How to Sell Digital Products Online: Beacons vs CreatorStore

Selling digital products online is one of the most accessible ways for creators to turn their knowledge, skills, and audience into income.

Whether you sell PDFs, eBooks, templates, guides, presets, audio, video, or other downloadable content, you need a platform that makes it easy to present your products, accept payments, deliver files, and grow your business.

Two platforms that take this approach are Beacons and CreatorStore.

At first glance, they may look similar. Both combine a link-in-bio page with tools for selling products and connecting with an audience.

However, they have different strengths.

Beacons positions itself as an all-in-one creator platform that combines a Link-in-Bio, digital storefront, email marketing, media kits, affiliate tools, AI features, Instagram automation, courses, memberships, and brand-deal tools.

CreatorStore focuses on building a complete creator storefront where digital products, Bundles, Coaching Calls, Session Packs, Service Bookings, Webinars, and content can live together.

This guide compares Beacons vs CreatorStore to help you understand which platform may be a better fit for your creator business.

Beacons vs CreatorStore: At a Glance

The biggest difference between the two platforms is their overall focus.

Beacons is an all-in-one creator business platform. It combines:

• Link-in-Bio

• Digital products

• Courses

• Memberships

• Email marketing

• Affiliate links

• Affiliate marketplace

• Instagram Auto-DM

• Media kits

• Brand partnerships

• AI tools

• Analytics

CreatorStore focuses more heavily on the storefront and commerce side of a creator business. It combines:

• Link-in-Bio

• Digital products

• Bundles

• Coaching Calls

• Session Packs

• Service Bookings

• Webinars

• Landing pages

• Email collection

• Custom domains

• Product-level SEO

• Booking management

In simple terms:

Beacons = All-in-One Creator Business Platform

CreatorStore = Creator Storefront + Digital Products + Services + Bookings

Neither approach is universally better. The right choice depends on how you plan to monetize your audience.

Beacons vs CreatorStore: Quick Comparison

Feature availability can depend on the subscription plan and current platform terms. The comparison focuses on publicly available information from the platforms' official websites.

Beacons vs CreatorStore: Pricing

Pricing is an important part of choosing a digital product platform.

However, the monthly subscription is not the only cost to consider.

Creators should also look at:

• Platform commissions

• Payment processing fees

• Custom domain availability

• Digital product features

• Email marketing limits

• Access to advanced features

• Whether the platform can support the business as it grows

Beacons and CreatorStore use different pricing approaches.

Beacons Pricing

Beacons currently offers four main plans.

The Free plan allows creators to start selling digital products without paying a monthly subscription, but Beacons charges a 9% seller fee.

The Creator plan costs $10/month and also has a 9% seller fee.

The Creator Plus plan costs $30/month and removes the seller fee, bringing the platform commission to 0%.

Creator Max costs $90/month and includes the features of Creator Plus together with additional business and support features.

Beacons also offers annual billing, but this comparison focuses on monthly pricing.

CreatorStore Pricing

CreatorStore uses a different approach.

CreatorStore charges 0% platform commission on sales.

Standard payment processing fees may still apply depending on the payment provider.

This means that the cost structure is different from Beacons.

With Beacons, creators can start for free but pay a 9% seller fee until they move to the Creator Plus plan.

With CreatorStore, the platform does not take a percentage of each sale.

Beacons vs CreatorStore: Platform Fees

The platform commission can become significant as sales grow.

Imagine that you sell $1,000 in digital products in one month.

With a 9% seller fee:

$1,000 × 9% = $90

With 0% platform commission:

$1,000 × 0% = $0

Beacons allows creators to start selling without paying a monthly subscription, but the Free and Creator plans charge a 9% seller fee. The Creator Plus plan at $30/month reduces the platform seller fee to 0%.

CreatorStore's model is based on 0% platform commission.

This makes the pricing decision dependent on the creator's business stage.

For someone who is just testing their first product and has very few sales, paying 9% per sale may be preferable to paying a monthly subscription.

For a creator generating consistent sales, a 0% platform commission model may become more attractive.

Free Plan vs Paid Plan

One of the strongest features of Beacons is its Free plan.

Beacons Free includes:

• Customizable Link-in-Bio

• Unlimited digital products

• Affiliate links

• Media kit

• 9% seller fees

• 50 email sends per month

• Smart Reply Instagram Auto-DM

• Real-time analytics

• AI credits

This makes Beacons a strong option for creators who want to start selling without paying a monthly subscription.

CreatorStore also offers a Free plan, allowing creators to maintain a storefront with basic functionality without paying for a subscription.

This creates two different approaches.

Beacons:

Start free → sell products → pay 9% seller fee → upgrade to $30/month to remove seller fees

CreatorStore:

Start free → use the Free Plan → upgrade when you need paid functionality → 0% platform commission

For creators who are testing their first product, both models can be attractive for different reasons.

Sell Digital Products

Selling digital products is the core functionality that both platforms provide.

Creators can sell:

• PDFs

• eBooks

• Templates

• Guides

• Presets

• Audio

• Video

• Downloadable files

• Educational content

Beacons

Beacons allows creators to sell unlimited digital products.

The platform specifically highlights products such as:

• Digital downloads

• Guides

• eBooks

• Music files

• Templates

• Courses

Products can be sold directly through the creator's Beacons storefront.

CreatorStore

CreatorStore allows creators to sell digital files with instant delivery and dedicated product sales pages.

Products can include:

• PDFs

• Templates

• Presets

• Audio

• Video

• Guides

• Other downloadable content

The main difference is not whether either platform can sell digital products. Both can.

The difference is what other commerce tools surround the digital product.

For creators who only need to sell downloadable products, either platform can work.

The differences become more important when you start adding other products and revenue streams.

Digital Product Bundles

Bundles allow creators to combine multiple digital products into a single offer.

For example:

• Template A: $29

• Template B: $29

• Template C: $29

• Bundle: $59

CreatorStore has a dedicated Bundle product type that allows creators to group digital products together, set a discount, and show buyers how much they save.

This can be useful for creators selling:

• Template collections

• Design resources

• Educational guides

• Content packs

• Business resources

• Creator toolkits

For creators with multiple related digital products, Bundles can help create higher-value offers without requiring customers to purchase every product separately.

Custom Domain

A custom domain can be important for creators building a long-term personal brand.

Instead of sending customers to a platform URL, a creator can use an address such as yourname.com.

Beacons supports custom domains on its Creator plan and above, including custom domain Link-in-Bio and Store product URLs.

CreatorStore also supports custom domains.

In this category, both platforms provide a strong option for creators who want to build their storefront around their own brand.

Product-Level SEO

SEO can help creators attract visitors from Google instead of relying entirely on social media.

Beacons provides advanced SEO and marketing features on paid plans and supports custom domain URLs for store products.

CreatorStore also provides custom SEO settings for pages and products.

Creators can optimize elements such as:

• SEO title

• Meta description

• Social preview image

Both platforms therefore allow creators to think beyond social media traffic.

A product can potentially be discovered through:

• Google Search

• Social media

• Direct links

• Email marketing

• Creator storefront traffic

For a creator selling products around specific search queries, SEO can become an additional acquisition channel.

Landing Pages

A digital product often needs more than a simple checkout button.

A strong product page may need to explain:

• What the product is

• Who it is for

• What is included

• The benefits

• Customer testimonials

• Pricing

• Frequently asked questions

Both Beacons and CreatorStore provide tools that allow creators to build branded pages around their content and products.

CreatorStore specifically supports landing pages that can be created separately from the main storefront.

This can be useful for campaigns such as:

Instagram Ad → Landing Page → Digital Product

or:

Google Search → Product Page → Purchase

For creators running multiple campaigns, dedicated landing pages can help create more focused customer journeys.

Courses

This is an area where Beacons has an advantage.

Beacons supports online courses with video hosting on its Creator Plus plan and above.

Creators can use the platform to sell educational content in a more structured course format rather than simply delivering individual downloadable files.

CreatorStore is more focused on digital downloads and other creator commerce formats.

Therefore, if your primary product is a structured online course with hosted video lessons, Beacons may be the more suitable option.

Memberships

Beacons also supports memberships.

Creator Plus and Creator Max allow creators to sell unlimited memberships.

Memberships can be useful for creators who want to build recurring revenue through:

• Exclusive content

• Subscriber-only resources

• Premium communities

• Recurring access

This is another category where Beacons provides functionality that CreatorStore does not currently focus on.

Coaching Calls

Both platforms can be used by creators who sell their time and expertise.

Beacons includes appointments as part of its creator commerce ecosystem.

CreatorStore provides a dedicated Coaching Call product type with scheduling functionality.

Creators can offer:

• 1:1 calls

• Paid consultations

• Coaching

• Discovery calls

CreatorStore also supports calendar synchronization and Google Meet integration.

For a creator who sells coaching alongside digital products, both platforms can support this business model.

Session Packs

CreatorStore goes further by offering a dedicated Session Packs product type.

Instead of selling individual sessions, creators can sell several sessions together.

For example:

• 1 Coaching Call: $50

• 5 Coaching Sessions: $200

This can be useful for:

• Coaches

• Consultants

• Mentors

• Trainers

• Educators

Instead of selling one appointment at a time, creators can package their expertise into a higher-value offer.

Service Bookings

CreatorStore also supports Service Bookings.

This allows creators to sell services that require scheduling.

Examples include:

• Photoshoots

• Training

• Design

• Events

• Consulting

• Creative services

CreatorStore supports flexible payment structures, including:

• Full payment

• Deposits

• Custom installments

This makes CreatorStore particularly relevant for creators who monetize their expertise through a combination of products and services.

A single storefront can combine:

Digital Products + Coaching + Session Packs + Services + Bookings

Webinars and Live Sessions

CreatorStore also supports Webinars and group sessions.

Creators can:

• Schedule live events

• Limit seats

• Sell access

• Display a LIVE badge

This can be useful for:

• Workshops

• Group coaching

• Live training

• Educational sessions

• Paid webinars

This gives creators another way to monetize their knowledge beyond downloadable products and one-to-one calls.

Affiliate Links and Affiliate Marketplace

Affiliate marketing is one of Beacons' strongest areas.

Beacons allows creators to create affiliate links and participate in an affiliate network with more than 12,000 brand partners, according to its official materials.

Creators can use affiliate products alongside their own digital products and other monetization methods.

CreatorStore supports affiliate links, allowing creators to include affiliate offers as part of their storefront.

However, CreatorStore does not currently offer the same built-in affiliate marketplace ecosystem.

If affiliate marketing is a major part of your creator business, Beacons has a clear advantage here.

Instagram Auto-DM

Beacons also includes Smart Reply, an Instagram Auto-DM tool designed to help creators engage with their audience and direct people toward their content and products.

This can be useful for workflows such as:

Instagram Comment → Automated DM → Product Link

or:

Instagram Interaction → Automated Response → Storefront

Beacons includes Smart Reply on its Free plan.

For creators who rely heavily on Instagram as their main acquisition channel, this can be a significant advantage for Beacons.

Email Marketing and Audience Growth

Both platforms provide tools for building an audience beyond social media.

Beacons includes:

• Email marketing

• Email collection

• Email sends

• Email automations on paid plans

• Subscriber management

CreatorStore provides:

• Lead Magnets

• Newsletter forms

• Feedback Forms

• Email collection

• Customer management

The main idea is similar:

Don't rely entirely on social media followers. Build an audience you can reach directly.

This can be especially important when launching a new product.

For example:

Free Lead Magnet → Email Signup → Product Launch → Digital Product Sale

Media Kits and Brand Deals

This is one of Beacons' biggest advantages over CreatorStore.

Beacons includes a dedicated media kit designed for creators who work with brands.

The platform can provide:

• Automatically updating media kits

• Audience and engagement information

• Rate cards

• Invoices

• Past projects

• Brand deal information

• Media kit analytics

• Brand outreach tools

Beacons also positions its platform around helping creators find and manage brand partnerships.

If your primary income comes from brand partnerships, Beacons may be a better choice.

CreatorStore is more focused on the creator storefront and direct monetization of products and services.

AI Creator Tools

Beacons has also invested heavily in AI.

Its AI assistant, Beam, is designed to help creators with areas such as:

• Content strategy

• Growth analysis

• Brand outreach

• Deal strategy

• Analytics

• Content planning

• AI-generated text

• AI-generated images

The platform includes different AI usage limits depending on the subscription plan.

This is an area where Beacons has a clear advantage.

CreatorStore's focus is currently more on the storefront and commerce experience rather than providing a general-purpose AI assistant for creators.

Analytics

Analytics help creators understand how visitors interact with their pages and products.

Beacons provides real-time analytics and more advanced analytics capabilities on higher plans.

CreatorStore includes a built-in dashboard where creators can monitor:

• Views

• Sales

• Revenue

• Product performance

Both platforms provide analytics, although the exact depth and availability depend on the plan.

Example: Selling Digital Products Online

Imagine a creator who sells:

• Notion templates

• eBooks

• Instagram templates

• Photography presets

• Coaching calls

With Beacons, the creator can combine:

• Digital Products

• Affiliate Links

• Email Marketing

• Instagram Auto-DM

• Courses

• Memberships

• Media Kit

This makes Beacons a powerful all-in-one creator business platform.

With CreatorStore, the same creator can build a storefront around:

Digital Products → Bundles → Coaching Calls → Session Packs → Service Bookings → Webinars

The key difference is the type of business each platform is optimized for.

Beacons provides a broader ecosystem for creator growth, audience building, brand deals, affiliate marketing, and monetization.

CreatorStore focuses more heavily on selling products and services directly through a creator storefront.

Who Should Choose Beacons?

Beacons may be a good choice if you want an all-in-one creator platform that combines:

• Link-in-Bio

• Digital products

• Online courses

• Memberships

• Affiliate marketing

• Affiliate marketplace

• Email marketing

• Instagram Auto-DM

• Media kits

• Brand partnerships

• AI creator tools

• Analytics

Beacons is particularly attractive for creators who generate income from multiple sources.

For example:

Digital Products + Courses + Memberships + Affiliate Marketing + Brand Deals

In this scenario, Beacons' broad ecosystem can be a major advantage.

Who Should Choose CreatorStore?

CreatorStore may be a better fit if your main goal is to build a storefront around direct sales and creator commerce.

It can be particularly useful if you want:

• 0% platform commission

• Digital product sales

• Bundles

• Custom Domain

• Product-Level SEO

• Coaching Calls

• Session Packs

• Service Bookings

• Deposits and installments

• Webinars

• Landing pages

• Booking management

• Digital products and services in one storefront

CreatorStore is especially relevant for creators who want to turn their Link-in-Bio into something more than a collection of links.

The storefront can become the central place where customers:

• Discover products

• Purchase digital downloads

• Buy Bundles

• Book consultations

• Purchase session packages

• Schedule services

• Attend webinars

Beacons vs CreatorStore: Which One Should You Choose?

The answer depends on your business model.

Choose Beacons if:

You want an all-in-one creator ecosystem that combines digital products with courses, memberships, affiliate marketing, email marketing, Instagram Auto-DM, media kits, brand partnerships, and AI tools.

Choose CreatorStore if:

You want to build a creator storefront focused on selling digital products, Bundles, Coaching Calls, Session Packs, Service Bookings, and Webinars with 0% platform commission.

The biggest difference is therefore not whether either platform can sell digital products. Both can.

The real difference is what you want your creator business platform to do around those products.

Beacons vs CreatorStore: Final Comparison

The comparison shows that the platforms have different strengths.

Beacons is broader. It brings together more creator-growth tools, including AI, affiliate marketing, media kits, brand deals, courses, memberships, and Instagram automation.

CreatorStore is more focused on the storefront. It offers a strong set of tools for creators who want to sell digital products while also monetizing through Bundles, coaching, sessions, services, bookings, and webinars.

Beacons vs CreatorStore: The Bottom Line

Beacons and CreatorStore are both designed to help creators turn their audience into a business.

However, they approach the problem from different directions.

Beacons is an all-in-one creator business platform. It combines:

Link-in-Bio + Digital Store + Courses + Memberships + Email Marketing + Affiliate Marketing + Media Kit + Brand Deals + AI

CreatorStore focuses on:

Link-in-Bio + Digital Products + Bundles + Coaching + Session Packs + Services + Bookings + Webinars

If your creator business depends on multiple monetization channels, including brand partnerships, affiliate marketing, courses, memberships, and AI-powered growth tools, Beacons may be the better fit.

If your main goal is to build a storefront where you can sell digital products and combine them with coaching, services, bookings, Bundles, and webinars, CreatorStore offers a more focused approach.

The most important question is therefore not:

Which platform has more features?

It is:

Which features do you actually need to build your business?

For creators who want an all-in-one creator ecosystem, Beacons is a strong option.

For creators who want to turn their Link-in-Bio into a full storefront for digital products, services, coaching, and bookings, CreatorStore is a strong alternative.

Your Link-in-Bio doesn't have to be just a list of links.

It can become the place where your audience discovers your products, buys your digital content, books your time, purchases your services, and connects with your brand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you sell digital products with Beacons?

Yes. Beacons allows creators to sell unlimited digital products through their creator storefront, including digital downloads, guides, eBooks, music files, templates, and other digital content.

Is Beacons good for selling digital products?

Yes. Beacons is a strong option for creators who want to sell digital products while also using tools for email marketing, affiliate marketing, Instagram Auto-DM, courses, memberships, media kits, and brand partnerships.

What is the best Beacons alternative for selling digital products?

The best alternative depends on your needs. CreatorStore can be an alternative for creators who want a storefront focused on digital products, Bundles, Coaching Calls, Session Packs, Service Bookings, and Webinars.

Does Beacons charge transaction fees?

Beacons charges a 9% seller fee on its Free and Creator plans. The Creator Plus and Creator Max plans have 0% seller fees. Standard payment processing fees may still apply.

Does CreatorStore charge transaction fees?

CreatorStore charges 0% platform commission on sales. Standard payment processing fees may still apply depending on the payment provider.

Can I use a custom domain with Beacons?

Yes. Beacons offers custom domain functionality on paid plans, including custom domain Link-in-Bio and Store product URLs.

Can I use a custom domain with CreatorStore?

Yes. CreatorStore supports custom domains, allowing creators to use their own branded domain for their storefront.

Can I sell courses with Beacons?

Yes. Beacons Creator Plus and higher plans support unlimited courses with video hosting.

Can I sell courses with CreatorStore?

CreatorStore currently focuses on digital products, Bundles, coaching, services, bookings, and webinars rather than a dedicated hosted online course platform.

Can I sell Coaching Calls with Beacons?

Yes. Beacons supports appointments as part of its creator commerce tools.

Can I sell Coaching Calls with CreatorStore?

Yes. CreatorStore supports Coaching Calls with scheduling and calendar functionality.

Can I sell Session Packs with CreatorStore?

Yes. CreatorStore allows creators to sell multiple coaching or consulting sessions as a package.

Can I create Digital Product Bundles with CreatorStore?

Yes. CreatorStore allows creators to combine multiple digital products into a Bundle and offer them at a discounted price.

Does Beacons have an affiliate program?

Beacons provides creators with affiliate opportunities through its network of more than 12,000 brand partners, according to its official materials.

Does Beacons have Instagram Auto-DM?

Yes. Beacons includes Smart Reply, an Instagram Auto-DM feature designed to help creators engage with their audience and direct them toward content and products.