If you’ve been on Instagram or Threads recently you have probably come across a lot of people selling digital products online -courses, ebooks, tempates and similar, and maybe you have bought one of the courses and decided that you are also going to have a go at reselling it.
If you have bought a course from someone, they will probably have recommended you the digital selling platform which they use, and they will probably be getting an affiliate payment for recommending it. But if you look at others you will see that there are options, and this can be very confusing and overwhelming if you are new to this space. There are so many options, each promising to be the easiest or most powerful solution.
I’ll come clean right now – I am also going to make you an offer at the bottom of this article, and I will receive commission if you take me up on it. I’ve personally tried several tools and currently use Pensight as my main platform for selling digital products, alongside WooCommerce on my blog. Take a look at my Pensight page, so you can get the idea.
However, I know many creators are also recommending Beacons, Stan Store, and other similar platforms, so I wanted to do a detailed comparison of these tools as well, to help you decide which one offers the most features that you require for the lowest cost. I will explain why I chose Pensight, but it maybe that one of the other platforms is more suitable for what you are doing
If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution that’s easy to use, mobile-friendly, and doesn’t require a lot of technical knowledge, this comparison will help you make the best decision.
What Are These Platforms, and What Do They Do?
Beacons, Stan Store, and Pensight are link-in-bio storefronts designed for creators, coaches, and entrepreneurs who want to sell digital products, services, or memberships without needing a full website.
These platforms are great for selling digital downloads such as eBooks, guides, and templates. They allow you to offer coaching, consulting, or courses, book appointments or calls, and collect payments easily. They also help you manage everything from a single, mobile-friendly page.
Unlike WooCommerce, which I also use, these platforms don’t require a self-hosted website, making them a much simpler and faster option for busy mums who want to start selling quickly. They help you get over Instagram’s rule that you can’t have links directly in your posts when you are starting up – the one-stop link in bio will connect your fans effortlessly to all the things you are telling them about
Beacons
Overview
Beacons is a mobile-first tool that combines a link-in-bio page with eCommerce features. It is designed primarily for content creators who want to sell digital products and collect payments directly from their social media profiles.
Key Features
- Customisable link-in-bio page with multiple content blocks
- Ability to sell digital products such as eBooks, templates, and courses
- Tipping and donation features to accept payments from followers
- Built-in email marketing to collect and send emails to your audience
- Affiliate links to monetise your page with product recommendations
- Analytics to track views, clicks, and conversions
Pricing
- Free plan with basic features and Beacons branding
- Creator Plan at £8 per month, which removes branding and includes digital product sales and analytics
- Entrepreneur Plan at £20 per month, which adds advanced automation and email sequences
Pros and Cons
Beacons is simple to set up and affordable for small businesses. It includes email marketing, which is rare in this category. However, it has limited customisation options and is not as feature-rich for course creators.
Stan Store
Overview
Stan Store markets itself as a “link-in-bio store for creators,” focusing on selling digital products, courses, and memberships. It is particularly popular among TikTok influencers and Instagram coaches.
Key Features
- Ability to sell digital products, including eBooks, guides, courses, and templates
- Subscription memberships with recurring payments for exclusive content
- Built-in scheduling for booking one-on-one coaching calls or consultations
- Automations such as upsells, email sequences, and thank-you pages
- Affiliate programme to create and manage affiliates for your products
- Easy checkout process, which is useful for social media-driven sales
Pricing
- £25 per month for access to all features (no free plan available)
Pros and Cons
Stan Store is an all-in-one selling platform ideal for social media creators. It has strong automation features, making it great for passive income. It also works well for memberships and coaching. However, it does not offer a free plan and has limited design customisation.
Pensight (My current platform)
Overview
Pensight is an all-in-one storefront that works well for coaches, educators, and digital product sellers. I personally use it because it is easy to set up and allows me to sell digital downloads, book coaching calls, and even create mini-courses. You can also set up an affiliate scheme and invite others to sell your products for you.
Key Features
- Ability to sell digital products such as eBooks, templates, and workbooks
- Built-in scheduling for coaching or consulting calls
- Mini-course creation with video or PDF lessons
- Built-in email marketing to send messages to customers
- Payment processing with Stripe and PayPal integration
- Affiliate sales tracking for promoting products
Pricing
- Free plan allowing up to two digital products with basic features
- Pro Plan at £19 per month, which includes unlimited products, courses, and marketing features
Pros and Cons
Pensight offers a free plan, which is great for testing. It is excellent for coaching, digital downloads, and mini-courses, and it is very easy to use. However, it has limited design options compared to a full website and does not yet offer full email automation.
Other Alternatives
There are a couple of other options that may be worth considering.
Koji is another link-in-bio storefront that offers similar features to Beacons and Stan Store. It is highly interactive and has mini-apps for selling digital products, tipping, and more. It is free to start but takes a 5 percent transaction fee on sales.
Gumroad is an excellent option if you primarily sell digital products. It allows you to create a simple storefront without needing a website. It is free to start but takes a 10 percent transaction fee on sales.
Which One Should You Choose?
- If you want the most features for the lowest price: Pensight is a great choice. It has a free plan and is perfect for selling digital products and coaching. You can see the review I wrote on it after I had been using it for a couple of weeks – Review of Pensight
- If you are an influencer selling products via social media: Stan Store is a strong option. It is designed for TikTok and Instagram users, but it does not have a free plan.
- If you want built-in email marketing: Beacons is an affordable option that includes email tools. I use Zapier to attach Pensight to my email platform Mailerlite.
- If you only need to sell digital downloads and want to avoid monthly fees; Gumroad is worth considering. However, its transaction fees are higher than other platforms.
Since I already have a blog and sell on my website using WooCommerce, Pensight works best for me as a link in bio for my Instagram and Threads page. I can promote my blogs on it and it’s also an easy way to sell digital products without needing additional technical skills.
However, if you are mainly selling through TikTok or Instagram, Stan Store or Beacons might be a better fit.
The best choice depends on your business model. If you are still unsure, I recommend starting with Pensight’s free plan to test it out, using a couple of products, then upgrading as your business grows.
My Affiliate Offers for Pensight
If you sign up for a free account with Pensight, using my affiliate link, you can use the free site for as long as you want and test out its ability to help you sell a couple of products. You will also receive a discount on your first two months’ membership of Pensight Pro.
I am also happy to offer you a free consultation to help you get set up and answer any questions you have about this platform.
If you don’t have digital products of your own yet, you could also join my affiliate scheme on Pensight, allowing you to promote all of the products that I currently sell. Click here to find out more.
I hope this comparison helps you find the best digital product selling tool for your needs. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out – I would love to hear what platform you are considering.
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