Freemius vs Paddle (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Freemius and Paddle share a 2.4 GPA, both have a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on whether you care more about features, where Freemius grades higher, or platforms, where Paddle does.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Freemius
Merchant of record, licensing and payments for software sellers
Free plan
Which one is for you
Pick Freemius if
- Fits if you sell a WordPress plugin or other software and want licensing and tax handled
- Works for solo developers who prefer paying only when something sells
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you sell WordPress products, as 2.3% is added to 3.8% + 50¢ and gateway fees come on top
- Watch out: wire payouts may carry intermediate bank fees
- Skip it if you sell high volumes, as those sellers are sent to separate growth pricing not shown
- Not for you if you sell physical goods or run a general store, as it is built for software
Pick Paddle if
- Fits if you run a SaaS or software product and want tax and billing handled by someone else
- Works for companies selling subscriptions across borders
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you sell cheap items, as 5% + 50¢ bites and products under $10 are quoted custom
- Skip it if you sell courses or downloads as a creator, since it is aimed at software
- Watch out: buyers may see Paddle's name on their statements instead of yours
- Watch out: there is no storefront or page builder, so you build the checkout flow yourself
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAFreemiusFair | 2.4GPAPaddleFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C3.8% + 50¢ a transaction plus gateway fees, and another 2.3% for WordPress and templates. That is not below the 2.9% + $1 Digistore24 lists, so it lands in the middle. | C5% + 50¢ a transaction with no monthly fee. That is above the 3.8% + 50¢ Freemius and 2.9% + $1 Digistore24 list, though it bundles tax and billing support. |
| Free plan and trial | BNo setup or monthly fee, and you can set up products and licensing without paying until you make a sale. No trial is listed, because the fee only applies to sales. | BNo monthly, migration or setup fee, a developer sandbox, and ProfitWell Metrics are free. You pay only when you sell, so there is nothing to trial. |
| Features | BMerchant of record, software licensing by plan and activation, subscriptions with recovery, a customer portal, affiliates and payouts by wire and other routes. The core job is covered. | CMerchant of record, subscription billing, a localised checkout, Retain and metrics. It is built for SaaS and apps, not as a storefront for creators, so a creator would need another tool. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Licensing means integrating its SDK into your product, so a developer has to do the work. | CNo store rating on record. It has a sandbox and developer tools, which means setup is a developer's job. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only. Payment and payout routes run through Stripe, PayPal, Wise and Payoneer, and nothing else is listed. | BWeb only, with an API and developer tools, plus a RevenueCat connection for app subscriptions. |
| Best for | selling plugins, themes and software with licensing built in | SaaS and software billing through a merchant of record |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Freemius and Paddle. How we grade
Where they differ
- Freemius also covers affiliate tracking and digital downloads.
- Paddle also covers invoicing and reports.
In commonFree planWebPublic APIOnline storeMerchant of record
At a glance
| Freemius | Paddle | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | No setup or monthly fees: 3.8% + 50¢ per transaction plus gateway fees, with a further 2.3% for WordPress and templates. | No monthly, migration or setup fee; Paddle keeps 5% + 50¢ per transaction. ProfitWell Metrics subscription analytics are free. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Freemius | Paddle.com Market Ltd. |
| Price read from | freemius.com | paddle.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Freemius
- Gateway fees are charged on top of the 3.8% + 50¢ rate.
- WordPress and templates carry an additional 2.3%.
- Wire payouts may incur intermediate bank fees, and high-volume sellers are directed to separate growth pricing.
Paddle
- The fee is 5% + 50¢ per transaction; products under $10 in value are quoted custom pricing on request.
- It is positioned for SaaS, apps and software, not as a storefront for creators.
- As merchant of record Paddle appears on buyers' statements, so buyers may see its name rather than yours.
Key features
Freemius
- Merchant of record
- Freemius becomes the seller on record and manages sales tax and VAT, fraud protection, chargebacks and disputes.
- Software licensing
- Controls access by plan, feature and activation, with multi-site licenses and automatic updates.
- Subscriptions and recovery
- Recurring billing with renewal reminders, trials and failed-renewal recovery, plus cart abandonment emails at no extra fee.
- Customer portal and affiliates
- A self-serve portal for plan changes and payment updates, and an affiliate platform that lets customers earn by promoting your product.
- Payout options
- Earnings can be paid through wire, Wise, Payoneer or PayPal.
Paddle
- Merchant of record
- Paddle collects the correct tax rate, tracks filing deadlines and submits sales tax and VAT returns on the seller's behalf.
- Subscription billing
- Handles recurring payments and subscription management for software and digital products.
- Localized checkout
- A checkout that adapts to the buyer's location, plus invoices that can be sent internationally without local tax handling by the seller.
- Retain
- Recovers failed payments and reduces cancellations by acting on subscriptions over their lifecycle.
- ProfitWell Metrics
- Real-time subscription analytics, described on the pricing page as free.
- Developer sandbox
- A billing sandbox and developer documentation are available for testing an integration before launch.
Plans
Freemius
Per transaction$0
No setup or monthly fee. Pay 3.8% + 50¢ per transaction plus gateway fees; WordPress and templates add 2.3%. Wire payouts are free.
Paddle
Paddle Billing$0
No monthly fee. Paddle keeps 5% + 50¢ of each transaction, covering payments, tax, subscriptions and payment-related buyer support.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Freemius or Paddle?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Freemius publishes no starting price, and Paddle publishes no starting price.
Which has a free plan, Freemius or Paddle?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Freemius and Paddle have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.