compare / polar
The Polar alternative for sellers who want their own Stripe
Polar pioneered the benefits model — attach license keys, files, and repo access to products — as a merchant of record with usage-based fees. Keyplar brings that same model to your own Stripe account, with flat pricing and a deeper license API.
Works with, or instead of. Keyplar also integrates with Polar directly: connect it as a gateway and Keyplar becomes the portal over your existing Polar sales — including imported license keys. Switch checkouts whenever it suits you.
why sellers switch
Why choose Keyplar over Polar
- 01
Licenses that know their history
Keyplar's License API resolves every key to its order, product, and customer in one response — context Polar's license validation doesn't return. When support email arrives, the answer is already in the payload.
- 02
Your own Stripe account
Polar sells as merchant of record and charges per transaction. With Keyplar, Stripe's standard rates apply and Keyplar is a flat monthly fee — you own the checkout, the statement descriptor, and the payout schedule.
- 03
One portal across gateways
Keyplar isn't tied to one checkout. Run Stripe, Lemon Squeezy, and Polar side by side and your customers still get a single account with all their purchases — useful mid-migration or permanently.
side by side
Keyplar vs Polar, honestly
Different tools make different trade-offs. Here is where each one stands, without spin.
| Feature | Polar | Keyplar + your Stripe |
|---|---|---|
| Who is the merchant of record | Polar | You (via your Stripe) |
| Pricing model | % + fee per sale | Flat $29–79 / month |
| License keys | ||
| License validation API | ||
| License resolves to order, product & customer | — | |
| File downloads | ||
| GitHub repository access | ||
| Customer portal on your own domain | — | |
| Works with multiple gateways at once | — | Stripe, LS & Polar |
| Import from Polar | — |
the switch
Migrating from Polar
- 01Create your Keyplar store and connect your Polar API credentials
- 02Run the import: products, orders, subscriptions, and license keys — Polar-issued keys preserved and kept in sync
- 03Recreate your benefits in Keyplar (license rules, files, GitHub repos) and attach them to products
- 04Connect Stripe, map products to Prices, and switch your buy links when ready
- 05Leave Polar connected for as long as existing subscriptions need it
straight answers
Common questions
Is Keyplar a good alternative to Polar?
If you like Polar's benefits model but want to sell on your own Stripe account with flat pricing, yes — Keyplar implements the same order → product → benefit chain, adds a customer portal on your domain, and its License API returns the full order/product/customer context per key.
Can Keyplar and Polar run together?
Yes. Polar is a supported gateway: Keyplar ingests its webhooks, imports its history, and even syncs license disable/deactivate state both ways where Polar's API allows it.
Do Polar-issued license keys survive the move?
Yes — imported exactly as issued, then validated through Keyplar's License API. Activation state comes along too.
Is Keyplar open source like Polar?
Keyplar is a hosted product. What you keep is data ownership: your catalog, orders, and customers are yours, exportable, on infrastructure you don't have to run.
order.paid → delivered
Polar's benefit model. Your Stripe account.
Import your Polar history and deliver from your own checkout. Free for 14 days.
14-day trial · $29/mo after · cancel anytime