Payment infrastructure for the internet.
What It Does
Stripe handles everything related to getting paid online — credit cards, subscriptions, invoices, tax calculation, and fraud prevention.
Why Solo Builders Use It
If you're building a business, you need to get paid. Stripe is the gold standard:
Best developer experience of any payment provider
Handles subscriptions, one-time payments, invoices
Stripe Atlas — register a US company for ~$500
Tax calculation and compliance built in
Works in 40+ countries
Pricing
2.9% + $0.30 per successful transaction. No monthly fees.
Verdict
Non-negotiable for solo builders going global. The developer experience is unmatched, and Stripe Atlas solves the "how do I accept payments from overseas" problem.
Pros
Best API and documentation in the industry
Stripe Atlas for US company formation
Handles tax compliance (Stripe Tax)
Excellent fraud protection
Cons
2.9% is higher than some alternatives
Account freezes can happen (rare but painful)
Complex pricing for advanced features
Alternatives
LemonSqueezy — Simpler, acts as Merchant of Record (handles tax for you)
Paddle — Similar to LemonSqueezy, popular in SaaS
Gumroad — Simplest option for digital products