# Stripe vs Lemon Squeezy: Which Is Actually Cheaper?

URL: https://www.paydude.io/resources/tools/stripe-vs-lemon-squeezy-fees
Type: Free interactive calculator
Summary: Stripe publishes 2.9% + 30¢; Lemon Squeezy publishes 5% + 50¢. Which costs less depends on your average transaction — see where the answer flips.

This is not really a rate comparison. One is a payment processor and the other is a merchant of record, and the 2.1 point gap is the price of a compliance service.

## Summary

Stripe publishes 2.9% + 30¢. Lemon Squeezy publishes 5% + 50¢. Stripe is cheaper on rate; Lemon Squeezy includes global tax compliance. Compare at your own average transaction — the headline rate alone does not decide it.

## Published rates

**Standard published rates for domestic online cards, September 2026**

|  | Stripe | Lemon Squeezy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Card rate | 2.9% | 5% |
| Fixed fee | 30¢ | 50¢ |
| Monthly fee | $0 | $0 |
| Pricing model | Payment processor | Merchant of record |

## Which one is cheaper

Stripe is cheaper at every ticket size — 2.9% + 30¢ against 5% + 50¢, with no crossover. But Lemon Squeezy becomes the legal seller and handles global sales tax and VAT registration and remittance, which Stripe does not.

> **Compare total cost, not rate:** If you sell internationally and would otherwise register for VAT across several jurisdictions, the honest comparison is Lemon Squeezy's 5% against Stripe plus Stripe Tax plus the filing work. Sometimes the merchant of record is genuinely cheaper.

## What actually decides it

Where your customers are. Domestic-only sellers are paying a compliance premium for compliance they do not need. Sellers across many tax jurisdictions often come out ahead with a merchant of record.

## For reference

The calculator above also shows Paydude, which publishes 2.6% + 25¢ improving with volume. It is there as a third data point rather than as the answer to a question about Stripe and Lemon Squeezy — for every provider side by side see the [full processor fee table](https://www.paydude.io/resources/payment-processor-fee-comparison).

**Compare every provider at once** Published rates for 18 processors, with the effective rate at three ticket sizes. — [See the table](https://www.paydude.io/resources/payment-processor-fee-comparison)

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stripe cheaper than Lemon Squeezy?

On rate, yes — substantially, and at every ticket size. But Lemon Squeezy's rate includes acting as merchant of record and handling global sales tax and VAT, which Stripe charges separately for through Stripe Tax and which still leaves registration and filing with you.

### At what transaction size does the answer change?

It does not change on rate — Stripe is cheaper at every ticket size. It changes on how many tax jurisdictions you sell into, which is not a ticket-size question at all.

### What is the difference between Stripe and Lemon Squeezy?

Stripe processes payments while you remain the legal seller and owe the tax. Lemon Squeezy becomes the seller of record and takes on the tax liability with it. That is the whole difference, and it is what the extra 2.1 points buys.

### Where do these rates come from?

Both are publicly published standard rates for domestic card payments as of September 2026. Neither is a negotiated or promotional rate, and either provider may quote you something different from its list price.