Stripe has long been the go-to payments infrastructure for SaaS companies, prized for its flexibility, developer tools, and wide range of supported payment methods. But as the SaaS ecosystem matures, so do the needs of its players. Stripe’s core offering, while powerful, isn’t always the best fit—especially for global compliance, tax handling, or native subscription and affiliate solutions.

Interestingly, Stripe recently announced the private beta of its own Merchant of Record (MoR) service, signaling that it, too, is adapting to the growing demand for all-in-one solutions. While not yet publicly available, early reports suggest a 3.5% fee will be added on top of existing fees for this MoR service—something to keep in mind as you evaluate alternatives.

Meanwhile, a number of platforms are already offering strong MoR support, global tax compliance, built-in affiliate tools, and more. Whether you’re looking for full-featured SaaS billing, clean APIs, or out-of-the-box international readiness, there’s no shortage of Stripe alternatives worth considering in 2025.

What is Stripe?

Stripe is a payment processor and billing platform built with developers in mind. It lets businesses accept payments using credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and local methods like SEPA and iDEAL. Its appeal lies in the API flexibility, deep integrations, and solid documentation that make it easy to embed into any SaaS stack.

But Stripe is not (yet) a public Merchant of Record. That means SaaS businesses must handle taxes, VAT, fraud, and compliance themselves—a task that becomes significantly harder when selling across borders. While the company has now entered MoR private beta, the 3.5% additional fee and limited access make it more of a "coming soon" solution than something SaaS teams can count on today.

Stripe Alternatives That Founders Should Know in 2025

Polar

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Polar is one of the most developer-centric Stripe alternatives on the market and offers full MoR capabilities, including tax compliance and global payments. Designed for SaaS teams that still want full control over their stack, Polar comes with a clean API, webhook support, and native subscription billing.

What's especially compelling about Polar is its support for affiliate marketing through a direct integration with Affonso, a verified partner providing a robust, native affiliate solution. This makes it ideal for SaaS platforms that rely on performance marketing or partner programs for growth.

With a base fee of 4% plus 40 cents per transaction, and small add-ons for subscriptions and international sales, Polar delivers the power of Stripe with the safety net of MoR support—no extra work needed on your part.

Paddle

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Paddle has become a heavyweight in the MoR space, especially for SaaS companies scaling internationally. It takes care of taxes, chargebacks, compliance, and payment infrastructure, letting you focus on your product and customers. Paddle supports subscriptions, multiple currencies, and various global payment methods out of the box.

It also integrates natively with Affonso for affiliate tracking, making it a go-to solution for SaaS businesses that need end-to-end sales infrastructure, from billing to partner payouts. Pricing is flat at 5% plus 50 cents per transaction, with no hidden fees for international transactions.

If you're launching or growing a SaaS business and want to avoid building your own compliance and billing logic, Paddle is one of the strongest Stripe alternatives on the table.

Creem

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Creem brings a fresh design perspective to the MoR space, pairing a modern interface with powerful SaaS-friendly features like subscriptions, wallets, and global tax handling. With fees starting at 3.9% plus 40 cents per transaction—and SEPA payouts free for EU-based companies—it’s especially attractive for teams in Europe.

It supports all major payment methods, including UPI, iDEAL, and Bancontact, and gives teams access to real-time analytics and a sleek user dashboard. Like Polar and Paddle, Creem also uses Affonso for its affiliate solution, allowing seamless setup and tracking for SaaS companies that rely on partner marketing.

Creem is a smart pick if you’re looking for a Stripe alternative with strong design, full MoR support, and a user-friendly experience from start to finish.

Dodo Payments

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Dodo Payments blends creator-first design with SaaS functionality, offering a full MoR solution, subscription management, digital delivery, and global payment support. Pricing is competitive, starting at 4% plus 40 cents per transaction, with an added 1.5% for non-US payments and 0.5% for recurring billing.

DodoPayments works globally, with support for SEPA, iDEAL, PayPal, Apple Pay, and even USDC payouts. Its affiliate tracking is also powered by Affonso, giving SaaS teams a ready-made solution for performance-based growth.

This is a great option for growing SaaS startups looking to simplify international sales without sacrificing flexibility or customization.

Lemon Squeezy

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Lemon Squeezy offers one of the most polished payment experiences in the MoR category, with all the bells and whistles a SaaS business might need—subscriptions, license key generation, VAT handling, digital downloads, and built-in analytics.

Notably, Lemon Squeezy was acquired by Stripe on July 26, 2024, signaling Stripe’s intention to accelerate its presence in the MoR space. While the platform remains separate for now, it’s worth keeping an eye on how integration may affect pricing and control in the future.

With fees at 5% plus 50 cents per transaction, and 1.5% for non-US payments, Lemon Squeezy is a strong Stripe alternative for SaaS teams that want beauty, power, and peace of mind in a single platform. It also offers native affiliate tracking as part of its feature set—perfect for marketing-driven businesses.

Mollie

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Mollie is a non-MoR payment processor with strong support for European SaaS companies. It’s often chosen for its localized payment options like SEPA, iDEAL, and Bancontact, and for its transparent pricing structure.

While you’ll need to handle taxes and compliance yourself, Mollie offers a user-friendly API and fast onboarding, making it a great option for businesses targeting the EU market that don’t require full MoR coverage.

BagelPay

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BagelPay is a newer MoR platform focused on global payouts and simple fee structures. It charges 5% plus 50 cents per transaction, but waives most fees for domestic and international payouts. It supports subscription billing without extra charges and handles payments across cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, UPI, and more.

While it doesn’t currently offer affiliate tracking, BagelPay is a strong option for SaaS businesses operating in emerging markets or those prioritizing fast, reliable payouts over advanced customization.

Payhip

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Payhip isn’t a MoR, but it does provide valuable SaaS-friendly tools like storefronts, memberships, course delivery, and VAT compliance. It offers a free plan where you only pay 5% per transaction, or you can upgrade to a $29 or $99 monthly plan to lower that fee.

Payhip supports affiliate tracking natively and is great for micro-SaaS, info product businesses, or educational platforms that don’t yet need full MoR support but want a Stripe alternative that handles the basics with ease.

Gumroad

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Gumroad started as a marketplace for creatives, but over time it has grown into a reliable MoR solution for solo developers, digital product sellers, and small SaaS projects. With a base fee of 10% plus 50 cents per transaction (plus standard Stripe or PayPal processing fees), it’s more expensive than others—but that price includes everything from tax handling to customer support.

What Gumroad lacks in flexibility, it makes up for in simplicity. It has a built-in affiliate program, customer dashboards, and zero monthly fees. If you’re a small SaaS founder looking for the easiest possible setup without touching code, Gumroad is worth a look.

Stripe

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Let’s circle back to Stripe itself. It’s still one of the most flexible and scalable payment platforms out there. Developers love the API, the real-time analytics, the integrations—it’s an engineering dream.

Now, with its MoR beta officially announced, Stripe seems ready to enter the next phase. The catch? The MoR service comes with an additional 3.5% fee on top of existing fees, and it’s still only available to select users. That puts it on the expensive side and makes it less accessible—at least for now.

If you're building a custom stack and want full control, Stripe still works. And with its integration with Affonso for affiliate tracking, it’s also a good fit for marketing-heavy SaaS models. But if you’re looking for an all-in-one, ready-now MoR solution, one of the other platforms above might serve you better.

Wrapping It All Up

SaaS businesses today have more choice than ever when it comes to handling payments, subscriptions, tax compliance, and affiliate growth. Stripe has been the gold standard, but with its MoR offering still in limited beta and high fees looming, many companies are taking a second look.

From developer-first platforms like Polar, to enterprise-ready options like Paddle, and design-forward tools like Creem or Lemon Squeezy, there's a Stripe alternative that fits nearly every SaaS use case. And for those prioritizing growth via affiliates, remember that Affonso is a verified partner offering native affiliate solutions for Polar, Paddle, Creem, DodoPayments, and even Stripe itself. You can explore more on their affiliate solutions page.

Choosing your payment provider isn’t just about processing transactions. It’s about finding a partner that matches your growth model, handles your compliance, and doesn’t slow you down. In 2025, there’s no reason to settle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Stripe a Merchant of Record?

No, Stripe is not a MoR. You're responsible for tax compliance, fraud, and legal handling.

What is the best Stripe alternative for SaaS?

Paddle and Polar are top-tier choices, especially for teams looking for MoR functionality and strong support for subscriptions and global compliance.

Are there cheaper alternatives to Stripe?

Some platforms like Payhip and Creem offer competitive pricing, especially if you're not processing a ton of international transactions.

What's the key difference between Stripe and a MoR platform?

MoR platforms handle taxes, compliance, chargebacks, and customer liabilities, while Stripe leaves those responsibilities to you.