Category
AI merchant of record platforms: what they are and who makes them
developer-first platforms with published fees, licensing-specialist sellers, stripe-attached and creator storefronts, enterprise and quote-only services: Paddle, Polar, Lemon Squeezy through Nexway.
Types of AI merchant of record platforms
Developer-first platforms with published fees
Paddle, Polar, Creem, Fungies and Lemon Squeezy print a percentage plus a fixed amount per sale, between 3.4% and 5%. They suit solo founders and small teams who want to model margin before signing up and who like APIs and MCP access.
Licensing-specialist sellers
Freemius targets WordPress plugins, themes and SaaS, and FastSpring targets established software and game sellers. Freemius prints a ladder that falls with volume, while FastSpring quotes per customer. Both fit sellers who need license management and key delivery handled for them, not just a checkout page.
Stripe-attached and creator storefronts
Stripe Managed Payments extends an existing Stripe account, while Payhip and Gumroad serve creators selling files and memberships. Their fees combine a percentage with processor charges, and the tax role each one plays needs checking against the vendor's own terms before launch.
Enterprise and quote-only services
PayPro Global and Nexway publish no prices and sell through contact forms. Nexway adds a reseller portal for B2B distribution. These fit publishers with channel partners and a finance team to run the contract, rather than a founder who wants to launch this week.
Facts at a glance
| Tool | Publisher | Based in | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paddle | Paddle.com Market Ltd. | United Kingdom | Paid |
| Polar | Polar Software, Inc. | United States | Free tier + API |
| Lemon Squeezy | Link, LLC f/k/a Lemon Squeezy LLC | Not stated on the vendor pages | Trial |
| Stripe Managed Payments | Stripe | Not stated on the vendor pages | Paid |
| Freemius | Freemius Inc | United States | Paid |
| Creem | Armitage Labs OÜ | Estonia | Paid + API |
| FastSpring | Bright Market, LLC dba FastSpring | United States | Trial |
| Fungies | Fungies Inc. (Palo Alto, California) and Fungies Europe PSA (Warsaw, Poland) | United States | Free tier + API |
| Dodo Payments | Dodo Payments, Inc. | Not stated on the vendor pages | Paid |
| Payhip | Payhip Ltd | United Kingdom | Free tier |
| Gumroad | Gumroad, Inc. | United States | Paid |
| PayPro Global | PayPro Global, Inc. | Canada | Paid + API |
| Nexway | Nexway SASU | France | Paid |
