Payment provider comparisons
Only the comparisons people actually face, each written for its own trade-off, not a grid of every possible pair.
- Comparison Stripe vs PayPal Stripe is cheaper in every case we model. On a $5,000.00 payment from a US client to a Spanish business, PayPal takes $387.50 and Stripe $254.60. PayPal only earns its higher price when the buyer will not pay any other way.
- Comparison Stripe vs Wise Business If your client can pay by bank transfer, Wise costs a fraction of Stripe: $14.50 against $254.60 on a $5,000.00 US payment into Spain. If they need to pay by card, Wise is not an option here and Stripe is the cheaper processor.
- Comparison PayPal vs Wise Business Wise is about 27 times cheaper on a $5,000.00 payment from a US client into a euro account: $14.50 against $387.50. PayPal is the choice only when the person paying will not use anything else.
- Comparison Wise Business vs Payoneer For direct clients, Wise is cheaper on every invoice: $14.50 against $109.40 on $5,000.00 from the US into a euro account. Payoneer earns its place when a marketplace pays you through it.
- Comparison Wise Business vs Revolut Business On conversion alone, Wise is cheaper: $14.50 against $30.00 to turn a $5,000.00 payment into euros. Revolut converts free inside a monthly allowance, which suits small amounts if you already use it as your main account.
- Comparison Stripe vs Paddle On fees alone, Stripe wins at home and the gap closes abroad. A €1,000.00 sale from Germany to a Spanish company costs €15.25 on Stripe and €50.50 on Paddle. A $5,000.00 sale from the US to Spain costs $254.60 and $250.50, and only Paddle's figure includes the tax work.
- Comparison Lemon Squeezy vs Paddle Identical for a US seller with US buyers; Paddle is cheaper almost everywhere else. A €1,000.00 sale from a German buyer to a Spanish seller costs €74.85 on Lemon Squeezy and €50.50 on Paddle.