Ask HN: I don’t have a company, how can I be paid on the internet?

[napolux]

As per title. I would like to test some ideas online but I don’t have a registered company. How can I accept payments on a website as an individual with something similar to stripe or more complex e-commerce solutions like Shopify?

I would like to avoid crypto if possible

Is PayPal.me viable? Or is there something I’m not aware of?

[fghtr]

PayPal is dangerous they say [0]...

[0] https://minifree.org/paypal/

[thisisrajat]

If you're in a country where Stripe allows account with Sole proprietorship, then it's the best away ahead. Having access to API and underlying implementation is game changing if you're doing online ecom.

Otherwise you may look into Gumroad. It hides away all the implementation and pays you directly into Paypal account. But I am not so sure about the Shopify integration part.

[napolux]

Uh, thanks! I totally forgot about gumroad!

[trazire]

What do you have against Stripe? Normally, and I believe it does in Italy, it supports sole proprietors. Otherwise, use Square, Gumroad, Amazon Payments, Authorize.net, or any other payment processor. Paypal.me would normally be good, but in the event of refunds, you are still liable for the 2.9% + 30c fee typically assessed on transactions, and they can freeze your account at any time. I assume that in Europe, as they are registered as a bank, they are required to have more accountability, but I'm not sure.

Are you looking for a one stop solution like Gumroad or something more like Stripe?

[napolux]

Nothing against stripe, but in Italy they don’t accept sole proprietors AFAIK

[tenebrisalietum]

Before the Internet if you wanted to sell things via mail or other remote method, money orders were a good way to pay for it. It doesn't carry the same consumer protections as credit cards or PayPal, and I'm sure it's not workable for things in the thousands of dollars, but it worked. I bought many things through mail order in the 90's with money orders before online shopping became ubiquitous and expected.

[buboard]

You can accept payments via paypal as a person too. Check if there is a threshold of income/year up to which you don't need to register as a sole entrepreneur or company in your country.

[itake]

I use https://www.buymeacoffee.com/

I think if you do some research, you can find similar services with lower fees.

[parliament32]

There is a non-zero chance PayPal will steal your money, but if you're just testing some ideas before registering a proper corp you might as well go that route.

[PascLeRasc]

Can you use Square? A lot of local merchants use it to sell handmade goods, and I'm sure they aren't registering companies to do this.

[greenyouse]

Sounds like you pretty much have it. Set up a Stripe/Shopify/PayPal/etc. account for free and hack shit. There are no rules. Or there are some rules - the most important one being that you solve user's problems. If 3.5% vs 2.5% is a problem for you early on, you probably have other problems...

[egfx]

PayPal.me is really easy to integrate. By far the easiest of all, however, you get no callback. This is a showstopper for most and also recurring payments aren’t possible either. I used paypal.me for both my apps; gif.com.ai and 2fb.me just because it was the most direct way for a chance to be paid over the web.

[iDemonix]

DON'T. USE. PAYPAL.

[sergiotapia]

Qwil is fantastic, take a look here: https://www.qwil.co/freelancers

[stefkors]

You can also use Mollie payments, they just transfer the amount to your account. Similar to stripe.

[roschdal]

How about getting a company?

[Carpetsmoker]

Not the OP, but I have similar problems as I don't have a fixed address, or even country of residence. I can get around that by hiring a postal address (...I think). Either way, it's not as easy as "just fill in a form" and there are real costs (probably more than the income it'll give me).

(after that, there's the entire hassle of taxes. I don't mind paying them but at this point I have no idea who to...)

[napolux]

In my country is not as simple/cheap as in other countries. Thanks

[arisAlexis]

why avoid crypto?

[napolux]

I'm willing to sell something to "normal" people and crypto are kinda complex.