FastSpring
FastSpring is a comprehensive merchant of record platform that handles global payments, sales tax compliance, and subscription management for software companies to accelerate international growth and reduce operational risk.
ThriveCart
ThriveCart is a high-converting checkout software designed to help online businesses create optimized sales funnels, manage affiliate programs, and boost revenue through one-click upsells and bump offers.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | FastSpring | ThriveCart |
|---|---|---|
| Website | fastspring.com | thrivecart.com |
| Pricing Model | Custom | One_time |
| Starting Price | Custom Pricing | $??/month |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2005 | 2016 |
| Headquarters | Santa Barbara, USA | Auckland, New Zealand |
Overview
FastSpring
FastSpring acts as your merchant of record, taking over the complex burdens of global commerce so you can focus on building great software. Instead of managing multiple payment gateways and tax jurisdictions yourself, you get a single solution that handles everything from localized checkouts to VAT collection and remittance worldwide.
You can scale your software or SaaS business globally without worrying about compliance or financial liability in different countries. The platform manages your entire customer lifecycle, including trial conversions, recurring billing, and proactive churn prevention. It simplifies your back-office operations by consolidating global payments into a single, manageable system that grows with your revenue.
ThriveCart
ThriveCart is a dedicated checkout platform that helps you convert more visitors into customers with high-performing payment pages. Instead of using generic checkout screens, you can build custom, mobile-responsive carts that integrate directly with your existing website or sales funnel. You can easily set up one-click upsells, order bumps, and subscription payments to increase your average order value without needing complex coding skills.
The platform is built for digital product creators, coaches, and e-commerce entrepreneurs who want to automate their sales process. It includes a built-in affiliate center so you can recruit and manage partners to promote your products. By handling everything from tax calculation to automated follow-ups, it lets you focus on growing your business while the software manages the technical side of your transactions.
Overview
FastSpring Features
- Merchant of Record Offload your global tax collection, remittance, and compliance liabilities to a partner that assumes all financial responsibility.
- Global Payment Methods Accept dozens of local currencies and popular payment methods like Pix, Alipay, and cards to increase your international conversion rates.
- Subscription Management Set up flexible billing models including monthly subscriptions, tiered pricing, and usage-based billing to match your product strategy.
- Localized Checkout Provide your customers with a checkout experience in their native language and currency based on their specific geographic location.
- Dunning Management Recover lost revenue automatically with smart payment retries and customizable email reminders for failed or expired credit cards.
- Interactive Quotes Empower your sales team to create and send digital quotes that allow B2B customers to complete purchases instantly.
- Fraud Protection Reduce your risk with built-in fraud detection that screens every transaction to prevent chargebacks before they happen.
- Developer APIs Connect your existing tech stack and automate data flow using robust APIs and webhooks designed for software developers.
ThriveCart Features
- One-Click Upsells. Increase your average order value by offering customers additional products immediately after their initial purchase with a single click.
- Intelligent Order Bumps. Add highly relevant add-on offers directly to your checkout page to encourage impulse buys before the customer completes their order.
- A/B Split Testing. Test different checkout designs, headlines, and offers against each other to see exactly what drives the most conversions for you.
- Built-in Affiliate Center. Recruit, track, and pay affiliates automatically so they can drive traffic and sales to your products for a commission.
- Automatic Tax Calculation. Save hours of manual work with built-in sales tax calculations based on your customer's location and product type.
- Behavioral Rules. Trigger specific actions in your email marketing tool or CRM based on whether a customer buys, abandons, or refunds.
Pricing Comparison
FastSpring Pricing
ThriveCart Pricing
- Lifetime access license
- Unlimited checkout pages
- One-click upsells
- Order bumps
- A/B split testing
- Standard integrations
- Everything in Standard, plus:
- Affiliate Management Center
- Subscription dunning
- Automatic sales tax calculation
- Business projections
- Joint venture contracts
Pros & Cons
FastSpring
Pros
- Handles all global VAT and sales tax compliance automatically
- Reduces the need for a large internal accounting team
- Fast and helpful customer support for technical setup
- Easy to implement localized checkouts for international buyers
- Reliable payment processing with high authorization rates
Cons
- Transaction fees can be higher than standard gateways
- Dashboard interface feels dated compared to newer competitors
- Payout schedules can be restrictive for very small businesses
ThriveCart
Pros
- One-time payment eliminates expensive monthly subscription costs
- Extremely fast page load times for checkout screens
- Highly effective one-click upsell functionality increases revenue
- Reliable integration with major email marketing platforms
- Simple interface makes it easy to launch quickly
Cons
- Initial upfront cost is higher than monthly competitors
- Visual customization options are more limited than builders
- Learning curve for setting up complex behavioral rules