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Paid plans start at $20/mo. There's also a free plan.
Polar's Starter plan costs $0 per month, so you can begin without a subscription charge. It still takes 5% + $0.50 per transaction. Pro starts at $20 per month, Growth at $100 and Scale at $400, with lower per-transaction fees at higher tiers. The Startup Program offers Scale free for 12 months to early-stage AI startups. Annual billing prices aren't published, and payout, international-card, currency-conversion and dispute fees can increase the bill.
01Every plan, line by line
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | — | $0 | Validating ideas |
| Pro | — | $20 | Builders and early teams |
| Growth | — | $100 | Scaling startups |
| Scale | — | $400 | Fast-growing businesses |
| Startup Program | — | $0 | Early-stage AI startups |
| Early Member | — | $0 | Organizations created before May 27, 2026 |
Add-ons and overages
- Starter transaction fee: 5% + $0.50 per transaction; 0% subscription fee.
- Pro transaction fee: 3.8% + $0.40 per transaction; 0% subscription fee.
- Growth transaction fee: 3.6% + $0.35 per transaction; 0% subscription fee.
- Scale and Startup Program transaction fee: 3.4% + $0.30 per transaction; 0% subscription fee.
- Early Member: 4% + $0.40 per transaction and 0.5% on subscription payments.
- All plans: additional 1.5% for international cards.
- Payout fees: $2 per month with active payouts, plus 0.25% + $0.25 per payout; cross-border currency conversion adds 0.25% to 1%.
- $15 per dispute.
02What the plan grid doesn't tell you
Transaction fees
Starter charges 5% + $0.50 per transaction; Pro, Growth and Scale have lower rates. Model the fee against your expected transaction count and average charge.
International cards
All plans add 1.5% for international cards, on top of the plan's transaction fee.
Payouts and conversion
Active payouts cost $2 per month plus 0.25% + $0.25 per payout. Cross-border currency conversion adds 0.25% to 1%.
Disputes
Each dispute costs $15. Include this charge in your payment-risk estimates.
03Which plan should you buy?
| If you are… | Get | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Prototype or validate an idea | Starter | There is no monthly subscription price, but the transaction fee is the highest listed at 5% + $0.50. |
| Early-stage AI startup | Startup Program | Eligible early-stage AI startups get Scale free for 12 months, including its listed support features. |
| Growing production billing volume | Growth | At $100 per month, it lowers the transaction fee to 3.6% + $0.35 compared with Starter and Pro. |
04Is Polar worth the money?
Polar's free Starter tier is a practical way to begin, but it is not fee-free: every transaction costs 5% + $0.50. Pro, Growth and Scale trade a monthly charge for lower transaction fees, so compare your expected payment volume and average charge before upgrading. The Startup Program is the strongest listed deal for eligible early-stage AI startups, with Scale free for 12 months. Include international-card, payout, conversion and dispute costs in the calculation; self-hosting is not a published alternative.
Polar pricing FAQ
Is Polar free to use?
Starter has no monthly subscription price and includes the features to sell, but charges 5% + $0.50 per transaction. The vendor doesn't publish a transaction ceiling for Starter, so confirm any usage or account limits before depending on it.
What is the cheapest paid Polar plan?
Pro is the lowest-priced paid plan at $20 per month. Its transaction fee is 3.8% + $0.40. The vendor shows monthly prices; annual billing prices aren't published.
What extra fees does Polar charge?
All plans add 1.5% for international cards. Active payouts cost $2 per month plus 0.25% + $0.25 per payout, cross-border currency conversion adds 0.25% to 1%, and each dispute costs $15.
How does the Startup Program work?
The plan listing describes the Startup Program as Scale free for 12 months for early-stage AI startups. It includes preview access to new features, a shared Slack channel, P1 support and Single Sign-On. Confirm eligibility and terms with Polar.