My experience so far, in case it's useful to others going through this:
- Lemon Squeezy: spent about a week integrating their API and testing the full purchase + license flow, and then got rejected during review with no explanation and no real path to ask why. A week of work to a dead end. Frustrating, and I still don't know what tripped it.
- Polar.sh: Went with them after the LS rejection. Onboarding and developer experience have been great so far, though I'll be honest, I haven't pushed real volume through it yet, so I can't speak to payouts or support-under-pressure.
- Paddle: keep hearing it recommended as the established MoR option. Haven't tried it. Is it worth the integration effort, or is it heavier than a solo shop needs? I'm considering adding a 2nd payment processor I can easily switch over to just in case polar.sh changes their minds...
- Gumroad anyone? Their fees are twice as much as compared to the others (10% vs. 5%, same $0.50 transaction fee though).
I should also note that the 'review' period on Lemon Squeezy took like 4 days until I got the rejection, whereas Polar.sh approved me with 2 minutes of submitting and verifying my identity. And they both used Stripe in the background for the verification; although Polar.sh's path via the Stripe verification took a few more steps; needed to take back and front photos of my drive license and then a selfie (presumably to match it up to the driver license photo. Lemon Squeeze didn't ask for any of those steps...
So for those of you actually selling software:
What did you settle on, and would you pick it again?
For the MoR options (Paddle, Polar, FastSpring, Lemon Squeezy, etc.) — how's the reality vs. the pitch on tax handling, payout reliability, and support when something breaks?
Anyone moved off one of these and why?
Trying to make a decision I won't regret in a year. Thanks!
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