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Best Online Payment Solutions for Startups

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The GoCardless content team comprises a group of subject-matter experts in multiple fields from across GoCardless. The authors and reviewers work in the sales, marketing, legal, and finance departments. All have in-depth knowledge and experience in various aspects of payment scheme technology and the operating rules applicable to each. The team holds expertise in the well-established payment schemes such as UK Direct Debit, the European SEPA scheme, and the US ACH scheme, as well as in schemes operating in Scandinavia, Australia, and New Zealand. See full bio

Last editedSep 20223 min read

When it comes to online payment solutions , there are a variety of options available with new solutions cropping up all the time. While the best online payment system for you will depend on the scalability of your startup, your budget, as well as the unique nature of your business and how it operates.

However, broadly knowing the best in the industry can help inform your choice of online payment solution. With that in mind, here is our guide to the 5 of the very best online payment service solutions for start-ups.

5 best online payment service solutions for startups

1. Stripe

Launched back in 2010, Stripe is an easy to use online payment service used by Twitter and TED, among other big names. With Stripe, the checkout page integrates with your website meaning customers aren’t directed away from the main site at the payment stage.

There are no set up fees with Stripe, nor card storage fees or failed transaction fees. However, there is a 2.9% + $0.30 fee per transaction. The platform also accepts all major international credit and debit cards including Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

2. PayPal

One of the most recognisable brands in the world, PayPal is a great online payment solution for startups, allowing businesses and individuals the means to receive online payments instantly even without a website.

The fame of PayPal works to its advantage, and customers tend to trust brands they recognize. However, the downside of using PayPal is that at the checkout process, customers are navigated away from your business site which can be off-putting.

On the other hand, a perk of using PayPal is its extensive customer support network. This includes a community forum, an FAQ page plus email, phone and even Facebook and Twitter support.

PayPal charges 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, but this increases to 3.9 percent + $0.30 per transaction with international payments.

3. Authorize.net

Launched in 1996, Authorize.net has been around since the very early stages of ecommerce. With age and experience on its side, the company has been awarded the Achievement for Customer Excellence a total of 5 times.

With authorize.net, customers are able to complete checkout on the host website, and can be adapted to suit the company brand.

This option does come with heftier fees, charging $49 for setup plus an additional $25 monthly, along with 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction fee. For this reason, it can sometimes be an unaffordable option for startups on a tight budget.

A benefit of the service, however, is its ease of use and stellar 24/7 customer support with free phone and online support options.

4. Adyen

Adyen is a global payment service allowing payments across the globe to take place on a single platform.

Based in Amsterdam and San Francisco, Adyen has some high profile clients, including Airbnb and Uber.

With Adyen, customers check out directly on a business’ website, and can be adapted to suit the aesthetic of the brand. This is a great feature as it helps keep the payment experience consistent for customers.

While there are no setup or monthly fees, Adyen does charge 0.10 EUR (0.11 USD) per transaction. There are interchange fees involved given that the platform is for international payments. How much these fees will be depends on the country and the card type used to make the payment.

Adyen prides itself on good customer service, offering online tutorials as well as a ticket system for answering client queries.

Naturally, Adyen will be best suited to international merchants. So if your startup only operates regionally or within the United States, the service is probably not right for you.

5. Braintree

Founded in 2007, Braintree is another great service for processing payments worldwide. Offering clients a merchant account, a payment gateway and the option for recurring billing, the service can be said to offer the full package.

Customers can stay on the merchant website to complete their purchase, and the checkout page is customizable and can be altered to fit the look of your brand and website.

Like Stripe and PayPal, there are no setup costs or monthly fees, but a charge of 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction. This then increases to 3.9% for multi-currency, although notably reduces to a 1% fee per bitcoin transaction.

Braintree has great customer support options, including downloadable guides, email support, and a live one-to-one phone support team.

We can help

GoCardless helps you automate payment collection, cutting down on the amount of admin your team needs to deal with when chasing invoices. Find out how GoCardless can help you with ad hoc payments or recurring payments.