Ziptax vs Stripe Tax

Why pay more for sales tax data?

Choosing the wrong sales tax API can saddle your team with inflated costs or features you’ll never use. Stripe Tax API is built for global compliance, but that scope comes with added complexity and higher per-transaction fees. Ziptax is designed for developers to better support their finance operations with accurate U.S. sales tax rates, predictable pricing, and responsive support. Here’s a closer look at how the two compare.

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All the features you need at a fraction of the cost

Stripe Tax

Ziptax

U.S. sales tax coverage

International coverage

Select countries

Address-level accuracy

Real-time calculations

Lightweight REST API

Extensive integration
required

Predictable pricing

Per-transaction fees
+ add-on costs

Product tax codes

Nexus monitoring

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Registrations

3rd party

3rd party

Automated tax filing

3rd party

3rd party

Expert support

The numbers don’t lie

See how much you can save with Ziptax.

Monthly volume

Stripe Tax
Tax Complete plan

Ziptax
Growth plan

Your savings

1,000 calls

$90/month

FREE

$90/month

5,000 calls

$430/month

$69/month

$361/month

25,000 calls

$1,000/month

$139/month

$871/month

50,000 calls

$1,500/month

$219/month

$1,281/month

100,000 calls

Requires Enterprise Plan Upgrade

$349/month

Varies by needs

What you get with Ziptax

API-focused development

Ziptax takes a different approach. Rather than paying for a sprawling platform, Ziptax delivers a lightweight API built for developers who want clean data and low-cost tax calculations. Teams can stay in control of their workflows while keeping costs low.

Stripe Tax Complete offers a full compliance suite, including registrations, filings, and nexus monitoring. Those are useful features for enterprises that want a bundled solution, but they also make the product heavier and more expensive.

Many developers and businesses simply don't need those features.

Fast, easy setup

Developers don’t have time to wrestle with extra requirements before they can even test an API.

With Ziptax teams can start with a simple address and immediately get a precise tax rate. Both detailed documentation and a perpetually free plan is available before purchase. Teams can review the API structure, run sample calls, and hit the ground running with a faster integration and lower development costs.

Higher call volume for lower costs

For teams making thousands of API calls per month, pricing matters. Stripe Tax complete provides 25,000 calls per month for $1,000. That’s about $0.04 per call.

Ziptax’s Growth Plan delivers the same 25,000 calls for $139/month, which comes out to $0.0055 per call. That’s nearly seven times the value. And, if you outgrow your plan, Ziptax makes it easy to add more calls with flexible bundles or upgrade to the next tier without being forced into an enterprise contract.

Expert support

When sales tax systems fail, checkout may stop collecting sales tax (a financial problem for brands) or the system may stop working entirely. In those scenarios, access to fast support matters as much as API accuracy.
‍
Stripe support covers all Stripe products, which can spread resources thin and extend the time it takes to get in touch with a knowledgeable rep.
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With Ziptax, teams can quickly connect with us over email to get the support they need without being passed around by a large support organization. Enterprise tiers also include access to SLAs and a dedicated Slack channel to get answers in real time. Both approaches provide fast access to API experts who know the product inside and out. That means less downtime, faster fixes, and more confidence in your tax setup.

What you get with Ziptax

Accurate and updated
Clear tools and resources
Fit for purpose

Accurate and updated

Tax rates are constantly changing. Local jurisdictions can update their rules at any time, including in the middle of the year. An outdated rate engine leaves brands exposed to compliance risk and potential underpayment penalties.

Ziptax is continuously being developed, tweaked, and expanded, with new features rolling out to improve the experience. Datasets are regularly updated via machine learning to keep tax rates accurate at a granular level. For developers and finance teams, constant updates equate to minimal surprises, fewer audit headaches, and greater confidence that every calculation uses the latest available data.

Clear tools and resources

Bad documentation slows down integrations, creates unnecessary support tickets, and can leave development stalled.

In Ziptax, every endpoint, parameter, and response type is clearly explained and available publicly before purchase. Developers can vet the system in advance, experiment with test calls on our free Starter plan, and build a custom integration with confidence.

As a result, rollouts are faster and teams have more control over implementation timelines.

Fit for purpose

Ziptax is built for U.S. merchants first. That focus matters, because most global platforms dilute their support resources and platform functionality by trying to serve 100+ countries at once. Ziptax prioritizes the complexities of U.S. sales tax — offering correct tax calculations for over 12,000 tax jurisdictions.

For brands with a domestic base and selective international growth, Ziptax delivers the needed support without forcing teams to pay for global coverage.

Frequently asked questions

Does Ziptax handle filings or registrations?

No. Ziptax is built exclusively for sales tax rate lookups and accurate calculations. That keeps the focus on the API lightweight and cost-effective.

Teams needing registrations and filings can get support from our partner TaxCloud which operates alongside Ziptax’s API and compliance tools without compromising on accuracy or speed.

How do Ziptax plans compare to Stripe Tax plans?

Ziptax plans offer lower cost calculation calls and greater versatility in plan tiers.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

Ziptax

  • Starter (free - no credit card required)
    • 1,000 API calls per month
    • 10 API requests per minute
    • US and CAN general use sales tax rates
    • Single user per account
    • Email support
  • Growth (from $29/month)
    • Predefined tiers starting at 1,500 calls/month
    • Everything in Starter plan plus: 
      • 100 API requests per minute 
      • Flexible monthly or annual billing
      • 3 users per account
      • Add-ons available as usage grows
  • Pro (from $39/month) 
    • Predefined tiers starting at 1,500 calls/month
    • Everything in Growth plan plus: 
      • Historical rate look-up
      • Unlimited users
      • Product level rate rules
  • Enterprise (from $999/month)
    • Predefined tiers starting at 500,000 calls/month
    • Everything in Pro tier plus: 
      • Custom API request and rate limits
      • Priority SLAs 
      • Access to dedicated slack channel for real time support

Stripe Tax

  • Basic
    • 0.5% per transaction (no code)
    • $0.50 per API call for API-based usage (up to 10 calls per transaction)
  • Complete
    • $90-$1,500/month, depending on plan tier
    • 1-year contract required
    • 2,000-50,000 API calls per month included
    • 50,000+ API calls each month require Enterprise plan upgrade
What happens if I need more calls than I originally purchased on my plan?

Scaling with Ziptax is simple.

Teams start by selecting a call bundle that matches their estimated volume and can upgrade to a higher tier when usage increases. Add-on call packages are also available to handle monthly overages or to expand plans on a temporary basis.

This flexibility means that teams will never hit a hard ceiling or face unexpected service interruptions.

Is Ziptax or Stipe Tax most cost effective for U.S.-only businesses?

Ziptax. For companies focused on U.S. sales tax, Stripe’s global features add unnecessary costs.

Ziptax delivers more API calls for a fraction of the price, offers predictable monthly pricing, and no per-transaction surprises. It’s the best option for U.S. only sellers who need reliable calculations at scale.

What support options are available?

Ziptax provides email support on all plans and offers dedicated Slack channels with priority SLAs for Enterprise plans.

Standard documentation is also publicly available and highly detailed. Often, developers can self-assess and troubleshoot quickly without contacting support, but our team is always available to help.

Can I use Stripe Tax without Stripe?

Only with the Stripe Tax API.

Teams using the standard version of Stripe Tax are locked inside the Stripe ecosystem. Stripe Tax API is the exception in that it can be used to connect to external payment processors and marketplaces.

However, if you’re not already embedded with Stripe, you’ll end up paying for global features and compliance tools that you may never actually use.

Ready to save big on tax API costs?

Switch from Stripe Tax to Ziptax and save thousands on high-volume tax calculation while still enjoying address-level precision for U.S. tax rates.

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