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Arc Publishing vs FastSpring

Arc Publishing logo

Arc Publishing

Software

The enterprise publishing platform for news organizations

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
FastSpring logo

FastSpring

Software

Merchant-of-record commerce platform for global payments, subscriptions, and tax compliance

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Arc Publishing now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there; FastSpring pricing is not published and requires contacting sales for a quote, making cost comparison difficult upfront.
  • They diverge on capability: Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, FastSpring covers Global online payments.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arc Publishing and FastSpring actually diverge.

Attributes where Arc Publishing and FastSpring differ
AttributeArc PublishingFastSpring
Pricing modelquotetransaction
PlatformsWeb, Mobileweb, api
Founded20162006

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Arc Publishing

  • Modular CMS
  • Content creation
  • Publishing workflow
  • Paywall management
  • Analytics dashboard
  • API framework
  • Commerce integration
  • Stripe

Only in FastSpring

  • Global online payments
  • Branded checkout
  • Tax compliance
  • Fraud prevention
  • Digital invoicing and quotes

Both cover

  • Subscription billing

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Arc Publishing

  • Content management for news and digital publishersnot FastSpring
  • Subscription and paywall managementnot FastSpring
  • Video publishing alongside articlesnot FastSpring
  • Multi-site delivery for broadcast and B2B publishersnot FastSpring

FastSpring

  • Selling software or SaaS internationally without a local tax entitynot Arc Publishing
  • B2B invoicing and custom quotes for enterprise SaaS dealsnot Arc Publishing
  • Recurring subscription billing for digital productsnot Arc Publishing
  • Reducing fraud and chargebacks on digital purchasesnot Arc Publishing

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Arc Publishing

  • Now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there
  • Pricing is not published
  • Built for media companies, so the editorial workflow assumptions do not suit a general business site

FastSpring

  • Pricing is not published and requires contacting sales for a quote, making cost comparison difficult upfront.
  • As a merchant-of-record, FastSpring takes on more control of the checkout and payment relationship than a pure payment gateway like Stripe.
  • Revenue share pricing can become more expensive than flat per-transaction gateway fees at very high volumes.
  • Primarily targeted at software/digital goods sellers, so it is less suited to physical product e-commerce.

Pricing, plan by plan

Arc Publishing

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Custom CMS
    • Paywall integration
    • Advanced analytics

FastSpring

On request
  • Custom$undefined/mo
    • All-in-one transaction-based pricing based on sales volume
    • No subscription fees or per-feature charges
    • Discounted rates for ACH and wire transfers

Which should you pick?

Choose Arc Publishing if

  • You need modular cms.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want content creation.
Arc Publishing review

Choose FastSpring if

  • You need global online payments.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want branded checkout.
FastSpring review

Questions people ask

Is Arc Publishing or FastSpring better?
Neither clearly leads. Arc Publishing starts at On request and FastSpring at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arc Publishing or FastSpring?
Arc Publishing starts at On request and FastSpring at On request.
Does Arc Publishing or FastSpring run on more platforms?
Arc Publishing runs on Web, Mobile. FastSpring runs on web, api.
What is Arc Publishing best used for?
Arc Publishing is most often used for content management for news and digital publishers, subscription and paywall management, video publishing alongside articles, multi-site delivery for broadcast and b2b publishers. Of those, content management for news and digital publishers and subscription and paywall management are not what FastSpring is typically brought in for.
What can Arc Publishing do that FastSpring cannot?
Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Content creation, Publishing workflow, Paywall management. FastSpring covers Global online payments, Branded checkout, Tax compliance, Fraud prevention. Both handle Subscription billing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

FastSpring: What does FastSpring cost?

FastSpring uses flat-rate, all-in-one pricing based on transaction volume, with fees withheld from payouts. There is no minimum volume or subscription fee, and pricing is typically quoted based on expected sales volume after contacting their sales team.

Source
FastSpring: Is there a free plan?

FastSpring does not offer a free plan; instead pricing is transaction-based with no upfront subscription cost, and merchants only pay a commission on completed sales.

Source
FastSpring: What does FastSpring integrate with or include compared to a payment gateway like Stripe?

FastSpring bundles international payments, subscription management, tax compliance, fraud prevention, reporting, and B2B invoicing into one price, whereas gateways like Stripe charge separately for many of these features.

Source
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