Payment Platform Approval Checklist for Indie Hackers
Quick Answer
Analysis Context
Policy Evidence
Used to identify restricted categories such as adult content, regulated services, and other high-risk business models.
Used for software focus, prohibited categories, restricted content generation, scraping-adjacent and adult content risks.
Used for digital product scope, IP ownership, age-restricted, adult, regulated and prohibited product risks.
Used for PayPal prohibited activities and categories that require pre-approval, including adult, regulated, infringing and unsafe products.
Approval Risk Details
- ·Auditors look for contact emails, pricing plans, and refund terms on your website footer.
- ·Stripe uses automated scanners that crawl your site for restricted keywords (crypto, adult, etc.).
- ·Having a registered business entity increases onboarding rates, but solo individuals can apply to select MoRs.
Common Rejection Reasons
- ·Missing Terms of Service, Refund Policy, or Privacy Policy in website footer
- ·Landing page using mock imagery or generic 'lorem ipsum' descriptions for features
- ·Selling restricted categories like regulated services, adult assets, or unlicensed products
Application Checklist
- ·Include your real business address and company name in the footer
- ·Make sure you have an active support email or contact form reachable on site
- ·Add a clear Refund Policy explaining the processing window (e.g., 'refunds within 14 days')
Better Alternatives
- ·Use an MoR to delegate tax compliance and liability
- ·Set up fallback checkout options before scaling marketing campaigns
Platform Risk Matrix
| Platform | Model | Best Fit | Approval Risk | MoR / Tax | Individuals | AI Risk | Chrome Ext Risk | Adult Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Payment gateway / PayFac | Standard SaaS, developer tools, clear subscriptions, API services | Lower risk | No | Depends on supported country and verification | Case-by-case | Case-by-case | High risk |
| PayPal | Digital wallet / payment processor | Mainstream digital services, invoices, one-time payments, PayPal wallet demand | Lower risk | No | Country, account type and verification dependent | Case-by-case | Case-by-case | High risk |
| Paddle | Merchant of Record | SaaS, software, subscriptions, global tax handling | Lower risk | Yes | Primarily software sellers; verification still applies | Case-by-case | Case-by-case | High risk |
| Lemon Squeezy | Merchant of Record | Digital products, software, templates, memberships, subscriptions | Lower risk | Yes | May support individuals after account review | Case-by-case | Unknown | High risk |
| Dodo Payments | MoR / global payments for digital businesses | Indie SaaS, global digital sellers, card and local method coverage | Case-by-case | Yes | Needs direct verification | Unknown | Unknown | High risk |
| Polar | Developer monetization / MoR-like platform | Open-source, developer tools, sponsors, digital benefits, subscriptions | Case-by-case | Yes, for supported use cases | Developer-oriented; verify onboarding requirements | Unknown | Unknown | High risk |
| Coinbase Commerce | Crypto commerce | Crypto-native customers, transparent legal products, merchant-controlled crypto settlement | Case-by-case | No | Provider and region dependent | Unknown | Unknown | High risk |
| NOWPayments | Crypto payment gateway | International crypto payers, multi-coin checkout, fallback experiments | Case-by-case | No | Provider and verification dependent | Unknown | Unknown | Case-by-case |
| OpenNode | Bitcoin / Lightning payments | Bitcoin-first audiences, Lightning checkout, simple crypto payment flows | Case-by-case | No | Provider and region dependent | Unknown | Unknown | Case-by-case |
| Gumroad | Merchant of Record | Ebooks, templates, digital downloads, simple software, individual creators without a company | Lower risk | Yes | Yes, no company entity required | Unknown | Unknown | High risk |
Check your product before you apply
Get an instant platform-by-platform risk breakdown based on your business status, location and targeted categories.
Disclaimer
// This page is for informational purposes only. It does not provide legal, tax, financial, compliance, or payment platform advice. Always verify directly with the provider before applying or integrating.
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Stripe Alternatives for Non-US Residents
For non-US resident founders, managing local tax compliance and card network integration without a US entity is difficult. The best alternatives are **Merchant of Record (MoR) platforms** like **Paddle**, **Lemon Squeezy**, or **Dodo Payments**, which handle taxes and payouts globally without requiring a US LLC.