Stripe vs Paddle
Stripe at 2.9% + 30¢ against Paddle at 5% + 50¢ — what the two-point difference actually buys, priced at real revenue.
| Service | Plan at 10,000 users | 1,000 users | 10,000 users | 100,000 users |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| StripeThe default PSP. You stay the merchant, so sales tax and VAT stay yours. | Standard4 Aug 2026 | $21 | $214 | $2,140 |
| PaddleMerchant of record — Paddle is the seller and files the tax. | Standard4 Aug 2026 | $30 | $300 | $3,000 |
| PolarMerchant of record built for developers, with paid tiers that cut the rate. | Pro4 Aug 2026 | $32 | $270 | $2,420 |
| CreemMerchant of record at a flat 3.9%, aimed squarely at indie SaaS. | Standard4 Aug 2026 | $24 | $236 | $2,360 |
Change any of those assumptions in the calculator.
Where this actually starts
This is not a comparison of payment processors. Paddle runs on the same card networks Stripe does, and the checkout experience is broadly the same.
You are comparing two points of margin against the job of registering for and filing sales tax in every jurisdiction you sell into.
What actually separates them
Who is the seller
On Stripe, you are. Your name is on the invoice, and the obligation to register for VAT in the EU, UK, Australia and a growing list of others is yours from the first sale. With Paddle, Paddle is the seller. It collects the tax, files it, and handles the audit if one comes.
What the two points cost in dollars
The table prices both on the same revenue. At small scale the difference is a rounding error against an accountant’s fee. At $50,000/mo it is around $1,000 a month, which is comfortably the cost of somebody competent handling tax compliance — and this is the crossover most people are actually looking for.
Stripe Tax is not the same thing
Stripe Tax adds 0.5% and calculates what is owed. It does not become the seller, does not register you anywhere, and does not file anything. It makes the job tractable; it does not remove it.
Control and data
Stripe gives you the customer relationship, the full API and every event. A merchant of record sits between you and the buyer, which means less flexibility in dunning, discounting and reporting, and a migration that is harder if you leave.
Which to pick
| If | Then |
|---|---|
| Selling into the US only | Stripe — the tax job is small, and two points is real money. |
| Selling worldwide and small | A merchant of record — Creem or Polar are cheaper than Paddle at the same service. |
| Selling worldwide at scale with real audit risk | Paddle — the premium buys the longest record of handling it. |
Questions
Can I use both?
Some do — Stripe for domestic sales, a merchant of record internationally. It works, and it doubles your reconciliation, webhook handling and subscription logic. Worth it only when the saved percentage clearly exceeds the engineering.
