Best International Merchant Accounts: Top Picks & Fees

Stripe’s add-on fees for international transactions are not the lowest on this list at 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 up

• 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 (non-refundable)
• Failed transaction fees: $4 to $15
• Deposit speed: 2 business days, or 1%, minimum 50 cents for instant payout

• Versatile payment gateway

Stripe can power payments across ecommerce sites, mobile apps, marketplaces, and even social channels. While PayPal offers similar reach, Stripe is more developer-friendly and customizable, making it a better fit for businesses that want full control.

• Extensive local payment methods

With support for 100+ options like SEPA, iDEAL, Sofort, Pix, UPI, Klarna, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, Stripe matches or exceeds Adyen’s catalog of local methods. By contrast, Square and Helcim offer far fewer alternatives beyond cards and wallets.

• Robust billing and subscription capabilities

Stripe Billing is one of the strongest subscription platforms available. It supports flat-rate, tiered, and usage-based pricing with smart retries and automated invoicing. Braintree and 2Checkout offer recurring billing too, but Stripe’s tools are more flexible and API-driven, making it especially strong for SaaS and digital-first businesses.

• Developer ecosystem and fraud tools

With 600+ integrations plus best-in-class APIs and SDKs, Stripe is the most customizable platform on this list. PayPal and Square are easier out of the box, but they’re less adaptable at scale. Stripe also leads in built-in compliance with Stripe Radar for fraud prevention and Stripe Tax for VAT/GST, which rivals like Helcim and PaymentCloud don’t match.

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 charges different rates for each payment method, which can make it difficult for businesses to accurately 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:

• Unmatched local payment coverage

Adyen supports payments in more than 180 currencies and operates in 90+ countries, with access to 250+ local payment methods, covering everything from iDEAL and SEPA in Europe to Pix in Brazil and UPI in India. Stripe and PayPal support many options, too, but Adyen’s breadth makes it a leader for enterprises that want one integration for global acceptance.

• Transparent interchange-plus pricing

Adyen uses an interchange-plus model, passing through card network fees with a fixed markup. This gives high-volume or multi-country merchants more transparency than flat-rate providers like PayPal or Square, though predicting costs still requires knowing which mix of cards and local methods your customers use.

• Multi-account holder (MAH) management

For companies operating across regions or multiple brands, Adyen’s MAH feature allows you to manage separate merchant accounts from one dashboard. This streamlines reporting and compliance, something smaller SMB-focused processors (like Square or Helcim) don’t offer.

• Enterprise-grade fraud and risk tools

Adyen’s built-in risk engine uses network-level data and machine learning to reduce chargebacks and improve approval rates. While competitors like Stripe have strong fraud tools (Radar), Adyen’s integration with global card schemes often gives it an edge in approval optimization for cross-border sales.

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.

• Global reach across 200+ countries

2Checkout supports payments in more than 200 countries and 100+ currencies—more than any other provider on this list. It also supports 40+ local payment methods and pays out in USD, EUR, or GBP via wire transfer, ACH, PayPal, or Payoneer. By comparison, Stripe and Adyen cover fewer merchant countries, though they offer broader in-market local method support.

• Merchant of Record (MoR) handling

2Checkout is unique among our top picks in that it can serve as your Merchant of Record, handling VAT, sales tax, and remittance for international sales. Stripe and Adyen offer tax calculation tools, but neither assumes the MoR role. This makes 2Checkout especially valuable for digital-first businesses selling into Europe or multiple VAT jurisdictions.

• Customer-facing myAccount portal

Like PayPal, 2Checkout provides a shopper portal called myAccount, where buyers can log in to see past purchases, update payment methods, and manage billing details. This can improve transparency and reduce customer service workload compared to providers without a customer-facing account option.

• Developer-friendly platform

2Checkout’s APIs and SDKs are robust and award-winning, putting it on par with developer-first platforms like Stripe and Braintree. For businesses that need flexibility and custom integrations, it offers more coding depth than turnkey providers like Square or PayPal.

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: Varies
• Overdue account fee: 1.5% per month or the maximum amount permitted by law

• Built-in PayPal and Venmo integration

Braintree is the only provider on this list that comes with native PayPal and Venmo support at no extra cost. Merchants can activate PayPal directly in the Braintree dashboard, giving them access to PayPal’s POS tools and Venmo’s social checkout, something Stripe and Adyen don’t provide.

• Strong developer and platform integrations

Braintree rivals Stripe when it comes to developer tools and ready-made integrations. Features like Braintree Auth make it easy to plug into third-party services, while Braintree Extend allows secure sharing of payment data across platforms and partners.

• Account updater for recurring billing

With built-in card updater services, Braintree automatically refreshes expired or replaced Visa, Mastercard, and Discover cards. This is a major advantage for subscription businesses that need to minimize failed payments. Stripe offers this as well, but it isn’t included across all competitors.

• Fraud prevention options

Braintree includes a free baseline fraud protection tool and offers a premium paid version for merchants that want more granular controls. This flexibility goes beyond what many small-business processors like Square or Helcim offer.

• Multicurrency settlement support

Braintree supports transactions in 130+ currencies and can enable multicurrency settlement on request. While Stripe and Adyen offer more self-service setups, Braintree’s ability to settle in multiple currencies still makes it a solid fit for businesses with recurring cross-border sales.

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

• Instant brand trust at checkout

PayPal is one of the most recognized names in online payments, and its logo at checkout has been shown to increase buyer confidence. According to PayPal-commissioned research, consumers are significantly more likely to complete a purchase when PayPal is available, something competitors like Stripe and Adyen can’t match for brand familiarity.

• Fast access to funds

Sales settle to your PayPal balance instantly, and transfers to a bank typically take one to three business days. You can also opt for instant transfers (for a fee), which is faster than 2Checkout’s weekly payouts and comparable to Stripe’s instant payout option.

• Simple integration anywhere

PayPal can be dropped into virtually any checkout flow with minimal setup, whether it’s an ecommerce cart, social media link, or marketplace. This plug-and-play ease makes it a favorite for solopreneurs and small businesses that don’t want to fuss with APIs.

• Built-in POS with PayPal Zettle

Unlike Braintree or 2Checkout, which are primarily online-focused, PayPal also provides the Zettle POS system for in-person sales. This makes it one of the few providers on this list to combine trusted online checkout with a native point-of-sale option.

• Monthly fee: $0
• Card-present transaction fee: 2.6% + 15 cents
• Ecommerce transaction fee: 2.9% + 30 cents
• Invoice transaction fee: 3.3% + 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, predictable pricing

Square charges simple, flat transaction fees with no monthly cost or hidden surcharges. This makes budgeting easier for new businesses compared to providers like Stripe or Adyen that use interchange-plus pricing, where fees vary by card type.

• All-in-one payment ecosystem

Square bundles POS hardware, a mobile app, ecommerce tools, invoicing, and payment processing into a single platform. This integrated approach is unique on our list, most other providers (like Braintree or 2Checkout) focus primarily on online payments and require third-party tools for in-person sales.

• No chargeback fees

Square does not charge merchants a fee to process disputes, unlike Stripe ($15) or PayPal ($20). Merchants are still liable for the transaction amount if a dispute is lost, but removing the added fee makes it less costly for new businesses to manage chargebacks.

• Domestic focus with limited cross-border options

Square does not add its own cross-border or FX fees, but it also doesn’t support multi-currency settlement. Payments are always settled in your local account currency, and you can only transact in the country where your Square account is registered. This makes it simpler than Stripe or Adyen, but less flexible for true international operations.

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.

• Transparent interchange-plus pricing

Unlike flat-rate providers like Square or PayPal, Helcim uses interchange-plus pricing with no monthly fee. Rates are clearly published, making it easier for small businesses to see exactly what they’re paying and often cheaper at higher volumes.

• Free virtual terminal

Helcim is one of the few providers (alongside Square) that includes a free built-in virtual terminal. This is especially valuable for merchants who take phone orders, MOTO payments, or need to process invoices manually without extra software fees.

• Strong customer support reputation

Helcim consistently earns high marks in user reviews for its customer service. Merchants highlight the availability and helpfulness of its support team, which stands out compared to larger providers like Stripe or PayPal that lean heavily on self-service documentation.

• Broad payment type coverage

Helcim supports in-person, online, ACH, invoicing, and recurring billing without tacking on extra monthly costs. The only major payment type it doesn’t natively support is cryptocurrency. This makes it more versatile than PaymentCloud (which specializes in high-risk) and more transparent than Square or PayPal (which charge add-ons for certain features).

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.

• High-risk merchant support

PaymentCloud is one of the few providers that actively works with medium- and high-risk industries, something Stripe, Square, and PayPal typically decline. It partners with a network of acquiring banks to place merchants in various categories, including tobacco, CBD, electronics, bail bonds, firearms, and dropshipping. Approval can take longer, but once approved, accounts are often live within a day.

• Built-in fraud and security tools

Because high-risk businesses face elevated chargeback and fraud risks, PaymentCloud includes strong protection at no extra cost. Features include AVS checks, tokenization, point-to-point encryption, and 3D Secure. These measures rival what enterprise providers like Adyen or Stripe Radar offer, but they’re bundled in as standard.

• Cryptocurrency processing options

Alongside PayPal, PaymentCloud is one of the only providers on this list to offer a cryptocurrency checkout option. Merchants can accept Bitcoin through a dedicated merchant account arranged by PaymentCloud. Unlike PayPal, which avoids high-risk categories, PaymentCloud pairs crypto acceptance with its willingness to underwrite restricted industries.