# Paddle vs Lemon Squeezy vs Polar (2026): Fees Compared

> Paddle vs Lemon Squeezy vs Polar in 2026: all three charge 5% + $0.50 to start. Paddle has no surcharges; Lemon Squeezy and Polar add fees on international cards. Which to pick, checked October 2026.

Source: https://agentaos.ai/paddle-vs-lemon-squeezy-vs-polar (canonical HTML page). Publisher: AgentaOS (Aristokrates OÜ, Estonia).

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Merchants of Record compared

# Paddle vs Lemon Squeezy vs Polar

**The problem**“Paddle, Lemon Squeezy and Polar all say 5% + 50 cents. Which one actually costs less, and which should I pick?”

**All three start at 5% + \$0.50 per sale; the extras decide it.** Paddle adds nothing for international cards or subscriptions, so it is the cheapest of the three when most buyers are outside the US. Lemon Squeezy adds 1.5% on international cards and 0.5% on subscriptions. Polar adds 1.5% on international cards but drops its rate on paid plans from \$20 a month. All three are merchants of record, so sales tax, VAT and invoices are handled.

Reviewed by [Panche Isajeski](https://agentaos.ai/about), founder of AgentaOS, 19+ years in payments, [featured on Indie Hackers](https://www.indiehackers.com/post/tech/starting-from-scratch-and-hitting-9-5k-mrr-in-two-months-j5pMaED5FEbKw8qmeyj9). Checked 17 October 2026. General information, not financial, tax or legal advice.

[Try AgentaOS free](https://app.agentaos.ai/?src=paddle-vs-ls-vs-polar)[All MoR fees side by side](https://agentaos.ai/merchant-of-record-fees)[Free pricing score](https://agentaos.ai/ai-pricing-agent?src=paddle-vs-lemon-squeezy-vs-polar)

In one table

## Fees and extras, *side by side*

|  | [Paddle](https://agentaos.ai/paddle-alternative) | [Lemon Squeezy](https://agentaos.ai/lemon-squeezy-alternative) | [Polar](https://agentaos.ai/polar-alternative) |
|----|----|----|----|
| **Per sale** | 5% + \$0.50 | 5% + \$0.50 | 5% + \$0.50 (Starter) |
| **International cards** | No extra fee | +1.5% | +1.5% |
| **Subscriptions** | No extra fee | +0.5% | None listed |
| **Monthly fee** | \$0 | \$0 | \$0 (Pro from \$20 for lower rates) |
| **Payout** | Free by SEPA or ACH, \$15 SWIFT | Free in the US, 1% elsewhere | Stripe payout fees pass through |
| **Legal seller (handles VAT)** | Paddle | Lemon Squeezy | Polar |
| **Best for** | B2B and international SaaS | Creators and info products | Developer tools, open source |

Each provider’s published price: Paddle checked 6 October, Lemon Squeezy and Polar 14 October 2026. Sources: [Paddle](https://www.paddle.com/pricing), [Lemon Squeezy](https://www.lemonsqueezy.com/pricing), [Polar](https://polar.sh/resources/pricing).

Pick

## Which one *should you pick*?

1.  Paddle**Most buyers abroad**

    No international card or subscription surcharge, so the 5% is the whole fee. Common choice for B2B SaaS.

2.  Lemon Squeezy**Creators and courses**

    Simple storefront and digital delivery. Owned by Stripe. Watch the 1.5% international and 0.5% subscription extras.

3.  Polar**Developer tools**

    Open source and developer-first. Lower rates only on paid plans; payouts via Stripe Connect Express, which does not cover every country.

Other options

## Lower fees, or *run by your AI agent*

If the fee is what matters most, Creem (3.9% + \$0.40) and Dodo Payments (4% + \$0.40) have lower headline rates. AgentaOS is 4.5% + €0.50 with no monthly fee, or 4% + €0.40 on Pro; it is the merchant of record your AI agent can run over MCP, with Pricing Intelligence included, and it pays out in countries Stripe does not reach. AgentaOS wrote this page and is one of the providers it mentions.

Every provider with every extra fee and payout cost: [Merchant of Record fees, side by side](https://agentaos.ai/merchant-of-record-fees). By use case: [best Merchant of Record for SaaS](https://agentaos.ai/best-merchant-of-record). More: [Paddle alternatives](https://agentaos.ai/paddle-alternative) · [Lemon Squeezy alternatives](https://agentaos.ai/lemon-squeezy-alternative) · [Polar alternatives](https://agentaos.ai/polar-alternative) · [Creem](https://agentaos.ai/creem-alternative).

Questions

## Straight *answers*

### Which is cheapest: Paddle, Lemon Squeezy or Polar?

At the entry price they cost the same: 5% + \$0.50 per sale. Paddle adds nothing for international cards or subscriptions. Lemon Squeezy adds 1.5% on international cards and 0.5% on subscriptions. Polar adds 1.5% on international cards and offers lower rates on paid plans from \$20 a month.

### Are all three merchants of record?

Yes. Each is the legal seller, so each charges and files sales tax and VAT, issues invoices and handles chargebacks.

### Which is best for a SaaS with international customers?

Paddle, if most buyers are outside the US, because it has no international card surcharge. Polar suits developer tools and open source. Lemon Squeezy suits creators and info products and is owned by Stripe.

### What about payouts?

Paddle pays out free by SEPA or ACH and \$15 by SWIFT. Lemon Squeezy is free in the US and 1% elsewhere. Polar passes Stripe payout fees through and pays out via Stripe Connect Express, which does not cover every country.

### Is there an alternative with lower fees?

Creem (3.9% + \$0.40) and Dodo Payments (4% + \$0.40) have lower headline rates. AgentaOS is 4.5% + €0.50, or 4% + €0.40 on Pro, and is the one your AI agent can run over MCP. See every provider side by side on the Merchant of Record fees page.

Keep reading

## Related

[Paddle fees explained](https://agentaos.ai/answers/paddle-fees)[Lemon Squeezy fees explained](https://agentaos.ai/answers/lemon-squeezy-fees)[Polar fees explained](https://agentaos.ai/answers/polar-fees)[What is a Merchant of Record?](https://agentaos.ai/answers/what-is-a-merchant-of-record)[Merchant of Record for AI agents](https://agentaos.ai/merchant-of-record-for-ai-agents)

Sources: [Paddle pricing](https://www.paddle.com/pricing) · [Lemon Squeezy pricing](https://www.lemonsqueezy.com/pricing) · [Polar pricing](https://polar.sh/resources/pricing) · [AgentaOS pricing](https://agentaos.ai/pricing)