Ruba field guide
Ruba vs Paddle
Practical detail for building, selling, and operating software with Ruba.
Ruba guide
Overview
Comparing two Merchant of Record solutions for software businesses.
Both Ruba and Paddle act as Merchant of Record (MoR), handling tax compliance and payments for you. However, Ruba is built by developers for developers with modern tooling, transparent pricing, and an open-source approach that gives you full control and visibility.
Ruba guide
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Ruba | Paddle |
|---|---|---|
| Payment Processing | ||
| Subscription Management | ||
| Merchant of Record | ||
| Global Tax Compliance | ||
| Framework Adapters | ||
| Automated Benefits Engine | ||
| Open Source |
Ruba guide
Pricing
Ruba
per transaction (Starter plan — paid plans available with lower rates)
- Pass-through costs are shown separately
- No hidden fees or markups
- All features included
Paddle
per transaction
- Higher base fees
- Additional fees for some features
- Volume discounts require negotiation
On paid plans, Ruba's lower variable rates can save you significantly compared to Paddle as your revenue grows. See our pricing guide for a full breakdown.
Ruba guide
Developer Experience
Built for modern development
Ruba is designed from the ground up for today's developers, with modern tooling, framework adapters, and a TypeScript-first approach. Paddle's tools feel dated in comparison.
6-line integration
Ruba provides a 6-line integration with framework adapters, making it easy to get started with minimal code.
Framework adapters
Ruba provides native support for Next.js, BetterAuth, Laravel, and more.
Transparent architecture
Ruba documents how payments, ledgers, seller balances, and payouts move through the platform.
Ruba guide
Transparency & Control
Clear operations vs a closed platform
One of the biggest differences between Ruba and Paddle is transparency. Ruba is designed to make fees, transaction movement, and seller balances understandable from the dashboard and API.
With Ruba
- Fully transparent - see exactly how everything works
- Open development with public roadmap and issue tracking
- Community driven - contribute features and fixes
- Data portability with full API access
With Paddle
- Closed source - black box implementation
- Private development with limited visibility into roadmap
- Limited transparency - dependent on vendor roadmap
- Limited data access - dependent on their API capabilities
Ruba guide
Why Choose Ruba?
A modern alternative to Paddle for forward-thinking teams
If you're choosing a Merchant of Record, Ruba offers everything Paddle does but with better pricing, modern developer tools, and a clearer operating model.
One published platform rate
Pass-through costs are identified separately in the seller ledger.
Better developer experience
Modern tooling built for today's tech stack.
Open source
Full transparency, community contributions, public roadmap.
Built for developers
TypeScript-first, framework adapters, 6-line integration.
Ready to switch from Paddle?
Join developers who are moving to a more modern, transparent, and affordable Merchant of Record solution.