Written by Saranthip Saetang, Operations and Product Owner
With over 3+ years of experience in the fintech industry, Saranthip is currently working as a Senior payment specialist where she leads a team of payment experts in the management and optimization of payment systems.
Last reviewed by June 2026.
The Seven at a Glance
1.
Stripe — Best for Australian businesses wanting a versatile, developer-first platform with competitive domestic rates and broad payment method support
2.
Eway — Best for Australian merchants wanting the lowest flat-rate pricing and 250+ ecommerce platform integrations
3.
Square — Best for retailers selling both in-person and online who want one platform for omnichannel payments
4.
PayPal — Best for businesses wanting global reach and a checkout option Australian and international buyers already trust
5.
ANZ Worldline — Best for established businesses that need bank-backed credibility, phone payment and small device capability, and same-day settlement
6.
Pin Payments — Best for small businesses wanting a simple, startup-friendly setup with multi-currency support across 15 currencies
7.
Worldpay (Now Global Payments) — Best for large businesses and business in specific industries like gaming and crypto
Australia’s ecommerce market is one of the most developed in the Asia-Pacific region. Cards are the most used online payment method, followed by PayPal, Apple Pay, and direct debit.
The payment gateway you choose determines which of these your customers can use at checkout — and how much you pay per transaction at your current volume. This guide covers 7 gateways used by Australian businesses, from broad developer platforms to locally focused providers.
All provider information is accurate as of June 2026. Please check each provider’s website for the latest pricing and features.
In this guide, you will learn:
- Which payment gateways are available for Australian businesses in 2026
- A comparison of seven providers across fees, accepted payment methods, and integration options
- The pricing structure for each: flat-rate, transaction-based, or quote-based
- Which gateway fits your situation: online-only, omnichannel retail, global reach, bank-backed, or SME simplicity
- What to look for in the business account that receives your settled funds
Disclaimer: All fee data is sourced from official provider websites as of June 2026. Rates may change; verify directly with each provider before committing.
How we prepared this guide
Selecting a payment gateway in Australia involves more than comparing headline rates. Australian consumers use a broader mix of payment methods — debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, BECS direct debit, BNPL services like Afterpay, and POLi for bank transfers. The right gateway needs to support the methods your customers actually use.
I evaluated seven gateways across the criteria that matter most for Australian businesses:
- Local payment method coverage: BECS direct debit, POLi, EFTPOS, and Australian-issued card support
- Fee structure: flat-rate vs subscription vs quote-based, and how costs scale with volume
- Integration breadth: compatibility with Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and other common platforms
- Omnichannel capability: whether the gateway covers both online and in-person payments
- Developer tooling: API quality, SDK availability, sandbox environments
- Support accessibility: 24-hour availability, local presence
All pricing data sourced from official provider websites, June 2026.
Our Recommendation
For most Australian online businesses: Start with Stripe as your primary gateway. Its domestic rate is competitive, its developer tooling is the strongest on this list, and BECS direct debit keeps costs low for invoices. Add PayPal as a secondary checkout option if your customers expect it.
For omnichannel retailers: Square covers in-person (1.6%) and online (2.2%) in one platform with free POS hardware.
For the lowest domestic card rate with deep AU integrations: Eway at 1.5% + 25c beats Stripe on card transaction cost.
For bank-backed credibility and same-day settlement: ANZ Worldline.
For a simple multi-currency small business setup: Pin Payments.
For enterprise-level: Worldpay (Now Global Payments)
Quick Comparison
| Provider | Best for | Domestic fee | Monthly fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Developer-first, broad AU payment methods | 1.7% + A$0.30 | None |
| Eway | Competitive flat rate, 250+ integrations | 1.5% + 25c | None |
| Square | Omnichannel (in-person + online) | 1.6% in-person / 2.2% online | A$0 - A$99 |
| PayPal | Global reach, buyer trust | 2.90% + fixed fees | None |
| ANZ Worldline | Bank-backed, phone payments | Quote-based | Quote-based |
| Pin Payments | Small business, 15-currency support | 1.6% + 30c | None |
| Worldpay (Now Global Payments) | Large business with high-volume, crypto | Quote-based | Quote-based |
GST may apply on fees. Verify current rates directly with each provider. June 2026.
1. Stripe
Best for: Australian businesses wanting a versatile, developer-first platform with competitive domestic rates, BECS direct debit support, and the broadest ecommerce and payment method coverage on this list.
Stripe is used by millions of businesses globally and is among the most recommended payment gateway for Australian SMEs by independent reviewers. It supports BECS direct debit, Afterpay, and most major Australian payment methods through a single integration.
Key features: BECS direct debit with capped fees; Stripe Checkout for hosted pages; Stripe Elements for custom checkout UI; Stripe Radar for AI-powered fraud detection; Stripe Connect for marketplaces and platforms; support for 135+ currencies; developer SDKs for web and mobile; sandbox environment.
Accepted methods: Visa, Mastercard®, American Express, JCB; Apple Pay, Google Pay; BECS direct debit; Afterpay; bank redirects.
Stripe Pricing
| Transaction type | Rate |
|---|---|
| Domestic cards | 1.7% + 30c |
| International cards | 3.5% + 30c |
| Currency conversion | +2.0% |
| BECS direct debit | 1.0% + 30c |
Refer to Stripe’s Australian pricing page for full details.
✅ Who this suits
- You want the most flexible payment platform with strong developer tooling and extensive documentation
- You process a mix of card types, BECS direct debit, and digital wallets from one integration
- You run a marketplace or platform that needs to split payments across multiple sellers (Stripe Connect)
- You want transparent flat-rate pricing with no monthly fee and no merchant account requirement
❌ Who should look elsewhere
- You need POLi or IVR phone payments for Australian-specific transactions
- You want in-person POS hardware with a free reader and omnichannel inventory management — Square is better suited
- You have no developer resources and need plug-and-play setup — Square or Eway offer simpler onboarding
2. Eway
Best for: Australian merchants wanting a low flat-rate pricing and broad ecommerce platform integration locally.
Eway is an Australia-based provider with 20+ years of experience serving over 97,000 businesses. Its 1.5% + 25c flat rate for domestic cards is the lowest published rate on this list, and its 250+ integrations cover Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento, Xero, NetSuite, and more.
Key features: Online payments; one-click checkout; 24-hour emergency technical support; money deposited into your bank account within 1 to 3 business day, subject to approval; PCI DSS compliance; API, SDKs, sandbox
Accepted methods: Visa, Mastercard®, American Express, JCB, Discover; Apple Pay, Click to Pay.
Eway Pricing
Online Payment pricing
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Domestic cards (Amex, Mastercard® and Visa) | 1.5% + 25c |
| International credit card transaction | 1.5% + 25c +1.99% |
| Setup | Free |
| Monthly | Free |
Gateway Services pricing (bring your own merchant account):
| Plan | Transaction fee | Monthly fee (billed annually) |
|---|---|---|
| Community | 50c (10 free transactions/month) |
A$20/month |
| Budget | 60c (5 free transactions/month) |
A$30/month |
| VIP | 40c (200 free transactions/month) |
A$60/month |
Refer to the Eway pricing page for online payment and payment gateway for full details.
✅ Who this suits
- You want a low flat rate for accepting domestic card payments
- You use a major ecommerce platform and want plug-and-play integration
- You have an existing merchant account and want to connect it via Gateway Services
❌ Who should look elsewhere
- POLi and BECS – it’s unclear whether Eway supports POLi and BECS
- No in-person POS capability — Square or ANZ Worldline are better for physical retail
Tip: Eway also features in our guide to the best payment gateways in Singapore.
3. Square
Best for: Australian retailers selling both in-person and online who want a single platform covering POS, inventory, and ecommerce payments. It is especially focused on restaurants, retail, and beauty businesses.
Square provides hardware, software, and payments under one system. Australian merchants get a free POS app and one dashboard managing in-store and online transactions, inventory, and reporting. Square also supports a BNPL option.
Key features: Hardware; POS app; unified dashboard for in-store and online; Afterpay BNPL integration; inventory management; same-day or next-business-day deposits; team management tools; Square Online for ecommerce.
Accepted methods: Visa, Mastercard®, American Express, Eftpos, JCB; Apple Pay, Google Pay; Afterpay.
Square Pricing
| Transaction type | Rate |
|---|---|
| In-person (tap, insert, swipe) | 1.6% |
| Online / card-not-present |
2.2% 1.9% if you are on online Premium tier (A$99/month) |
| Afterpay (in-person) | 6% + 30c (excl. GST) |
| Monthly fee = |
Online and offline: 0 (Free account), A$40/mo (Plus) Online: 0 (Free account), A$36/mo (Plus), A$99/mo (Premium) |
Refer to Square AU fees for current details.
✅ Who this suits
- You run a retail, food, or service business with both physical and online sales
- You want one platform for inventory, payments, and reporting across channels
- You want POS hardware
- Afterpay integration matters for your customer base
❌ Who should look elsewhere
- You are primarily an online-only business — Square’s 2.2% online rate is higher than Stripe (1.75%) and Eway (1.5%)
- You need deep developer customisation or marketplace payment splitting — Stripe’s API is significantly more capable
4. PayPal
Best for: Businesses wanting global reach and a checkout option Australian and international buyers already recognise and trust.
PayPal for Business operates across 200+ markets with 425 million users. In Australia, PayPal is one of the most common online payment methods, particularly among buyers who do not want to enter card details on unfamiliar sites. Most merchants add PayPal as a secondary checkout option alongside a primary gateway. PayPal Business Australia allow payment from 200+ markets in 130 currencies.
Key features: BNPL via Pay in 4 (0% interest for buyers); QR code payments; payment links; social media payment integration; PayPal Buyer and Seller Protection.
Accepted methods: PayPal balance; Visa, Mastercard®, and major cards; QR code; direct banking or vouchers
PayPal Pricing
| Transaction type | Rate |
|---|---|
| Commercial transactions | 2.90% + fixed fee (currency-dependent) |
| QR code | 1.20% |
| International transactions | +1.00% |
Refer to the PayPal Merchant Fees page for full details.
✅ Who this suits
- Your customers expect PayPal at checkout as a trust signal, particularly international buyers
- You sell across multiple markets and want a payment option that works globally
- BNPL for buyers without adding a separate Afterpay integration matters (PayPal Pay in 4)
❌ Who should look elsewhere
- As a primary gateway for domestic card processing, PayPal’s 2.90% rate is higher than Stripe, Eway, Square, and Pin Payments
- Currency-based fixed fees make cost estimation harder than flat-rate alternatives
- Account holds may be more common at PayPal than at gateway-only providers
5. ANZ Worldline
Best for: Established businesses needing bank-backed credibility and payment solutions for in-store, online, and on-the-go with mobile.
ANZ Worldline is a partnership between ANZ Bank and Worldline, Europe’s largest payment processor. It provides payment solutions for businesses of all sizes across Australia, including in-store and online payments, as well as Tap on Mobile technology that lets you accept payments directly on your phone.
Key features: EFTPOS machines; online acceptance; Tap on Mobile; pocket-sized payment devices; same-day settlement, an analytics dashboard, integrations with WooCommerce, Magento, PrestaShop and more; 24/7 local support; PCI DSS compliance.
Accepted methods: Visa, Mastercard®, American Express, Diners Club; UnionPay, JCB, Apple Pay, Google Pay; PayPal, Alipay+, WeChat, EFTPOS
ANZ Worldline Pricing
1.3% transaction fees on major cards (Visa, Mastercard® and eftpos). Other fees are quote-based. Contact ANZ Worldline sales. Refer to the ANZ Worldline Merchant Services Pricing Structure page for indicative structure.
✅ Who this suits
- ANZ bank association adds credibility with regulated industry clients or B2B partners
- Businesses that benefit from same-day settlement
- Businesses serving international customers and tourists, particularly those who use Alipay+, WeChat Pay, UnionPay, and JCB.
❌ Who should look elsewhere
- Quote-based pricing — you cannot compare all costs upfront
- For small businesses or startups, the bank infrastructure adds complexity that Stripe or Eway avoid
6. Pin Payments
Best for: Small businesses and startups wanting a simple, no-merchant-account setup with multi-currency charging across 15 currencies.
Pin Payments is built for simplicity. No merchant account is required as Pin Payments combines a merchant account and payment gateway into a single, easy-to-use account. Businesses can charge customers in 15 currencies and settle in 8. It also operates across both Australia and New Zealand, making it a convenient choice for businesses that want a single payment provider in both markets.
Key features: 15-currency charging, 8-currency settlement; invoice links and payment buttons; recurring payments; Shopify, WooCommerce, Xero integrations; developer API; PCI DSS compliance.
Accepted methods: Visa, Mastercard®, American Express, JCB, Discover, Diners Club; Apple Pay, Google Pay.
Pin Payments Pricing
| Transaction type | Rate |
|---|---|
| Domestic cards (domestic customer) | 1.6% + 30c |
| Domestic transaction, international card | 3.4% + 30c |
| Foreign currency, AUD settlement | 3.4% + 30c + 1.7% conversion |
| Foreign currency, foreign settlement | 3.9% + 30c |
Non-profits can contact Pin Payments for custom pricing. Refer to the Pin Payments Pricing page for full details.
✅ Who this suits
- You want a simple setup with no merchant account complexity
- Multi-currency charging across 15 currencies matters for your customer base
❌ Who should look elsewhere
- For high-volume businesses, costs escalate without a volume pricing option until you qualify for custom rates
- Limited to Australia and New Zealand
7. Worldpay (Now Global Payments)
Best for Larger Australian businesses selling internationally that want enterprise-grade processing, the widest global payment method coverage on this list, and negotiated rates based on volume.
Worldpay is one of the world's largest payment service providers, covering 126 currencies and 300+ payment methods. For Australian merchants, the practical appeal is reach: payment acceptance includes the local schemes your overseas customers actually use. The trade-off is that Worldpay is built for scale, not simplicity.
Key features: Single API for global acquiring; 126-currency acceptance and 300+ payment methods; local acquiring in major markets to reduce cross-border fees; FX and currency conversion tools; fraud screening and 3D Secure tokenisation; consolidated cross-market reporting; industry-specific solutions for retail, travel, crypto, gaming, and subscriptions.
Accepted methods: Visa, Mastercard®, American Express, JCB, UnionPay; Apple Pay, Google Pay; Klarna BNPL; bank transfers and local payment schemes by market.
Worldpay Pricing
Quote-based. Worldpay does not publish upfront pricing — you contact the company for a quote based on your business profile, typically structured as interchange-plus for higher volumes. Custom pricing is geared toward Australian businesses with higher annual card turnover.
✅ Who this suits
- You sell into multiple international markets and want one provider handling all payment methods instead of separate contracts per region
- You process enough volume to negotiate good rates below the published flat rates of Stripe, Eway, or Square
- Your customers pay with region-specific methods that single-market gateways do not cover
❌ Who should look elsewhere
- Quote-based pricing means you cannot compare costs upfront
- Small businesses and startups
- If you only sell domestically, the global infrastructure is overkill and Eway's 1.5% + 25c flat rate is likely cheaper
What to Consider When Choosing a Payment Gateway
Security and compliance: All providers on this list are PCI DSS compliant. Look for end-to-end encryption, real-time fraud detection, and tokenisation. Ask what fraud tools are included at your pricing tier versus what costs extra.
Local payment method coverage: Confirm your shortlisted gateway supports the methods your Australian customers actually use. Not all gateways support POLi, BECS direct debit, or Afterpay — and these can meaningfully affect conversion rates for Australian buyers, depending on your targets.
Fee structure fit: Flat-rate plans (Stripe, Eway, Square, Pin Payments) work well for businesses with consistent volume. Gateway-only plans suit businesses with existing merchant accounts. Quote-based (ANZ Worldline) requires a sales conversation.
Omnichannel vs online-only: If you have a physical store alongside your online presence, you want to look for an integrated solution like Square and ANZ Worldline.
Settlement currency and speed: Confirm whether your gateway settles in AUD, how quickly funds arrive, and whether same-day settlement is available at your pricing tier.
Final Note
Once your gateway processes transactions, where the funds land matters. A multi-currency account that holds AUD, USD, HKD, and other currencies avoids forced conversion on every settlement cycle.
Statrys business accounts support 11 currencies, including AUD, and can be connected to payment gateways, including Stripe and PayPal.
For businesses comparing options for cross-border payment management, see our guide to best international money transfer apps.
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FAQs
What is a payment gateway?
A payment gateway is a system that collects, validates, and secures customer payment details before forwarding them to payment processors and the merchant’s bank account to finalise the transaction. It is the technology layer between your checkout page and the financial institutions that process the payment.
What are the top payment gateways in Australia?
Seven suitable options for Australian businesses in 2026: Stripe (developer-first, competitive AU rates), Eway (lowest flat domestic rate, 250+ integrations), Square (omnichannel, in-person + online), PayPal (global reach, buyer trust), ANZ Worldline (bank-backed, online, offline and phone payments), Pin Payments (small business simplicity, 15 currencies), and Worldpay (large-scale businesses)
What payment options are most used in Australia?
Cards are the most used method for online payments, followed by PayPal and digital wallets. Apple Pay is the most used mobile payment method. BNPL services like Afterpay have significant adoption, as does BECS direct debit for recurring payments.
Why is a payment gateway important?
A payment gateway handles the security, validation, and processing of every customer transaction. Without one, you cannot securely accept card or digital wallet payments. The gateway you choose also determines which payment methods your customers can use at checkout, directly affecting your conversion rate.
How do I choose between flat-rate and subscription pricing?
Flat-rate plans with no monthly fee suit businesses with lower or variable transaction volumes. Subscription plans with lower per-transaction fees suit businesses with consistent, high-volume processing where the monthly fee is offset by savings per transaction. Calculate your projected monthly cost under both models at your actual volume before deciding.
