ablefy vs. Alfima: A Comparison
If you’re looking for a platform to sell digital products, you’ll find not only established providers but also newer tools like Alfima in German-speaking countries. ablefy and Alfima are aimed at coaches, creators, and businesses that want to sell digital products. The biggest difference lies in the platforms’ focus: ablefy concentrates on payment processing, sales, and the creation of digital products, while Alfima focuses more on marketing and hosting and less on payments. In this article, we’ll show you the differences in detail.
A Quick Comparison of Ablefy and Alfima
- Focus: Alfima combines hosting and marketing features into a single tool. ablefy focuses more on payment processing and sales.
- With Alfima, you use your own payment processor. ablefy handles payments for you and takes care of most of the bookkeeping (taxes, invoices, collections).
- Who it's for: Alfima is designed for solopreneurs. ablefy is designed for growing companies with teams, high sales volumes, and their own tool stack.
A Quick Comparison of Ablefy and Alfima
Criterion
Alfima
Platform Architecture
Business Platform for Sales and Hosting
Creator Platform for Developing Digital Products
Sales Model
Selling in Your Own Name
Reseller Model (Merchant of Record)
Sales through our own payment service provider
Payment Processing
Integrated; no separate payment provider required You can use your own Stripe or PayPal accounts
You must have your own Stripe or PayPal account
Accounting & Sales Tax
Automated Invoices, VAT Remittance in the Reseller Model (OSS)
-
Payment Methods
Credit card, Klarna, SEPA, PayPal, Google/Apple Pay, Twint, iDEAL, Przelewy24, Mondu
It depends on the connected payment service provider
Dunning & debt collection
Including court-ordered collection proceedings
-
Commission Calculation & Payment
Included
-
New Team Members & User Roles
Included
-
Development of Digital Products
Product Pages
Downloads
Online Courses
Membership Areas
Communities
E-Tickets
Codes
Licenses
Offer Pages
Downloads
Online Courses
Membership Areas
Communities
Appointment Booking
Page Builder
Included
Included
Email Marketing Feature
-
Included
Fees
Software fees starting at €27/month
Transaction fee:
2.7% + €0.50 (in your own name)
5.6% + €1.50 (reseller model)
Software fee starting at €49/month
Transaction fee:
4% + €1
plus fees from Stripe/PayPal
ablefy or Alfima? The Differences in Detail
Platform Architecture
ablefy: ablefy focuses on flexibility in payments and contracts so that growing companies have a system that scales with them. Its strongest features, therefore, relate to sales, distribution, billing, accounting, commissions, and collections. ablefy integrates features for select digital products such as downloads, coaching sessions, online courses, and communities. However, it does not offer its own solution for email marketing or appointment scheduling, as growing companies often rely on specialized solutions in these areas.
Alfima: Alfima takes an all-in-one approach and offers a wide range of features, which are intentionally kept simple and omit functions that business starters, in particular, don’t need. As with most creator tools, payment processing isn’t integrated but runs through Stripe or PayPal. Anyone with a manageable number of transactions or who is familiar with bookkeeping can handle the resulting workload.
Sales Model & Law
ablefy: Integrated payment processing means that ablefy provides the technical infrastructure for payments and handles invoicing, reminders, collections, and the payment of commissions (to the provider’s sales representatives and partners). The extent to which this occurs depends on the contract model.
In the reseller model, ablefy acts as the Merchant of Record, appears on the invoice, and also handles the remittance of sales tax (OSS). The provider receives a monthly payment and has virtually no accounting work to do. A separate Stripe or PayPal account is not required.
When selling in your own name, you are listed as the seller on the invoice and have more control over the transaction process through ablefy. This requires your own PayPal account.
Alfima: You sell under your own name and link your own Stripe or PayPal Business account. You are responsible for sales tax, invoices, and terms and conditions.
Hosting and Digital Products
Both platforms offer the ability to create and host digital products. Downloadable products, online courses, and communities can be created within the platform and then sold individually or as a bundle. Which one is a better fit for your business depends on how much creative freedom and functionality you need.
ablefy: Online courses can be freely designed, and content can be arranged flexibly. With ablefy, you can set up timed content delivery, quizzes, course-related emails, and automatically issued certificates. The community feature allows you to create a forum with multiple rooms, enabling communication via text, video, and attachments.
The full version of ablefy also includes a built-in page builder that can be used to create landing pages and store pages.
Alfima: Includes a course builder with modules, lessons, and time-based controls. The course page has a predefined structure featuring a video, text, and attachments. The community is a simple forum with multiple rooms and allows for discussion via text and attachments.
Alfima's page builder is also suitable for creating landing pages and websites. The AI Builder makes it easy to get started and creates the basic structure, including text and color schemes.
Sales & Affiliates
ablefy: Sales OS for sales teams of any size that need to create customized quotes during sales consultations and automate commission tracking. It also includes team accounts with different roles. Providers can also set up their own partner program and have others handle sales on an affiliate basis.
Alfima: Designed for individual use, so there are no team accounts or sales features.
Fees
ablefy: The software fee for the Sell Plan starts at €27 per month. The Create & Sell Plan starts at €59 per month and is tiered based on the number of members. The transaction fee is 2.7% + €0.50 per sale, plus an additional 2.5% + €1.00 in the reseller model. Additional fees apply for certain payment methods, such as Klarna.
Alfima: Starting at 49 € per month. Plus 4% + 1 € per transaction and the payment provider’s fees.
Comparison: Which platform is more cost-effective depends heavily on the features you need and your sales volume. With Alfima, the Alfima fee is charged in addition to the Stripe or PayPal fees. With ablefy, payment processing is already included in the transaction fee.
Who is a better fit for ablefy or Alfima?
Alfima is right for you if you...
- …you work alone and don't need any new team members
- …have your own Stripe or PayPal account
- …you can handle the bookkeeping for your expected revenue yourself
- …can get by with a simple online course structure
- …marketed primarily through organic social media channels
ablefy is a better fit for you if you…
- …work with a team or freelancers
- …want to combine payment processing and hosting into a single system
- …you want to outsource payment and tax processing (VAT payments, invoices, and collections)
- … you need customizable online course areas and communities
- …you can expect high revenue, lots of sales, and international buyers
- …if you want to start telemarketing for high-priced offers or launch an affiliate program
How does the switch from Alfima to ablefy work?
ablefy offers a free 14-day trial. During this time, interested users can get a feel for the platform and try out all its features. The trial also includes an onboarding process that explains how the platform works, so you’ll be up and running in just a few days.
If you currently host course sections on another platform, you don't necessarily have to move them. You can also start by integrating ablefy solely as a payment provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ablefy only for large companies?
No. Solo entrepreneurs as well as small and medium-sized businesses use ablefy to sell their products and services. The range of platform features varies depending on the plan selected and adapts to the needs of growing businesses.
Does Alfima process payments for me?
No. With Alfima, you link your own Stripe or PayPal account and sell under your own name. In addition to selling under your own name, ablefy offers a reseller model in which ablefy handles payment processing, sales tax, and invoicing.
Does Alfima offer team access?
No. Alfima is designed for individual use. With ablefy, you work with team accounts and roles, including Sales OS for sales teams.
How does Alfima compare to Ablefy in terms of cost?
Alfima starts at €49 (Basic) or €69 (Pro) per month, plus 4% + €1 per transaction and your payment provider's fees. With ablefy, the software fee for the Sell Plan starts at 27 €/month for all payment features; the Create & Sell Plan starts at 59 €/month and includes all online course and community features. The transaction fee is 2.7% + €0.50 for sales made in your own name and 5.6% + €1.50 under the reseller model, which includes all of ablefy’s tax and accounting services. A direct comparison depends on what you need.
Do I have to stop using my current course platform to use ablefy?
No. ablefy can initially be connected to an existing course platform solely as a payment provider. It is not absolutely necessary to switch platforms.
