Stripe vs Paddle(2026)
Stripe is better for teams that need best developer experience. Paddle is the stronger choice if handles all taxes globally. Stripe is paid (from 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction) and Paddle is paid (from 5% + 50¢ per transaction).
Full feature breakdown, pricing details, and pros & cons below.
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Stripe
Stripe is a suite of payment APIs that powers commerce for online businesses of all sizes.
Starting at 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction
Visit StripePaddle
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 PaddleHow Do Stripe and Paddle Compare on Features?
| Feature | Stripe | Paddle |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | paid | paid |
| Starting price | 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction | 5% + 50¢ per transaction |
| Card payments | ✓ | — |
| Subscriptions | ✓ | — |
| Invoicing | ✓ | — |
| Connect (marketplaces) | ✓ | — |
| Radar (fraud) | ✓ | — |
| Terminal (in-person) | ✓ | — |
| Stripe Checkout | ✓ | — |
| Merchant of Record | — | ✓ |
| Global tax handling | — | ✓ |
| Subscription management | — | ✓ |
| Revenue recovery | — | ✓ |
| Analytics | — | ✓ |
Stripe Pros and Cons vs Paddle
Stripe
Paddle
Should You Use Stripe or Paddle?
Choose Stripe if…
- •Best developer experience
- •Excellent documentation
- •Webhooks and APIs
Choose Paddle if…
- •Handles all taxes globally
- •Works for individuals
- •No need for business entity