We're on the hook, not you.
A Merchant of Record is the seller on record for the transaction — collecting payment, remitting tax, and owning disputes. On Managed mode, that's ZeroSettle. On BYOS, it's you, on your own Stripe.
Tax filings, dispute paperwork, and seller liability you touch. We're the seller of record.
Tax coverageCountries where we calculate, collect, and remit sales tax & VAT on Managed mode.
BYOS · you're MoROf web-checkout revenue on your own Stripe — you keep full control of the relationship.
What a Merchant of Record does
Four responsibilities sit with whoever is the Merchant of Record for each web-checkout sale. On Managed mode, ZeroSettle carries all four.
Seller of record
Collects payment and stands as the seller on record for the transaction — the name on the customer's receipt and card statement.
Tax & VAT remittance
Calculates, collects, and remits global sales tax, VAT, and GST — registering and filing in each jurisdiction where it owes.
Chargebacks & fraud
Owns dispute handling and fraud liability — screening payments, responding to chargebacks, and absorbing the operational load.
Billing support & refunds
Handles customer billing questions, payment issues, and refund processing for the sales it is the merchant on.
Who handles what
Two ways to run direct billing. On Managed, ZeroSettle is the Merchant of Record and carries tax, disputes, and support. On BYOS you bring your own Stripe and stay the merchant, for a lower platform fee.
| ManagedRECOMMENDED We are MoR 5% + 50¢ |
BYOS Bring your own Stripe 0.5% platform fee |
|
|---|---|---|
| Merchant of Record | ✓ ZeroSettle | ✗ You are |
| Global tax remittance sales tax, VAT, GST |
✓ Included · 190+ countries | ✗ You handle via your Stripe |
| Chargebacks & fraud | ✓ Included | ✗ You handle via your Stripe |
| Customer billing support | ✓ Included | ✗ You handle |
| Payouts | ✓ Stripe Connect Express | ✓ Stripe Connect Standard |
| Platform fee on web checkout | 5% + 50¢ per transaction · all-in, includes MoR | 0.5% of revenue + your own Stripe fees |
Fees apply only to revenue you run through ZeroSettle's web checkout — App Store and Play Store sales are never charged a ZeroSettle fee.
Global tax, handled
As the Merchant of Record on Managed mode, ZeroSettle takes on the tax obligations that come with selling worldwide — so you don't track thresholds or file returns.
190+ countries
Sales tax, VAT, and GST calculated, collected, and remitted in every jurisdiction where it's owed.
Registration & thresholds
Registration and economic-nexus thresholds are tracked and managed for you — no spreadsheets, no missed filings.
Invoices & receipts
Tax-compliant invoices and email receipts are issued automatically for every purchase.
Chargebacks, fraud, and billing support
When ZeroSettle is the Merchant of Record, disputes and billing questions are ours to answer. You stay focused on the product.
Dispute handling
Chargebacks are received, responded to, and resolved on our side. Access is revoked automatically when a dispute lands.
Fraud screening
Payments are screened for fraud before they settle, and the fraud liability sits with ZeroSettle as the merchant.
Refund processing
Refunds are processed for you, and the customer's entitlement is revoked the moment the refund clears.
Customer billing questions
Billing inquiries and payment issues from your customers are handled by our support team, not your inbox.