Shopify questionAnswer3 min read
Can I Sell Digital Products on Shopify?
Yes. Shopify's free Digital Products app handles files, delivery and download limits, so you can sell ebooks, templates, music and other files alongside physical products.
Key takeaways
- Shopify's free Digital Products app attaches files to products and emails customers a download link after purchase.
- Each variant can hold up to 50 files with a combined size of up to 5 GB. Files added from the product page are limited to 500 MB each.
- Download access is unlimited by default, or you can limit the number of downloads per customer link.
- Digital sales to consumers in the EU are taxed where the customer lives, so check your VAT position before you launch.
- Who it is for
- Creators selling files
- Time needed
- 5 minutes to read
- What you need
- Your finished files
Yes, you can sell digital products on Shopify on any standard plan. Install Shopify's free Digital Products app, attach your files to a product, and Shopify emails each customer a download link after they pay. You can also show a download button on the thank you and order status pages, and limit how many times each link can be used.
Older guides call the app Digital Downloads; Shopify's help center now calls it Digital Products. The details below are from Shopify's help center, as checked on 7 November 2026.
What you can sell
Anything you can deliver as a file: ebooks and guides, templates, printables, presets, music, stock photos, patterns, fonts and software files. You can upload a ZIP or other archive, but not a folder. For video courses, memberships or license keys, you'll usually need a dedicated app, because the Digital Products app is built for file delivery.
Limits at a glance
| Limit | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Files per variant | Up to 50 | Uploaded through the app |
| Size per variant | Up to 5 GB | Combined, through the app |
| File from product page | Up to 500 MB | Per file |
| Downloads | Unlimited by default | Or a set number per link |
| App price | Free | Made by Shopify |
How to set it up
- Install Digital Products from the Shopify App Store.
- Go to Apps, then Digital Products, and click Add assets, then File.
- Upload your files and click Save.
- Set the price and status from the Products page.
- Add the Digital Products block to your checkout in the checkout editor, so a Download Now link appears on the thank you and order status pages.
- Buy it yourself with a test order to check the email and the download.
To add files to an existing product, open it in the app, click Add an asset, then File, and save.
How customers get their files
After purchase, the customer gets an email with a download link. If you've added the checkout block, they can also download straight from the thank you page. Items that are sent automatically and don't need shipping are marked as fulfilled. If you set a variant to Send manually, the link doesn't appear on those pages until you send it.
What it costs
The app is free. You pay your Shopify plan, from $25 a month or $19 billed yearly on Basic in the US, plus card processing on each sale. Digital products have no shipping or stock costs, so margins are high, but fees on a $5 download take a bigger share than on a $50 one. Check with the Shopify fees calculator.
Tax by country
- EU and the Netherlands: digital services sold to consumers in other EU countries are taxed in the customer's country. EU businesses below €10,000 in combined cross-border sales can charge their home rate. OSS lets you report it all in one return.
- UK and other non-EU sellers: selling digital products to EU consumers can require EU VAT from the first sale, reported through the non-Union OSS scheme.
- US and Australia: sales tax on digital goods differs from state to state, and Australia has its own GST rules for digital sales. Check your state's rules or the ATO.
My guide to EU OSS VAT on Shopify explains the setup.
What to do next
- Install the app and create one product with a test file.
- Add the checkout block so customers can download instantly.
- Plan the launch with my guide to launching a product on Shopify.
- Need more than files? For courses, memberships or license keys, a custom app starts from $800.
Free tools
Check your own store
Free, no sign-up. Each one runs a part of this guide for you.
Frequently asked questions
Can you sell digital products on Shopify?
Yes. Install Shopify's free Digital Products app, attach files to a product, and customers get a download link by email after they pay.
How big can digital files be on Shopify?
Through the Digital Products app, each variant can hold up to 50 files with a combined size of up to 5 GB. Files added from the product page are limited to 500 MB each.
Is the Shopify Digital Products app free?
Yes. It's made by Shopify and free to use. You still pay your Shopify plan and card processing fees.
Can I limit how many times a file is downloaded?
Yes. Set the access limit to Limited and enter a number under Times per customer. The count applies to each link a customer receives.
Can I sell digital and physical products in the same store?
Yes. Digital and physical products can sit side by side, and digital items in a mixed order are delivered by download.
Do I charge VAT on digital products?
Often, yes. Digital sales to EU consumers are taxed in the customer's country, and the UK, US and Australia have their own rules, so check before you launch.
Sources
- Selling digital products, Shopify Help Center
- Shopify pricing, Shopify
- One Stop Shop, European Commission
Related services and work
I'm a Shopify developer and CRO specialist. I have built and improved Shopify stores since 2018, completed more than 1,000 projects, and hold a 4.96 average rating across 719 client reviews.
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