Payments

For complex usage-based / metered billing or entitlements, see Subscriptions & Billing. For tax see Tax & Compliance.

Direct payment processors (you handle tax)

• ★ Stripe — the default for most apps. Excellent API, every feature you'd want, every payment method, large library ecosystem.
• Adyen, Braintree — large incumbents; less developer-loved than Stripe.

Merchant of Record (they handle tax/VAT)

• ★ Lemon Squeezy — MoR; great DX; acquired by Stripe but still independent product. Popular with indie SaaS for handling VAT.
• ★ Polar.sh — developer-focused MoR; native open-source repo support, sponsorship + product monetization combined.
• Paddle — MoR; mature, great for global SaaS.
• FastSpring — older MoR.

Subscription / billing layers (on top of Stripe)

• Lago — open-source usage-based billing engine.
• Orb — usage-based billing; SaaS.
• Stigg — entitlements + pricing; SaaS.
• Outseta, Schematic — productized monetization layers.

Open-source / self-host

• Killbill — open-source billing platform; complex.
• OpenCollective — donations / open-source funding.

Crypto

• Coinbase Commerce, NowPayments — accept crypto.

Pick this if…

• Default app payments: Stripe.
• Indie SaaS, want VAT handled: Lemon Squeezy or Polar.
• Open-source, sponsorship + monetization: Polar.
• Usage-based billing: Stripe Billing + Lago/Orb.