8 Best Stripe Alternatives & Competitors for 2024
Stripe is a favorite among startups and tech-savvy businesses for online payment processing because it offers highly versatile software for creating custom checkouts. However, there are times when its complexity and specialization make other solutions a better choice.
While most users say Stripe is easy to use, it nonetheless requires some coding skills to set up certain payment types or custom payment features. It also does not have a built-in virtual terminal or point-of-sale (POS) tools. Stripe’s pricing may also not be the best fit for some small businesses that only need simpler and cheaper solutions.
We evaluated dozens of credit card processors to find the best alternative to Stripe:
- Square: Best overall Stripe alternative
- PayPal: Best for value-added payment options for ecommerce
- Stax For US businesses only : Best for managing recurring billing and high-volume sales
- PaymentCloud: Best for mid- to high-risk businesses
- Helcim: Cheapest alternative to Stripe
- Payanywhere: Best for small mobile businesses
- Authorize.net: Best payment gateway
- Chase Payment Solutions: Best for free and fast funding
Best Stripe Competitors Compared
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The Fit Small Business editorial process follows strict standards to ensure that our best answers are founded on the basis of accuracy, clarity, authority, objectivity, and accessibility. Meaghan Brophy, Anna Dizon, and I bring more than 10 years of experience in reviewing payment solutions.
We looked at various payment processors we’ve reviewed through the years and evaluated them against Stripe’s pricing, features, and ease of use to come up with a comprehensive list of Stripe alternatives. Our evaluation process included hands-on testing, feature analysis, and pricing comparison.
Payments Staff Writer at FitSmallBusiness
Stripe at a Glance
Pros
- Free merchant account
- Transparent, flat-rate pricing
- Top-notch security and anti-fraud tools
- Powerful, well-documented APIs
Cons
- Installation can be complex
- Add-on transaction fees for invoicing and recurring billing
- Charges chargeback fee for all disputed payments regardless of income—no refunds
Why Is Stripe So Popular
Stripe is among the most popular merchant account service providers for online payment processing. The system is well-known for its large number of integrations and extensive customizations, but it also offers easy-to-use tools for creating invoicing, a web-based POS, and recurring billing.
You’ll find Stripe in many of our best payment processing lists, including the following:
- Best Online Payment & Credit Card Processors
- Best Payment Gateways
- Best B2B Payment Solutions
- Best Free Merchant Accounts
- Best Merchant Services
Stripe fees range from 2.7% + 5 cents to 3.4% + 30 cents and it does not charge a monthly fee. However, you have to pay extra for recurring billing and invoicing, as well as for other special tools like a custom domain for Stripe Checkout.
Square: Best Overall Competitor & Alternative to Stripe
Pros
- Transparent, flat-rate pricing
- No monthly fees or minimums
- Free user-friendly POS and online store
- Reasonable ACH fees
Cons
- Not suited for high-risk businesses
- Incompatibility with high-risk merchants
- Limited support hours
How Square Compares to Stripe
- Square is cheaper for card-present processing.
- Square offers free POS software and ecommerce tools; Stripe requires a third-party integration or programming.
- Square hardware is less expensive
- Square offers more card reader and register options.
- Both have no monthly fees.
- Both offer flat-rate pricing and charge 2.9% + 30 cents for online payments.
- Both offer invoicing at slightly higher processing rates.
Read our full Stripe vs Square review.
Use Square if you need a versatile all-in-one POS with a reliable payment processor. It is an excellent alternative to Stripe for any small business or casual seller, especially if you want an online presence, with its integrated online store and a mobile app for selling on the go. Unlike Stripe, you can start selling immediately upon signing up for Square—no programming or setup is needed.
Aside from offering the most balanced (and flexible) payment processing solutions, it also offers banking services—something Stripe does not. Square’s POS systems are top-notch and work for stores, restaurants, spas, salons, mobile sellers, and service industries.
However, Square does not allow other payment processors and cannot match Stripe for integration into websites or complex payment processing needs.
Square appears on our lists of:
- Monthly fee: $0
- Card-present transaction fee: 2.6% + 10 cents
- Ecommerce and invoice transaction fee: 2.9% + 30 cents
- Card-not-present transaction fee: 3.5% + 15 cents
- Invoices: 3.3% + 30 cents
- ACH fee: 1% (minimum $1)
- Afterpay (buy now, pay later) fee: 6% + 30 cents per applicable transaction
- Instant payout fee: 1.75%
- Chargeback fee: Waived up to $250 per month for chargeback protection
- Card reader: $49
PayPal: Best for Value-added Payment Options for Ecommerce
Pros
- No monthly fees or minimums
- Accept payments in 200+ countries
- Highly integrable
- Free POS
Cons
- Virtual terminal costs extra
- Account stability issues
- Complex fee structure
How PayPal Compares to Stripe
- Stripe is the better option for customization and accepts more currency types than PayPal.
- PayPal has its own POS software, Zettle; Stripe does not.
- PayPal charges an extra fee for using its payment gateway; Stripe does not.
- Stripe offers custom rates for businesses with large transaction volumes; PayPal does not.
- Stripe’s pricing plan is simpler than PayPal’s.
Discover more in our Stripe vs PayPal article.
Use PayPal if you are looking for a user-friendly Stripe alternative payment method for ecommerce and international sales. While it rivals Stripe as one of the most popular online payment processors, PayPal has a reputation for being user-friendly for both customers and merchants (whereas Stripe is more difficult to implement and maintain).
PayPal is ideal for online and brick-and-mortar businesses looking for additional payment methods alongside other credit card processors. It can be used to easily add buttons to merchant websites, social media, or online stores. PayPal also works internationally and accepts all types of payments, including credit cards and Bitcoin.
We also recommend PayPal as an independent payment processor, but only for solopreneurs and occasional sellers—its ease of use and widespread integration make it a solid choice for straightforward, small-scale transactions. For larger businesses or those requiring more advanced features and customization, Stripe or other alternatives might be a better fit.
PayPal has the most complex fee structure of those on our list, with special rates for types of currencies and countries of origin. Below are a few for businesses based in the US for comparison. See PayPal’s website for more information.
- POS fee: $0
- Card-present fee (Zettle): 2.29% + 9 cents
- Keyed-in fee and invoicing: 3.49% + 9 cents
- Online transaction fee: 2.99% + 49 cents to 3.49% + 49 cents
- International transaction fee: 1.5% fee, 3%-4% spread for currency conversion
- Chargeback fee: $20
- Dispute fee: $15
- Instant transfer fee: 1.5%
- Card reader: $29 for the first; $79 for additional
Stax: Best Alternative to Stripe for B2B, Recurring Billing & High-volume Sales
Cons
- High monthly fee
- Best only for established businesses processing over $21,000 monthly
- Only works with US businesses
- Not compatible with high-risk businesses
How Stax Compares to Stripe
- Stax charges monthly fees; Stripe does not.
- Digital invoicing is included in all Stax plans. Stripe charges an additional 0.4%-0.5% per invoiced transaction.
- Stax offers cheap interchange-plus rates, while Stripe uses flat-rate fees.
- Stax offers Level 2 payment processing; Stripe supports Level 2 and 3 via integration.
- ACH processing, shopping carts, and next-day funding are add-ons for Stax; Stripe includes these for free
- Stax does not offer same-day funding; Stripe does, but charges extra for it.
Use Stax if you prefer a more user-friendly recurring billing platform for your high-volume business. While Stripe can design sophisticated recurring billing tools, Stax also supports advanced features but with a simpler platform. Both charge fees to use the service (Stax with a fixed monthly fee, Stripe as a percentage of transactions), but Stax’s pricing model can give high-volume businesses huge savings.
Stax is the most cost-effective alternative to Stripe for high-volume B2Bs, professional services, and subscription-based businesses looking for ways to save on credit card processing. Stripe (as well as most of the Stripe competition on our list) offers custom rates for high-volume sales, but Stax’s wholesale interchange-plus rates come up cheaper even with the monthly fees.
- Monthly fee:
- Processing up to $150,000/year: $99/month
- Processing from $150,000-$250,000/year: $139/month
- Processing from $250,000+/year: $199/month
- Card-present transaction fee: Interchange + 8 cents
- Card-not-present transaction fee: Interchange + 18 cents
- Chargeback fee: $25
Stax offers the following optional add-ons:
- ACH processing
- Terminal protection
- Custom branding
- Next-day funding
- Equipment
Contact Stax for pricing.
PaymentCloud: Best Stripe Alternative for High-risk Merchants
Pros
- Competitive rates
- Excellent customer support
- Good customer reviews
- Handles high-risk sales
Cons
- Fees not readily available
- Supports limited CBD products
- Charges for payment gateway
How PaymentCloud Compares to Stripe
- PaymentCloud supports high-risk businesses; Stripe does not.
- Payment Cloud accepts cryptocurrency; Stripe allows but you must apply.
- PaymentCloud offers more POS options; Stripe helps you integrate into them.
- Stripe does not charge a monthly fee, PaymentCloud merchants pay up to $45 per month, though some plans are free.
- Stripe does not charge a fee for its payment gateway; PaymentCloud does.
- PaymentCloud’s chargeback fee is more expensive than Stripe’s.
Use PaymentCloud if you need a Stripe alternative that works well for mid- and high-risk merchants. It partners with over 10 banks and walks you through the application process to get you approved. Pricing is customized, but user reviews say the terms are competitive.
PaymentCloud is a merchant account and payment gateway, but it lets you use other gateways, including Stripe. Thus, it’s possible to get the best of Stripe and PaymentCloud.
In general, if you run a business that sells high-risk items or is considered a mid- to high-risk business, you should definitely consider PaymentCloud. In fact, other merchant services will refer clients that do not get approved as low-risk businesses to PaymentCloud. It’s our top-recommended high-risk merchant account.
- No application fees, setup fees, or annual fees
- Monthly fee: $10-$45
- Low-risk transaction fee: 2%-3.1%
- Medium-risk transaction fee: 2.3%-3.4%
- High-risk transaction fee: 2.7%-4.3%
- Large volume discounts available
- Interchange + pricing available depending on use case; call for more information
- Payment gateway fee: $15/month
- Chargeback fee: $25-$50
The rates above are estimates provided by PaymentCloud. Actual pricing is custom-quoted.
Helcim: Cheapest Alternative to Stripe With Free Credit Card Processing
Pros
- No monthly fee
- Free POS and virtual terminal
- Excellent 24/7 customer support
- International payment processing
Cons
- Charges extra for Amex transactions
- Not ideal for low-volume businesses
- Limited integrations
How Helcim Compares to Stripe
- Both have zero monthly fees.
- Helcim has interchange-plus pricing with automated volume-based discounts. Stripe offers flat-rate and custom pricing.
- Helcim has free POS software; Stripe requires custom-built via Stripe terminal.
- Helcim offers automatic surcharging or free credit card processing through Helcim Fee Saver; Stripe only has manual surcharging.
- Both impose a $15 chargeback fee.
- Helcim has automatic Level 2 and 3 data processing; Stripe has it via integrations.
- Helcim offers free invoicing, recurring billing (which Stripe charges extra for), online checkout, and POS software (which Stripe does not have unless you create it)
Merchants with a fast-growing business should use Helcim if they want a cheaper Stripe alternative for payment processing. Helcim combines zero monthly fees with interchange-plus transaction fees. It even automatically scales the rates to your level of sales, so you don’t need to change plans or apply for discounts.
Businesses with steadily growing credit card sales—particularly above $50,000 per month (where Helcim’s volume discount starts) will find Helcim most suitable. This potential for huge savings makes it a consistent pick for the best retail credit card processing companies and even tops our list of cheapest credit card processors.
For businesses with a storefront, Helcim has a native POS app for countertop or mobile, and native tools for taking food orders, managing inventory, and managing customers. You will need a custom-built POS app if you work with Stripe.
- Monthly fee: $0
- Card-present transaction fee: Interchange plus 0.15% + 6 cents to 0.4% + 8 cents
- Card-not-present transaction fee: Interchange plus 0.15% + 15 cents to 0.50% + 25 cents
- Domestic ACH transfers: 0.5% + 25 cents per transaction
- American Express transactions: 0.10% + 10 cents
- Chargeback fee: $15, but Helcim refunds the charge for disputes settled in your favor
- Card reader: $99
- Automatic volume discounts
Payanywhere: Best for Small, Mobile Businesses
Pros
- Free chip card reader
- Good for low-ticket sales
- Free POS with employee scheduling
- Free same-day and next-day funding
Cons
- ACH payments only for custom plans
- Charges inactivity fee
- Does not process international credit cards
How Payanywhere Compares to Stripe
- Both offer month-to-month with flat-rate pricing.
- Both Stripe and Payanywhere do not charge monthly fees.
- Payanywhere offers free same-day deposits; Stripe requires a 1.5% fee.
- Payanywhere has a wider range of payment terminals.
- Payanywhere has tools for hiring and scheduling employees; Stripe does not.
- Stripe offers ecommerce integration and accepts international payments; Payanywhere does not.
- Payanywhere charges a $3.99 inactivity fee; Stripe does not.
Merchants should use Payanywhere if they need a low-cost, mobile-first payment processing and POS alternative to Stripe. Unlike Stripe, it does not charge a per-transaction markup on in-person payments, so you save more with Payanywhere for every sale you make. This makes Payanywhere a great alternative for businesses that primarily do low-ticket, steady in-person sales. (Stripe offers better online transaction rates.)
Payanywhere is also one of our recommended credit card payment apps with a simple, easy-to-use POS solution. It has a free mobile POS app that works for small restaurants and food trucks and integrates with delivery systems. Additionally, it offers employee management tools through Homebase, including time clocks, scheduling, and hiring—Stripe does not offer these.
- Monthly fees: $0
- Card-present processing fee: 2.69%
- Keyed-in processing fee: Starting at 3.49% + 19 cents per transaction
- Invoice and recurring payment processing: 3.49% + 19 cents
- POS software: $0
- Inactivity fee: $3.99 per month after 12 months of inactivity
- Card readers: $59.95
- Terminals: From $9.95 per month or $349 one-time
- Early termination fee (if on contract): $295
Authorize.net: Best Stripe Competitor for Payment Gateway
Pros
- Reliable
- Highly popular
- Easy to integrate and use
- Discounts for nonprofits
Cons
- Monthly fee
- Basic mobile payment app
- Limited reporting features
How Authorize.net Compares to Stripe
- Unlike Stripe, Authorize.net can be used as a standalone payment gateway with different merchant account providers.
- Authorize.net does not charge extra fees for using its invoicing and recurring payment service; Stripe does.
- Authorize.net charges a monthly fee of $25; Stripe is free to use.
- Stripe charges 1% for international payments; Authorize.net charges a 1.5% fee.
Use Authorize.net when you need a flexible payment gateway solution that can work independently (with your own merchant account), or as a payment processor that sets you up with a merchant account. It works easily with other payment processors, making migration a seamless process. While it does not integrate as extensively as Stripe, it does have partnerships with developers who can design integrations for you.
Almost all types of businesses can use Authorize.net, even B2Bs with large sales volumes and high-risk businesses. In fact, most merchants may already be able to access Authorize.net as it comes as a ready integration with popular merchant services providers as well as most Stripe competitors. This flexibility earned Authorize.net the top spot in our evaluation of the best payment gateways.
- Monthly fee: $25
- All-in-one processing fee: 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction
- Payment gateway only fee: 10 cents per transaction and 10 cents batch fee
- ACH/e-check processing fee: 0.75% per transaction (requires extra plan)
- Chargeback fee: $0
- POS system: $0 for Mobile POS app
- Virtual terminal: $0
- Card readers: $65
- Terminals: Third-party
Chase Payment Solutions: Best for Free & Fast Funding
Pros
- Negotiable rates in some cases
- Reputable bank with global reach
- Same-day funding to Chase business checking account
Cons
- Requires a Chase business account for some payment processing features
- Has account stability issues
- Expensive chargeback fees
How Chase Payment Solutions Compares to Stripe
- Chase offers a traditional merchant account; Stripe provides an aggregate merchant account.
- Chase’s rates are slightly cheaper.
- Chase comes with a proprietary virtual terminal; Stripe does not.
- Both can process international payments.
- Chase includes free same-day payouts while Stripe charges extra.
- Chase offers business banking solutions; Stripe has some funding capability, but that’s all.
Use Chase if your priority is to have fast access to your funds without any extra fees for depositing them into your bank account. Unlike Stripe, Chase offers a full banking solution and can provide you with a free same-day deposit if you sign up for a Chase business checking account.
Chase also provides you with a traditional merchant account, which is more secure, and makes it less likely for you to experience unexpected frozen accounts. As a payment processor, Stripe offers an aggregate merchant account. And while the latter is easier to get approved, the risk of having an aggregate merchant account being closed is higher. Learn more about merchant accounts.
- Monthly fee: $0-$15*
- Processing fee:
- In-person transaction rates: 2.6% + 10 cents
- Online transaction rates: 2.9% plus 25 cents
- Keyed-in transaction rates: 3.5% + 10 cents
- ACH processing:
- Real-time deposits: 1% (capped at $25), non-reversible
- Same-day deposits: 1% (capped at $25), reversible
- Standard deposits (1-2 business days): $2.50 for the first 10 transactions, 15 cents for additional, reversible
- Cancellation/early termination fee: $0
- Chargeback fee: $25-$100 per transaction
- Deposit speed: Free Same-day deposit and next-day funding
- Hardware options: $79-$499
*Chase Business Checking accounts require a minimum balance of $2,000 or a monthly service fee of $15 will be imposed.
Methodology: How We Evaluated Stripe Alternatives
To determine the best alternatives to Stripe, we identified and curated a list of dozens of excellent payment processors, many of which feature on other best-of lists for merchant accounts and payment processing.
We then compared each provider against Stripe in terms of pricing, features, ease of use, and overall value for money. After careful evaluation, we narrowed down our list to eight payment processors that surpassed Stripe in certain criteria. Nearly all of these require less programming knowledge, especially when it comes to integrations and POS systems.
Reasons to Choose Stripe Alternatives
We’ve explored how our top choices for alternatives to Stripe fulfill different needs better than Stripe, but why consider a Stripe competitor in general? There are several reasons:
- You need strong in-person payment tools: Whether you have a brick-and-mortar store or sell at fairs and trade shows, you would be better off with a payment processor that includes a point-of-sale solution.
- You don’t have time/patience/experience to deal with programming: Those who are comfortable with coding say Stripe is easy to use, but it is heavier on the tech than most of the others on our list. Other providers have plug-and-play solutions.
- You don’t want to deal with outside integrations: Stripe is integration-heavy. That’s its strength as well as its weakness. Many Stripe alternatives provide you with the payment tools you need natively, even inventory counts and tax calculations.
- You want to take advantage of reduced rates for business and government sales: If you make a lot of B2B sales, then you’ll want to take advantage of Level 2 and 3 payment processing. In return for gathering more data, you get reduced fees. While Stripe has good tools for B2B sales, you need an integration for Level 2 or 3 processing. Others make it available without charge or extra programs.
- You have high-volume monthly transactions. Although Stripe’s processing rates are competitive, it is not the best for businesses that process high-volume transactions every month. There are other options that offer lower rates for higher monthly transaction volumes.
How to Choose a Stripe Alternative
In the previous section, we have enumerated the top possible reasons a merchant would choose a Stripe competitor. Many payment processors like Stripe can offer better in-person payment tools, customizable yet easy-to-use software features, and more affordable pricing.
So to choose the right alternative, you need to identify which feature your business needs that you’re missing out on with Stripe.
Find More Affordable Credit Card Processing Fees
As credit card transaction rates continue to increase, finding a cost-effective payment processor is more important than ever.
- Monthly fees: Stripe does not charge a monthly fee so there should be no reason to replace it with a payment processor that does unless it is in exchange for wholesale credit card rates. However, this is only ideal for growing, high-volume businesses.
- Transaction rates: Stripe charges a generally competitive flat rate pricing so you will need to focus more on the type of payment methods and compare Stripe’s rates with its competitors. For example, if your business heavily relies on invoicing, look for an alternative that does not impose additional fees to invoice and recurring transactions.
- Incidental fees: Stripe generally does not charge for incidentals such as setup, cancellation, or PCI compliance. However, you can find alternatives to Stripe that impose lower chargeback fees, and even free chargeback protection.
Match Payment Software Features to Your Business Needs
Make sure that you only pay for payment features that you need and choose from companies similar to Stripe that support business tools that will help scale your business.
- Essential payment methods: One of Stripe’s major drawbacks is that it does not have out-of-the-box in-person payment processing tools. Most payment providers like Stripe support free mobile payment apps that allow merchants to start accepting payments in minutes.
- Integrations: It’s hard to beat Stripe’s thousands of ready integrations although PayPal comes close. That said, there are Stripe alternatives with native features such as accounting, POS, and marketing which certain business types would prefer as a free built-in functionality over integrations.
- Security: Stripe’s customizable security and fraud protection features are hard to match, particularly by similar payment processors offering aggregate merchant accounts. Unless your business requires features such as in-person payments, then, there’s no reason to replace Stripe.
- High-risk payment processing: Stripe does not support high-risk transactions so it does not provide merchant accounts to businesses that are considered “high-risk”. The best alternatives include PaymentCloud and Square for retailing certain CBD products.
- Customer support: Stripe already offers round-the-clock customer support and an extensive knowledge base. However, there are reports of poor customer service especially for issues of frozen accounts which you may want to consider before signing up with Stripe.
Look for Essential Hardware Features from Card Readers & POS
Stripe offers three mobile payment devices: a 2-in-1 contactless card reader and a couple of stand-alone handheld terminals. All are competitively priced but certain considerations may convince some merchants to go for a Stripe payment alternative.
- Pricing: Stripe’s basic contactless card reader is priced at $59, while the standalone terminals cost $249 and $349 each. While these are competitive rates, Stripe competitors offer discounts and installment purchasing options.
- Ease of use: Stripe struggles with ease of use for its payment hardware because it requires a payment app to start accepting payments. Most small businesses are looking for similar tools such as the ability to accept multiple payment methods as well as track and manage payments. Unfortunately, Stripe does not have an out-of-the-box payment app which all of its top competitors provide.
- Durability and reliability: One of the worst things that can happen to a merchant is to have a faulty card reader causing failed transactions. There have been no reported issues so far about troublesome Stripe hardware. However, alternatives like Square are also well-known for their reliable hardware and are easier to set up than Stripe.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
These are some of the most common questions we get about alternatives to Stripe.
Stripe is best for creating a custom solution or connecting payments to your existing software or website. Stripe has over 1,000 native integrations and an API with excellent directions.
Stripe is one of the best payment gateways, but Authorize.net, PayPal, Square, and Helcim also offer great options for small businesses.
Square is the best overall alternative for small businesses, PayPal is easy to use, Helcim offers low rates, Stax is best for billing, and PaymentCloud is best for high-risk merchants.
Shopify is an excellent payment processor for ecommerce, but you must have a Shopify account to use it. If you sell on Shopify, Shopify Payments is the best solution to use.
Bottom Line
If you have specialized payment processing needs or a wide range of online payment venues, then Stripe may be your best choice. It’s extremely popular among developers for its extensive toolset and ease of use—for programmers. There’s a lot of Stripe competition, however, and many offer a simpler payment processor. Additionally, payment processors that offer interchange-plus processing may prove a cheaper alternative to Stripe.
Of the many Stripe competitors, Square comes out as the best on our list. It offers rates comparable to Stripe but has a powerful free POS system, online store, virtual terminal, and other free tools that make it a better choice. Plus, it’s easy to use and highly rated by real-world users. Sign up for a free account and get started today.
