Best Polar Alternatives for SaaS Startups

Best options at a glance

1. #1

   Creem

   Choose Creem for SaaS subscriptions, usage-based billing, credit packs, and revenue splits. It also handles Merchant of Record tax and payment compliance.

2. #2

   Dodo Payments

   Choose Dodo Payments for SaaS or AI products needing usage-based billing, global tax compliance, and payment integration. It targets Indian and Asian indie hackers.

3. #3

   Lemon Squeezy

   Choose Lemon Squeezy for SaaS subscriptions, global sales tax handling, and software license management in one platform.

4. #4

   Paddle

   Choose Paddle for international SaaS sales, subscription billing, and payment recovery. It combines Merchant of Record services with churn prevention features.

5. #5

   FastSpring

   Choose FastSpring for global SaaS subscriptions, localized checkout, and B2B software sales workflows. Custom pricing is available through its sales team.

Compare the best options

Compare the best options

Feature	Creem	Dodo Payments	Lemon Squeezy	Paddle	FastSpring
Starting Price	Standout: 3.9% + $0.40 per transaction	4% + $0.40 per transaction	5% + $0.50 per transaction	5% + $0.50 per transaction	Custom Quote
Billing Support	Subscriptions, trials, proration, per-seat pricing	Subscriptions, trials, proration, add-ons	SaaS subscriptions and recurring billing	Subscription billing, trials, upgrades, proration	Subscriptions, trials, plan changes, proration
Tax Compliance	VAT, GST, and sales tax handling	Tax calculation, filing, and reporting	Global sales tax and VAT handling	Global sales tax and VAT compliance	Applicable VAT and sales tax collection
Usage Billing	Usage-based billing and prepaid credit packs	Metered billing for API calls, credits, tokens	Usage-based billing	Flexible billing models, setup-dependent	Supported
Software Licensing	License key management	License Key Management	Software license key management	Software license key management	Software licensing and license delivery integrations
Payment Recovery	Automated payment recovery	Automated payment recovery	Automated payment recovery	Automated payment recovery and churn prevention	Automated payment recovery

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Best apps for different needs

Creem

Payment ProviderMerchant of Record

Pay as you goStarts from 3.9% + $0.40 per transaction

The complete payment platform for software companies.

What is Creem?

Creem is a Merchant of Record and payments platform for software companies, SaaS businesses, AI products, and digital products. It handles payments, taxes, compliance, subscriptions, revenue splits, fraud protection, invoicing, and payouts.

When should you choose Creem?

• Choose Creem when your SaaS needs Merchant of Record services for global tax and payment compliance.
• It supports recurring subscriptions, trials, per-seat pricing, and proration.
• Usage-based billing and prepaid credit packs support products charging for tokens or other metrics.
• Revenue splitting is available for co-founders, affiliates, and partners.

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Dodo Payments

Payment ProviderMerchant of Record

Pay as you goStarts from 4% + $0.40 per transaction

Payments and billing platform for SaaS, AI, and digital products.

What is Dodo Payments?

Dodo Payments is a Merchant of Record and payments platform for SaaS, AI, and digital product businesses. It handles global payments, subscriptions, usage-based billing, tax compliance, fraud protection, invoicing, and digital product distribution.

When should you choose Dodo Payments?

• Choose Dodo Payments when your SaaS needs global payments and Merchant of Record services.
• It supports recurring subscriptions, trials, proration, and metered usage billing.
• Indian and Asian indie hackers can use it to integrate payments into their apps.
• Its Standard plan starts at 4% + $0.40 per transaction.

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Lemon Squeezy

Payment ProviderMerchant of Record

Pay as you goStarts from 5% + $0.50 per transaction

Merchant of record for digital products and SaaS

What is Lemon Squeezy?

Lemon Squeezy is a merchant of record for digital products and SaaS, handling payments, taxes, subscriptions, and licensing for online businesses.

When should you choose Lemon Squeezy?

• Choose Lemon Squeezy when your SaaS needs global tax handling and subscription billing.
• It supports recurring payments, usage-based billing, and one-time payments.
• Software license keys and customer subscription management are included.
• Additional transaction fees can apply for international, PayPal, and subscription payments.

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Paddle

Payment ProviderMerchant of Record

Pay as you goStarts from 5% + $0.50 per transaction

Payments, billing, and tax compliance for software businesses.

What is Paddle?

Paddle is a Merchant of Record platform for SaaS, software, AI, and digital product businesses. It combines payments, subscription billing, tax compliance, fraud protection, invoicing, customer support, and revenue recovery in one platform.

When should you choose Paddle?

• Choose Paddle when your SaaS sells internationally and needs Merchant of Record tax compliance.
• It supports recurring subscriptions, trials, upgrades, downgrades, and proration.
• Payment recovery features help manage failed payments and subscription churn.
• Its standard pay-as-you-go pricing starts at 5% + $0.50 per Checkout transaction.

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FastSpring

Payment ProviderMerchant of Record

Pay as you goStarts from Custom Quote

Global Payments and Merchant of Record for software companies

What is FastSpring?

FastSpring is a merchant of record for SaaS, software, and digital products. It manages global payments, subscriptions, taxes, fraud, and checkout so businesses can sell internationally without handling compliance themselves.

When should you choose FastSpring?

• Choose FastSpring when your SaaS needs global subscription sales and localized checkout.
• It supports regional payment methods and currencies based on customer location.
• B2B software businesses can use digital quotes, invoicing, and CRM-connected workflows.
• Production pricing is transaction-based and negotiated with its sales team.

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Which one should you use?

• Choose Creem if you need revenue splits and usage-based billing. Creem supports credit packs, usage billing, and revenue splitting.
• Choose Dodo Payments if you are an Indian indie hacker integrating payments. Dodo Payments targets Indian and Asian indie hackers.
• Choose Lemon Squeezy if you need subscription billing and license keys. Lemon Squeezy combines SaaS billing and software licensing.
• Choose Paddle if you want payment recovery for subscriptions. Paddle includes automated payment recovery and churn prevention.
• Choose FastSpring if you need localized B2B checkout workflows. FastSpring supports localized checkout and sales-assisted B2B workflows.

Frequently asked questions