Stripe alternatives: where to go and how to switch without losing a payment
Six destinations, one for each reason to leave, plus an eight-step migration plan.
The short answer: Paddle if you sell software worldwide and sales tax is eating your weekends, Helcim if you're a US or Canadian business and want interchange-plus pricing without a monthly fee, Square if you also sell in person, PayPal for checkout conversion, Adyen once you process millions, and Mollie if your buyers are in Europe. One thing to know before you pick: Stripe will export your customers' saved cards to a certified processor, but not your subscriptions or payment history. We compared all six destinations and checked their published fees in 2026.
The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
Why people leave Stripe, and why it's tricky
Stripe is still the developer favorite: a clean API, great docs, and a module for almost everything. People rarely leave over the tech. They leave over a frozen account, fees that stack up, or a tax problem Stripe doesn't take off their hands. Six reasons, all checked in 2026.
Accounts get frozen with little warning
This is complaint number one. Stripe sits at 1.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot across more than 17,000 reviews, and the same stories repeat: payouts paused, account closed for "risk", support that answers through a form. One merchant on Reddit described a €1,901.98 payout blocked after Stripe had already taken its fee. When your only processor stops, so does your business.
Reserves can hold money for months
Stripe can keep part of your balance as a reserve against future refunds and disputes, including after the account is closed. Businesses with long delivery windows (preorders, courses, travel, events) are the profile risk teams watch most closely.
Fees stack one product at a time
The headline rate is 2.9% + 30¢ per US card. International cards add 1.5%, currency conversion adds 1%. Then Billing for subscriptions takes 0.7% of volume, and Stripe Tax 0.5% per transaction. On a subscription sold abroad, you can pass 5% without noticing.
Flat pricing hides cheap cards
A US debit card costs the processor far less than a rewards credit card, but Stripe charges both 2.9% + 30¢. Interchange-plus pricing, used by Helcim and Adyen, passes the real card cost through and adds a visible margin. If many of your buyers pay by debit, flat pricing is the expensive option.
Sales tax and VAT stay your problem
Stripe is a processor, not the seller. Selling software to buyers in other states or countries means you register, collect and file. Stripe Tax calculates the amount for 0.5% per transaction, but you stay the seller in front of every tax office. That's the reason software companies switch to a merchant of record like Paddle.
Leaving is a project, not a click
Stripe's export covers saved cards, emails and metadata. It doesn't cover subscriptions, invoices, or payment history, and it leaves out cards saved with Link. Every webhook and automation has to be rebuilt. Teams that underestimate this end up with double charges or silent churn.
You're leaving because… go to…
The right Stripe alternative depends on what's pushing you out. Usually only one line applies. Each card links to the full profile below.
It sells on your behalf and remits tax, for 5% + 50¢.
You want lower card fees in the US or CanadaHelcimInterchange + 0.50% + 25¢ online, no monthly fee.
You sell in person and onlineSquare2.6% + 15¢ in person, one dashboard for both.
Your buyers want to pay with an account they trustPayPalFast checkout for buyers who already have an account.
You process millions and want every cent itemizedAdyenInterchange++ with a fixed processing fee.
Most of your customers are in EuropeMollieEuropean local methods, no monthly fee.
Stripe alternatives, one by one
For each processor: why move there, who it's for, its limit, how to migrate from Stripe, and what it costs. Fees are the ones published in 2026. Scores come from our payment gateway ranking where the tool appears there.
Paddle: let someone else be the seller
Software, globalWhy move to Paddle. Paddle is a merchant of record. Legally, it sells your software to the end customer, collects and remits sales tax and VAT in every country, handles fraud, chargebacks and buyer support, then pays you the net. For a small SaaS team selling in dozens of countries, that's whole categories of admin gone.
Who it's for. Software and digital product companies selling internationally, especially with a small team.
Who it's not for. Physical goods, services, or a product sold mostly in one country. You'd pay 5% for tax work you barely need.
Its limit. Price: 5% + 50¢ per transaction, roughly 1.7 times Stripe's US rate on a $50 sale ($3.00 versus $1.75). Approval can take from a few days to several weeks according to founders, and some product categories are refused.
How to migrate. Paddle runs subscription migrations with you: Stripe sends the encrypted cards, you provide a subscriber file, and both are matched on import day with a shared token. Customers don't re-enter anything.
- Price
- 5% + 50¢ per transaction
- Included
- tax, fraud, disputes
- Best for
- software sold globally
- Limit
- costly for local sellers
Helcim: interchange-plus for small US and Canadian businesses
Lowest feesWhy move to Helcim. Helcim passes through the real interchange cost of each card and adds a published margin: 0.50% + 25¢ online under $50K a month, down to 0.15% + 15¢ between $1M and $5M. There's no monthly fee, no setup fee and no cancellation fee. On debit-heavy volume, it usually beats Stripe's flat 2.9% + 30¢.
Who it's for. US and Canadian businesses doing from a few thousand to a few million dollars a month, online or in person.
Who it's not for. Companies based outside North America, and SaaS teams that rely on Stripe's developer tools.
Its limit. Your bill varies with the card mix, so it's harder to predict. Recurring payments add 0.4% per transaction. And the developer ecosystem is far smaller than Stripe's.
How to migrate. For a store, install Helcim's plugin next to Stripe and switch traffic over. For saved cards, ask Stripe for a card export to Helcim and confirm Helcim's PCI attestation with its support first.
- Online
- interchange + 0.50% + 25¢
- Monthly fee
- $0
- Best for
- US and Canada SMBs
- Limit
- North America only
Square: when the counter matters as much as the website
In person + onlineWhy move to Square. If you run a shop, a café or a studio and also sell online, Square keeps both in one account: point of sale, online store, invoices, inventory. In-person payments cost 2.6% + 15¢ on the free plan.
Who it's for. Retail, food and service businesses that sell at a counter first.
Who it's not for. An online-only business: Square's online rate is 3.3% + 30¢, higher than Stripe's.
Its limit. Online pricing, and an API built around commerce rather than custom billing flows.
How to migrate. Set up Square's store or plugin, move your catalog, and swap card readers if you used Stripe Terminal: Stripe readers don't work with Square. Our card reader ranking lists the options.
- In person
- 2.6% + 15¢
- Online
- 3.3% + 30¢
- Best for
- shops that also sell online
- Limit
- pricey online
PayPal: for conversion, not for price
Checkout trustWhy move to PayPal. Many buyers already have a PayPal account and pay in two clicks without typing a card. PayPal also processes cards directly (advanced card processing at 2.89% + 29¢), so it can replace Stripe rather than sit next to it.
Who it's for. Consumer stores and sellers whose buyers hesitate to type a card on an unknown site.
Who it's not for. B2B software, or margins that depend on every tenth of a point: standard PayPal checkout costs 3.49% + 49¢.
Its limit. PayPal freezes accounts and holds funds too. Switching from Stripe to PayPal to escape holds swaps one risk for another.
How to migrate. Most carts have an official PayPal module. The safest move is to add it next to your card processor rather than bet everything on it.
- Checkout
- 3.49% + 49¢
- Cards
- 2.89% + 29¢
- Score
- 3.4/5
- Limit
- holds happen here too
Adyen: for high volume that negotiates every cent
EnterpriseWhy move to Adyen. Adyen bills Interchange++: the card issuer's fee, the network's fee, then Adyen's own processing fee, all itemized. At high volume this is almost always cheaper than a flat rate, and you see exactly what each payment cost.
Who it's for. Companies processing millions a year across online and in-person, often in several countries.
Who it's not for. Startups and small shops: Adyen applies a minimum invoice that depends on your industry and model, and integration needs developers.
Its limit. Access. You go through sales, and the minimum isn't published.
How to migrate. Plan several weeks with technical teams on both sides. Adyen can receive Stripe's card export once its PCI attestation is shared.
- Cards
- fixed fee + Interchange++
- Score
- 3.3/5
- Best for
- high volume, multi-country
- Limit
- minimum on quote
Mollie: if your buyers are in Europe
EuropeWhy move to Mollie. Mollie covers cards plus the local methods European buyers expect (iDEAL in the Netherlands, Bancontact in Belgium, Cartes Bancaires in France), with plugins for WooCommerce, PrestaShop and Magento and no monthly fee. A consumer Visa or Mastercard from the EEA costs 1.80% + €0.25.
Who it's for. Online stores with a European entity selling mostly to European consumers.
Who it's not for. US companies (Mollie needs a European business entity) and subscription-heavy SaaS.
Its limit. No subscription object as complete as Stripe Billing: proration, retries and a customer portal are yours to build. A failed renewal cancels the subscription with no retry. Stripe mandates can't be moved, so subscribers usually pay a fresh first payment.
How to migrate. For a store, one plugin and an API key. For subscriptions, email customers with a re-subscribe link and an incentive, and expect some churn.
- EEA cards
- 1.80% + €0.25
- Monthly fee
- €0
- Score
- 3.9/5
- Limit
- European entity required
The 6 alternatives side by side
Our default pick: Helcim for a US small business that wants lower fees, Paddle for software sold worldwide. For scale, take a $50 online card sale: Stripe keeps $1.75, Square $1.95, PayPal checkout $2.24, Paddle $3.00 (tax filing included). Helcim depends on the card, but its margin on top of interchange is 50¢.
| Online fees | Migrating from Stripe | |
|---|---|---|
| StripeStarting point | 2.9% + 30¢, +1.5% international, +1% conversion | Encrypted card export to a PCI Level 1 processor; subscriptions and history not included |
| PaddleSoftware, global | 5% + 50¢, tax and disputes included | Guided subscription migration, cards carried over |
| HelcimLowest fees | Interchange + 0.50% + 25¢, no monthly fee | Plugin swap, card export on request |
| SquareIn person + online | 3.3% + 30¢ online, 2.6% + 15¢ in person | Catalog move, new card readers |
| PayPalCheckout trust | 3.49% + 49¢ checkout, 2.89% + 29¢ cards | Official module, best as a second processor |
| AdyenEnterprise | Fixed fee + Interchange++, minimum on quote | Multi-week project, cards carried over |
| MollieEurope | 1.80% + €0.25 (EEA consumer cards), €0/month | Plugin in a day; subscriptions rebuilt |
Published fees in 2026, before tax. They change: always check against your own card mix.
Leaving Stripe in eight steps
Order matters. Each step protects something: your money, your subscribers, your automations, your books.
List everything that depends on Stripe
Day 1Write down every product and price, active subscription, coupon, payment link, open invoice, and every webhook endpoint: store, invoicing tool, CRM, Zapier, Make or n8n. Stripe lists endpoints under Developers, Webhooks. A forgotten webhook is a paid order that never ships.
- Time
- half a day
Get the new account approved first
Week 1Approval takes from hours to weeks. Start it before you announce anything. If Stripe just froze you, say so upfront: risk teams will find out anyway.
- Have ready
- ID, entity docs, bank, website
Request the card export from Stripe
Week 1Contact Stripe support with the name of your new processor. Stripe only sends data to a PCI DSS Level 1 processor that provides its attestation and a 4096-bit PGP key. Link-saved cards are excluded, and subscriptions and history aren't in the file: export them as CSV yourself.
- Excluded
- Link cards, subscriptions, history
Recreate subscriptions on the same dates
Week 2Rebuild each subscription with the same plan and next renewal date, then cancel it on Stripe "at period end". Do it the other way round and customers get charged twice, or not at all.
- Check
- same subscriber count on both sides
Rewire webhooks and automations
Week 2Rebuild every connection with the new processor's module and run a real $1 payment through each one. Payload formats differ: Mollie, for example, only sends the payment ID and you fetch the status.
- Test
- one real payment per flow
Run both processors in parallel
Weeks 2 to 4Keep Stripe live while new payments go to the new processor. Refunds and disputes can only be handled where the payment happened.
- Duration
- at least one billing cycle
Download your accounting reports
Before the endPull payout, fee and refund reports for the whole history. The account stays readable as long as you don't close it, so don't.
- Keep
- payout and fee reports
Wait for reserves to clear before closing
Following monthsCheck your balance and reserves. While money is held, keep the account open and answer every document request. Closing early doesn't release funds faster.
- Rule
- zero balance before closing
What makes a Stripe exit go wrong
The same mistakes show up in merchant and developer stories. None is truly technical. They're oversights, and each costs more than the time it would have taken to avoid.
Moving to Stripe without knowing it
Lemon Squeezy has belonged to Stripe since 2024, and several checkout platforms run on Stripe underneath. If independence is the goal, check who actually processes the payments.
Comparing rates, not card mixes
Interchange-plus wins on debit, flat pricing can win on premium cards. Pull three months of Stripe data and rerun the math on your own mix.
Cancelling subscriptions too early
A subscription cancelled on Stripe before it exists elsewhere is a customer who quietly stops paying. Recreate, verify, then cancel.
Forgetting open disputes
Disputes are fought with the processor that took the payment. Keep Stripe access and delivery proof until the last case closes.
Thinking you're safe from holds
Every processor watches risk and can hold funds. The real protection is a second active processor. Our ecommerce gateway ranking helps you pick one.
Forgetting the card readers
Stripe Terminal readers only work with Stripe. Budget for new hardware if you sell in person.
- Webhooks, subscriptions, coupons and payment links listed
- New account approved before any announcement
- Card export requested, subscriptions and history saved as CSV
- Subscriptions recreated on the same renewal dates
- Automations rebuilt and checked with a real payment
- Both processors live for at least one cycle
- Accounting reports downloaded
- Stripe account kept open until reserves and disputes clear
Stripe alternative: frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest alternative to Stripe in the US?
For most US card-not-present sales, Helcim. It charges interchange plus 0.50% + 25¢ online under $50K a month, with no monthly fee, and the margin drops as volume grows. Stripe charges a flat 2.9% + 30¢, which is easy to read but leaves money on the table on low-cost debit cards. Square and PayPal both cost more online than Stripe.
Can I take my customers' saved cards with me?
Yes. Stripe will send an encrypted export of saved cards, customer emails and metadata to your new processor, as long as that processor is PCI DSS Level 1 and provides its attestation and a 4096-bit PGP key. Cards saved through Link are excluded, and subscriptions and payment history are not in the file: you export those yourself as CSV.
How long can Stripe hold my funds after closing my account?
Stripe's terms let it keep a reserve to cover refunds and disputes after an account is closed, and merchants commonly report holds lasting several months. Don't delete the account while a balance or reserve remains, and answer every document request fast: it's the only lever that reliably shortens the hold.
What is a merchant of record and do I need one?
A merchant of record legally sells your product to the customer. It collects and remits sales tax and VAT in every country, and handles fraud and disputes. Paddle works this way for 5% + 50¢ per transaction. If you sell software to buyers in 30 countries, it saves you dozens of tax filings. If you sell to US customers only, it is an expensive extra.
Is Lemon Squeezy an alternative to Stripe?
Not anymore, if independence is the goal. Stripe bought Lemon Squeezy in 2024, and in 2026 its sales run through a Stripe entity, with a planned move to Stripe Managed Payments. Paddle is the independent merchant of record.
Stripe or PayPal: which is cheaper?
Stripe, for cards: 2.9% + 30¢ against 3.49% + 49¢ for a standard PayPal checkout payment. On a $50 order that is $1.75 versus $2.24. PayPal earns its place on conversion, because many buyers already have an account, not on price.
How do I reconnect my automations after switching?
List every service listening to Stripe webhooks (the notifications Stripe sends on each payment event) before you switch: your store, invoicing tool, CRM, Zapier, Make or n8n. Each one needs to be rebuilt with the new processor's module. Our guides to Stripe in n8n and Stripe in Make show which triggers you are probably using.
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One tool to leave, one destination, one migration plan. Nothing else.
