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9 Best PayPal Alternatives of December 2024

These PayPal alternatives for businesses offer useful features at competitive prices.
By Karrin Sehmbi, Hillary Crawford
Last updated on July 12, 2024
Edited by Christine Aebischer
Fact checked and reviewed

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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 alternatives may be a better fit if you’d like more customization options, additional point-of-sale (POS) system features or just a simple money transfer app. Some competitors also charge lower processing fees.
Here are the top PayPal alternatives and why they stand out.

Best PayPal Alternatives

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Estimates assume an average interchange fee of 1.81% + $0.10, based on our latest available data. Estimates provided reflect online and in-person transactions, but exclude any keyed transactions. Estimates are based on the lowest monthly plan and processing fees for each provider.

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Helcim

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on Helcim's secure website

Get an estimated monthly cost for your business.
5.0/5

Best for Interchange-plus payment processing

In-person: 0.4% + $0.08

Online: 0.5% + $0.25

Plus interchange

$0.00

Get an estimated monthly cost for your business.
Learn more

on Helcim's secure website

Stripe

Learn more

on Stripe Payments' secure website

5.0/5

Best for Customizable online checkout options

In-person: 2.7% + $0.05

Online: 2.9% + $0.30

$0.00

Learn more

on Stripe Payments' secure website

Square

Learn more

on Square's secure website

5.0/5

Best for All-in-one POS system and payment processing

In-person: 2.6% + $0.10

Online: 2.9% + $0.30

$0.00

Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.

Learn more

on Square's secure website

Shopify Payments

Learn more

on Shopify Payments' secure website

4.5/5

Best for Online storefronts

In-person: 2.6% + $0.10

Online: 2.9% + $0.30

$39.00

Basic plan; $105 Shopify plan; $399 Advanced plan.

Learn more

on Shopify Payments' secure website

Amazon Pay

4.5/5

Best for Amazon sellers

2.9% + $0.30

For online and mobile.

$0.00

Payline

4.5/5

Best for High-risk merchants

In-person: 0.4% + $0.10

Online: 0.75% + $0.20

Plus interchange

$10.00

in person; $20 online.

Venmo Business Account

4.0/5

Best for QR code payments

1.9% + $0.10

Between Venmo accounts.

$0.00

Payoneer

4.0/5

Best for International money transfer app

3.99% + $0.00

Maximum per credit card transaction; 0% between Payoneer accounts.

$0.00

QuickBooks GoPayment

4.5/5

Best for Accounting software integration

In-person: 2.5% + $0.00

Online: 2.99% + $0.00

$0.00

Our pick for

Interchange-plus payment processing

Unlike PayPal and the other alternatives listed here that use flat-rate pricing, Helcim’s interchange-plus model passes fluctuating interchange rates plus an additional fixed fee to businesses. Its volume discounts can be beneficial for high-volume businesses as well.

Learn more

on Helcim's secure website

Monthly fee
$0.00

Our pick for

Customizable online checkout options

Stripe is mainly meant for online sellers and offers a high degree of customizability if you have coding experience. Similar to PayPal, it’s also available in dozens of countries and supports a variety of different currencies, making it ideal for international online sales.

Learn more

on Stripe Payments' secure website

Monthly fee
$0.00

Our pick for

All-in-one POS system and payment processing

Square is nearly ubiquitous for a reason — it’s easy to set up, offers a variety of POS hardware options, a free online store and built-in payment processing services. It can be a good fit for brick-and-mortar retail stores, quick-service restaurants and service-based businesses alike.

Learn more

on Square's secure website

Monthly fee
$0.00

Starts at $0/month for unlimited devices and locations.

Our pick for

Online storefronts

Shopify tailors its processing services to online businesses and lets you choose from more than 200 website themes to build the right e-commerce experience for your customers. It offers plans for businesses selling both online and in person, too.

Shopify Payments

Learn more

on Shopify Payments' secure website

Monthly fee
$39.00

Basic plan; $105 Shopify plan; $399 Advanced plan.

Our pick for

Amazon sellers

Amazon Pay lets you incorporate the option for customers to pay using their Amazon accounts on your e-commerce site. This can help speed up the online checkout process and potentially increase conversion, since Amazon is such a recognizable name.

Amazon Pay

Payment processing fees
2.9% + $0.30

For online and mobile.

Monthly fee
$0.00

Our pick for

High-risk merchants

Unlike many other providers, including PayPal, Payline handles payment processing for high-risk businesses in industries like travel, cannabis and CBD, vitamins and credit repair.

Payline

Monthly fee
$10.00

in person; $20 online.

Our pick for

QR code payments

Venmo is a money transfer app that lets businesses and individuals digitally send money back and forth. Pop-up shops and other mobile sellers can display their business’s Venmo QR code, so that customers can scan it and pay them.

Venmo Business Account

Payment processing fees
1.9% + $0.10

Between Venmo accounts.

Monthly fee
$0.00

Our pick for

International money transfer app

Payoneer is a money transfer app that, like PayPal, you can use outside of the United States. It operates in fewer countries than PayPal, but supports more currencies.

Payoneer

4.0
NerdWallet rating 
Payment processing fees
3.99% + $0.00

Maximum per credit card transaction; 0% between Payoneer accounts.

Monthly fee
$0.00

Our pick for

Accounting software integration

The QuickBooks GoPayment app and card reader is a convenient way for QuickBooks Online users to accept the occasional in-person sale. Plus, you can automatically connect your payments account with the company’s in-house accounting software.

QuickBooks GoPayment

Monthly fee
$0.00

Our picks for the best PayPal alternatives

Stripe

Best for customizable online checkout options
Why we like it: 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.

Helcim

Best interchange-plus payment processing
Why we like it: If you’re looking for an affordable payment processing service and don’t require a full POS system, Helcim could be a good fit. Its interchange-plus pricing structure helps you save when customers use cards with low interchange rates. However, while its pricing is transparent, it can be more difficult to understand than flat-rate pricing. Read our full Helcim review.

Payline

Best for high-risk merchants
Why we like it: Payline is a solid, low-cost merchant services provider that offers in-person and online payment processing to businesses, including those in high-risk industries. 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 review.

Amazon Pay

Best for Amazon sellers
Why we like it: 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 Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento). Read our full Amazon Pay review.

Venmo Business Account

Best for QR code payments
Why we like it: Venmo business accounts work similarly to your normal consumer Venmo account — they let you use your linked bank account to send money to vendors and accept payments from customers. However, business owners will be charged 1.9% plus 10 cents per transaction between Venmo accounts. In particular, its QR code feature is ideal for pop-up shops that would rather accept digital payments than use a mobile card reader. Read our full Venmo business account review.

Shopify Payments

Best for online storefronts
Why we like it: 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.

Payoneer

Best international money transfer app
Why we like it: Payoneer is a money transfer app for businesses that don’t want a full payment processing service or need to take payments in person. Unlike Venmo, it’s available in different countries outside of the U.S. and allows you to convert currencies. You’ll save the most if your customers have their own Payoneer accounts and pay you with their balance. Read our full Payoneer review.

Square

Best all-in-one POS system and payment processing
Why we like it: 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.

QuickBooks GoPayment

Best accounting software integration
Why we like it: The QuickBooks GoPayment app is a simple, no-frills solution for accepting in-person payments on the go. Similar to PayPal, there are no monthly software fees (aside from your accounting software subscription) and the app is free. Read our full QuickBooks GoPayment review.

PayPal pros and cons

Identifying what you like and dislike about PayPal can help you choose the right alternative for your business. Here are some of PayPal’s strengths and downsides.
Pros

Familiar name and longstanding reputation. 

No monthly software fees. 

Easy integration with PayPal Zettle POS system. 

Can accept a variety of payment types (e.g., PayPal, Venmo, installments). 

Cons

Processing rates for online transactions can be complex. 

Payment gateways and chargeback protection may incur extra fees. 

Are PayPal alternatives secure?

PayPal protects customers’ information by maintaining PCI compliance, encrypting card data and monitoring transactions 24/7. Payment processing companies, including top PayPal alternatives, typically employ similar tactics to uphold a solid reputation and avoid data breaches. Most providers automatically provide anti-fraud and chargeback tools to businesses as well.
That being said, keeping customers’ data secure falls on both the payment processor and your own business. Some tips for strengthening your business’s data hygiene include using unique passwords, updating your POS software, teaching employees how to responsibly handle sensitive information and learning to recognize phishing scams.
Maddie Shepherd contributed to this article.
A version of this article was first published on Fundera, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.
Last updated on July 12, 2024

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.
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