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SamCart starts at $79, according to the pricing page, but its plan caps and fees are worth checking before you commit. For digital products and memberships, Payhip and Gumroad are closer fits; Shopify and WooCommerce suit merchants who want a broader store. Reddit discussions also raise a practical question: do you need a replacement, or a CRM or store that works alongside your checkout? These six options cover different answers, with different costs and trade-offs.
01Why people leave SamCart
You want CRM tools in one platform
One Reddit thread asks for lead management and email automation alongside checkout, and a commenter says they would prefer everything in one platform.
You may need a broader store
A Reddit user wondered whether SamCart works alongside Shopify rather than replacing it, suggesting checkout alone may not cover every store need.
You want to check costs first
The published SamCart listing says to compare plan caps and fees before switching. The Reddit discussions provided do not establish specific SamCart limits or rates.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Digital products and memberships
PayhipPayhipPayhip is a strong fit if you sell courses or memberships and want checkout embedded on your own website. The listing includes a free plan and a starting price of $29, giving you a different entry point from SamCart’s listed $79 starting price. It also offers a range of selling tools, according to the pricing page.
Trade-off: Weigh its transaction fee against your sales volume.
7.5/10from
$29/mofree plan - Creators avoiding monthly fees
GumroadGumroadGumroad suits creators selling digital products, memberships or subscriptions who would rather avoid a monthly bill. The listing shows a free plan and no published starting price, unlike SamCart’s listed $79 starting price. It may fit a solo creator’s cost preference, but the lower fixed cost does not mean lower total fees.
Trade-off: The listing flags steep fees and the need to do your own marketing.
6.3/10from
Freefree plan - Multi-channel commerce
ShopifyShopifyShopify is a better direction if your needs extend beyond a checkout to selling across multiple channels and running a managed store. The pricing page shows a free plan and a $21 starting price. That makes it worth comparing if SamCart feels too focused on product pages and checkout for your operation.
Trade-off: Fees and app costs can make the convenience expensive.
7.2/10from
CHF 21/mofree plan - Customizable store control
WooCommerceWooCommerceWooCommerce is worth considering if checkout customization and hosting choice matter more than keeping everything in a hosted checkout tool. Its core is listed as free, with no starting price published. The listing also identifies multi-channel selling as a fit, making it an option for merchants building a broader store.
Trade-off: Hosting, extensions and setup add trade-offs.
7.1/10from
Freefree plan - Small independent shops
Big CartelBig CartelBig Cartel fits independent sellers who want a standalone shop for physical or digital goods and can bring their own traffic. The listing shows a free plan and a $15 starting price, below SamCart’s listed $79 starting price. It is a simpler shop option, rather than a like-for-like checkout pitch.
Trade-off: It is not a substitute for marketplace discovery.
7.3/10from
$15/mofree plan - Testing online sales
CartpandaCartpandaCartpanda may suit a small store testing online sales or a business selling physical and digital products across multiple currencies. The listing shows a free plan and a $0.99 starting price. That low entry point is worth checking against your expected sales, rather than comparing monthly prices alone.
Trade-off: Per-sale fees and mixed user feedback warrant caution.
5.9/10from
$0.99/mofree plan
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 SamCart SamCart (current) | 7.0 | $79/mo | No | Creators selling digital products |
| Payhip Payhip | 7.5 | $29/mo | Yes | Creators starting without a subscription |
| Gumroad Gumroad | 6.3 | Free | Yes | Creators selling digital products |
| Shopify Shopify | 7.2 | CHF 21/mo | Yes | Merchants selling across multiple channels |
| WooCommerce WooCommerce | 7.1 | Free | Yes | Stores needing checkout customization |
| Big Cartel Big Cartel | 7.3 | $15/mo | Yes | Independent sellers building a standalone shop |
| Cartpanda Cartpanda | 5.9 | $0.99/mo | Yes | Small stores testing online sales |
Questions people ask
How much does SamCart cost?
The pricing page puts SamCart at a starting price of $79. It does not provide plan names, exact plan caps or fee details, so check SamCart’s current pricing page for those before switching or committing long term.
Which is better, ThriveCart or SamCart?
The published information does not include ThriveCart pricing, plan limits or features, so we can’t make a supported head-to-head call. Start with what matters to your business—checkout, recurring payments, upsells or CRM—and compare current plan details for both before choosing.
What are some good alternatives to ThriveCart?
The options in this comparison include Payhip and Gumroad for digital products or memberships, Shopify for multi-channel commerce, and WooCommerce for checkout customization and hosting choice. Which is a better fit depends on your selling model, fees and how much store control you need.