FastSpring is a Merchant of Record (MoR), e-commerce, all-in-one subscription and payment platform designed for SaaS businesses, digital product sellers, and game developers. It has been around for almost two decades, managing all the payments, subscriptions, and global tax compliance for hundreds of creators globally with a wide range of products to serve the e-commerce needs of SaaS businesses.
But, FastSpring can be quite expensive for creators with tight budgets. It charges 8.9% of the total transaction value or 5.9% plus 95 cents per transaction. It doesn’t feel profitable to pay an expensive fee that ultimately drains out your wallet. Others have also complained about the outdated dashboard and payment issues that hinder their products from selling.
This review guide comprehensively examines FastSpring’s pros and cons and compares them with 6 alternatives for SaaS businesses and digital product sales.
Pros and Cons of FastSpring
With 20 years of service, FastSpring has established a reputable brand across the globe. But when we dove into customer reviews, we found mixed feedback. Here’s what the customers like and dislike about the platform:
Pros:
- FastSpring is a widely trusted payment platform online. It has a 4.5-star rating on G2.
- It has great customer service, and many reviewers love that FastSpring has a separate Seller Support where they can access FAQs or basic questions to figure things out.
- FastSpring offers customizable branding with easy-to-use tools like APIs and plugins. It’s developer-friendly and integrates smoothly into websites.
- The platform helps protect against fraudulent transactions.
- It offers a flexible payment system with clear statistics, and automatically calculates and collects sales tax, simplifying compliance for businesses.
- Many users love the built-in subscription models that facilitate recurring billing.
Cons:
- FastSpring charges higher transaction fees than Stripe and PayPal, making it less ideal for smaller businesses.
- Users complain the platform’s interface can be confusing due to its extensive features, making navigation difficult for some users.
- Despite having a robust dashboard, FastSpring’s reporting features don’t meet all users’ needs.
- Reviewers say the order and payment management system isn’t user-friendly for handling transactions.
- The platform’s “Store Builder Library” assumes certain user behaviors, like preventing additional items when upgrading to a bundle. This lack of flexibility has often caused unnecessary complications for users.
- FastSpring prioritizes large organizations, rather than small businesses.
- The platform offers limited payment methods for local currencies and has no support for cryptocurrencies.
Why Do Users Switch From FastSpring?
Users typically look for FastSpring alternatives to avoid high transaction fees And also because the platform imposes an annual fee for administration costs, which some users find unreasonable, especially if they have been long-term customers.
FastSpring doesn’t offer a no-code storefront builder that new creators need to set up their website. Although FastSpring claims to have an easy-to-use interface, it can get clunky for some.
Users often complain about its outdated dashboard due to complex design, lack of easy navigation, and limited advanced reporting tools. The payment issues also hinder smooth operations and impact sales for small creators.
One of FastSpring’s customers said:
“A few hiccups would be: 1. The UI and ease of use can be worked upon. Sometimes it becomes difficult to find the right section/settings for a specific order 2. The back-end dashboard could have a few more features.”
The troubles of high transaction fees with complex navigation aren’t uncommon. Although the navigation part can be resolved, if you have no time or resources to deal with these problems, it’s better to look for an alternative.
Fungies is designed as a comprehensive solution to all of Fastspring’s drawbacks, plus more features. By prioritizing ease of use, a focused dashboard, and many other customizable options, Fungies handles payments, subscriptions, and tax calculations, all at low commission-based fees.
6 Best Alternatives to FastSpring
1. Fungies
Fungies is a MoR, payment and billing system with global tax compliance solutions, offering a wide range of e-commerce features and 250+ payment methods including cryptocurrencies and local currencies. It is specifically designed for SaaS businesses, game developers, and digital product sellers.
While we offer a robust set of tools to handle e-commerce transactions, our platform is flexible for both big and small businesses. We have received positive feedback from our clients, and hold a big reputation among SaaS and game developers.
Here are some key features to know:
Low Transaction Fees & Ease of Use
While FastSpring’s fees can be as high as 8.9%, Fungies charges a flat 5% + $0.50 per transaction, providing a more cost-effective solution for businesses with 90% revenue-back. The platform takes no upfront costs or hidden fees, only a commission-based pricing model that charges only when you make a sale.
Fungies prioritizes ease of use with a modern dashboard. Unlike FastSpring’s often-criticized outdated interface, Fungies allows users to easily navigate to set up their stores, manage payments and invoicing, and track performance. The platform’s easy integration with payment methods makes it user-friendly.
Compared to FastSpring, the platform has an easy-to-use and rapid deployment of API that allows quick integration of subscription models into games or other digital product services. You can manage billing cycles, upgrades/downgrades, and automate recovery processes through the API.
Perhaps, the best thing about Fungies is it is easy to use once you sign up. You don’t need any developer or a technical team to integrate customizable checkouts or payment solutions like in-game asset purchases on Unity.
Although it’s a new platform, it prioritizes personalizing the user and customer experience. manageYou can manage everything from one dashboard, saving time and effort.
Reporting Dashboard with Up-to-Date Features
Fungies offers a robust reporting dashboard with all the updated tools and features. Instead of making it cloggy and complex, the platform offers a more modern, customizable dashboard with intuitive analytics tools, making it easier for users to manage their business efficiently.
Creators can access real-time data to track revenue such as total sales, conversion rates, subscribers, sold items, orders, etc.
Fungies integrates with analytics tools like Google Analytics so you can analyze sales data and work on marketing metrics for better reach and retention. You can also access reporting data through APIs.
Global Payment Methods with Personalized Checkout
Fungies offers 250+ global payment methods across 50+ countries for a localized billing experience. The platform is integrated with Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, cryptocurrencies, and many more. To receive payments, you just need to connect your Stripe account and you’re ready to earn with daily payouts.
With no upfront costs or credit card requirements, you can offer your clients many payment options, which can increase sales for your digital products.
Fungies, like FastSpring, offers customizable checkout with personalized branding. However, Fungies provides a no-code, drag-and-drop interface, making it accessible for non-developers. In contrast, FastSpring relies on a JavaScript Store Builder Library for advanced customization, which may not suit everyone.
To make sure the transactions are secure, Fungies employs AI-driven fraud detection mechanisms that analyze IP and credit card data to block suspicious transactions during the checkout process.
Subscription Management
Fungies offers subscription management solutions, making the payment process easier and more flexible for their customers. You can create and manage various subscription billing plans according to your business model, including monthly, yearly, or usage-based billing options. This flexibility is particularly useful for SaaS companies with multiple service tiers.
You can even use ready-made templates for your subscription products quickly to save effort and time in setting up.
For example, let’s say you’re a game developer offering subscriptions, with Fungies you can automate your subscription management by tracking user activity and handling billing cycles. You can set custom billing rules, so players are automatically charged accurately based on their subscription level or in-game usage.
Smart and Fast Integrations
Fungies offers several integrations with an elite set of tools, catered towards SaaS businesses, digital product creators, and game developers.
Some of the tools Fungies integrate with include:
- In-Game Stores – Unity and Unreal SDKs
- Cryptocurrency Payments & NFT-based transactions – Ethereum, Polygon, Avalanche, Binance Smart Chain
- Payment Methods with Regional Pricing – Stripe
Fungies Pricing
Fungies pricing is entirely based on a commission-based model where you only pay a transaction fee of 5% + $0.50 from every sale you make with no additional costs.
To know more about Fungies’ features and pricing, Sign up for a free demo.
o Fungies Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Low transaction fees | Newer platform |
| Customizable checkout experience | |
| Multi-currency support | |
| Web3 integration | |
| No-code website builder | |
| Modern dashboard | |
| Fast transactions | |
| Daily payouts |
Customer Reviews
- Review #1: “As we delved deeper into the world of game development, we realized we needed a robust commerce tool that mirrored our dedication to gaming. Enter Fungies. They don’t just ‘get’ gaming; they live it. Harnessing their platform, we crafted a storefront that resonated with our game’s spirit. If you’re seeking a platform that bridges gaming passion with commerce expertise, Fungies is the name.” – Martin Repetto, Founder of Mokens League.
- Review #2: “Our game’s development was intense, and we needed a streamlined, cost-effective solution to showcase it. Fungies was the answer. Not only could we mold our game’s site to perfection, but the ease of payment integrations and direct Steam game sales made our lives simpler. The best part? An outstanding team backing a top-tier free platform. It’s a win-win!” – Wes Abrams, Founder of Abrams Studio.
2. CleverBridge
CleverBridge is a cloud-based billing platform designed to help SaaS and digital businesses manage global payments, subscriptions, and customer experiences. Like FastSpring, it is also a Merchant of Record (MoR), handling tasks such as tax compliance, billing, and fraud protection.
The platform is known for its scalability, supporting businesses in B2C and B2B markets from over 180 countries with a wide range of features like flexible subscription management, flexible pricing model, self-service portal for customers, third-party API integrations, and key license management. It’s a strong FastSpring alternative that focuses on enterprise-level services that look for more complex needs.
CleverBridge Pricing
CleverBridge offers custom pricing based on company needs, transaction volume, and required features. There’s no free version, but a free trial is available. Annual costs range from $9,000 to $94,000, depending on the business setup.
Customer Review
“Cleverbridge is very easy to set up and use. There’s also a great support team there. They manage a lot of issues and know the platform back and front. Some of the best support I’ve ever encountered.” – Kurtis B.
3. Braintree
Braintree is a payment service provider by PayPal that businesses use to accept, process, and split payments through different channels, including credit cards, digital wallets (like PayPal and Apple Pay), and local payment methods.
Braintree offers developer-friendly tools for easy integration into websites and apps. It supports recurring billing, secure transactions, and global payments, making it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes.
Braintree Pricing
Braintree pricing is primarily based on flat rates.
- The standard transaction fee is 2.59% + $0.49 per transaction for online and mobile payments in the United States.
- Venmo transactions incur a fee of 3.49% + $0.49.
- There is a 0.75% fee for ACH direct debit, capped at $5,
- A $15 flat fee for chargebacks
- There are no setup or monthly fees and businesses processing over $80,000 monthly may qualify for lower transaction fees.
Customer Review
“I love how easy to use Braintree is. It is easy to run the reports I need out of the software and it enables me to do my job efficiently and effectively. I have been nothing but happy with the software.” – Sarah W.
4. Chargebee
Chargebee is a subscription billing and revenue growth management platform designed for SaaS and subscription-based businesses. It excels in automating recurring billing, managing subscriptions, revenue recognition compliance, and integrating with 30+ payment gateways and accounting software.
Key features include advanced subscription management, dunning management, and real-time analytics. Compared to FastSpring, Chargebee offers more flexibility in handling complex subscription models and pricing structures, making it ideal for businesses with recurring revenue streams.
Chargebee Pricing
Chargebee supports multiple pricing options, including flat fee, usage-based, tiered, volume, and stairstep pricing.
- For subscription companies, the platform combines usage-based and annual contract billing called hybrid pricing.
- Chargebee’s Performance Plan costs $599 per month with a limit of $100,000 for monthly recurring billing; any amount exceeding this incurs an overage fee of 0.75%.
Customer Review
“With simple integration, especially with .NET, Chargebee manages subscription-based payments effectively. Their API documentation is in its details thus making implementation a breeze. Additionally, their support team is very responsive and helpful hence troubleshooting and addressing queries is as simple as ABC.” – Anmol G.
5. Stripe
Stripe is a payment processing platform designed for all businesses to handle payments, billing, and invoicing. With features like a developer-friendly API, support for 135+ currencies and payment methods, recurring billing management, advanced reporting tools, and secure, PCI-compliant transactions, it ranks among the best platforms worldwide.
As a FastSpring alternative, Stripe provides more flexibility and control over payment flows and integrations for companies that want to customize their payment systems. It allows you to set up your API-based integration or use its no-code solutions for a smooth user buying experience.
However, Stripe is not a Merchant of Record, so it requires you to handle tax calculations yourself.
Stripe Pricing
- Stripe has a transaction-based pricing model with no setup or monthly fees.
- The standard fee for online payments is 2.9% + $0.30 per successful card charge.
- For international transactions and currency conversions, an additional 1% fee applies.
- ACH direct debit costs 0.8%, capped at $5.
- Wire transfers are charged at $8 each.
Stripe also offers customizable plans for businesses with higher transaction volumes, which can include discounts and specific rates to match the business’s needs.
Customer Review
“Stripe has made accepting card payments virtually easy and streamlined for my practice. It also integrates very well with my EMR platform, which is an added bonus.” – Rachael M.
6. Recurly
Recurly is a subscription management software offering a global multi-gateway and multi-payment system to automate recurring billing, manage subscriptions, and increase revenue for businesses.
It provides creators with features like built-in compliance, secured transactions, industry insights, and churn management. You can create payment plans, promotions, free trials, and pricing models, all through just one platform.
While FastSpring focuses on simplifying payment and tax processes for digital product sales, Recurly handles complex subscription models and provides detailed analytics for customer retention and value.
Recurly Pricing
Contact their support for pricing. You can choose from different pricing plans including fixed recurring, tiered, volume, stairstep, ramp, and usage-based pricing, along with promotional tools for trials and discounts.
Customer Review
“Recurly is not afraid to think outside the box or innovate to deliver something new. They’re experts in their field and address questions or road blocks with high urgency and ownership.” – Taylor P.
Quick Comparison Table
| Platform | Pricing Structure | Key Features | Pros | Cons |
| Fungies | 5% + $0.50 per transaction | MoR, 250+ payment methods, cryptocurrency support, customizable checkout, global tax compliance | Low fees, customizable, supports cryptocurrencies, easy to use | Newer platform, niche-focused |
| CleverBridge | Custom pricing based on transaction volume and features | Global MoR, flexible subscription management, tax compliance, API integrations | Scalable, great for complex needs, strong enterprise services | Expensive for smaller businesses, no free version |
| Braintree | 2.59% + $0.49 (USA), Venmo 3.49% + $0.49 | Recurring billing, multi-currency support, developer-friendly API, secure payments | Easy integration, global support, no setup fees | Higher fees for Venmo, lack some advanced features |
| Chargebee | Starts at $599/month + 0.75% overage | Advanced subscription management, dunning, hybrid pricing models | Flexible pricing models, powerful subscription automation | Expensive for smaller businesses |
| Stripe | 2.9% + $0.30 (online), 1% international | Developer-friendly API, 135+ currencies, customizable payment flows | Flexible integrations, great for customization, global reach | Requires tax handling by the user, not MoR |
| Recurly | Custom pricing | Global multi-gateway, advanced subscription management, analytics | Handles complex subscription models, detailed reporting | Custom pricing, requires contact for a quote |
Which FastSpring Alternative is the Best For You?
When picking the best Fastsping alternative, you need to evaluate your goals, business structure, and budget. Before making the final decision, read customer reviews and see what the community is saying to ensure it aligns with your preferences.
Fungies is a great choice if you’re looking for a comprehensive platform that offers low transaction fees, global payment methods, checkout integration with an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface, and global tax compliance, suitable for SaaS businesses, game developers, and digital product sellers. It is an MoR like FastSpring but offers more advanced and updated features, high scalability, and cost efficiency.
