Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products vs. F+2: Digital Downloads Pro: A Merchant Comparison

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products vs. F+2: Digital Downloads Pro: At a Glance
3. Analyzing Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products: High Value for Growth
4. Examining F+2: Digital Downloads Pro: Security and Scale
5. Technical Comparison: File Delivery and Management
6. Security and Intellectual Property Protection
7. Performance and User Experience Analysis
8. The Alternative: Unifying Commerce, Content, and Community Natively
9. Scaling Beyond Simple Downloads
10. Strategizing for Long-Term Customer Retention
11. Conclusion
12. FAQ

Introduction

Selling digital assets on Shopify requires more than just attaching a file to an email. Merchants must navigate storage limits, order volumes, security protocols, and customer experience workflows. When a brand moves beyond physical goods to offer eBooks, software keys, or video tutorials, the choice of delivery software becomes a foundational business decision. Choosing the wrong tool can lead to frustrated customers who cannot find their downloads, or worse, security vulnerabilities that expose intellectual property to unauthorized sharing.

Short answer: Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products is a high-value, budget-friendly option for smaller stores focusing on simple file delivery. F+2: Digital Downloads Pro provides a more robust, security-focused environment for scaling businesses that require fraud protection and advanced automation. For brands looking to evolve past simple file delivery into a fully integrated learning environment, a native platform approach often yields better long-term retention.

The purpose of this analysis is to provide a neutral, feature-by-feature evaluation of Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products and F+2: Digital Downloads Pro. By examining pricing tiers, automation capabilities, and the customer-facing experience, this article aims to help merchants select the software that aligns with their specific operational needs and growth trajectories.

Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products vs. F+2: Digital Downloads Pro: At a Glance

Analyzing Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products: High Value for Growth

Downly, developed by Codex Apps, positions itself as a streamlined entry point for merchants who want to transform existing product listings into digital assets. The primary appeal of this app lies in its aggressive pricing and significant storage allowances. For many new merchants, the technical barrier to selling digital goods is the cost of storage and the complexity of file management. Downly addresses these concerns by offering a straightforward interface that handles PDFs, videos, and license keys without requiring a background in technical systems.

Core Functionality and Delivery Workflows

The workflow within Downly is designed for speed. Merchants can take an existing Shopify product and "digitize" it by uploading the relevant files or license keys. Once a customer completes a purchase, the app automatically triggers an email containing the download links or keys. This automation is essential for providing the "instant gratification" that digital consumers expect.

• File Type Versatility: The app supports a wide range of file types, making it suitable for photographers selling presets, authors selling eBooks, and software developers selling license keys.
• License Key Management: One of the stronger features is the ability to generate and manage license keys automatically. This removes the manual burden of copy-pasting keys into customer emails after every sale.
• Customer Notifications: Downly includes a feature to notify customers when a digital product is updated. This is particularly useful for software or eBooks that receive periodic revisions.

Pricing Structure and Storage Limits

The pricing model for Downly is one of its most competitive attributes. By offering high storage limits at very low monthly fees, it caters to merchants who deal with large file sizes, such as high-definition video content or massive graphic design bundles.

• Free Plan: Includes 300 MB of storage and up to 30 orders per month. This allows new stores to test the digital market with zero upfront cost.
• Standard Plan ($2.95/month): This tier removes the Downly branding, provides 12 GB of storage, and allows for unlimited orders. This is a significant jump in value compared to many competitors who charge much more for unlimited order processing.
• Plus Plan ($4.95/month): For high-capacity needs, this plan offers 120 GB of storage and priority support.

For a merchant selling video courses or large high-resolution asset packs, getting 120 GB of storage for under five dollars per month represents an excellent value for money.

User Experience and Customization

Downly focuses on a "set it and forget it" mentality. While it lacks some of the deeper branding customizations found in more expensive apps, it provides a clean, functional experience. The main drawback to consider is that because it is a relatively new or less-reviewed app, merchants must rely on their own testing to ensure the email delivery and download speeds meet their specific standards.

Examining F+2: Digital Downloads Pro: Security and Scale

F+2: Digital Downloads Pro, created by FORSBERG+two ApS, is built for merchants who prioritize security and a professional customer experience. With a five-star rating based on current feedback, it focuses on the "Pro" aspect of digital commerce. This includes sophisticated tools for fighting fraud, managing file versions, and ensuring that the delivery of digital assets feels like a seamless extension of the brand.

Advanced Security and Fraud Prevention

The most significant differentiator for F+2 is its focus on protecting the merchant’s assets. Selling digital goods is inherently risky because assets can be easily shared or downloaded multiple times by a single user. F+2 provides specific tools to mitigate these risks.

• Controlled Downloads: Merchants can limit the number of times a file can be downloaded or set expiration dates for download links.
• Payment and Fraud Checks: The app can be configured to hold digital delivery until a payment is fully verified or until a fraud check is passed. This is vital for merchants selling high-ticket items where chargebacks are a concern.
• License Key Validation API: Unlike basic key generation, F+2 offers an API option for license key validation. This allows software developers to verify that a key is being used legally within their own applications.

Automation and Content Management

Managing a large catalog of digital products can become a logistical nightmare. F+2 introduces several management features that save time for the store owner.

• Slick File Upload Management: The drag-and-drop interface is designed for speed, allowing merchants to quickly update source files.
• Version Control: When a file is updated, the app can manage the transition so that previous purchasers have access to the correct versions or are updated as needed.
• Integration with Shopify Native Features: The app works with Shopify Checkout, Customer Accounts, and Subscriptions. This ensures that customers can access their downloads through the store’s native account page, which builds trust.

Pricing Tiers and Capacity

F+2 follows a more traditional SaaS pricing model where costs scale with order volume and storage needs.

• Free Plan: Offers 1GB of storage and 50 monthly orders. This is more generous in storage than Downly's free tier but more restrictive on orders.
• Starter Plan ($10/month): This tier supports 1,000 orders and 10GB of storage. It also introduces license keys and full branding customization.
• Advanced Plan ($20/month): Increases limits to 10,000 orders and 20GB of storage.
• Plus Plan ($30/month): Designed for high-volume stores, allowing up to 50,000 orders and 50GB of storage.

While the price point is higher than Downly, the inclusion of advanced security and full branding customization justifies the investment for established brands.

Technical Comparison: File Delivery and Management

When evaluating these two apps, the technical infrastructure of how files are delivered to the customer is a major point of comparison. Both apps utilize automated emails to send links, but the level of control over those links varies.

Storage Efficiency and Costs

Downly is the clear leader for merchants who need massive storage on a budget. A merchant with a library of 100 GB of video content would pay less than $5 per month on Downly. On F+2, reaching that storage level would require a custom plan or a higher tier, as the Plus plan tops out at 50 GB for $30.

However, storage is only one part of the equation. Merchants must also consider the bandwidth and the speed of the downloads. High-volume merchants often find that paying for a more established platform like F+2 provides more consistent download speeds for their global customer base.

Branding and the Customer Journey

The moment after a purchase is completed is critical for customer satisfaction. F+2 allows for full customization of the delivery emails and the thank-you page. This means the digital download link doesn't look like a generic system email; it looks like it came directly from the brand.

Downly offers branding removal in its paid tiers, but it does not emphasize the same level of deep customization as F+2. For a luxury brand or a professional service, the ability to translate and customize the entire post-purchase flow in F+2 is a significant advantage.

Handling Memberships and Subscriptions

F+2 lists compatibility with memberships and subscriptions. This is a vital feature for merchants who want to create recurring revenue. If a customer cancels their subscription, the app can potentially restrict access to digital downloads. Downly is primarily focused on one-time transactions of files and keys, making it less suitable for subscription-based business models.

Security and Intellectual Property Protection

For digital creators, the "leaking" of products is a constant threat. F+2 addresses this with "controlled file download" mechanisms. By limiting downloads to a specific number of IP addresses or a specific timeframe, merchants can prevent one customer from sharing their download link on a public forum.

Downly lacks these specific fraud prevention features in its provided data. While it serves the purpose of delivering the file, it may not offer the protection necessary for high-value intellectual property like professional software or exclusive industry reports. Merchants should evaluate the "theft risk" of their products before choosing a platform.

Performance and User Experience Analysis

A recurring pain point for Shopify merchants is the fragmentation of the customer experience. When a customer buys a physical product, they see it in their account. When they buy a digital product through a third-party app, they often have to check their email, find a specific link, or log into a separate portal.

The Problem with Disjointed Systems

Both Downly and F+2 operate as delivery mechanisms that exist alongside Shopify. While F+2 integrates with customer accounts, many digital delivery apps still feel like "add-ons" rather than a native part of the store. This can lead to increased customer support tickets from users who lost their delivery email or cannot find their downloads.

F+2 attempts to solve this by providing "Custom Links" and "Thank You Page" integration. This keeps the customer closer to the store environment than an app that only sends a basic email. However, the customer is still essentially receiving a static file.

Identifying the Ideal Use Case for Each App

Choosing between these two tools requires an honest assessment of the current business stage.

• Choose Downly if: You are a solo creator, a startup, or a brand testing the digital market. If your files are very large (videos, large zip files) and your budget is tight, Downly provides the most storage for the lowest cost. It is a functional tool for merchants who just need to get a file from point A to point B.
• Choose F+2 if: You are an established merchant with high order volumes. If you sell software keys that require API validation or high-value assets that need fraud protection, the $10-$30 per month investment is a small price to pay for security and professional branding.

The Alternative: Unifying Commerce, Content, and Community Natively

While specialized apps like Downly and F+2 excel at delivering static files and license keys, many merchants eventually hit a ceiling. This ceiling is often caused by "platform fragmentation." This occurs when a merchant uses one app for file delivery, another for a community forum, and perhaps a third-party site like Teachable or Thinkific for actual courses. This creates a disjointed experience where customers have multiple logins, different branding environments, and a checkout process that feels disconnected from the main store.

The modern strategy for e-commerce growth involves moving away from these fragmented systems and toward an "All-in-One Native Platform" philosophy. By keeping customers at home on the brand website, merchants can significantly reduce the technical friction that leads to customer support requests and churn. When the learning experience, the community interaction, and the product purchase all happen under one roof, the brand becomes more than just a store—it becomes a destination.

Using a native Shopify solution allows for all the key features for courses and communities to be managed through the same Shopify admin that merchants already use for physical products. This integration simplifies the customer journey. Instead of searching through an inbox for a download link from an app like Downly or F+2, a customer simply logs into their existing store account to find all their purchased content, whether it is a PDF download, a video course, or access to a private community.

The financial impact of this unified approach is well-documented in various success stories from brands using native courses. For example, how one brand sold $112K+ by bundling courses shows the power of combining digital education with commerce. By strategies for selling over 4,000 digital courses natively, that specific brand was able to leverage their existing Shopify traffic without sending users to an external platform that might charge per-head fees or offer a different user interface.

Furthermore, merchants can see how merchants are earning six figures by creating a cohesive ecosystem. When a brand controls the entire environment, they can use a simple, all-in-one price for unlimited courses to scale their business without worrying about their monthly bill increasing every time a new member joins. This predictable pricing without hidden transaction fees allows for better long-term financial planning and a higher return on investment for content creation.

Scaling Beyond Simple Downloads

As a business grows, the goal often shifts from "selling a file" to "building a community." Static downloads are often consumed once and forgotten. In contrast, a hosted course or a community area encourages repeat visits to the store. This increased "dwell time" on the website naturally leads to higher conversion rates for other products.

Bundling Physical and Digital Goods

One of the most effective ways to increase Average Order Value (AOV) is to bundle physical products with digital content. For example, a merchant selling high-end kitchen knives could bundle a physical knife with a digital masterclass on knife skills. In a fragmented system, the merchant would have to coordinate the physical shipment through Shopify and the digital delivery through an external app, often leading to sync issues.

In a native environment, this bundle is a single product. The moment the purchase is made, the physical order is sent to fulfillment, and the digital course is instantly unlocked in the customer’s account. This level of professional automation is what separates top-tier brands from those struggling with "duct-taped" systems.

Reducing Support Overhead

The majority of support tickets for digital products revolve around three issues:

• "I didn't receive my download email."
• "My download link expired."
• "I can't log in to the external portal."

By assessing app-store ratings as a trust signal, merchants can see that the most highly rated solutions are those that solve these specific friction points. A native platform removes the "missing email" problem because the content is always available in the customer's account. It removes the "expired link" problem because access is controlled by the customer's purchase history, not a temporary URL.

Strategizing for Long-Term Customer Retention

Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) is the ultimate metric for e-commerce success. While Downly and F+2 are excellent tools for the initial delivery of a digital product, they are not designed to nurture a long-term relationship. They are transactional tools.

To truly scale, merchants should consider how they can move from a transaction to a relationship. This involves creating a space where customers can interact with the brand and other like-minded individuals. Whether it is a crochet community, a fitness challenge, or a professional certification course, the "native" approach ensures that every interaction reinforces the brand's identity rather than the identity of the software provider.

By checking merchant feedback and app-store performance signals, it becomes clear that the trend in e-commerce is moving toward these integrated experiences. Merchants who reviewing the Shopify App Store listing merchants install from will find that the highest satisfaction comes from tools that simplify the merchant's life while elevating the customer's experience.

Conclusion

For merchants choosing between Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products and F+2: Digital Downloads Pro, the decision comes down to the complexity of the digital catalog and the importance of security. Downly is an exceptional choice for those who need high storage capacity for a minimal monthly investment, making it ideal for large file delivery and startup-phase brands. F+2: Digital Downloads Pro is the superior option for established businesses that require fraud prevention, professional branding, and automated license key validation.

However, as a brand grows, the limitations of simple file delivery often become apparent. Moving beyond static downloads to offer interactive courses and communities can transform a one-time purchaser into a lifelong brand advocate. By adopting a native platform, merchants can unify their commerce and content, ensuring that their store remains the central hub for their audience.

To build your community without leaving Shopify, start by reviewing the Shopify App Store listing merchants install from.

FAQ

Is Downly or F+2 better for selling large video files?

Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products generally offers more value for large file storage. Their Plus plan provides 120 GB of storage for $4.95 per month, which is significantly more storage at a lower price point than F+2's standard tiers. If storage volume is the primary concern and security features like fraud protection are less critical, Downly is the more cost-effective choice.

Can I sell license keys with both apps?

Yes, both apps support the sale of license keys. Downly focuses on automatic generation and delivery via email. F+2: Digital Downloads Pro offers more advanced features for keys, including an API option for validation, which is a key requirement for many software developers who need to verify the authenticity of a key within their own program.

How does a native, all-in-one platform compare to specialized external apps?

Specialized external apps like Downly and F+2 are primarily delivery engines; they send a file or a key to a customer after a purchase. A native, all-in-one platform hosts the content directly inside the Shopify store. This means instead of receiving a one-time download link, the customer gains access to a learning dashboard or community area. This unified approach reduces customer support tickets and keeps the brand's traffic on their own site rather than sending it to an external file-hosting service.

Do these apps work with Shopify Subscriptions?

F+2: Digital Downloads Pro specifically mentions compatibility with memberships and subscriptions, making it a strong candidate for recurring revenue models. Downly's data focuses more on the transformation of existing products into digital downloads and may require manual management or a separate app to handle recurring subscription billing and access control.