Stripe vs Lemon Squeezy for SaaS in 2026
Stripe is the standard. Lemon Squeezy handles tax compliance globally. For solo founders the second is often the better deal.
Stripe charges 2.9% + 30¢. You handle VAT, sales tax and global compliance yourself. Stripe Tax is extra 0.5%.
Lemon Squeezy is a Merchant of Record. They charge 5% + 50¢ but handle all tax globally. For non-US founders selling globally, the math often works out better.
Choose Stripe if: US-based, hire accounting, need every payment method.
Choose Lemon Squeezy if: solo founder, global customers, hate tax forms.
Both have decent APIs. Stripe SDKs are still better.