Side by side
Polar vs Reach
Both stand on merchant of record software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan AndroidAPIExtension+2
Polar combines billing, usage metering, and merchant-of-record functions for AI products. Its meters track usage but leave quota enforcement to the product, and plans include transaction fees.
Visit Polar Paid APIWeb
Choose Reach if your business sells across borders and needs payments, tax handling, and fraud liability within its current commerce setup. Its support for subscriptions, retail, APIs, and existing payment providers fits businesses adding a merchant of record layer. Pricing is available on request.
Visit ReachThe facts
| Polar | Reach | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Not published |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Android, API, Extension, iPhone, Web | API, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Pro: $20 a month | Not published |
| Plans published | 4 | None |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | polar.sh | withreach.com |
| On merchant of record software | #5 of 32 | #32 of 32 |
Polar: what it does well
- Free Starter plan includes all features to sell.
- Meters support several aggregation methods.
- Merchant-of-record service covers sales tax and refunds.
- Hosted checkout includes localized currencies and sales tax.
What to know first
- Plans charge transaction fees.
- Usage meters do not enforce quotas.
- Pro costs $20 a month.
Reach: what it does well
- Covers 200+ markets and offers 130+ local currencies.
- Processes locally across 70+ countries with 40+ local payment methods.
- Calculates, files, and remits VAT, GST, and sales taxes.
- Assumes fraud liability and handles chargeback relationships and disputes.
- Supports APIs and pre-built platform integrations.
What to know first
- Pricing is available on request.
- Reach supports unchanged existing PSP rates only outside its supported markets: AU, CA, EU, UK, US, and JP.