Paddle vs Stripe(2026)
Paddle is better for teams that need handles all taxes globally. Stripe is the stronger choice if best developer experience. Paddle is paid (from 5% + 50¢ per transaction) and Stripe is paid (from 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction).
Full feature breakdown, pricing details, and pros & cons below.
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Paddle
Paddle acts as the Merchant of Record, handling global payments, taxes, and compliance so you don't have to.
Starting at 5% + 50¢ per transaction
Visit PaddleStripe
Stripe is a suite of payment APIs that powers commerce for online businesses of all sizes.
Starting at 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction
Visit StripeHow Do Paddle and Stripe Compare on Features?
| Feature | Paddle | Stripe |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | paid | paid |
| Starting price | 5% + 50¢ per transaction | 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction |
| Merchant of Record | ✓ | — |
| Global tax handling | ✓ | — |
| Subscription management | ✓ | — |
| Revenue recovery | ✓ | — |
| Analytics | ✓ | — |
| Card payments | — | ✓ |
| Subscriptions | — | ✓ |
| Invoicing | — | ✓ |
| Connect (marketplaces) | — | ✓ |
| Radar (fraud) | — | ✓ |
| Terminal (in-person) | — | ✓ |
| Stripe Checkout | — | ✓ |
Paddle Pros and Cons vs Stripe
Paddle
Stripe
Should You Use Paddle or Stripe?
Choose Paddle if…
- •Handles all taxes globally
- •Works for individuals
- •No need for business entity
Choose Stripe if…
- •Best developer experience
- •Excellent documentation
- •Webhooks and APIs