8 Lemon Squeezy Alternatives

Lemon Squeezy established itself as a creator-friendly merchant of record (MoR) platform with an elegant interface and all-in-one approach to digital commerce. However, since the Stripe acquisition in July 2024, the landscape has shifted considerably. Users now report extended onboarding times, unclear product roadmaps, and fee structures that can climb to 10-18% with add-ons—well above the advertised 5% + 50¢ base rate. For businesses selling digital products, subscriptions, or physical goods, these eight alternatives offer compelling paths forward, starting with platforms built for true commerce flexibility and headless commerce capabilities.

Key Takeaways

• Fee transparency matters more than base rates: Lemon Squeezy's 5% + 50¢ base fee can reach 10-18% after international, PayPal, and subscription add-ons—platforms like Swell charge 0% transaction fees on external payment gateways
• Subscription commerce requires native infrastructure: Third-party subscription apps create integration complexity and additional costs, while Swell's built-in subscription engine works with any payment gateway through its encrypted card vault
• Physical and digital product support varies dramatically: Most MoR platforms focus exclusively on digital goods, while API-first platforms like Swell support physical products, digital downloads, services, bundles, and gift cards from a single backend
• Post-acquisition uncertainty drives migration: Users report weeks-long approval processes and declining support quality since Lemon Squeezy joined Stripe
• Global commerce demands multi-currency flexibility: Swell processes payments across 230 currencies and supports content localization in 170 languages—critical for businesses with international customer bases

1. Swell — API-First Commerce for Complete Flexibility

Swell stands as the most comprehensive alternative for businesses needing both digital and physical product capabilities with full subscription ecommerce support built directly into the platform.

Key Features:

• 0% transaction fees on external payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal, Braintree, Authorize.Net)
• Native subscription billing with flexible intervals, dunning rules, and mixed cart support
• Unlimited product options, variants, and attributes (no artificial caps)
• Multi-currency pricing across 230 currencies with explicit pricing rules per currency
• Custom checkout via API or PCI-compliant hosted checkout
• Tax compliance integrations with Avalara AvaTax and TaxJar

Pricing Structure:

• Starter: $29/month (up to $50K annual sales)
• Basic: $79/month (up to $250K annual sales)
• Standard: $299/month (up to $1M annual sales)
• Unlimited: $2,250/month (up to $5M annual sales)

Swell's architecture differs fundamentally from MoR platforms. Rather than acting as the seller of record, Swell provides the commerce infrastructure that lets you maintain direct customer relationships while handling subscriptions, payments, and fulfillment through a unified API. The same Backend API powering Swell's dashboard is available to developers, enabling complete customization of checkout experiences, storefronts, and business logic.

For subscription businesses, Swell's native engine eliminates dependencies on third-party apps that charge additional fees. Features like automatic payment retry, card expiration notifications, and customer self-service for pause/resume functionality come standard. Merchants like Velobici leverage Swell's product bundling capabilities alongside multi-currency pricing across 17 currencies—functionality that would require multiple paid apps on traditional platforms.

2. Paddle — Enterprise MoR with All-Inclusive Pricing

Paddle serves as the established enterprise choice in the merchant of record space, powering 4,000+ software companies with transparent pricing that includes tax compliance, payment processing, and fraud protection in a single fee.

Core Strengths:

• All-inclusive 5% + 50¢ pricing with no hidden add-ons
• 200+ payment methods for maximum global reach
• Automatic VAT/GST calculation and remittance across jurisdictions
• Advanced B2B invoicing with net terms and purchase orders
• Subscription management with built-in dunning and revenue recovery

Pricing Model:

• No monthly platform fees
• 5% + 50¢ per transaction (all-inclusive)
• Custom enterprise rates available for high-volume sellers

Paddle's strength lies in predictability. Unlike Lemon Squeezy's fee structure that adds 1.5% for international payments and another 1.5% for PayPal transactions, Paddle's single rate covers everything. For a $100 international subscription sale via PayPal, Paddle charges $5.50 total while Lemon Squeezy can reach $329.00 in fees.

The platform's 200+ payment methods significantly exceed Lemon Squeezy's 21, providing better conversion rates in regions where local payment options matter.

3. Dodo Payments — Budget-Friendly MoR for Indie Developers

Dodo Payments has emerged as the cost-conscious choice for solo founders and micro-SaaS businesses, offering the lowest MoR fees in the market during its beta period.

Standout Features:

• 4% + 40¢ fees (beta pricing)
• Built-in affiliate program management
• License key generation for software products
• Abandoned cart recovery automation
• Regional payment support including UPI and SEPA

Pricing:

• No monthly platform fees
• 4% + 40¢ per transaction (beta)
• +1.5% for international payments
• +0.5% for subscription transactions

Dodo's rapid onboarding directly addresses one of the most common complaints about Lemon Squeezy post-acquisition—users reporting multi-week waits for approval. For indie hackers who need to start selling quickly, this speed advantage proves valuable.

4. Stripe — Maximum API Control for Technical Teams

Stripe remains the dominant payment processor, and its emerging MoR beta offering provides the deepest technical customization available—though with added complexity.

Technical Capabilities:

• Industry-leading API with comprehensive documentation
• 100+ payment methods globally
• Custom payment flows for unique checkout experiences
• Largest integration ecosystem among payment platforms
• Advanced fraud detection and prevention tools

Fee Structure:

• 2.9% + 30¢ base fee
• +1% for international cards
• +3.5% for MoR services (beta)
• +0.7% for subscription billing

Stripe's MoR beta adds approximately 3.5% on top of standard fees, potentially reaching 8%+ for international subscription sales. The platform excels for technical teams who want granular control over payment experiences but requires handling tax compliance through additional integrations.

For businesses seeking Stripe's payment processing without the complexity, Swell integrates directly with Stripe through its payment gateway setup—providing the reliability of Stripe's infrastructure with Swell's commerce features and 0% platform transaction fees.

5. Gumroad — Creator Marketplace with Built-in Discovery

Gumroad differentiates through its marketplace discovery feature, where creators can tap into existing audience traffic rather than building from scratch.

Platform Highlights:

• Instant setup with no approval process required
• Discover marketplace for product visibility
• Basic email marketing tools included
• Simple affiliate program functionality
• MoR status added in 2024

Fee Structure:

• 10% + 50¢ per transaction
• Payment processor fees additional (~2.9% + 30¢)
• 30% fee on marketplace-discovered sales

Gumroad's effective rate exceeding 13% makes it the most expensive option for direct sales. However, for creators without existing audiences, the marketplace discovery feature can drive sales that wouldn't otherwise occur. The platform's instant activation appeals to those frustrated by approval delays elsewhere.

6. Shopify — Full E-commerce Ecosystem

Shopify provides the most comprehensive e-commerce ecosystem with 8,000+ apps addressing virtually any business requirement—though it operates as a platform rather than a merchant of record.

E-commerce Capabilities:

• Physical and digital product support in unified catalog
• Multi-channel selling across social, marketplace, and POS
• Extensive theme and customization options
• Built-in subscription support
• Comprehensive analytics and reporting

Monthly Pricing:

• Basic: $19/month
• Grow: $49/month
• Advanced: $299/month
• Plus: $2,300/month for enterprise

Shopify requires merchants to handle tax compliance through apps like Avalara or TaxJar, adding both cost and complexity. For businesses comparing Shopify against more flexible options, Swell offers Shopify theme compatibility for migration flexibility while providing unlimited product options, variants, and attributes—areas where Shopify previously had a 100-variant limit, which has now been increased to 2,048, though it still has a 3-option limit.

7. Payhip — Freemium Option for Solo Creators

Payhip serves budget-conscious solo creators with a free plan option, making it accessible for those just starting out.

Features:

• Free plan available with higher transaction fees
• Digital product delivery automation
• Basic membership and subscription tools
• Affiliate program support
• Simple storefront builder

Pricing Tiers:

• Free: + 5% transaction fee
• Plus: $29/month + 2% transaction fee
• Pro: $99/month + 0% transaction fee

Payhip's freemium model allows creators to test products without upfront investment, upgrading as revenue grows.

8. Polar — Developer-Focused MoR

Polar targets technical founders with a developer-friendly approach to merchant of record services, featuring GitHub integrations and clean API design.

Developer Features:

• GitHub-native integrations for open source monetization
• Clean, modern API design
• EU-optimized with free SEPA payouts
• License key management for software
• Subscription billing support

Polar's early-stage growth and developer focus make it particularly suited for open source projects and technical SaaS products.

Why Users Seek Lemon Squeezy Alternatives

The July 2024 Stripe acquisition triggered significant changes that drive users toward alternatives:

Onboarding Delays: Users consistently report weeks-long approval processes that previously took days. For businesses needing to launch quickly, this represents a critical bottleneck.

Fee Transparency: The advertised 5% + 50¢ base rate expands significantly with add-ons for international payments (+1.5%), PayPal transactions (+1.5%), and subscription billing (+0.5%). A European customer purchasing via PayPal subscription can trigger effective rates approaching 8.9%.

Roadmap Uncertainty: Post-acquisition concerns about product direction have accelerated migration planning among existing users.

Security Considerations: A security vulnerability in the API was reported and resolved in 2024 raised additional concerns about platform security.

Choosing the Right Alternative

For subscription-first businesses: Swell's native subscription engine eliminates third-party dependencies while supporting mixed carts, flexible billing intervals, and customer self-service.

For enterprise SaaS: Paddle's transparent all-inclusive pricing and 200+ payment methods provide predictable costs at scale.

For budget-conscious indie hackers: Dodo Payments offers the lowest MoR fees with rapid onboarding.

For technical teams wanting control: Stripe provides maximum API flexibility, though complexity and fees increase significantly.

For marketplace discovery: Gumroad's built-in audience can drive sales for creators without existing traffic.

For hybrid physical/digital catalogs: Swell and Shopify both support mixed product types, with Swell offering greater flexibility through its API-first architecture and 0% gateway transaction fees.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Merchant of Record and why does it matter for digital products?

A Merchant of Record (MoR) handles legal responsibility for transactions, including tax collection, compliance, and fraud liability. For digital product sellers, MoR platforms like Paddle and Lemon Squeezy simplify global tax compliance by acting as the official seller, though this means the platform—not you—owns the customer relationship. Swell takes a different approach: you maintain direct customer relationships while leveraging tax integrations with Avalara and TaxJar for compliance.

How do transaction fees differ between payment processing platforms?

Fee structures vary significantly across platforms. Lemon Squeezy's 5% + 50¢ base can reach 10-18% with add-ons, while Paddle charges all-inclusive 5% + 50¢. Gumroad takes 10% + fees, and Swell charges 0% transaction fees on external gateways, collecting only monthly platform fees based on sales volume tiers.

Can I migrate subscriptions from Lemon Squeezy to an alternative platform?

Direct subscription transfers between MoR platforms present challenges since customer payment methods are stored with the original platform, requiring re-collection of payment information. Platforms like Freemius offer guided migration support, while Swell's subscription management system includes an encrypted card vault that works with any payment gateway.

What international tax compliance features should I look for?

Key features include automatic tax calculation by jurisdiction, support for VAT/GST across multiple countries, and integration with tax authorities for remittance. MoR platforms handle this automatically, while non-MoR solutions like Swell provide integrations with Avalara AvaTax and TaxJar for region-specific compliance with custom tax rule groups.

How does Swell compare to Shopify for handling subscriptions and custom checkouts?

Swell includes native subscription billing in all plans without third-party apps, while Shopify requires apps like ReCharge that add cost and integration complexity. For checkout customization, Swell provides full Checkout API access for custom payment flows, while Shopify restricts checkout modifications even on Shopify Plus. Swell also removes the 3-option limit and previous 100-variant cap (now 2,048) that Shopify imposes.