GetPaidHQ vs Paddle.
Paddle is a merchant of record — it resells your product, handles global sales tax and chargebacks, and pays you out, for a cut of every sale. GetPaidHQ is the opposite model: you stay the merchant, keep your own processor relationships and margin, and run billing yourself.
Free and open-source under AGPLv3 — self-host today, or talk to us about cloud.
At a glance.
This is a difference in business model, not just features. Paddle takes compliance off your plate by becoming the seller. GetPaidHQ keeps you in control of the whole money path.
| Capability | GetPaidHQ | Paddle |
|---|---|---|
| Business model | You are the merchant of record | Paddle is the merchant of record |
| Sales tax & VAT compliance | Your responsibility (your own tools/partners) | Handled for you, included |
| Payment processors | Any processor, via an adapter interface | Paddle's own processing |
| Hosting | Self-host, or managed Cloud | Fully hosted SaaS |
| Source code | Open-source (AGPLv3) | Proprietary |
| Pricing model | Free to self-host — you pay for infra | Percentage + fee on each transaction |
| Where billing data lives | Your own infrastructure | Paddle's infrastructure |
| Own the customer & processor relationship | ||
| Fixed, usage-based & hybrid pricing |
Which one is right for you?
Paddle is the better choice when…
- You sell globally and want sales tax, VAT, and compliance handled entirely for you.
- You would rather not be the merchant of record or manage chargebacks yourself.
- You do not want to run billing infrastructure or hold payment data.
- A per-sale cut is worth it to offload that operational and regulatory load.
GetPaidHQ fits better when…
- You want to stay the merchant and keep your direct processor relationships and margin.
- You already handle tax (or have a partner) and do not need a reseller in the middle.
- You need to route payments across multiple processors, per region or for failover.
- You want open-source billing you self-host and fully control.
Moving from Paddle.
Leaving a merchant of record is a bigger change than swapping billing tools: you take back the merchant relationship, so you'll need your own processor accounts and a plan for sales tax. Once those are in place, GetPaidHQ handles the subscriptions, usage, dunning, and invoicing on top — across whichever processors you connect.
GetPaidHQ vs Paddle — FAQ.
- Is GetPaidHQ a merchant of record like Paddle?
- No. With GetPaidHQ you remain the merchant of record. It is billing infrastructure, not a reseller — you keep your own processor accounts and customer relationships, and you are responsible for tax.
- Does GetPaidHQ handle sales tax and VAT?
- Not as a merchant of record. Tax remains your responsibility, handled with your own tooling or a tax partner. If having tax fully handled for you is the main reason you use Paddle, that is a genuine reason to stay.
- Why choose GetPaidHQ over Paddle then?
- To own the full money path — your processor relationships, your margin, your data — and to run billing on infrastructure you control. It suits teams that have outgrown, or never wanted, the reseller model.
- Can I use my own payment processors?
- Yes. GetPaidHQ is processor-agnostic; you connect the processors you choose through the adapter interface and route between them.
Own the whole money path.
Self-host GetPaidHQ for free today, or talk to us about managed Cloud.
Free and open-source under AGPLv3 — self-host today, or talk to us about cloud.