Stripe alternatives in Africa (2026): what works in each country

By Ala'a, GetPaidAtlas · Published 25 October 2026 · Data checked 2026-10-20

Short answer: Stripe lists 5 of the 58 African countries and territories we cover: Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya and South Africa (stripe.com/global, checked 2026-10-20, African entries re-checked 2026-10-25). In 47 of the other 53, at least one merchant of record we track accepts sellers. The widest coverage: Paddle (50 of 58), Dodo Payments (35 of 58), Gumroad (23 of 58). 6 have no option on our list: Libya, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Somalia and South Sudan.

Who we are: GetPaidAtlas is an independent guide, not a payment provider. We never receive, hold or move anyone's money, and we don't process payments. We link to each platform's own official page, so you apply with them directly.

If you build software, sell digital products or run a creator business from Lagos, Nairobi, Accra, Kigali, Dakar or Kampala, the first question is simple: which payment platforms will accept you as a seller? This guide answers it for each of the 58 African countries and territories in our dataset, grouped by region. Every status comes from the platform's own official country or payout page, with the date we checked it. Where an official page doesn't confirm something, we say Unclear rather than guess.

Country by country: who accepts African sellers

Yes means the platform's official page lists the country for sellers or payouts. It doesn't guarantee approval. Click a country for notes and sources, or open its full guide.

CountryStripePaddleLemon SqueezyPolarDodo PaymentsCreemGumroadWhop
North Africa
Egypt
full guide
NoYesYesYesNoYesYesYes
LibyaNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
Tunisia
full guide
NoYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
Algeria
full guide
NoYesYesYesNoNoYesYes
Morocco
full guide
NoYesYesYesNoYesYesYes
SudanNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
Western SaharaNoYesNoNoNoNoNoYes
West Africa
NigeriaYesYesYesYesNoYesYesNo
GhanaYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
Côte d'IvoireYesYesYesYesNoNoYesYes
Senegal
full guide
NoYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
Benin
full guide
NoYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
Burkina FasoNoYesUnclearNoYesNoUnclearYes
Cabo VerdeNoYesUnclearNoYesNoUnclearYes
GambiaNoYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
GuineaNoYesUnclearNoYesNoUnclearYes
Guinea-BissauNoYesNoNoYesNoUnclearYes
LiberiaNoYesNoNoYesNoNoNo
MaliNoNoNoNoYesNoUnclearYes
MauritaniaNoYesUnclearNoYesNoUnclearYes
NigerNoYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
Sierra LeoneNoYesUnclearNoYesNoUnclearYes
TogoNoYesUnclearNoYesNoUnclearYes
Saint HelenaNoYesUnclearNoNoNoUnclearYes
Central Africa
Cameroon
full guide
NoYesUnclearNoNoNoUnclearYes
Angola
full guide
NoYesYesYesNoNoYesYes
Democratic Republic of the CongoNoNoNoNoNoNoUnclearNo
Republic of the CongoNoYesUnclearNoNoNoUnclearYes
GabonNoYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
Equatorial GuineaNoYesNoNoNoNoNoYes
ChadNoYesUnclearNoNoNoUnclearYes
Central African RepublicNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
Sao Tome and PrincipeNoYesUnclearNoYesNoUnclearYes
East Africa
KenyaYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYes
Ethiopia
full guide
NoYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
Tanzania
full guide
NoYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Uganda
full guide
NoYesUnclearNoYesNoUnclearYes
Rwanda
full guide
NoYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
BurundiNoYesUnclearNoNoNoUnclearNo
SomaliaNoNoNoNoNoNoUnclearNo
South SudanNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
DjiboutiNoYesUnclearNoYesNoUnclearYes
EritreaNoYesNoNoNoNoUnclearNo
MadagascarNoYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
Mauritius
full guide
NoYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
SeychellesNoYesUnclearNoYesNoUnclearYes
ComorosNoYesUnclearNoYesNoUnclearNo
MayotteNoYesUnclearNoNoNoUnclearYes
RéunionNoYesUnclearNoNoNoUnclearYes
Mozambique
full guide
NoYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
MalawiNoYesUnclearNoYesNoUnclearYes
Zambia
full guide
NoYesUnclearNoYesYesNoYes
Zimbabwe
full guide
NoNoUnclearNoYesNoUnclearYes
Southern Africa
South AfricaYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Botswana
full guide
NoYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
Namibia
full guide
NoYesYesYesYesNoYesYes
LesothoNoYesUnclearNoYesNoUnclearNo
EswatiniNoYesUnclearNoYesNoUnclearYes

Merchants of record: Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, Polar, Dodo Payments, Creem, Gumroad. Whop is shown too, but our data classifies it as a marketplace. PayPal, Wise and Payoneer are payout routes, covered on each country page. Not shown: the British Indian Ocean Territory and the French Southern Territories, which have no permanent resident population.

If Stripe lists your country

Founders based in Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya and South Africa can apply to Stripe directly. Stripe tags all 5 with an Extended network label on its global page; check Stripe's own page for what that covers for your business. With Stripe you are the seller of record, so sales tax and VAT on international sales are your job. Some founders there still choose a merchant of record so it handles that for them; in our data, every one of these 5 countries also has at least 4 merchants of record listed as Yes. Note that Whop does not list Nigeria for payouts.

Which platform covers the most African countries?

PlatformTypeYes (of 58)Yes where Stripe isn't available (of 53)Headline fee
PaddleMerchant of record50455% + 50¢ per checkout transaction source, checked 2026-10-20
WhopMarketplace / payments platform46422.7% + $0.30 per successful domestic card transaction source, checked 2026-10-20
Dodo PaymentsMerchant of record35334% + 40¢ per transaction (Standard plan) source, checked 2026-10-20
GumroadMerchant of record231810% + $0.50 per sale on your own Gumroad page; 30% flat for sales through Gumroad's Discover marketplace source, checked 2026-10-20
Lemon SqueezyMerchant of record23185% + 50¢ per transaction source, checked 2026-10-20
PolarMerchant of record2318Starter (free): 5% + 50¢ per transaction source, checked 2026-10-20
CreemMerchant of record743.9% + 40¢ per successful transaction source, checked 2026-10-20

A merchant of record (MoR) is the legal seller of your product: it takes the customer's payment, handles sales tax and VAT, and pays you out. That is why an MoR can work where Stripe doesn't. What matters is whether it pays out to your country (what is a merchant of record?). Headline fees are the standard published rates; international cards, currency conversion and payouts can add to them.

By region

North Africa

Stripe: none of these countries. Paddle and Whop: every country here except Libya and Sudan. Lemon Squeezy, Polar and Gumroad: every country here except Libya, Sudan and Western Sahara. Creem: only Egypt and Morocco. Dodo Payments: only Tunisia. No platform on our list: Libya and Sudan.

West Africa

Stripe: Nigeria, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. Paddle: every country here except Mali. Whop: every country here except Nigeria and Liberia. Dodo Payments: every country here except Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire and Saint Helena. Lemon Squeezy, Polar and Gumroad: only Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Benin, Gambia and Niger. Creem: only Nigeria.

Central Africa

Stripe: none of these countries. Paddle and Whop: every country here except Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic. Lemon Squeezy, Polar and Gumroad: only Angola and Gabon. Dodo Payments: only Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe. No platform on our list: Democratic Republic of the Congo and Central African Republic.

East Africa

Stripe: Kenya. Paddle: every country here except Somalia, South Sudan and Zimbabwe. Whop: every country here except Burundi, Somalia, South Sudan, Eritrea and Comoros. Dodo Payments: every country here except Kenya, Burundi, Somalia, South Sudan, Eritrea, Mayotte and Réunion. Lemon Squeezy, Polar and Gumroad: only Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Madagascar, Mauritius and Mozambique. Creem: only Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. No platform on our list: Somalia and South Sudan.

Southern Africa

Stripe: South Africa. Paddle and Dodo Payments: every country in this group. Whop: every country here except Lesotho. Lemon Squeezy, Polar and Gumroad: every country here except Lesotho and Eswatini. Creem: only South Africa.

North Africa is also covered with the Arab Middle East in Stripe alternatives in the Middle East and North Africa.

What the country lists don't tell you

If no platform lists your country

For founders based in Libya, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Somalia and South Sudan, none of the seller platforms we track list the country, and Mercury doesn't accept founders residing in any of them. That rules out the usual US LLC route with a Mercury account there too. We'd rather say so plainly than suggest a workaround that breaks a provider's terms. Payoneer doesn't publish a full country list, so it shows as Unclear: check during sign-up.

Elsewhere on the continent, the US LLC route (form a US company remotely, open Mercury, then Stripe US) is open in principle: Mercury is Yes for founders residing in 39 of the 58. It adds US filing costs and your home-country tax obligations, so compare it with a merchant of record first.

How to choose, step by step

  1. Open your country's page (table above) and note which platforms are Yes.
  2. Match what you sell: software (Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, Polar, Dodo Payments, Creem), digital products and memberships (Lemon Squeezy, Gumroad, Whop). Paddle and Lemon Squeezy don't accept services like coaching.
  3. Check how the money reaches you: a local bank payout is simpler than PayPal-only.
  4. Compare the headline fees above, then read each platform's pricing page for international-card and payout extras.
  5. Apply to two platforms, not one. Approval is a separate review, and having a backup saves weeks.

Side-by-side: Paddle vs Lemon Squeezy · Lemon Squeezy vs Polar · Paddle vs Dodo Payments · all comparisons · every country and platform in one table: payment platform availability by country

FAQ: Stripe alternatives in Africa

Is Stripe available in Africa?

In 5 of the 58 African countries and territories covered here: Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya and South Africa (stripe.com/global, checked 2026-10-20). The other 53 are not on Stripe's supported-country list, so a business based there can't open a Stripe account directly.

What is the best Stripe alternative in Africa?

There isn't one best option for the whole continent; it depends on your country and what you sell. By coverage in our data, Paddle lists 50 of the 58, Dodo Payments lists 35 of the 58, Gumroad lists 23 of the 58. Paddle accepts software only. Being listed doesn't guarantee approval: each platform reviews your business.

Which African countries have no payment platform option?

Libya, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Somalia and South Sudan. None of the seller platforms we track list them for sellers or payouts (checked 2026-10-20). Mercury, which the US LLC route depends on, also doesn't accept founders residing in any of them.

Can I use Dodo Payments in Nigeria?

No. Not accepting new merchants. Only merchants onboarded before this country was restricted are grandfathered (policy dated 23 Mar 2026). Dodo decides eligibility by the country that issued your government ID, not where you live.

Is GetPaidAtlas a payment provider?

GetPaidAtlas is an independent guide, not a payment provider. We never receive, hold or move anyone's money, and we don't process payments. We link to each platform's own official page, so you apply with them directly.

Sources and check dates

Each status is copied from the platform's official page below. Per-country notes and the exact source for every cell are on the country pages. Stripe is not available in 199 countries and territories worldwide; see Stripe alternatives by country.

More guides: all guides · Stripe alternatives in the Middle East and North Africa · What is a merchant of record? · Stripe alternatives in every country · the full dataset (CSV)

Links marked affiliate link may earn us a commission. Statuses never depend on it. See the affiliate disclosure.

Not legal, tax or financial advice. Provider rules change often and depend on your business type, what you sell, and the documents you hold. Always verify with the provider before you build or sign up. 'Unclear' means we could not confirm it from an official source. Spotted something wrong? It will be fixed and noted in the change log.

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