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It's a split decision.
Choose Checkout.com if you need an enterprise payments platform spanning online and in-person payments, acquiring, payouts, and fraud tools. Choose FastSpring if you sell software or digital goods and want payments, subscriptions, and sales-tax/VAT handling through a merchant-of-record model. Neither publishes a standard starting price: Checkout.com’s fee models and rates are undisclosed, while FastSpring quotes revenue-share commissions by transaction type and volume. Ask both for a written quote before comparing total cost.
01Side by side
| Checkout.com | FastSpring | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | Free processing for eligible registered charities | No free plan |
| Best for | Enterprise payment operations | Software and digital goods sellers |
| Core strength | Acquiring, payouts, and fraud tools | Merchant-of-record sales tax and VAT handling |
| Learning curve | Not published | Not published |
| Integrations and data | Unified payments API | REST APIs, webhooks, and JavaScript libraries |
| Team and seat costs | Not published | Not published |
| Support | Review support score: 5 | Review support score: 3.5 |
Checkout.com Choose Checkout.com if
- Choose Checkout.com if you need online and in-person payment options.
- Choose Checkout.com if acquiring, payouts, or fraud tools matter.
- Choose Checkout.com if your charity qualifies for free processing.
FastSpring Choose FastSpring if
- Choose FastSpring if you sell software or digital goods.
- Choose FastSpring if you need subscription billing and tax handling.
- Choose FastSpring if you want a merchant-of-record model.
02Pricing compared
Neither company publishes a standard starting price, so we can’t compare their costs from list prices alone. Checkout.com lists flat-rate and interchange++ fee models, but the rates, usage limits, and billing terms are not published. Registered charities in the countries where Checkout.com operates are listed as eligible for free payment processing.
FastSpring has a custom revenue-share model for software and digital-goods businesses. Its pricing page does not publish a commission rate; fees depend on transaction type and business volume. The plan lists access to every platform feature, no minimum transaction volume, and the option to negotiate custom rates.
Ask each provider for a written quote based on your payment mix and sales volume. For FastSpring, clarify the commission and what it covers; for Checkout.com, get the applicable fee schedule and any limits in writing.
03Features and depth
Checkout.com is the broader payments infrastructure option in this comparison. Its platform covers online and in-person payments, acquiring, payouts, and fraud tools. The listed tools include a unified payments API, hosted payment page, mobile SDK, payment links, local acquiring, and fraud detection. That breadth suits businesses comparing payment acceptance and money movement in one platform, though the published details do not specify usage limits or rates.
FastSpring is more focused on selling software and digital goods globally. Alongside payments, it lists subscription billing, branded checkout, fraud prevention, reporting, invoicing, interactive quotes, affiliate marketing, and developer tools including REST APIs, webhooks, and JavaScript libraries. Its merchant-of-record model includes handling sales tax and VAT on the seller’s behalf.
The main distinction is scope: Checkout.com emphasizes payment infrastructure; FastSpring combines digital sales, recurring billing, and tax handling. Confirm which services are included in a quote rather than assuming every listed feature has the same commercial terms.
04Ease of use and learning curve
The published details don’t establish how either product feels to use day to day. Checkout.com offers several integration routes: a hosted payment page, mobile SDK, payment links, and a unified API. That gives teams options, but the right fit depends on their checkout and integration needs; the available information doesn’t spell out setup requirements.
FastSpring lists branded checkout and developer tools, while its merchant-of-record model covers sales tax and VAT. That could reduce the number of separate sales and tax tasks a digital seller manages, but it does not tell us how much setup or ongoing work is involved.
Both reviews score ease of use at 6/10. Treat that as a directional assessment, not a substitute for confirming implementation support and responsibilities with each vendor.
Questions people ask
Is Checkout.com trustworthy?
The published information describes Checkout.com’s payment products but does not establish its trustworthiness, reliability, or security record. It lists fraud-detection tools, but that alone is not proof of overall trust. Ask the provider for relevant security, compliance, and service documentation before making a decision.
Who are Checkout.com's main competitors?
The published material does not name Checkout.com’s main competitors. It covers FastSpring as the alternative in this comparison, but does not establish that FastSpring is a direct competitor for every buyer. Compare providers against your needs for acquiring, payouts, digital subscriptions, and tax handling.
Is FastSpring trustworthy?
The published information describes FastSpring’s payments, subscription, tax, and fraud-prevention services, but does not establish its trustworthiness or security record. The review advises getting fees and support commitments in writing. Ask FastSpring for relevant security, compliance, and service documentation before signing.
Who is Checkout.com owned by?
The published material does not say who owns Checkout.com, so we can’t confirm its ownership from these sources. It describes Checkout.com as an enterprise payments platform, but that does not answer the ownership question. Check the company’s official corporate information for an up-to-date answer.