Creem vs Lemon Squeezy
Creem or Lemon Squeezy for your paid community?
Both work with Ubunya: members who pay are let in automatically, and lose access when their membership ends. Here's how they differ on fees, payment methods, tax and payouts.
The short answer
Choose Creem if
- Small sellers in Kenya or Nigeria who want tax handled and a low flat fee.
Choose Lemon Squeezy if
- Sellers anywhere who want tax handled and PayPal for buyers, and accept a higher fee.
Side by side
| Creem | Lemon Squeezy | |
|---|---|---|
| Handles sales tax and VAT (merchant of record) | Yes | Yes |
| Card fee | 3.9% + 40¢. No extra fee for international cards. Payout fee is 7 USD/EUR or 1%, whichever is higher. | 5% + 50¢. Plus 1.5% outside the US, 1.5% for PayPal, 0.5% for subscriptions. 1% payout fee to non-US banks; PayPal payouts 3% (max $30) outside the US. Owned by Stripe, which is moving it toward Stripe Managed Payments. |
| Members can pay with | cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay | cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Alipay, WeChat Pay, Cash App Pay, bank debits |
| Recurring billing | Subscriptions by card or wallet. | Subscriptions by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal. |
| Who can sign up as a seller | 87 countries, including Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa | PayPal payouts in 200+ countries; bank payouts in a shorter list that includes Kenya |
| Payouts | Local bank transfer or USDC wallet, on the 1st and 15th | Bank account or PayPal, in USD, twice a month |
| Free test mode | Yes | Yes |
| Connecting it to Ubunya | Paste an API key. We add the webhook for you. | Paste an API key. We add the webhook for you. |
| Prices on your community | Your Creem products, subscription or one-time. | Your Lemon Squeezy variants, subscription or one-time. |
| Renewals in Ubunya | Renews automatically. | Renews automatically. |
| Members' billing page | Creem's customer portal. | Lemon Squeezy's customer portal. |
From Creem's and Lemon Squeezy's own websites, checked November 2026. Prices change; check theirs before you sign up. Compare all 11 providers.
Questions
Which handles tax, Creem or Lemon Squeezy?+
Both are merchants of record: they sell to your members and handle VAT and sales tax for you.
Can members pay with M-Pesa on Creem or Lemon Squeezy?+
Creem: not that we could find on its website. Lemon Squeezy: not that we could find on its website.
Can I use Creem or Lemon Squeezy with Ubunya?+
Yes, both. Connect your own account under Manage → Payments. Creem: Paste an API key. We add the webhook for you. Lemon Squeezy: Paste an API key. We add the webhook for you.
What happens when a member stops paying?+
Their access stays until the end of what they paid for, plus the grace days you set (three by default). Then the community closes to them. Staff never lose access.
More comparisons
Charge for your community with the account you already have
Connect it under Manage → Payments. Paying members are let in automatically.