Developer-first payments platform with flat pay-as-you-go pricing.
- Starting price
- 2.9% + $0.30 per domestic card transaction
- Pricing model
- Paid
- User rating
- 4.2 / 5
- Best for
- Developer-led payments for online businesses
Stripe is payments infrastructure. It is aimed at developers first, and the API is the reason it won: most modern checkout flows are easier to build on Stripe than on anything else.
Who Stripe is for
Online businesses with someone technical involved. Subscriptions, marketplaces, invoicing and international payments are all handled properly rather than bolted on.
If you want a payment link and nothing else, Stripe is more machinery than you need. PayPal or Square will be quicker to set up.
What Stripe costs
There is no monthly fee on standard pricing. You pay 2.9% plus $0.30 per successful domestic card transaction, and nothing when nothing sells.
Surcharges stack on top: 1.5% for international cards, 1% for currency conversion and 0.5% for manually entered cards.
ACH Direct Debit is 0.8% capped at $5, which is dramatically cheaper than cards for large invoices. In-person card payments through Terminal are 2.7% plus 5 cents.
High-volume businesses can negotiate custom rates, so the published pricing is a ceiling rather than a fixed price.
Stripe pricing and plans
Standard — domestic cards
2.9% + $0.30
per successful transaction
No setup, monthly or hidden fees.
- Full API and dashboard
- Subscriptions and invoicing
- Fraud tools included
- Payouts on a rolling schedule
International cards
+1.5%
added to the domestic rate
Applies when the card is issued abroad.
- 135+ currencies supported
- Local payment methods
- Automatic currency handling
Currency conversion
+1%
when conversion is required
Charged on top of the international fee.
- Automatic conversion
- Settlement in your currency
ACH Direct Debit
0.8%
per transaction, capped at $5
Far cheaper than cards on large invoices.
- US bank transfers
- Capped fee
- Ideal for B2B invoicing
In-person (Terminal)
2.7% + $0.05
per successful transaction
Hardware billed separately.
- Card readers
- Unified reporting with online sales
Enterprise
Custom
contact sales
Volume-based negotiated rates.
- Reduced processing rates
- Dedicated support
- Custom contracts
Pricing checked against the official Stripe pricing page on 5 September 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm before you buy.
What Stripe actually does
- Developer API with excellent documentation
- Subscriptions and recurring billing
- Invoicing and payment links
- Marketplaces and split payments via Connect
- Radar fraud detection
- Support for 135+ currencies and local methods
- Terminal for in-person payments
- Detailed reporting and reconciliation
Pros and cons
What works well
- No monthly or setup fees on standard pricing
- Cheaper per card transaction than PayPal
- Best-in-class API and documentation
- ACH at 0.8% capped at $5 is excellent for invoices
- Subscriptions and marketplaces handled natively
What to watch out for
- Surcharges stack quickly on international sales
- Needs development work for anything custom
- Account reviews and holds frustrate some new merchants
- Dispute fees apply on top of the processing rate
- Overkill if you only need a payment link
Stripe FAQs
Does Stripe charge a monthly fee?
No. Standard pricing has no setup, monthly or hidden fees. You only pay per successful transaction.
What does Stripe cost per transaction?
2.9% plus $0.30 for domestic cards in the US. International cards add 1.5% and currency conversion adds 1%.
Is ACH cheaper than cards?
Considerably, for larger amounts. ACH Direct Debit is 0.8% capped at $5, so a $2,000 invoice costs $5 instead of about $58.30 on a card.
How does Stripe compare with PayPal on fees?
Stripe is cheaper on standard card payments at 2.9% plus $0.30 against PayPal Checkout at 3.49% plus $0.49.
Can I negotiate a lower rate?
Yes, at volume. Stripe offers custom pricing for larger businesses, so the published rate is effectively a ceiling.
Do I need a developer?
For a hosted payment link, no. For a custom checkout, subscriptions or a marketplace, yes, and that is where Stripe is strongest.
How quickly do payouts arrive?
On a rolling schedule, typically two business days in the US once your account is established, though new accounts start slower.
Where does the 4.2 rating come from?
It is the aggregate score from 458 reviewers on G2, checked 12 August 2026. It is not our own hands-on test score.
Weighing up other options? Read the 8 best Stripe alternatives.
Ready to try Stripe?
Go to Stripe