Polar
Open-source billing and merchant of record for software sellers
Polar report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 18, 2026
Best for developers selling software and usage plans
Polar is open-source billing that acts as merchant of record, handling tax, fraud, refunds and chargebacks, and it delivers files, license keys, GitHub access or Discord roles after each sale. Starter is free, with 5% + 50¢ a sale. It's built for developers and AI products, so creators wanting a store page, email or affiliates should look elsewhere.
Who Polar is for
- Great if you sell software or SaaS subscriptions to buyers worldwide
- Handy when your AI product bills by tokens, credits or other usage
- A treat if you're an open-source maintainer selling access to a repo or Discord
Who Polar is not for
- Skip it if you're a creator who wants a store page, email and affiliates
- Pricey if you get many disputes, as each one costs $15 whatever the outcome
Why Polar gets a 2.6
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyStarter is free and keeps 5% + 50¢ a transaction, so $1,000 costs $50 plus 50¢ a sale, with no separate card fee listed since Polar is the merchant of record. Pro at $20 only pays off above about $1,379 a month. Non-US cards add 1.5%.
- AFree plan and trialStarter costs nothing a month and includes every selling feature, with standard support. You pay 5% + 50¢ a sale instead, and the value grade counts that.
- CFeaturesSubscriptions, seats, usage meters and credits, plus files, license keys, GitHub repo invites and Discord roles delivered automatically. It does billing for software fully, but nothing in the listing covers a store page, email or affiliates.
- CEase of useNo App Store rating on record. It's built for developers: the listing leads with an API, a Python SDK and webhooks, so expect some setting up.
- BPlatforms and integrationsWeb, with Stripe, GitHub, Discord and Slack, an API, a Python SDK and an MCP server for Claude, Cursor and ChatGPT. No phone or desktop app is listed.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Polar's own pages on 18 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/polar#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/polar.svg" alt="Polar: 2.6 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Polar stands among tools for selling digital products
Polar's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 6 of the 14 other tools for selling digital products we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 7 of 14) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $20 a month, against a middle price of $24.50 for the category: 4 of the 9 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 6 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 15 tools for selling digital products we grade, cut by the letter each got. Polar’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 3 of 14, level with 9
- AFree plan and trialAbove 7 of 14, level with 7
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 14, level with 5
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 14, level with 11
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 14, level with 14
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 14 tools for selling digital products. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep Polar, or make your own?
Keep it
To replace Polar you would be making selling as the merchant of record, so sales tax and VAT are handled everywhere. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $240 a year. Polar is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could make
- Digital downloads: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Selling as the merchant of record, so sales tax and VAT are handled everywhere.
- It plugs into other products, Stripe, GitHub and Discord among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. Polar’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Polar?
Polar is an open-source billing platform that acts as merchant of record, taking on sales tax, fraud, refunds and chargebacks in over 100 markets. Developers sell subscriptions, usage-based plans and one-off products, with file downloads, license keys, GitHub repository access and Discord roles delivered automatically. Its site now pitches it mainly at AI companies billing by usage.
Polar has a free plan. Paid plans start at $20 per month, with a lower fee on each sale. See every plan
Good for
- Developers selling software, licenses or SaaS subscriptions worldwide
- AI products that bill by tokens, credits or other usage
- Open-source maintainers granting paid access to repos or Discord
Worth knowing
- Starter keeps 5% + 50¢ of each transaction, and non-US cards add 1.5%; the paid plans only lower that fee once sales are high enough.
- Each dispute costs $15 whatever the outcome, and Polar may suspend accounts whose chargeback rate gets too high.
- Payouts through Stripe cost $2 a month plus 0.25% + $0.25 per payout, and currency conversion adds 0.25% to 1%.
- Organizations created before May 27, 2026 keep an Early Member rate of 4% + 40¢ until they move to a paid plan.
Key features
- Merchant of record
- Polar resells your product in over 100 markets and is responsible for payments, sales tax and VAT, fraud, refunds and chargebacks.
- Subscriptions and usage billing
- Subscriptions, seat-based and unit-based pricing, prepaid credits and metered usage from live event meters, combined on one invoice.
- Automated benefits
- Deliver file downloads up to 10GB each, license keys, private GitHub repository invites, Discord roles, feature flags or a shared Slack channel.
- Cost and margin insights
- Attach inference or other costs to usage events to see gross margin per customer beside revenue.
- Checkout options
- Custom checkout fields, discounts, free trials and tax-inclusive pricing, with a Python SDK, webhooks and an API for developers.
- Open source and MCP
- Polar's code is open source, and its MCP server lets Claude, Cursor or ChatGPT query customers and revenue or create products and refunds.
Polar pricing
- Starts at
- $20 per month, with a lower fee on each sale
- Free plan
- Starter is free with all selling features and standard support; Polar takes 5% + 50¢ of each transaction, plus 1.5% for non-US cards.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $0 | All features to sell, standard support. Polar keeps 5% + 50¢ of each transaction, plus 1.5% for international cards. |
| Pro | $20per month | Fee drops to 3.8% + 40¢ a transaction, with prioritized support and preview access to new features. Pays off above about $1,379 a month in sales. |
| Growth | $100per month | Fee drops to 3.6% + 35¢ a transaction, with prioritized support. Pays off above about $5,634 a month in sales. |
| Scale | $400per month | Fee drops to 3.4% + 30¢ a transaction, with a shared Slack channel, P1 support and single sign-on. |
Read from polar.sh on Oct 18, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Polar before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- StartupsScale plan free for a year for AI startups
Polar's Startup Program gives early-stage AI startups the Scale plan free for twelve months, with its 3.4% + 30¢ fee, by application.
Stated on polar.sh
Works with
Polar alternatives
- Polar vs Lemon Squeezy
Free plan · from $10/mo
- Polar vs Gumroad
Free
- Polar vs Whop
Free
- Polar vs SendOwl
Free trial · from $32.50/mo
- Polar vs Payhip
Free plan · from $29/mo
Common questions
Is Polar free?
Polar has a free plan. Starter is free with all selling features and standard support; Polar takes 5% + 50¢ of each transaction, plus 1.5% for non-US cards. Paid plans start at $20 per month, with a lower fee on each sale.
How much does Polar cost?
Polar lists 4 plans. Starter: $0. Pro: $20 per month. Growth: $100 per month. Scale: $400 per month. Prices were read from polar.sh on Oct 18, 2026.
What platforms does Polar work on?
Polar is available on Web.
Does Polar offer any discounts?
Polar publicly lists the following: Scale plan free for a year for AI startups.
Does Polar have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. Polar is listed for Web.
Does Polar have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. Polar is listed for Web.
Is Polar open source?
Yes. Polar is open source, according to its own site.
Does Polar have an API?
Yes. Polar offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Polar integrate with?
Polar's listing names Stripe, GitHub, Discord, Slack, Claude, Cursor and ChatGPT. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Polar?
Polar is made by Polar Software, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Polar?
The closest alternatives to Polar in our directory are Lemon Squeezy, Gumroad, Whop, SendOwl and Payhip. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Polar.
How does Polar compare with other tools for selling digital products?
Polar's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 6 of the 14 other tools for selling digital products we grade, and level with 5. It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 7 of 14) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Is Polar good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Polar C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $20 a month, against a middle price of $24.50 for the category: 4 of the 9 others that charge start lower. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 6 tools score higher and cost less.
Could I make my own version of Polar?
To replace Polar you would be making selling as the merchant of record, so sales tax and VAT are handled everywhere. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one. It costs $240 a year. Polar is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself. What you could not make: Selling as the merchant of record, so sales tax and VAT are handled everywhere. It plugs into other products, Stripe, GitHub and Discord among them, and has an API. This is a judgement from its listing. We have not built one.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 18, 2026.