The verdict
If you sell software, subscriptions or usage-based services to customers in many countries, pick Polar. It takes the tax work off you and gives you billing logic you would otherwise build yourself. If you are a freelancer or sole trader who invoices clients and wants business money kept apart from personal money, pick Revolut Pro.
They can also work together. A solo developer could sell a product through Polar and receive the payouts in a Revolut Pro account. Revolut Pro is not a bookkeeping tool and it is not a merchant of record, so it does not take over your tax obligations on foreign sales.
Side by side
| At a glance | ||
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | $20/mo | |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server | Yes | |
| Links |
Plans and pricing
Polar
- StarterFree
- Pro$20/mo
- Growth$100/mo
- Scale$400/mo
Revolut Pro
- Revolut ProFree
Who each is for
Choose Polar if…
Pick Polar if you are a developer or a small software team that sells subscriptions, licences or usage-based access worldwide. It handles international tax, including EU VAT, and can deliver licence keys, file downloads or repository access after a purchase.
The setup is a checkout link, a webhook and a few lines of code, and there is a sandbox to test in. You pay a percentage and a fixed amount on each sale, and in return you do not run tax compliance. Check that your country and your product are covered by its rules before you build on it.
Choose Revolut Pro if…
Pick Revolut Pro if you are a freelancer, sole trader or side-hustler without a registered company. You add it inside the Revolut app, give some proof of business activity, and get a separate IBAN, a dedicated card and ways to take payment.
It costs nothing to hold the account, but card payments carry processing fees. Features and fees vary by country. If you incorporate, the vendor points you to Revolut Business instead, so expect to move. Do not pick it for software billing, subscriptions or tax handling on foreign sales.
Other options worth a look
Handle global subscriptions, payments and tax compliance without managing VAT registration across 300+ markets.
Acts as merchant of record for software and digital product sales, handling global tax compliance.
Manages subscription billing, invoicing and revenue recognition for recurring businesses with your own payment gateways.
Send invoices, track expenses, reconcile banks and prepare VAT returns for Dutch small businesses.
