Polar vs Kelviq
Polar 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 Polar if
- Developers and creators who want tax handled and can use Stripe payouts in their country.
Choose Kelviq if
- Software and digital sellers who want tax handled at a lower fee than Paddle or Lemon Squeezy.
Side by side
| Polar | Kelviq | |
|---|---|---|
| Handles sales tax and VAT (merchant of record) | Yes | Yes |
| Card fee | 5% + 50¢ (free plan). Plus 1.5% for non-US cards. Paid plans lower the rate (e.g. 3.8% + 40¢ for $20/month). Stripe payout fees apply: $2/month, 0.25% + 25¢ per payout, plus currency conversion. | 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, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Link, Amazon Pay, Cash App Pay, WeChat Pay | cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, SEPA, iDEAL, UPI |
| Recurring billing | Subscriptions by card or wallet. | Subscriptions by card and wallets; UPI AutoPay in India. |
| Who can sign up as a seller | Countries supported by Stripe Connect Express, including Kenya and Nigeria | 90+ countries, including Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa |
| Payouts | Bank account via Stripe Connect Express | Local bank account, 7 days after each sale |
| Free test mode | Yes | Yes |
| Connecting it to Ubunya | Paste an organisation access token, then add our webhook in Polar and paste its secret. | Paste a server API key, then add our webhook in Kelviq and paste its secret. |
| Prices on your community | Your Polar products, subscription or one-time. | You type in the plan identifiers from Kelviq. |
| Renewals in Ubunya | Renews automatically. | Renews automatically. |
| Members' billing page | Polar's customer portal. | Kelviq's customer portal. |
From Polar'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, Polar 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 Polar or Kelviq?+
Polar: not that we could find on its website. Kelviq: not that we could find on its website.
Can I use Polar or Kelviq with Ubunya?+
Yes, both. Connect your own account under Manage → Payments. Polar: Paste an organisation access token, then add our webhook in Polar and paste its secret. 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.