WL-0011 · Billing · release Billing MVP
Use Stripe instead of Paddle
AcceptedCaptured from Billing provider comparison
Why
The MVP needed fast subscription checkout, test-mode payments, webhooks, and familiar developer documentation. Paddle stayed on the future-options list for tax handling after product-market fit.
Alternatives considered
Use Paddle from day one
Rejected because tax handling was less urgent than fast checkout and simple webhook debugging.
Manual invoicing only
Rejected because the beta needed self-serve signup and quick subscription tests.
Evidence
Doc: Billing provider comparison docSlack: Founder discussion in #billing-mvpMetric: Estimated integration time: 2 days vs 5+ days
What happened after release
ValidatedImplementation review · Jun 5, 2026
Checkout opened in test mode on the same day and subscription events were easier to debug than expected. The team kept Stripe for the private beta.