Does Django Work With Paddle?
Django works seamlessly with Paddle for payment processing via REST API integration and webhooks, making it ideal for SaaS applications.
Quick Facts
How Django Works With Paddle
Django integrates with Paddle through REST API calls and webhook handlers. Paddle doesn't provide an official Django package, but the integration is straightforward: you make HTTP requests to Paddle's API endpoints from your Django views to create transactions, manage subscriptions, and retrieve customer data. The real power comes from handling Paddle's webhooks in Django—you create a view that verifies webhook signatures and updates your database accordingly (customer creation, subscription status changes, payment confirmations). Since Paddle acts as merchant of record, you don't manage payment card data directly, which significantly reduces compliance complexity. Most Django developers use the `requests` library or `httpx` for API calls and store Paddle customer/subscription IDs in their Django models to maintain state synchronization. The webhook verification requires Paddle's public key validation, which you handle in middleware or a dedicated webhook view.
Best Use Cases
Quick Setup
pip install django requests python-dotenv# views.py
import hmac
import json
from hashlib import sha256
from django.http import JsonResponse
from django.views.decorators.http import csrf_exempt
from django.views.decorators.csrf import csrf_exempt
import requests
import os
# Create Paddle transaction
def create_subscription(request):
paddle_api_key = os.getenv('PADDLE_API_KEY')
headers = {'Authorization': f'Bearer {paddle_api_key}'}
payload = {
'price_id': 'pri_123456',
'customer_id': request.user.paddle_customer_id,
'billing_cycle': {'interval': 'month', 'frequency': 1}
}
response = requests.post(
'https://api.paddle.com/subscriptions',
json=payload,
headers=headers
)
return JsonResponse(response.json())
# Verify and handle Paddle webhook
@csrf_exempt
def paddle_webhook(request):
if request.method != 'POST':
return JsonResponse({'status': 'error'}, status=405)
signature = request.headers.get('Paddle-Signature')
body = request.body.decode('utf-8')
secret = os.getenv('PADDLE_WEBHOOK_SECRET')
# Verify signature
expected = hmac.new(
secret.encode(),
body.encode(),
sha256
).hexdigest()
if not hmac.compare_digest(signature, expected):
return JsonResponse({'status': 'unauthorized'}, status=401)
data = json.loads(body)
event_type = data.get('event_type')
if event_type == 'subscription.created':
# Update your database
user = User.objects.get(paddle_customer_id=data['data']['customer_id'])
user.active_subscription = True
user.save()
return JsonResponse({'status': 'received'})Known Issues & Gotchas
Webhook signature verification must be implemented correctly or you risk processing fraudulent events
Fix: Always validate webhook signatures using Paddle's public key before processing. Store the key securely in environment variables and regenerate it periodically.
Race conditions between webhook processing and customer actions if webhooks arrive out of order
Fix: Use idempotency keys in your webhook handler and implement database-level constraints. Check event timestamps and skip stale events.
Paddle's API rate limits (typically 10 req/sec) can cause issues during bulk operations or testing
Fix: Implement exponential backoff retry logic and use async tasks (Celery) for non-critical API calls to respect rate limits gracefully.
Customer data synchronization lag between Django and Paddle can cause stale subscription state
Fix: Cache Paddle subscription status in Django models with TTL, and always verify current status before critical operations via API calls.
Alternatives
- •Stripe + Django: More mature ecosystem with django-stripe package, better for traditional e-commerce
- •Braintree + Django: Full-featured payment gateway with built-in subscription management
- •Lemonsqueezy + Django: Similar to Paddle (merchant of record), simpler for indie developers but less mature
Resources
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