The honest split
Use Stripe as your primary subscription processor. Add PayPal only if you are losing real customers because of it (typically: international audiences without easy access to credit cards, or specific demographics where PayPal trust is high).
Where Stripe wins
- Developer experience — the API is the gold standard
- Subscription billing is built-in (Stripe Billing)
- Tax compliance is a paid add-on but works (Stripe Tax)
- Lower friction at checkout for credit card payments
- Excellent fraud tooling (Radar)
Where PayPal helps
- Some international markets — Brazil, Germany — trust PayPal more than credit cards
- Reduces checkout friction for buyers who do not want to enter card details
- Buyer protection brand recognition
The both-or-neither rule
Either offer both at checkout (small uplift in conversion, double the operational complexity), or stick with Stripe-only for simplicity. Do not start with PayPal-only for a modern SaaS — the developer experience will hold you back.