Fees & How You Get Paid
Transparent pricing with no hidden fees. Creators keep 84-95% of every sale depending on tier and price point.
Creator Tiers & Platform Fees
Sola offers three creator tiers with different marketplace fees. Higher tiers reduce your per-sale fees, which means more money in your pocket:
Free Tier
7% marketplace fee + Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction)
No subscription cost - pay only when you sell
Pro Tier - $49/month
4% marketplace fee + Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction)
Save 3% on every sale - ideal for active creators
Ultimate Tier - $99/month
2% marketplace fee + Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction)
Lowest fees - best for high-volume sellers
The Honest Truth About Fees
Your total fees include a marketplace fee (based on your tier) plus standard payment processing fees (Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). Compare your earnings across all three tiers below.
⚠️ Important: Fixed Fee Impact
Stripe's $0.30 fixed fee significantly impacts small sales. The percentage you keep increases as your prices go up.
Tier-by-Price Comparison
Compare exactly what you'll receive for each sale across all three creator tiers:
| Sale Price | Free Tier 7% marketplace fee |
Pro Tier 4% marketplace fee |
Ultimate Tier 2% marketplace fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5.00 |
-$0.45 Stripe | -$0.35 platform
$4.20 (84%)
|
-$0.45 Stripe | -$0.20 platform
$4.35 (87%)
|
-$0.45 Stripe | -$0.10 platform
$4.45 (89%)
|
| $10.00 |
-$0.59 Stripe | -$0.70 platform
$8.71 (87.1%)
|
-$0.59 Stripe | -$0.40 platform
$9.01 (90.1%)
|
-$0.59 Stripe | -$0.20 platform
$9.21 (92.1%)
|
| $50.00 |
-$1.75 Stripe | -$3.50 platform
$44.75 (89.5%)
|
-$1.75 Stripe | -$2.00 platform
$46.25 (92.5%)
|
-$1.75 Stripe | -$1.00 platform
$47.25 (94.5%)
|
| $100.00 |
-$3.20 Stripe | -$7.00 platform
$89.80 (89.8%)
|
-$3.20 Stripe | -$4.00 platform
$92.80 (92.8%)
|
-$3.20 Stripe | -$2.00 platform
$94.80 (94.8%)
|
💰 Tier Benefits: Pro tier saves you 3% per sale. Ultimate saves you 5% per sale. For high-volume sellers, these savings quickly exceed the monthly subscription cost!
💡 Pricing Strategy: Higher prices mean better percentages for you. The $0.30 fixed fee becomes less significant as your prices increase. Consider bundling products or offering premium tiers to maximize your earnings.
For Buyers
As a buyer, you pay:
- The listed price - What you see is what you pay
- Applicable sales tax - Calculated automatically based on your location
- No buyer fees - No transaction fees, service charges, or hidden costs
For Creators
What's Included in the Platform Fee
- Platform hosting - Your shop, products, and files
- Marketplace features - Search, discovery, reviews
- File delivery - Secure downloads for buyers
- Email system - Marketing tools for your subscribers
- In-app notifications - Alert followers about new products
- Payment infrastructure - Stripe Connect integration and payout management
Note: Payment processing fees (Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30) are separate and automatically deducted by Stripe. Total fees = marketplace fee (7%/4%/2% based on tier) + Stripe fees.
When You Get Paid
Payments go directly to your Stripe account:
- Money flows from customer → your Stripe account immediately
- Sola never holds your funds
- You control your payout schedule (daily, weekly, monthly)
- Stripe handles the payout to your bank account
💡 Direct Payment: With Stripe Connect, you receive payments directly from customers. Sola's marketplace fee (7%/4%/2% based on your tier) is automatically deducted via Stripe's application fee system. Stripe processes their payment fees separately.
Straightforward Pricing
Start selling immediately with simple, transparent fees:
- ✅ Marketplace fee (7%/4%/2% based on tier) + Stripe payment processing (2.9% + $0.30)
- ✅ No setup costs to start on Free tier
- ✅ Upgrade to Pro or Ultimate for lower per-sale fees
- ✅ Upload unlimited products
- ✅ Pay only when you make a sale (Free tier) or low monthly fee (Pro/Ultimate)
- ✅ Creators keep 84-95% depending on tier and sale amount
Tax & Compliance
Sales Tax (for buyers)
- Automatically calculated at checkout
- Based on buyer's location
- Added to the final total
Income Tax (for creators)
- You're responsible for your own taxes
- Stripe provides 1099 tax forms for US creators
- Keep records of all your sales
- Consult a tax professional for your specific situation
⚠️ Creator Responsibilities: You're responsible for chargebacks, refunds, disputes, and tax reporting. Stripe handles the technical side, but business decisions are yours.
Refunds & Chargebacks
Important to know:
- All digital sales are final after download
- Creators handle refund requests directly with buyers
- If you issue a refund, the marketplace fee is returned
- Creators absorb chargeback costs and fees
Fee Transparency
What the marketplace fee covers:
Platform & Infrastructure
- • Secure file hosting & delivery
- • Stripe Connect integration
- • Shop customization tools
Marketing & Discovery
- • Marketplace visibility
- • Email marketing system
- • Customer engagement tools
Lower your marketplace fee with Pro ($49/mo - 4% fee) or Ultimate ($99/mo - 2% fee) tiers.
💡 Creator-First Platform: Sola is designed to help you maximize earnings while providing all the tools you need to grow your digital product business.
Ready to start earning?
Set up your creator account and keep 84-95% of every sale depending on your tier!
Become a Creator