Questions people ask
How do you use Hotmart?
The published information describes Hotmart as a platform for creators selling courses or ebooks and for sellers targeting international customers. It does not give setup steps or explain specific publishing and checkout workflows. Before choosing it, check the platform’s current documentation for the steps and confirm the course-access terms for each product.
What is Hotmart payment?
The published information flags transaction fees but does not publish fee rates or explain payment methods, payout timing, or how checkout works. Those details are important when comparing a free plan with other platforms. Check Hotmart’s current pricing and payment documentation before estimating what you will keep from each sale.
How much is Hotmart, and can you make money with it?
The pricing page says Hotmart has a free plan and no monthly platform fee, but it also flags transaction fees; exact rates are not published here. You can sell courses or ebooks, but that does not guarantee sales or income. One Reddit thread questions claims about large affiliate earnings, so assess demand and costs before committing.