You finished your first tabletop RPG zine and now need a storefront. This comparison of DriveThruRPG and itch.io breaks down revenue splits, buyer audiences, print on demand, payouts, and launch tactics, plus a preview trick that helps your PDF sell itself.
You have a stapled draft, a folder of playtested rules, and a PDF that finally looks right. Now comes the question every first-time creator hits: where do you actually sell it? The two names that come up in every Discord thread are DriveThruRPG and itch.io, and they behave very differently. This article compares them on fees, audience, print, payouts and launch effort, so you can pick one (or both) with confidence. If you also want a page-turning preview that sells your PDF before anyone pays, a tool like Flipbooks AI can turn the file into one in minutes.
If you want the fastest verdict, here it is.
💡 Your first zine is a test, not a verdict. Choose the storefront that lets you ship this month, then adjust once you see real sales data.
DriveThruRPG is a dedicated marketplace for tabletop games. Buyers arrive with a wallet and a specific hobby in mind. It sits inside a wider network of sister sites, so a listing can surface in several catalogs at once.
itch.io is a general indie marketplace that grew up around video games, jams and bundles. It has a large tabletop section, and its culture rewards weird, personal and experimental work. You build your own page, and you decide how it looks.
| Factor | DriveThruRPG | itch.io |
|---|---|---|
| Core audience | RPG shoppers, collectors, GMs | Indie players, jam fans, bundle hunters |
| Page design | Standard template | Fully customizable |
| Moderation | Catalog review for listings | Light, mostly self-service |
| Best for | Supplements, adventures, settings | Experimental games, one-page RPGs, zines |
| Browse traffic | Strong category search | Strong tags, jams and collections |
A DriveThruRPG buyer often searches for a system name, such as a specific fantasy ruleset, and filters by price or format. Your zine lands in front of them if it carries the right tags and a clean cover.
An itch.io buyer is more likely to stumble onto your page from a jam, a tag page, a bundle or a social post. They tolerate stranger formats, and they are quick to support small creators.
Money decides this for many people, so let's be direct. Fee structures change, so always confirm the current numbers on each site before you commit.
| Cost item | DriveThruRPG | itch.io |
|---|---|---|
| Platform cut | Roughly 30% if exclusive, about 35% if not | Open revenue share, default around 10%, adjustable |
| Payment processing | Included in the cut | Separate processor fees apply |
| Listing fee | None | None |
| Payout style | Periodic payout after a threshold | Direct to you or via itch.io, depending on setup |
| Pay what you want | Supported | Supported, with a minimum you choose |
Imagine you price your zine at $5 and sell 100 copies.
The raw numbers favor itch.io. But 100 sales is a very different challenge on each site, because traffic is not equal. A lower cut means little if nobody finds your page.
⚠️ Exclusivity on DriveThruRPG means you agree not to sell the same product elsewhere. Read the terms before ticking the box, especially if you already have an itch.io page.
A storefront is only useful if buyers can find you. Think about reach in three layers.
New listings on both platforms start with zero reviews and zero sales history. A strong cover, a clear first line of description and a free preview matter more than anything else on day one.
Here is a simple launch routine that works on either site:
Plenty of zine fans want paper. This is where the platforms split most clearly.
| Print factor | DriveThruRPG | itch.io |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in print on demand | Yes, through its print partner | No native option |
| Setup effort | File specs and proofs required | You handle printing yourself |
| Shipping | Handled for POD orders | You pack and ship |
| Unit economics | Fixed print cost, set your margin | Full control over cost and price |
DriveThruRPG's print on demand means you never touch a parcel. You upload print-ready files, order a proof, and buyers receive books directly. That is a huge time saver for a first project.
On itch.io, physical copies are a DIY job. Some creators sell a PDF there and link to their own shop or a print partner. Others hand-assemble small runs and ship them from the kitchen table.
💡 If you plan to do print runs yourself, weigh postage carefully. A thin zine can cost more to mail than to print, especially internationally.
Whichever site you choose, your PDF is the product. Prepare it properly.
On both sites the cover is your advert. Use bold shapes, a readable title and strong contrast. Check how it looks at thumbnail size, because that is how most people will see it first.
Shoppers hesitate to buy a zine they cannot flip through. A static cover and a few screenshots only go so far. An interactive preview closes that gap.
With Flipbooks AI you can turn your zine PDF into a page-turning flipbook, then share a link or embed it on your itch.io page, your blog or your newsletter. Because it uses the real page layout, readers get a true feel for your art, fonts and rules.
For zines that read like small magazines, the Magazine Flipbook Creator gives you layouts suited to multi-column spreads. Plans include no watermarks, and the Professional plan adds analytics so you can see which pages hold attention.
✅ Best practice: preview only the first third of your zine. Give enough to prove quality, but keep the best material behind the purchase.
Pricing is part psychology, part math. A few rules of thumb help.
| Zine length | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8 to 16 pages | $2 to $5 | Impulse buy, good for jams |
| 24 to 48 pages | $5 to $10 | Standard supplement territory |
| 64 pages and up | $10 to $20 | Needs strong art and a clear hook |
Selling is the fun part. Admin is the part that bites later.
⚠️ Keep a simple spreadsheet from day one: date, platform, gross sale, fees, net. Tax season will thank you.
Use this quick decision table.
| If you are... | Choose |
|---|---|
| Publishing a classic adventure or supplement | DriveThruRPG |
| Releasing a one-page game or jam entry | itch.io |
| Wanting print on demand with no parcels | DriveThruRPG |
| Wanting to set your own revenue split | itch.io |
| Building a wider audience across formats | Both |
| Unsure and short on time | itch.io first, then expand |
Here is a seven-day plan you can follow regardless of platform.
After launch week, review the numbers. Which source sent the most visitors? Which price point converted? Use that to decide whether a second storefront is worth it.
There is no wrong first choice. DriveThruRPG gives you a built-in tabletop audience and print on demand. itch.io gives you control, a friendlier fee and a community that loves small, strange projects. Start with the one that matches your zine and your energy level, then grow.
Turn your PDF into a shareable preview with Flipbooks AI, browse the full set of flipbook tools, or compare pricing plans to pick what fits your launch. When your preview is live, the only job left is to hit publish.
