Paddle vs Stripe for UK subscription compliance
Updated Invalid Date. Based on the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 and the draft 2026 Regulations and guidance. Not legal advice.
Paddle and Stripe sit in different places. Paddle is a merchant of record that sells to your customers on your behalf; Stripe processes payments for you as the seller. Either way, check who the customer’s contract is with: the trader in that contract carries the subscription duties.
Paddle
Paddle lists the UK among the locations for its Enhanced Billing Notifications. It sends renewal reminders 7 or 30 days before renewal for subscriptions of six months or longer, and reminders before trials and discounts end. Timing and wording are not configurable (Paddle help, checked 5 November 2026). We found nothing about the six-monthly reminder for monthly plans, renewal cooling-off notices or proportionate refunds.
Stripe
Stripe sends a trial-ending email at a fixed 7 days and a renewal reminder set by one account-wide setting. It does not cover the UK six-month rule, cooling-off notices or proportionate refunds. See Stripe and the UK subscription rules.
Side by side
| UK duty | Paddle | Stripe Billing |
|---|---|---|
| Trial or discount ending reminder | Yes, fixed timing | Trial only, fixed 7 days |
| Six-monthly reminder on monthly plans | Not found | No |
| Annual plan reminders | 7 or 30 days, fixed | One global setting |
| Additional earlier reminder for annual plans | Not found | No |
| Renewal cooling-off notice | Not found | No |
| Proportionate refunds | Not found | Manual or API |
What to do
Map each duty to a system that performs it and keeps proof. For Stripe businesses, Renewproof covers the notices, refunds and log. Check your own schedule with the reminder calculator.
Renewproof sends these notices from your Stripe account, on schedule, with an evidence log. Pre-order for $1 or try the reminder calculator.