The payment gateway you choose for your WooCommerce store directly affects your conversion rate, transaction fees, and the countries you can sell to. A clunky checkout experience or unsupported payment method loses sales. A fast, familiar payment flow converts browsers into buyers.
This guide compares the 10 best WooCommerce payment gateways in 2026, covering global options, India-specific gateways, transaction fees, supported features, and the practical tradeoffs you need to consider before committing to one.
What to Look for in a WooCommerce Payment Gateway
Before comparing individual gateways, understand the criteria that actually matter for WooCommerce stores:
- Transaction fees. The percentage and fixed fee per transaction. Even small differences compound significantly at scale. A store processing $50,000 per month saves $500 annually by reducing fees by just 0.1%.
- Supported payment methods. Credit and debit cards are baseline. But wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay), buy now pay later (BNPL), and local payment methods (UPI in India, iDEAL in Netherlands) matter for specific markets.
- Checkout experience. On-site checkout keeps customers on your domain. Redirect-based gateways send customers to a third-party page, which increases cart abandonment by 10 to 15%.
- Recurring payment support. If you sell WooCommerce subscriptions, your gateway must support automatic recurring billing without requiring customers to re-enter card details.
- PCI compliance handling. Gateways that tokenize card data on their servers reduce your PCI compliance burden significantly.
- Payout schedule. How quickly funds reach your bank account. Some gateways hold funds for 7 days, others offer next-day or instant payouts.
- Dispute and chargeback handling. Good gateways provide tools for managing disputes, submitting evidence, and tracking chargeback rates.
The 10 Best WooCommerce Payment Gateways
1. Stripe
Stripe remains the default recommendation for most WooCommerce stores. Its WooCommerce integration is officially maintained by WooCommerce (now called WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway) and supports the widest range of payment methods through a single plugin.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Transaction fee | 2.9% + $0.30 (US), 1.5% + fixed (EU/UK) |
| Supported methods | Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, SEPA, Klarna, Afterpay, iDEAL, Bancontact, and 20+ more |
| Checkout type | On-site (Stripe Elements) |
| Recurring payments | Yes (native Stripe Billing) |
| Payout schedule | 2 business days (standard), instant available |
| Best for | Stores selling globally, subscription businesses, developers who want clean APIs |
Stripe’s on-site checkout with Stripe Elements provides a seamless payment experience without redirecting customers. The Payment Intents API handles 3D Secure authentication automatically, which is required for European transactions under SCA regulations.
For stores selling subscriptions or product bundles with recurring components, Stripe’s built-in billing engine handles automatic renewals, failed payment retries, and card update notifications without additional plugins.
2. PayPal (Full Stack)
PayPal for WooCommerce now offers a complete payment stack: PayPal wallet, credit and debit cards, Pay Later options, and Venmo (US). The plugin consolidates what used to require multiple PayPal integrations into a single setup.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Transaction fee | 2.99% + $0.49 (standard), 2.59% + $0.49 (Advanced card) |
| Supported methods | PayPal wallet, cards, Venmo, Pay Later, bank transfers |
| Checkout type | On-site (Advanced) or PayPal redirect (Standard) |
| Recurring payments | Yes (PayPal Subscriptions) |
| Payout schedule | Instant to PayPal balance, 1 business day to bank |
| Best for | Stores wanting maximum buyer trust, US stores with Venmo audience |
PayPal’s buyer protection reputation still drives conversions, especially for stores that sell to customers who are cautious about entering card details on smaller websites. The Pay Later option (Pay in 4) is increasingly popular and can increase average order value by 15 to 20%.
3. WooPayments (Powered by Stripe)
WooPayments is WooCommerce’s own payment gateway, built on Stripe’s infrastructure. It integrates directly into the WooCommerce dashboard, so you manage payments, deposits, and disputes without leaving WordPress.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Transaction fee | 2.9% + $0.30 (US domestic), +1.5% international |
| Supported methods | Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Link, local methods via Stripe |
| Checkout type | On-site |
| Recurring payments | Yes (with WooCommerce Subscriptions) |
| Payout schedule | 2 to 5 business days, instant deposits available |
| Best for | Store owners who want everything in one dashboard, non-technical users |
The main advantage of WooPayments over using Stripe directly is the integrated dashboard experience. Payment history, deposit schedules, and dispute management all happen inside WooCommerce. The tradeoff is that WooPayments adds a layer between you and Stripe, which can limit access to some advanced Stripe features.
4. Razorpay (India)
For WooCommerce stores targeting Indian customers, Razorpay is the most popular payment gateway. It supports UPI, net banking, wallets, and cards through a single integration. UPI alone accounts for over 75% of digital payments in India, making Razorpay essential for any serious Indian ecommerce business.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Transaction fee | 2% per transaction (no setup or annual fee) |
| Supported methods | UPI, net banking (60+ banks), cards, Paytm, PhonePe, Amazon Pay, EMI |
| Checkout type | Modal overlay (on-site feel) |
| Recurring payments | Yes (Razorpay Subscriptions with e-mandate) |
| Payout schedule | T+2 business days (standard), instant settlement available |
| Best for | Indian WooCommerce stores, stores accepting INR payments |
Razorpay’s checkout modal overlays your store page rather than redirecting, which reduces abandonment. The dashboard provides detailed analytics including payment method breakdowns, settlement reports, and GST-compliant invoices. For stores that also need international payments, Razorpay supports multi-currency with automatic conversion.
5. Cashfree (India)
Cashfree is Razorpay’s primary competitor in India and offers competitive pricing for higher-volume stores. Its instant settlement feature (Cashfree Instant) is particularly valuable for businesses that need faster access to funds.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Transaction fee | 1.90% to 2% (negotiable for volume) |
| Supported methods | UPI, net banking, cards, wallets, Pay Later, EMI, international cards |
| Checkout type | Redirect or embedded |
| Recurring payments | Yes (e-NACH and UPI AutoPay) |
| Payout schedule | T+1 (standard), instant settlement available |
| Best for | High-volume Indian stores, businesses needing fast settlements |
Cashfree’s WooCommerce plugin is straightforward to set up. Where it differentiates from Razorpay is in payout speed (T+1 standard vs T+2) and its auto-refund capabilities for failed transactions. For stores processing more than 10 lakh per month, Cashfree often offers better negotiated rates than Razorpay.
6. Square
Square’s WooCommerce integration works best for businesses that also have physical retail locations. Square unifies online and in-store payments, inventory, and customer data into a single system.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Transaction fee | 2.9% + $0.30 (online), 2.6% + $0.10 (in-person) |
| Supported methods | Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Cash App Pay, Afterpay |
| Checkout type | On-site |
| Recurring payments | Yes (Square Subscriptions) |
| Payout schedule | 1 to 2 business days, instant transfer available |
| Best for | Omnichannel businesses with both online and physical stores |
The WooCommerce Square extension syncs products, inventory, and orders between your WooCommerce store and Square POS. If a customer buys an item in your physical store, WooCommerce inventory updates automatically. This two-way sync is Square’s strongest differentiator for WooCommerce stores.
7. Authorize.net
Authorize.net has been processing payments since 1996 and remains a reliable choice for established businesses, particularly in the US. It is now owned by Visa and offers enterprise-grade fraud prevention.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Transaction fee | 2.9% + $0.30 + $25/month gateway fee |
| Supported methods | Cards, eChecks, Apple Pay, PayPal |
| Checkout type | On-site (Accept.js) |
| Recurring payments | Yes (Automated Recurring Billing) |
| Payout schedule | 2 business days |
| Best for | Established US businesses, B2B stores, high-risk industries |
The $25 monthly fee makes Authorize.net more expensive for small stores, but its Advanced Fraud Detection Suite (AFDS) is one of the most configurable fraud prevention tools available. For stores in industries that Stripe or PayPal consider high-risk (supplements, CBD, firearms accessories), Authorize.net is often one of the few mainstream options.
8. Mollie
Mollie is the leading payment gateway for European WooCommerce stores. It supports a comprehensive list of European payment methods that Stripe does not fully cover, and its pricing is transparent with no monthly fees.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Transaction fee | 1.8% + EUR 0.25 (EU cards), varies by method |
| Supported methods | Cards, iDEAL, Bancontact, SOFORT, Giropay, EPS, KBC, Belfius, Klarna, SEPA |
| Checkout type | Redirect (to Mollie hosted page) |
| Recurring payments | Yes (SEPA direct debit, cards) |
| Payout schedule | 1 to 2 business days |
| Best for | European stores, especially Netherlands, Belgium, Germany |
Mollie’s WooCommerce plugin (Mollie Payments for WooCommerce) is free and well-maintained. The gateway automatically shows only the payment methods available in the customer’s country, reducing checkout clutter. For a store selling across Europe, Mollie’s local payment method coverage often converts better than Stripe alone.
9. PayU (India and Emerging Markets)
PayU is one of India’s oldest payment gateways and also operates in Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Africa. For Indian stores, PayU offers a mature platform with strong bank partnerships and competitive pricing for high-volume businesses.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Transaction fee | 1.99% to 2% (India), varies by region |
| Supported methods | UPI, net banking, cards, wallets, EMI, Pay Later, international cards |
| Checkout type | Redirect or embedded (PayU Bolt) |
| Recurring payments | Yes (SI and e-mandate) |
| Payout schedule | T+2 to T+3 business days |
| Best for | Indian stores with high volume, businesses in emerging markets |
PayU’s Bolt checkout is a one-click checkout experience that saves customer payment details for faster repeat purchases. For stores selling across multiple emerging markets, PayU’s presence in India, Brazil, Colombia, Poland, and Turkey offers a single gateway for diverse geographies.
10. Braintree (by PayPal)
Braintree is PayPal’s developer-focused payment platform. It offers the same payment methods as PayPal but with more customization, a cleaner API, and better support for complex payment flows.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Transaction fee | 2.59% + $0.49 (cards), no fee for PayPal transactions (if only gateway) |
| Supported methods | Cards, PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, Google Pay, local methods |
| Checkout type | On-site (Drop-in UI or Hosted Fields) |
| Recurring payments | Yes (Braintree Vault) |
| Payout schedule | 2 to 3 business days |
| Best for | Stores wanting PayPal + cards in one integration, marketplace platforms |
Braintree’s key advantage is combining PayPal wallet payments and card processing under a single merchant account. If you process PayPal payments through Braintree as your sole gateway, there is no additional per-transaction fee for PayPal, which can save significant money for stores where PayPal is the dominant payment method.
The payment gateway you choose directly affects your conversion rate, transaction fees, and the countries you can sell to. A fast, familiar payment flow converts browsers into buyers, while a clunky checkout experience loses sales.
Gateway Comparison: Fees at a Glance
| Gateway | Transaction Fee | Monthly Fee | Best Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | 2.9% + $0.30 | Free | Global |
| PayPal | 2.99% + $0.49 | Free | Global |
| WooPayments | 2.9% + $0.30 | Free | Global |
| Razorpay | 2% | Free | India |
| Cashfree | 1.90% to 2% | Free | India |
| Square | 2.9% + $0.30 | Free | US, UK, AU, CA, JP |
| Authorize.net | 2.9% + $0.30 | $25 | US |
| Mollie | 1.8% + EUR 0.25 | Free | Europe |
| PayU | 1.99% to 2% | Free | India, LATAM, EU |
| Braintree | 2.59% + $0.49 | Free | Global |
How to Choose the Right Gateway for Your Store
For US-Based Stores Selling Domestically
Start with Stripe. Add PayPal as a secondary option. This combination covers credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and the PayPal wallet, which together account for over 95% of US online payments. If you also have a physical store, consider Square instead of Stripe for unified inventory management.
For Indian WooCommerce Stores
Razorpay or Cashfree should be your primary gateway. UPI is non-negotiable for Indian customers since it is how the majority pay online. If you also accept international payments, add Stripe or PayPal as a secondary gateway for non-INR transactions. A common setup is Razorpay for domestic INR payments and Stripe for international USD and EUR payments.
For European Stores
Mollie provides the best coverage of European local payment methods. Pair it with Stripe for card payments and you cover virtually every European payment preference. For stores selling primarily in the Netherlands, iDEAL through Mollie is essential since it accounts for over 60% of online payments there.
For Global Stores Selling to Multiple Regions
Use Stripe as your primary gateway for its broad country support and multi-currency capabilities. Add PayPal for buyer trust in markets where it is popular. For specific high-volume markets (India, Netherlands, Germany), add a regional gateway to maximize conversion.
Setting Up Multiple Gateways in WooCommerce
WooCommerce supports multiple active payment gateways simultaneously. This is the recommended approach for most stores. Here is how to configure it effectively:
- Install your chosen gateway plugins. Each gateway has its own WooCommerce plugin. Install and activate them from the WordPress plugin repository or from the gateway provider’s website.
- Configure each gateway independently. Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Payments. Each gateway appears as a tab. Enter your API keys, configure settings, and enable test mode first.
- Set gateway ordering. Drag gateways to reorder them on the checkout page. Put your preferred (lowest fee) gateway first. Customers tend to use the first option presented.
- Test every gateway. Process test transactions through each active gateway. Verify that orders are created correctly, inventory updates, and confirmation emails send properly.
- Monitor conversion by gateway. After launching, track which gateway your customers prefer. This data helps you optimize your payment strategy over time.
For stores that want to speed up their WooCommerce store, keep in mind that each active gateway plugin adds JavaScript to your checkout page. Use only the gateways your customers actually need.
Security and Fraud Prevention
All 10 gateways listed here are PCI DSS compliant and handle card tokenization on their servers, which means your WooCommerce store never stores raw card numbers. However, there are additional security considerations:
- 3D Secure authentication. Required for European transactions (SCA) and recommended globally. Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay, and Mollie all handle 3DS automatically.
- Address Verification Service (AVS). Available on Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, and Braintree. Matches the billing address entered during checkout against the address on file with the card issuer.
- Velocity checks. Multiple failed payment attempts from the same IP or card should trigger blocks. Most gateways offer this natively or through their fraud prevention tools.
- SSL certificate. Required for any gateway. WooCommerce will warn you if SSL is not active. Use a free Let’s Encrypt certificate or the SSL provided by your host.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use multiple payment gateways on one WooCommerce store?
Yes. WooCommerce supports unlimited active gateways. Most stores use 2 to 3 gateways: a primary card processor (like Stripe) and a wallet option (like PayPal). For Indian stores, pairing Razorpay (for UPI and domestic payments) with Stripe (for international cards) is a common and effective setup.
Which gateway has the lowest fees for WooCommerce?
For domestic transactions, Cashfree and Razorpay offer the lowest fees at around 2% with no fixed per-transaction charge. For international payments, Mollie’s 1.8% + EUR 0.25 for EU cards is competitive. Among global gateways, Stripe and WooPayments at 2.9% + $0.30 are industry standard.
Do I need a separate SSL certificate for payment processing?
No. Your store’s existing SSL certificate is sufficient. All modern gateways use tokenization and process card data on their own PCI-compliant servers. Your WooCommerce store handles only the tokenized reference, not the actual card numbers.
Which payment gateway is best for WooCommerce subscriptions?
Stripe is the best gateway for WooCommerce Subscriptions. It handles automatic renewals, failed payment retries, card expiration updates, and SCA authentication seamlessly. If you are setting up recurring revenue with WooCommerce, Stripe should be your primary gateway.
Can I switch payment gateways without losing existing customers?
You can add a new gateway and disable the old one. Existing subscription customers will need to re-enter payment details for the new gateway, as card tokens are not transferable between processors. Plan the migration carefully, notify subscribers in advance, and provide a grace period for updating payment methods.
Choosing the right payment gateway comes down to your target market, transaction volume, and the payment methods your customers prefer. Start with one or two gateways, monitor conversion rates, and expand your payment options based on actual customer behavior rather than assumptions. For stores looking to maximize overall sales performance, check our guide to the best WooCommerce extensions for boosting sales.
