Software · head to head
Authorize.net vs FastSpring

FastSpring
Software
Merchant-of-record commerce platform for global payments, subscriptions, and tax compliance
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Authorize.net all-in-One plan charges a $25 monthly gateway fee plus 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction on top of it; FastSpring pricing is not published and requires contacting sales for a quote, making cost comparison difficult upfront.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Authorize.net and FastSpring actually diverge.
| Attribute | Authorize.net | FastSpring |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | subscription | transaction |
| Platforms | Web | web, api |
| Founded | Unknown | 2006 |
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 Authorize.net
Nothing recorded that FastSpring does not also cover.
Only in FastSpring
- Global online payments
- Subscription billing
- Branded checkout
- Tax compliance
- Fraud prevention
- Digital invoicing and quotes
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Authorize.net
No use cases recorded yet. See the Authorize.net review.
FastSpring
- Selling software or SaaS internationally without a local tax entitynot Authorize.net
- B2B invoicing and custom quotes for enterprise SaaS dealsnot Authorize.net
- Recurring subscription billing for digital productsnot Authorize.net
- Reducing fraud and chargebacks on digital purchasesnot Authorize.net
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Authorize.net
- All-in-One plan charges a $25 monthly gateway fee plus 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction on top of it
- eCheck processing carries its own $10 monthly minimum fee separate from the card processing charges
FastSpring
- Pricing is not published and requires contacting sales for a quote, making cost comparison difficult upfront.
- As a merchant-of-record, FastSpring takes on more control of the checkout and payment relationship than a pure payment gateway like Stripe.
- Revenue share pricing can become more expensive than flat per-transaction gateway fees at very high volumes.
- Primarily targeted at software/digital goods sellers, so it is less suited to physical product e-commerce.
Pricing, plan by plan
Authorize.net
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Authorize.net review.
FastSpring
On request- Custom$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 Authorize.net if
Nothing in the data separates Authorize.net from FastSpring on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose FastSpring if
- You need global online payments.
- You work on web, api.
- You also want subscription billing.
Questions people ask
- Is Authorize.net or FastSpring better?
- Neither clearly leads. Authorize.net 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, Authorize.net or FastSpring?
- Authorize.net starts at On request and FastSpring at On request.
- Does Authorize.net or FastSpring run on more platforms?
- Authorize.net runs on Web. FastSpring runs on web, api.
- What can Authorize.net do that FastSpring cannot?
- FastSpring covers Global online payments, Subscription billing, Branded checkout, Tax compliance.
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.
SourceFastSpring: 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.
SourceFastSpring: 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.
SourceRelated pages
More on Authorize.net
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