Quick answer
No winner yet. Stripe and Adyen differ most in architecture and intended operating model. Use this researched comparison to decide which deserves a hands-on pilot—not as a substitute for one.
At a glance
| Decision factor | Stripe | Adyen |
|---|---|---|
| US card pricing model | Flat 2.9% + 30¢ on standard pricing | $0.13 + interchange++ + 0.60% for Visa and Mastercard |
| International cards | +1.5%, and +1% if currency conversion is needed | Interchange++ passes through network cost; settle in multiple currencies |
| American Express | Same standard card rate | $0.13 + 3.3% + $0.10 in North America |
| Signup | Self-serve through the dashboard | Through the sales team |
| Monthly or setup fees | None on standard pricing | None; minimum invoice applies |
| Minimum invoice | None published | Depends on industry or business model; amount not published |
| Custom pricing | IC+ and discounted flat rates for large volumes | Listed fees are indicative; pricing discussed with sales |
| Dispute fees | $15 per dispute, plus $15 to counter (refunded if won) | Not stated on the pricing page |
Architecture and target user
Stripe
Online payments platform with flat-rate card pricing on its standard plan, plus add-on products such as Radar fraud screening, Billing and Tax. Custom pricing, including IC+, is offered to businesses with large volumes.
Worth investigating for merchants of any size that want to sign up online, start on a published flat rate and add products as they grow.
Adyen
Global payments platform for online and in-person payments on one system. It prices each transaction as a fixed processing fee plus a fee set by the payment method, using interchange++ for Visa and Mastercard.
Worth investigating for large and multinational merchants that want interchange++ pricing, many local payment methods and settlement in several currencies.
Ease and implementation considerations
Stripe
Merchants register through Stripe's dashboard without a sales call. Standard pricing has no setup or monthly fees, per its pricing page.
Adyen
Adyen's pricing page offers a sales contact rather than a self-serve signup. It states no setup, monthly, integration or closure fees.
These are research observations, not timing or usability test results. Implementation depends on catalog, data migration, design, channels, integrations, internal skills, and partner scope.
Ecosystem and integrations
Stripe
Stripe documents its own apps for Adobe Commerce, Salesforce B2C Commerce, commercetools, Shopware 6, PrestaShop and NetSuite, plus Stripe Tax apps for WooCommerce and BigCommerce. Partner apps are on the Stripe App Marketplace.
Adyen
Adyen builds its own plugins for Adobe Commerce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Oracle NetSuite. Partner-built integrations include Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, commercetools and Shopware.
Pricing approach
Stripe: Standard US pricing is 2.9% + 30¢ per successful domestic card transaction. International cards add 1.5% and currency conversion adds 1%. Manually entered cards add 0.5%. ACH Direct Debit is 0.8% capped at $5. Disputes cost $15, plus $15 to counter one manually, which is returned if you win. No setup or monthly fees on standard pricing. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Current Stripe pricingAdyen: Every payment method carries a $0.13 fixed processing fee. Visa and Mastercard are listed at $0.13 + interchange++ + 0.60%, where interchange and scheme fees are passed through at cost and vary by card. American Express in North America is listed at $0.13 + 3.3% + $0.10. Adyen applies a minimum invoice that depends on industry or business model; no amount is published. It calls the listed fees indicative. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Current Adyen pricingStripe's standard rate is all-in for domestic cards, so the bill is easy to predict. Adyen's published part is only the fixed fee and markup; the interchange and scheme fees on top vary by card type and are set by the networks. Ask Adyen for your minimum invoice and an estimate of pass-through costs on your card mix.
Build a scenario-based total-cost model. Include implementation, ongoing labor, extensions, communications or payments, support, and migration—not only the published base price.
Worked example
Monthly fees on US card sales at a $60 average order
A US store selling to US customers on Visa and Mastercard, with a $60 average order. Stripe is priced at its standard rate. Adyen is priced at its published fixed fee and markup only, because interchange and scheme fees vary by card and are not a single published number. The last row shows how much those pass-through fees would have to be before Adyen costs the same as Stripe.
| Monthly | $50,000 (about 833 orders) | $500,000 (about 8,333 orders) |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe standard: 2.9% + 30¢ | $1,450 + $250 = $1,700 | $14,500 + $2,500 = $17,000 |
| Adyen published part: 0.60% + $0.13 | $300 + $108 = $408 | $3,000 + $1,083 = $4,083 |
| Adyen interchange and scheme fees | Pass-through, varies by card | Pass-through, varies by card |
| Gap Adyen's pass-through must stay under | $1,292 (2.58% of sales) | $12,917 (2.58% of sales) |
List prices from Stripe and Adyen, checked Oct 10, 2026. Orders = sales ÷ $60. Stripe: 2.9% × sales + $0.30 × orders. Adyen: 0.60% × sales + $0.13 × orders, before interchange and scheme fees. Per order, Stripe costs $2.04 (3.4%) and Adyen's published part costs $0.49 (0.82%), a $1.55 gap, or 2.58% of a $60 order. Assumes all domestic US cards, no refunds, disputes, add-ons or custom pricing, and that sales clear Adyen's minimum invoice, which is not published.
What decides it. The choice turns on your real interchange and scheme cost. If those pass-through fees average under about 2.58% of your sales, Adyen's published structure costs less than Stripe's standard rate at either volume; above that, Stripe costs less. Interchange varies by card type, so your card mix matters. Adyen's minimum invoice can also outweigh the gap at low volume. At larger volumes, ask Stripe for its custom IC+ quote too, so you compare like for like. See our Stripe overview and Adyen overview.
Contract and terms
Terms and limits that cost buyers money
Stripe's add-on percentages stack. A foreign card that also needs currency conversion costs 2.9% + 1.5% + 1% = 5.4% + 30¢ on standard pricing. Stores with many international buyers should price that mix, not the headline rate.
Stripe keeps fees on refunds. Its pricing page says the original processing and currency conversion fees are not returned when you refund. Disputes cost $15 each, with another $15 to counter one manually, refunded if you win.
Adyen's minimum invoice is unpublished. Adyen says a minimum invoice applies depending on industry or business model, and gives no figure. Get the amount in writing before signing, since it sets your floor cost in slow months.
Adyen's listed fees are indicative. Interchange and scheme fees change with card type and network rules, so the monthly bill moves with your card mix. Some payment methods, such as PayPal, need a direct contract with the provider. Adyen also says there are business models and industries it cannot process for; check its eligibility criteria early.
Compare both against other processors on our payments desk.
Which businesses should investigate each
Investigate Stripe if…
- You want to go live from a self-serve signup with a published rate.
- Your sales are mostly domestic US cards at a modest monthly volume.
- You plan to use other Stripe products such as Billing, Tax or Radar.
Investigate Adyen if…
- You process enough volume that a markup over interchange may cost less than a flat rate.
- You sell across countries and want to settle in several currencies.
- You can work through a sales-led contract and a minimum invoice.
Buyer checklist
What to check in a side-by-side trial
- Pull one month of real card data and ask Adyen for an interchange and scheme fee estimate on that mix.
- Ask Adyen for its minimum invoice for your industry, in writing.
- Count the share of your orders on international cards and price Stripe's 1.5% and 1% add-ons.
- If your volume is large, ask Stripe for a custom IC+ quote and compare it with Adyen's.
- Confirm the plugin for your store platform is maintained by the processor or a partner, and what it supports.
- Ask each how refunds and disputes are charged on your plan.
BestStorefront does not name a winner. Run these checks against your own catalog and volumes.
Decision support
Frequently asked questions
Is Stripe or Adyen cheaper for a US online store?
It depends on your card mix and volume. Stripe's standard rate is 2.9% + 30¢. Adyen's published part for Visa and Mastercard is $0.13 + 0.60%, plus interchange and scheme fees that vary. At a $60 order, Adyen costs less only if those pass-through fees stay under about 2.58% of sales, and only once you clear its minimum invoice.
What is Adyen's minimum invoice?
Adyen does not publish an amount. Its pricing page says a minimum invoice applies depending on industry or business model, and directs you to its sales team.
Does Stripe charge more for international cards?
Yes. On standard pricing, international cards add 1.5%, and currency conversion adds another 1% when it is needed.
Has BestStorefront tested either product?
No. This comparison is built from each vendor's published pricing and documentation, not hands-on testing.