8 Best International Merchant Accounts

Stripe ranks #1 in my list of the best international merchant accounts. It supports payments in over 130 currencies with the best combination of zero monthly fees, flat-rate pricing, and industry-leading security measures in the payment processing industry. It is also available for merchants in more than 40 countries.

Stripe also provides excellent API and SDK tools, so it can be integrated into just about any program that takes payments. It is also rated highly in our lists of the leading payment gateways and merchant services.

While it lets customers pay in their currencies and with their credit cards, it offers businesses the option to choose between local currency or multicurrency-based pricing when accepting international payments.

Since our last update, Stripe increased its add-on fees for international transactions from 1% to 1.5%. Despite this, other providers in my list, such as 2Checkout and PayPal, still have higher costs for international transactions.

Since Stripe offers a free account, merchants don’t need to worry about upfront costs unless they opt for add-on tools and upgraded features. Transaction fees are competitive, and discounts are available upon request.

• Monthly fee: $0
• Transaction processing fees:
  • International payments: + 1.5% fee, 1% spread for currency conversion
  • Ecommerce: 2.9% + 30 cents
  • Touchless: 2.9% + 30 cents
  • Virtual terminal: 2.9% + 30 cents
  • Card-present: 2.7% + 5 cents
  • Keyed-in: 3.4% + 30 cents
  • ACH: 0.8%, $5 cap
  • Invoicing: + 0.4% to 0.5%, 25 invoices free per month
  • Recurring billing: + 0.5% to 0.8%
• Stripe Checkout: $10 per month if using own domain
• Chargeback fee: $15
• Failed transaction fees: $4 to $15
• Deposit speed: 2 business days, or 1%, minimum 50 cents for instant payout

• Versatile payment gateway

Stripe can be used as a payment gateway on any online venue, from chats to online stores, eBay to Facebook, and Salesforce to mobile apps. While the other merchant services can handle a few of these venues, Stripe’s versatility is rivaled only by PayPal.

• Real-time native currency

Stripe not only accepts payments in native currencies but lets you display in that denomination so your customers know exactly how much their purchase costs. In addition, Stripe’s hosted payment page automatically detects the customer’s location and displays a translated version of your checkout page so customers can read it in their own language. 2Checkout offers a similar service, as does Braintree.

• Robust billing and subscription capabilities

Stripe lets you set up flat rates, multiple pricing, usage rates (such as for electricity), and more. It integrates with websites, mobile apps, and CRM systems, and has a virtual terminal for taking payments via phone or email. Its invoicing and recurring billing have additional percentages per invoice, but the first 25 invoices are free. If you need free unlimited invoicing, consider Helcim, PayPal, or Square.

• Wide integrations

Stripe is the most flexible platform on the list. It works with over 660 partners with integrations in accounting and finance, marketing and sales, operations, payments, and ecommerce. Additionally, it has excellent SDK and API functions for creating your own integrations. In fact, Stripe processes over 500 million API requests a day.

2Checkout is a popular international merchant service that works in over 200 countries and more than 100 currencies. Plus, it accepts more than 40 local payment methods, including mobile wallets and international credit cards. It integrates with several third-party systems, including POS. It stands out from the other providers on this list because it can act as the merchant of record, meaning 2Checkout can handle your VAT, sales tax, and remittance.

It made my list of best international merchant accounts with excellent marks for its geographic scope. The fees are higher than most, but its reach is among the widest. 2Checkout lost points because it does not have its own mobile app, not even through another developer. Nonetheless, it’s easy to use and allows multi-language and multicurrency display.

2Checkout’s pricing is simple but more expensive than the others in this guide. However, it offers multicurrency international payment pricing, making it better than Helcim in that category. Its chargeback fees are calculated by taking your dispute history into account, which is more complicated than most of the other options on this list that charge a flat fee.

It also does not have a monthly fee, which gives it an advantage over PaymentCloud, but its transaction rates are high. Add to that the 2% to 5% cross-border percentage, and it may be worth looking at cheaper options like Stripe. However, 2Checkout’s highest plan does not have a cross-border fee and pricing is tailored for each business.

Like Braintree, 2Checkout does not sell hardware. Rather, you get it from the POS system or ecommerce solution you choose.

• More country choices

2Checkout can process payments in over 200 countries and more than 100 currencies—the most of any on our list. You also have the option of choosing to accept domestic payment methods in a country as well. 2Checkout pays out via wire transfer, ACH, PayPal, or Payoneer in USD, EUR, or GBP.

• Merchant of record

2Checkout is unique in that it can act as your merchant of record. This means it can handle your sales tax, VAT, and remittances, so you can concentrate on sales. No other payment processor on our list offers this; if you sell in multiple nations, it could save you time and money.

• Shopper myAccount

2Checkout’s myAccount works much like PayPal. Customers have their own accounts and can log in to see items they’ve purchased using 2Checkout from your store and elsewhere. They can also edit their personal information and payment methods and contact support.

• Award-winning coding

Like Braintree and Stripe, 2Checkout’s developer tools are excellent. It has multiple awards for its platform and programming, having been a consistent winner of some of the most important and prestigious industry awards.

Braintree is a PayPal-owned payment processor that focuses on online sales. It works with merchants in the US, Canada, Australia, Europe, Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, China, Malaysia, and New Zealand, although it can handle payments from around the world in more than 130 currencies.

Braintree merchant accounts are dedicated merchant accounts, unlike other providers, like PayPal and Stripe, that provide aggregate merchant accounts only. Although Braintree lacks its own point-of-sale (POS) and mobile system, PayPal’s POS is available for Braintree merchants to use.

Another Braintree feature I like is that it offers multicurrency setups. While other providers on this list support many currencies, these are usually only for presentment—the currency the customer will see upon purchase. On this list, only Adyen and Braintree offer multiple payout currencies.

Braintree does not have monthly fees, making it competitive with the other merchant services on our list, price-wise. Even with the additional 1% charge on international transaction fees, it’s less expensive than Stripe and would have ranked better had it accepted more payment types. However, Helcim, with its interchange-plus fees, may be cheaper than Braintree.

Other possible fees include:

• Account updater: Contact Braintree sales
• PayPal payment fees: $0
• Fraud security 3DSecure: Contact Braintree sales
• Integrated third-party fees: VariesOverdue account fee: 1.5% per month or the maximum amount permitted by law

• Easy and free PayPal integration

Braintree comes with full PayPal integration at no extra cost—something none of the others on the list can do. Through an activated PayPal account, you can use all the POS and other tools PayPal offers.

• Strong integrations and developer tools

Braintree is a close competitor to Stripe for developer support. You can use Braintree Auth if you want to integrate Braintree into a third-party service, but the software also has a wide range of ready-made integrations. With Braintree Extend, you can share payment data with other platforms, merchants, or service providers.

• Account updater

Braintree can update your customers’ Visa, Mastercard, or Discover Card details—such as numbers, expiration dates, and account status changes. This is excellent for recurring bills and subscriptions, where current information is vital. Stripe also has an account updater.

• Strong fraud prevention tools

Although all the providers in this list offer fraud prevention, Braintree offers a free basic version of this feature to their users plus a premium paid one. The premium service gives merchants more flexibility and control over how they would like to filter and manage their fraud prevention strategy.

• Multicurrency settlement

Customers will need to get in touch with Braintree support to get set up with a multicurrency settlement. This can help you save on currency conversion fees especially if you have a few select currencies that you always use. This is good for businesses that have a strong banking presence in two or more countries.

Adyen stands out for businesses looking to expand globally, offering support for over 180 currencies and payment processing in more than 90 countries. It’s ideal for merchants who need to accommodate a wide variety of local payment methods, including digital wallets and bank transfers, which are critical for international sales. The platform’s interchange-plus pricing model provides transparency, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses with high transaction volumes.

Although it has a complex setup and monthly minimum sales requirements, Adyen is designed for businesses ready to scale internationally. Its multicurrency setup, combined with dynamic currency conversion, ensures a smooth payment experience for customers while its robust fraud prevention tools help protect businesses.

Adyen does not have monthly fees and offers interchange rates, making it a cost-effective solution even for small businesses. It does not charge any add-on fees for international transactions and only passes on card network interchange fees. It’s good to note, though, that Adyen charges a $120 minimum processing volume, which you may think of as a consumable monthly fee.

Although Adyen is transparent with its fees, it has a different one for each payment method, which may make it difficult for businesses to predict their total processing costs, especially when handling a wide variety of transactions across different countries and currencies. Here are some of Adyen’s payment processing rates:

• Global reach with local payment methods

Adyen does not just support payments in over 180 currencies and operates in more than 90 countries, it also accepts over 90 payment methods.

• Interchange-plus pricing structure

Adyen uses an interchange-plus pricing structure, providing transparency by charging a fixed markup above interchange fees. This model can offer more competitive rates, especially for businesses processing high transaction volumes or operating across multiple countries.

• Multi-account feature

For businesses operating across multiple regions or brands, Adyen’s multi-account holder (MAH) feature allows you to manage different entities from a single platform. This provides streamlined reporting and operational control while maintaining separate accounts for individual business needs.

PayPal is a popular international payment processor used by businesses and individuals. Its pricing structure and user-friendly POS make it suitable for the occasional seller, but it has tools for large businesses, too. It’s also great for solopreneurs because it is so easy to use, and funds are immediately available from your PayPal account.

Of all the global merchant accounts on our list, we also like PayPal best for multichannel sales because of its popularity among other sellers and its ability to work alongside other payment processors. Also, like Stripe, it offers multicurrency payment processing. However, PayPal has a chargeback fee of $20, which is among the highest on this list.

PayPal has some of the most complex pricing in this guide, with different rates depending on the payment method and country (find details on its pricing page). Online transaction fees are 2.59% + 49 cents, while in-person payments start at 2.29% + 9 cents per transaction. The monthly fee ranges from $0 to $30 depending on the service.

A 1.5% fee is charged for accepting international payments for all types of transactions (regular, alternative payment methods, and donations). Currency conversion spread is at 4% per transaction; it is the only other provider aside from Stripe that mentions how much it will cost for a business to make international payments (such as chargebacks and declines for cross-border transactions).

• Chargeback fees: $20 for transactions not processed through a buyer’s PayPal account or guest checkout.
• Dispute fees: $15 Standard or $30 for high-volume transactions.
• E-check fees: 3.49% capped at $300
• Instant withdrawal of funds to linked card or bank account: 1.50% of the amount transferred
• Recurring billing service: $10 per month optional service available for PayPal Online Card Payment Service and Payment Gateway users
• Recurring payment tool: $30 per month optional service available for PayPal Online Card Payment Service users

• Small scale capability

PayPal is designed to accommodate the solopreneur or casual seller, even those that sell across borders. It does not charge for its POS and has reasonable in-person rates. PayPal is also on our list of best mobile credit card processors.

• Easy integration with any checkout page

PayPal’s claim to fame is that you can add it anywhere. The European research PayPal eCommerce Index 2022 study commissioned by PayPal showed a 62% increase in consumer willingness to buy when PayPal is available as a checkout option.

• Same-day deposits

You can get your payout within a day to your PayPal account. It takes two or three days to get to a regular bank account. Most of the services on our list pay out in 24 to 48 hours, but 2Checkout pays weekly.

• Native POS system

Unlike Braintree or 2Checkout, which are primarily online processors, and Stripe, which depends on third-party software, PayPal offers the Zettle POS system for brick-and-mortar stores or in-person sales.

Square stands out due to its simplicity, versatility, and all-in-one approach to payment processing, particularly for small and mid-sized businesses. Unlike Adyen and Stripe, which cater more to larger enterprises or businesses with complex needs, Square offers a flat-rate pricing model with no monthly fees, making it more accessible for smaller merchants who prefer predictable costs.

This transparency sets Square apart from competitors like Adyen, which uses interchange-plus pricing that varies by payment method.

When it comes to handling international payments, Square is very similar to Helcim—it can accept payment from anywhere in the world but it only has one presentment currency which is the home country. What gives Square an advantage over Helcim is it is offered in 8 countries whereas Helcim is only available in the US and Canada.

I think Square is great for new small businesses that simply want a way to accept international card payments. Any currency conversion is handled by the card issuer and charged to the cardholder, which essentially helps small businesses avoid any additional fees from accepting international card payments.

• 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
• Contract length: Month-to-month
• Early termination fee: $0
• Chargeback fee: Waived up to $250 per month for chargeback protection
• Cross-border fees: 0%
• Currency conversion fees: None (card issues handles currency conversion and is charged to the cardholder)

• Flat-rate pricing

Square offers predictable, flat-rate transaction fees without any hidden costs or monthly fees. This makes it easier for businesses to forecast expenses, unlike other providers that use interchange-plus pricing, such as Adyen and Stripe.

• All-in-one payment ecosystem

Square’s fully integrated ecosystem allows businesses to accept payments through multiple channels—whether it’s in-person, online, or via invoices. It combines a POS system, mobile app, ecommerce tools, and invoicing in one platform, eliminating the need for multiple providers for different sales methods.

• Chargeback policy

Square is the only provider on this list that waives chargeback fees. It waives up to $250 per month for chargeback disputes—a generous policy compared to other merchant services.

• No cross-border or currency conversion fees

Square does not charge any fees for accepting international payments. Any currency conversion is handled by the card issuer and charged to the cardholder. When a customer makes a payment, the card issuer takes the amount in the merchant’s home country and converts it to the customer’s card currency.

Helcim provides international payment processing for merchants located in the US and Canada. It is potentially the cheapest payment processor in this guide, with reasonable interchange-plus pricing, which is usually slightly higher for international transactions. Plus, the more you process in a month, the lower your per-transaction fees.

Despite Helcim’s limited international options, it still earned the second spot as the provider with the cheapest transaction fee in this list and excellent customer service. You can also find it among our lists of the best retail credit card processors and top-recommended merchant services, and it is our top pick among the cheapest credit card processing companies.

Helcim does not charge a monthly fee and has a chargeback of $15. It offers interchange-plus pricing which is slightly higher for international sales—note that Helcim specified that this fee is imposed by the bank and is not a markup on its end. Further, the rates are broken into a tier system that saves you money the more transactions you process each month.

• Excellent customer service

Helcim has one of the highest user review ratings of any provider on this list. Nearly every review praised customer and technical support, saying representatives were friendly and able to help with their issues.

• Free virtual terminal

Helcim is one of only two on our list that gives a free built-in virtual terminal (Square is the other). This makes it a good choice for MOTO and telemarketing companies, or any business needing to accept invoice payments over the phone.

• Wide payment type options

Among all the providers on this list, only Helcim offers almost all the payment types we considered without additional fees, except for cryptocurrency payment processing, which Helcim does not support.

PaymentCloud is an international merchant service and is the only one on this list that supports high-risk businesses (in fact, it is our best overall high-risk merchant account provider). Although its pricing is not readily available on the website, PaymentCloud sales agents can provide quotes and price ranges if needed. The rates vary between industries and clients but expect to get an additional 1% to 2% as cross-border fees for international transactions.

It is also the only provider on this list that offers cryptocurrency payment processing. However, PaymentCloud is only available for merchants in the US, Canada, and Europe. If you are not a high-risk merchant and do not need cryptocurrency payment processing, other providers on this list (except for Helcim) all offer lower fees and more extensive currency and country support.

PaymentCloud’s pricing is not readily available on its website. The fees and rates vary depending on the nature of your business and your transaction volume. To get an accurate quote for your business, you will need to get in touch with a PaymentCloud sales representative. We were provided with ranges, which are higher than other providers.

• Support for high-risk merchants

PaymentCloud stands out for its acceptance of medium- and high-risk businesses. No other provider on this list does that. Although approval time can be lengthy and tedious, you can get set up within the day once you’re approved. It works with tobacco, e-cigarettes, topical CBD, electronics, dropshipping, bail bonds, firearms, and more.

• Strong fraud protection

Fraud is an important concern, especially for medium- to high-risk merchants and PaymentCloud offers strong fraud protection tools with no additional fees. It is PCI-compliant and uses industry-standard Address Verification System (AVS) technology, tokenization, P2PE data encryption, and 3D Secure technology to validate cardholders at the point of purchase. It also implements temporary payment halts to pause suspicious transactions pending verification.

• Cryptocurrency payment processing

Aside from being the only provider on this list that supports mid- to high-risk businesses, PaymentCloud is also one of two providers that offers cryptocurrency payment processing. The other one is PayPal but it does not accept high-risk merchants. PaymentCloud allows a Bitcoin checkout option. This requires setting up a Bitcoin merchant account which is also handled by PaymentCloud. However, fees are available upon request from a sales representative.