Stripe isn't here, and any desire to support their innovation whilst waiting for them to arrive leads to European startups potentially missing opportunity.
It's our responsibility as European startups to get money through doors, and if Paymill is here doing that for us today, then give us a good reason not to use them.
If and when Stripe arrive, I'm sure that many HNers would switch to Stripe as the innovation and support is great. But fact is, they are not here yet... and the only thing that matters is how to process payments in a way that is smooth and minimises our dev time to implement.
If Stripe want our business, then on the day they launch across Europe then they can fight for it.
Until then, Stripe are not here... they aren't even a contender because they are not here. Startups are not going to wait for them on a promise that it will be "soon".
The great thing about the Paymill API is that it is such a Stripe rip-off that if we implement out payment flow based on their API, then we have in fact given ourselves the least painful route to later transition to Stripe.
Implementing Paymill gives us a more likely route to transition to Stripe than implementing one of the incumbents flows (PayPal, MoneyBookers, etc).
So of all options actually available to European startups, Paymill look pretty good.
My reasoning is simple (and has already been stated clearly) - The Samwer brothers are notorious for cloning as many hot valley startups as they can, often pixel for pixel.
Might be legal, but it's certainly not an ethical way to do business. Additionally, I would never trust my business with a company that was in it for the money, especially if they could shut it down at any time, as they often do with other clones that aren't quickly adopted.
Lastly, it's clear you and I have a different set of values, therefore I am uninterested in persuading you of anything. The fact that you don't see anything wrong with cloning other businesses makes you a perfect customer for one that does.
Is it really so hard to understand, or are you being intentionally obtuse?
It really is so hard to understand. We've been begging Stripe to come to Europe for ages now. They still aren't here. Paymill managed to open a company in that time, and do what Stripe does.
Most companies are in it for the money, that's why they're formed. Do you think Stripe will continue existing if they don't make money? That said, the part about shutting down companies that aren't quickly adopted is the only real argument you've made in this discussion.
Copying elements from a startup is ethically dubious, sure, but Paymill is providing a valuable service to people who wouldn't otherwise have it. It's "Stripe for Europe", but why is that bad? If frozen yoghurt is all the rage in the valley at the moment, is it unethical for you to open a frozen yoghurt shop in your home town?
I would totally switch to Stripe if they were available in the EU.
I am thankful that Paymill tries to replicate the awesomeness of Stripe.
Blasting Paymill for copying the model of Stripe is not in the same category like calling distribution of copyrighted material theft.
If executed well it is a net benefit for society.
