Just started expanding our app to Europe and Asia.
The tax stuff is way more complex than I expected. Already hit some surprises with VAT thresholds.
What caught you off guard when you went global?
Apple and Google’s regional fee differences caught me completely off guard.
Some countries use local payment processors that stack extra fees on top of platform cuts. Plus, regional refund policies hit your actual revenue harder than you’d think.
Different payment schedules between countries made cash flow planning hell initially.
Currency conversion fees add up fast. Banks hit you twice on each transaction.
VAT registration blindsided us when UK revenue hit £85k. We were laser-focused on getting users and completely missed tracking the threshold.
Ended up owing back taxes on months of sales. Hit us for £12k in penalties and back payments.
Each country’s different too. Germany’s threshold is only €22k - way lower than expected. Now I check revenue by country every month.
This breakdown saved me when I was scrambling to figure everything out:
Pro tip: budget for tax registration costs upfront. It’s not just the taxes - accountants and compliance tools get expensive quick.