Happy Valley

AfterShip vs Payhip

AfterShip and Payhip are both E-commerce tools. AfterShip is aimed at E-commerce and small businesses, while Payhip is aimed at creators. Both have a free plan.

AfterShip

Shipment tracking, returns and post-purchase suite for online stores

Payhip

Sell digital downloads, courses and memberships

PricingFreemium · $29Freemium · $29
Starting price$29/mo$29/mo
Free planYesYes
Free trial7 days—
Built forE-commerce, Small businesses, EnterpriseCreators
Platformsweb, ios, androidweb
Country—GB · 2011
Rating——

Choose AfterShip if

Shopify and multi-channel ecommerce brands shipping thousands of orders a year that want branded tracking and fewer support tickets.

  • Very wide carrier coverage for cross-border sellers
  • Measurably cuts where-is-my-order support tickets
  • Deep Shopify integration with a free starter app plan

Look elsewhere if: Merchants mainly looking for discounted shipping labels (Shippo, ShipStation) or an all-in-one EU shipping tool (Sendcloud).

Choose Payhip if

Creators selling digital goods.

  • Cheaper than Gumroad
  • VAT handled
  • Free plan

Look elsewhere if: Physical goods.

AfterShip vs Payhip pricing

AfterShip

  • Free (Shopify app)$0Shopify App Store plan with 50 shipments a month
  • Tracking Essentials$35/mo$29/mo billed yearly; 6,000 shipments/yr, $0.08 overage
  • Tracking Premium$70/mo$59/mo billed yearly; 6,000 shipments/yr, API and webhooks
  • EnterpriseCustomCustom volumes, SLAs and support

Payhip

  • Free Forever$05% transaction fee; all features
  • Plus$29/mo2% transaction fee
  • Pro$99/mo0% transaction fee

AfterShip · Key features

  • Branded tracking pages with product recommendations
  • Email and SMS delivery notifications across 1,300+ carriers
  • AI-predicted estimated delivery dates on product and checkout pages
  • Self-serve returns and exchanges portal (AfterShip Returns)
  • Shipping labels and rate comparison (AfterShip Shipping)
  • Shipping protection priced per declared order value

Cons

  • Pricing differs between direct site and Shopify App Store
  • API access requires Premium, not Essentials
  • Overage fees per shipment add up during peak season

Payhip · Key features

  • Digital downloads
  • Courses and coaching
  • Memberships
  • EU VAT handling
  • Affiliates and coupons
  • Store builder

Cons

  • Less discovery
  • Design limits
  • Fewer integrations

AfterShip vs Payhip: FAQ

Do AfterShip and Payhip have a free plan?

Yes, both AfterShip and Payhip have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.

Which is better for small businesses, AfterShip or Payhip?

AfterShip lists small businesses as a core audience, while Payhip is aimed more at creators.

Not sure yet?