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Compared honestly · July 2026

8 best payment solutions for AI-built apps

Every roundup of this question is written by a Merchant of Record vendor - including this one's obvious bias: we build paas.build. So here's the version with sources linked, competitors' real strengths named, and the two columns nobody else shows: how fast is your first live charge, and does it work without a company.

SolutionTime to first live chargeWorks without a company?Who is the merchantHeadline priceCost on a $9 sub
paas.buildSame session (progressive KYB, capped)Yes - individuals & sole tradersYou3.9% flat$0.35 (3.9%)
Lovable Payments (Paddle MoR)Paddle review firstIndividuals possible, after reviewPaddle5% + $0.50 pattern$0.95 (10.6%)
FreemiusReview + integrationYes, after reviewFreemius (MoR)~5-7% by volume~$0.50-0.65
PaddleDays; rejections for thin track recordsPrefers established entitiesPaddle (MoR)5% + $0.50$0.95 (10.6%)
Lemon Squeezy → Stripe Managed PaymentsMigration in progress; reviewYes, after reviewStripe (MoR)reported ~6.4% + $0.30~$0.88 (~9.7%)
Creem24-72h review; waitlists reportedYes, after reviewCreem (MoR)3.9% + $0.40 (+payout fees)$0.75 (8.3%)
Dodo Payments24-72 working hoursYes, after reviewDodo (MoR)4% + $0.40 (+1.5% intl, +0.5% subs)$0.81-0.94 (9-10.4%)
GumroadFast signupYesGumroad (MoR)10% + $0.50$1.40 (15.6%)

Published rates as of July 2026; sources: vendor pricing pages and docs - full fee breakdowns in our Dodo, Creem, Kelviq and Stripe Managed Payments reviews. Always verify current pricing.

Pick by your actual situation

"I want to charge users today, I have no company." → paas.build. Progressive KYB gives you a real merchant account (sandbox + production) the same session, capped ~£1,500 until verification completes. You stay the merchant. UK/EU/US builders. One prompt from inside Lovable, Bolt, Cursor or Claude Code.
"I sell globally and never want to think about VAT or US sales tax." → a Merchant of Record. Paddle for scale, Dodo for emerging-market founders, Freemius for WordPress-heritage products, Creem for indie DX. You pay 8-11% effective on small subs and the MoR becomes the legal seller - the full trade-off.
"I build inside Lovable and want zero setup." → Lovable Payments is genuinely convenient - just know it's Paddle underneath (their review, their name on the invoice, MoR pricing). The paas.build path inside Lovable keeps you the merchant at 3.9% flat.
"My app's users need to get paid too" (marketplace, community). → only a PayFac can split money between your users. That's paas.build - splits and payouts on FCA rails. An MoR structurally cannot do this.
"I'm outside the UK, EU and US." → honest answer: not us (yet). Dodo (220+ countries) or Gumroad are your fastest starts.
FAQ

What is the best payment solution for an AI-built app?

It depends on two questions: do you need to charge TODAY (then time-to-first-live-charge matters - paas.build is same-session; MoR reviews take days), and do you want global tax handled for you (then a Merchant of Record like Paddle, Freemius or Dodo earns its higher fee). This page compares all 8 on both.

Which payment solutions work without a registered company?

paas.build (individuals live the same day via progressive KYB), and several MoRs (Dodo, Creem, Gumroad) also onboard individuals - but after a review queue of one to several days. Stripe and Paddle generally expect an established entity or track record.

What does a $9 subscription actually cost on each?

paas.build: $0.35 (3.9% flat). Paddle/Lemon Squeezy pattern (5% + $0.50): $0.95 = 10.6%. Dodo (4.5% + $0.40 US sub): $0.81 = 8.9%. Creem (3.9% + $0.40): $0.75 = 8.3%. Gumroad (10% + $0.50): $1.40 = 15.6%. Fixed fees are what kill small AI-app tickets.

Is Lovable Payments the same as Paddle?

Lovable Payments runs on Paddle as the Merchant of Record - convenient inside the editor, but Paddle is the legal seller (their name on the invoice, their review) at MoR pricing. paas.build works inside Lovable too, with you as the merchant at 3.9% flat.