GetPaidStripe alternatives in Central Asia and the Caucasus (2026)
By Ala'a, GetPaidAtlas · Published 30 October 2026 · Data checked 2026-10-30
Short answer: Stripe lists none of the 8 countries in this guide (stripe.com/global, checked 2026-10-30). In all 8, at least one merchant of record we track accepts sellers. The widest coverage: Dodo Payments (8 of 8), Paddle (8 of 8), Gumroad (4 of 8). Every country here has at least one option on our list.
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 freelance from Tbilisi, Yerevan, Baku, Almaty, Tashkent or Bishkek, Stripe isn’t an option, so the first question is which payment platforms will accept you as a seller. This guide answers it for 8 countries, 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 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.
| Country | Stripe | Paddle | Lemon Squeezy | Polar | Dodo Payments | Creem | Gumroad | Whop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Caucasus | ||||||||
| Georgia full guide | No | Yes | Unclear | No | Yes | Yes | Unclear | Yes |
| Armenia full guide | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Azerbaijan full guide | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Central Asia | ||||||||
| Kazakhstan full guide | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Uzbekistan full guide | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Kyrgyzstan full guide | No | Yes | Unclear | No | Yes | No | Unclear | Yes |
| Tajikistan full guide | No | Yes | Unclear | No | Yes | No | Unclear | Yes |
| Turkmenistan | No | Yes | Unclear | No | Yes | No | Unclear | Yes |
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. Mongolia is in our East Asia guide; Russia is in our Europe outside the EU guide. Compare any two or three countries side by side: compare countries.
Which platform covers the most countries here?
| Platform | Type | Yes (of 8) | Headline fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dodo Payments | Merchant of record | 8 | 4% + 40¢ per transaction (Standard plan) source, checked 2026-10-30 |
| Paddle | Merchant of record | 8 | 5% + 50¢ per checkout transaction source, checked 2026-10-30 |
| Whop | Marketplace / payments platform | 8 | 2.7% + $0.30 per successful domestic card transaction source, checked 2026-10-30 |
| Gumroad | Merchant of record | 4 | 10% + $0.50 per sale on your own Gumroad page; 30% flat for sales through Gumroad's Discover marketplace source, checked 2026-10-30 |
| Lemon Squeezy | Merchant of record | 4 | 5% + 50¢ per transaction source, checked 2026-10-30 |
| Polar | Merchant of record | 4 | Starter (free): 5% + 50¢ per transaction source, checked 2026-10-30 |
| Creem | Merchant of record | 2 | 3.9% + 40¢ per successful transaction source, checked 2026-10-30 |
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 accepts sellers or 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
South Caucasus
Stripe: none of these countries. Paddle, Dodo Payments and Whop: every country in this group. Lemon Squeezy, Polar and Gumroad: every country here except Georgia. Creem: every country here except Armenia.
Central Asia
Stripe: none of these countries. Paddle, Dodo Payments and Whop: every country in this group. Lemon Squeezy, Polar and Gumroad: only Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
What the country lists don't tell you
- Paddle is software-only. Paddle works with software businesses anywhere except the countries it lists as unsupported, and it reviews every seller. That is why it is Yes in 8 of the 8 countries here.
- Dodo Payments goes by your ID, not where you live. Eligibility is based on the country that issued your government ID (and every director's or owner's ID for companies).
- Polar and Creem have shorter lists. Polar doesn't list Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Creem doesn't list Armenia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
- Bank payout vs PayPal payout. Lemon Squeezy and Gumroad pay to local bank accounts only in listed countries; elsewhere they pay through PayPal, which only works if your PayPal account can receive money. That is why Lemon Squeezy shows Unclear in 4 of the 8 (Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan). Payout rules in detail: Gumroad · Lemon Squeezy.
- PayPal itself. PayPal's own Payouts country table says PayPal accounts can receive and withdraw money in Georgia and Kazakhstan. Uzbekistan is not on PayPal's worldwide country list. See which countries can receive money with PayPal.
If few or no platforms list your country
Every country here has at least three platforms on our list, so most founders have a choice; if one platform turns you down, apply to another rather than look for a workaround. Payoneer doesn't publish a full country list, so it shows as Unclear: check during sign-up.
The US LLC route (form a US company remotely, open Mercury, then Stripe US) is only open where Mercury accepts residents: Mercury is Yes for 6 of the 8, and No for founders residing in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. For most founders here, a merchant of record is the simpler first step.
How to choose, step by step
- Open your country's page (table above) and note which platforms are Yes.
- 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.
- Check how the money reaches you: a local bank payout is simpler than PayPal-only.
- Compare the headline fees above, then read each platform's pricing page for international-card and payout extras.
- 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 Central Asia and the Caucasus
Is Stripe available in Georgia, Armenia or Kazakhstan?
No. Stripe's supported-country list doesn't include any country of the South Caucasus or Central Asia (stripe.com/global, checked 2026-10-30). In our data, Paddle, Dodo Payments, Creem and Whop list Georgia; Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, Polar, Dodo Payments, Gumroad and Whop list Armenia; Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, Polar, Dodo Payments, Gumroad and Whop list Kazakhstan.
What can I use in Uzbekistan instead of Stripe?
In our data, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, Polar, Dodo Payments, Gumroad and Whop list Uzbekistan. PayPal is No: Not on PayPal's worldwide country list. Mercury is No for founders residing there, which matters for the US LLC route.
Can freelancers in Georgia receive money with PayPal?
PayPal is Yes for Georgia in our data: PayPal's Payouts country table lists this country ('Send, receive, and withdraw'): PayPal account holders here can receive and withdraw money. Account approval, fees and checkout features still vary; check PayPal's local site.
What is the best Stripe alternative in Central Asia and the Caucasus?
It depends on your country and what you sell. By coverage in our data, Dodo Payments lists 8 of the 8, Paddle lists 8 of the 8, Gumroad lists 4 of the 8. Paddle accepts software only. Being listed doesn't guarantee approval: each platform reviews your business.
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.
- Stripe: https://stripe.com/global (checked 2026-10-30)
- Paddle: https://www.paddle.com/help/start/intro-to-paddle/which-countries-are-supported-by-paddle (checked 2026-10-30)
- Lemon Squeezy: https://docs.lemonsqueezy.com/help/getting-started/supported-countries (checked 2026-10-30)
- Polar: https://polar.sh/docs/merchant-of-record/supported-countries (checked 2026-10-30)
- Dodo Payments: https://docs.dodopayments.com/miscellaneous/accepted-countries-and-territories (checked 2026-10-30)
- Creem: https://docs.creem.io/merchant-of-record/supported-countries (checked 2026-10-30)
- Gumroad: https://gumroad.com/help/article/13-getting-paid (checked 2026-10-30)
- Whop: https://docs.whop.com/manage-your-business/manage-payouts/set-up-payouts (checked 2026-10-30)
- PayPal (receiving): https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/country-worldwide (checked 2026-10-30)
- Mercury (via US LLC): https://support.mercury.com/hc/en-us/articles/28771710754580-Prohibited-countries (checked 2026-10-30)
- PayPal Payouts country table: https://developer.paypal.com/docs/payouts/standard/reference/country-feature/ (checked 2026-10-30)
More guides: all guides · Middle East and North Africa · Africa · Latin America · South and Southeast Asia · Europe outside the EU · East Asia · Pacific Islands · What is a merchant of record?
Links marked affiliate link may earn us a commission. Statuses never depend on it. See the affiliate disclosure.
Country how-to guides: how to get paid from Armenia · Azerbaijan · Georgia · Kazakhstan · Kyrgyzstan · Tajikistan · Turkmenistan · Uzbekistan · all country guides
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.