EnglishStripe, Paddle or Lemon Squeezy: What Remains from a Small SaaS Subscription?
Contents
Fee percentages alone are difficult to compare when providers cover different services. A payment processor handles the payment. A Merchant of Record takes on additional seller responsibilities for that transaction, within the scope of its contract. You still need to account for running the product and meeting your own company obligations.
Four products, not three brands
Stripe is not simply a processing-only option: Managed Payments is offered as a Merchant-of-Record product. Standard Payments and Managed Payments therefore need separate comparison against Paddle and Lemon Squeezy. Eligibility, countries, contracts and actual availability need checking for the particular business. [2]
| Product | Public base on 5 October 2026 | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe Payments, Germany | 1.5% + €0.25 for standard EEA cards | Not a universal card rate; additional products separate |
| Stripe Managed Payments | Additional 3.5% on processing | Other products may cost separately |
| Paddle | 5% + US$0.50 per checkout | Check agreement and custom terms |
| Lemon Squeezy | Base 5% + US$0.50 | Check subscription, international and PayPal extras |
These published bases are not equivalent final quotes for one buyer. Euros and dollars are not combined without exchange rates. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Fixed fees affect small sales
A simplified US$20 checkout at 5% plus US$0.50 costs US$1.50, or 7.5%. At US$100, it costs US$5.50, or 5.5%. This is base arithmetic without tax, conversion, extras or refunds. Actual subscription charges may differ.
The complete comparison
Compare providers using the same customer cases: the same payment methods, buyer countries, currencies, subscription types and refunds. Fees may be calculated on a different amount from the net proceeds you want to receive. Include payout timing, reserves, disputes and refund fees, using the figures and conditions in the actual offer and agreement.
Internal labour includes invoicing questions, reconciliation and support. Technical product support remains with the SaaS provider even if a MoR handles transaction-related buyer questions. Lower processing percentages alone do not prove cheaper overall operation.
Before switching
Test mode should cover checkout, renewal, cancellation, failed payment and refund. Permissions change only after verified payment events; duplicate webhooks must have the same effect. An exit plan needs data exports and treatment of existing subscriptions. Payment methods cannot simply move freely between providers.
The suitable provider follows from a common case list and required service scope. A universal ranking without those foundations offers little value to a small SaaS.
Related tools
Questions and answers
Is Stripe categorically not a Merchant of Record?
That statement is outdated. Standard Payments and Managed Payments are different products.
Is 5% plus US$0.50 the full subscription fee?
Not automatically. Extras, calculation base and specific terms matter.
Sources
- Stripe Germany: Pricing
- Stripe Managed Payments
- Paddle: Pricing
- Lemon Squeezy: Pricing
- Lemon Squeezy: Fees
Sources checked: 5 October 2026.
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