Payouts - Polar
Payout Delay
Transactions are subject to a 7-day settlement delay from the date they occur before the corresponding funds become available for payout. This delay applies by default to organizations created on or after May 12, 2026. Organizations created before this date continue to receive instant payouts. We may also extend this delay or hold specific transactions when it makes sense — most commonly to align your settlement window with your refund policy, and occasionally for risk or compliance reasons.
Minimum Payout Thresholds
The minimum balance required to issue a payout varies based on the payout currency. Certain currencies have a higher limit due to Stripe requirements, and these limits can change.
| Currency | Minimum Balance (USD) |
|---|---|
| USD | $10.00 |
| EUR | $13.00 |
| GBP | $15.00 |
| CHF | $15.00 |
| AOA | $30.00 |
| ALL | $40.00 |
| AMD | $40.00 |
| AZN | $40.00 |
| BAM | $40.00 |
| BOB | $40.00 |
| BTN | $40.00 |
| CLP | $40.00 |
| GHS | $40.00 |
| GMD | $40.00 |
| GYD | $40.00 |
| KHR | $40.00 |
| KRW | $40.00 |
| LAK | $40.00 |
| MDL | $40.00 |
| MGA | $40.00 |
| MKD | $40.00 |
| MNT | $40.00 |
| MYR | $40.00 |
| MZN | $40.00 |
| NAD | $40.00 |
| PYG | $40.00 |
| RSD | $40.00 |
| THB | $40.00 |
| TWD | $40.00 |
| UZS | $40.00 |
| COP | $50.00 |
| Other currencies | $10.00 (default) |
A handful of countries also enforce a higher minimum:
| Country | Minimum Balance (USD) |
|---|---|
| Bahamas | $30.00 |
| El Salvador | $30.00 |
| Panama | $50.00 |
Stripe Payout Fees
Each payout to your Stripe account carries a fee:
- $2 per month in which you have at least one active payout
- 0.25% + $0.25 per payout
- Cross-border fees (currency conversion): 0.25% within the EU, up to 1% elsewhere
Manual Withdrawal
Because of those fixed per-payout costs, withdrawals are initiated manually rather than on an automatic schedule. This way you decide when to incur the fees and can batch earnings into fewer, larger payouts instead of paying overhead on every transaction.
Reverse Invoices
Polar invoices your customers directly as the Merchant of Record. For your own accounting, you’ll need to invoice Polar in return for each payout. You can generate a reverse invoice — detailing the sales we made on your behalf, minus our fees — from the Payouts page under Finance in your dashboard. Click the ellipsis next to a payout and select Download invoice. A modal will open, allowing you to:
- Set your billing name and address.
- Add information shown below your billing address — a good place for your VAT number or any other details your local tax rules require on an invoice.
- Add notes shown at the bottom of the invoice.
- Customize the invoice number. By default, we generate one like
POLAR-0001, but you can change it to your own format and sequence.
Once the reverse invoice is generated, it cannot be changed. Make sure to double-check the information before generating it.
Sample Reverse Invoice
Invoice POLAR-0001
Invoice POLAR-0001
/1
With your changes
Without your changes
Tax Forms
1099-K Form (US)
Polar will issue 1099-K forms via Stripe to eligible users in the US on an annual basis. For a given tax year, 1099-K forms are required for users who cross a certain gross volume in USD and a certain number of transactions via Polar. Why not a 1099-NEC or 1099-MISC? TurboTax has this great article on the difference between 1099-K, 1099-NEC & 1099-MISC.
If you’re self-employed and accept credit, debit, or prepaid cards, you may receive Form 1099-K for transactions processed by a third party. This includes creators, influencers, rideshare drivers, or side-giggers. If you’re an online seller selling on platforms like Ebay, AirBnB, Etsy, and VRBO, you may also receive Form 1099-K.
Stripe further clarifies 1099-K requirements for Payment Settlement Entities (PSE) in this article. Effectively, 1099-K is required for platforms/marketplaces which:
- Handle payment between someone providing goods/services to purchasers
- Such payments are made with credit, debit, or prepaid cards
- Receiver is not a contractor/freelancer to the platform/marketplace
Polar meets all of these criteria and therefore issues 1099-K forms to eligible developers on the platform vs. other forms.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do payouts take?
Payouts typically take 4-7 business days.
When are payouts processed after I request them?
Payouts are processed in batches 24 hours after initiation.
Can I use my personal bank account to receive payouts?
For individual accounts, yes. For business accounts, you will need a business bank account.
Why does my payout say 'Held for review'?
You can request a payout at any time. Account Reviews are a normal part of how we operate, so if your account happens to be under review when you request one, the payout shows as “Held for review” until you are reviewed, then is paid out automatically.