Paddle vs Kelviq
Paddle or Kelviq 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 Paddle if
- Established software or digital businesses that want tax handled and can wait for monthly payouts.
Choose Kelviq if
- Software and digital sellers who want tax handled at a lower fee than Paddle or Lemon Squeezy.
Side by side
| Paddle | Kelviq | |
|---|---|---|
| Handles sales tax and VAT (merchant of record) | Yes | Yes |
| Card fee | 5% + 50¢. Custom pricing for products under $10. Payouts are free for most countries; some pay a $15 SWIFT fee. | 3.5% + 40¢ (2.9% + 40¢ on your first $5,000). Plus 1.5% for non-US cards and 0.7% on subscription renewals. |
| Members can pay with | cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfer, Alipay, WeChat Pay, UPI, Pix, iDEAL, BLIK | cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, SEPA, iDEAL, UPI |
| Recurring billing | Subscriptions by card, PayPal and wallets. | Subscriptions by card and wallets; UPI AutoPay in India. |
| Who can sign up as a seller | Most countries except sanctioned ones | 90+ countries, including Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa |
| Payouts | Wire transfer or Payoneer, monthly, $100 minimum | Local bank account, 7 days after each sale |
| Free test mode | Yes | Yes |
| Connecting it to Ubunya | Paste an API key and client-side token. We add the webhook for you. | Paste a server API key, then add our webhook in Kelviq and paste its secret. |
| Prices on your community | Your Paddle prices, subscription or one-time. | You type in the plan identifiers from Kelviq. |
| Renewals in Ubunya | Renews automatically. | Renews automatically. |
| Members' billing page | Paddle's customer portal. | Kelviq's customer portal. |
From Paddle's and Kelviq's own websites, checked November 2026. Prices change; check theirs before you sign up. Compare all 11 providers.
Questions
Which handles tax, Paddle or Kelviq?+
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 Paddle or Kelviq?+
Paddle: not that we could find on its website. Kelviq: not that we could find on its website.
Can I use Paddle or Kelviq with Ubunya?+
Yes, both. Connect your own account under Manage → Payments. Paddle: Paste an API key and client-side token. We add the webhook for you. Kelviq: Paste a server API key, then add our webhook in Kelviq and paste its secret.
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.