EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products vs. Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products: An In-Depth Comparison

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products vs. Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products: At a Glance
3. Deep Dive Comparison
4. The Alternative: Unifying Commerce, Content, and Community Natively
5. Conclusion
6. FAQ

Introduction

Adding digital products to a Shopify store can introduce new revenue streams and enhance customer engagement, but selecting the right app to manage these offerings is crucial. Merchants often face a choice between various solutions, each with its own approach to fulfillment, storage, and customer experience. The complexity increases when considering how these apps integrate with an existing store and long-term business goals.

Short answer: EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products offers a robust feature set focused on security and advanced options like PDF stamping, ideal for established digital product sellers, while Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products provides a straightforward and cost-effective entry point for new or smaller operations, particularly with its generous free plan. Both apps help deliver digital goods, but a truly unified platform reduces operational friction and provides a cohesive customer journey.

This article provides a feature-by-feature comparison of EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products and Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products. The aim is to equip merchants with the insights needed to make an informed decision, understanding the strengths, weaknesses, and ideal use cases for each application. The goal is to highlight which solution might best serve specific business needs, ensuring a smooth digital product selling experience.

EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products vs. Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products: At a Glance

Deep Dive Comparison

For many Shopify merchants, the ability to diversify product offerings with digital goods can significantly boost revenue and customer lifetime value. However, the specifics of how digital products are managed, delivered, and secured vary considerably between apps. This section delves into the nuances of EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products and Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products, examining their core capabilities, user experience, pricing, and overall suitability for different business models.

Core Functionality and Product Types

Both EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products and Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products are designed to enable the sale of various digital files. Their primary purpose revolves around facilitating the attachment of digital content to Shopify products and ensuring its delivery to customers post-purchase.

EDP's Approach to Digital Downloads

EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products focuses on making the process of selling digital files and license keys straightforward. It allows merchants to attach up to 10 files to a single product or variant. This flexibility supports various digital content, from e-books and software to music and graphic design assets. The app’s description highlights the ability to transform existing products into digital ones with minimal effort. This is crucial for merchants who might be transitioning physical products to digital formats or adding digital complements to their existing physical inventory. The inclusion of API access in its plans signifies a capability for more complex integrations or custom workflows, catering to merchants with specific automation needs or those running larger-scale operations.

Summary of EDP's core offerings:

• File Attachment: Up to 10 files per product/variant.
• Product Transformation: Easily convert any Shopify product into a digital offering.
• License Key Management: Generate and manage license keys for software or digital access.
• API Access: Available for advanced integrations and custom development.

Downly's Streamlined Digital Sales

Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products offers a similar foundational promise: effortless selling of digital products like PDFs, eBooks, files, and license keys. The emphasis is on simplicity and ease of use, allowing merchants to convert existing products into digital downloads with "just a few simple clicks." A notable feature is its capacity to generate unlimited license keys automatically, which is beneficial for businesses selling software or subscription-based digital access. Furthermore, Downly emphasizes ample storage and quick download speeds, which are critical for delivering a satisfactory customer experience, especially with larger files or high traffic volumes. The app's ability to notify customers about file updates is a valuable asset for products that receive periodic revisions or new versions, such as software, digital templates, or course materials.

Summary of Downly's core offerings:

• Unlimited Digital Products & License Keys: Focus on volume without per-product limits.
• File Type Versatility: Supports any file type uploads.
• Automatic License Key Generation: Streamlines the sales of keyed products.
• File Updates Notifications: Keeps customers informed about product changes.

Use Case Insight: For merchants primarily focused on selling a diverse range of digital assets without immediate plans for advanced security features like PDF stamping, Downly provides a solid, entry-level foundation. EDP, conversely, begins to offer more granular control and security, making it suitable for those needing to protect their intellectual property more rigorously or integrate with custom systems via API.

User Experience and Customer Journey

The success of selling digital products hinges significantly on how seamlessly customers receive their purchases. A frictionless download process and clear communication are paramount to customer satisfaction and reducing support inquiries.

Download Fulfillment and Customer Access

Both apps facilitate download access from the order confirmation page and through customizable email notifications. This dual approach provides redundancy and convenience, ensuring customers can retrieve their purchases quickly.

EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products explicitly states that download buttons will appear on the orders confirmation page. The customizable email feature allows merchants to brand the communication and provide specific instructions or additional value, which enhances the overall customer experience. The clarity around "download buttons" suggests a direct and intuitive access point for the end-user.

Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products also confirms automatic emailing of files and license keys post-purchase. While its description doesn't explicitly mention download buttons on the order confirmation page, this is standard functionality for digital download apps and can be inferred as a core delivery mechanism. The overall goal is to provide instant access, which is a fundamental expectation for digital purchases.

Email Communication and Product Updates

Customizable email templates are a powerful tool for maintaining brand consistency and providing a professional post-purchase experience. EDP's "Customizable email" feature (available in Pro plans) ensures that the delivery message aligns with the merchant's brand identity.

Downly differentiates itself with an "Instantly notify customers whenever there are updates on your digital products" feature. This is particularly valuable for products that evolve over time. For example, a merchant selling a Photoshop template might release an updated version, and this feature allows for proactive communication, keeping customers engaged and feeling supported, potentially reducing churn and encouraging repeat purchases. This capability is not explicitly mentioned for EDP, suggesting Downly might have an edge for products requiring ongoing maintenance or version control.

Storage, Scalability, and Performance

The ability to store and deliver digital files efficiently is critical, especially as a store grows and file sizes increase. Storage limits, the cost associated with them, and the speed of delivery directly impact both merchant operations and customer satisfaction.

Storage Capacities and Limitations

EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products offers tiered storage plans, starting with 100MB in its free plan, then scaling up to 100GB, 200GB, and 500GB in its paid plans. This structured approach caters to businesses with varying file storage needs. A 500GB plan is substantial and can accommodate a vast library of high-resolution images, large video files, or extensive software packages. Merchants need to assess their current and projected storage requirements carefully, as exceeding limits or upgrading tiers will directly affect monthly costs.

Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products begins with a 300MB free storage limit, which is more generous than EDP's free tier. Its Standard plan offers 12GB, and the Plus plan jumps to a considerable 120GB. While 120GB is less than EDP's highest tier, it's still ample for many digital product businesses. Downly also highlights "No upload max file size limit" in its Standard plan, which is a significant advantage for merchants dealing with extremely large individual files that might otherwise hit single-file upload restrictions on other platforms. This detail suggests Downly is engineered to handle large individual assets without fragmentation.

Comparison Insight: For merchants with a few small files, Downly's free 300MB is more beneficial. For those with a large number of moderate-sized files or a few very large ones, Downly's "no upload max file size limit" with 120GB storage for $4.95/month offers good value. However, for stores with truly massive digital product libraries requiring 200GB or 500GB, EDP is the only one explicitly catering to those higher capacities, albeit at a higher price point.

Performance Considerations for High-Volume Stores

Both apps claim fast download speeds, which is essential for user satisfaction. Slow downloads can lead to abandoned orders or frustrated customers. While neither app provides specific metrics on delivery speed, the general design for digital delivery suggests they utilize content delivery networks (CDNs) or optimized servers to ensure quick access. For high-volume stores or those selling very large files, consistent performance becomes even more critical. EDP's focus on an API suggests it can integrate with other high-performance systems if needed, while Downly's explicit mention of "quick download speed" emphasizes its commitment to efficient delivery. The absence of specific performance benchmarks in the public descriptions means merchants would need to rely on testing or merchant reviews to validate these claims for extremely high-demand scenarios.

Security and Protection Features

Protecting digital intellectual property is a major concern for merchants. Features that prevent unauthorized sharing, manage access, and control usage are vital for maintaining the value of digital products.

License Key Management

Both EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products and Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products provide license key management. This feature is indispensable for selling software, digital subscriptions, or any product that requires unique activation or access codes.

EDP lists "License keys" as a core feature across all its plans, including the free tier. This means even smaller operations can benefit from this essential security measure. The detailed description mentions "advanced license keys feature," hinting at potential sophistication in management or generation, though specifics are not provided.

Downly also supports the management and automatic generation of "unlimited keys." The emphasis on "unlimited" suggests that merchants won't hit any caps on the number of keys they can create, which is ideal for rapidly growing businesses or those with high-volume digital product sales requiring unique identifiers for each customer.

PDF Stamping and Download Limits

Here, EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products offers distinct advantages in digital asset protection. "PDF Stamping" (available in Pro plans) is a feature that embeds customer information (like email address or order ID) directly onto PDF files upon download. This acts as a deterrent against unauthorized sharing, as the source of a leaked document can be traced back to the original purchaser. This is particularly valuable for e-books, reports, patterns, or any PDF content that carries significant intellectual property.

Additionally, EDP allows merchants to "Set download limits" (also in Pro plans). This prevents customers from repeatedly downloading files or sharing the download link indefinitely. Merchants can specify how many times a file can be downloaded or how long the link remains active, adding another layer of control over distributed content.

Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products does not explicitly list PDF stamping or download limits in its feature set. While it handles license keys and provides general digital file delivery, these specific content protection mechanisms appear to be a differentiator for EDP.

Use Case Insight: For creators selling high-value digital assets like proprietary e-books, detailed course materials, or exclusive digital patterns where intellectual property protection is paramount, EDP's PDF stamping and download limits offer significant advantages. For simpler digital goods where sharing protection is less of a concern, Downly's core features are sufficient.

Customization and Branding

A consistent brand experience across all customer touchpoints reinforces professionalism and builds trust. The ability to customize fulfillment emails and remove third-party branding contributes to this.

Control Over Customer-Facing Elements

EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products allows for a "Customizable email" in its Pro plans. This flexibility means merchants can align the download notification emails with their brand's aesthetic, tone, and messaging. Consistent branding through custom emails ensures that the post-purchase experience feels integrated and professional, rather than like an outsourced service.

Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products also emphasizes "Automatic send files to email" as part of its free plan, and its Standard plan includes "No Downly branding." This allows merchants to deliver digital products without any visible indication that a third-party app is involved, which is crucial for maintaining brand integrity. The ability to remove branding even in the lower-tier paid plan makes it accessible for smaller businesses that prioritize a clean customer experience.

Branding Removal and Professionalism

For businesses focused on building a strong brand identity, removing all third-party branding is essential. Downly's explicit "No Downly branding" in its Standard plan directly addresses this need. While EDP offers customizable emails, it does not explicitly state the removal of its own branding from download pages or emails in the provided data, though it is standard practice for paid plans of such apps to offer this. Assuming EDP's customizable emails allow for full control over branding, both apps aim to provide a professional delivery experience. However, Downly makes the absence of its branding a clear selling point for its first paid tier.

Pricing Models and Value Proposition

The cost of a digital product fulfillment app is a major consideration, especially for businesses operating on tight margins or planning for scalability. Both apps employ different pricing strategies based on usage and features.

EDP's Tiered Storage Plans

EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products uses a tiered pricing model primarily based on storage capacity, with an additional free plan.

• FREE PLAN: Free to install. Includes 3 digital products, 100MB storage, license keys, and API access. This plan is generous for testing the waters or for merchants with a very limited number of small digital files.
• PRO PLAN 100GB: $14.99 / month. Offers unlimited digital products, 100GB storage, license keys, API, customizable email, PDF stamping, set download limits, and files by URL. This is a significant jump in storage and features.
• PRO PLAN 200GB: $24.99 / month. All PRO PLAN 100GB features, but with 200GB storage.
• PRO PLAN 500GB: $44.99 / month. All PRO PLAN 100GB features, but with 500GB storage.

EDP's pricing structure favors merchants with larger storage needs and those who require advanced security features like PDF stamping and download limits. The cost scales directly with storage, meaning businesses with many large files will incur higher monthly fees. Merchants should assess their total expected storage usage to determine the most cost-effective plan. For a merchant evaluating the long-term cost of scaling membership, this storage-based pricing can become a significant operational expense if not managed carefully.

Downly's Order-Based and Storage-Based Tiers

Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products combines order limits and storage limits in its pricing, offering a more nuanced value proposition.

• Free: Free. Includes unlimited digital products & license keys, upload & sell any file types, automatic file sending, 300MB free storage, and up to 30 orders. The 30-order limit is a crucial distinction, making this free plan suitable for very low-volume sales or initial testing.
• Standard: $2.95 / month. Includes all free plan features, unlimited orders, no Downly branding, 12GB storage, and no upload max file size limit, plus file update notifications. This is a very competitively priced plan for unlimited orders and substantial storage, especially with the branding removed.
• Plus: $4.95 / month. All Standard plan features, plus priority support and 120GB storage.

Downly’s pricing is particularly attractive for new or smaller merchants due to its low entry cost for unlimited orders ($2.95/month) and its relatively generous free plan. The distinction of "unlimited orders" at a low price point offers better value for money for businesses with a high volume of small digital product sales, as they won't be penalized for order count. For a store focused on securing a fixed cost structure for digital products, Downly’s Standard plan at $2.95 might be a compelling option before storage becomes a dominant factor.

Pricing Comparison: EDP's free plan offers more digital products (3 vs. unlimited in Downly) but less storage (100MB vs. 300MB) and no order limit (Downly has 30). Downly's lowest paid tier ($2.95/month) offers unlimited orders and 12GB storage, which is more affordable for high-volume, lower-storage-need merchants than EDP's $14.99/month for 100GB. However, if advanced security (PDF stamping, download limits) and larger storage (200GB, 500GB) are critical, EDP becomes the necessary, albeit more expensive, choice. Comparing plan costs against total course revenue is essential when deciding between these models.

Developer Support and Community Feedback

The number of reviews and overall rating on the Shopify App Store provides valuable social proof and insight into an app's reliability and developer responsiveness.

App Reviews and Developer Responsiveness

EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products boasts a strong track record with 177 reviews and a perfect 5.0 rating. This indicates high merchant satisfaction, consistent performance, and likely good developer support. A significant number of positive reviews can alleviate concerns about reliability and ongoing maintenance. Merchants can check for common feedback patterns when scanning reviews to understand real-world adoption and specific pain points or praises.

Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products currently has 0 reviews and a 0.0 rating. While this doesn't necessarily indicate a poor app, it does mean the app is unproven in the wider merchant community. New apps face the challenge of building trust without social proof. Merchants considering Downly would need to rely heavily on its stated features and personal testing during a trial period, if available, rather than the collective experience of other users. This lack of feedback means that assessing app-store ratings as a trust signal is not yet possible for Downly.

App Categories and Ecosystem Fit

EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products is categorized under "Digital goods and services - Other," and also lists "Checkout Customer accounts digital download digital product Checkout Extensions" under "Works With." This broader categorization and specific "works with" information suggest a robust integration with key Shopify functionalities, including customer accounts and checkout extensions. This can imply a deeper, more seamless interaction within the Shopify ecosystem.

Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products is categorized simply as "Digital product," and lists "Digital downloads Digital products" under "Works With." This narrower categorization and less specific "works with" list might suggest a more focused, perhaps simpler, integration scope compared to EDP. Both are inherently designed to work within Shopify, but the nuances of how they leverage different Shopify APIs and extensions can vary. Verifying compatibility details in the official app listing is always recommended.

Integration Capabilities and Shopify Compatibility

How well an app integrates with the broader Shopify ecosystem can impact its utility and the overall merchant workflow.

"Works With" Overview

EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products explicitly states it "Works With: Checkout Customer accounts digital download digital product Checkout Extensions." This is a comprehensive list, indicating strong integration with fundamental Shopify components. The mention of "Checkout Extensions" is notable, as it suggests the app can leverage newer Shopify features for enhanced checkout experiences, which is a powerful capability for customizing the sales funnel.

Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products lists "Works With: Digital downloads Digital products." This is a more general statement. While it undoubtedly handles the core function of selling and delivering digital products, the absence of specific mentions like "Customer accounts" or "Checkout Extensions" might imply a more direct, perhaps less integrated, approach to leveraging Shopify’s full suite of features. For most standard digital product sales, this might be perfectly adequate.

Extending Functionality

The presence of an API in EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products' paid plans is a significant advantage for merchants looking to extend functionality beyond the app's out-of-the-box features. An API allows for custom integrations with other software, automation of workflows, or creation of unique digital product experiences. This level of extensibility caters to more sophisticated business needs or developers seeking to build bespoke solutions on top of the app.

Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products' description does not mention API access. This suggests that its functionality is primarily confined to what is offered within the app's user interface. While this makes it simpler to use for many merchants, it could be a limiting factor for those with complex integration requirements or a desire for deeper programmatic control over their digital product operations.

Conclusion on Compatibility: EDP offers a broader and more explicit integration framework, particularly with its API and mention of Checkout Extensions, making it potentially more versatile for complex or custom Shopify setups. Downly provides core functionality that integrates well enough for standard digital product selling, but without the explicit extensibility options.

The Alternative: Unifying Commerce, Content, and Community Natively

The comparison between EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products and Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products highlights the strengths of specialized apps for digital product delivery. However, many merchants encounter a broader challenge when expanding into digital offerings: platform fragmentation. This occurs when businesses use separate platforms for their e-commerce store (Shopify), their online courses, their community forums, and their digital file delivery. This leads to a disjointed customer experience, where users have to create multiple logins, navigate different websites, and manage various accounts. This fragmentation often results in increased customer support tickets, lost sales, and a diluted brand identity.

A fragmented approach can also make it difficult to truly understand the customer journey or to bundle digital products with physical goods seamlessly. Imagine a customer buying a physical craft kit and then needing to log into an entirely different platform to access the accompanying digital course. This friction can deter repeat purchases and reduce overall customer lifetime value. For brands striving to keep customers at home on the brand website, these external platforms can be a significant obstacle.

A compelling alternative lies in an all-in-one native platform that deeply integrates with Shopify. Instead of duct-taping multiple external services together, a native solution allows merchants to keep their entire digital ecosystem — courses, communities, and digital files — within their Shopify store. This unified login that reduces customer support friction is a powerful benefit, as customers can use their existing Shopify account to access all content. For example, brands can achieve a 59% returning customer rate by ensuring all content and purchases happen within one familiar environment, as seen in success stories from brands using native courses. This approach means all the key features for courses and communities reside where the purchases are made.

By adopting a native platform, merchants can truly benefit from digital products that live directly alongside physical stock. This makes strategies like bundling physical kits with on-demand digital courses effortless, leading to increased average order value by 74% for returning customers. Such native integration with Shopify checkout and accounts means a seamless experience for the customer from browsing to purchasing to learning, helping brands like one that migrated over 14,000 members and reduced support tickets.

The advantage of a natively integrated platform is that it extends Shopify’s powerful e-commerce capabilities to handle digital content, turning a store into a comprehensive hub for both products and education. This eliminates the need for customers to leave the store, keeping them engaged within the brand’s ecosystem and driving higher engagement. This seamless experience that feels like part of the store contributes to greater customer retention and offers new opportunities to see how merchants are earning six figures by leveraging a unified platform. Planning content ROI without surprise overages is also simplified with a consistent platform. If unifying your stack is a priority, start by evaluating the long-term cost of scaling membership.

For instance, consider the benefits of a platform that offers a simple, all-in-one price for unlimited courses, members, and communities. This contrasts sharply with external platforms that often charge per community member, a model that can become unsustainable as a business scales. Brands can achieve remarkable results, such as how one brand sold $112K+ by bundling courses directly within their Shopify store. This demonstrates the power of monetizing expertise through native upselling without the complexities of managing multiple systems.

A platform that is built directly within Shopify, such as one available by reviewing the Shopify App Store listing merchants install from, leverages existing Shopify infrastructure. This means that customer data, order history, and marketing efforts can all be unified, providing a holistic view of each customer. This unified approach simplifies operations and allows merchants to focus on creating valuable content and engaging with their community, rather than juggling disparate technologies.

Conclusion

For merchants choosing between EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products and Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products, the decision comes down to balancing advanced features, specific security needs, and budget considerations. EDP excels in providing robust protection features like PDF stamping and detailed download limits, alongside substantial storage options, making it suitable for businesses with high-value digital assets and larger file libraries. Downly offers an incredibly cost-effective entry point with generous free storage and unlimited orders at its lowest paid tier, ideal for new ventures or high-volume, lower-security digital product sales. While EDP boasts a strong merchant review history, Downly is a newer entrant still building its community validation.

Ultimately, both apps competently handle the core task of delivering digital files within a Shopify store. However, for a truly integrated commerce experience that blends courses, communities, and digital products seamlessly, a different strategic approach might be more beneficial. A native all-in-one platform minimizes operational overhead and ensures that customers remain within the brand's ecosystem for all interactions, increasing loyalty and streamlining sales. For brands seeking to unify content and commerce without sending customers to external sites, a platform offering a flat-rate plan that supports unlimited members can be transformative. To build your community without leaving Shopify, start by reviewing the Shopify App Store listing merchants install from.

FAQ

### What are the key differences in pricing models between EDP and Downly?

EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products primarily prices based on storage capacity, offering tiers from 100MB to 500GB, with unlimited digital products available in paid plans. Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products offers a free plan with a 30-order limit and 300MB storage, and its paid plans are very affordable, offering unlimited orders and scaling storage up to 120GB. Downly’s entry-level paid plan is notably cheaper for unlimited orders, while EDP provides higher storage tiers.

### Which app is better for protecting high-value digital content?

EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products offers superior protection features, including PDF stamping, which embeds customer information onto downloaded PDFs to deter sharing, and the ability to set download limits, restricting how many times a file can be accessed. Downly ‑ Sell Digital Products focuses more on general digital file delivery and license key management, but does not explicitly offer these advanced content protection mechanisms.

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

A native, all-in-one platform like Tevello integrates directly into the Shopify store, creating a unified customer experience where courses, communities, and digital products are accessed with a single login. This avoids the fragmentation of using separate external apps, which often require multiple logins and disjointed branding. A native platform simplifies customer journeys, boosts retention by keeping users on the brand’s site, and allows for easier bundling of physical and digital products, contrasting with the operational complexities of managing multiple specialized services. Such platforms enable businesses to create a seamless sales and learning experience, significantly improving conversion rates.

### What should merchants consider when evaluating the "Works With" section of an app?

When evaluating the "Works With" section, merchants should look for specific integrations that align with their business operations. For example, mention of "Checkout Extensions" or "Customer accounts" indicates a deeper native integration with core Shopify functionalities, potentially offering more seamless workflows and data synchronization. General terms like "Digital products" are expected but less descriptive of deeper compatibility. Assessing how the app interacts with crucial Shopify elements helps verify compatibility details in the official app listing and ensures it can support desired features like unified customer profiles.