theZio vs Stan Store: A Stan Alternative for India

Side by side

theZio vs Stan Store, checked 19 Oct 2026
	Stan Store	theZio
Main job	Creator storefront: sell digital products, courses, bookings and memberships from one link-in-bio page	Link in bio store, paid products and courses, run from the same tool as Instagram comment-to-DM
Billing currency	US dollars, as reported	Indian rupees, billed through Razorpay
Free plan	None reported; a 14-day free trial instead	Up to 1,000 auto DMs a month, no card needed; selling needs Max Pro
Plan to sell	Creator reported at $29 a month or $300 a year; Creator Pro at $99 a month or $948 a year	Max Pro at ₹899 a month, billed in rupees through Razorpay; Link in bio, selling and courses all need Max Pro
Fee per sale	No Stan transaction fee reported; card or PayPal processing fees apply	0% theZio fee until theZio gives notice (30 days' notice in the seller terms), and theZio pays Razorpay's charge meanwhile; after that, 5% all-in, with the gateway charge and GST on the fee inside it
How fans pay	Reported through Stripe and PayPal	Fans pay through Razorpay's hosted checkout; theZio collects and pays you out
Getting paid in India	Reported to pay out through Stripe and PayPal, with India not on Stan's Stripe list, so Indian creators are reported to be paid through PayPal	Every Monday by bank transfer, after a 7-day hold for refunds, once your balance is ₹500 or more (else it rolls over); one-time PAN and bank check
Link-in-bio page	Yes, the store page is the link in bio	Yes, at thezio.co/yourname: themes and custom design, up to 50 blocks, a store block, product pages with FAQ and testimonials, tracked links and visit, tap and email analytics
Courses	Course builder reported on the Creator plan	Course builder with modules, video, audio, text, file and live lessons, attachments, a sales page at thezio.co/yourname/c/course and a students view. Video hosted on Bunny Stream with signed playback links; students log in with an email code on up to 2 devices at once. No DRM
Bookings and memberships	Yes, reported	No booking calendar or memberships
Comment to DM	AutoDM on Creator: a keyword in a comment or DM sends one message with your link, with an optional public comment-back	Yes, on one post or all posts, with an optional public reply and a different delivery per keyword
Multi-step DM	Reported as one message per keyword, no multi-step flows	Optional email capture and a follow invite inside the DM, then the link or file
Email capture	Lead magnets in the store; email broadcasts and flows reported on Creator Pro	In the DM on every plan, including Free, and free products for an email on the Link in bio page; no email campaigns
Comments posted before setup	Not covered in the pages we read	Last 24 hours on every plan; all old comments on Pro, with a public reply where a DM is no longer allowed

When Stan Store is the better pick

Bookings and memberships. Stan is reported to sell coaching bookings and memberships next to products and courses. theZio sells digital products and courses, with no booking calendar or memberships.
Email marketing. Stan's Creator Pro is reported to add email broadcasts and flows, upsells and affiliate tools. theZio collects emails and sends one abandoned-checkout email, but it does not send newsletters.
No transaction fee, as a standing rule. Stan is reported to take no transaction fee of its own. theZio's 0% fee lasts until theZio gives notice, then becomes 5% all-in.
A longer track record selling. Stan was selling for creators well before theZio launched selling. theZio's store and courses went live for everyone on 19 October 2026, with no public reviews yet.
A good fit for dollar audiences. If most buyers are abroad and you are happy paying in dollars, Stan's Stripe and PayPal setup keeps it simple.

When theZio fits better

Rupee billing and Indian payouts. theZio Max Pro is ₹899 a month in rupees. Fans pay through Razorpay, and theZio pays you by bank transfer every Monday. Stan is reported to bill in dollars and pay Indian creators through PayPal.
A sale invoice in your name. Each order gets an invoice in your name, and a CSV statement lists every sale, fee, tax line and payout.
Deeper comment-to-DM. theZio can ask for the fan's email and invite a follow inside the DM, and each keyword of one automation can deliver its own product or link. Stan's AutoDM is reported as one message per keyword.
Launch checkout tools. Pay what you want, compare-at prices, coupons, one bump offer, stock caps, a sale end date and checkout questions.
Old comments. theZio can answer comments that came in before you switched an automation on: the last 24 hours on every plan, and all old comments on Pro.
A free plan for comment-to-DM. theZio Free covers 1,000 auto DMs a month and 3 free products delivered in the DM. Stan is reported to offer a trial, not a free plan.

How to switch without double DMs

Decide what moves. Keep Stan for bookings or memberships if you sell them; move digital products, courses and comment automations.
List your live AutoDM keywords and products on Stan. Note each post, keyword, DM text and link, and each product's price and file.
Create a theZio account and connect Instagram through Instagram Login, then upgrade to Max Pro and set up your Link in bio page.
Recreate your products and courses in rupees, and finish the one-time PAN and bank check so Monday payouts can start.
Turn AutoDM off on Stan for the posts you move. Stan's help centre is reported to say only one app should manage your Instagram DMs at a time, and two tools on one post send a fan two DMs.
Test with a second Instagram account and a coupon purchase, then switch your Instagram bio link.

Frequently asked questions

Is theZio a Stan Store alternative for Indian creators?

For selling digital products and courses from Instagram, yes. theZio Max Pro is ₹899 a month in rupees, with a Link in bio store, courses and comment-to-DM. Fans pay through Razorpay and you are paid by bank transfer every Monday. Stan adds bookings, memberships and email marketing that theZio does not have.

How much does Stan Store cost?

As reported on 19 Oct 2026, Stan's Creator plan is $29 a month or $300 a year and Creator Pro is $99 a month or $948 a year, with a 14-day free trial and no free plan. theZio Max Pro is ₹899 a month; comment automation alone is on Pro at ₹499 a month.

Does theZio take a fee on sales?

0% until theZio gives notice, with 30 days' notice promised in the seller terms, and theZio pays Razorpay's charge meanwhile. After that the fee is 5% all-in. TDS and, for creators with a GSTIN, GST TCS still apply as tax.

Can Indian creators get paid on Stan?

Reports differ, so check Stan's help centre. A comparison page by SuperProfile, updated in October 2026, reports that Stan pays out through Stripe and PayPal and that India is not on its Stripe list, so Indian creators are paid through PayPal. theZio pays to an Indian bank account every Monday.

Can I use Stan and theZio together?

Yes. Some creators keep Stan for bookings and use theZio for products, courses and comment-to-DM. Turn Stan's AutoDM off on any post theZio handles, because Meta allows one private reply per comment.

theZio vs Stan Store