Software · head to head
Paddle vs Lemon Squeezy
Lemon Squeezy
Software
The all-in-one platform for software businesses
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Paddle paddle charges 5% plus 50 cents on every checkout transaction, which is well above a bare payment processor rate; Lemon Squeezy acting as merchant of record means Lemon Squeezy takes a percentage transaction fee on every sale on top of payment processing costs, rather than a flat subscription
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Paddle and Lemon Squeezy actually diverge.
| Attribute | Paddle | Lemon Squeezy |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $29/month | On request |
| Pricing model | usage-based | transaction |
| Platforms | Web, Api | Web |
| Founded | 2012 | Unknown |
Identical on both: 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 Paddle
- Payment processing
- Sales tax handling
- Subscription management
- Checkout
- Revenue metrics
- Stripe
- PayPal
- Various
Only in Lemon Squeezy
Nothing recorded that Paddle does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Paddle
- Selling SaaS or digital products with a merchant of record handling taxnot Lemon Squeezy
- Global subscription billing and checkoutnot Lemon Squeezy
- Offloading sales tax and VAT compliance for cross border salesnot Lemon Squeezy
Lemon Squeezy
No use cases recorded yet. See the Lemon Squeezy review.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Paddle
- Paddle charges 5% plus 50 cents on every checkout transaction, which is well above a bare payment processor rate
- The 50 cent fixed component falls heavily on low value sales, and products under $10 require custom pricing agreed with sales
- Invoicing is not covered by the published rate and requires custom pricing
- As a merchant of record Paddle sits between the seller and the customer, so payouts and tax handling run through Paddle rather than the seller's own processor
Lemon Squeezy
- Acting as merchant of record means Lemon Squeezy takes a percentage transaction fee on every sale on top of payment processing costs, rather than a flat subscription
Pricing, plan by plan
Paddle
$29/month- Standard$5/transaction
- Payment processing
- Tax compliance
- Billing
Lemon Squeezy
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Lemon Squeezy review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Paddle if
- You need payment processing.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want sales tax handling.
Choose Lemon Squeezy if
Nothing in the data separates Lemon Squeezy from Paddle on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Questions people ask
- Is Paddle or Lemon Squeezy better?
- Neither clearly leads. Paddle starts at $29/month and Lemon Squeezy at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Paddle or Lemon Squeezy?
- Paddle starts at $29/month and Lemon Squeezy at On request.
- Does Paddle or Lemon Squeezy run on more platforms?
- Paddle runs on Web, Api. Lemon Squeezy runs on Web.
- What is Paddle best used for?
- Paddle is most often used for selling saas or digital products with a merchant of record handling tax, global subscription billing and checkout, offloading sales tax and vat compliance for cross border sales. Of those, selling saas or digital products with a merchant of record handling tax and global subscription billing and checkout are not what Lemon Squeezy is typically brought in for.
- What can Paddle do that Lemon Squeezy cannot?
- Paddle covers Payment processing, Sales tax handling, Subscription management, Checkout.