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Paddle vs Razorpay: Which is Better in 2026?

Payment Gateway

Choosing between Paddle and Razorpay? Both are popular payment gateway tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack.

Paddle is for: SaaS and software companies who want a merchant of record to handle sales tax, VAT, fraud and buyer support.

Razorpay is for: Businesses selling to customers in India who need UPI, cards, netbanking, wallets and EMI in one gateway.

Quick verdict

There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose Paddle if you sell software globally and don’t want to register for VAT and sales tax. Choose Razorpay if your customers mostly pay in India.

Paddle vs Razorpay — Side by Side

PaddleRazorpay
CategoryPayment GatewayPayment Gateway
What it isPayments and billing platformPayment gateway
Merchant of recordYesNo
Online card fee5% + 50¢, tax handling included2% platform fee (India) + 18% GST
Monthly feeNoneNone
Built forSaaS and softwareBusinesses selling in India
PricingUsage-basedUsage-based
Starting pricePay-as-you-goPay-as-you-go
Free tier——
Best forPayment Gateway — merchant of record, SaaS, global taxPayment Gateway — India, UPI, payment gateway

Pros & Cons

  • Merchant of record: collects and files sales tax for you
  • Fraud, chargebacks and buyer support included
  • No monthly or migration fees
  • 5% + 50¢ costs more per sale than a plain gateway
  • Products under $10 need custom pricing
  • Custom rates only through sales
  • Built for UPI and Indian payment methods
  • No monthly fee
  • Rich payment methods
  • Good developer docs
  • Gateway, not merchant of record
  • India-focused
  • You handle tax compliance

Key Features Compared

Paddle

  • Pay-as-you-go: 5% + 50¢ per checkout transaction
  • Merchant of record: collects the right tax rate and files sales tax returns for you
  • Payments, checkout, subscriptions and billing in one platform; fraud, chargebacks and buyer support included
  • No monthly, migration or hidden fees; no lock-in period
  • Custom pricing for high volume; contact Paddle for products under $10

Razorpay

  • Standard: 2% platform fee across domestic methods, including UPI, RuPay, cards, netbanking and wallets
  • Corporate cards 2.15%; international cards up to 3%; international bank transfers 1%
  • GST of 18% applies to the platform fee
  • No setup fee, annual maintenance charge or refund fee

Choose Paddle if…

  • You sell software globally and don’t want to register for VAT and sales tax.
  • You want chargebacks and buyer support handled for you.
  • You want subscriptions and checkout from the same vendor.

Choose Razorpay if…

  • Your customers mostly pay in India.
  • You need UPI, netbanking and EMI as well as cards.
  • You want one flat platform fee across domestic methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Paddle better than Razorpay?⌄

There’s no single winner; pick on your constraint. Choose Paddle if you sell software globally and don’t want to register for VAT and sales tax. Choose Razorpay if your customers mostly pay in India.

What is the difference between Paddle and Razorpay?⌄

What it is — Paddle: Payments and billing platform. Razorpay: Payment gateway. Merchant of record — Paddle: Yes. Razorpay: No. Online card fee — Paddle: 5% + 50¢, tax handling included. Razorpay: 2% platform fee (India) + 18% GST. Built for — Paddle: SaaS and software. Razorpay: Businesses selling in India.

Paddle vs Razorpay: which is cheaper?⌄

Paddle pricing: Usage-based. Razorpay pricing: Usage-based. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.

When should I skip both Paddle and Razorpay?⌄

Skip Paddle if you want a lower per-transaction rate as a merchant of record. Polar’s paid plans start at 3.8% + 40¢. Skip Razorpay if you sell mostly outside India. Stripe and Paddle are built for global card payments.

Sources · tool facts checked November 2026

  1. 1.Paddle pricingpaddle.com
  2. 2.Razorpay pricingrazorpay.com

See more options in our guide to the best payment gateway tools for startups.

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