Dodo Payments vs Paddle
Dodo Payments or Paddle 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 Dodo Payments if
- Sellers outside Kenya who want tax handled for them and many local payment methods.
Choose Paddle if
- Established software or digital businesses that want tax handled and can wait for monthly payouts.
Side by side
| Dodo Payments | Paddle | |
|---|---|---|
| Handles sales tax and VAT (merchant of record) | Yes | Yes |
| Card fee | 4% + 40¢ (US cards). Plus 1.5% for international cards, 0.5% for subscriptions, 3% for PayPal or BNPL. $5 fee on payouts under $1,000; $25 for USD SWIFT payouts. | 5% + 50¢. Custom pricing for products under $10. Payouts are free for most countries; some pay a $15 SWIFT fee. |
| Members can pay with | cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Klarna, ACH, SEPA, UPI, Pix, iDEAL, WeChat Pay, GCash | cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfer, Alipay, WeChat Pay, UPI, Pix, iDEAL, BLIK |
| Recurring billing | Subscriptions by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay and some local methods (UPI, Pix, GCash); others are one-time only. | Subscriptions by card, PayPal and wallets. |
| Who can sign up as a seller | 177 countries; not Kenya or Nigeria (new sign-ups) | Most countries except sanctioned ones |
| Payouts | Bank transfer (local or SWIFT) or Payoneer, twice a month by default | Wire transfer or Payoneer, monthly, $100 minimum |
| Free test mode | Yes | Yes |
| Connecting it to Ubunya | Paste an API key. We add the webhook for you. | Paste an API key and client-side token. We add the webhook for you. |
| Prices on your community | Your Dodo products, subscription or one-time. | Your Paddle prices, subscription or one-time. |
| Renewals in Ubunya | Renews automatically. | Renews automatically. |
| Members' billing page | Dodo's customer portal. | Paddle's customer portal. |
From Dodo Payments's and Paddle's own websites, checked November 2026. Prices change; check theirs before you sign up. Compare all 11 providers.
Questions
Which handles tax, Dodo Payments or Paddle?+
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 Dodo Payments or Paddle?+
Dodo Payments: not that we could find on its website. Paddle: not that we could find on its website.
Can I use Dodo Payments or Paddle with Ubunya?+
Yes, both. Connect your own account under Manage → Payments. Dodo Payments: Paste an API key. We add the webhook for you. Paddle: Paste an API key and client-side token. 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.