Stripe
payment-gateway · US, CA, GB, AU, FR, DE, NL, JP, SG, HK, IE, CH, AT, BE, DK, FI, IT, NO, ES, SE, PT, PL, NZ, AE, BR, MXStripe is the leading online payment processing platform built for businesses that need a developer-first, API-native approach to accepting payments. It supports 135+ currencies and 35+ payment methods including credit cards, digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Link), buy-now-pay-later (Klarna, Afterpay), and local methods like iDEAL, Bancontact, and SEPA Direct Debit. Stripe's standard pricing is 2.9% + $0.30 per successful domestic card transaction, with an additional +1.5% for international cards and an ~1.0% FX markup for currency conversion. Subscription billing is handled via Stripe Billing at 0.7% of billing volume (or $620/month on an annual contract for unlimited billing). Stripe Radar provides built-in fraud detection with machine learning. While Stripe's documentation and developer experience are best-in-class, the platform requires technical resources to fully leverage — non-technical users may find Square or PayPal easier to set up without developer support. Stripe is a financial technology platform, not a bank. Banking services are provided by Stripe Payments Company and its financial partners.
What does Stripe cost and how does payment processing work?
Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 per successful domestic card transaction with no monthly fee on its pay-as-you-go plan. A free tier is available. Available in 26 country/regions. Developer-first payment processing platform for online businesses, with global reach, 135+ currencies, and extensive API infrastructure.
Pricing
// verify pricing before launch — prices shown may not reflect current vendor rates
Key Features
- •135+ currencies and 35+ payment methods including cards, wallets, BNPL, and local methods
- •Developer-first API with SDKs for 15+ programming languages and extensive documentation
- •Stripe Radar fraud detection with machine learning (included at 2.9% + $0.30; Radar for Fraud Teams $0.02/check)
- •Stripe Billing for subscription management, invoices, and recurring payments (0.7% of volume)
- •Stripe Connect for marketplace and platform payment facilitation
- •Stripe Terminal for in-person card reader payments
- •Stripe Atlas for business incorporation and tax filing
- •24/7 chat support on all plans; phone support on higher tiers
Pros
- +Developer-first API with best-in-class documentation, SDKs in 15+ languages, and comprehensive testing tools — the gold standard for custom payment integrations
- +135+ currencies and 35+ payment methods give Stripe the broadest global reach of any all-in-one payment processor
- +Built-in fraud detection via Stripe Radar uses machine learning and is included in the standard rate, saving thousands in fraud losses compared to manual review
- +Massive integration ecosystem — Stripe connects with QuickBooks, Xero, Shopify, Salesforce, HubSpot, and thousands of other platforms
- +24/7 chat support is available on all plans with no hold times, which is rare in the payment processing industry
Cons
- −Requires developer resources to unlock full potential — non-technical business owners may struggle with setup and customization compared to Square or PayPal
- −Flat-rate pricing (2.9% + $0.30) becomes expensive at high volume compared to interchange-plus or tiered pricing models from Helcim or other processors
- −FX markup of ~1% is cheaper than PayPal's 3-4% but more expensive than platforms built specifically for cross-border commerce like Wise or Airwallex
- −No in-person POS hardware beyond the card reader (Stripe Terminal) — no full POS terminal, receipt printer, or barcode scanner ecosystem
- −Phone support is limited to higher-tier plans, which can be frustrating for non-technical merchants who prefer voice support
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Integrations
Compare Stripe with other tools
See how Stripe stacks up against PayPal and Square and Payoneer and Airwallex and Tipalti side by side.
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Reviewed by Finatune · Last updated 2026-07-03