5 Best Payment Gateways for Shopify in 2024

If you searched for “payment gateway” or “payment processor” on Shopify’s App Store, you’d be hit with a whopping 100+ payment solutions to choose from. Furthermore, each of those payment solutions has its own pros and cons, and it is not going to be easy to find the best payment gateway for you.

Therefore, we have prepared a comprehensive guide that will walk you through the best payment gateways for Shopify, their features, as well as their downsides. And without further ado, let's get started!

What Is Payment Methods on Shopify?

Payment gateways on Shopify allow online merchants to accept payments securely from their customers. 

When a customer places an order on a Shopify store, it’s the payment gateway that collects and encrypts their payment information. The card and transaction data are then transmitted through the underlying payment network to the customer’s bank. 

Throughout the whole process, the payment gateway keeps the merchant updated. And if everything checks out on the bank’s end, your payment gateway will ensure that the funds are transferred to your merchant's account.

So, in a way, Shopify payment gateways act as a conduit between the customer, the merchant, and the customer’s bank.

The setup process itself is pretty simple. You just need to create an account with your preferred payment gateway provider and then customize its settings for your Shopify store. 

🔍 Tip: Explore our payment gateways guide and payment service provider guide for a deeper understanding of what they entail.

5 Best Payment Gateways for Shopify in 2023

For everything to proceed smoothly, you’ll have to make sure that you’ve chosen the best payment gateway for your business.

This is where you consider specialized Shopify payment providers such as:

• Shopify Payments: Shopify Payments is the default payment gateway, integrated into the dashboard for seamless online payments. It’s powered by Stripe, through which it facilitates merchants in 22 countries. With this on your Shopify store, you should be able to process mobile and card payments in 130 currencies
• Stripe: While Stripe has various pre-built payment solutions, its developer-friendly architecture is best suited for businesses seeking advanced customization capabilities. The payments are processed in over 135 currencies and from all the major cards in the world. Hence, Stripe would be an ideal payment gateway for a growing business that’s looking to expand internationally.
• PayPal: PayPal is the biggest third-party payment gateway on Shopify. It supports over 200 merchant countries and holds 325 million active accounts worldwide. That dominance comes with significant credibility, which will earn your store much-needed trust points on embedding PayPal Express Checkout.  
• Amazon Pay: Amazon Pay, an online payment gateway by Amazon, streamlines customer payments by linking your store to the trusted Amazon brand. It automatically utilizes customers' existing Amazon accounts for payment, saving them the hassle of inputting card details.
• Verifone (2Checkout): With a coverage of over 200 merchant countries and support for more than 100 currencies, Verifone helps you localize payments based on your customers' preferences. Its 29-language system and 45+ payment methods would especially be handy for multilocation online stores with transactions at home and abroad

1. Shopify Payments

Shopify Payments is the default payment gateway offered by Shopify, and it’s all designed to streamline online payments for merchants.

This is what you’ll find fully integrated into your Shopify dashboard, which should save you the hassle of setting up a third-party payment provider.

You also have an easy time tracking the transactions, as all your inventory and sales data will be centralized under one system.

The framework itself is powered by Stripe, a globally renowned payment processor.

This alone is assurance that online transactions here are consistently handled in an ultra-secure environment. The Shopify-Stripe combo is safeguarded by PCI compliance, SSL encryption, and fraud detection capabilities.

It’s not open to everyone, though.

Shopify Payments is only available in 22 countries – the US, the UK, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Singapore, Norway, New Zealand, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Japan, Italy, Ireland, Hong Kong SAR, Germany, France, Finland, Denmark, Canada, Belgium, Austria, and Australia. Except for Shopify Lite, each plan gives you the option to sell in up to 20 languages from a single Shopify store.

But, it can accept credit card payments globally in 130 currencies.

You’ll be charged in return a transaction fee of up to 2.9% + $0.30 – along with an international conversion fee of 1.5% in the US, and 2% across other regions.

You won’t otherwise incur any additional costs in the form of setup fees, third-party transaction fees, or hidden fees.

Shopify payments features on Shopify

• PCI DSS compliant
• Real-time transaction tracking
• Fraud protection measures
• Mobile payments
• Credit card processing
• No transaction fees
• No setup fees
• Multi-currency support
• User-friendly interface

Supported payment methods

Diner's Club, JCB, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Discover, American Express, Mastercard, and Visa.

Shopify payments pricing

• Advanced plan: 2.4% + 30¢ USD for online payments, and 2.4% for in-person payments. 
• Shopify plan: 2.6% + 30¢ USD for online payments, and 2.5% for in-person payments. 
• Basic plan: 2.9% + 30¢ USD for online payments and 2.7% for in-person payments.

Pros and Cons of using Shopify Payments on Shopify

2. Stripe

In addition to powering Shopify Payments, Stripe has its own independent payment gateway solution for Shopify merchants. 

Shopify users can easily embed Stripe into their platform, thanks to its straightforward integration process and transparent pricing structure. 

But, while its Shopify payment gateway app comes with various pre-built solutions, Stripe’s developer-friendly architecture is mostly geared towards businesses seeking advanced customization capabilities.

Otherwise, without the technical skills, you won’t be able to capitalize on the powerful APIs and developer tools. 

Stripe can also process payments in over 135 currencies. What’s more, the system can accept cards from all over the globe.

These two factors, when combined with those customization tools, make Stripe especially suitable for growing mid-sized businesses dealing in international sales.

Another group that’s favored by Stripe is merchants in industries with high chargeback rates.

Whereas Shopify Payments will take down your entire online shop if you exceed the chargeback frequency limit, Stripe only halts the transactions and leaves your Shopify business intact. 

As for the charges, you can expect a basic fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction for online payments, and 2.7% + $0.05 per transaction for in-person payments.

Customers, on the other hand, won’t be restricted to just mainstream credit and debit cards.

The Stripe Shopify integration accommodates a diverse range of payment methods – including digital wallets, cash vouchers, plus Buy Now Pay Later arrangements. 

On the flip side, however, Stripe’s payments can only be processed by merchants in 47 countries.  

Stripe payment gateway features on Shopify

• Chargeback protection.
• Automated invoicing.
• 24/7 support (chat, phone, email).
• Available in 47 countries.
• Multi-currency support (135+ currencies).
• Point of sale (PoS) system.
• Accepts ACH, debit, and wire transfers.
• One-click payments.
• Subscription billing.
• Fraud detection tools.
• Real-time transaction monitoring.
• PCI level 1 compliance

Stripe supported payment methods

• Buy now, pay later options such as Afterpay.
• ACH credit, ACH debit, and wire transfers. 
• Digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.
• Major credit and debit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, JCB, and Diners Club.

Stripe payment gateway pricing on Shopify

• Online payments: 2.9% + $0.30.
• In-person payments: 2.7% + $0.05.

Pros and Cons of using Stripe on Shopify

3. PayPal

PayPal is probably the biggest third-party payment gateway on Shopify. It hosts over 30 million merchants worldwide, some of whom are Shopify users. 

The popularity of PayPal can be attributed to its extensive global reach. This is the only payment processing solution that supports well over 200 merchant countries. 

PayPal itself is a favourite payment option for customers. Not only has it built up a user base of over 325 million active accounts.

Once you set it up, you'll get a PayPal Express Checkout account that’s linked to your Shopify email address.

The role of the checkout is to redirect customers from your online store to PayPal’s login page, which then gives them access to their PayPal accounts for payment authorization. 

🔎 According to Total Retail, 54% of consumers admit that they’re more willing to buy when a business accepts PayPal.  

Otherwise, for buyers who’d prefer credit card payments, it turns out that you can still process them on your PayPal Express Checkout integration.

Not by default, though – you have to first enable guest payments. 

All in all, you should be able to process your online payments in 25 different currencies. And while you’re at it, PayPal secures the transactions with robust data protection and real-time analysis.

The system provides PCI compliance, anti-phishing measures, SSL encryption, plus smart fraud detection and prevention. 

Another benefit of using PayPal is its Seller Protection Program, which shields eCommerce vendors against suspected fraud or incorrect claims.

Keep in mind, however, that whenever payment disputes are raised by customers, you’ll be required to respond within 10 days.

The subsequent resolution process could then take up to 75 days or longer, during which time PayPal might freeze the funds in your account. 

While there are no monthly or setup fees, the transaction fees can get quite expensive for high-volume merchants.

PayPal charges as much as 2.99% + $0.49 – and that’s excluding an extra 1.5% on international payments, plus the standard 0.5%-2% commission levied by Shopify for using a third-party payment provider.

📖 Want to learn more? Here's a simple guide on how to accept Paypal payments on your website.

PayPal features on Shopify

• PCI compliant checkout
• Detailed transaction reporting
• Shipping address validation
• Customizable checkout button
• Fraud detection and prevention
• Multi-currency support
• Automatic tax calculation
• Guest checkout option
• Buyer and seller protection
• Integrated payment processing

PayPal supported payment methods

• Card payments (credit cards and debit cards).
• PayPal account.

PayPal payment gateway pricing on Shopify

• Credit and debit card payments: 2.99% + $0.49.
• Digital payments: 3.49% + $0.49.

Pros and Cons of using PayPal as a Shopify payment gateway

💡Tip: Withdrawing sales from PayPal? Check out our guide on all PayPal withdrawal methods.

4. Amazon Pay

Amazon Pay is an online payment gateway developed entirely by the renowned global retailer Amazon. It offers a convenient and seamless checkout experience, allowing shoppers to make payments through their existing Amazon accounts. 

🔎 NPR states that 92% of online shoppers admit to using Amazon therefore there’s a good chance that a chunk of your leads has already registered on the marketplace.

One way to speed up its conversion is to bring in Amazon Pay, and then use it to capitalize on the credibility and fame Amazon has built for decades.  

That means customers won’t have to manually input their payment data directly into your Shopify website.

Amazon Pay saves them the trouble by automatically utilizing the credit card details, shipping address, and direct debit corporate accounts attached to their Amazon accounts. 

This system, however, leaves out merchants who are not based in any of the 16 Amazon-serviced regions.

It’s only available in Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Japan, Italy, Ireland, Hungary, Germany, France, Denmark, Cyprus, Belgium, Austria, the UK, and the US.

The online payments here come in 12 global currencies, after which Amazon Pay takes 3-5 business days to complete payment transfers to your merchant account. 

You’ll also incur slightly higher than average transaction fees, which are only comparable with PayPal’s.

Domestic payments from US-based buyers will cost you about 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction while the charges for cross-border transactions start at 3.9% + $0.30.

Amazon Pay's features on Shopify

• 24/7 customer support
• Customizable payment buttons
• Fraud protection measures
• Alexa Voice Payments
• Seamless mobile payments
• International payments
• Cross-border currency support
• Multiple payment methods
• Easy address retrieval
• Amazon account integration
• Buyer protection

Amazon Pay's supported payment methods

• Digital wallets
• Online payments
• Mobile payments
• Alexa Voice Payments
• Credit cards
• Direct debit bank accounts
• Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

Amazon Pay's pricing on Shopify

• Domestic payments via web and mobile: 2.9% + $0.30.
• Domestic payments via Alexa Voice: 4% + $0.30.
• International payments via web and mobile: 3.9% + $0.30
• International payments via Alexa Voice: 5% + $0.30

Pros and Cons of using Amazon Pay on Shopify

5. Verifone (formerly 2Checkout)

Verifone, previously known as “2Checkout”, introduces a unique approach to expanding your business internationally and optimizing your recurring revenue streams. 

You’ll find its Shopify integration listed as “2Checkout ConvertPlus (by Verifone)”.  The app is hailed as the best Shopify payment gateway for businesses that need cross-border flexibility in their payment processing. 

One thing that has contributed to this international prominence is 2Checkout’s extensive regional coverage.

We’re talking of over 200 merchant countries, from which you can accept payments from all over the globe in more than 100 currencies. 

2Checkout even helps you in localizing the payments according to your shoppers’ attributes at home and abroad.

You get to provide a seamless shopping experience for your customers in their own language, preferred payment methods, and local currencies.

The language options on Verifone’s payment processing platform stretch up to 29, all of which are capable of running concurrently. That means you can have a different payment gateway page for every geographical location. 

As for the payment methods, Verifone’s 2Checkout is capable of handling more than 45 of them.

They range from standard credit card and debit card payments to digital wallets, online banking systems, direct debit remittances, and offline options. This is your best shot at facilitating customer transactions in your country’s own distinct payment methods. 

If you choose to explore the options, keep in mind that the payment processing charges may not be consistent across the board.

They start at 3.5% + $0.35 for basic card payment transactions and then peak when you switch to some of the advanced localized payment methods. 

Whichever option you pick, rest assured that all your local and international sales will always be secured accordingly.

2Checkout maintains PCI compliance, regular security audits, all-rounded tokenization, SSL encryption, and a fraud prevention system that rides on more than 300 fraud detection rules. 

Verifone features on Shopify

• Voluntary and involuntary churn prevention.
• Revenue recovery tools.
• Recurring billing.
• 100 currencies, 29 languages, 200 countries.
• Localized checkout.
• Branded to match your website.
• Mobile-friendly.
• Partner sales.
• Global tax and financial services.
• Subscription billing.
• Global payments

Verifone supported payment methods

• Offline payment methods such as purchase orders, checks, and bank transfers. 
• Direct debit methods like SEPA Direct Debit.
• Online banking payment methods such as Trustly, Netbanking, Giropay, and SOFORT.
• Digital wallets such as Neteller, Skrill Wallet, Webmoney, Apple Pay, Alipay, and PayPal Express.
• Card payments involving Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, UnionPay, etc.

Verifone payment gateway pricing on Shopify

• 2Sell plan: 3.5% + $0.35.
• 2Subscribe plan: 4.5% + $0.45

Pros and Cons of using Verifone on Shopify

Final Thoughts

Once you have a business up and running, you should also consider opening a business account to manage your business payments. In some jurisdictions, it is actually legally required for certain business structures.

Having a business account also helps prepare your business for growth since you’ll have a detailed overview of all your business transactions.

Some business accounts can also give you a multi-currency business account to support international business operations in your Shopify store.

If your business is registered in Hong Kong, Singapore, and the BVI then we recommend you consider opening a business account with Statrys because we offer multi-currency business accounts, physical cards, ATM withdrawals and competitive foreign exchange rates.

Statrys can be an alternative option being a virtual business account provider based in Hong Kong, offering a different option to traditional payment gateways.