Polar: Pricing, Features & Alternatives
Polar is a developer-first merchant of record (MoR) built for SaaS and digital products. It handles global sales tax/VAT, subscriptions, license keys, and entitlements with a clean API. In 2026 it moved to a tiered model: the free Starter plan is 5% + 50¢ per transaction, with paid plans lowering the rate.
Category
Payment Gateway
Pricing
From $20/mo
Free tier
No
Best for
Payment Gateway — merchant-of-record, saas
Polar Pricing Plans (2026)
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| StarterPopular | $0/mo + 5% + 50¢ per transaction |
| Pro | $20 / month (lower transaction rate) |
Pricing summary: From $20/mo. Always confirm current pricing on the official site.
Key Polar Features
- Merchant of record (handles tax)
- Subscriptions & one-time
- License keys & entitlements
- Developer-first API
Pros
- +Merchant of record (offloads tax/VAT)
- +Great developer experience
- +Built for SaaS & digital goods
- +Open-source friendly
Cons
- −Free plan fee matches Paddle/Lemon (5%+50¢)
- −Younger than Stripe/Paddle
Best Polar Alternatives
Compare all
Polar Compared
Polar FAQ
What is Polar used for?⌄
Polar is a payment gateway tool. Developer-first merchant of record for SaaS and digital products — handles global tax, billing, and entitlements.
Is Polar free?⌄
Polar does not offer a permanent free tier; paid plans start at $20/month.
How much does Polar cost?⌄
Polar plans start at $20/month. Some usage is billed pay-as-you-go.
What are the best Polar alternatives?⌄
Popular Polar alternatives include Lemon Squeezy, Paddle, Chargebee, Razorpay, Square. Compare pricing and features on our Polar alternatives page.
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