PayPal alternatives
PayPal is already the cheapest payment provider we track at $10,000 a month in card sales ($347/mo). Here's how the other 4 compare. Ranked by price at the size you pick, with free plans, price hikes and how to switch.
Alternatives to PayPal at $10,000 a month in card sales, cheapest first
- Square: $350/mo eCommerce API rate; online store 3.3% + 30¢ (Square Free plan, eCommerce API (2.9% + 30¢)). Free plan: Square Free: $0/mo; online 3.3% + 30¢, eCommerce API 2.9% + 30¢, in-person 2.6% + 15¢. Last price hike: Jan 2026.
- Stripe: $350/mo +1.5% international cards (Standard pricing (pay as you go)). Free plan: none. Last price hike: Jun 2024.
- Lemon Squeezy: $600/mo +1.5% intl, +1.5% PayPal, +0.5% subscriptions (Standard (5% + 50¢ per transaction)). Free plan: No monthly fee; you pay only per-transaction fees (email marketing free up to 500 subscribers)..
- Paddle: $600/mo All-in MoR fee incl. sales tax handling (Pay-as-you-go (5% + $0.50)). Free plan: none.
Prices at every size
- PayPal: $10,000 a month in card sales $347/mo, $10,000 a month with half the sales from abroad $422/mo, $1,000 a month in card sales $40.50/mo (Advanced card rate; PayPal wallet is 3.49% + $0.49)
- Square: $10,000 a month in card sales $350/mo, $10,000 a month with half the sales from abroad $350/mo, $1,000 a month in card sales $41/mo (eCommerce API rate; online store 3.3% + 30¢)
- Stripe: $10,000 a month in card sales $350/mo, $10,000 a month with half the sales from abroad $425/mo, $1,000 a month in card sales $41/mo (+1.5% international cards)
- Lemon Squeezy: $10,000 a month in card sales $600/mo, $10,000 a month with half the sales from abroad $675/mo, $1,000 a month in card sales $70/mo (+1.5% intl, +1.5% PayPal, +0.5% subscriptions)
- Paddle: $10,000 a month in card sales $600/mo, $10,000 a month with half the sales from abroad $600/mo, $1,000 a month in card sales $70/mo (All-in MoR fee incl. sales tax handling)
Total fees in USD per month at standard published rates for one-off online card payments at each sales level: percentage and fixed per-payment fees plus any monthly or gateway fee. Merchant-of-record prices include sales tax and VAT handling, while processor prices cover payment processing only, without tax, billing or fraud add-ons.
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Everything about PayPal's own prices and price hikes: PayPal.