Product developers usually recommend Paddle for billing and tax compliance management, but for new SaaS or game developers, it might feel limiting or missing essential features.
Here are some drawbacks you should know:
- It has a revenue-based pricing model: Paddle charges a percentage of revenue. Small developers already need maximum profits to afford other expenses such as development tools, prototyping, platform fees, maintenance costs, etc. Paddle might be more suitable for companies earning high cumulative revenue, as It provides less ROI to startups or independent creators.
- Scaling up integration can get complex: Although Paddle is developer-friendly, the technicalities of the integration process confuse small-budget developers. Advanced customization, API implementation, and managing webhooks might require a level of expertise and time that smaller teams don’t always have.
- It lacks support for in-game microtransactions: In-game purchases are the largest revenue stream for game developers. Paddle might not be suitable for gaming startups who sell on asset marketplaces.
In this article, we will list 10 different alternatives to Paddle that offer better payment and billing solutions.
TL;DR: Paddle is popular for managing billing and tax compliance, but its revenue-based pricing and complexity may limit small developers. Fungies is the best alternative to Paddle as it offers a no-code storefront builder, global payments, in-app purchases, and lower commission fees (5% + $0.50 per transaction). Fungies is built specifically for digital product creators, SaaS founders, and game developers, unlike Paddle, which can feel limiting with its pricing model and lack of in-game purchase support. Stripe, Braintree, LemonSqueezy, and others offer customizable solutions, but Fungies stands out for its focus on low-cost subscription billing and game development needs.
1. Fungies, Alternate for Recurrent Billings, Subscriptions, and API Integration
Fungies, like Paddle, is an all-in-one solution, Merchant of Record (MoR) that handles payment processes and ensures tax compliance. But it is specifically built for companies that sell game assets, digital downloads, and SaaS subscriptions. It handles all global tax obligations and invoicing for your game sales with no upfront costs.
Here are some reasons why Fungies can be a better alternative for you:
- You can sell subscriptions or in-app assets through API integrations, especially for recurring billing, data transfer, and system integration. Fungies can merge with platforms like Steam or your own game store.
- You can sell directly to consumers through a storefront and redirect VIP players to increase IAP (In-app purchases) profits without paying a 30% commission to app stores like Apple or Google. Fungies charges far less commission and is suitable for low-budget developers.
- You can create storefronts without coding using a “drag-and-drop” website builder with pre-built templates within minutes of signing up. This frees you from the complexities of handling a website or hiring a separate team for its management.
- You can set up a store and SaaS subscriptions with different payment tiers, manage upgrades/downgrades, and handle renewals automatically. It offers revenue sources with features like prorated billing and discounts or trial periods to attract and retain subscribers.
- You can analyze customer behavior through built-in player analytics, helping you understand player behavior and improve your marketing efforts.
Here’s what customers love the most about the platform:
Clients believe Fungies caters to a niche for indie developers who need a personalized storefront and asset marketplace. New digital creators often find Paddle’s subscription model and integration unsuitable.
Both Fungies and Paddle are MoR platforms, meaning they handle payment solutions like global compliance, multi-currency transactions, and regional tax laws. However, Fungies is more suitable for game developers, asset creators, and SaaS founders.
As we mentioned above, Fungies offers SaaS subscription management solutions.
Here are key features Fungies offer:
Fungies’ Subscription Management with Faster API Integration
Fungies allows easy integration of subscription-based models directly into games or digital services. Through the API, developers can manage, upgrade/downgrade, and automate recovery, renewal, and recurrent billing.
Developers can also integrate flexible subscription plans, free trials, discounts, or custom billing cycles with ready-made subscription product templates. This takes away the stress over payment processes and gives you more time for development and improvements.
Fungies features:
- Compliance free
- Global payment methods
- Faster in-app or web integration with overlay checkouts
Simply, create an account on app.fungies.io, connect your Stripe account, and you’re ready to accept payments and send automated billing invoices.
Here’s an example of how Fungies’ payment process works:
Let’s say you’re developing a mobile game and want to offer a premium subscription for VIP content. Using Fungies, you can set up recurring billing through their API. A player could subscribe to a monthly plan directly within your game, and Fungies would handle the billing process and renewals.
There are 250+ payment methods available for customers. They no longer have:
- The burden of managing subscription-based services and having no flexibility in managing those plans.
- The concern about in-game subscriptions, upgrades, and downgrades, with its easy integration into game platforms.
- The payment structure is quick to integrate and doesn’t require you to pay high commissions or revenues.
You Can Customize Embedded Checkout on Your Website With No Upfront Costs
Almost every SaaS business wants to integrate a seamless checkout with customized themes and other branding components. The secret to converting your users into customers is having an easy checkout with many payment methods.
Although Paddle offers checkout services, Fungies offers a “battle-tested” checkout that you can embed anywhere on your website or app without affecting the user experience.
Here’s how the embedded checkout looks on a website:
When customers decide to buy, the checkout opens in a pop-up window. The users can easily purchase your product within minutes. You can also fully customize the HTML and CSS to align with their brand’s design, providing a seamless, cohesive user experience.
How is it better than any other checkout system?
- Faster Payments streamlines your goals for high conversion rates and client retainment and also offers daily payouts.
- Customizable checkouts match your brand theme and give a unique look to your website.
- There are 250+ payment methods, with only a 5%+50¢ transaction fee, available for over 50 countries worldwide.
- It offers 3D Secure protection and employs AI fraud detection using IP and credit card data to block suspicious transactions. Plus, it ensures SOC 2 certification for the security and confidentiality of customer data.
Fungies has global payment methods with low transaction fees, compared to Paddle, making it an ideal choice for small digital product creators.
No-code Storefront Builder Makes Selling Digital Products Easy
Unlike Paddle, Fungies offers a no-code website builder for digital product creators with no website to sell their creations online. The platform features an integrated payment structure, search & checkout, and individual product pages.
Create and design your game store without any coding knowledge, customize the store to match your brand’s personalized themes, and bring an authentic experience for your players.
Here’s how you can create your storefront for SaaS subscriptions with Fungies:
Sign in to your account, select Website Builder from the dashboard, choose from Pre-Built Templates, pick a theme, add images, and upload digital products onto your storefront.
How does it help small developers and creators:
- Build a strong customer base without worrying about tax compliance, payment structure, website development, or automated billing.
- Customize your brand and promote unique selling points with individual product displays.
- Use the Direct-to-customer feature by inviting VIP clients to your storefront to avoid paying high commissions to app stores.
- Research through Sales Analytics through Fungies’s dashboard to improve marketing efforts or introduce new digital products.
Understand Customer Behavior through Sales Analytics
If you don’t have a website, this feature is best for you. Fungies has a personalized dashboard where every game developer or SaaS founder can see user analytics or other engagement metrics.
Here’s what a dashboard of a SaaS developer looks like:
This feature helps you refine your products based on user activity without having to directly bother customers for feedback. It’s especially useful for small businesses that need to regularly iterate on their service to stay competitive.
The insights can also help with marketing strategies, better subscription models, and improved retention rates to build a more user-focused product and boost revenue.
Fungies Pros
- Merchant of Record
- Easy and Fast API Integration
- Low commission fees
- No-code storefront builder
- Global payment methods
- Daily payouts
- Best for smaller developers and creators
Fungies Cons
- Newer platform
Customer Reviews
Review #1:
“Fungies.io is a game-changer! They’re carving a niche as the premier solution for indie devs seeking a personalized storefront and asset marketplace. Their team’s commitment to continuous improvement and openness to feedback is unparalleled. With user-friendly features and value-packed subscription options, Fungies.io is the ace in the deck for any game development journey.” – Gatis Parols, Founder of DoRac Games
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
Fungies Pricing
Fungies uses a straightforward pricing structure of 5% plus 50¢ per transaction. With no hidden charges, you can set up and launch your store for free without needing a credit card. This offers an affordable option for those wanting to start quickly without initial expenses.
2. Stripe
Stripe is a payment processing platform designed to help businesses accept online and in-person payments. With customizable APIs, Stripe supports multiple payment methods, including credit cards and mobile wallets, making it a flexible solution for businesses globally.
Beyond payment processing, Stripe offers additional features such as checkout, digital invoices, fraud prevention, in-person payments, and billing automation.
It’s a popular choice for startups and established businesses alike, due to its scalability and ease of integration where companies can manage transactions and subscriptions efficiently.
Similar to Paddle, it offers a payment platform with tax compliance but Stripe isn’t a Merchant of Record, where the platform can fully manage tax liabilities on behalf of the seller.
Fungies is also an MoR that integrates Stripe into its payment structure to simplify transactions for customers, making it more suitable for SaaS companies and game developers, as discussed above.
Customer Review:
“Stripe payments make it easy to implement in any project and handle payments without the hassle of integration. The customer support is amazing whenever you encounter any issues. Overall, Stripe’s features for managing payments, cycles, and subscriptions have been good.”
– Sajag D.
Rating:
- 4.2 stars on G2 (324 reviews)
- 4.6 stars on Capterra (3115 reviews)
3. Braintree
Braintree is a PayPal subsidiary for payment processing designed for businesses of all sizes to accept, process, and split payments. It supports various payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, digital wallets, and even local payment methods.
Braintree is mainly known for its developer-friendly API with which businesses can share payment data with other service providers. But this can get complex for non-developers.
Like PayPal, Braintree has popular support for global commerce with features like fraud protection, recurring billing for subscription businesses, third-party integrations, and multi-currency transactions. It also uses PayPal’s broad payment infrastructure and security.
However, Braintree lacks built-in support for in-app purchases or custom storefronts that game developers need. Its pricing structure is also costly compared to alternatives better suited for small payments.
Customer Review:
“I like the amount of information it provides. It literally has everything.”
–Fotios K.
Rating:
- 3.4 stars on G2 (88 reviews)
- 3.9 stars on Capterra (79 reviews)
4. LemonSqueezy
LemonSqueezy is yet another alternative to Paddle for SaaS companies. It is an all-in-one solution with features such as payment processing, customer management, and subscription billing.
It also features a storefront builder, ideal for creators who need to sell digital products without extensive technical knowledge.
Like Paddle, it handles tax compliance, invoicing, and global payments, making it a great option for creators who sell digital products worldwide. Its user-friendly interface and automation tools for sales and customer engagement.
Customer Review:
“Lemonsqueezy has been working brilliantly for me. Subscriptions, digital downloads, licenses, customer dashboards – they got all you need.
They’ve been pushing out feature after feature making their platform an excellent choice to sell anything from a SaaS product to a pdf. Big fan!”
–Dan M., Developer
Rating:
- 4.2 stars on ProductHunt (20 reviews)
5. Lago
Lago is a self-hosted open-source metering and usage-based billing platform. Its key features include customizable pricing models, allowing companies to tailor subscriptions to meet their specific needs, and advanced metering, which tracks usage in real-time for accurate billing. Lago also integrates easily with third-party tools like CRMs and payment processing software.
As an alternative to Paddle, Lago offers greater flexibility for businesses with complex billing models. It has a more dynamic pricing structure and real-time invoicing for SaaS companies.
Customer Review:
“So nice to see proper OSS libraries challenging Stripe Billing. It’s an essential part of any online business, having open-source alternatives feels like a basic need for our industry. GG Lago team!!:
–Christopher P.
Rating:
- 4.7 stars on ProductHunt (15 reviews)
- 4.5 stars on Capterra (2 reviews)
6. BoomFi
BoomFi is a crypto payment solution for Web3 and Crypto SaaS companies. It includes key features such as multi-currency support, fraud detection, and recurring billing options. It offers payments on different blockchains such as Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, and more.
The platform also provides real-time analytics to track payment trends and customer behavior, enhancing decision-making for merchants.
As an alternative to Paddle, Boomfi focuses on providing customizable payment solutions and flexible integrations.
Customer Review:
“It’s simplified my process for taking payments from clients that prefer Crypto”
– Shaw A.
Rating:
- 4.6 stars on Capterra (25 reviews)
7. OpenPay
OpenPay is an online payment processing platform that allows businesses to offer customers buy now, pay later options for their purchases. This flexibility increases conversion rates and boosts customer loyalty for developers.
Openpay also provides businesses with a customizable platform that integrates seamlessly with existing systems. It offers real-time payment tracking and detailed analytics, helping businesses manage cash flow more efficiently.
The platform is mainly used by different middle-sized businesses, including SaaS companies. Unlike Paddle, which focuses on subscription and SaaS billing, Openpay provides a buy now, pay later model, allowing customers to split payments over time.
Customer Review:
“Using OpenPay has been a game-changer for managing my customer’s subscriptions. It’s intuitive, secure, and has enabled us to scale our business easily with its flexible payment options.” – Matt R.
8. Verifone (or 2Checkout)
Verifone (Previously known as 2Checkout) is an all-in-one payment platform for digital goods and retail transactions. It supports multiple payment methods and currencies, making it easier for companies to sell products and services worldwide.
Verifone provides secure transactions with built-in fraud protection and compliance with global tax regulations.
For subscription-based services, Verifone offers tools to automate billing and manage renewals, simplifying the process for SaaS businesses. It also helps reduce cart abandonment by optimizing the checkout experience for customers, ensuring a smoother transaction process.
Customer Review:
“What I like must about 2Checkout is it’s easy to setup documentation are well described and easy to configure. I found 2Checkout one of the most secure gateways for my business. I can easily manage by accounting via its well-managed dashboard and the refunding process is also quite easy. I recommend 2Checkout for startups and of course for big companies as well.” –Najun S.
Rating:
- 3.9 stars on G2 (191 reviews)
- 4.2 stars on Capterra (86 reviews)
9. FastSpring
FastSpring is an all-in-one payment & subscription platform designed for SaaS, software, and digital product companies. It is a comprehensive e-commerce platform that supports global digital sales with features like subscription management, payment processing, and tax compliance.
FastSpring’s customizable checkout solutions for better customer experience and better conversion rates.
As an alternative to Paddle, FastSpring offers more flexibility in managing one-time purchases alongside subscriptions, while also providing tools for tax management and global payments. It’s a strong option for businesses seeking to sell both digital products and subscriptions.
While FastSpring focuses on e-commerce and subscription management for general digital products, Fungies offers focused solutions for in-app purchases (IAPs) and custom storefronts specifically designed for SaaS products, digital products, and games.
Customer Review:
“I am selling products online for many years. I used 2-3 payment processors but I faced many troubles. One of my friends told me about FastSpring and now I can say that my decision was right. I have never faced any issue because their customer support is best. They always reply very fast. Thanks, FastSpring.” – Nabeel F.
Rating:
- 4.5 stars on G2 (185 reviews)
- 4.4 stars on Capterra (34 reviews)
10. Merchant One
Merchant One is a payment processing service offering businesses the ability to accept credit card payments both online and in-store.
The platform is highly suitable for medium-sized businesses, known for its personalized customer support, low setup fees, quick approval, and integration processes. They also offer secure transaction services, along with data encryption and fraud detection tools.
As an alternative to Paddle, Merchant One focuses on more traditional payment processing for physical and online transactions. However, it’s not a MoR, not suitable for digital product creators who need a proper platform that handles tax obligations for the seller.
Customer Review:
“I am new to Merchant One and it has been a bit challenging for me to find someone who is so dedicated, follows up and is always there for me with any questions. I cannot thank Tanya enough for all her help and support. I feel so much at ease now with everything and that is key for a small business owner.”
Rating:
- 4.7 stars on TrustPilot (9,797 reviews)
Paddle Alternatives: Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | Key Features | Why It’s a Better Alternative to Paddle | Pricing |
| Fungies | MoR, Subscription billing, custom storefronts, API integration, 250+ payment methods, lower fees. | Specifically built for game developers and SaaS, offers in-app purchases, and lower commissions. | 5% + $0.50 per transaction. |
| Stripe | Customizable APIs, global payments, fraud prevention, subscription billing. | More flexible and scalable for startups, integrates with Fungies for game developers. | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. |
| Braintree | Supports PayPal, developer-friendly API, multi-currency, and recurring billing. | Broader payment method support, but lacks in-game purchase and storefront functionality. | 2.59% + $0.49 per transaction + PayPal fees. |
| LemonSqueezy | All-in-one platform, payment processing, storefront builder, customer management. | Simple interface with built-in storefront and tax compliance for digital creators. | $0.50 + 5% of total + 1.5% int’l payment + 3% affiliate fee |
| Lago | Open-source, usage-based billing, customizable pricing models. | Greater flexibility for complex billing models compared to Paddle. | Open-source, free to use, but additional hosting and customization costs may apply. |
| BoomFi | Crypto payment support, recurring billing, fraud detection. | Offers blockchain-based payments, ideal for Web3 and crypto-based SaaS companies. | Variable based on transaction type and blockchain used. |
| OpenPay | Buy now, pay later, real-time payment tracking, detailed analytics. | Flexible payment options increase conversions, suitable for SaaS with deferred payments. | Varies based on transaction type |
| Verifone | Multi-currency support, fraud protection, tax compliance, recurring billing. | Stronger global payment capabilities for SaaS businesses, tax management included. | 3.5% + $0.35 per transaction. |
| FastSpring | Global digital sales, subscription management, and one-time purchases. | More flexible for managing both digital product sales and subscriptions. | 8.9% or 5.9% of the value of the transaction |
| Merchant One | Credit card payments, secure transactions, fraud detection, quick setup. | Better suited for traditional physical and online transactions, but lacks MoR functions. | Variable fees depending on the size of the business and volume of transactions. |
Choosing the Best Paddle Alternate
Paddle may not be your first choice because of its revenue-based pricing, less customization, or limited integration options for SaaS businesses.
Fungies is a better alternative to Paddle, especially if you’re a small or independent developer/creator. It charges the lowest commission rates, offers no upfront costs, gives customization options for overlay checkouts, and lets you set up your own storefront without coding.
Try out the platform for free today.
