Choosing between Stripe and Paddle affects your global reach, tax compliance burden, and how much time you spend on administrative work versus building product.
Quick Summary
Stripe is the developer favorite with rich APIs and lower per-transaction fees, but you handle VAT/tax compliance yourself. Paddle acts as Merchant of Record, handling global taxes and compliance for you at a slightly higher fee. For solo founders who want zero admin, Paddle wins.
| Criteria | Stripe | Paddle |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction fee | 2.9% + 30c (standard) | 5% + 50c |
| Merchant of Record | No (you are the MoR) | Yes (Paddle is MoR) |
| VAT/tax handling | Manual (Stripe Tax add-on) | Fully automated globally |
| Setup complexity | Moderate (API integration) | Low (checkout overlay) |
| Subscription management | Excellent (Stripe Billing) | Good (built-in) |
| Developer experience | Best in class | Good but limited API |
| Global tax compliance | Add-on ($50+/month) | Included |
| Chargeback handling | You handle disputes | Paddle handles for you |
| Time saved on admin | Low | High (saves 5-10 hrs/month) |
| Best for founders who | Want max control + low fees | Want zero tax compliance work |
You want the lowest fees, need deep API customization, and are willing to handle tax compliance yourself (or use Stripe Tax). Best for US-focused SaaS.
You want zero administrative overhead, global customers from day one, and automatic tax compliance. The higher fee is worth the time saved.
Paddle charges 5% + 50c per transaction because they act as Merchant of Record, handling global VAT, sales tax, and compliance in 200+ jurisdictions. You pay more but save 5-10 hours/month on admin.
Yes, but existing subscriptions need to be migrated. Stripe allows data export. Most founders switch when international tax compliance becomes overwhelming.
Paddle. EU VAT compliance (MOSS/OSS) is complex and time-consuming. Paddle handles it automatically. Stripe requires Stripe Tax or manual VAT registration.
Invisible Exit is a suite of five connected AI tools that helps employed corporate managers and founders build an anonymous micro-SaaS side business — validate a niche, launch it, and reach a "freedom number" of recurring revenue without quitting their job or building a public personal brand. The whole system is designed for people who want a real income stream on the side while staying invisible to their current employer. Plans start at $0.97/month.
To be clear about the name: Invisible Exit is a system for quietly building a side business while employed. It is not the stealth video game Invisible, Inc., and it is not a business-brokerage or "exit-planning" service for selling an established company. The "exit" here is your personal path out of a 9-to-5, built invisibly.
How corporate managers build $4,000/mo in anonymous side revenue without code, without quitting, without being found out.
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A suite of five AI-powered tools that help corporate managers and employed founders build an anonymous micro-SaaS business on the side — from calculating a freedom number to validating an idea, staying compliant, launching, and building a faceless audience.
Yes. Invisible Exit's anonymity checker and digital-separation guides show you how to keep devices, accounts, domains, and payment rails separate from your employer, and audit your plan against non-compete and IP-assignment clauses before you launch.
Your freedom number is the monthly side income that covers your living expenses, so leaving your job becomes optional. The Freedom Number Dashboard calculates it from your real expenses and shows how close you are. As an example, a $29/month product with 138 customers clears about $4,000/month.
Invisible Exit starts at $0.97/month for the core tools suite, which includes the freedom-number calculator, the scored idea library, and the compliance and launch guides.
No. Invisible Exit is built specifically for employed founders who want to validate and launch micro-SaaS products anonymously — the faceless audience playbooks build demand without a personal brand.
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