Laravel Cashier: Stripe vs Paddle - Choosing the Right Payment Solution

When it comes to handling subscription billing in Laravel applications, Cashier is the go-to package. It offers integrations with two popular payment providers: Stripe and Paddle. In this post, we'll compare Laravel Cashier for Stripe and Paddle to help you choose the best option for your project.

Overview

Laravel Cashier provides an expressive, fluent interface to subscription billing services. It handles most of the complex billing logic, allowing developers to focus on building their applications. Both Stripe and Paddle integrations offer robust features, but they have some key differences.

Installation and Setup

Stripe:

composer require laravel/cashier
php artisan vendor:publish --tag="cashier-migrations"
php artisan migrate

Paddle:

composer require laravel/cashier-paddle
php artisan vendor:publish --tag="cashier-migrations"
php artisan migrate

Both versions require adding the Billable trait to your User model and configuring API keys in your .env file.

Key Features

Stripe

• Supports multiple currencies

• Offers more granular control over subscriptions

• Provides detailed reporting and analytics

• Supports SCA (Strong Customer Authentication) for European customers

• Offers a wider range of payment methods

Paddle

• Handles VAT/sales tax calculations automatically

• Provides a more streamlined checkout process

• Offers built-in affiliate management

• Handles currency conversion automatically

• Better suited for selling digital products globally

Pricing Structure

Stripe: Charges 2.9% + $0.30 per successful transaction (for US-based businesses).

Paddle: Takes a 5% + $0.50 fee per transaction, but handles VAT/sales tax and provides more services.

Geographic Availability

Stripe is available in 40+ countries, while Paddle can be used by merchants in 200+ countries.

Developer Experience

Both integrations offer a similar developer experience, with fluent interfaces for common operations:

Stripe:

$user->newSubscription('default', 'price_monthly')->create($paymentMethod);

Paddle:

$user->newSubscription('default', $planId)->create();

Webhook Handling

Both versions of Cashier provide built-in webhook handling:

Stripe:

Route::post(
    '/stripe/webhook',
    [WebhookController::class, 'handleWebhook']
);

Paddle:

Route::post(
    '/paddle/webhook',
    [WebhookController::class, 'handleWebhook']
);

Conclusion

Choose Laravel Cashier (Stripe) if:

• You need more control over the billing process

• You're primarily serving customers in countries where Stripe operates

• You require a wider range of payment methods

Choose Laravel Cashier (Paddle) if:

• You're selling digital products globally

• You want automatic tax handling

• You need built-in affiliate management

• You're looking for a more all-in-one solution

Both integrations offer robust features and seamless integration with Laravel. Your choice should depend on your specific business needs, target market, and the level of control you require over the billing process.

Remember to always refer to the official documentation for the most up-to-date information and best practices when implementing either solution.