Lemon Squeezy has been making waves as a Merchant of Record platform aimed at freelancers and digital creators. It promises an all-in-one solution for selling products online, handling payments, taxes, compliance, and more.
But what exactly does it offer, and how does it stack up for creators who want a streamlined way to monetize their work?
In this guide, we’ll talk about what freelancers and creators should consider before jumping in.
What is Lemon Squeezy?
Lemon Squeezy is one of those “all-in-one” platforms built with digital creators and software companies in mind.
As a Merchant of Record (MoR), it steps in to handle the boring stuff—taxes, payments, compliance—so you can stay focused on building and selling.
You can offer subscriptions (monthly, yearly, with or without free trials), making it a solid fit for SaaS.
And the best part? You don’t need to worry about VAT rules or invoicing chaos.
It figures out the tax based on where your customer lives and sends the proper invoice. You don’t need to deal with any manual setup.
But that’s actually what almost all MoR platforms do.
Who’s it for?
The bold letters on their homepage make it clear: SaaS businesses. That’s their sweet spot.
You can sell digital products too, like mockups, templates, eBooks, courses, and more.
If you’ve already built a bit of a following or personal brand, Lemon Squeezy gives you the infrastructure to monetize it. Just don’t expect it to do your marketing for you. That’s still on you.
Key features
Let's look at the key features of Lemon Squeezy.
1. Digital product sales
From e-books and online courses to mockups and wallpaper designs, digital products are in high demand. And yes, you can sell all of them on Lemon Squeezy.
I can almost hear you asking, “Can I use it to sell freelance services too?”
Technically, yes.
You could upload a file, set a price, and send the link to a client you’ve already agreed with. But here’s the thing: that’s not what Lemon Squeezy was really built for.
Notice that:
It’s not a smooth fit for service-based work, especially if you’re offering custom packages or ongoing subscriptions.
2. Subscription management
With Lemon Squeezy, you can offer subscription plans to your customers.
You can set up monthly/yearly subscription plans for your customers. Then manage them in one place: cancel, change, free trial, and payment cycle.
You can activate email notifications to protect and increase your earnings. This way, items forgotten in the cart can turn into profit.
You can also allow periodic charge attempts from your customer's card if a card has not been charged.
3. Global tax compliance
Lemon Squeezy is a popular MoR platform. Therefore, they also manage the tax for you. So you don't have to deal with different documents in each jurisdiction.
4. Multiple payment methods
You can offer customers the chance to pay with more than 20 payment methods and more than 130 currencies.
PayPal is the most popular of these payment methods.
5. Affiliate program
Do you have fans?
Tell them that they can earn money by promoting your products. Thus, both your sales will increase and your followers will earn income.
6. Customizable storefronts
You can customize your online store with your own domain, logo, fonts and colors. This way, your store is no longer monotonous and reflects your personal brand.
7. Analytics and reporting
With Google Analytics and Meta Pixels integration, you can keep up to date with the traffic of your Lemon Squeezy store.
Seller fees
It’s free to register for Lemon Squeezy, and there are no subscription fees.
The platform only takes a commission on transactions. So, you don't pay a fee unless you make a sale.
And how much is the commission?
5% + 50¢ per transaction
Other than that, there are no other costs.
However, according to user reports, users based in Europe pay a bank commission when withdrawing money to their accounts.
Benefits for freelancers and creators
Let's see how Lemon Squeezy is useful to freelancers and content creators.
1. Drag-and-drop + no-code simplicity: Lemon Squeezy's ease of use comes from its drag-and-drop interface. Even if you don't know coding, you can create a store, complete integrations, and sell your service as a regular user.
2. Automatic VAT calculation by country: Lemon Squeezy manages every time-consuming application for you, from country-based VAT calculation to invoicing.
3. More than 130 countries covered: Like most MoR platforms, Lemon Squeezy allows you to sell in different currencies in over 130+ countries.
4. Flexible subscription types: You can shape your sales model as you wish: Yearly/monthly subscription, one-time payment, or pay-as-you-go options.
5. AI-enhanced fraud protection: This way, you won't suffer losses due to refund requests, and you can earn a stable income.
Potential drawbacks
Referring to user comments about Lemon Squeezy, I want to mention two main drawbacks.
1. High fees
Compared to others, Lemon Squeezy might seem a bit pricey. That’s mostly because, on top of their 5% + 50¢ cut, bank fees also get taken out of your earnings.
Sure, there are cheaper options out there. But when I looked into Lemon Squeezy on Reddit, most of the complaints were about the pricing. EU users in particular mentioned being charged higher fees.
That said, keep in mind these rates can change from time to time, and some of the comments might be outdated.
2. Poor user support
Some users have reported that the platform's support team has been slow to resolve issues. However, it is worth keeping in mind that this may be due to seasonal intensity.
However, when it’s constantly happening, you lose time and money. That’s why we care a lot about providing responsive customer support at Ruul. Our users frequently mention that as our highlight.
How to get started
Here is how to get started with Lemon Squeezy in 3 steps.
Step 1: Sign up for a free account
Signing up for Lemon Squeeze is free of charge. Go to the registration page and join with your name, email, and password.
After that, you’ll need an email confirmation, which is a good thing for the sake of safety.
Step 2: Set up your storefront and customize it
Create your online store without coding and customize it with your own brand materials. Once you log in to your account, the first step is to create your store with a personalized URL. See here:
Step 3: Add your digital products
The platform guides you through the next steps.
First, you need to verify your identity and add additional security. No escape from this boring stuff.
After that, you’re ready to go and create your first product.
Click on the "+" icon in the top right corner of the panel and click on the "new product" button. To add the product, type the product name, the price, and then attach the file.
Use the drag-and-drop function when adding the product to your store.
You can list 3 different variations of the product:
- Basic
- Premium
- VIP
It looks like this:
The third step is to determine the pricing model:
- Single payment
- Subscription
- Lead magnet
- Pay what you want
At this stage, you can add different variations of the product and price each one separately.
If everything is ready, you can complete the process with the "Publish product" button.
It may be useful to know: Lemon Squeezy does not market your store directly. You are responsible for marketing your products on your own website and social media.
As a good alternative, Try Ruul
Tired of high platform fees eating into your freelance income?
Ruul puts more money back in your pocket with low commissions and no hidden charges.
From global invoicing to tax compliance, from fast payouts to real human support, it’s all here. And it actually works the way freelancers need it to.
Freelancers on G2 rate Ruul 4.9—and here’s why:
- No fluff, no friction – Everything’s designed to be intuitive, not overwhelming.
- Pay your way – Get paid however you want. Yes, even in crypto.
- Real support, real fast – Got a problem? There’s a team ready to jump in.
- Speed that matters – Invoicing, payments, and platform performance. It’s all fast.
- Trust built in – Thousands of freelancers rely on Ruul to run their business without a hitch.
Whether you’re just starting out or scaling your freelance career, Ruul gives you the freedom to focus on your craft.
Join Ruul and freelance on your terms.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lemon Squeezy suitable for beginners?
Yes, its intuitive interface makes it accessible for users without technical backgrounds.
Can I use my own domain with Lemon Squeezy?
Yes, you can customize your storefront and use your own domain.
How does Lemon Squeezy handle taxes?
As a Merchant of Record, it automatically calculates and remits taxes on your behalf.
Are there any monthly fees?
No monthly fees; Lemon Squeezy charges 5% + $0.50 per transaction.
Does Lemon Squeezy support physical products?
No, it's designed specifically for digital products and services.
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