Alternatives · 2026
Alternatives to Stripe
Payments infrastructure for the internet.
9 hand-curated alternatives from MintedSaaS's directory. See the Stripe listing →
Stripe is a payments infrastructure platform that lets businesses accept credit cards, digital wallets, and bank transfers online. It's built for SaaS companies, e-commerce stores, marketplaces, and any business model that moves money through the internet. Stripe handles payment processing, fraud detection, regulatory compliance, and recurring billing through a single API and dashboard. Companies ranging from two-person startups to Fortune 500 firms use it.
Visitors to this page are typically looking for Stripe alternatives because they're evaluating different payment providers for a new product, want lower processing fees, need specific features Stripe doesn't offer, or require a different pricing model altogether. Some buyers need white-label payments or regional payment methods Stripe doesn't support well. Others are looking at Shopify for its built-in checkout, Wise for international transfers, or Lemon Squeezy for creator-friendly revenue handling. The choice usually comes down to your payment volume, geography, business model, and which processor integrates best with your existing stack.
What we offer that competes
Wise
Multi-currency accounts and international money transfers.
Braintree
PayPal-owned payment gateway for online and mobile apps.
Adyen
Unified commerce payments platform for global enterprises.
PayPal
Global online payments for businesses and consumers.
Lemon Squeezy
Merchant of Record for selling digital products and SaaS.
Paddle
Merchant-of-record billing platform for SaaS companies.
What to look for
- Whether the processor's fraud detection rules can be customized or disabled for low-risk transactions you know are legitimate
- Whether the processor supports your exact payment methods (Apple Pay, bank transfers, regional wallets) in every country you operate in
- Whether the processor charges setup fees, monthly minimums, or has other costs beyond per-transaction and percentage rates
- Whether you can export settlement data and transaction records in a machine-readable format like CSV or JSON
- Whether the processor offers a sandbox or test environment where you can verify integration before processing real payments
- Whether the processor's dashboard shows real-time availability of funds or requires waiting for daily or weekly settlement periods
FAQ
What's the best Stripe alternative for selling digital products?
Lemon Squeezy and Paddle both specialize in digital product sales and take a much larger cut (10-30%) but handle VAT compliance, affiliates, and creator payments automatically. Shopify is better if you're mixing digital and physical goods.
Are there free payment processors?
No major payments processor is free. Stripe, Braintree, and Square charge per transaction (1.5-2.9% plus per-transaction fees). Shopify has a 2.9% + 30¢ rate on Basic plans but charges a monthly subscription fee starting at $39.
What's the cheapest payment processor?
Square and Stripe have the lowest percentage rates (2.6-2.9%), but Mercury and Wise are better for cross-border transfers where traditional processors charge 3-5% in hidden currency fees. Your cheapest option depends on your transaction mix and customer geography.
Can I use a payment processor without a merchant account?
You need to apply for one, but all major processors, Stripe, PayPal, and Square included, handle the application themselves rather than forcing you to contact your bank separately. Processing typically begins within 1-3 business days.
Which Stripe alternatives work best for SaaS billing?
Stripe itself is optimized for recurring billing, but Braintree, Adyen, and Square also handle subscriptions well. Mercury is designed for SaaS founders specifically and integrates deeply with accounting software.
Do Stripe alternatives support international payments?
Stripe supports 135+ currencies and payments from 195+ countries. Adyen and Wise also excel at multi-currency handling. PayPal and Square are more limited geographically. Check the processor's supported payment methods list for your specific market.
What are the main security and compliance differences between payment processors?
All major processors including Stripe, Adyen, and PayPal are PCI-DSS Level 1 certified. The real difference is fraud detection quality (Stripe and Adyen are strongest) and whether they handle tax compliance like Paddle and Lemon Squeezy do automatically.
Should I use Shopify as a Stripe alternative?
Shopify is an all-in-one storefront; it processes payments but doesn't replace Stripe's API-first infrastructure. Choose Shopify if you want checkout and inventory built-in. Choose Stripe if you need payments for your own app or custom website.