Stripe vs Paddle

Stripe vs Paddle comparison for SaaS developers. Compare pricing, features, tax handling, and developer experience to choose the right payment platform.

🏆

Verdict Rapide

Gagnant: Ça dépend

Stripe offers more control and lower fees at scale, but Paddle handles global tax compliance automatically. For most indie hackers selling globally, Paddle's simplicity wins. For US-focused or high-volume SaaS, Stripe is more cost-effective.

Choisissez Stripe si...

✓ You're primarily selling to US customers
✓ You need granular control over the checkout experience
✓ You're processing >$50k/month (fees matter more)
✓ You want to own the customer billing relationship
✓ You need marketplace/platform payment features

Choisissez Paddle si...

✓ You're selling globally and don't want to handle VAT/GST
✓ You want a Merchant of Record (they handle tax remittance)
✓ You're an indie hacker who wants payments solved, not managed
✓ You need built-in license key management
✓ You want simpler accounting (one invoice from Paddle)

Comparaison Fonctionnalité par Fonctionnalité

Catégorie	Stripe	Paddle	Gagnant
Pricing	2.9% + 30¢ per transaction. Volume discounts available. No monthly fees.	5% + 50¢ per transaction. Higher fees but includes tax handling.	Stripe
Free Tier	No monthly minimums. Pay per transaction only.	No monthly minimums. Pay per transaction only.	Égalité
Developer Experience	Excellent SDKs, comprehensive docs, great TypeScript support. Stripe CLI for local testing.	Good SDK, improving docs. Paddle Billing is newer and cleaner than legacy Paddle Classic.	Stripe
Documentation	Industry-leading documentation. Interactive examples, copy-paste code.	Good documentation, improving. Some legacy/new API confusion.	Stripe
Scalability	Powers Shopify, Amazon, Google. Proven at any scale.	Handles large SaaS businesses well. May have payout delays at very high volume.	Stripe
Features	Subscriptions, invoicing, Connect for marketplaces, Radar for fraud, Tax (add-on).	Subscriptions, one-time payments, license keys, built-in tax compliance, dunning.	Égalité

Comparaison de Code

Create a Checkout Session

typescript

import Stripe from 'stripe';

const stripe = new Stripe(process.env.STRIPE_SECRET_KEY);

const session = await stripe.checkout.sessions.create({
  mode: 'subscription',
  line_items: [{
    price: 'price_xxx',
    quantity: 1,
  }],
  success_url: 'https://example.com/success',
  cancel_url: 'https://example.com/cancel',
});

Stripe Checkout handles the payment UI. You redirect users to the hosted page.

Create a Checkout Session

typescript

import { Paddle } from '@paddle/paddle-node-sdk';

const paddle = new Paddle(process.env.PADDLE_API_KEY);

const transaction = await paddle.transactions.create({
  items: [{
    price_id: 'pri_xxx',
    quantity: 1,
  }],
  checkout: {
    url: 'https://example.com/checkout',
  },
});

Paddle's SDK creates transactions. Use Paddle.js overlay or redirect to hosted checkout.

🔄 Notes de Migration

Migrating from Stripe to Paddle requires re-creating subscriptions (no direct import). Consider running both in parallel during transition. Paddle provides migration guides for moving customers.

Questions Fréquemment Posées

Is Paddle more expensive than Stripe? ▼

Paddle charges 5% + 50¢ vs Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢, but Paddle includes sales tax compliance. If you factor in tax software costs ($500-2000/year) and accounting time, Paddle can be cheaper for global SaaS businesses.

Which is better for indie hackers? ▼

Paddle is generally better for indie hackers selling globally because it handles VAT/GST automatically and acts as Merchant of Record. Stripe is better if you're US-focused or want more control.

Can I switch from Stripe to Paddle? ▼

Yes, but it requires migrating subscriptions manually. Paddle doesn't import Stripe subscriptions directly. Plan for a transition period where you run both platforms.

Essayer Stripe

Financial infrastructure for the internet

Essayer Paddle

Revenue delivery platform for B2B SaaS

⚖ Comparer dans l'Outil Interactif

Dernière mise à jour: January 11, 2026