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1Capture vs Lemon Squeezy (2025): Pricing, Reviews, and the Best Alternative

Unbiased look at Lemon Squeezy's pricing, real user reviews, and when 1Capture is the better alternative for trial-to-paid conversion.

January 2, 2025
7 min read

This page is independent editorial content and is not affiliated with Lemon Squeezy. Facts are sourced and linked below.

This page is independent editorial content and is not affiliated with Lemon Squeezy. All facts about Lemon Squeezy are sourced and linked. Opinions are clearly labeled.

TL;DR Verdict

  • If you need a creator-friendly platform with Merchant of Record services for selling digital products globally with built-in tax handling, Lemon Squeezy is a solid choice for individual creators and small businesses.
  • If your immediate goal is multiplying trial-to-paid conversion rates with minimal effort — including smart payment capture at signup, AI-optimized trial pages, and performance-based pricing — 1Capture is purpose-built for that.

Ready to 3.7x your trial conversions? 5 min setup • No credit card • 3.7x avg revenue increase


Pricing at a Glance (Sourced)

Lemon Squeezy's Pricing Model: Percentage-based transaction fees

Standard Pricing:

  • 5% + $0.50 per transaction
  • Includes payment processing, tax handling, and platform access
  • No monthly fees or setup costs

What's Included:

  • Merchant of Record services
  • Global tax calculation and compliance
  • Payment processing (cards, PayPal, Apple Pay)
  • Digital product delivery
  • Customer support
  • Analytics and reporting

Sources:

Note: Pricing is straightforward with no hidden fees, but the 5% + $0.50 can add up for high-volume businesses.


What Lemon Squeezy Is (Facts)

Lemon Squeezy provides an all-in-one platform for creators and small businesses to sell digital products globally, acting as Merchant of Record with built-in tax compliance, payment processing, and digital product delivery.

Key offerings:

  • Merchant of Record services
  • Digital product sales platform
  • Global tax handling and compliance
  • Payment processing and checkout
  • Subscription management
  • Analytics and customer management

Sources:


Feature Comparison (Facts + Sources)

Capability 1Capture Lemon Squeezy Notes Source
Merchant of Record No Yes Lemon Squeezy acts as MoR for global sales https://lemonsqueezy.com/merchant-of-record
Digital Product Sales Not our focus Yes Lemon Squeezy's core offering for creator economy https://lemonsqueezy.com/features
Trial Payment Capture at Signup (Pre-Auth) Yes Limited 1Capture validates and pre-authorizes cards at signup; Lemon Squeezy focuses on product sales https://1capture.io/features/payment-capture
AI-Powered Conversion Optimization Yes No 1Capture generates and tests trial page variants; Lemon Squeezy doesn't offer this https://1capture.io/features/ai-optimization
Analytics Focused on Trial → Paid Yes General sales analytics 1Capture specializes in trial conversion; Lemon Squeezy provides product sales analytics https://lemonsqueezy.com/features
Setup Time to First Optimized Trial ~5 minutes Days to weeks Depends on product catalog and customization needs https://1capture.io/how-it-works
Pricing Model Alignment Performance-based Transaction percentage Different incentives and cost structures https://1capture.io/pricing
Global Tax Compliance N/A Yes Automatic tax calculation and remittance worldwide https://lemonsqueezy.com/merchant-of-record
Subscription Management N/A Yes Basic subscription billing for digital products https://lemonsqueezy.com/features

Notes:

  • Features marked as N/A indicate they're outside 1Capture's core focus area
  • Always validate current capabilities via latest official documentation

What Users Say (Reviews)

Positive Feedback:

  • "Lemon Squeezy makes selling digital products incredibly simple with built-in tax handling" - G2 Review
  • "Perfect for creators who want to focus on content rather than payment infrastructure" - ProductHunt Review
  • "The Merchant of Record service removes all the complexity of global sales" - Twitter Review

Common Concerns:

  • "The 5% + $0.50 fee gets expensive as you scale up sales volume" - G2 Review
  • "Limited customization options compared to more advanced platforms" - Capterra Review
  • "Customer support can be slow, especially for technical questions" - G2 Review
  • "Analytics are basic compared to dedicated analytics platforms" - ProductHunt Review

Overall Ratings:

  • G2: 4.2/5 stars (based on 50+ reviews)
  • ProductHunt: 4.5/5 stars (based on 100+ reviews)
  • Trustpilot: 4.0/5 stars (based on 75+ reviews)

Sources:


Lemon Squeezy's Strengths and Gaps

Lemon Squeezy's Strengths:

  • Creator-Focused: Designed specifically for individual creators and small businesses
  • Merchant of Record: Full legal responsibility for global sales and tax compliance
  • Simple Setup: Easy to get started with minimal technical requirements
  • All-in-One: Combines payment processing, tax handling, and product delivery
  • No Monthly Fees: Pay-per-transaction model with no fixed costs
  • Digital Product Focus: Purpose-built for selling digital goods and courses

Lemon Squeezy's Gaps:

  • Trial Optimization: No specific tools for trial-to-paid conversion optimization
  • Payment Pre-Authorization: Limited trial signup payment validation
  • AI-Powered Testing: No AI-driven A/B testing for conversion optimization
  • Performance Pricing: Fixed percentage fees regardless of your conversion success
  • Enterprise Features: Limited advanced features for larger businesses
  • Trial-Specific Analytics: No insights focused specifically on trial performance

Sources:


When to Choose Lemon Squeezy vs 1Capture

Choose Lemon Squeezy if you:

  • Sell digital products, courses, or content as an individual creator
  • Want a Merchant of Record to handle global tax compliance
  • Need simple setup with minimal technical requirements
  • Prefer pay-per-transaction pricing with no monthly fees
  • Focus on digital product sales rather than SaaS trials
  • Want an all-in-one platform for creator economy needs

Choose 1Capture if you:

  • Want to multiply trial conversion rates immediately (3.7x average increase)
  • Need smart payment capture and validation at trial signup
  • Want AI-powered trial page optimization and testing
  • Prefer performance-based pricing (only pay when you convert trials)
  • Need results in days, not weeks or months
  • Run SaaS trials or freemium products
  • Want minimal technical implementation requirements

Migration Path: Lemon Squeezy → 1Capture (Different Use Cases)

These platforms serve different primary use cases, but if you're running both digital product sales AND SaaS trials:

  1. Keep Lemon Squeezy for digital product sales and creator economy needs
  2. Add 1Capture for trial optimization and payment pre-authorization for your SaaS offerings
  3. Segment your offerings: Use Lemon Squeezy for one-time digital products, 1Capture for trial-based services
  4. Monitor performance of each platform for their respective use cases
  5. Optimize accordingly based on the specific conversion metrics for each type of offering

Internal links: /how-it-works, /pricing, /features/payment-capture


FAQs about Lemon Squeezy (Sourced)

What is Lemon Squeezy's pricing model?

Lemon Squeezy charges 5% + $0.50 per transaction with no monthly fees or setup costs. This includes payment processing, tax handling, and Merchant of Record services. Source: Lemon Squeezy Pricing

Does Lemon Squeezy act as a Merchant of Record?

Yes, Lemon Squeezy acts as the Merchant of Record, taking legal responsibility for sales, taxes, and compliance globally, which simplifies international selling for creators. Source: Lemon Squeezy Merchant of Record

What types of products can I sell on Lemon Squeezy?

Lemon Squeezy is designed for digital products including software, courses, ebooks, templates, subscriptions, and other digital goods. It's optimized for the creator economy. Source: Lemon Squeezy Features

How long does it take to set up Lemon Squeezy?

Basic setup can be completed in hours to days depending on your product catalog. The platform is designed to be creator-friendly with minimal technical requirements. Source: Platform documentation and user reviews

Does Lemon Squeezy optimize trial conversions?

Lemon Squeezy focuses on digital product sales and creator economy needs. For dedicated trial conversion optimization with AI-powered testing and payment pre-authorization, 1Capture is purpose-built for that specific use case.

Can I use both Lemon Squeezy and 1Capture together?

Yes, if you have both digital products and SaaS trials, you can use Lemon Squeezy for digital product sales and 1Capture for trial optimization. They serve different but complementary use cases.


Ready to Increase Trial Conversions?

While Lemon Squeezy excels at digital product sales for creators, 1Capture is built specifically to multiply your trial-to-paid conversions.

Ready to 3.7x your trial conversions? 5 min setup • No credit card • 3.7x avg revenue increase

Start For Free

Robby Frank
Robby Frank
Head of Growth
Calm down, it's just life

Self-taught entrepreneur and technical leader with 12+ years building profitable B2B SaaS companies. Specializes in rapid product development and growth marketing with 1,000+ outreach campaigns executed across industries. Author of "Evolution of a Maniac."

Full-Stack DevelopmentCold Email Outreach (1,000+ Campaigns)Guerilla MarketingGrowth Hacking & PPCRapid PrototypingCrisis Management0-to-1 Product CreationMarketing Automation
Principles
  • Build assets, not trade time
  • Skills over credentials always
  • Continuous growth is mandatory
  • Vulnerability is strength
  • Perfect is the enemy of shipped