A US LLC for Sri Lankan SaaS founders and app developers
If you sell software by subscription on your own website, you need a payment processor that handles recurring cards, and Stripe doesn’t serve Sri Lankan businesses. A US LLC can use Stripe Billing, publish apps as an organisation, and sign contracts as a US company. The alternative is a merchant of record that sells for you.
Written by Kaveesha Mallawaarachchi, founder of Entryly. Facts checked .
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Subscriptions need Stripe, or someone selling for you
Recurring card payments are the backbone of a SaaS business, and Stripe Billing is what most SaaS products use. Since Stripe doesn’t support Sri Lankan businesses, you have two realistic options:
| US LLC with Stripe | Merchant of record (Paddle, Lemon Squeezy and similar) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sells to the customer | Your US company | The merchant of record |
| Fees | Stripe’s card fees | A higher percentage per sale |
| Sales tax and VAT | You handle it, with Stripe Tax if you like | They handle it |
| Control over checkout and billing | Full | Limited to their tools |
| Payouts | To Mercury, in USD | Check they pay out to Sri Lanka |
Early products with buyers worldwide often start with a merchant of record for simplicity. As revenue grows, many move to their own company and Stripe for lower fees and more control.
Publishing apps as a company
Both Apple and Google let you publish as an individual or as an organisation. Publishing as an organisation shows your company name on the store listing, which builds trust with business customers. Organisation accounts need a D-U-N-S number for the company. Your US LLC can get one for free.
Selling to US businesses
US companies often have procurement rules: a vendor contract, a W-9 with an EIN, and payment by ACH. A US LLC with Mercury makes you easy to buy from, and ACH payments to Mercury are free.
Getting the money home
Stripe pays out to Mercury in dollars. Send them to your Sri Lankan bank with Wise when you need rupees, and keep the rest in Mercury for US costs such as hosting and software subscriptions.
| Stop | What happens | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Your client | Pays your invoice by US card | $2,000.00 |
| Stripe | Card fee, 2.9% + 30¢ | −$58.30 |
| Mercury | Receives the payout, sends it to Wise by ACH for free | $1,941.70 |
| Wise | Converts to rupees and sends (0.46% + $1.36) | −$10.29 |
| Your Sri Lankan bank | At 1 USD = 332.55 LKR | LKR 642,290 |
Fees checked 2026-11-04. International cards add 1.5% and currency conversion adds 1% at Stripe. Sri Lankan income tax isn’t included.
Tax
Software income from customers abroad is taxable in Sri Lanka. Since 1 April 2025, service income in foreign currency brought in through a Sri Lankan bank is capped at 15% for individuals. Ask your accountant how to report your US company’s income.
Want us to set this up for you?
We file your US LLC, get your EIN and help you apply for Mercury and Stripe. From $160, paid in rupees with Dialog Genie or a bank transfer. Your price is locked when you pay.
Sources
- Stripe: supported countries
- Stripe: pricing
- Apple Developer: D-U-N-S Number for organisation enrolment
Published . This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.