PayPal vs Stripe
Verdict
Stripe wins for developers, SaaS, and custom checkouts with lower fees and superior APIs; PayPal wins on buyer trust and instant brand recognition at checkout. Use Stripe as your processor and add PayPal as a button to capture both.
Feature & pricing comparison
| Comparison | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.6 |
| Starting price | Custom | Custom |
| Pricing model | Paid | Paid |
| API available | ||
| Best for | Stores wanting buyer trust | Developers, SaaS & online stores |
| PayPal & Venmo checkout | ||
| Pay Later (BNPL) | ||
| Buyer & seller protection | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Global currencies | ||
| Card & wallet payments | ||
| Subscriptions & billing | ||
| Global methods | ||
| Connect (marketplaces) | ||
| Excellent API & docs | ||
| Visit | Visit |
Which should you choose?
Pick Stripe for developer control, SaaS billing, and lower fees
Pick PayPal to add trusted one-click checkout for shoppers
PayPal
Pros
- Massive brand trust
- Boosts conversion
- Easy setup
Cons
- Higher fees
- Account holds can be frustrating
Stripe
Pros
- Best-in-class developer experience
- Huge feature set
- Global reach
Cons
- Support is mostly self-serve
- Can hold funds for risk review
Frequently asked questions
Is PayPal better than Stripe?+
Stripe wins for developers, SaaS, and custom checkouts with lower fees and superior APIs; PayPal wins on buyer trust and instant brand recognition at checkout. Use Stripe as your processor and add PayPal as a button to capture both.
Which is cheaper, PayPal or Stripe?+
PayPal starts at Custom, while Stripe starts at Custom.