Payment Processors Comparison

Select up to 3 payment processors to compare across key dimensions. Data is approximate and for informational purposes only.

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This month's picks

How we pick

The real fork for cross-border founders is Merchant of Record vs raw processor. An MoR (Paddle, Lemon Squeezy) collects and remits global VAT and sales tax for you; a processor (Stripe) is cheaper and more flexible but leaves tax compliance on you. Pick on who carries the tax burden, not headline transaction fees.

OUR PICK

Stripe

Best for: Card-first global revenue, widest acceptance, developer tooling — you handle sales tax and VAT yourself

Visit Stripe
BEST MOR FOR SAAS

Paddle

Best for: SaaS selling worldwide that wants VAT and sales tax handled as Merchant of Record

Visit Paddle
SIMPLEST MOR

Lemon Squeezy

Best for: Digital products and courses, lower volume, fastest MoR setup with tax handled

Visit Lemon Squeezy
Model
Payment processor
Merchant of Record
Payment processor
Domestic Card Fee (US)
2.9% + $0.30
5% + $0.50
3.49% + $0.49
International Card Fee
+1.5%
Included
+1.5%
Currency Conversion
+1%
Included
3–4% markup
Chargeback Fee
$15 per dispute
Paddle absorbs
$20 per dispute
Monthly Fee
$0
$0
$0
Sales Tax / VAT
Stripe Tax add-on (+0.5%)
Included (200+ territories)
Not available
Tax Filing & Remittance
No (founder files)
Yes (Paddle files as MoR)
No (founder files)
Subscription Billing
Stripe Billing (+0.5–0.8%)
Included
Free (basic)
Payout Frequency
2-day rolling
Monthly (NET 15–30)
Instant to PayPal; 1–5 days to bank
Payout Currencies
Matches bank country
USD, EUR, GBP
25 currencies
US Bank Required
Yes
No
No
Charge in Local Currencies
135+ currencies
30+ currencies
PayPal-controlled UX
Account Freeze Risk
Low–moderate
Low–moderate
High (180-day holds)
Platform Type
Direct processor
Merchant of Record
Direct processor
Notes

Most flexible payment infrastructure. Lower base rate but fees add up with international cards + tax + billing add-ons. Full control over customer relationship and data.

Higher base rate but includes everything: tax calculation, filing, chargebacks, international fees. You never register for VAT/GST. Trade-off: Paddle owns the customer relationship and monthly payouts.

Ubiquitous brand trust but highest total cost. High FX markup, account freeze risk (180-day holds), limited data portability. Best as secondary payment option alongside Stripe.

All data is approximate and intended for informational comparison only. Pricing, features, and availability change frequently. Verify all figures directly with each provider before making payment decisions.

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How We Compared

We compared transaction fees, supported payment methods, international coverage, merchant of record status, and tax handling across payment processors used by cross-border founders.

11 data points per service·Last reviewed March 2026

Why Trust This

  • ✓Built by Jett Fu — 20+ years running cross-border businesses
  • ✓Affiliate links are marked. Most services listed have no affiliate relationship. Details
  • ✓Data sourced from provider websites. We verify pricing and features periodically.

Head-to-Head Comparisons

Stripe vs PaddleStripe vs PaypalPaddle vs Lemon SqueezyStripe vs Lemon SqueezyPaypal vs PaddlePaypal vs Lemon Squeezy

Read the Full Comparisons

Stripe vs PayPal vs Paddle: Fee Breakdown (2026)

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Stripe 2.9% vs Paddle 5% vs Lemon Squeezy 5%: Real Fees 2026

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How Payment Freezes Actually Work

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Payments are one piece — map your whole structure

Two free ways to map your cross-border risk across Money, Entity, Tax, and Accountability — pick the depth that fits your time.

Free META Diagnostic5-min chat · full structural mapFree Risk Check7 questions · 2 min · instant scorecard