Payments & Billing · decision tool
Stripe vs Paddle — cheap rails or tax off your plate?
2.9% + you handle global tax, or 5% all-in with liability on Paddle. The gap in dollars depends on YOUR revenue and ticket size — set both and see.
Prices verified 2026-07-15 against official pricing pages · fit weights are our estimates (see methodology) · share the URL to share your configuration
As of Jul 2026, with $5,000 monthly revenue, 29 $ average transaction, a $300 budget for this slot, Stripe ranks first for these inputs at 77% fit and a StackSays-estimated $196.60/month (Paddle: 54% fit, $336.00/month). Fit weights are our estimates; prices trace to official pages. Change any input below and the verdict recomputes.
Your situation
The verdict updates as you move these.
Clear pick for your inputs
The default payment rails — lowest fees, biggest ecosystem, tax stays YOUR problem
vs Paddle: fit 77% against 54%, est $196.60 against $336.00 per month
Comparing 2 tools head-to-head. Open the full field (4 options) →
The decision, in plain words
For a solo builder at $5,000 monthly revenue and a $300.00/mo budget for the payment provider slot, Stripe leads at 77% fit and $196.60/mo. The two rules doing the work: budget fit (~$196.6/mo is 66% of your $300/mo budget); ecosystem maturity (established — our estimate from ecosystem age, docs and hiring pool).
The gap to Paddle (54% fit) is wide at these inputs — you'd need to change your requirements, not your taste, to flip it.
Honest weak spot of the pick: no free tier — paying from day one.
Generated from the calculation above — every number traces to the sourced data; nothing here is written by an AI making things up.
Why Stripe scores 77%
How the $196.60/mo estimate is calculated
What could change this verdict
Cost risk
Official prices verified 2026-07-15; calculation is deterministic code over those prices.
At a glance
| Tool | Free tier | Paid entry | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | No free tier | Pay-as-you-go — 2.9% + $0.30 per successful card charge (domestic). International cards +0.8–1.5%, currency conversion +2%. Stripe Tax (+0.5%/tx) and Billing (+0.7% of volume) are separate add-ons | 2026-07-15 |
| Paddle | No free tier | Pay-as-you-go — 5% + $0.50 per checkout, all-inclusive (tax remittance, compliance, chargebacks). Products under $10 need custom pricing | 2026-07-15 |
Data sources
| Tool | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Stripe pricing page | 2026-07-15 |
| Paddle | Paddle pricing page | 2026-07-15 |
A monitor re-checks these pages for changes; when a vendor moves a price, the date updates and every verdict recomputes.
People also ask
What is the difference between a merchant of record and a payment processor?
A PSP (Stripe) moves money; you remain the seller — global sales tax registration, remittance and chargeback liability are yours. A merchant of record (Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, Polar) legally resells your product, so tax and compliance become THEIR problem. You pay for that: ~5% + $0.50 vs Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 (verified 2026-07-15).
Can I use Stripe in my country?
Stripe supports ~45 countries for account holders (India access is invite-only as of our last check). If Stripe isn't available where you incorporate, merchants of record like Paddle or Lemon Squeezy often are — they act as the seller, so YOUR country matters less. Country support changes often; verify on the provider's docs before committing.