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Comment by zefhous | Hacker News Reader

What frustrates me is that it's just so expensive to get started... I know that it's "just the cost of doing business" but it really bothers me that you have to give away ≈%3 of your revenue to get paid.

Braintree claims that their pricing is very competitive. I don't doubt that it is, but being in business with them for a single year costs a minimum of $1659* (supposing you need recurring billing). That's a lot for someone who wants to get started charging for a small web app.

I've been really discouraged to get started because I know that as soon as I do I'll be paying high monthly fees that I'm not sure I'll be able to cover.

Thoughts?

*http://www.braintreepaymentsolutions.com/pricing

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Use Paypal & E-junkie for your first few months and sell folks lifetime subscriptions to your service. $5 a month for e-junkie (not strictly necessary but it will save you a few hours of integration work), ~3% for Paypal.

After you've got a better handle on your market, have traction, and have passionate paying customers singing your praises, switch to a subscription billing provider and grandfather in the old users at free for life.

This assumes that you have nearly zero marginal cost per account, or a growth curve which can absorb the early adopters as a cost of doing business.

My only concern about this would be selling lifetime subscriptions for an embryonic service. What if it fails? This may be built into the terms, but it could also sour customers on your future offerings (or hurt your personal brand).

Otherwise, this seems like a good strategy for testing the waters with a new product.

My own view on "lifetime" anything is that I'm taking a gamble on whose lifetime is longer, and consider that when choosing that option. Ultimately, the amount I pay comes down to how long I think the company/product will last.

Anecdotal, I know.

Try being a non-US business. The only people who would talk to us at the start wanted 5% plus. Totally ridiculous. Paypal isn't bad sometimes.

What option did you end up taking then? Any way you can go through the process?

Hong Kong.

You're thinking about it a little bit backwards. Don't let the fear of giving up 3% stop you from focusing on the 97% you do get! :)

You're right to a degree, but don't you wish there was another way?

The entire online industry and everyone who takes credit has to hand over %3 to credit card processors, who take money from both sides of the transaction.

It just sucks, that's all I'm saying. I wish there was a better way...

And if you're a consumer like me, you don't have a card in your wallet that's not paying you 2% cashback rewards.

Every merchant I visit is giving me 2% off with Visa and a bank in the middle to make sure of it.

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