Softwr

Accounting · head to head

Hnry vs Polar

Hnry logo

Hnry

Accounting

Accounting for sole traders and the self-employed

From
1/per $100 income
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Polar logo

Polar

Accounting

Billing and revenue platform for AI and infrastructure companies

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Polar has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Hnry service limited to self-employed sole traders in New Zealand only; Polar percentage-based fees higher than some specialized processors for high-volume transactions

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hnry and Polar actually diverge.

Attributes where Hnry and Polar differ
AttributeHnryPolar
Starting price1/per $100 incomeFree
Pricing modelusage-basedPercentage of transaction plus per-transaction fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, API

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Accounting).

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 Hnry

Nothing recorded that Polar does not also cover.

Only in Polar

  • Usage Billing
  • Subscriptions
  • Seat Management
  • Prepaid Credits
  • Hosted Checkout
  • Cost Insights
  • Merchant of Record

What people use each for

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

Hnry

  • Calculating quarterly tax without manual bookkeepingnot Polar
  • Logging expenses via photo instantlynot Polar
  • Sending unlimited invoices with auto-follow-upnot Polar
  • Automatically withholding income taxes year-roundnot Polar

Polar

  • Billing for token and API call consumption by LLM applicationsnot Hnry
  • Managing tiered pricing for infrastructure usage-based servicesnot Hnry
  • Handling subscription and usage hybrid modelsnot Hnry
  • Monetizing AI APIs with usage metering and creditsnot Hnry

Where each one falls short

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

Hnry

  • Service limited to self-employed sole traders in New Zealand only
  • 1% + GST fee with $1,500 annual maximum cap
  • Minimum $0.50 fee per transaction for payments under $50

Polar

  • Percentage-based fees higher than some specialized processors for high-volume transactions
  • Merchant of record model may not suit companies preferring direct payment control
  • Free Starter tier limited with 5% fees reducing appeal for production use
  • Setup and integration effort required despite API simplicity

Pricing, plan by plan

Hnry

1/per $100 income

No published plan breakdown. See the Hnry review.

Polar

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 5% + $0.50 per transaction
    • Free tier for testing
    • Basic features
  • Pro$20/month
    • 3.8% + $0.40 per transaction
    • Full platform access
    • Cost insights
  • Growth$100/month
    • 3.6% + $0.35 per transaction
    • Priority support
    • Volume benefits
  • Scale$400/month
    • 3.4% + $0.30 per transaction
    • Dedicated support
    • Custom integration

Which should you pick?

Choose Hnry if

Nothing in the data separates Hnry from Polar on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Hnry review

Choose Polar if

  • You need usage billing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want subscriptions.
Polar review

Questions people ask

Is Hnry or Polar better?
Neither clearly leads. Hnry starts at 1/per $100 income and Polar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hnry or Polar?
Polar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at 1/per $100 income for Hnry and Free for Polar.
Does Hnry or Polar run on more platforms?
Hnry runs on Web. Polar runs on Web, API.
Can I use Polar for free?
Yes. Polar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Hnry starts at 1/per $100 income.
What is Hnry best used for?
Hnry is most often used for calculating quarterly tax without manual bookkeeping, logging expenses via photo instantly, sending unlimited invoices with auto-follow-up, automatically withholding income taxes year-round. Of those, calculating quarterly tax without manual bookkeeping and logging expenses via photo instantly are not what Polar is typically brought in for.
What can Hnry do that Polar cannot?
Polar covers Usage Billing, Subscriptions, Seat Management, Prepaid Credits.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hnry: How much does Hnry charge?

Hnry charges 1% plus GST of independent income paid into your Hnry Bank Account, with a maximum annual fee of $1,500. Minimum fee is $0.50 per payment for transactions under $50.

Source
Polar: Do you handle international payments and taxes?

Yes, Polar acts as merchant of record in 100+ markets, handling payment processing, tax collection, and compliance automatically.

Source
Hnry: Are there joining fees for Hnry?

No, Hnry has no joining fees, upfront payments, or credit card required to sign up.

Source
Polar: Is there a free tier?

Yes, the Starter plan is free and charges 5% + $0.50 per transaction, ideal for testing and early-stage development.

Source
Hnry: Is the Hnry fee tax deductible?

Yes, Hnry automatically claims its fees as a business expense on your behalf, making them tax-deductible.

Source
Polar: Do you offer discounts for startups?

Yes, the Startup Program provides the Scale plan free for 12 months for early-stage AI companies.

Source
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