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COMPARISON

Paddle is built for SaaS.
We are built for both.

Both of us are the Merchant of Record, so tax, fraud and disputes sit with the platform either way. The difference is the rate, the 50¢ on every order, and how many ways your buyers can actually pay.

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PLATFORM FEE
PayNow2.5%as low as, plus the gateway fee. No fixed fee per order.
Paddle5%+ 50¢ per transaction, with processing bundled in.
FEE STRUCTURE
2.5%5% + 50¢PayNow, as low as, plus the gateway feePaddle, all-in, on every transaction
SMALL ORDERS
No fixed fee50¢PayNow, the platform fee scales with the orderPaddle, flat, on a $5 order that is 10%
PAYMENT METHODS
120+FewerPayNow, local methods, each one a togglePaddle, card-led, no gaming methods

Line by line

Paddle
Platform fee
5% + 50¢ per transaction, all-in
What the fee covers
Processing bundled into the rate
Small orders
The fixed 50¢ dominates: about 10% on a $5 sale, unless you negotiate
Merchant of Record
Yes. Paddle is the seller.
Tax registration and filing
Registered, collected and remitted
Disputes
Handled by Paddle
Built for
SaaS, software and digital products
In-game delivery
Not offered
Payment methods
Card-led, with wallets and some local methods
Gaming methods
Not offered
Storefront
Checkout and pricing pages
Upsells
Checkout-level
Local entity routing
Multiple entities, so routing is handled
Admin on mobile
Web dashboard
VS
PayNowMERCHANT OF RECORD
Platform fee2.5–3.5% by plan, plus the gateway fee
What the fee coversThe gateway fee is passed through at cost, and our fee applies after it
Small ordersNo fixed component, so a $5 rank is charged like a $50 one
Merchant of RecordYes. PayNow is the seller.
Tax registration and filingRegistered, collected and remitted
DisputesHandled by PayNow
Built forGames and software, on one account
In-game deliveryRust, Minecraft, GMod, FiveM, Hytale, 7DTD and more
Payment methods120+ local methods, each one a toggle
Gaming methodsPaysafecard, crypto and Rust skins
StorefrontHosted storefront, themed, on your domain
UpsellsThree placements you choose, subscriptions included
Local entity routingMultiple entities, EU payments routed through our EU entity
Admin on mobileNative iOS and Android app, payouts included
Paddle figures as published on paddle.com, checked August 2026. Paddle lists custom pricing for products under $10, so your own rate on small orders may differ. Estimates depend on method mix, buyer region and plan. See every method and its gateway fee →

Where the 50¢ shows up

A fixed fee per transaction is fine on a $99 licence and painful on a $5 rank. Game stores sell a lot of $5 ranks.
$5 rank
Paddle: 5% + 50¢ = 75¢, about 15%PayNow: 2.5% + gateway, no fixed platform fee
$19.99 bundle
Paddle: 5% + 50¢ = $1.50, about 7.5%PayNow: 2.5% + gateway on what is left after it
$99 licence
Paddle: 5% + 50¢ = $5.45, about 5.5%PayNow: 2.5% + gateway, the same shape at any size

120+ ways to pay, not just cards

Cards and wallets

Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Link

Prepaid and cash

Paysafecard and other cash-based methods your younger buyers actually hold

Crypto

For the buyers who prefer it, settled to you like any other order

Rust skins

In-game items as payment, unique to gaming stores

Local bank methods

iDEAL, Bancontact, Blik, PIX, SEPA and the rest, by buyer region

Local entity routing

EU payments routed through our EU entity for higher approval rates

One toggle each

No new contracts or gateway applications to add a method

The honest part

Where Paddle wins

Selling pure SaaS through a sales team? Paddle is built for that.
01

Deep SaaS billing

Seats, metering, invoicing and renewals for software companies, with years of billing edge cases handled.

02

Enterprise motion

Sales-assisted deals, quotes and procurement paperwork, if that is how you sell.

03

All-in simplicity

One rate with processing inside it. Fewer lines to reconcile, if you would rather not see the gateway cost.

Questions