Stripe is a payment processor for online sales, but it’s not necessarily right for every small business. Although Stripe has a simple pricing structure, accepts many types of payments and is customizable, it can be expensive, complicated and overly focused on online payments for some merchants. Stripe alternatives range from full-service merchant account providers to simple payment gateway providers. Here are nine Stripe competitors that may be a better fit for your business.
» MORE: Read our full review of Stripe
Best Stripe Competitors for Small Businesses
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Input your business’s monthly transaction details and we’ll help you sort from the best valueProduct | Cost Estimate | Payment processing fees | Cost Estimate | Learn more | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Square Payments Processing Learn more on Square Payments Processing's secure website | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | Best for In-person transactions | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0 | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | Learn more on Square Payments Processing's secure website |
Stax by Fattmerchant Learn more on Stax by Fattmerchant's secure website | 4.5/5 Best for Businesses with high transaction volumes | In-person: 0% + $0.08 Plus interchange | $99 and up. | Learn more on Stax by Fattmerchant's secure website | ||
PayPal Zettle | 4.5/5 Best for Brick-and-mortar businesses expanding online | In-person: 2.29% + $0.09 Online: 3.49% + $0.49 | $0 | |||
Adyen | 5.0/5 Best for Large omnichannel businesses | 0% + $0.13 Plus interchange for Visa and Mastercard; 3.3% + $0.23 for AmEx. | $0 | |||
Verifone | Best for Online-only businesses that sell around the world | N/A online with 2Sell plan; 4.5% + 45¢ online with 2Subscribe plan. | $0 | |||
WePay | Best for Chase business account holders | N/A online with WePay Link; 2.9% + 30¢ online for merchant platforms without set processing fees. | $0 | |||
Authorize.net | Best for Payment gateway only | 2.9% + $0.30 for All-in-One option. | $25 | |||
Braintree | Best for Payment gateway plus merchant account | 2.59% + $0.49 credit & debit cards and digital wallets; 3.49% + 49¢ Venmo (U.S. only). | $0 | |||
PayJunction | Best for Businesses ready to go paperless | N/A for credit cards. | $0 if you process $10K+ per month; otherwise, $35 per month. |
Our pick for
In-person transactions
Square Payments Processing
Learn more
on Square Payments Processing's secure website
Monthly fee
$0
Pros
- Simple, transparent prices.
- Diverse hardware lineup.
- Long list of features.
Cons
- More specialized POS systems exist.
- Doesn't run on Windows desktop or tablet.
Our pick for
Businesses with high transaction volumes
Stax by Fattmerchant
Learn more
on Stax by Fattmerchant's secure website
Monthly fee
$99
and up.
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
Brick-and-mortar businesses expanding online
PayPal Zettle
Monthly fee
$0
Pros
- Solid core features.
- No monthly fees.
- No long-term commitment.
- Low initial costs.
- Easy to use.
Cons
- No add-on features available.
- Limited integrations.
- Funds are transferred to your PayPal account and not your bank account.
Our pick for
Large omnichannel businesses
Adyen
Payment processing fees
0% + $0.13
Plus interchange for Visa and Mastercard; 3.3% + $0.23 for AmEx.
Monthly fee
$0
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
Online-only businesses that sell around the world
Verifone
Payment processing fees
N/A
online with 2Sell plan; 4.5% + 45¢ online with 2Subscribe plan.
Monthly fee
$0
Pros
- Global reach enables international selling.
- Tools and features for subscription-based businesses.
- Financial services to help with sales and international taxes, compliance, etc.
Cons
- Processes online payments only.
Our pick for
Chase business account holders
WePay
Payment processing fees
N/A
online with WePay Link; 2.9% + 30¢ online for merchant platforms without set processing fees.
Monthly fee
$0
Pros
- Chase business customers benefit from same-day deposits.
- Customizability.
Cons
- Must use a WePay platform partner to sign up for WePay account.
- Platform partners may add markup fees.
Our pick for
Payment gateway only
Our pick for
Payment gateway plus merchant account
Braintree
Payment processing fees
2.59% + $0.49
credit & debit cards and digital wallets; 3.49% + 49¢ Venmo (U.S. only).
Monthly fee
$0
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
Businesses ready to go paperless
PayJunction
Payment processing fees
N/A
for credit cards.
Monthly fee
$0
if you process $10K+ per month; otherwise, $35 per month.
Pros
- Offers payment gateway and merchant account.
- Free mobile app for iOS.
- Remote signature capability to protect against chargebacks.
Cons
- Fee applies for lower monthly transaction volumes.
Square: Best for in-person transactions
Payment processing fees:
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
- 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
- 3.3% plus 30 cents for invoices.
Why we like it: Square provides payment processing as well as point-of-sale, or POS, system options that can accommodate a variety of small businesses. It offers free POS software, a free magstripe reader and multiple hardware options. Plus, its in-person transaction fees are lower than Stripe’s. Square also offers Tap to Pay on iPhone, which lets merchants accept card payments using only an iPhone with the Square POS app. Square has a vast product suite that extends beyond POS and into e-commerce, online payments, invoicing and more. Read our full Square review.
PayPal Zettle: Best for brick-and-mortar businesses expanding online
Payment processing fees:
- 2.29% plus 9 cents for in-person and QR code transactions.
- 3.49% plus 9 cents for manual-entry card transactions.
- 2.99% plus 49 cents for invoicing (payment made with card).
- 3.49% plus 49 cents for invoicing (payment made with PayPal).
Why we like it: For accepting in-person payments, PayPal Zettle is more approachable and simpler to implement than Stripe. But for online payments, PayPal also offers a simple payment gateway service that gives you the ability to create a hosted checkout page. If you already have a dedicated merchant account and want to use it for online payments, PayPal could be a good choice compared with Stripe. Read our full PayPal Zettle review.
Adyen: Best for large omnichannel businesses
Payment processing fees:
- Interchange plus 13 cents per transaction for Visa and Mastercard.
- 3.3% plus 23 cents for American Express.
- 3%-12% plus 13 cents for other payment methods, depending on transaction type.
- 40 cents per transaction for ACH direct payment.
Why we like it: Adyen is a payments platform that enables payment processing in store, online and within marketplaces (like Etsy), so it may be a better fit for larger businesses with an online presence. Unlike Stripe, it also acts as a merchant account provider, which will require some extra steps in the application process but will likely pay off in the level of service and attention that comes with such an account. Also unlike Stripe, Adyen uses an interchange-plus pricing system, which is often the most affordable pricing structure for credit card processing fees, especially if you have a higher transaction volume. Read our full Adyen review.
Verifone: Best for online-only businesses that sell around the world
Payment processing fees:
- Starts at 3.5% + 35 cents for online payments with 2Sell plan.
- 4.5% + 45 cents for online payments with 2Subscribe plan.
- Does not offer processing for in-person payments.
Why we like it: Verifone, formerly 2Checkout, excels in international payments. It has coverage in over 200 countries and territories (Stripe is in only 47), accepts over 45 payment methods, is available in more than 30 languages and offers 100 billing currencies. You can also customize your payments solution. Read our full Verifone review.
WePay: Best for Chase business account holders
Payment processing fees:
- 2.9% plus 25 cents per online transaction for credit card payments with WePay Link. Valid for new U.S. businesses only.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents per online transaction for merchant platforms without set processing fees.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person and manually keyed transactions.
Why we like it: WePay is an online payments solution affiliated with Chase Payment Solutions. It works with business owners who want to allow their customers to send and receive payments (largely software-as-a-service businesses and similar companies). If you have a Chase business bank account, you can get same-day deposits instead of having to wait days to transfer funds from your merchant account to your business bank account. Read more about WePay versus Stripe.
Authorize.net: Best for a payment gateway only
Payment processing fees:
- 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction for a merchant account plus a gateway.
- 10 cents per transaction plus 10 cent daily batch fee for a payment gateway only.
Why we like it: Authorize.net is a payment gateway provider rather than a merchant account or payment service provider, which means it facilitates the payment but doesn’t provide the merchant account to receive funds. Therefore, unlike Stripe, you’ll need to use Authorize.net in conjunction with a third-party merchant account. You can integrate Authorize.net with your existing merchant account or get one through an Authorize.net reseller. If you’re primarily an online-based business but want to accept payments in person (or over the phone) once in a while, Authorize.net’s virtual terminal allows you to do so. Authorize.net also has 13 configurable fraud filters you can change. Read our full Authorize.net review.
Braintree: Best for a payment gateway plus merchant account
Payment processing fees:
- 2.59% plus 49 cents per transaction for credit cards, debit cards and digital wallets.
- 3.49% plus 49 cents for Venmo (U.S. only).
- 0.75% for ACH (maximum fee of $5). Discounts available for enterprise businesses.
Why we like it: Braintree, owned by PayPal, includes a dedicated merchant account. You can add a full-featured checkout to your app or website or use the custom user interface, or UI, to build your own checkout page. All of Braintree’s solutions include PayPal acceptance and support. If you accept in-person payments, you can integrate your Braintree account with PayPal Zettle. Read our full Braintree review.
PayJunction: Best for businesses ready to go paperless
Payment processing fees: Interchange-plus pricing with markup of 0.75% plus 7 cents for all credit card transactions; $35 monthly fee if you process under $10,000.
Why we like it: PayJunction can accept payments through its POS terminal, payment gateway and mobile app, as well as through ACH. Interchange-plus pricing means the fees may end up being cheaper than Stripe for higher-volume businesses that can avoid the monthly fee. Its unique smart terminal takes all types of in-person payments — and without paper receipts (it sends digital receipts and stores receipt information in the cloud). You may be eligible for a free terminal if your business processes an average of $25,000 or more per month. Read our full PayJunction review.
Stax: Best for businesses with high transaction volumes
Payment processing fees:
- Interchange plus 8 cents for in-person transactions.
- Interchange plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
Why we like it: Stax, formerly Fattmerchant, is one of the most affordable options in terms of transaction fees (0% markup on direct-cost interchange) — as long as you can afford the subscription fee. Customers get a merchant account and can accept payments in a variety of ways: mobile, virtual terminal, e-commerce shopping cart, etc. Read our full Stax review.
Last updated on April 21, 2023
Methodology
NerdWallet’s ratings of payment processing providers reward 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.