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

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products vs. LinkIT ‑ Sell Digital Products: At a Glance
3. Feature Comparison — What Each App Actually Does
4. Pricing and Value: What Merchants Pay and What They Get
5. Integrations and Where Each App Fits in a Shopify Stack
6. User Support, Reviews, and Trust Signals
7. Operational Considerations: Security, Compliance, and Scalability
8. Administrative Experience: Day-to-Day Workflows
9. Ideal Use Cases — Which App to Pick Based on Business Needs
10. The Alternative: Unifying Commerce, Content, and Community Natively
11. Migration and Implementation Considerations
12. Decision Guide — Choosing Between EDP, LinkIT, or a Native Platform
13. Real-World Example Comparisons (No Fictional Scenarios)
14. Integrations and Ecosystem Notes
15. Pricing and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) — Beyond Monthly Fees
16. Conclusion
17. FAQ

Introduction

Shopify merchants selling digital goods face a familiar choice: add a single-purpose app that attaches files and links to orders, or adopt a solution that treats content, courses, and community as a first-class part of the storefront. Choosing the wrong approach creates friction for customers and extra work for store teams.

Short answer: EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products is a capable, feature-rich app for delivering downloadable files, stamping PDFs, and managing license keys, making it a strong choice for merchants who need advanced delivery controls and file protection. LinkIT ‑ Sell Digital Products is better suited to stores that need a lightweight way to attach external links (Google Drive, YouTube, Dropbox) to orders with minimal setup. For merchants who want a single, natively-integrated course and community experience inside Shopify, Tevello provides a broader alternative that consolidates commerce, content, and member management.

This article provides a feature-by-feature comparison of EDP and LinkIT, evaluates pricing and integrations, and outlines practical use cases for each app. After the direct comparison, the piece explains why keeping customers "at home" inside Shopify matters and shows how a native platform can amplify sales with real merchant outcomes.

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

Feature Comparison — What Each App Actually Does

Core delivery and content formats

EDP focuses on attaching actual files to products or variants. It supports uploads of multiple files, files-by-URL, protected download buttons on the order confirmation page, and customizable emails that include download links. Built-in features like PDF stamping and download limits help protect IP and control distribution.

LinkIT works differently: it does not host the file in the app. Merchants paste links to content hosted on Google Drive, Dropbox, Vimeo, YouTube, S3, or any HTTPS/FTP/CDN endpoint. LinkIT then sends those links to customers via customizable emails and provides access controls based on the purchased product.

Practical implication: Choose EDP when the store owner prefers storing files within a managed system and wants advanced anti-piracy measures. Choose LinkIT when content already lives on a third‑party host and the goal is to sell access without moving files.

Access control and anti-piracy features

EDP strengths:

• License keys to gate activation or download workflows.
• PDF stamping to embed buyer information into files (deterrent for sharing).
• Download limits and expiration dates to reduce link resale.
• Integration points (API, SMTP) for advanced security workflows.

LinkIT strengths:

• Relies on hosting provider access controls (e.g., private Google Drive links, unlisted Vimeo links).
• Simpler model: fewer built-in anti-piracy controls, but compatible with secure hosting that already limits access.

Verdict: EDP provides more built-in protection tools. Merchants selling high-value digital goods (courses sold as downloadable files, proprietary PDFs, or licensed software) will find EDP’s protective options more suitable.

Email customization and customer-facing experience

Both apps offer the ability to customize the email that delivers downloads or access links.

EDP highlights:

• Branded, customizable download emails.
• Download buttons on the order confirmation page.
• Ability to attach multiple files per product or variant.

LinkIT highlights:

• Customizable download/access emails to fit store branding.
• Simple link delivery workflow — less configuration required.

Customer experience consideration: EDP surfaces downloads directly inside the Shopify order experience and confirmation page, which reduces confusion. LinkIT keeps customers looking for emailed links and depends on external hosting behavior (e.g., whether a hosted YouTube playlist respects private/unlisted settings).

Admin usability and setup

EDP:

• Designed as a full digital delivery tool. Expect a setup flow to upload files, configure stamping and limits, and map files to products and variants.
• Additional features (API, SMTP) may require technical setup for advanced use cases.

LinkIT:

• Very straightforward: copy-paste the URL, assign it to a product/variant, and customize an email. Low barrier to entry.
• Less time required to get started, particularly for non-technical teams.

Choose LinkIT for rapid deployment and minimal admin overhead. Choose EDP when the store needs granular controls and is prepared to invest a bit more time in setup.

Multi-file management and variants

EDP:

• Upload up to 10 files to the same product or variant (per description).
• Good for bundles where a single purchase includes multiple assets.

LinkIT:

• Handles links; merchants can attach multiple links, but the approach is more manual and depends on hosting constraints.

If a product needs multiple downloadable assets delivered consistently, EDP’s multi-file workflow is more polished.

Automation and developer features

EDP:

• Offers an API and SMTP support.
• These features make it possible to integrate with external systems, automate delivery workflows, or build custom reporting.

LinkIT:

• No explicit mention of an API in the description. It emphasizes compatibility with various hosting URLs and custom email templates.

For stores that plan to automate or scale integrations, EDP is stronger out of the box.

Reporting, analytics, and order tracking

Neither app positions itself as a full analytics platform. Both rely on Shopify’s order and customer data for sales reporting, while EDP provides more data points around downloads and limits due to its hosted-file model.

Operational note: Merchants serious about measuring content engagement will likely need an additional analytics layer (or a native platform that includes student/member dashboards).

Pricing and Value: What Merchants Pay and What They Get

Pricing must be judged not only by sticker price but by predictability, limits, and how costs scale.

EDP pricing overview

• Free plan: Free to install. Includes 3 digital products, 100MB storage, license keys, API.
• PRO PLAN 100GB: $14.99 / month — unlimited digital products, 100GB storage, license keys, API, customizable email, PDF stamping, download limits, files by URL.
• PRO PLAN 200GB: $24.99 / month — same features with 200GB.
• PRO PLAN 500GB: $44.99 / month — same features with 500GB.

Value analysis:

• EDP’s tiered storage approach makes costs predictable for stores with substantial in-house hosting needs.
• The free plan allows trialing the feature set on a very limited catalog.
• For merchants who must host large files or many products internally, the $14.99–$44.99 brackets provide clarity on storage-based scaling.

LinkIT pricing overview

• Business: $14.99 / month — 30 digital products, 100 digital orders per month.
• Unlimited: $29 / month — unlimited digital products, 1000 digital orders per month.

Value analysis:

• LinkIT’s pricing is order-limited, which matters for high-velocity sales.
• It assumes the merchant will host content externally, lowering hosting costs but introducing reliance on another platform.
• The plan structure suits low-to-moderate volume sellers or those with few digital SKUs.

Comparing the two: predictable costs vs. variable dependencies

• EDP delivers predictable storage tiers with no per-order caps. This is valuable for merchants who expect variable or growing order volumes.
• LinkIT ties value to order limits and product caps in the lower tier; growth beyond those plans requires plan upgrades.
• Neither app charges a revenue share, but LinkIT’s per-order caps create a scaling threshold to watch.

Practical advice: For stores with many SKUs or that sell course bundles and physical product bundles together, EDP’s unlimited-product model at reasonable monthly rates provides more predictable value. LinkIT is more cost-efficient for stores selling a handful of items and keeping the underlying files hosted elsewhere.

Integrations and Where Each App Fits in a Shopify Stack

Shopify and checkout behavior

EDP:

• Works with Checkout and Customer accounts, and mentions Checkout Extensions. Downloads appear on the order confirmation page and are delivered via email. EDP’s integration is built to sit inside the Shopify experience.

LinkIT:

• Works with Customer accounts. It attaches links to orders and provides email delivery. It’s compatible with many hosting platforms but depends on external access controls.

Practical impact: EDP’s download button on the confirmation page reduces friction at the moment of purchase. LinkIT’s model often makes the email the primary delivery method.

Third-party hosting and video platforms

• LinkIT’s explicit advantage is compatibility with many hosting platforms (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook Group, S3, FTP, CDN). This is ideal when content is already on those platforms or when an external service provides superior streaming or bandwidth.
• EDP supports files-by-URL too, but its feature set centers on hosting and protecting files within the app—ideal for merchants who prefer control over hosting and delivery.

Subscriptions, membership systems, and advanced flows

Neither app is positioned primarily as a full membership platform. They can gate content tied to a purchase, but long-term member management and subscription-based drip content require additional tools or native functionality.

This is where native course platforms tied to Shopify can gain advantage: membership management, subscriptions, drip scheduling, and certificates become part of the same admin and checkout experience.

User Support, Reviews, and Trust Signals

Ratings and review counts

• EDP: 177 reviews, rating 5. This level of review volume signals a well-used product with steady merchant feedback.
• LinkIT: 1 review, rating 5. The single review makes it hard to generalize; the tool may be new or niche.

Interpretation:

• EDP’s higher review count indicates a larger merchant base and more community feedback to draw on when evaluating edge cases. LinkIT’s one review suggests limited publicly available merchant experiences; merchants should ask for demos or examples before committing.

Developer credibility and app maintenance

• EDP is developed by Axel Hardy and exposes pro features (API, SMTP), which implies ongoing development for advanced users.
• LinkIT is from Livestream Labs and emphasizes compatibility with many platforms. Confirmation of maintenance cadence and roadmap is recommended for merchants who plan to rely on it long-term.

Support expectations:

• For mission-critical digital deliveries (courses, licenses), merchants should validate response SLAs and test recoverability. EDP’s broader user base implies more matured support processes; LinkIT users should probe available support channels.

Operational Considerations: Security, Compliance, and Scalability

Security and file integrity

• EDP’s PDF stamping and download limits provide tangible security benefits that reduce casual piracy.
• LinkIT relies on the security features of the hosting service. For example, a Google Drive private link’s security depends on Google’s access controls and link management.

If a merchant must ensure that buyers cannot redistribute files easily, EDP’s in-app protective features are preferable.

Scalability

• EDP’s storage-based plans scale predictably: pay for more GBs as needed. No per-order caps means heavy sales won’t suddenly force a pricing tier change (aside from storage requirements).
• LinkIT’s plans include order caps. A high-volume flash sale could push a merchant past limits, requiring a plan change.

For a fast-growing store, EDP provides clearer scaling behavior.

Backup, exports, and ownership

• With an app that hosts files (EDP), merchants should verify backup/export options for long-term ownership. Confirm whether files can be easily exported in bulk if the merchant decides to migrate later.
• With LinkIT, files remain on the host, so ownership is distributed; merchants must manage their own backups on those platforms.

Operational takeaway: Both approaches require a migration and backup strategy; EDP centralizes that risk with the app, while LinkIT fragments it across hosting providers.

Administrative Experience: Day-to-Day Workflows

Catalog management and product mapping

EDP:

• Map multiple files to products and variants; ideal for stores with complex SKUs and bundled content.

LinkIT:

• Attach links to products and variants but expects external file management. Simpler for one-off items.

If the store team frequently updates files or swaps versions, LinkIT’s external hosting can speed content changes (update the file in Drive, the existing link serves the new version). EDP’s method may require uploading a new file or updating the file inside the app.

Customer support and refunds

• EDP’s control over downloads allows support teams to revoke access or set custom limits, which simplifies handling refunds and reissues.
• LinkIT may require manual revocation steps on the hosting platform or sending new links, which can increase support time.

For high-touch customer support, EDP’s central control is an operational advantage.

Ideal Use Cases — Which App to Pick Based on Business Needs

When EDP is the right choice

• The merchant sells downloadable courses, ebooks, or software where content protection matters (license keys, PDF stamping).
• The business bundles multiple files per purchase and wants deterministic delivery inside Shopify.
• Predictable storage-based pricing is preferred over order caps.
• The store needs APIs, SMTP, and other developer features for advanced automations.

Example profile: A small publisher selling dozens of eBooks and printable patterns, wanting to stamp each PDF and enforce download limits.

When LinkIT is the right choice

• Content already lives on platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Vimeo and migrating files is not desirable.
• The merchant wants a very simple setup for a small catalog of link-based items.
• The sales volume is modest and likely to fit within LinkIT’s order limits (100 or 1000 per month depending on plan).

Example profile: A photographer selling a few individual high-resolution images hosted on Dropbox, or a creator selling access to an unlisted YouTube video.

When neither is ideal

• If a merchant needs native subscriptions, drip schedules, community discussions, member directories, and native Shopify checkout integration for courses and memberships, both apps may be incomplete. They serve specific delivery needs but do not replace a platform built for courses and communities.

The next section explains the cost of platform fragmentation and introduces an integrated alternative.

The Alternative: Unifying Commerce, Content, and Community Natively

What platform fragmentation costs merchants

Using multiple single-purpose apps and external platforms can create operational and customer experience costs:

• Fragmented login experiences: customers bounce between Shopify, external course platforms, and third-party hosts, increasing support tickets.
• Disjointed checkout: customers who buy physical and digital bundles may be redirected off-site to access content, negatively impacting conversion and trust.
• Manual reconciliation: billing, refunds, and access revocations require separate actions across systems.
• Growth friction: order caps, per-community fees, or external subscription limits add variable costs that are hard to forecast.

These problems are not merely theoretical. Several merchants who consolidated their content directly into Shopify report measurable improvements in revenue, retention, and operational load.

A native approach: why keep everything inside Shopify

A native platform that lives inside the Shopify admin and uses the native checkout and customer accounts removes many of the friction points above. The benefits include:

• Unified checkout and order flow: customers complete purchases and access content using the same account and order history.
• Bundling physical and digital products: place courses alongside physical goods in a single order, increasing average order value and simplifying SKU management.
• Simplified support: one admin area for orders, members, and access controls reduces support time and tickets.
• Predictable pricing: an all-in-one plan avoids per-order or per-community variables that can spike costs.

These outcomes are reflected in merchant success stories from brands that migrated to a native course and community platform.

Tevello: a native, all-in-one platform alternative

Tevello Courses & Communities is built to natively host courses, memberships, and communities inside Shopify. It emphasizes keeping customers “at home” inside the store, enabling merchants to sell digital and physical products together while using Shopify’s checkout. For merchants considering EDP or LinkIT, Tevello addresses the gaps they leave open:

• Membership and community features to engage repeat buyers.
• Native membership billing and integration with Shopify subscriptions.
• Drip content, bundles, certificates, quizzes, and course member areas.
• Unlimited courses and members on an all-in-one plan.

For pricing transparency and a clear one-price approach, Tevello offers a simple, all-in-one price for unlimited courses that removes per-order or per-community surprises. Explore all the key features for courses and communities and see how merchants are earning six figures with a native approach.

Real merchant outcomes that illustrate the difference

These case studies show concrete results after moving to a native platform that lives in Shopify:

• Crochetmilie consolidated courses and physical product bundles on Shopify, selling over 4,000 courses and generating over $112K+ in digital revenue by bundling courses with physical products. This demonstrates how bundling in one checkout drives both digital and physical sales.
• fotopro used a native platform to upsell existing customers and generated over €243,000 by upselling existing customers, with repeat buyers accounting for more than half of sales—evidence that native course experiences encourage repeat purchases.
• Charles Dowding migrated a massive community off a fractured system and migrated over 14,000 members and reduced support tickets. The migration eliminated frequent login and access issues that arose from fragmented platforms.

These examples show how moving content and community into Shopify can boost revenue, repeat purchase rates, and operational efficiency. Read more case studies to understand specific migrations and results on the Tevello success stories hub.

How Tevello addresses the limitations of EDP and LinkIT

• Consolidated member management: Instead of attaching files or links to orders, Tevello gives merchants member areas, communities, and course delivery tools inside Shopify.
• Bundling and cross-sell: Tevello makes it straightforward to sell physical bundles with courses, which directly contributed to Crochetmilie’s revenue gains.
• Predictable pricing: The unlimited plan (available details and trial on the pricing page) reduces concerns about per-order caps or multiple app bills.
• Migrations and scale: Case studies like Charles Dowding show Tevello can handle large communities and reduce support load during and after migration.

If the objective is to grow lifetime value and create a loyal customer base around learning or community, a native option changes the tactical calculus.

Migration and Implementation Considerations

For EDP users considering a move to a native platform

• Export files and purchase history: ensure all downloadable assets and order metadata are exportable.
• Map license and access logic: EDP license keys and stamping workflows need to be replicated or rethought in a native platform that relies on member accounts rather than per-order keys.
• Communicate with customers: migrations often require instruction on how to access content under the new system.

For LinkIT users considering a move to a native platform

• Consolidate hosted content: decide whether to keep hosting on Drive/Vimeo or to import videos and files into a native system.
• Reissue links and reset access: link-based access must be migrated carefully to prevent access interruption.
• Reassess analytics and engagement: native platforms often add member-level engagement metrics that were previously missing.

Implementation timeframe and support expectations

• Simple setups (LinkIT-like workflows) may take hours.
• EDP setups with multiple files, stamping, and API integrations can take days to configure optimally.
• Full migrations to a native platform with member areas and course structures require planning and can span weeks depending on catalog size. The migration experience for merchants like Charles Dowding shows that large migrations are feasible with the right support.

For merchants who want faster setup but also future-proof scalability, a staged migration plan often works best: begin by moving flagship products and then migrate smaller catalogs.

Decision Guide — Choosing Between EDP, LinkIT, or a Native Platform

Use the following decision points (phrased as guidance, not a checklist) to select the right tool:

• If the primary need is delivering protected downloadable assets with license keys, PDF stamping, and developer APIs, EDP is the pragmatic choice.
• If files and videos already live on external hosting platforms and the goal is rapid, low-effort link delivery, LinkIT is the minimal-effort option.
• If the long-term strategy focuses on increasing LTV, building a community, bundling physical and digital SKUs, and reducing customer friction across checkout and access, consider a native platform that keeps customers inside Shopify.

A final operational consideration: review support responsiveness, developer capabilities, and the path for future growth. Many merchants find that the time saved on support and the revenue gains from bundling offset higher initial setup time for a native solution.

Real-World Example Comparisons (No Fictional Scenarios)

• A publisher with hundreds of downloadable PDFs that must be stamped and tracked will benefit from EDP’s host-and-protect model.
• A coach selling one-off video calls and a single training video hosted on Vimeo can use LinkIT to quickly attach the Vimeo link at checkout and email customers access details.
• A maker selling physical kits plus on-demand instruction videos that should be accessible after purchase tends to do better when the courses and memberships are native to Shopify. Tevello customers have used this approach to boost average order value and repeat purchase rates—see how Crochetmilie sold over 4,000 courses and generated $112K+ in digital revenue.

Integrations and Ecosystem Notes

• EDP integrates with Shopify Checkout and supports API usage for custom flows; it’s designed to play well inside the Shopify order lifecycle.
• LinkIT integrates mainly at the product/order level and depends on external hosting integrations for content management.
• Native platforms (like Tevello) integrate with Shopify checkout, subscriptions, and common page builders; they reduce the number of services the merchant needs to orchestrate.

For merchants using subscription apps, landing-page builders, or advanced checkout customizations, ensure the chosen solution integrates with those tools — native options often provide the smoothest compatibility.

Pricing and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) — Beyond Monthly Fees

When calculating TCO, consider:

• Monthly app fees (storage vs. order caps).
• External hosting costs (LinkIT scenarios might incur Google Drive, Vimeo, or S3 bills).
• Support costs (time spent resolving login/access issues).
• Conversion and retention impact (higher LTV and fewer support tickets reduce costs and increase revenue).

Tevello’s pricing model emphasizes predictability: a simple, all-in-one price for unlimited courses can be easier to budget for merchants focused on growth and reduced operational complexity.

Conclusion

For merchants choosing between EDP ‑ Easy Digital Products and LinkIT ‑ Sell Digital Products, the decision comes down to delivery model and business goals. EDP is best for stores that require hosted file delivery, strong anti-piracy tools, and storage-based pricing. LinkIT is best for stores that want a lightweight solution to sell externally hosted files and videos with minimal setup. Neither app fully replaces a native course and community platform when the goal is to unify commerce, membership, and content inside Shopify.

For merchants ready to remove friction, bundle physical and digital products seamlessly, and scale membership-driven revenue, a native solution can deliver both operational simplicity and measurable revenue impact. Tevello offers that approach: it unifies courses, communities, and commerce inside Shopify and has production case studies demonstrating success—see how merchants are earning six figures and how one brand sold $112K+ by bundling courses with physical products. Tevello also shows how migration can reduce support load—Charles Dowding migrated over 14,000 members and dramatically reduced tickets—and how upsells can scale revenue—fotopro generated over €243,000 by upselling customers.

To evaluate the cost structure, features, and the one-price simplicity, review a simple, all-in-one price for unlimited courses and the Shopify App Store listing to confirm how Tevello is natively integrated with Shopify checkout. For merchants who want to replace fragmented tools and keep customers "at home" inside Shopify, Tevello is worth testing.

Start your 14-day free trial to unify your content and commerce today. (Free trial details and plan information are available on Tevello’s pricing page.)

FAQ

• What are the main differences in delivery models between EDP and LinkIT? EDP hosts and serves files from the app and provides built-in protections like license keys and PDF stamping. LinkIT delivers links to externally hosted files and videos, relying on the hosting provider for access control. Choose EDP for in-app file control and LinkIT for minimal setup when content is already hosted elsewhere.
• Which app is more predictable for high-volume sales? EDP’s storage-based pricing is more predictable for high-volume sales because it does not impose per-order caps. LinkIT’s plans include monthly order caps at the Business and Unlimited tiers, which can require plan changes if sales spike.
• How does a native, all-in-one platform like Tevello compare to specialized or external apps? A native platform unifies checkout, member accounts, content delivery, and community features inside Shopify. This reduces support overhead, improves conversion for bundles, and drives higher lifetime value. Tevello’s case studies show merchants consolidating onto a native platform and achieving significant revenue and operational improvements—read the success stories to learn more.
• If a merchant already uses Google Drive or Vimeo for content hosting, is LinkIT a faster option than migrating? Yes. LinkIT offers the fastest path because it preserves existing hosting and delivers links via Shopify orders. However, merchants planning long-term growth should weigh the pros and cons of keeping content fragmented versus migrating to a native experience that consolidates billing, access, and community features.

Further reading and resources: review all the key features for courses and communities, explore Tevello’s pricing, and check the Shopify App Store listing to see natively integrated checkout behavior and merchant reviews.