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Two Merchants of Record, Different Philosophies

Paddle is the incumbent Merchant of Record, trusted by companies like Notion and Framer. They have been in the MOR space for over a decade and have built a mature, enterprise-grade platform. Macropay is the modern alternative, built for the AI era. We offer the same core MOR capabilities at a lower price point, with purpose-built infrastructure for usage-based and token-based billing. This guide covers the differences honestly so you can make the right choice for your business.

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Feature Comparison

FeatureMacropayPaddle
Merchant of RecordYesYes
Tax complianceGlobal (EU VAT, UK VAT, US sales tax)200+ jurisdictions
Tax filing and remittanceIncludedIncluded
Chargeback handlingMOR liableMOR liable
Subscription managementFull (upgrade, downgrade, cancel, pause)Full (upgrade, downgrade, cancel, pause)
One-time purchasesYesYes
Usage-based billingYes (event metering, LLM strategies)Yes (metered billing)
AI/LLM billingPurpose-built (SDK strategies, token metering)Not specialized
License keysBuilt-inNot built-in
File downloadsBuilt-in (up to 10GB)Not built-in
GitHub repo accessBuilt-in automationNot available
Discord role managementBuilt-in automationNot available
Customer portalYesYes
CheckoutLinks, embedded, APIOverlay, inline, full page
SDKsTypeScript, Python, Go, PHPJS, Python, PHP, Go, .NET
Framework adapters12+ (Next.js, Nuxt, Laravel, SvelteKit, etc.)Paddle.js (universal)
WebhooksSigned with retrySigned with retry
InvoicingAutomatedAutomated
Cost insightsBuilt-in (track upstream costs)Not available
Seat-based pricingYesYes
TrialsYes (with abuse prevention)Yes
SaaS analyticsBuilt-inProfitWell (acquired)
B2B quoting/POsNot availableYes
Revenue recognitionNot availableYes (accounting integrations)

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Pricing Comparison

This is where Macropay stands out clearly.
MacropayPaddle
Base rate4.5% + $0.505% + $0.50
Monthly feesNoneNone (standard)
Setup feesNoneNone
International card surcharge+1.5%Varies
Subscription surcharge+0.5%Included

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What This Means in Practice

TransactionMacropay FeePaddle FeeYou Save
$50 one-time (domestic)$2.75$3.00$0.25
$50 subscription (domestic)$3.00$3.00$0.00
$100 one-time (domestic)$5.00$5.50$0.50
$100 subscription (intl)$6.50$5.50-$1.00
$200 one-time (domestic)$9.50$10.50$1.00
For domestic one-time purchases and higher-value transactions, Macropay is consistently cheaper. For international subscription payments, the comparison depends on Paddle’s specific surcharges for your payment methods. At scale, the savings compound. On 100,000/monthindomestictransactions,Macropaysavesapproximately100,000/month in domestic transactions, Macropay saves approximately 500/month compared to Paddle.

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AI Billing: Where Macropay Pulls Ahead

This is the single biggest differentiator. If you are building an AI product that needs to bill based on token consumption, API calls, or compute usage, Macropay was built for you.

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What Macropay Offers for AI Companies

1. LLM Ingestion SDK A drop-in SDK that wraps your LLM calls and automatically tracks token usage: 
import { Ingestion } from "@macropay/ingestion";
import { LLMStrategy } from "@macropay/ingestion/strategies/LLM";
import { openai } from "@ai-sdk/openai";

const ingestion = Ingestion({
  accessToken: process.env.MACROPAY_ACCESS_TOKEN,
})
  .strategy(new LLMStrategy(openai("gpt-4o")))
  .ingest("ai-usage");
2. Cost Insights Track your upstream LLM costs alongside customer revenue. See per-customer margins, cost trends, and model efficiency in real time. 3. Multiple Ingestion Strategies Beyond LLM, Macropay supports ingestion strategies for S3 storage, streaming, and delta-time billing. Build any usage-based pricing model. 4. Meter Credits Grant included usage with subscription tiers. Customers get X tokens/month included, then pay overage rates. This is configured in the dashboard with no custom code.

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What Paddle Offers for AI Companies

Paddle has metered billing, but it is a general-purpose feature. You would need to:
  • Build your own token tracking and cost calculation
  • Implement your own ingestion pipeline
  • Handle aggregation and reporting yourself
  • Build a custom customer usage dashboard
Paddle is a payment platform that can handle AI billing with enough custom engineering. Macropay is a payment platform that handles AI billing out of the box.

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Developer Experience

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Macropay

  • 12+ framework adapters: Next.js, Nuxt, Laravel, SvelteKit, Astro, Remix, Hono, Express, Fastify, Deno, Elysia, TanStack Start
  • 4 native SDKs: TypeScript, Python, Go, PHP
  • OpenAPI spec: Generate clients in any language
  • Customer State API: Get a customer’s full state (subscriptions, benefits, usage) in a single API call
  • Sandbox environment: Test without real payments

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Paddle

  • Paddle.js: Universal JavaScript library for frontend integration
  • 5 SDKs: JavaScript, Python, PHP, Go, .NET
  • Comprehensive API: Well-documented REST API
  • Sandbox environment: Full test environment
Both platforms have strong developer experiences. Macropay has the edge in framework-specific adapters, while Paddle has the edge in .NET support and more mature documentation.

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When to Choose Paddle

Paddle is the better choice if:
  • You need the deepest tax coverage. Paddle is registered in 200+ jurisdictions. If you sell heavily in markets like Japan, Brazil, or India, Paddle may have more comprehensive coverage.
  • You need enterprise B2B features. Paddle supports purchase orders, custom invoicing, and net-30/60/90 payment terms that Macropay does not yet offer.
  • You need revenue recognition. Paddle integrates with accounting tools for ASC 606/IFRS 15 compliance.
  • You are a .NET shop. Paddle has a native .NET SDK.
  • You are already on Paddle and it is working. Migration has costs. If Paddle serves your needs, switching may not be worth the effort.

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When to Choose Macropay

Macropay is the better choice if:
  • You are building an AI product. Purpose-built LLM billing, token metering, cost insights, and ingestion SDKs.
  • You want lower fees. 4.5% + 0.50vs50.50 vs 5% + 0.50 saves real money at scale.
  • You need built-in benefit delivery. License keys, file downloads, GitHub access, and Discord roles without third-party tools.
  • You want more framework options. 12+ framework adapters vs Paddle.js.
  • You are a developer-first team. Macropay’s API, SDKs, and integration patterns are designed for developers who want to move fast.
  • You sell digital products with automated delivery. Macropay’s benefit system handles license keys, file downloads, and access grants automatically.

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Migrating from Paddle to Macropay

If you decide to switch, here is the process:
1

Create your Macropay account

Sign up at macropay.com and create your organization.
2

Recreate your products

Set up your products in Macropay with the same pricing structure. Configure benefits (license keys, file downloads, etc.) if applicable.
3

Set up webhooks

Configure webhook endpoints to keep your system in sync. Macropay’s webhook payload structure is well-documented and follows standard patterns.
4

Integrate the SDK

Replace Paddle.js and Paddle API calls with Macropay SDK calls. With framework adapters, this is typically a few lines of code:
import { Checkout } from "@macropay/nextjs";

export default function PricingPage() {
  return (
    <Checkout
      organization="your-org"
      products={["your-product-id"]}
    />
  );
}
5

Migrate customers gradually

For existing subscriptions, let them run out on Paddle. Direct new customers and renewals to Macropay. This avoids disruption for current subscribers.
6

Monitor and verify

Use Macropay’s analytics dashboard to verify that transactions, taxes, and payouts are working correctly.
Active subscription migration: Macropay cannot automatically migrate active subscriptions from Paddle. The recommended approach is to let existing subscriptions complete their current term on Paddle, and direct new subscriptions to Macropay.

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The Bottom Line

Paddle is a proven, mature MOR platform. If you are an established SaaS with enterprise B2B needs and complex revenue recognition requirements, Paddle is a strong choice. Macropay is the modern MOR built for the next generation of software companies, especially AI-native products. Lower fees, purpose-built AI billing, and a developer experience optimized for speed.

Try Macropay

Create your account and start accepting payments in minutes. 4.5% + 50c, all-in.

Talk to Us

Have questions about migrating from Paddle? We are happy to help.