Lemon Squeezy Alternatives: 10 Tools to Sell Software

Lemon Squeezy made selling software simple by acting as the seller of record, so makers didn't have to register for sales tax and VAT everywhere. Plenty of founders now compare it with other options, for different features, payout routes or a better fit with how they bill.

The ten tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, a mix of established payment providers and newer, developer-friendly platforms. Each description comes from the tool's own site, read this week. If you're still deciding what to sell, see my list of digital products to sell as a solopreneur.

Lemon Squeezy alternatives at a glance

In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site describes free use or a free plan, Trial only means a time-limited trial and No means neither is stated on the pages we read.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
2Checkout	Merchant of record	Long-established global selling	Yes
Chargebee	Subscription billing	Complex subscription billing	Trial only
Creem	Payments for AI products	Usage and credit-based billing	No
Dodo Payments	Billing and tax platform	Indie and AI-first software	No
FastSpring	Payments and tax compliance	Software and games sold globally	Not stated
Fungies	Tax-compliant payments	Digital products and subscriptions	Yes
Gumroad	Creator storefront	Creators selling their first product	No
Paddle	Payments and tax compliance	SaaS and app subscriptions	No
Polar	Billing platform	Developer-friendly billing	Yes
SendOwl	Digital delivery	Selling from your own site	Yes

Ten Lemon Squeezy alternatives

2Checkout

Best for: Software sellers who want a long-established merchant of record handling global payments and taxes.

Chargebee

Best for: SaaS and AI companies with complex plans and usage billing that need a full billing system rather than a simple checkout.

Creem

Best for: AI app makers who want credit wallets, usage-based billing and free trials configured without custom code.

Dodo Payments

Best for: Indie developers and AI-first startups that want billing, tax and compliance handled so they can sell globally.

FastSpring

Best for: Software and game companies that want global payments, subscriptions and all taxes handled by one provider.

Fungies

Best for: Makers selling digital products and subscriptions who want tax-compliant checkout without setting up tax registrations.

Gumroad

Best for: Writers, designers and creators selling e-books, templates or courses who want a simple storefront and checkout.

Paddle

Best for: SaaS and mobile app companies that want subscriptions, payments and tax compliance handled by one provider.

Polar

Best for: Developers and AI startups that want open source, developer-friendly billing they can integrate quickly.

SendOwl

Best for: Creators who want to sell downloads, subscriptions and memberships from their own website with a free start.

The VAT paperwork a merchant of record takes away

Here's why the merchant of record model matters. GOV.UK says that for UK businesses supplying digital services to consumers in the EU, the place of supply is where the consumer is located, and you must either register for the Non-Union VAT MOSS scheme in an EU member state or register for VAT in each EU member state where you supply.

That paperwork is exactly what a merchant of record takes off your hands, so check which tools act as the seller of record and which only process payments. If a tool only processes payments, the tax registrations stay with you.

Merchant of record or billing platform?

A merchant of record sells your product on your behalf, so it handles tax collection and filing in each country. A billing platform manages subscriptions, invoices and plans, but you remain the seller and stay responsible for tax.

Solo founders and small teams usually prefer a merchant of record because it removes tax admin. Larger SaaS companies with finance teams sometimes prefer billing platforms for more control.

Switching without losing subscribers

1. Check how existing subscriptions can move across.
2. Rebuild your products, plans and trials in the new tool.
3. Test checkout from several countries and devices.
4. Update licence keys or access rules if you use them.
5. Tell customers about any change to receipts or billing emails.
6. Keep the old account open until every subscription has moved.

Features to compare

• Tax handling. Seller of record or payment processor only.
• Subscriptions. Trials, upgrades and usage billing.
• Checkout. Local payment methods and languages.
• Licence keys. For software and downloads.

Payouts and banking

Check which countries and banks each tool pays out to, and how often. Founders outside the US and UK sometimes find payout options differ a lot between providers, so check before you move customers across.

Developer experience

If you're building software, the API and webhooks matter. Look at the documentation, test the sandbox and check how easily you can link purchases to user accounts in your app.

What to ask before you move

Before you switch, ask each provider a few direct questions. Who's the seller on the receipt? Which countries do you handle tax in? How do refunds and chargebacks work? Can existing subscriptions move across without customers re-entering card details? The answers tell you far more than a features page, and they'll show you which provider's support team you'd want to deal with when something goes wrong.

Do you make payment and merchant of record tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on choosing a Lemon Squeezy alternative

Decide first whether you want a merchant of record. If you don't want to think about sales tax and VAT, that one question narrows the list quickly. Then compare checkout, payout options and how each tool handles subscriptions.

Test the full customer journey before you switch. Buy your own product from another country, request a refund and check the receipt. You'll learn more in ten minutes than from any feature page. For growing sales once you've switched, see these SaaS marketing tactics.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best Lemon Squeezy alternatives?

It depends on whether you want a merchant of record or a billing platform, and on what you sell.

Are there free Lemon Squeezy alternatives?

Several tools on this list describe free starts. Check the table and each tool's terms.

What is a merchant of record?

It's a company that sells your product on your behalf and handles tax collection and compliance in each country.

Do I need to register for EU VAT to sell digital products?

GOV.UK says UK businesses supplying digital services to EU consumers must either register for the Non-Union VAT MOSS scheme in an EU member state or register in each EU member state where they supply. A merchant of record takes on that work as the seller.

Can I sell subscriptions with these tools?

Yes. Most tools on this list support subscriptions as well as one-off sales.

Are these tools good for AI apps?

Several focus on AI products, with usage-based billing and credits.