10 Best Stripe Competitors & Alternatives for 2023
This article is part of a larger series on Payments.
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.
To that end, we evaluated dozens of credit card processors to find the best alternatives to Stripe:
- Square: Best overall Stripe alternative
- PayPal: Best for ecommerce
- Stax: Best for managing recurring billing and high-volume sales
- PaymentCloud: Best for high-risk businesses
- Helcim: Cheapest alternative to Stripe for small businesses
- Payanywhere: Best for small mobile businesses
- Payment Depot: Best for wholesale pricing with no percentage markup
- iATS: Best for nonprofits
- Authorize.net: Best payment gateway
- Chase Payment Solutions: Best for those wanting a traditional merchant account
Best Stripe Competitors Compared
Invoicing | POS | Integrations (without API) | Read more | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ✓ | Build your own with Stripe Terminal | 1,250+ | |
 | ✓ | ✓ | 250 | |
| ✓ | ✓ | 1,000+ | |
 | ✓ | Mobile app only | 100s | |
 | ✓ | Third party | 200+ | |
 | ✓ | ✓ | Dozens | |
 | ✓ | Mobile app only | 2 | |
 | ✓ | Third party | 100+ | |
 | ✓ | Third party | 60+ | N/A |
 | ✓ | Mobile app or third party | 145 | |
 | No | Mobile app only | 140+ | |
Online transaction fees | Monthly fees | Invoicing fees | Chargeback fees | Same-day Payouts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.9% + 30 cents | $0 | + 0.4%–0.5% | $15 | + 1% (min 50 cents) |
| 2.9% + 30 cents | $0 | 3.3% + 30 cents | Waived up to $250/month | + 1.75% |
 | 3.49% + 49 cents | $0 | Varies by payment method | $20 | Free to PayPal account or 1.5% |
| Interchange + 18 cents | $99–$199 | Interchange + 18 cents | $25 | No |
| 2%–4.3% | $10–$45, depending on use | 2%–4.3% | $25–$50 | No |
| Interchange + 0.20% + 10 cents–0.50% + 25 cents | $0 | Interchange + 0.20% + 10 cents–0.50% + 25 cents | $15 | No |
| 3.49% + 19 cents | $0+ ($3.99 inactivity fee) | 3.49% + $19 cents | Undisclosed | Free |
| Interchange + 18 cents | $79 | Interchange + 18 cents | $25 | No |
 | 2.49% – 3.2% + 26 cents | $0 | 2.49% – 3.2% + 26 cents | $0 | No |
| 2.9% + 30 cents OR 10 cents per transaction + 10 cent daily batch fee | $25 | 2.9% + 30 cents OR 10 cents per transaction + 10 cent daily batch fee | $0 | Free |
| 2.9% + 25 cents | $0–$25 (for ACH processing) | 2.9% + 25 cents–3.5% + 10 cents | N/A | To Chase account |
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
Stipe is one of the best and most popular merchant accounts, especially for online payment processing. Its large number of integrations and extensive customizations make it great for adding to online stores or websites, 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 has competitive flat-rate pricing, with fees ranging from 2.7% + 5 cents to 3.4% + 30 cents, depending on the type of transaction, but does not charge a monthly fee. 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
- Account stability issues
- 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. Square’s POS systems are top-notch and work for stores, restaurants, spas, salons, mobile sellers, and service industries. Square offers room to grow through additional software for loyalty plans, marketing, and even payroll. Plus, it offers banking services—something Stripe does not.
Square is also a highly popular and well-rated payment processor that usually tops our lists because of its free POS system and its ability to grow with your business. It offers the most balanced (and flexible) payment processing solutions, including a CBD program for some high-risk merchants. Unlike Stripe, you can start selling immediately upon signing up for Square—no programming is needed.
It’s also 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.
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: None; up to $250 per month for chargeback protection
- Card reader: $49
For all its versatility, however, Square is a closed system. It does not allow other payment processors and cannot match Stripe for integration into websites or complex payment processing needs. Learn more in our review of Square vs Stripe.
- Built-in POS software
- POS and scheduling tools for restaurants, services
- Flat-rate pricing with volume discounts
- Basic and advanced invoicing, recurring billing, and card-on-file
- Offline payment processing
- Free ecommerce platform and website builder
- Free virtual terminal and ecommerce tools
- Free magstripe card reader
- Range of scalable business management integrations
- Chargeback protection
- CBD program
PayPal: Best for Value-added Payment Options for Ecommerce
Pros
- No monthly fees or minimums
- Accept payments in 200+ countries
- Highly integratable
- Free POS
Cons
- Virtual terminal costs extra
- Account stability issues
- Complex fee structure
How PayPal Compares to Stripe
- Neither Stripe nor PayPal charges a monthly subscription for its payment processing.
- PayPal has its own POS software, Zettle; Stripe does not.
- PayPal charges an extra fee for using its payment gateway.
- PayPal and Stripe both handle international payments; PayPal works in more countries.
- PayPal’s chargeback fee is slightly more expensive than Stripe’s.
- Stripe offers custom rates for businesses with large transaction volume; 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). In fact, studies have shown that customers are 2.8x more likely to convert when PayPal is visible. It works internationally and accepts all types of payments, including credit cards and bitcoin.
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.
We also recommend PayPal as an independent payment processor, but only for solopreneurs and occasional sellers.
Is Stripe a good alternative to PayPal? Just like PayPal meets needs Stripe can’t, Stripe is also a good PayPal alternative. See how Square, Stripe, and PayPal compare in our evaluation of three of the most popular online payment processors for small businesses.
Note that effective Oct. 31, 2022, US business accounts can no longer receive personal transactions from PayPal accounts outside the US, nor can US PayPal accounts send personal transactions to business accounts outside the US.
PayPal has the most complex fee structure of those on our list, with special rates for types of currencies and country of origin. Below are a few for comparison, based on the US. See PayPal’s website for more information.
- POS fee: $0
- Standard card-present fee: 2.99% + 49 cents*
- Card-present fee (Zettle): 2.29% + 9 cents
- Keyed-in fee (Zettle): 3.49% + 9 cents
- Online transaction fee: 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
Despite PayPal’s versatility, Stripe is the better option for customization. Stripe also accepts more currency types than PayPal (135 vs 25), and the former has more powerful API and SDK tools for programming special cases. Additionally, Stripe has fewer complaints of held funds than PayPal.
- One-click payments and buy now, pay later (BNPL) solutions
- Unique PayPal payment methods
- Peer-to-peer transactions
- Recurring payments solutions
- Native virtual terminal (costs extra) and payment gateway
- International payment processing
- Discounts for nonprofits and donations
- Easy-to-use payment links and social selling tools
- Point of Sale solution with mobile card reader
- Dedicated merchant accounts available through Braintree
Stax: Best Alternative to Stripe for B2B, Recurring Billing & High-volume Sales
Pros
- Easy to use
- Stable merchant account
- Level 2 payment processing available
- Same-day funding
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 with three different plans; Stripe does not charge a monthly fee.
- Digital invoicing is included in all Stax plans—you only pay the interchange + 18 cents. Stripe charges an additional 0.4%–0.5% per invoiced transaction.
- Stax offers cheap interchange-plus rates, Stripe uses flat-rate fees.
- Both offer custom rates for businesses with larger sales volumes. Stax defines this as >$500,000/year, while Stripe requires you to call for an assessment.
- Stax offers more POS options.
- Stax offers ACH processing, shopping carts, next-day funding, gift cards, and equipment as additional tools you must request; Stripe includes these (except equipment).
- Stax offers Level 2 payment processing; Stripe supports Level 2 and 3 with an integration.
- Stax does not offer same-day or next-day funding; Stripe does, but charges extra for it.
In 2022, Stax partnered with Payment Depot. You’ll find a similarity in plan features and available add-ons, but the pricings are different. Of the two, Stax is better for high-volume sales and Payment Depot for smaller businesses.
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 more user-friendly 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.
Stax Pricing Updates:
Stax no longer lists its rates online. You’ll need to call for a quote. However, it does list monthly fees.
- Monthly fee: Processing up to $250,000/year: $99/month, $250,000-$500,000 in processing/year: $199/month, over $500,000 in processing/year: custom pricing.
- Card-present transaction fee: Interchange + 8 cents*
- Card-not-present transaction fee: Interchange + 18 cents*
- Chargeback fee: $25
*Interchange rates are what the issuing credit card company charges, and they vary by card type and use. Learn more in our article on interchange fees.
Stax offers the following optional add-ons. Contact Stax for pricing:
- One-click shopping cart
- Terminal protection
- Custom branding
- Next-day funding
- Digital gift cards
- Level 2 payment processing
- Equipment
Stax is ahead of Stripe for in-person sales because it offers more choices of POS hardware and a native mobile app. It also offers advanced recurring billing tools and direct POS integration that can rival companies like Stripe.
- Wholesale interchange-plus rates (no markup on transaction fees)
- Effectively a month-to-month contract
- Built-in invoicing
- Standard recurring billing (advanced billing available)
- Text2Pay in base plan
- Secure credit surcharging with CardX
- Free same-day funding
- B2B payment processing
Stripe, of course, blows away Stax—and all the others—by having over 1,250 integrations in addition to its powerful programming tools. Even Stax itself says Stripe is better known for online payments, while Stax takes a more holistic approach.
PaymentCloud: Best Stripe Alternative for High-risk Merchants
Pros
- Competitive rates
- Excellent customer support
- Good customer reviews
- Handles high-risk sales
Cons
- Fees not transparent
- Supports limited CBD products
- Charges for payment gateway
How PaymentCloud Compares to Stripe
- PaymentCloud supports high-risk businesses; Stripe does not.
- Stripe does not charge a monthly fee, PaymentCloud merchants pay up to $45 per month; some plans are free.
- Payment Cloud accepts cryptocurrency; Stripe allows but you must apply.
- PaymentCloud charges a monthly fee for the use of its payment gateway; Stripe does not.
- PaymentCloud’s chargeback fee is more expensive than Stripe’s.
- PaymentCloud offers more POS options; helps you integrate into them.
- Stripe and PaymentCloud both offer merchant funding.
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 a low-risk business 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
- Works with mid- and high-risk businesses
- Flexible pricing model based on merchant preference
- Gateway agnostic—seamlessly integrates with all payment gateways including Stripe
- Advanced, custom fraud protection tools
- Supports in-person, mobile, and cross-border payment processing
- Can process cryptocurrency transactions
- Chargeback protection
- Text2Pay
- Next-day funding
PaymentCloud will handle integration into your CRM, accounting software, POS solutions, and more. Stripe leaves this process to your team. Unlike others on our list, PaymentCloud also offers a wide range of POS systems and hardware, from Ingenico to Clover. Stripe’s offerings are far more limited.
Helcim: Cheaper Alternative to Stripe for Established Businesses
Pros
- No monthly fee
- Free POS and virtual terminal
- Excellent 24/7 customer support
- International payment processing
Cons
- No high-risk merchants
- Not ideal for low-volume businesses
- Limited integrations
How Helcim Compares to Stripe
- Both have zero monthly fees.
- Both are good for B2B businesses, but Stripe requires an integration for Level 2 processing, and Helcim does not.
- Stripe offers flat-rate pricing with custom discounts. Helcim has automatic volume-based discounted interchange-plus rates.
- Both have excellent invoicing and recurring payment tools.
- Only Helcim has free POS software.
- Both handle international currency, but Helcim charges in your currency and does not convert; Stripe works with 135+ currencies.
- Both impose a $15 chargeback fee.
Merchants should use Helcim when they want a cheaper Stripe alternative for payment processing. It is one of several on our list with interchange-plus pricing but has one advantage: no monthly fees. It even automatically scales the rates to your level of sales, so you don’t need to change plans or apply for discounts. Helcim tops our list of cheapest credit card processors.
Businesses with steadily growing credit card sales—particularly above $25,000 per month (where Helcim’s volume discount starts) will find Helcim most suitable. And while Stripe offers convenient ways to process payments for B2B, it does not support level 2 data processing like Helcim does.
Helcim also offers free invoicing, recurring billing (which Stripe charges extra for), online checkout, employee management tools, and POS software (which Stripe does not have unless you create it).
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.
- Monthly fee: $0
- Card-present transaction fee: Interchange plus 0.1% + 5 cents to 0.3% + 8 cents
- Card-not-present transaction fee: Interchange plus 0.2% + 10 cents to 0.5% + 25 cents
- Chargeback fee: $15, but Helcim refunds the charge for disputes settled in your favor
- Card reader: $109
- Automatic volume discounts
- Interchange plus pricing model
- Automated, volume-based discount
- Free to use invoicing, recurring billing and subscription management tools
- Free POS software
- Free virtual terminal
- Free ecommerce software with inventory management, shipping solutions, customer login, and reports
- Level 2 Data processing for B2Bs
- International payment processing
Like Stripe, Helcim has a built-in check-out portal, although Stripe offers more templates and customizations. Helcim lets you embed payments into your website or app and process payments without handling the sensitive information associated with payments. Further, it offers a free virtual terminal and ecommerce tools.
Overall, these native features and very affordable interchange-plus pricing make Helcim a great fit for busy storefronts. In fact, Helcim is one of our top picks for retail credit card processing companies.
Payanywhere: Best for Small, Mobile Businesses
Pros
- Free chip card reader
- Good for low-ticket sales
- Free POS with employee scheduling
- Next-day funding
Cons
- Has complaints of hidden fees
- Has an inactivity fee
- Does not process international credit cards
How Payanywhere Compares to Stripe
- Both offer month-to-month and custom plans.
- Both offer flat-rate pricing.
- Payanywhere charges a $3.99 inactivity fee; Stripe does not.
- Stripe does not charge a monthly fee; Payanywhere may if you do not reach a monthly minimum of activity.
- Payanywhere offers free same-day deposits; Stripe requires a 1% fee.
- Payanywhere’s chargeback fee is unlisted but may be more expensive.
- Payanywhere has a wider range of payment terminals.
- Payanywhere has tools for hiring and scheduling employees; 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. For businesses that primarily do low-ticket, steady in-person sales, Payanywhere is a great alternative. (Online, however, Stripe has much better transaction fees.)
Moreover, Payanywhere offers free same-day payouts. Stripe charges 1.5% for this. However, unlike Stripe, Payanywhere may require a minimum monthly activity; users say they are charged monthly fees if their sales are below a certain amount. Be sure to check your contract. It also charges an inactivity fee; Stripe does not.
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.
- 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
- Monthly fees: $0, but customers say if you don’t make a certain threshold of processing in a month, you are charged a fee.
Stripe is better in that it does not have an inactivity fee; Payanywhere charges $3.99 per month after 12 months without processing transactions. Payanywhere also does not process international credit cards, making it better for domestic sales.
- Low fees
- Free next-day and same-day deposit
- Offers pay-as-you-go and long-term contracts
- Autopay set-up tools for subscriptions management
- Reliable credit card payment app
- Custom invoice numbering
- Free POS system with scheduling via Homebase
- Free virtual terminal
Payment Depot: Best Stripe Competition for Wholesale Pricing With no Percentage Markup
Pros
- Level 2 payment processing available
- Strong third-party integrations
- 24/7 customer support
- Free gateway and virtual terminal
Cons
- Monthly fee
- Best only for processing up to $21,000 monthly
- US merchants only
How Payment Depot Compares to Stripe
- Payment Depot requires a monthly subscription fee while Stripe does not.
- Neither imposes a long-term contract.
- Payment Depot uses interchange-plus pricing; cheaper than Stripe’s flat-rate fee.
- Both offer merchant financing through loans.
- Stripe can process international payments; PaymentDepot does not.
- Unlike Stripe, PaymentDepot does not charge extra fees for invoicing and recurring billing.
- Payment Depot does not offer same-day or next-day funding; Stripe does but charges extra for it.
- Through PayTrace, Payment Depot can get Level 2 and 3 rates on business cards; Stripe also uses third-party integrations.
In 2022, Payment Depot merged with Stax. As a result, they share similar plans with the same basic tools in their standard plans and the same add-ons offered. Payment Depot is better for mid-range businesses, while Stax is better for high-volume sales.
Use Payment Depot if you want to save on monthly transaction costs for large-scale transactions. Payment Depot is a significantly cheaper alternative to Stripe with its wholesale interchange-plus pricing and free access to various payment processing tools for a single subscription fee (Stripe charges additional for invoicing and recurring billing services). Payment Depot’s single monthly subscription of $79 is based on annual processing volume of $250,000 and is $20 cheaper compared to Stax for the same volume limit, so you can start saving on transaction fees if you process up to $21,000/month on credit card sales.
Established small businesses (including B2Bs) will benefit from Payment Depot. It comes with a free virtual terminal (which Stripe does not have) and a proprietary payment gateway, with a couple more additional payment gateway options if you need to process B2B transactions.
Payment Depot Pricing Update: Payment Depot no longer lists its fees online, although it does list its monthly fee. Payment Depot and Stax now offer similar plans but at different monthly fees.
- Monthly fee: $79 (Annual processing volume of $250,000 or $21,000/month)
- Contract length: Month-to-month, no long-term contract
- Card-present processing fee: Interchange plus 8 cents
- Card-not-present processing fee: Interchange plus 18 cents
- Chargeback fee: $25
- No setup, cancellation, and other miscellaneous fees
- Custom pricing for >$250,000 in processing annually
- Hardware: Starts at $49
Like Stax, Payment Depot offers the following add-ons. Contact them for pricing:
- One-click shopping cart
- Terminal protection
- Custom branding
- Next-day funding
- Digital gift cards
- Level 2 payment processing
- Equipment
Payment Depot makes our list of the cheapest credit card processing companies.
- Wholesale interchange plus pricing
- Free native payment gateway (NMi)
- Free built-in virtual terminal
- Recurring payments processing
- Text2Pay
- Integrates with Authorize.net and PayTrace (for Level 2 and 3 data) payment gateway
- Powered by SwipeSimple for mobile payment processing
- No additional fees for ACH payments
- Small business loans
Payment Depot falls short of Stripe in that it is only for US merchants. You also need to apply and be approved, whereas Stripe lets you sign up and go. It also lacks billing and invoicing, except through other payment gateways (Stripe has these tools).
iATS: Best Alternative to Stripe for Nonprofits & Donations
Pros
- Donors can elect to pay transaction fees for you
- Works with donation-specific software
- No chargeback fees
- Works with 16,000+ nonprofits
Cons
- Contract may be needed
- Does not list pricing
- Limited to nonprofits
How iATS Compares to Stripe
- iATS is a dedicated software for nonprofits with business management tools; Stripe can configure its checkout pages into donation pages.
- Both allow international payments.
- Both have online forms, but iATS can pre-populate them for recurring donors.
- iATS can give your donors the option to cover the payment processing fees; Stripe does not.
- iATS requires a long-term contract, while Stripe is a pay-as-you-go payment solution.
- Stripe offers a same-day payout option, while iATS pays out in 1-2 business days for US and Canada.
iATS Deluxe Payments Platform: iATS has implemented a new payment processing platform, Deluxe, which makes it easier to accept donations online. Read on for some of its features and how they compare to Stripe.
Use iATS if you need an easy-to-use platform with built-in tools for running a full-fledged nonprofit organization. With Stripe, you need to configure signup forms and checkout pages to match your nonprofit requirements, but iATS is built especially for these unique businesses. Since our last update, iATS has released its new Deluxe payment processing platform. It allows you to easily create online forms and web pages, plus has customer/donor management, a virtual terminal, and reporting. Unlike Stripe, you don’t need programming knowledge to get the most from this software.
iATS is obviously the better choice for nonprofit organizations, not just for the dedicated donation tools but also for its competitive pricing. While reported iATS transaction fees seem to be somewhat more expensive compared to other alternatives to Stripe with nonprofit discounts (like PayPal), only iATS comes with features unique to the business.
iATS and Stripe are both on our lists as best for:
iATS also differs from Stripe in that it can give your donors the option of covering their transaction fees for you. While a small addition for your donor, this can save you a great deal of money in processing fees.
- Monthly fee: $0
- Transaction rates: Undisclosed flat monthly rate; reports say 2.49% to 3.2% + 26 cents
- ACH processing: Not on its website, but third-party sources say it costs 26 cents per transaction
- One-year contract, with six months automatic renewal
iATS requires a one-year contract and works only with certified nonprofit organizations, whereas Stripe can be used for charity or for-profit businesses.
- Native online forms tools
- Hosted donation page
- Wide range of CRM integrations
- Option for donors to cover transaction fees
- Proprietary Salesforce payment processing integration for nonprofits
- Advanced, customizable payment platform
- Online form WordPress plugin
- Secure card vault with updater, tokenization
Authorize.net: Best Stripe Competitor for Payment Gateway
Pros
- Reliable
- Highly popular
- Easy to integrate and use
- Discounts for nonprofits
Cons
- Monthly fee
- No POS hardware
- Users say setup, interface can be rough
How Authorize.net Compares to Stripe
- Unlike Stripe, Authorize.net can be used as a standalone payment gateway with a different merchant account provider.
- Authorize.net charges a monthly fee of $25; Stripe is free to use.
- Both allow you to accept international payments with Stripe charging 1% and Authorize.net charging a 1.5% fee.
- Stripe has a chargeback fee; Authorize.net does not list fees except in the case of eCheck disputes (exact fee not listed).
- Authorize.net does not charge extra fees for using its invoicing and recurring payment service; Stripe does.
Chase Payment Solutions: Best Traditional Merchant Account
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 is a direct processor and works more with both resellers and merchants; Stripe does not.
- Stripe’s rates are slightly higher than Chase’s.
- Chase charges a monthly fee for ACH/echeck services; Stripe charges 0.8% per transaction.
- Both can process international payments.
- Chase includes same-day payouts; Stripe charges extra for rapid payout.
- Chase offers business banking solutions; Stripe has some funding capability, but that’s all.
Chase Payment Solutions is one of the biggest names in the banking industry and is a direct processor of credit card transactions. Chase has made significant improvements to its direct-to-merchant payment processing services. Thus, if you need faster access to funds, especially if you have a Chase Business checking account, then Chase is your ideal alternative to Stripe.
Small businesses that want a singular platform to track both in-person and online transactions with the fastest access to funds should definitely consider Chase. Unlike Stripe, you won’t need to pay extra for same-day funding or pay for multiple services to manage B2B transactions. Chase has its own proprietary virtual terminal that can process all that, including cross-border payments.
Chase Pricing Update: Chase no longer lists its prices on its website.
- Monthly fee: $0
- Processing fee: From 2.6% + 10 cents to 3.5% + 10 cents
- ACH Processing:
- Standard: $25 per month for 25 transactions, 15 cents for each additional
- Same-day or real-time: 1%, max $25
- Cancellation/early termination fee: $0
- Chargeback fee: $25–$100 per transaction
- Deposit speed: Same-day deposit and next-day funding
- Hardware options: $49.95–$399
- Direct processor
- Free merchant account
- Flexible payment methods
- Integrates with most POS software
- Free same-day and next-day funding
- B2B payments processing
- International payments processing
- Native payment gateway
- Unique business insights
- Proprietary mobile POS
- Business banking
- Live 24/7 support
As a direct processor, Chase makes payment processing simpler; funds are transferred faster for as long as you have a checking account with Chase.
How We Evaluated Stripe Alternatives
When looking for the best alternatives to Stripe, we considered dozens of excellent payment processors, many of which have features on other best-of lists for merchant accounts and payment processing. We then narrowed it to Stripe competitors that met a need that Stripe did not or did something better than Stripe, whether with a tool or as a cheaper alternative. In general, 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 do 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.
Stripe Competitors Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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.
