A PayPal business account allows companies to accept card payments online, even from customers who don't have a PayPal account. Its fast setup makes it a popular choice. But there are several reasons you might look for alternatives:
- You need more features and functionality. PayPal's point-of-sale systems technology, for example, is limited compared with other providers.
- You want a more customizable option. Although PayPal has a number of payment solutions, certain providers, like Stripe, offer more advanced online payment customization.
- You want lower fees. Some payment processors charge lower rates than PayPal.
- You need better integrations with certain platforms. Some payment solutions might work more seamlessly with the other apps you use daily.
- You want a dedicated merchant account. This is an account businesses use to access funds from card payments. PayPal aggregates all its customers' funds into a single merchant account.
The good news is that there are many services and apps similar to PayPal. Here are the best replacements for PayPal, including its biggest competitors, that outshine PayPal in several areas.
Best PayPal Alternatives
Product | Payment processing fees | Learn more | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Stripe Learn more on Stripe Payments' secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Payment customization options | 2.7% + 5¢ in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online. | $0 | Learn more on Stripe Payments' secure website |
Payline Learn more on Payline's secure website | 4.5/5 Best for All-in-one merchant service provider | 0.4% + 10¢ plus interchange in-person; 0.75% + 20¢ plus interchange online. | $10 in person; $20 online. | Learn more on Payline's secure website |
Amazon Pay | Best for Businesses with an Amazon seller account | 2.9% + 30¢ web and mobile; 4% + 30¢ Alexa transactions. | $0 | |
QuickBooks GoPayment | Best for QuickBooks accounting software users | 2.9% + 25¢ online; 2.4% + 25¢ in-person. Pricing differs for non-QuickBooks Online users. | $0 Monthly fee in some instances. | |
Shopify Payments Learn more on Shopify Payments' secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Shopify e-commerce users | 2.4%-2.9% + 30¢ online; 2.4%-2.7% in-person. | $29 Basic plan; $79 Shopify plan; $299 Advanced plan. | Learn more on Shopify Payments' secure website |
Braintree | Best for Dedicated merchant account | 2.59% + 49¢ credit & debit cards and digital wallets; 3.49% + 49¢ Venmo (U.S. only). | $0 | |
Stax by Fattmerchant Learn more on Stax by Fattmerchant's secure website | 4.5/5 Best for High-volume e-commerce businesses | 0% + 8¢ plus interchange in-person; 0% +15¢ plus interchange keyed. | $99 and up. | Learn more on Stax by Fattmerchant's secure website |
Adyen | 5.0/5 Best for Accepting orders through multiple channels | Interchange + 12¢ Visa and Mastercard; 3.3% + 22¢ AmEx; 3%-12% + 12¢ for other payment methods. | $0 | |
Authorize.net | Best for Payment gateway focused on security and customer support | 2.9% + 30¢ for merchant account; 10¢ + 10¢ daily batch fee for payment gateway only. | $25 | |
Square POS Learn more on Square POS's secure website | 5.0/5 Best for Full-service POS with integrated payment processing | 2.6% + 10¢ in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online. | $0 Free plan; $29 Plus plan; Custom plan available. | Learn more on Square POS's secure website |
Our pick for
Payment customization options
Stripe
Learn more
on Stripe Payments' secure website
Payment processing fees
2.7% + 5¢
in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.
Monthly fee
$0
With Stripe Terminal, you can integrate in-person payments into your online payment setup. Transparent pricing and customizable features make it a good choice for online-first businesses looking to extend to in-person sales. However, many features — including connecting hardware to software — require coding experience or “no-code” integrations.
Pros
- Highly customizable.
- Competitive pricing.
Cons
- Prioritizes online merchants.
- Requires developer experience.
Our pick for
All-in-one merchant service provider
Payline
Learn more
on Payline's secure website
Payment processing fees
0.4% + 10¢
plus interchange in-person; 0.75% + 20¢ plus interchange online.
Monthly fee
$10
in person; $20 online.
Payline’s affordable and transparent pricing helps business owners accurately calculate their payment processing fees, and its user-friendly interface makes it a good option for small-business owners.
Pros
- Competitive pricing.
- Good customer service offerings.
Cons
- Negative online reviews.
Our pick for
Businesses with an Amazon seller account
Amazon Pay
Payment processing fees
2.9% + 30¢
web and mobile; 4% + 30¢ Alexa transactions.
Monthly fee
$0
E-commerce businesses with an Amazon Seller account can integrate Amazon Pay to create a convenient and seamless checkout experience for their customers. Business owners may find that Amazon’s globally recognized brand and the company’s purchase guarantee lead more customers to feel confident making purchases with the Amazon Pay option.
Pros
- Easy checkout for customers with Amazon accounts.
- Supports global customers and currencies.
- No setup or monthly fees; pay only per transaction.
- Alexa voice integration to place and track orders.
Cons
- Reserve policy delays payouts, especially for newer accounts.
- No in-person payment support.
- No volume discounts or custom packages.
Our pick for
QuickBooks accounting software users
QuickBooks GoPayment
Payment processing fees
2.9% + 25¢
online; 2.4% + 25¢ in-person. Pricing differs for non-QuickBooks Online users.
Monthly fee
$0
Monthly fee in some instances.
For businesses that already use QuickBooks, particularly QuickBooks Payments for processing transactions, the free GoPayment mobile POS app makes great sense. Sticking to the QuickBooks suite of payment processing and accounting products can save you time and the hassle of finding and communicating with multiple providers.
Pros
- Convenient for existing QuickBooks clients.
- Free app that works on Android and iOS devices.
Cons
- Limited to businesses using QuickBooks accounting.
- Pricing structure can be difficult to navigate.
Our pick for
Shopify e-commerce users
Shopify Payments
Learn more
on Shopify Payments' secure website
Payment processing fees
2.4%-2.9% + 30¢
online; 2.4%-2.7% in-person.
Monthly fee
$29
Basic plan; $79 Shopify plan; $299 Advanced plan.
Shopify Payments accepts multiple payment methods and offers competitive processing fees. Because it’s a fully integrated service offering an e-commerce platform, a point-of-sale system, and payment processing services, e-commerce businesses can simplify and streamline their sales and transactions.
Pros
- Accepts a variety of payment methods.
- Can customize checkout page.
- Easy to set up and use.
- Transparent, flat-rate fees.
Cons
- E-commerce plan with monthly fee is required to use Shopify Payments.
- Charges fee for use of third-party payment gateway.
Our pick for
Dedicated merchant account
Braintree
Payment processing fees
2.59% + 49¢
credit & debit cards and digital wallets; 3.49% + 49¢ Venmo (U.S. only).
Monthly fee
$0
Braintree, which is owned by PayPal, rivals Stripe from a customization standpoint. But unlike Stripe, Braintree allows customers to pay with PayPal and Venmo, another PayPal-owned entity — so you get those options plus the ones Stripe offers (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.) all via one gateway.
Pros
- Transparent, competitive pricing.
- No contracts or early termination fees.
- No monthly, PCI compliance or minimum transaction fees.
- Accepts PayPal and Venmo in addition to credit and debit cards.
- Simple checkout page that looks good on web and mobile.
Cons
- Requires web development.
- Not suited for brick and mortar stores.
Our pick for
High-volume e-commerce businesses
Stax by Fattmerchant
Learn more
on Stax by Fattmerchant's secure website
Payment processing fees
0% + 8¢
plus interchange in-person; 0% +15¢ plus interchange keyed.
Monthly fee
$99
and up.
Stax is known for its pricing. It may be a good fit for businesses processing at least $5,000 in credit card transactions monthly.
Pros
- No markup on interchange rate.
- Unique add-on features.
Cons
- Not a good option for businesses with low sales.
- Pricing isn't as transparent as competitors.
Our pick for
Accepting orders through multiple channels
Adyen
Payment processing fees
Interchange + 12¢
Visa and Mastercard; 3.3% + 22¢ AmEx; 3%-12% + 12¢ for other payment methods.
Monthly fee
$0
Adyen offers low prices and doesn’t have any monthly fees. It also offers support for in-person payments. If you’re an omnichannel merchant, Adyen has tools that connect your sales data, wherever you sell.
Pros
- No monthly, setup, integration or closure fees.
- Payments accepted across online, in-store and app payment channels.
- Global payment options available.
- 24/7 customer support.
Cons
- Complex pricing model.
- Monthly minimums might exclude some small businesses. Minimums vary and require contacting Adyen to learn more.
Our pick for
Payment gateway focused on security and customer support
Our pick for
Full-service POS with integrated payment processing
Square POS
Learn more
on Square POS's secure website
Payment processing fees
2.6% + 10¢
in-person; 2.9% + 30¢ online.
Monthly fee
$0
Free plan; $29 Plus plan; Custom plan available.
Square's product lineup is modular, but its POS system works well enough as a stand-alone product. Pricing is competitive, making it a solid option for many small businesses.
Pros
- Deep list of features.
- Free version offers a lot of functionality.
- Square offers helpful related services, like payroll, that integrate closely with its POS system.
Cons
- Can’t run on Windows devices.
- Complex industries might prefer a more specialized system.
Stripe: Best for payment customization options
Stripe powers the checkout processes of large companies such as Amazon and Google. Its application programming interface, or API, allows companies to customize their payment solutions to fit their requirements, making it a good option for large online-based businesses. Other features include advanced reporting, billing and invoicing tools. Read our full Stripe Payments review.
Pricing:
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
- 2.7% plus 5 cents for in-person transactions.
- 3.4% plus 30 cents for manually keyed transactions.
- 3.9% plus 30 cents for international cards or currency conversion.
Payline Data: Best all-in-one merchant service provider
Payline Data is a solid, low-cost merchant services provider that offers in-person and online payment processing. The company also offers additional features such as a credit card reader, direct integration with QuickBooks and a virtual terminal, which allows you to accept cards online with an internet-connected device. Read our full Payline Data review.
Pricing:
- Interchange plus 0.4% and 10 cents for in-person transactions, and $10 per month.
- Interchange plus 0.75% and 20 cents for online transactions, and $20 per month.
- Pricing varies by card type for manually keyed transactions.
Amazon Pay: Best for businesses with an Amazon seller account
Amazon Pay is a payment gateway that allows customers to check out online using the information stored in their Amazon account. To access Amazon Pay, you set up a seller account and then use Amazon’s customizable API to integrate the plug-in with your existing e-commerce platform. It works with several popular e-commerce platforms, including BigCommerce and Magento. Read our full Amazon Pay review.
Pricing:
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for web and mobile transactions.
- 4% plus 30 cents for Alexa transactions.
- Extra 1% for cross-border transactions.
QuickBooks GoPayment: Best for QuickBooks accounting software users
QuickBooks GoPayment is the best PayPal alternative for syncing with your QuickBooks accounting software. Clients looking for an integrated mobile payment solution can pair GoPayment with the QuickBooks Card Reader to accept chip, swipe and contactless payments. QuickBooks Payments is only available to businesses that use QuickBooks for accounting. Read our full QuickBooks GoPayment review.
Pricing:
For QuickBooks Online users
- 2.4% plus 25 cents for in-person payments.
- 2.9% plus 25 cents for online and invoiced payments.
- 3.4% plus 25 cents for manually keyed payments.
- 1% for ACH transactions.
For QuickBooks Desktop users
Pay as you go plan (no monthly fee):
- 2.4% plus 30 cents per swiped transaction.
- 3.5% plus 30 cents per keyed-in transaction.
- 3.5% plus 30 cents per invoiced transaction.
Pay monthly plan (monthly fee):
- 1.6% plus 30 cents per swiped transaction.
- 3.3% plus 30 cents per keyed-in transaction.
- 3.3% plus 30 cents per invoiced transaction.
Shopify Payments: Best for Shopify e-commerce users
If you have an e-commerce store with Shopify, it makes sense to use Shopify Payments. It offers multiple payment methods and competitive processing rates, although it is not available in all countries, and it doesn’t work with businesses in certain high-risk industries. Read our full Shopify Payments review.
Pricing:
- 2.4%, 2.6% or 2.9% plus 30 cents for online payments for Advanced, Shopify or Basic plan, respectively.
- 2.4%, 2.5% or 2.7% for in-person payments for Advanced, Shopify or Basic plan, respectively.
Braintree: Best dedicated merchant account
Although Braintree is a PayPal company, the product and services they each offer differ slightly. While PayPal provides only aggregated merchant accounts, Braintree offers dedicated merchant accounts alongside many of PayPal’s features and capabilities. With a dedicated merchant account, you can expect fewer account freezes and terminations. You'll be able to accept chip, swipe and contactless forms of payment and convert over 130 currencies. Read our full Braintree review.
Pricing:
- 2.59% plus 49 cents per transaction credit cards, debit cards and digital wallets.
- 3.49% plus 49 cents for Venmo (U.S. only), transactions in non-U.S. currency or transactions outside the U.S.
- 0.75% for ACH (maximum fee of $5). Discounts available for enterprise businesses.
» MORE: Braintree vs. PayPal
Stax (formerly Fattmerchant): Best for high-volume e-commerce businesses
Stax is a subscription-based, flat-rate payment processor for e-commerce businesses. Although it charges high monthly subscription fees, its transaction fees are priced at the true cost of interchange, the most cost-effective pricing structure for accepting cards. That makes it a particularly appealing option for businesses with high sales volumes. Read our full Stax review.
Pricing:
- Interchange plus 8 cents for in-person transactions.
- Interchange plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
- $99 per month and up for software.
Adyen: Best for accepting orders through multiple channels
Some major technology companies, like Spotify and Etsy, rely on Adyen for online payment processing with a dedicated merchant account. Subscribers can accept payments online with access to a suite of security features. Those features, as well as optimization tools and zero monthly or setup fees, make Adyen appealing for small businesses that want to accept payments across multiple sales channels. Read our full Adyen review.
Pricing:
- Interchange plus 12 cents per transaction for Visa and Mastercard.
- 3.3% plus 22 cents for American Express.
- 12 cents plus 3%-12% for other payment methods, depending on transaction type.
- 37 cents per transaction for ACH.
Authorize.Net: Best payment gateway focused on security and customer support
With Authorize.Net, you get an all-in-one option with a payment gateway. To use it, you must have a merchant account. This can be purchased through its providers or separately. Features that come with Authorize.Net include fraud detection, recurring billing, a QuickBooks integration and an invoicing suite. Read our full Authorize.Net review.
Pricing:
- 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction, and $25 per month for merchant account option.
- 10 cents per transaction, 10 cent daily batch fee and $25 per month for payment gateway only.
Square: Best full-service POS with integrated payment processing
Square rivals PayPal in popularity, and for good reason. It offers a variety of payment processing solutions, including the ability to accept chip, swipe and contactless forms of payment. It also sells some of the most popular payment processing hardware, including the Square magstripe reader and Square Register. Its free POS software makes it one of the best PayPal alternatives for brick-and-mortar businesses. Read our full Square POS review.
Pricing:
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions (2.5% plus 10 cents with Retail Plus plan).
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions or invoices without a card on file.
- 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions or card-on-file invoices.
A version of this article was first published on Fundera, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.
Last updated on March 20, 2023
Methodology
NerdWallet’s ratings of payment processing providers rewards companies whose products and services are priced well and work in a variety of payment scenarios, among other criteria. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including overall cost, hardware and software options, system capabilities, customer service, contract requirements and integrations. Learn more about how we rate payment processing providers.
These ratings are a guide, but fees, hardware, software and contract requirements can vary widely from business to business and provider to provider. We encourage you to shop around and compare several providers.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.