Paddle is built to serve digital products, such as software, web apps and digital downloads. If your company offers human services such as consultation, support, or design services Paddle is not a good fit for your needs.
A list of all business categories and practices which are forbidden from using the Paddle service can be found below. Many of these categories are imposed by Card Network rules, or by our payment processors. If you have any questions as to whether your business is included in one or more of these categories please email us.
By creating an account and selling through Paddle, you are confirming that you will not be accepting payments with any connection to the following business categories and practices.
- Physical products or product that requires physical delivery
- Human services (including but not limited to consultation, legal or design services)
- Donations, crowdfunding, advertising and sponsorship (payment processing where there is no bona fide software or service sold)
- Resale of any product for which you do not hold a valid reseller certificate for a period of 5 years or more, and resellers of products associated with a high number of customers complaints.
- Social media “click farms” (i.e., the sale of posts/clicks/likes/reviews/endorsements on social media sites) or marketing based social media automation
- IPTV
- Sexually-oriented or pornographic products or services, pornographic material, any material of a lewd and lascivious nature, or dating services/applications
- Video game or virtual world credits (unless you are the operator of the video game or virtual world); video game cheats
- Betting related products (including but not limited to lotteries; bidding fee auctions; sports forecasting or odds making; fantasy sports leagues with cash prizes; internet gaming; contests; sweepstakes; games of chance)
- Currency exchanges or dealers
- Virtual currency or stored value
- Trading platforms (including cryptocurrency and forex trading platforms)
- Money transfer and financial services (including but not limited to check cashing, wire transfers, money orders, money transmitters, payment service providers, debt consolidation, insurance services or money service businesses, investment advice)
- Business opportunities, investment opportunities, mortgage consulting or reduction, credit counseling, repair or protection, or real estate purchases with no money down
- Credit card and identity theft protection (including age verification)
- Marketing services (including but not limited to pyramid schemes, network marketing and referral marketing programs)
- Phone services, telemarketing, SMS marketing, mass email marketing and sales lead generation or lead selling services
- Any product, service or activity where proof of consent cannot be provided under EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- Centralized travel reservation services or travel clubs; airlines; cruises; timeshares.
- Competition and event tickets or entries
- Government services: embassies, foreign consulates, or other foreign governments services (e.g visa application fee), political or social campaigning
- Mug shot publication or pay-to-remove sites
- Age restricted products or services
- Certification exam preparation packs (including exam dumps), essay mills/paper mills/ghostwriting services
- Drop shipping; forwarding brokers
- Web hosting, domain hosting and file storing/sharing services
- Any product, service or activity that is deceptive, unfair, predatory, or prohibited by one or more Card Networks
- Any product or service that infringes upon the copyright, trademark, terms and conditions or trade secrets of any third party
- Any business or organization that a.) engages in, encourages, promotes or celebrates unlawful violence or physical harm to persons or property, or b.) engages in, encourages, promotes or celebrates unlawful violence toward any group based on race, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or any other immutable characteristic
- Funding any of the items included on this Prohibited Businesses list
- Digital services associated with pseudo-science (such as clairvoyance, horoscopes and fortune telling)
- Illegal products/services or any service providing peripheral support or engaging in illegal activities
- Digital marketplaces enabling non-Paddle Sellers to sell products and services to customers
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