Quick answer
No provider is universally cheapest. Published rates depend on payment type, market, plan, and volume. Decide what you need—online-only or omnichannel, domestic or global, standard or negotiated pricing—then model your own payment mix. All four providers below are editorial overviews; hands-on testing is pending.
Not ranked
Live editorial overviews
Independent editorial overview · Payments platform · Per transaction
Stripe
Developer-oriented payments platform and APIs for accepting online payments, with standard pay-as-you-go pricing and custom pricing for large volume.
- Published pricing
- 2.9% + 30¢ (standard US domestic online card)
- Evidence
- First-party sources · verified Sep 28, 2026 · hands-on testing pending
Independent editorial overview · Wallet & checkout · Per transaction
PayPal
Wallet, branded checkout and card-processing products; the fee depends on how the buyer pays (PayPal, guest, card, Venmo, Pay Later).
- Published pricing
- Varies by payment type (e.g. 2.99% + $0.49 card; 3.49% + $0.49 PayPal Checkout)
- Evidence
- First-party sources · verified Sep 28, 2026 · hands-on testing pending
Independent editorial overview · Payments + POS · Per transaction
Square
Payments with point-of-sale and omnichannel commerce tools; online rates differ by Square plan and service.
- Published pricing
- Online rate varies by plan/service (e.g. Online API 2.9% + 30¢)
- Evidence
- First-party sources · verified Sep 28, 2026 · hands-on testing pending
Independent editorial overview · Enterprise payments infrastructure · Per transaction
Adyen
Global, enterprise-oriented payments infrastructure priced as a fixed processing fee plus a payment-method fee per transaction.
- Published pricing
- $0.13 processing fee + payment-method fee (indicative)
- Evidence
- First-party sources · verified Sep 28, 2026 · hands-on testing pending
Verified Sep 28, 2026
Published pricing, side by side
These figures are not apples-to-apples. Each provider structures pricing differently, and the rate you pay can depend on plan, payment type, market, or custom terms.
| Provider | Type | Published US example | Pricing mechanics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Payments platform | 2.9% + 30¢ domestic online card | Surcharges for manual entry, international cards, conversion; custom pricing at volume |
| PayPal | Wallet & checkout | 2.99% + $0.49 cards; 3.49% + $0.49 Checkout | Rate depends on payment type; +1.50% international |
| Square | Payments + POS | Online API 2.9% + 30¢ | Online rates vary by plan/service (3.3% + 30¢ or 2.9% + 30¢ shown) |
| Adyen | Enterprise infrastructure | $0.13 processing + method fee | Indicative; method fee varies; minimum invoice may apply |
Framework
How to compare payment providers
Pricing model
Flat published rate, payment-type rates, plan-dependent rates, or processing plus method fees. Know which you are comparing.
Domestic vs international
International cards and currency conversion often add surcharges. Model your cross-border share.
Payment methods
Cards, wallets, bank payments, Pay Later, and local methods—each can carry a different fee.
Checkout ownership
Hosted, embedded, or wallet-branded checkout changes control, design, and data.
Payout speed and cost
Confirm payout timing and whether faster payouts cost extra.
Disputes and chargebacks
Dispute fees and evidence workflows are rarely in the headline rate.
Fraud and risk tooling
What is included, what costs extra, and how account reviews and holds work.
Subscriptions and recurring
Saved payment methods, retries, and billing tools for recurring revenue.
POS and in-person
If you sell in person, compare hardware, POS software, and unified reporting.
Multi-currency and global acquiring
Settlement currencies, local acquiring, and entities in each market.
Developer and integration burden
Plugin versus API integration, and who maintains it.
Enterprise and custom pricing
Negotiated rates, interchange-plus, minimum invoices, and contract terms.
Next reads
Comparisons, guides, and tools
Decision support
Frequently asked questions
Which payment provider is cheapest?
It depends on your payment mix, international share, volume, and whether custom pricing applies. We do not declare a cheapest provider.
Have these providers been tested?
Not yet. Coverage is research based on first-party pricing and documentation; hands-on testing is pending.