Stripe has been a revolution in online payment. It rendered the process of accepting money online easy and simple for businesses. However, when your business expands, you may realise that Stripe will no longer suit all requirements. Perhaps you prefer lower costs, more features, or a different payment system that is available in your country. The positive thing is that the payment industry has expanded significantly.
There are numerous alternatives today that are amazing in features. Some are less expensive, those that are more effective on international fronts, and others that have specialised tools for particular businesses. This guide will be used to explore the 10 best Stripe alternatives in 2026 to guide you to make the right decision.
This article will help you choose the best payment platform depending on whether you are a startup, an already established business, or a solo creator. We should sink in and find the most suitable alternatives.
Why Stripe Is Not Available in India
The question many Indian firms ask themselves is how they are not able to directly use Stripe. Here are the main reasons:
- Regulatory Compliance Problems: India has very strict regulations and rules of payment, which require special licenses and approvals, and it is not easy to conduct business for international payment companies.
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Requirements: The RBI has specific conditions for payment gateways, such as the localisation of data, where payment data has to be stored in India.
- Complex taxation structure: The GST structure and taxation compliance in India are complicated, and the payment providers have to be familiar with the Indian tax laws and apply them accordingly.
- Local Payment Method Integration: The local payment methods, such as UPI, net banking, and digital wallets, are preferred by Indian customers and need specific technical integrations.
- Registration Issues of doing business: Stripe needs firms to have an entity in supported countries, and Indian companies are not able to easily fulfil these registration criteria.
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Who Are Stripe’s Main Competitors?
Stripe competes with a large number of influential players in the payment processing industry. Here’s who they are:
- PayPal: The oldest and most familiar brand of online payment, with easy installation and worldwide recognition at a higher price.
- Square: This is a complete business solution, a combination of software and hardware, ideal for businesses that sell both online and in their physical outlets.
- Adyen: A commercial-level payment service that is used to process large volumes of transactions for large businesses operating in various countries across the globe.
- Razorpay: An India-based company is the biggest payment gateway, specialising in local payment options available in India, such as UPI and net banking.
- PayPal and Regional Specialists: PayPal and local services in various regions, such as Mollie in Europe and local providers in multiple areas, are specialised services offered to specific markets.
Stripe vs Alternatives – Comparison Table
| Name | Best For | Countries | Pricing | Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PayPal | Freelancers, quick global setup | 200+ countries | ~3.49% + fixed fee (varies by region) | 4.2 / 5 |
| Square | Retail & omnichannel businesses | US, Canada, UK, Australia | 2.9% + $0.30 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Razorpay | Indian businesses | India-focused | ~2% (domestic cards & UPI) | 4.6 / 5 |
| Adyen | Large enterprises | 150+ countries | Custom pricing | 4.4 / 5 |
| Paddle | SaaS & software companies | Global | ~5% + $0.50 | 4.3 / 5 |
| UniBee | SaaS & subscription billing | Global | From $9/month (no transaction fee) | 4.7 / 5 |
| Mollie | European online businesses | Europe-focused | Transparent % (no monthly fee) | 4.5 / 5 |
| Payoneer | International freelancers & sellers | 190+ countries | FX & withdrawal-based fees | 4.1 / 5 |
| Authorize.net | Established businesses | US-focused | $25/month + transaction fees | 4.0 / 5 |
| Lemon Squeezy | Indie developers & digital products | Global | ~3.5% + $0.30 | 4.6 / 5 |
Top 10 Best Stripe Alternatives in 2026
1. PayPal
The most well-known payment platform in the world is PayPal. Since 1998, it has been in existence, and millions of individuals already hold PayPal accounts. This makes it extremely easy for customers to pay without having to fill in the card details every time. Small enterprises and independent workers who prefer not to engage in technical issues and do not want to install any technologies on their computers should use PayPal, as it is simple to set up and use at the moment. The platform operates in more than 200 countries, and its currencies are 25 or more.
Key Features
- After-sales service button set-up.
- Pay Later financing options.
- Global fraud protection was there.
Pros
- Renowned by millions of people.
- Super fast setup process
- No monthly fees required
Cons
- Increased transaction costs in general.
- Available old developer tools.
- Freezing of accounts unexpectedly takes place.
- Who is it for: Freelancers and beginners
- Website: https://www.paypal.com
2. Square
Square began by transforming face-to-face payments through its well-known card reader. It has become an all-in-one business solution that integrates your online shop, brick-and-mortar, and mobile sales into one solution. Square is one of the most suitable Stripe alternatives that can be used by companies that sell online and offline. All those are automatic syncs – your inventory, sales information, and your customer information are maintained in all channels. The site has free invoicing, employee management, and even payroll tools.
Key Feature:
- Free small business management software.
- Integrated online sales and offline sales.
- Physical POS hardware on offer.
Pros
- An ideal integration of omnichannel occurs.
- No monthly fees charged
- Easy pricing system in place.
Cons
- Limited to pure tech
- The international charges are greater.
- Less API flexibility exists
- Who is it for: Retail stores
- Website: https://www.squareup.com
3. Razorpay
Razorpay is an Indian equivalent of Stripe and is ranked among the best Stripe substitutes for Indian companies. It knows the Indian payment ecosystem too well and accepts UPI, net banking across 60+ banks, popular wallets such as Paytm, as well as all major credit/debit cards. The API is clean and modern, and developers are fond of the platform. In addition to payments, Razorpay has now ventured into banking services, payroll management, and business lending. This makes it a complete financial platform for Indian startups and businesses.
Key Features
- UPI and wallet support
- RazorpayX business banking consisted of
- No-code payment pages
Pros
- Perfect for the Indian market
- Clean API for developers
- Complete financial package.
Cons
- This was mainly India-oriented.
- Poor international currency.
- The rates above the international rates were raised slightly.
- Who is it for: Indian businesses
- Website: https://razorpay.com
4. Adyen
Adyen is a business-level payment engine that is deployed in the business by companies such as Uber, Spotify, and Microsoft. It is among the top Stripe alternatives for large enterprises that have worldwide operations. Adyen offers a single platform that operates payments in online, mobile, and physical stores in more than 150 countries. The system comes with state-of-the-art services such as intelligent payment routing in order to maximise the approval rates and minimise costs. You receive real-time information and data on all your sales channels.
Key Features
- One platform for global operations.
- Optimization of smart payment routing.
- Cross-channel analytics in real time.
Pros
- Actual international payment system.
- Enterprise reliability is ensured.
- Cohesive cross-channel information.
Cons
- Not for small businesses
- The complicated implementation was too difficult.
- No clear retail pricing.
- Who is it for: Large enterprises
- Website: https://www.adyen.com
5. Paddle
Paddle is a special payment system that serves as a merchant of record to the software companies. This implies that Paddle is the technical seller of your product to customers and does all the complex stuff, such as tax collection, fraud prevention, and compliance. It is one of the biggest Stripe alternatives that are SaaS and software companies wishing to concentrate on product development rather than on financial processes. Hundreds of jurisdictions around the world automatically compute and remit sales tax to Paddle.
Key Features
- Automatic international tax processing.
- Innumerable fraud prevention mechanisms.
- Complete merchant of record
Pros
- No zero tax filing pain.
- All-in-one platform solution
- Software sales optimised.
Cons
- Higher fees than processors
- Less customer data control
- Merchant of record model
- Who is it for: Software companies
- Website: https://www.paddle.com
6. UniBee
UniBee is a potent open-source subscription billing application, which is among the best Stripe alternatives to be used by companies that require flexibility and control. In contrast to the more conventional payment processors, UniBee also allows connecting many payment gateways in parallel, such as Stripe, PayPal, and Square, among others. This implies that you would never be tied to a single provider. It is the best site to manage complicated billing situations – metered usage, tailored price plans, automated invoicing, and intelligent dunning to collect failed payments.
Key Features
- Multi-gateway integration support is provided.
- Open source deployment or cloud deployment.
- Advanced subscription billing logic.
Pros
- Full data control has been maintained.
- No transaction fees charged
- Enterprise features that are not lock-in.
Cons
- Self-hosted needs technical expertise.
- Not a payment processor
- Smaller support group at present.
- Who is it for: SaaS companies
- Website: https://unibee.dev/
7. Mollie
Mollie is an example of a European payment service provider that has perfected the science of easy, trusted payments. It is one of the best Stripe alternatives in the case of a business with European customers. Mollie accepts all the mainstream European payment systems, which may frequently fail to compete with iDEAL in the Netherlands, Bancontact in Belgium, SOFORT in Germany, and many more.
This payment assistance locally is very beneficial to the conversion rates since clients have an option of paying in their preferred way. Pricing is transparent, and there are no hidden costs; the dashboard is simply very user-friendly.
Key Features
- Local European payment systems.
- An open pricing system is provided.
- PSD 2 compliance automated.
Pros
- Stunning European payment coverage.
- Easy, stable prices displayed.
- Merchant-friendly merchant dashboard.
Cons
- It mainly was Europe-oriented.
- Less state-of-the-art billing functions.
- Easier API than other competitors.
- Who is it for: European businesses
- Website: https://www.mollie.com
8. Payoneer
Payoneer is a financial service that focuses on international payments and is among the most appropriate Stripe alternatives that should be used by freelancers and companies operating overseas. It is specifically strong in accepting payments through international markets such as Amazon, Upwork, and Fiverr. Payoneer provides local bank accounts in the US, the UK, the EU, and elsewhere, and as a result, you can receive payments as a local business.
Key Features
- Global mass payout system
- Distribution of local banks all over the world.
- Multi-currency wallet management.
Pros
- Makes it much easier to make global payments.
- In-built marketplace integrations.
- Cross-border is cost-effective.
Cons
- Not for website checkout
- There are fees charged for converting the currency.
- Poor API capabilities in general.
- Who is it for: International freelancers
- Website: https://www.payoneer.com
9. Authorize.net
Authorize.net is considered to be one of the oldest payment gateways, which has been in operation since 1996. It is a stable, proven platform and can be regarded as one of the most successful Stripe alternatives among small businesses with a long history, focusing on security and stability rather than innovative features. The site is all about doing the fundamentals well – card processing that is secure, full of powerful fraud detection programs. It is also extensively compatible with most e-commerce platforms and e-commerce shopping carts, and is simple to install.
Key Features
- Sophisticated fraud prevention package.
- Manually entered the virtual terminal.
- Vault of customer information manager.
Pros
- Stability and reliability have been proven.
- Strong security features comprised of
- Broad support of platform integration.
Cons
- Dated interface and tools
- Fees are always needed on a monthly basis.
- Poor contemporary modes of payment.
- Who is it for: Established businesses
- Website: https://www.authorize.net
10. Lemon Squeezy
Lemon Squeezy is a new merchant of record platform that is aimed at digital product creators and SaaS startups. It is now quickly emerging as one of the best Stripe alternatives to indie developers and small software companies. The platform has the global tax compliance advantage of Paddle, a Stripe-like clean API, and a pleasing user experience. All is covered at the very beginning – universal tax management, fraud prevention, and affiliates are all part of it, the pricing is straightforward, and there are no hidden levels. The installation is relatively quick, and the dashboard is easily user-friendly.
Key Features
- Global tax automation incorporated.
- In-built affiliate program management.
- Modern API, which is developer-friendly.
Pros
- Basic comprehensive pricing scheme.
- Zero tax compliance work
- An intuitive user interface that is clean.
Cons
- Not for physical products
- Younger and a small track record.
- Few complex billing situations.
- Who is it for: Indian developers
- Website: https://www.lemonsqueezy.com
Best Stripe Alternatives in India
In the case of businesses in India, Razorpay is an easy winner and, by all means, one of the most outstanding alternatives. It accepts all the Indian popular payment options, such as UPI, net banking with 60+ banks, and the most popular wallets, Paytm and PhonePe. The platform has competitive pricing of 2 per cent on domestic transactions and provides an API that is modern and optimised to suit developers.
Other than payments, Razorpay has developed into a full-fledged financial package including banking features, payroll, and lending options to businesses, and thus is the most broad-based solution to Indian companies.
Best Stripe Alternatives for International Payments
Payoneer and Wise are good alternatives to Stripe, best in the case of businesses that transact internationally. Payoneer focuses on accepting payments made by international markets and customers and provides local bank information in various nations to ensure that transfer charges are not high. Wise offers actual exchange rates at clear and low charges on international transfers and multi-currency accounts.
In the case of software businesses that sell their software worldwide, Paddle or Lemon Squeezy can automatically take care of international tax, and thus make them ideal for selling their software without trouble with sales and VAT in the countries they operate.
Stripe Alternatives for SaaS Businesses
UniBee represents one of the best Stripe alternatives that should be used by SaaS companies to manage subscriptions. It has advanced capabilities such as metered billing, usage-based pricing, smart dunning for failed payments, and multi-gateway. It can be combined with Stripe, PayPal, or other processors, but leave all the billing logic up to you.
Another outstanding option of SaaS is Paddle, which serves as a merchant of record and takes all the tax compliance in the whole world. As an indie SaaS developer, Lemon Squeezy has a one-stop-shop solution with a simple price and tax rules that deal with the global taxes automatically.
Stripe Alternatives for Developers
India Razorpay is a good API developer and a good alternative to Stripe; it is among the best options with great APIs. Europe Mollie is a good API developer and a good alternative to Stripe; it is among the best options with great APIs. Enterprise Adyen is also a good alternative to Stripe, with good APIs, and it is a good choice. Razorpay has a clean and modern API, just like the developer experience of Stripe, with detailed documentation. Mollie offers easy, highly documented APIs that are ideal for integrating payment to Europe.
To the flexible type among the community, UniBee provides an open-source platform on which developers can customise everything and add several payment gateways. It is focused on the developer experience in these platforms through clear documentation, modern REST APIs, and useful SDKs in various programming languages.
How to Choose the Best Stripe Alternative
To choose the optimal payment platform, one needs to consider one’s particular needs carefully:
- Look at Your Geographic Market: Select a provider that focuses on your geographic location – Razorpay in India, Mollie in Europe, or global services such as PayPal, which has international coverage.
- See How Your Business Model Works: SaaS businesses require functions other than e-commerce stores – billing flexibility should be a priority for subscription businesses, whereas omnichannel should be a priority for retail stores.
- Understand Total Costs: Think beyond transaction costs and find out the monthly expenses, currency conversion costs, and any other hidden costs that could multiply as you grow.
- Check Technical Requirements: Determine whether you require easy-to-set-up or rich API integration – the developers may desire powerful APIs, whereas the non-technical users desire no-code solutions.
- Evaluate Feature Requirements: Before you make your decision, make a list of what features are required of your system, such as tax automation, fraud protection, multi-currency support, or local payment methods.
Conclusion
The search for the most appropriate Stripe alternatives is related to the adjustment of your business requirements to the relevant payment solution. Stripe is a great choice, although it is not the only one – and it is not always the most appropriate for specific applications. You need local payment functionality in India, or you are a SaaS company, and you need high-end billing, or you are a retail outlet that needs an omnichannel solution; you will find a perfect fit.
Also, keep in mind that alternatives that can address your particular issues are the best. What would work with a freelancer will not work with an enterprise. What is ideal for an Indian startup may not be suitable for a European online store. This is the guide you should start with, consider your opportunities, and use the platform, which will assist your business in its development. In 2026, the payment environment abounds with the best alternatives- you need to find one.
FAQs
What is the reason why I should consider Stripe alternatives?
Although Stripe is a good choice, there might be other options that are priced better, accept local payment options, have specific business-type features, or are available in countries that are not supported by Stripe.
Is it possible to combine several payment processors?
Yes, the reason a number of business entities have more than one payment gateway is that they want to have back-ups and to provide a variety of payment methods. Particular platform software packages, such as UniBee, are built with the purpose of operating a variety of payment processors at once to provide flexibility and avoid dependence on a single vendor.
Are Stripe substitutes cheaper?
It is based on the business model and volume. Others, such as Helcim, are interchange-plus priced, which is sometimes lower-cost in volume. There are others, such as Paddle, that charge more but offer other services, such as tax compliance.
What is the ideal Stripe option to use in Indian businesses?
Indian businesses would obviously have Razorpay as the ultimate choice. It accepts all the popular Indian payment options, such as UPI, net banking, and wallets, has a competitive domestic transaction fee of 2%, and offers other add-ons like business banking and payroll, which makes it the most complete solution in India. Am I required to have technical knowledge in order to migrate away from Stripe?
It is dependent on your choice of alternative. Such services as PayPal, Square, and Gumroad do not need high levels of technical skills and have easy installation. Such others as UniBee (self-hosted) or Adyen require developer resources.
