International merchant accounts make it easy to sell items and services across borders by taking payments in different currencies and paying you in yours. Most international payment processors handle credit cards, ACH transfers, and cryptocurrency transfers for online sales. They also have APIs or integrations for point-of-sale (POS) systems and ecommerce solutions.
In our expert evaluation, we found that the seven best international merchant accounts for 2024 are:
- Stripe: Best overall international merchant account for small businesses
- Helcim: Best for interchange-plus pricing
- Braintree: Best for online sales across borders
- PayPal: Best for occasional sellers and small merchants selling on marketplaces
- Authorize.net: Best for B2B transactions
- 2Checkout (Verifone): Best for managing VAT and acting as merchant of record
- PaymentCloud: Best for high-risk industries
Flexible payment processing for any business |
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Top International Merchants Accounts Compared
Our Score (out of 5) | Monthly Fee | Online Transaction Rate | Cross-border Fees | Number of Currencies Supported | Number of Countries Supported | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 4.20 | $0 | 2.9% + 30 cents; 3.4% + 30 cents for virtual terminal | 1% | 135 | 46 |
 | 4.00 | $0 | Interchange plus 0.2% + 10 cents to 0.5% + 25 cents | Card issuer fees only | 2 | 2 |
 | 3.95 | $0 | 2.59% + 49 cents | 1% | 134 | 45 |
 | 3.84 | $0–$30 | 2.59% + 49 cents | 1.5% | 25 | 45 |
 | 3.77 | $25 | 2.9% + 30 cents or 10 cents per transaction and 10 cents batch fee | 1.5% | 13 | 3 |
 | 3.69 | $0 | 3.5% + 35 cents | 2% | 100+ | 233 |
 | 3.51 | $10–$45 | 2%–4.3% | 1%–2% | 12 | 3 |
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Why You Can Trust Us
The providers in this article were selected by Meaghan Brophy, Anna Dizon, and Andrea Herrera. We evaluated 13 international merchant account providers and scored them based on pricing, payment processing capabilities, features, ease of use, and user experience, while strictly adhering to the Fit Small Business Editorial Policy.
Stripe: Best Overall International Merchant Account
Pros
- Highly customizable platform
- 135+ currencies, 46+ countries
- Offers options for both multicurrency and US dollar-based processing
Cons
- Requires some technical expertise and resources
- Limited in-person options
- 1% currency conversion spread when making international payments
Overview
Stripe ranks #1 in our list of the best international merchant accounts. It supports payments in 135 currencies with the best combination of zero monthly fees, flat-rate pricing, and industry-leading security measures in the payment processing industry. Stripe also provides excellent API and SDK tools, so it can be integrated into just about any program that takes payments. We also rate it 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 multi-currency-based pricing when accepting international payments.
Stripe has excellent international fees compared to the others on our list: 1.5% per transaction. 2Checkout, which is built for international payment processing, charges 2% for international fees. Stripe’s chargeback fee of $15 is on par with other payment processors.
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% plus 30 cents
- ACH: 0.8%, $5 cap
- Invoicing: + 0.4%–0.5%, 25 invoices free per month
- Recurring billing: + 0.5%–0.8%
- Stripe Checkout: $10 per month if using own domain
- Chargeback fee: $15
- Failed transaction fees: $4–$15
- Deposit speed: 2 business days, or 1%
1.5% effective June 1, 2024
, 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 or PayPal.
- 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 250 million API requests a day.
Helcim: Best for Interchange-Plus Pricing
Pros
- Interchange-plus pricing
- No contracts or monthly fees
- 24/7 service
Cons
- Only available for those in the US and Canada
- Only supports USD and CAD currencies
- Slow deposit speed
Overview
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 and a 1% markup for international sales. 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 with a 1% markup 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.
Monthly Sales Volume | Card-Present Rate Interchange plus | Keyed and Online Rate Interchange plus |
|---|---|---|
$0–$50,000 | 0.4% + 8 cents | 0.50% + 25 cents |
$50,001–$100,000 | 0.35% + 7 cents | 0.45% + 20 cents |
$100,001–$500,000 | 0.25% + 7 cents | 0.35% + 20 cents |
$500,001–$1,000,000 | 0.20% + 6 cents | 0.25% + 15 cents |
$1,000,001+ | 0.15% + 6 cents | 0.15% + 15 cents |
- 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 virtual terminal (Authorize.net 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, with the exception of cryptocurrency payment processing, which Helcim does not support.
Braintree: Best for Online Processing
Pros
- Optimized for online payments
- 134 currencies, 45 countries
- Comes with a dedicated merchant account
Cons
- Complex interface
- Non-refundable chargeback fee
- No built-in in-person payment capabilities
Overview
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 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.
Braintree does not have monthly fees of $15 for chargebacks, 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.
Visa / Master / Discover Rates | |
|---|---|
Cards and Digital Wallets | 2.59% + 49 cents |
Nonprofit 501(c)(3) | 1.99% + 49 cents |
International Payments | Plus 1% |
ACH Direct Debit | 0.75% capped at $5 |
Venmo | 3.49% + 49 cents |
PayPal and PayPal Credit | PayPal rates |
Chargeback Fee | $15 |
Custom flat rates and interchange-plus pricing available for established businesses based on business model and processing volume for cards, digital wallets, and Venmo transactions. Discounted ACH debit rates available for enterprise businesses.
Transaction fees are not refunded for refunded transactions.
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
- 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.
PayPal: Best for Occasional & Multichannel Sales
Pros
- Easy to use
- Multichannel selling
- Integrates for social selling
Cons
- Complex pricing schedule
- High currency conversion spread (4%) when making international payments
- Reputation for holding funds
Overview
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 through 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/month optional service available for PayPal Online Card Payment Service and Payment Gateway users
- Recurring payment tool: $30/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.
Authorize.net: Best for B2B Transactions
Pros
- Very reliable and popular
- Works with multiple merchant services
- Easy to use
Cons
- Charges a monthly fee
- More costly because of slightly higher fees
- Limited to merchants in the US, Australia, and Canada
Overview
Authorize.net (sometimes called Authnet) can provide an international payment gateway for merchants in the US, Canada, and Australia. It accepts payments from over 140 solutions and works as a pure payment gateway with other merchant services or as a merchant service itself. It’s also our top payment gateway for domestic sales.
On top of being among the most popular payment processors with online solutions, Authorize.net is a more user-friendly alternative compared to other B2B payment processors like Stripe. It is, therefore, our top pick for handling B2B transactions.
Authorize.net charges a $25 monthly fee. Only PaymentCloud and PayPal (depending on the service) on this list also charge a monthly fee, and PaymentCloud works with high-risk merchants. Look at Stripe if you want more customization and Braintree if you want to accept both ACH and PayPal payments, as they also have Level 2 and 3 processing and no monthly fees.
Authnet is unique in that it has two accounts. Its all-in-one solution includes a merchant account and runs 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction across the board. Its gateway-only plan adds 10 cents per transaction to the merchant service’s rate. Regardless of your plan, you’ll add 1.5% to any cross-border transaction. This is average among the providers in our list, with both Braintree and Helcim quoting the lowest rate at 1% cross-border fees. However, with the monthly fees and the slightly higher transaction fees, Authorize.net is on the more costly end of this list.
All-in-One Account | Payment Gateway Only | |
|---|---|---|
Monthly fee | $25 | $25 |
Transaction fee | 2.9% + 30 cents | 10 cents per transaction + 10-cent daily batch fee |
Merchant account w/ Authorize.net partner | Included | N/A |
Payment gateway | Included | Included |
Setup fee | $0 | $0 |
International payment processing | 1.5% per transaction | N/A |
ACH/eCheck processing | 0.75% per transaction | 0.75% per transaction |
Chargeback fee | $25 per chargeback | N/A |
Verbal authorization | $1.20 per transaction | N/A |
Recurring billing service | Included | Included |
Fraud detection service | Included | Included |
Customer management service | Included | Included |
- B2B sales processing: With Level 2 and Level 3 payment processing, Authorize.net is better suited for business-to-business sales than most services on our list. Stripe offers Level 2 and 3, while Braintree has limited support, depending on the processor. Authorize.net also provides invoicing tools, ACH/echeck processing, and recurring payments, plus it integrates with B2B-specific platforms like B2B Commerce Cloud. (Note: For domestic sales, we chose Stripe as our best B2B payment solution.)
- Easy and wide integration: Authorize.net integrates with 145 certified solutions, which is above average for those on our list. It can process transactions from various types of platforms, such as sales, accounting, kiosks, and shopping carts.
- Versatile payment solutions: Authorize.net works with nearly every kind of payment processing, including online and in-person credit cards, mobile wallets, virtual terminals and subscription management, and integrations with other software. It can also serve high-risk businesses through its partners like PaymentCloud (which is also on this list) and has a resellers program, providing other merchant services with its gateway.
2Checkout: Best for Managing VAT & Acting as Merchant of Record
Overview
2Checkout is a popular international merchant service that works in 233 countries and more than 100 currencies. Plus, it accepts some 45 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 our list because it can act as the merchant of record, meaning 2Checkout can handle your VAT, sales tax, and remittance.
It made our list of best international merchant accounts with excellent marks for its geographic scope. The fees are higher than most, but its reach is the widest. 2Checkout lost points because it does not have its own mobile app, not even through another developer. It also has a longer deposit speed. Nonetheless, it’s easy to use and allows for multilanguage 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 Authorize.net and PaymentCloud, but its transaction rates are high. Add to that the 2% 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.
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 233+ 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 2021 CODiE and a 2021 Cloud Awards finalist.
PaymentCloud: Best for High-risk Merchants
Pros
- Supports high-risk merchants
- Same-day setup upon approval
- Offers cryptocurrency payment processing
Cons
- No publicly disclosed pricing on its website
- Lengthy and comprehensive application process
- Limited to merchants in North America and Europe
Overview
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.
Monthly fee | $10–$45 |
Low-risk transaction fee | 2%–3.1% |
Ave. mid-risk transaction fee | 2.3%–3.4% |
Ave. high-risk transaction fee | 2.7%–4.3% |
Cross-border fee | 1%-2% |
Payment gateway fee | $15/month |
Virtual terminal fee | $15–$45 |
Chargeback fee | $25 |
Ave. rolling reserve | 0%–10% |
Early termination fee | Waived |
- 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.
How to Choose the Best International Merchant Account for Your Business
Selecting the right international merchant account provider is vital for businesses aiming to expand globally and efficiently manage transactions across borders. Follow these steps to make an informed decision:
- Step 1: Define your business needs and goals. Consider factors such as the volume and types of transactions you anticipate, the currencies you’ll be dealing with, and any specific features or services you require, such as multilingual support or integration with existing systems.
- Step 2: Research available options. Explore reputable international merchant account providers through online resources, industry publications, and peer recommendations. Pay attention to factors like transaction fees, supported currencies and countries, deposit speed, customer service quality, and additional features offered.
- Step 3: Assess compatibility and integration. Ensure the merchant account provider’s services align with your business model and technical requirements. Check if they offer seamless integration with your existing payment systems, ecommerce platforms, and point-of-sale (POS) solutions.
- Step 4: Evaluate pricing structures. Compare the fee structures of different providers, including monthly fees, transaction fees, currency conversion fees, cross-border fees, and any other applicable charges. Consider the overall cost-effectiveness of each option based on your projected transaction volume and revenue.
- Step 5: Review security and compliance measures. Prioritize providers with robust security protocols, including PCI compliance, encryption standards, and fraud prevention mechanisms. Verify their track record in safeguarding sensitive customer data and preventing unauthorized transactions.
- Step 6: Seek customer feedback and reviews. Research customer experiences and testimonials to gauge overall satisfaction with the provider’s services, reliability, and responsiveness to issues or concerns. Pay attention to any recurring themes or patterns in feedback that may impact your decision.
How We Evaluated the Top International Merchant Account Providers
We’ve reviewed dozens of merchant services for small businesses, many of which work in the international market. We looked at the 12 best, digging deep into features, pricing, and payment types processed. We also took user reviews and reputation into account. Finally, we looked for providers that served special markets, like PaymentCloud.
We chose Stripe as the best international payment processor. It can handle over 100 currencies, is highly flexible, and can be incorporated into just about any platform that takes payments. It takes a little more technical know-how than the others in this guide but is nonetheless the best for selling across borders.
Click through the tabs below for our full evaluation criteria:
20% of Overall Score
The best merchant services, in our opinion, don’t lock you into lengthy contracts or have cancellation fees. We also considered chargeback, monthly, and cross-border fees in our rating. Helcim topped this section, with Braintree and Stripe tying for second.
30% of Overall Score
This is a score of versatility. Not only did we consider whether the processor took credit cards, eChecks, cryptocurrency, and the like, but also if it had its own POS and virtual terminal. Also, whether any of these come with fees. Helcim took top billing here.
30% of Overall Score
Besides functions specific to international transactions, like the ability to work with multiple currencies, languages, and countries, we considered customer support hours and how quickly you are paid out. Stripe led the way here, with Helcim and PaymentCloud sharing the last place because of their limited international capability.
20% of Overall Score
We combined our years of experience and the input of real-world users to determine this value score, which includes price vs. features, ease of use, popularity, and integrations. Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net took the top rank in this section.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Click through the sections below to read answers to common questions on international merchant accounts:
An international merchant account is a service that allows you to receive payments from international customers. The payments can be in-person, online, through a virtual terminal, or with a different currency.
If you already have a merchant account, check if your provider offers the capability to accept international payments. If you don’t have one yet, look at our list above to find out more information about the best internet merchant account providers. There is no one-size-fits-all provider so consider 1-3 that might fit your business needs and contact each one to get more information.
The actual cost of processing international payments depends on your merchant services provider. It is usually the regular transaction fee plus a cross-border fee which often ranges from an additional 1% to 2%. It is good to also take note of how currency rates and conversions are handled by the payment processor.
Bottom Line
The merchant services on our list offer great rates and terrific tools. Some work primarily online but a few have in-person POS tools. All integrate with popular systems in ecommerce, sales, and accounting. Any would make an excellent choice for receiving and processing international payments.
We, however, determined Stripe to be the best international merchant service because of its excellent developer tools that make it easy to include the platform in just about any software that accepts payments. It detects the customer’s location and displays prices in their currency to make sales even simpler, and its processing rates are highly competitive.