Whop Review: Legit Way To Make Money? [2026 Update]

Looking for a Whop review and wondering whether it’s worth it?

Whop is an all-in-one platform where you can sell digital products, courses, Discord communities, software, templates—basically anything digital—without monthly fees. Just build your offering, list it on their marketplace, and start earning. The platform claims creators earn an average of $8,413 per month, and they’ve processed over $1 billion in transactions.

With Iman Gadzhi’s credibility behind it since he became co-owner in April 2025 and backing from heavyweight investors like Peter Thiel and The Chainsmokers, Whop positions itself as the future of the creator economy. They’re projecting massive growth and presenting this as the opportunity to get in early on the next big platform.

I spent weeks researching Whop, reading through hundreds of creator reviews, analyzing the fee structure, understanding the Iman Gadzhi connection, and evaluating whether this is truly a viable business opportunity for ordinary people. Here’s what I found.

First – This Is Important…

Before we dive into the detailed Whop review, let me be upfront: if your goal is building sustainable, predictable income online—not specifically selling digital products on a marketplace—there are far better options than becoming dependent on a platform you don’t control.

👉 Click here to see the business model I recommend

After testing dozens of online business models over 15+ years, I’ve found the most reliable approach is local lead generation: building websites that rank on Google for local service searches, then renting the leads to local businesses for $500-$2,000 per month.

Why is this better than selling on Whop?

You own the assets completely – No platform can suspend your account or change the rules
Predictable recurring revenue – Monthly payments from business clients, not hoping products sell
No marketplace fees – Keep 100% of your earnings minus basic hosting costs ($10/month)
Less competition – Local niches aren’t saturated like digital product marketplaces
No account suspension risk – Your business can’t disappear overnight due to platform decisions

I’ll explain more about this alternative later, but if you’re looking for the most reliable way to build online income in 2026, platform dependency is a risk you should carefully consider.

👉 Click here to see the business model I recommend

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

What it is: Whop is a digital marketplace where creators sell courses, communities, software, memberships, and digital products—all hosted on Whop’s platform
Who runs it: Founded in 2021 by Steven Schwartz, Cameron Zoub, and Jack Sharkey; Iman Gadzhi became co-owner and strategic partner in April 2025
The cost: Free to start, but Whop takes 3% on all sales + payment processing fees (2.7% + $0.30 domestic cards) + 30% commission on marketplace-referred sales
The promise: Build a digital product business without monthly fees, get marketplace exposure, and earn recurring income
The reality: Platform works for some, but common complaints include frozen accounts, sudden suspensions, marketplace saturated with low-quality products, confusing interface, and fees that add up quickly
Account suspension risk: Multiple creators report accounts frozen after first sale or at revenue milestones ($1K, $5K, etc.) with 90-day holds on funds
Iman Gadzhi connection: He’s now co-owner and uses Whop for his own products, but his involvement is primarily strategic/financial—not a guarantee of creator success
My verdict: Legitimate platform with real success stories, but significant platform risk, marketplace quality issues, and better alternatives exist for those seeking predictable income

What Is Whop?

whop

Whop is a digital marketplace and commerce platform founded in 2021 by three friends: Steven Schwartz, Cameron Zoub, and Jack Sharkey. The platform was created to make it easy for creators and entrepreneurs to sell digital products and services online without dealing with multiple tools and platforms.

Think of it as a hybrid between Shopify (for digital goods), Discord (for communities), and Gumroad (for selling). Everything is hosted on Whop—you don’t need separate hosting, payment processors, email tools, or community platforms.

What You Can Sell on Whop

The platform is designed for selling virtually any digital product or service:

Online courses – Video lessons, downloadable materials, quizzes
Discord communities – Paid access to private servers with automatic role assignment
Software and SaaS – License keys, API access, tools
Digital downloads – eBooks, templates, Notion boards, spreadsheets, graphics
Consulting and coaching – One-on-one sessions or group coaching
Memberships – Recurring subscriptions to exclusive content
Telegram or Slack communities – Similar to Discord integration

The appeal is that you can bundle multiple offerings together. For example, sell access to a Discord community + a course + weekly coaching calls + downloadable templates—all in one purchase.

The Iman Gadzhi Connection

In April 2025, Iman Gadzhi joined Whop as a co-owner and strategic partner. This was huge news in the online business space because Iman is one of the most influential figures in digital education, with millions of followers across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

Iman’s involvement brings:

Credibility – His reputation gives Whop legitimacy in the creator space
Distribution – His massive audience provides instant visibility
Strategic guidance – His experience scaling digital product businesses helps Whop refine their platform
His own products – Iman moved his flagship offering “Monetise” (reportedly generating $10M+ in revenue) to Whop

Whop is now valued at $800 million after their July 2024 Series B funding round, and they’re processing over $1 billion in transactions annually. With Iman on board and backing from Peter Thiel, The Chainsmokers, and Insight Partners, the platform is positioned for significant growth.

But—and this is important—Iman’s involvement doesn’t guarantee that average creators will succeed on the platform. His success comes from having millions of followers and a proven personal brand. Most creators don’t have that advantage.

How Whop Works as a Business Opportunity

Let’s break down the actual mechanics of making money on Whop.

Step 1: Create Your “Whop”

You sign up for free and create what Whop calls your “Whop”—essentially your digital storefront. This involves:

Choosing what you want to sell (course, community, software, etc.)
Setting up your offering using Whop’s app ecosystem
Configuring pricing (one-time, subscription, or tiered plans)
Creating your sales page and checkout flow

The interface uses a modular system with 59 different “micro-apps” you can add. This is one of the major complaints—even experienced tech founders find the platform confusing and unintuitive.

Step 2: Add Content and Configure Access

Depending on what you’re selling:

Upload course videos or written content
Connect your Discord, Telegram, or Slack server
Set up software license keys or API access
Create member-only resources

Whop handles the integration automatically. When someone buys, they instantly get access to whatever you’ve configured.

Step 3: Drive Traffic

Here you have two options:

Option A: Bring Your Own Traffic (3% fee)

Market on your own social media, email list, YouTube, etc.
Send buyers to your Whop page
You pay 3% platform fee + payment processing

Option B: Use Whop’s Marketplace (30% fee)

List your product on Whop’s “Discover” marketplace
Get exposure to 4+ million monthly visitors
Whop promotes top sellers
You pay 30% commission on marketplace sales + payment processing

Most successful creators use both—their own traffic for lower fees, and the marketplace for additional discovery.

Step 4: Manage Customers and Fulfill Orders

Whop handles:

Payment processing (Stripe integration)
Tax compliance (VAT, sales tax)
Automatic access granting
Customer support ticketing
Analytics and dashboard

You focus on delivering value and marketing.

The Realistic Path to Earnings

Whop claims creators earn an average of $8,413 per month. But let’s break down what that actually means:

Beginner (Months 1-3):

Building your offering
Testing pricing and messaging
Driving initial traffic
Typical earnings: $0-$500/month

Growing (Months 4-9):

Refining product based on feedback
Scaling traffic through content or paid ads
Building initial customer base
Typical earnings: $500-$2,000/month

Established (Year 1+):

Consistent traffic and conversions
Affiliate network promoting your product
Recurring subscription revenue building
Typical earnings: $2,000-$10,000+/month

The $8,413 average includes highly successful creators making $50K-$100K+/month, which skews the mean upward. The median is likely much lower.

The Fee Structure: What You Actually Pay

This is where things get complicated—and expensive.

Base Platform Fees

Own Traffic Sales (3%):

3% platform fee on each transaction
Example: $100 sale = $3 to Whop

Marketplace Sales (30%):

30% commission on marketplace-referred sales
Example: $100 sale = $30 to Whop

Payment Processing Fees (On Top of Platform Fees)

Domestic cards:

2.7% + $0.30 per transaction
Example: $100 sale = $2.70 + $0.30 = $3.00

International cards:

Additional 1.5% fee
Example: $100 international sale = additional $1.50

Currency conversion:

Additional 1% if currency conversion needed
Example: $100 EUR to USD = additional $1.00

Real Cost Examples

$100 sale via own traffic:

Platform fee: $3.00 (3%)
Processing: $3.00 (2.7% + $0.30)
Your net: $94.00
Effective rate: 6%

$100 sale via marketplace:

Platform fee: $30.00 (30%)
Processing: $3.00 (2.7% + $0.30)
Your net: $67.00
Effective rate: 33%

$5,000/month in sales via own traffic:

Platform fees: $150
Processing fees: ~$150
Total fees: $300/month

At scale, that $300/month is more expensive than most dedicated course platforms like Kajabi ($89-$199/month) or Teachable ($59-$249/month) with no transaction fees.

The Major Problems with Whop

Let me walk you through the significant issues creators report.

Problem #1: Account Freezes and Suspensions

This is by far the most common and serious complaint. Multiple creators across Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB report:

Sudden account suspensions after first sale

Account gets frozen after first successful transaction
Whop claims “suspicious activity” or “fraudulent payment patterns”
Funds held for 90 days while under review

Freezes at revenue milestones

Common triggers: $1K, $5K, $10K in sales
Automatic holds placed on withdrawals
No clear explanation provided initially

100% payout holds

Not partial reserves—entire balance frozen
Creates zero cash flow for the creator
No way to access funds during review period

One BBB complaint details a creator whose mother had just passed away, their account was suspended at payout time, and Whop held a 90-day freeze on their entire balance despite proof of legitimate fulfillment.

Another Trustpilot review: “These people are outrageous with fees. Then after I received the payment they put a reserve on my account so I could not withdraw my money.”

Whop’s Response: They claim these reviews are for fraud prevention and compliance. But the execution—freezing entire balances without warning at critical growth milestones—destroys creator businesses.

Problem #2: Marketplace Quality Issues

The Whop marketplace is saturated with low-quality and scam products. Multiple reviews mention:

“The marketplace has quality issues. When I first saw Whop’s marketplace, I was overwhelmed by numerous spammy groups and market-ish vibes. Many offerings feel like get-rich-quick schemes rather than genuine educational content.”

This creates two problems:

For buyers: Hard to distinguish quality offerings from scams For legitimate creators: Your product is surrounded by junk, affecting perceived credibility

Whop’s rapid growth prioritized quantity over quality curation, and it shows.

Problem #3: Confusing, Constantly Changing Interface

Even tech CEOs struggle with Whop’s interface. Luke Alexander (70K Twitter followers, SaaS founder) tweeted:

“Am I the only person trying to make a new course on Whop and I can’t figure out how to do anything?”

The platform uses 59 different “micro-apps” you can add to your offering. The problem:

Unclear what each app does
UI changes frequently
No clear navigation logic
Even Whop support struggled to explain it

One Medium article by a CEO with 15 years of experience said: “Even tech CEOs are getting lost… Confusion = friction. Friction = drop in sales. Drop in sales = dead business.”

Problem #4: Limited Customer Support

When issues arise—especially around frozen accounts or disputes—support is slow and often unhelpful.

Common complaints:

“Support says ‘nothing we can do’ about random $25 chargebacks”
“Been trying to resolve account suspension for weeks, no clear answers”
“Email responses are generic, don’t address specific issues”

For a platform processing $1B+ annually, the support infrastructure appears inadequate.

Problem #5: The Fees Add Up Fast

That “no monthly fee” marketing sounds great until you realize:

3% platform fee on every sale
2.7% + $0.30 payment processing
30% on marketplace sales
Chargeback fees
Dispute handling fees
Withdrawal fees

Once you’re generating $5K+/month, you’re paying more in fees than you would with dedicated platforms that charge monthly subscriptions but no transaction fees.

One creator calculated: “At $5K/month, the 3% fee alone is $150—more expensive than Kajabi’s Kickstarter plan. If you scale past $5,000 a month, you are definitely paying too much.”

Problem #6: Platform Dependency Risk

This is the fundamental issue: you’re building your entire business on a platform you don’t control.

Whop can:

Suspend your account at any time
Change fee structures
Alter marketplace algorithms
Modify terms of service
Freeze your funds for 90 days

Multiple Reddit posts detail creators who built successful offerings on Whop, only to have their accounts suspended without clear explanation, losing their entire income source overnight.

👉 See why local lead generation eliminates platform risk

What Real Creators Say

I spent considerable time reading verified reviews across platforms. Here’s what patterns emerged:

Positive Reviews (Common Themes)

“The platform makes it easy to bundle multiple offerings together—course + community + tools—in one purchase.”

“Marketplace exposure helped me get initial sales I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.”

“When things work, the dashboard and analytics are solid.”

“Support resolved my issue after I escalated through proper channels.”

Notice what these positive reviews say: the platform works when things go smoothly. The tools are functional. The concept is good.

Negative Reviews (Common Themes)

“Account suspended after first sale, funds frozen for 90 days with no explanation.”

“The marketplace is full of scams and low-quality products that make legitimate offerings look bad.”

“Random chargebacks and Whop sides with customers immediately, freezing funds.”

“Fees are way higher than advertised once you factor in everything.”

“Interface is confusing and changes constantly.”

“Support is slow and unhelpful when you have serious issues.”

The Pattern

Creators who praise Whop typically:

Have smaller operations ($1K-$3K/month)
Haven’t experienced account freezes
Value the bundling and integration features

Creators who criticize Whop typically:

Hit revenue milestones that triggered freezes
Experienced account suspensions
Lost significant income due to platform issues
Found fees unsustainable at scale

Comparing Whop to Alternatives

How does Whop stack up against other options?

Whop vs. Kajabi

Kajabi:

Monthly fee: $89-$199
Transaction fees: 0%
Advanced course features, email marketing, funnels
Professional course delivery
Established platform (13+ years)

Better if: You’re serious about courses and want robust tools

Whop better if: You want free entry and can handle limitations

Whop vs. Gumroad

Gumroad:

Free to start
10% transaction fee (flat)
Simple, straightforward
Less sophisticated than Whop
No community integration

Better if: You’re selling simple digital downloads

Whop better if: You need community features and bundling

Whop vs. Skool

Skool:

Monthly fee: $99
0% transaction fees
Built-in gamification
Strong community features
Less marketplace saturation

Better if: Community engagement is your priority

Whop better if: You want marketplace exposure

Whop vs. Building Your Own System

DIY (Stripe + Hosting + Tools):

Setup complexity: High
Monthly costs: $50-$150
Transaction fees: 2.9% + $0.30 only
Complete control and ownership

Better if: You have technical skills and existing traffic

Whop better if: You want speed and simplicity

The reality: if you’re generating consistent revenue ($5K+/month), dedicated platforms or your own system become more cost-effective than Whop’s fee structure.

Why Local Lead Generation Is a Better Alternative

If your goal is building sustainable online income—not specifically selling digital products on marketplaces—let me show you why local lead generation is superior.