Lemon Squeezy vs Stripe Billing

Merchant of record meets the billing api that actually makes you want to charge customers, not dread it. Here's our take.

Lemon Squeezy

Nice Pick

Merchant of record. They handle tax so you don't have to.

Pros

• Handles VAT/tax
• Simple setup
• Good for digital products

Cons

• Higher fees
• Less control
• Fewer features

Stripe Billing

The billing API that actually makes you want to charge customers, not dread it.

Pros

• Handles complex subscription logic (metered billing, trials, prorations) with minimal code
• Seamless integration with Stripe Payments and other Stripe products
• Built-in invoicing, dunning management, and revenue recognition automation
• Developer-friendly API with clear documentation and predictable webhooks

Cons

• Pricing adds up quickly with transaction fees on top of Stripe Payments fees
• Lock-in effect: migrating away is painful once you're deep in Stripe's ecosystem

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Lemon Squeezy is a payments while Stripe Billing is a hosting & deployment. We picked Lemon Squeezy based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Lemon Squeezy wins

Based on overall popularity. Lemon Squeezy is more widely used, but Stripe Billing excels in its own space.