Adyen vs Stripe
Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
Adyen
Global payments platform for large businesses, handling online, in-app and in-store payments on one system.
Stripe
Developer-focused online payments platform for accepting cards, wallets and local payment methods worldwide.
The short answer
Stripe suits SaaS companies, marketplaces and startups that want self-serve signup, strong developer tooling and add-ons like billing and tax. Adyen suits large and international businesses that want online, in-app and in-store payments on one platform with interchange++ pricing. The main difference is approach: Stripe is self-serve and developer-led, Adyen is sales-led and built for high volume.
Adyen or Stripe: our take
Both accept cards, digital wallets and local payment methods across many countries from a single integration, and neither charges setup or monthly fees on standard terms. Adyen supports 150+ currencies and 200+ local payment methods; Stripe lists 135+ currencies and 100+ payment methods.
Pricing is structured differently. Adyen charges a fixed processing fee plus a payment-method fee, with interchange++ for cards; for Visa and Mastercard that is $0.13 + 0.80% + Interchange++. This can be cheaper and more transparent at scale but is harder to model. Stripe's standard pricing is pay as you go, with 2.9% plus a fixed fee per successful domestic card charge, rates that vary by country and payment method, and custom pricing for large businesses. Stripe's add-ons such as Billing and Tax carry their own fees.
The product focus differs too. Stripe is known for well-documented APIs, a full test mode and prebuilt pieces like Checkout and payment links, with products around the gateway for subscription billing, tax calculation in 100+ countries, fraud screening, marketplace payouts through Connect, card issuing and terminals. Non-developers can send invoices and payment links from the dashboard. Adyen's strength is unifying online and in-store payments on one system, with terminals sharing the same data, plus risk management, payouts, card issuing and embedded finance. It holds banking licences in the US, UK and EU. Its onboarding is sales-led and geared to larger merchants, and it has fewer no-code tools for small businesses.
A startup, SaaS product or marketplace that wants to sign up and build today should start with Stripe, after checking it is available in its country. A large retailer or international business with significant volume that wants online and physical stores on one platform, and is ready for a sales process, should talk to Adyen.
Which should you pick?
Choose Adyen if…
- Large and international businesses that want online and in-store payments on one platform
- One integration for online, in-app and in-store payments worldwide
- Interchange++ card pricing with no setup or monthly fees
Choose Stripe if…
- SaaS companies and marketplaces that sell internationally and want strong developer tooling
- Well-documented APIs with a full test mode
- Large set of payment methods and currencies from one integration
About each app
What is Adyen?
Adyen is a Dutch payments company that processes online, mobile and in-person payments for large businesses on a single platform. Instead of stitching together separate gateways and acquirers per country, merchants connect once and accept cards, digital wallets, buy now pay later and many local payment methods worldwide, with in-store terminals sharing the same data. It also offers risk management, authentication, payouts, card issuing and embedded finance for platforms and marketplaces. Pricing is per transaction: a small fixed processing fee plus a payment-method fee, with interchange++ pricing for cards and no setup or monthly fees. Adyen holds banking licences in the US, UK and EU. It is built for enterprises and fast-growing companies with significant volume, and onboarding is sales-led, so very small businesses usually find Stripe or Square easier to start with.
What is Stripe?
Stripe is a payments platform used by startups and large internet companies to accept money online and in person. Developers integrate its APIs or use prebuilt pieces such as Checkout, payment links and embeddable UI elements; non-developers can send invoices and payment links from the dashboard. It supports cards, digital wallets, bank debits and many local payment methods across a large number of currencies. Around the core gateway sit products for subscription billing, tax calculation, fraud screening, marketplace payouts (Connect), card issuing and in-person terminals. Standard pricing is pay-as-you-go per successful transaction with no setup or monthly fee; rates differ by country and payment method, and large businesses can get custom pricing. Stripe is known for clear documentation and test tooling, which is why it is a default choice for SaaS and marketplaces. Availability depends on the country where your business is registered, so check that your country is supported before building on it.
Side by side
| Attribute | Adyen | Stripe |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Best for | Large and international businesses that want online and in-store payments on one platform | SaaS companies and marketplaces that sell internationally and want strong developer tooling |
| Status | Active | Active |
Verified facts, compared
Facts both apps publish, checked on each vendor's own site.
Adyen vs Stripe pricing
Platforms
| Platform | Adyen | Stripe |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android |
Adyen facts
6 of 6 verified- Pricing model
- Fixed processing fee + payment-method fee
- Checked Nov 8, 2026adyen.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “we charge a fixed processing fee + a fee determined by the payment method .”
- Currencies
- 150+
- Checked Nov 8, 2026adyen.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Processed annually €1.4T €1,400,000,000,009 uptime 99.999% 99.999% currencies 150+”
- Local payment methods
- 200+
- Checked Nov 8, 2026adyen.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “local payment methods 200+”
- Banking licences
- US, UK and EU
- Checked Nov 8, 2026adyen.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Value Proposition Gallery Compliance you can trust Backed by US, UK, and EU banking licenses.”
- Visa and Mastercard
- $0.13 + 0.80% + Interchange++
- Checked Nov 8, 2026adyen.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Mastercard $0.13 + 0.80% + Interchange++ Visa $0.13 + 0.80% + Interchange++”
- Setup fee
- None, and no monthly fees
- Checked Nov 8, 2026adyen.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “We do not have monthly fees, set-up fees, integration fees or closure fees.”
Stripe facts
7 of 7 verified- Setup and monthly fees
- None on standard pricing
- Checked Nov 8, 2026stripe.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Stripe does not charge setup fees, monthly fees, or any other hidden fees like closure fees.”
- Payment methods
- 100+
- Checked Nov 8, 2026stripe.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “100+ payment methods From Alipay to iDEAL, seamlessly support popular payment methods.”
- Tax automation
- Calculations in 100+ countries
- Checked Nov 8, 2026stripe.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Scale with confidence by automating tax calculations and collections in 100+ countries.”
- Pricing
- Pay as you go, no setup or monthly fees
- Checked Nov 8, 2026stripe.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “pay-as-you-go pricing. No setup fees, monthly fees, or hidden fees.”
- Custom domain price
- $10 per month
- Checked Nov 8, 2026stripe.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Custom domain Use your own domain while hosting your payments page or customer portal on Stripe. US$10.00 per month”
- Card pricing
- 2.9% + a fixed fee per successful domestic card charge
- Checked Nov 8, 2026stripe.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “2.9% + CA$0.30 per successful transaction for domestic cards”
Pros and cons of Adyen
- One integration for online, in-app and in-store payments worldwide
- Interchange++ card pricing with no setup or monthly fees
- Wide range of local payment methods and currencies
- Sales-led onboarding geared to larger merchants, not hobby sellers
- Fixed fee on every transaction plus method fees can be complex to model
- Fewer no-code tools for small businesses than Stripe or Square
Pros and cons of Stripe
- Well-documented APIs with a full test mode
- Large set of payment methods and currencies from one integration
- Billing, tax, fraud and marketplace payouts available as add-ons
- Not available to businesses in every country
- Add-on products like Billing and Tax carry their own fees
- Rates vary by country and payment method, so costs need checking per market
Other apps to consider
RazorpayInstead of Adyen
For businesses selling mainly in India, with local methods and quick self-serve onboarding.
Cashfree PaymentsInstead of Stripe
Indian gateway with UPI, payouts and a lower standard domestic rate.
PaddleInstead of Stripe
Acts as merchant of record, so it handles global sales tax and VAT for software sellers.
Lemon SqueezyInstead of Stripe
Merchant-of-record checkout aimed at indie software and digital product sellers.
Adyen vs Stripe: common questions
Is Adyen better than Stripe?
Stripe suits SaaS companies, marketplaces and startups that want self-serve signup, strong developer tooling and add-ons like billing and tax. Adyen suits large and international businesses that want online, in-app and in-store payments on one platform with interchange++ pricing. The main difference is approach: Stripe is self-serve and developer-led, Adyen is sales-led and built for high volume.
Is Adyen free?
No. Adyen is paid, though it may offer a trial.
Is Stripe free?
No. Stripe is paid, though it may offer a trial.
Is Adyen or Stripe open source?
Neither is open source.
Which platforms do Adyen and Stripe support?
Adyen: Web, iOS and Android. Stripe: Web, iOS and Android.