Stripped of workarounds. Every platform on this page accepts Filipino consultants directly — no US LLC, no Stripe Atlas, no "technically possible with extra steps." Four platforms. Every fee layer accounted for.
Stripe Atlas is not available to Filipinos. It requires forming a US LLC ($500 setup, annual maintenance, US tax filings). That's a workaround, not direct availability. Gone from this analysis.
Also excluded: Paddle (rejects consulting services), Lemonsqueezy (acquired by Stripe, winding down), SamCart (US/Canada payouts only), SendOwl (requires Stripe for payouts — not available in PH), Stan Store (US/Canada/UK payouts only).
Keep USD: ThriveCart + PayPal + Senja = $300/mo all-in at $5K
Convert to PHP: Whop + Senja = $307/mo all-in at $5K
The gap is PayPal's 4.4% international rate + 3% currency conversion spread. If you never convert to PHP (keep a USD balance, use Wise), ThriveCart wins. If you need pesos in a PH bank, Whop's bundled rate wins.
| Fee Layer | ThriveCart + PayPal + Senja | Whop + Senja | Payhip Free + PayPal + Test.to | Gumroad + Senja |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platform Fee | $0 (lifetime license) | 3% = $150 | 5% = $250 | 10% all-in = $500 |
| Payment Processing | PayPal 4.4% + $0.30/txn = $223 | 2.7% + $0.30/txn = $138 | PayPal 4.4% + $0.30 = $223 | Included above |
| USD→PHP Conversion | ~3% PayPal spread = $150 | $0 (Whop handles) | ~3% PayPal spread = $150 | $0 (Gumroad handles) |
| Subscriptions | Senja $19 + ThriveCart $58* | Senja $19 | Testimonial.to $0 | Senja $19 |
| TOTAL (keep USD, no conversion) | $300/mo | $307/mo | $473/mo | $519/mo |
| TOTAL (convert USD→PHP) | $450/mo | $307/mo | $623/mo | $519/mo |
* ThriveCart $690 lifetime amortized over 12 months = $57.50/mo. PayPal PH merchant: 4.4% + fixed fee for international. Conversion: ~3% above mid-market. Whop: 3% platform + 2.7%+$0.30 processing. Gumroad: 10% flat all-in. Senja: $19/mo. Testimonial.to: free tier.
PayPal's 3% currency conversion spread is the hidden tax. Whop and Gumroad bundle conversion at no extra spread.
| Criteria | ThriveCart + PayPal | Whop | Payhip + PayPal | Gumroad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇵🇭 PH Availability | ✅ ThriveCart: no country restriction. PayPal PH: confirmed. | ✅ 241+ territories, PH bank payout confirmed | ✅ Payhip: no restriction. PayPal PH: confirmed. | ✅ PayPal payout to PH confirmed |
| 💰 Payment Rails | PayPal: 4.4% + $0.30 intl | Built-in: 2.7% + $0.30 | PayPal: 4.4% + $0.30 intl | Built-in: incl. in 10% |
| 📊 Platform Fee | $0 (lifetime license) | 3% per sale | 5% (free) / 2% ($29) / 0% ($99) | 10% flat (all-in) |
| 💱 USD→PHP Conversion | ~3% PayPal spread | $0 — included | ~3% PayPal spread | $0 — included |
| 💵 All-In @ $5K (keep USD) | $300/mo | $307/mo | $473/mo | $519/mo |
| 💵 All-In @ $5K (convert PHP) | $450/mo | $307/mo | $623/mo | $519/mo |
| 🔌 Embed on Your Site | ✅ Full cart + popup | ✅ Links, iframe, API | ✅ Product embeds | ✅ Buttons + overlay |
| ⭐ Native Testimonials | ❌ Use Senja ($19/mo) | ✅ Better Testimonials app | ⚠️ Text reviews only | ❌ Use Senja ($19/mo) |
| 🎥 Video Testimonials | ❌ Use Senja | ✅ Via marketplace app | ❌ | ❌ Use Senja |
| 🤝 Affiliate Program | ✅ Pro tier: 2-tier native | ✅ Referral Engine built-in | ✅ Built-in affiliate | ✅ Built-in affiliate |
| 📊 Affiliate Depth | 2nd-tier + per-product | Recurring commissions | Flat % per product | Custom % per product |
| 🏪 Marketplace Discovery | ❌ | ✅ Whop Discover | ✅ Payhip Marketplace | ✅ Gumroad Discover |
| 🧠 Consulting-Friendly | ✅ Invoices, payment plans | ⚠️ Digital products focus | ⚠️ E-commerce UX | ⚠️ Product-first UX |
| 🔐 Data Ownership | ✅ Self-hosted, you own it | ❌ Platform-locked | ❌ Platform-locked | ❌ Platform-locked |
| 🧾 Upfront Cost | $690 lifetime | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Zero upfront. One dashboard. Marketplace can send you organic traffic. 5.7% only hurts at scale — at $1K/mo it's $57. Switch to ThriveCart when you cross $3K/mo.
$690 upfront, then $300/mo all-in at $5K. You own the checkout, the data, the customer list. 2-tier affiliate engine. If you maintain a USD balance (Wise, PayPal USD), this is the cheapest path.
$307/mo all-in. Whop handles conversion and payout to your PH bank with zero extra spread. One dashboard for payments + affiliates + community. Least friction for PH consultants.
Four platforms are confirmed available. Two are genuinely competitive. The deciding factor is whether you convert USD to PHP.
PayPal is the most expensive payment rail available to Filipinos. 4.4% international receiving + ~3% conversion spread = ~7.4% effective just on payments. Any stack that routes through PayPal bleeds at scale.
Whop's 5.7% all-in is the best deal for PH consultants who need pesos. It bundles processing, conversion, and payout to your bank with no extra spread. One dashboard. Marketplace discovery. Zero upfront.
ThriveCart wins if you keep USD. $690 upfront eliminates platform fees. Connect PayPal (keep USD balance, withdraw to Wise USD). At $300/mo all-in, it's the cheapest path — but only if you never convert through PayPal.
Gumroad and Payhip are too expensive at consulting scale. 10% flat and 9.4% double-dip respectively. Fine for testing the waters at <$1K/mo. Upgrade as soon as you have traction.
⚠️ All math: $5K/mo, 10 transactions × $500, US clients paying USD. Fewer/larger transactions reduce per-txn fixed fees.
⚠️ Rates sourced July 2026: PayPal PH (paypal.com/ph/business), Whop (whop.com + ruzuku analysis), Gumroad (gumroad.com/pricing), Payhip (payhip.com/pricing). Senja: senja.io. Testimonial.to: testimonial.to.
⚠️ ThriveCart lifetime deal may not be available forever. If it disappears, Whop is the next best all-in-one for PH consultants.