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Software · head to head

Paddle vs Stripe

Paddle logo

Paddle

Software

The complete payments infrastructure for SaaS

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

Stripe

Software

Financial infrastructure for the internet

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Stripe has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Stripe requires developer setup and API integration for most use cases
  • They diverge on capability: Paddle covers Sales tax handling, Stripe covers Subscription billing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Paddle and Stripe actually diverge.

Attributes where Paddle and Stripe differ
AttributePaddleStripe
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20122010

Identical on both: 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

  • Sales tax handling
  • Subscription management
  • Checkout
  • Revenue metrics
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Various
  • PCI DSS

Only in Stripe

  • Subscription billing
  • Invoicing
  • Terminal (in-person payments)
  • Fraud prevention
  • 3D Secure
  • Global payouts
  • Financial reporting
  • Shopify

Both cover

  • Payment processing

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 Stripe
  • Global subscription billing and checkoutnot Stripe
  • Offloading sales tax and VAT compliance for cross border salesnot Stripe

Stripe

  • Online paymentsnot Paddle
  • Subscription managementnot Paddle
  • Marketplace paymentsnot Paddle
  • Global expansionnot Paddle
  • Platform monetizationnot Paddle

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

Stripe

  • Requires developer setup and API integration for most use cases
  • Dispute fee of $15 per chargeback is standard industry cost
  • Limited offline payment capabilities

Pricing, plan by plan

Paddle

$29/month
  • Standard$5/transaction
    • Payment processing
    • Tax compliance
    • Billing

Stripe

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Stripe review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Paddle if

  • You need sales tax handling.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want subscription management.
Paddle review

Choose Stripe if

  • You need subscription billing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want invoicing.
Stripe review

Questions people ask

Is Paddle or Stripe better?
Neither clearly leads. Paddle starts at $29/month and Stripe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Paddle or Stripe?
Stripe has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Paddle and Free for Stripe.
Does Paddle or Stripe run on more platforms?
Paddle runs on Web, Api. Stripe runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Stripe for free?
Yes. Stripe has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Paddle starts at $29/month.
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 Stripe is typically brought in for.
What can Paddle do that Stripe cannot?
Paddle covers Sales tax handling, Subscription management, Checkout, Revenue metrics. Stripe covers Subscription billing, Invoicing, Terminal (in-person payments), Fraud prevention. Both handle Payment processing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Stripe: What are Stripe's transaction fees?

Standard US rates are 2.9% plus 30 cents for online card payments, 2.7% plus 5 cents for in-person, 3.4% plus 30 cents for keyed/phone transactions, and 0.8% capped at $5 for ACH payments.

Source
Stripe: How many currencies and countries does it support?

Stripe accepts 135+ currencies and supports payment acceptance in 40+ countries through Stripe Connect, enabling sellers to onboard and receive payouts in minutes.

Source
Stripe: What payment methods are supported?

Stripe supports dozens of payment methods including credit/debit cards, ACH transfers, and local payment options, with additional support through partnerships with Meta and Google.

Source
Stripe: Are there monthly fees or contracts?

No. Stripe charges no monthly fees or contracts, only per-transaction fees and dispute fees, making costs fully transparent and variable.

Source
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